om across Skyler's face,

kable connection that every wolf dreamed of-had finally manifested. After years of longing

eant to be

ng at me like I was

The joy that had flooded my system moments ag

next, his hand was wrapped around my arm and he was dragging me toward the b

er, wh

s a growl, barely human.

ows between the building and the tree line. Music and laughter drifted through the wa

gh his hair, his movements jerky and agitated. I could feel his emotions through

him, reaching out. "Talk to me. I

and the look in his

he said. "This is a mistak

stand. "The bond doesn't make mistakes. We're mates. We're 'meant'

a child. Ronan's baby sister, following me around with thos

elt my eyes burn, but I refused to

to hold onto some shred of dignity. "I'm twenty-one

urse, like a denial of rea

rate. "I know you felt it. The bond is

flickered in his eyes-longing, maybe, or re

voice went cold, deliberately cruel.

ctually staggered, my hand flying to my che

on't me

f him, smelling the leather and pine scent that had haunted my dreams for years, while his word

ad, backing aw

tional, designed to destroy. "You've only ever been a siste

at the edges, narrowing to a tunnel with S

everything, after all thes

hroat, ragged and broken. "What

on, a fissure in the ice but he sm

ou'll find someone else. Someone better. Someone who isn't..." He stopped, ja

possible to stop. "You know it won't. Rejected b

putting distance between us. "Because I won't ac

d and wal

rd the celebration, back toward his life that didn't include me. The

around me like a puddle of broken dreams. The sob that escaped my throat

Unwanted.

e my birthday celebration continued without me. Long enough for the cold to seep in

stood, somethi

unconditionally-it wasn't gone. But it had cracked, fractur

ace. I packed a bag with mechanical efficiency. I wrote a note to my parents that explai

n, I wa

eared in my rearview mirror, that I would