backward, my wolf instincts f

do you think you are,

rumbled, vibrating

ce, I lifted my ch

cold as the moonless night,

I kept my voice flat:

yes da

rget you

ng me, his grip on

down on his instep, channelin

d, grip f

ee and bolted

oice dropped to

t you

," I snapped, du

ke his touch carried silver poison,

e a single inch of you I haven

nails digging into my palm

te bond

. "Perm

sprinted up

chanted cruiser, eyes tracking my re

the doo

m door almost closed before a

shouldered

e kind Jovia use for moonstone trinket

len

-patter of

cited

onfusion furr

he'd never thrown he

ittle voice would a

ll na

on the dresser,

but his posture stiffen as

made, no si

side in the closet, Ellie's tiny d

re's

d, eyes n

ned gift box-probably filled with the moo

cold as the Arctic wind, "y

ed, picking up the

hell does

an's face

ared enough to kno

dn't

, hands shaking as I lifted the

and my vision blurred-this was the gift El

rned Lillian's back

t to pass alon

thing more than a recep

e cracked, "Ellie does

across the room, not caring

he side room; I wouldn't

nged t

dering cigarette butt-one of his, left from weeks ago. The si

ve you lost

I stood my ground, the broken

et

ed-a custom ringtone

as Cl

eyes glacial, and

lai

ed instantly, s

center just called, asking when you and E

lie's no

d into me like

spoke into the phone: "Cancel isla

tossed a final warni

pine, keep Ellie fr

ut, and the next mom

r with a thud,

coff: "Olivia, quit t

cut throu

t I was fa

she-wolf who drugged him on their anniversary,

sabotaged their bond; he'd ignored Elli

arl at him to leave, bu

birthday call, the sound of her wet coughs over the line,

hands-rough, fami

or's protection mak

cold, but it cu

e, I slumped again,

t him catch me befo

hey used to be when we'd run

nt-tinged with Claire's and sw

ivia

f he'd just realized the tru

touch wasn't laced with anger-but