CAGED (Mackenzie Grey #2) by Karina Espinosa

like because they are the law .”
    He paused to take a drink and I couldn’t stop bouncing my right leg like Emma does. He was building up for something major and it only pissed me off further that he was being dramatic about it.
    “Any day now, Charles. I’m getting old here,” I said as I faked a yawn.
    “There was a rumor, less than twenty five years ago, that our King—no less—was having an affair. An affair with someone that wasn’t a Lycanthrope, which is a huge no-no for the royal family. And an even bigger no-no to betray your mate.”
    “Wow, real scandalous,” I laughed. “Would be an amazing reality TV show.”
    Charles smirked. “Right. The Queen heard of the King’s betrayal, and had the mistress executed at once. Some said his lover was with child at the time, but there was never any proof.”
    My smile fell to the pit of my stomach, and I paled as my gray eyes widened. My head whipped to Bash and Jonah, but neither of them would look me in the eyes. I didn’t want to hear what came next.
    “There wasn’t any proof of a love child until a year and a half ago when a lone-wolf strolled in to the Brooklyn Pack,” Charles said.
    “No,” I whispered. “You’re full of shit.” My feet stumbled over each other as I stood. My body shook so much, I could no longer stay seated.
    “Mackenzie Grey—you are the illegitimate daughter of Alexander MacCoinnich—King of the Lycans.”
    “No,” I mumbled as I shook my head. “You’re lying. My father is Thomas Grey…”
    “He is not your biological father,” Sebastian murmured beside me. I hadn’t even seen him move. “Take deep breaths.” I was hyperventilating. The oxygen in the room was getting sucked out by a vacuum and it burned my chest. My eyes watered, blurring my vision. I gasped for air, but I still couldn’t breathe.
    “You are in great peril, Miss Grey,” Charles said. “What others would do to have you join their Packs—”
    “Shut the fuck up!” I gasped, clutching my chest. “Just shut the fuck up!”
    “Kenz,” Jonah tried to comfort me, but I brushed him off. They couldn’t just tell me something like that and not expect me to freak out. I had no details on anything which made it easy for me to pretend that I wasn’t adopted. But now? Things were becoming real and the bastard knew it would get a rise out of me.
    “Don’t “Kenz” me, this is some serious shit! And you all knew!”
    “You said you didn’t want to know,” Bash said. “When you left, keeping you in the dark was okay because no one knew where you were, but now that you’re back,” he paused, “it changes everything.”
    “Why? We can keep this a secret between us, no one else has to ever know,” I said. “I will go far, far away, you’ll never have to worry about me!” I attempted to bargain, but the look on everyone’s faces told me what I needed to know. 
    “Do you remember The Summit meeting I had while you were home during Winter break with Jonah?” Sebastian said.
    I nodded.
    “That was when I presented your lineage to The Summit. Everyone already knows. You coming back to New York made you fair game to any Pack that wants you.”
    I froze. “Excuse me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
    “It means,” Sebastian started. “That you’re in American territory and you’re unclaimed. Any Pack can easily force you into fealty.”
    “Force me?” I repeated.
    “Yes, Miss Grey. Sebastian has been all too kind with you, but if he really wanted, he could have forced you into the Pack,” Charles said. “Because of my son’s…fondness of you, I have put all Northeastern Packs on alert that you are hands-off, but I cannot speak for other regions.”
    I could only imagine how I looked—like a red hot chili pepper. Scary scenarios ran through my mind, and before I knew it, I was running out of Charles office. My earlier fears came to life as I stumbled and knocked over a vase of flowers. The sound of glass shattering a