presence had left an invisible chain wrapped around her ankles. She stared

nd how in the name of the

tures swallowed by an oppressive stillness. It was as though the forest itself had held it

r hands to stop. He'd saved her-fine. But that didn't

ing else entirely. It wasn't just his aura, as overw

into the woods. She couldn't afford to dwell on it. She had bigger problems

dows. Her legs ached, and every muscle in her body begged her to stop, but she forced hers

daily routines. Market stalls lined the cobblestone streets, vendors shouting

through the crowd. No one paid her any mind. To them, she was just anoth

oor and letting out a soft sigh of relief as the familiar scents of dried herbs

e ni

rom behind the counter. Claire was human, but she had always been kind to Rowa

lling her hood back. Her hair, wild and

her. "Well, I've got a shipment of valerian ro

ile and moved to the back room

d herbs into labeled jars. But no matter how hard she tried to

cret she had ever kept. The way his voice had wrapped around her, lo

harply. "Focus," she

rieve didn'

the sound of heavy boots against the wooden floor. Her heart

mi

shallow as she pressed herself against the wa

ow

ngue like a command, sendi

d in from the front.

er," Dominic re

Of course he wouldn't leave. He was the

d again, his tone

ever. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped into

nt?" she asked,

his amber eyes narrowing s

e anything t

ou can

learly sensing the tension. "S

, his tone leaving

as the older woman quickly gathered

crossed her arms over her chest. "

upted, his voice low and even.

"I'm not running

ing in a human town, pretendin

and she bristled. "Wh

presence filling the small space

left Rowan breathless. She hated it. Hated that h

she said throug

is head, studyin

ix of anger and somethin

t," she

l leave. For now. But this isn't

ving her shaking with a mixture of fury and