t up. Don’t follow.

face in my hands, trying to rein in my raging wolf tha

two perfect pink lips, the green eyes, and delicate eyebrows. Even the stubborn and defiant look in he

red, begging for my voi

unbuttoned and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, but that tense look from earlier still lingered. The feeling in his eyes intensified as he watc

on the desk, moving it toward me and opening it

the desk while I ran my finger down the names. My breath caught as I paused by the last one and I turned the papers inside until the last section. She was smiling

her? Yo

picture and putting it aside s

Sarah

nty-six

ate: Au

status

y contac

‘student’ and several other notes that the inter

s a lot. Works well with ot

s forehead. “You can feel the mate bond thr

m what had just happened. At the thought of her leaving,

lier,” I said, and his e

ealizing that I had enough frustration to deal with, Graham’s face relaxed to his usually calm expr

ken me aback to see her so scared. I knew she’d be surprised and most likely confused, but I didn’t expect scared. Even if she felt the mate bond as keenly as any werewolf would, which was not

hen tilted his head, and for the f

re’s the

the moment he turned eighteen. But he was mated to a werewolf. They saw each o

expression. “Without knowing about us and our kind, our way of living and loving, she wouldn’t know what to do with the bond. Even if she feels it, she’d define it as attraction or if I am lucky, love at f

is father did something to be banished from his pack. His family had to leave as well or face death and that’s how the sixteen-year-old Graham had ended up i

ne of the busiest streets in Boston. We had a rocky start at first, but I had managed to win his trust and he ⁠— mine. Hiring hi

trying to understand, but not fully grasping i

us laugh and a small sm

“I will… have to take it slow. Get to know her, get her to trust me, ease her into our world and everything that comes with i

ity to understand them kept him from fully integrating with them. I knew it was going to take more time for that damage to be repaired,

ore than what was on her application, just a copy of her social security

.” I kept my eyes down, knowing full well what Graham’s reaction is going to be. When he didn’t say anything in reply, I forced myself to look at him, only to prove myself

idn’t even remember picking it up, but as I looked at her face, my finger was caressing her cheeks, her nose, her lips. “Are you sure you want to do this? Go

. “I didn’t get where I am today because I played by the rules and made safe choices. I will not force her into anything, but I will do what I always do ⁠— I will prepare thoroughly and account for