RO

lly. It was the shock of everything changing at once. My heart beat too fast,

grip was firm but careful. Warm. Steady. It grounded me when

he choice had felt right in that moment. Right enough. We both carried responsibility. The Ironwood Pack came befor

easily. It never did

ur t

y fat

n they turned and walked away, their shadows stretching long in t

isappeared did t

er draining away. Breath rushed back into my lungs

le light remained. It looked innocent.

es come s

rd, and anger follo

ould swallow it down. It echoed into

was not a favor. Not a bargain. It belonged to me because

had stood minutes earlier. The gestu

red more than people. Tradition over truth. Half of those laws wer

ard. It needed strength. Vision. Someone

not be th

A ritual overlooked. Some sliver of moon magic that could un

to be an

ily if I refused? Just because they were men? The in

not spoken to in two years. No conversatio

ll when I stormed inside. The sound was harsh. Plaster cracked beneat

m, Jax watched

the frame. A growl rose from my chest,

ke always. "You need to breathe. L

snapped out. "Calm or furious, the outco

s forward like this, you risk exposing more

say. He's not pla

de me since we were young. Friend before protector. He knew how to steady me when the wo

s con

s not the

mo

ore I could stop it.

s who I

ed, already moving to

Jax said, stepping in front of me. He did not touc

My chest rose and fell too

s mouth, like he was holdi

ally means you do," he said. "And m

fted. Subtle

slowly. "

me. Too confident. It unsettled me more than anger did. Bei

e," he answe

ntire pack. Rumors. Judgment. Consequences. Damon already complic

Loyalty and tension tied to another. Love tied

e behind my

ot allowed to know about shifters. Only protectors carried

uld have made

or bloodline. Quick to anger. Quick to defend. He lived by his own co

have been

de me stirred

blem re

as h

d down on me. Pretending feelings did not exist when they clea

only one. It felt unnatural to her. L

ose rules f

as sealed fully, there would be no argument left. No space to fig

it did not

my finger fe

f rejected the cage being built around her

what he represented. He was the most forbidden choice of all. At least

e

every rule had to be followed perfectly. No scandal.

She wanted Damon. She want

oss

. Whether it was meant for he

eady stepping into the hallway. The

es. Quiet talks in the dark. The way his hand fit into

more than

y phone. Meet me in th

t suffocating even in thought. Needed open ai

outside. The ground felt uneven beneath my feet,

ce wa

ing, and there was n