ming for th

the room. I stared at

u a

know how

t need to

orward. "We don't h

m. "You said the C

es

w m

oug

sn't an

ardened. "

dropped.

nd they're not co

e wolves outside began howling. I looked through the shatte

unding. "What do

They want to make sure you

refuse t

kill yo

. "So I hav

always a

standing near the doorway, blood running down his che

before they re

his head. "There

at him. "There

went sti

"It's the only plac

lutel

ween them. "

er an

e tell me what

d at me. "My

rly. "That's exactly wh

drian paused. "My

him. "You mean the

es

ce is pro

than e

loser. "Not agai

"Then I'll make sure t

rowed. "You sound

a

houldn

step toward

between th

of men deciding my life, tired of secrets, t

ll

frowned.

ked relieved, but I wasn't f

wai

ore l

ooked at my father. "No mor

er an

n't a sug

ghed. "You h

ian. He nodded.

ward Lucian

I've never l

me for less

faded. "Fa

that night, I alm

A wolf screamed. My father's exp

on doors burst open, and wolves charge

nd us. My father's roar shook the entire building. Lucian's followed. I looked

me faster. "Do

just le

their pr

leaving m

what he'

and the ceiling cracked. Adrian pus

re you

." He ran towar

You have a

ires have

ection opened, revealing a narrow staircase. I followed him underground, and we ran

does th

for

w f

half

d t

ca

Adrian turn

e blee

. The sleeve was soa

're

had

him. "You al

wh

nothing

on softened.

neither of us spoke. Then he sai

ha

sor

et to apologize and expec

kno

broke

kno

e me hat

led with pai

en

if I had told you the trut

nd

ould have k

. "You could ha

dn't ri

dn't tr

you more th

didn't you

"Because I knew y

stopped

"You've always

m. "You knew I

es

n wh

"I was afraid I'd

rous second I forgot everything - the rejection, the lies, th

ed back

move. "I

can

kno

get to come

kno

ejecte

kno

live w

ded. "

Adrian looked toward the

forest, where a black car waited between the tr

d to the driver's seat, and the

us spoke. Then my phone vibrated

uldn't h

our brother isn't w

ge appeared - this one with a photogr

errified me. My mother was holding a newborn baby, and beside he

n's f

ph was written beneath i

d Adrian. He glanced

h, and his hands tightened around the steeri

id you g

im. "You know

dn't

ria

thing. I held the phone t

the first time since I'd known h

n't k

him. "Don'

swe

y are yo

arely a whisper. "Because that photogra

art s

eople hunting me wanted me dead - or want