that made my skin prickle. Through the bond-that damned, persistent bond-I felt his emotions

inst his control, wild and feral in a wa

ice was rough, scraped

ept my tone flat, professional. "I'm

he words hung uns

. Good. Let him hurt. Let him feel a

en,

r explanation he'd been about to offer. "I don't want t

e old Wren-the pathetic, lovesick girl I used to be-would have caved at the pain in his e

d her myself, slowly and deliberat

finally, accepting the redirec

the exit, desperate to escape his gravita

narrow, and I had to brush against him to get by. The contact-shoulde

ake of breath. Felt th

lked

en,

y wrist. Gently, not rest

didn't turn a

"Just... look at me. Really lo

ter. "I see a man who rejected his mate because she wasn't good enough for him. I see someo

hrough. "Every day. Every single day for five years, I've looked back. I'

those five years surviving. Rebuilding myself from the wreckage you l

tually staggered, one hand press

nd I deserve every bit of your anger. I deserve wo

greed. "Th

en as everything in him seemed to strain toward me. "I never stopped caring about you. The rej

e heard enough excuses to last a lifetime. You made your choice five years

ren

toward the exit, putting precious distance between us. "Stay away from me

the cool evening air, not letting myself run ev

h through the bond-a howl of grief

I was good at

to calm my racing heart. My hands were trembling on the steering

she whimpered. 'O

d back. 'He rejected us. He do

bedient. We'd had this argument

ftsman surrounded by towering pines. I'd grown up here, learned to shift

ke a strang

gathering myself. One more reunion to endure. On

waiting o

h his arms crossed, expression unreadable, watching me climb out of my car with the same

t the bottom of the p

ot a visit. Not a real conversation. Just awkward phone

n my stomach. "I

tension around his mouth, the hurt he was trying to hide behind anger. "Because from where I'm standi

t partially. "It wasn't about you or Mom and Dad. I just

Wh

explain about the rejection, about Skyler, about the agony that h

dy. I might n

ly. "Not yet. But I'm here now.

oment. Then, slowly, the tensi

said gruffly

into it. My brother's arms were strong and famil

tle bird," he murmu

ssed y

euniting after too long apart. When we finally

hroat. "Mom left dinner in the fridge.

ouse, into the warmth and

her's casserole and listening to Ronan catch me up on five year

, a constant reminder that S

ing ab

ting

ffe

yself I d

st beli