ella

ug my nails deeper into the back of my left hand, u

York Empire territory riot f

ting stench of blood, and Bryan stand

llet handgun smoking in his grip. When I accidentally stumbled into

o my coat and lowered his gun at the last second, a s

sts, I had suffered from severe post-traumatic

voice came from the backseat,

ack like a cornered rabbit.

ly run a higher body temperature than humans; a littl

t expose my lie; instead, he reached out a

life immediately, wrapping warm,

o see that he had already closed his eyes, resting his head

the closed cabin, my natural white

his mouth as if to remind his Alpha of protocol, b

rm, lily-scented air, and his fingers slowed their rolling

the only medicine capable of soothing the violent, sleep

e need to detour through South Ridge Boulevar

ded in a single word w

crossroads, guiding the low-slung sports car on

es. The car jolted violently over a deep rut, and befor

he center console divider between the

tantly, locking onto my arm in the

lace glove covering my wrist, a da

d suddenly, his tone carrying the unde

back and hid them behind my waist.

aring straight into my eyes th

again, squeezing the air from my chest as i

d out through clenched teeth, meeting his gaze s

cked in a sharp breath; clearly, no one ever

es for several seconds. To my

don't let trash trample yo

e was suddenly giving me what sounded like e

ared the bumpy road, and the tall wrought-iron g

," Bryan orde

y the curb several hundred yards away from my family's main