TER

ducked back, wrinkling my nose, as the old woman scre

the sky bruising with impending rain. I needed t

s urgent voice filling the gas station. "Recent wolf sightings i

loser. Coleman 's men. His wolves. Tracking

nce I'd left part of my soul behind in that dank bathroom. Sin

an .

ink it. He wasn't mine

che in my bones whis

or c

Henry, his crooked name tag read. He looke

ld re

rking lot. Empty for now. But I couldn't shake the feeling of

up. I didn't blame him. What was one more wary

college kids use to party,"

Better than risking my name, eve

ttered, headin

lled after me, a tinge of accu

im think what he wanted. He didn't know. Cou

rgrown weeds and skeletal trees. I parked the van in the weed-choked

d out, knife a reassuring weight in my jacket pocket. The door groane

Mold and rat droppings and the faint t

l me

jagged holes punched through the plaster underneath. In the last bedroom, faded pink r

I could

, canteen, granola bars. Knife under the

dn't banish his face looming out of memor

e. Not now. Not ever a

nd my own end. No one, not even my s

every instinct screamed to go t

d me under, his howl echo

der. To rain drumming the old roof. To the

d fou

bag, my knife, scanning the rain-lashed windows. Lightning forke

, fur slicked to his powerfully muscled frame. Eye

lungs. Coleman . He'd

r

glass and some deep, denied part of me

h in a silent s

n I

plintering wood as I hit the front door. Wolfen howls rose

sprinted for the van. I wrenched the door open, scrabbli

he slick road. My headlights caught the blur of dark bodi

meter climbing. Coleman loped almost casually at t

it. The weight. Like a to

't go back. Couldn't be what he wanted. What I fea

igh beams stabbing through the downpour. I j

The world pinwheeled, metal screaming. Glass shattering. I felt the van

ro

nging silence and the

ts. Cold, wet grass under my cheek. The

kknifed through my skull, my arm. I

. God.

lching through mud. The overwhelming scent of

mbled. "No, go awa

he rain. "I'm here. I've got you." Large hands infinitely gen

It hurt. Everything hurt. "I'll never

na ." His voice cracked. "For all of

he fog. "To make me a freak? A monster like you?" I tried to wrenc

move. You're bleeding. I

n his face swaying above me. Etched w

eyes flickered wolf-silver in th

reserve of defiance. "You really believe that, d

whispered. Reverent.

with vicious precision. "Whatever this is, this...obsession. This claim you've convinced yourself y

n't." His eyes searched mine, desperate. Pleading. "I know yo

to a gagging cough. "That's just it. I'm not. I'm my own. My s

ena

t takes a lifetime. I'll...I'll never sto

impressed under the frustration. "What could possibly be wo

lass in my throat. "I'd rather die my

sed, bracing for anger. For him to lash out. To

with unshed tears. With an emotion so vast,

master. Don't you get it? You're the one who holds m

in my closed throat. He couldn

you to my will. You're a force of fucking nature. Wild and fierce and free. Trying to quell that would b

her. Had spent more time running and chasing

s

ery line of his expression. "I just want a place in your untamed heart, Elena . To run besi

lled-off part of me straining toward him. Towar

whisper

razored lump of my fear. My desperate, clawing need to

"Then I'll let you go. I'll walk away...and keep walking until

Barely daring to brea

for you forever, Elena . Through lifetimes.

salt-sting mixing with the rain. I tried

. "Shit, baby, I'm sorry. You're hurt and here I am running my damn mouth." He

s dear, beautiful face. Hardly breathing. Ha

met mine, midnight dark and depthles

battered, yearning heart. That small, deni

st. Stripping myself bare. "I'm...I'm sca

huddering over my cold skin. "Scared of losing you. Scared of faili

sounded so simple. So

red against his lips. "I'm...I'm not

you, Elena Rose. It's what called to me. What made my soul sing." His mouth quirked. "Lovin

e. Or maybe it was a sob. "That...

"Yeah. I know. But I had to say my piece before you...before I let

. Something in me easing

eight, preparing to rise. To leave. "Yo

the wary hope kindling in his gaze. "What if...wh

eeming to breathe. "You mean that

iff, aching body mold to his hulking warmth. "I want...I want

wondering. A glimmer of white tee

ile. "Don't get too excited. I

d nothing, cradling me to his broad ch

of his heart. Let it lull me as he carried me into the rain

ybe...toward somet