Psy & Changelings 01 - Slave to Sensation

let go of Sascha’s hand. “There’s a fine line between asking questions and going too far.”
    â€œI have a right to know what’s going on.” Rina’s eyes were trained on Lucas, no longer interested in Sascha. They all knew who the most dangerous person in the room was and he was concentrating solely on Rina.
    â€œNo, you don’t.” There was no mercy in Lucas’s response. “You were made a soldier earlier this year. Your rank is so low you shouldn’t even be part of this conversation.”
    Sascha was stunned by the flatness of that declaration. She’d never heard Lucas sound so autocratic, almost cruel. He’d clearly hit Rina where it hurt—her pride. As she watched, Dorian moved to flank his alpha. Rina was left alone on the other side.
    â€œLucas,” Rina began, her voice shaky, “why are you being like this?”
    â€œBecause you’ve shown me that being soft on you was a mistake.” He gripped her chin between his fingertips. “You haven’t earned the right to speak to me like you just did. Do you understand?”
    Rina’s eyes welled up. For the first time, Sascha realized how young the female was, something her boldness had masked. Feeling sorry for her, she tried to move forward, but Lucas’s furious glance stopped her in midstep. He turned back to look at Rina.
    â€œYou’re a low-rank soldier,” he repeated. “Your job is to follow orders. Dorian, where is Rina supposed to be?”
    â€œStanding watch on the left side of the house with Barker.” Dorian’s tone was considerably harsher than Lucas’s, a whip of vibrating anger.
    â€œSo you can’t even follow orders.” Lucas let go of the girl’s chin. “Do you think we posted you there for fun?”
    Mute, Rina shook her head. Sascha could feel waves of humiliation and shock coming off the girl. That alone told her neither of the men had ever before spoken to her like this. Unable to remain silent any longer, she said, “I think that’s enough.”
    â€œStay out of this.” The markings on Lucas’s face stood out in stark relief. “This is Pack business.”
    Her hurt at the clear exclusion was beyond proportion. “Do you usually rule by humiliation?”
    â€œThis isn’t the perfect, clean world of the Psy. Cruelty is sometimes necessary.” He looked back at Rina. “This isn’t the first time you’ve disobeyed a direct order. You want to be independent that much, I’ll let you walk away from DarkRiver.”
    Rina shook her head. “No.” It was a whisper.
    â€œThen do the job you’re supposed to.” He glanced at Dorian. “She’s under your command as of now. Don’t sleep with her like Barker did. It’s obviously affected his ability to treat her like a soldier.”
    â€œDon’t worry. Spoiled little girls aren’t my type.”
    Sascha saw the girl’s face turn bright red and her lower lip start to tremble. “Stop it, both of you.”
    â€œDorian, take Rina and close the door behind you.”
    Without a word, the other two leopards left. Sascha waited until the door was closed to speak her mind. “How could you do that to her? Nothing she said was bad enough to merit that ritual shredding of her pride.”
    â€œShe questioned my authority.” He reached out to touch her face but she pulled away. His jaw tightened.
    â€œNo one has the right to do that? You’re protected from scrutiny?”
    â€œThere are men and women in this pack who’ve bled for me, who’ve followed orders to walk into dangerous territory without a single question. They’ve earned the right to say what they think about me.” Anger flickered in the green of his eyes. “Vaughn, Clay, Mercy, Tammy, Dorian, Nate, Desiree, Cian, Jamie, and even that idiot Barker are some of the ones who have the right to question my decisions. Rina doesn’t.”
    â€œWhy?” She was still angry for the put-down he’d delivered to the girl. It felt too much like what people had done to her—not good enough to be a cardinal, not powerful enough, not anything enough to matter. “Aren’t you supposed to be a family?”
    â€œFamilies have hierarchy.” He pulled her into his embrace with such speed that she couldn’t escape. She froze, wondering if this was a good time to show him