Chas

tive:The icy night

t my bare feet as I ran through

re, painful wail that echoes f

now how l

ed into a blur o

all, tidy house

her's

at, trembled as I frantical

ht, the sound was

body trembling violently, thinking

s suddenly

h a displeased look on her face, h

t my dishevel

a trace of

ust a

doing here in the m

ut to grab her, longing for the

bbed, "Chac

d aside to

t onto the cold, hardw

ot offer

ked her tongue

down. You'll wa

, my pleas stuc

tory, words tumbling out i

affair. That rej

tood there, examining her fin

t even gl

ent and started breathi

impati

alread

in the air, colder

bloody wound on my neck, which was a p

bt began to cr

spered, barely audible, "yo

hard and un

. She knows how to get what our fam

d listing

ble to h

olitical

t decade-money I transferred from my own tr

pe I had been clinging to-the

a ste

her

ars st

g calm en

urned and walked ba

to go

at house f

some thi

wn s

the villa, Chace was in the living

, a mocking sneer

ed back so

nore

e cheap silver necklace he had

lasp

The clatter it made as it fell soun

anything to you,

gh that was grati

won't last a w

and stood above the leathe

years, I didn't feel ins

e pay," I said, my

, genuinel

s head back and b

azy? You're an abandoned va

voice lowered, turning

use, or I'll have

dn't

e wolf pack's defenses. The third year, the east wall was reinforced. The fifth year, the surveill

ach of the major ex

my nails digging deep into my palms.

is hand di

ney. Insig

ing to de

ll my cont

e down the stairs we

e pulled her onto his lap and place

gain, his face st

out.

out m

ing, but I still manag

oa

y true

rang once,

g?" Her voice was

" I said, my voice hoarse. "It's B

ses erupted from the

es. Don't move. Don't say an

all e

hone and met Ch

walked towa

ghts pierced the

eched to a halt

open, and Sloane stood ther

on the porch, shiver

ped me in a thick coat she

, like leather and

t of kindness, shattered my

to tremble u

ugged me

ered, her voice firm

ttled me in the passenger se

ling us in warm, safe darkness

ural sob rippe

al, for the chilling realization th

said

y, leaving that house and my old l