't rough, but it wasn't gentle either. It was the kind of hold someone

rk still vibrating under her skin. She forced herself to ste

y was qu

rog

oots

artbeat and Adrian

er within reach as if his instincts

d, his voice low, str

n't ye

sn't

rying to in

sounded.

ed her more t

gging her arms around her b

ave," he said

ath froze.

. this." He placed a hand on his chest, right over the mark. "Ever

ed hard. "Tha

a bond," he

est ti

kn

pected

t meant to fe

survive rejection

an wasn'

wasn't the

the forb

meet his gaze. "You do

e what it is. Tell me what I am. Tel

d, but the words s

ain a world he d

was part of a species

im his entire life

gh his hair. It was the most huma

not normal. I felt something inside me when those

"Because your wolf is

wh

r wo

her like she ha

again," he

p breath. "You'r

Then he bl

wol

es

aguely. "Sharp teeth, fu

nodded

he ground for a lo

h

ation. I negotiate international deals. I give speeches. I don't

said softly. "Yo

was st

as your

xploded, not out of anger a

osed his eyes, forcing co

"I can't accept that. I don't live in

not fa

explai

hesi

tell him the truth. Her wolf hated every second of this sep

Adri

ast. Too fast. Faster th

't under

didn't

r, her voice bare

ot from the human

idn't believe her

ne suppressed your wolf side when you were a child. They hid

ffened. "B

lines are... complicated. They

ed in sharply. "Blood

"I... don't know

he di

the silver gl

er in h

filled space and de

nmo

bloodline that

the brick wall. "I can't be this. I can't be...

ed forward

she whispered.

r the first time, she sa

ar of

ar of

of hi

ore touching. "What you felt tonight? The strengt

ched. "I don't wa

la whispered. "A

n't de

ing, someone who didn't want to be

e after this," he whispere

tightened pain

ew up in this world. I didn't. I never asked for

lowed, her

actly how

oked at h

. "The wolves, the danger, the bond... it al

't breathe

etly. "We're stuck like thi

hesi

uth wa

whispered.

th caugh

s lips

as the

hovered on

e we're

an f

eld her

omething like anger... then something sof

epped

st tightene

dr

e he coul

f them could sa

f heat pulsed u

k lit u

a ga

the wall to s

hearts

reaths

s cried out

was stren

ow

si

red between

nly the be