untless times, but this was the first time he'd

it... r

sed her, "You climbed over yourself.

ks flush

s impo

enjoying her

cord it on my phone

as she reached for her shirt, not notic

fumbled with her clothes, Patrick

ng a nightmare. He'd pulled her close, comforting her, his fingers grazing

rwhelming. But then, she'd murmure

mes had she

e this man to call his name

hristopher, but nothing had turned up. Whe

d from his face as h

ht. Make up an excuse for

mid-button. She kn

needles. It took her a moment to

ut the divorce. I know

ftened, but his r

n hard on

ver took Rhea to *Timele

her tasks, until the end of her shift w

by a drunk driver. I'll need to wait for

no pr

t of the antique district. As she turned a

a tall, thin man. "C

sharpened as sh

glasses at night, their movements tinged with somethi

se quic

are we

d scroll we need you to restore. Don'

laxed a

he scroll to my

, bald and st

talking? Jus

she could. She only made it a few steps before the bal

tall man rummaged through her

you're taking a few days off w

to call Patrick, but she r

want to b

man to find he

going away with some friends for a few days.

hone and powered it off. He pulled a black cl

nally coming to a stop. When the blindfold was r

floor, into a small, dimly lit room. In the c

led out an ancient scroll, about a m

the masterpiece of the Four Sacred

one of the largest European wolfpacks for centuries, wit

scroll could easily fetch t

They couldn't bring it to her shop, which meant the

ke to restore this?"

ly damaged. I'll need

ools and materials you n

rote a list of suppli

l man n

verything. Just

d. The room was well-stocked with a bed, table,

e landscape barren and unfamiliar, dotted with faint,

es, eating a few bites and drinking some water. After was

was missing? Would Pa

my at the hospital. The thought of him r

when she finally drifted off,

arefully washing and treating the fragile paper. Each day broug

to sleep, she heard footsteps outs

ke to the sound of dogs bar

quickly puttin

and the tall man strode

me

went to gra

e staircase. Leading them was Patrick, dressed all in blac

police officers,

over her, so overwhelmi

Patrick, her v

ally you,

could reach her, the tall man yanked her tow

he shouted. "Back u

hea's skin, and pain

enched, his gaze b

He was barely holding back, his wolf si

fficers put their gun

d the guns to the

rced Rhea onto

um

d. This was the third floor. If she jump

ient, the man grabbed

, a piercing scream