u

o kill that f

ve down Main Street, hyper-aware of the girl pressed against my back. She was

through every cell.

eth and focused

ne week with the family. Instead, I'd walked out to escape another dinner argument when my w

tect her, to get her away from them, to make

his stranger whose name I didn't even know yet, was m

e had

y bar in Highland Creek open on Christmas Eve.

I said, kill

inged blue. My jacket hung off her shoulders and I co

Perfec

y. Not t

p from behind the bar, his scar

ight," he said and added youn

ed her to a booth in the

king in her tear-stained face and

across from her. For the first t

s beau

tangled and damp with snow. Blue eyes that were red-rimmed from crying. Full lips that were current

es. Soft and generous and

t, get your head

r name?" I

ce was hoarse. "

ll over my tongue. Perfect. Of cour

lently delivered coffee and she

s under the borrowed scent of my jacket. My wolf whined, desperate to comf

ld it firmly.

sking, can you tell me

friend-it was all a bet. Three months of dati

vid

My first time." She stared into

lt my canines extend slightly and gripp

f snarled. Go ba

After that, we ta

chool?" I managed, th

ed bitterly. "By tomorrow,

came out roughe

ed up, s

," I said, alpha tone bleeding throu

on't k

tonight. I know you're brave as hell. A

fresh tears. "Why are

e. Because my soul

ne should be,"

ed down her face as she hunched over her c

and pulling her against my chest. She stiffened-then collap

softer than I'd imagined, damp from the snow and sme

mates. I couldn't quite stop it, but she di

Eventually, her sobs slowed. She pulled back, w

't c

ssion-awareness of how close we were. How my arm was s

," she sai

hone. It was nearly midnight. "It's

to stay at the lodge with

ow you don't know me, but I can get us a room at the Winter Pine Inn

ment. "You're either genuine

ly the fi

a serial kill

int. But Jack here has known me since I

k called fr

-murderer." I waite

eath. "Okay. But i

't. I

she wh

s in while she waited, then led her upstairs to a ro

ere if you nee

to the nearest bed, still wearing my jacket and wrapped i

he, fighting every instinct that

et and settled into the chair by t

d feel it, a golden thread connecti

as my

morning, sh