rri

last night wa

, my eyes and throat ached, pro

m door and tried to open it, but I locked it la

" This time it was my father who spoke, and I rolled my eye

r. He couldn't keep se

u answer our call, Miss!" my mother nagged. S

shouted after throwing the

one hand while my other hand brushed away the blanket wrapped around my legs. Whe

d scold me. But I know I was born as one of the lucky

arents, I never run out of gratitude for the

ven more dramatic by stretching out his arms and huggi

he whispered after

pressions.” I arched one eyebrow and held back an amused smile. "And

d grinned. "I'm trying

," I protested. "Please,

u've grown up," he muttered sadly.

e conversation dow

or and then headed to the dining table. I turned to the living roo

answered. The way she said our Alpha's name,

of our pack, Moon Dust. The previous Alpha had died in a fight

ally, he was strongly opposed to my decision to study outside our

e my family, I want to get out of h

s murder cas

her, wary eyes, before Dad a

e jar of jam from the center of the table, then remove the lid a

e say?" he

confused. "Why? Is there

or help. Mom took a deep breath and

said. "So we'll say it first, s

ms in front of my chest. Looked like the conversation was goin

responsibility for delivering

out the

nd dashed into the dining room. He stopped in the d

opped crying

now,

m, then back at me. He frow

ll, yeah," I said. "Dad was just about to say somethi

d sat down in it. He was just as uptight as b

oing on?" I as

s lips. When he looked at me again, I knew I wouldn’t

kward in surprise. "What now? Didn't I

happened near your sch

ing at him in disbelie

weetheart," Mom said. "Jerome must ha

ched out and squeezed my shoulder. "Relax. I wil

he breakfast lying in front of me and

cious. I pushed the plate away from me. "I'm not in the mood," I mu

n the Moon Dust territory. And meeting Jerome wasn't even

ecause Jerom

a wonderful thing for most she-wolves, bu

very time he and our warriors went to fight the rogues.

ms folded across his bare chest. He thought girls would go crazy

he parked on the front porch

him lazily. "

car and walked almost simu

led down at me. His cocky, crooke

I say emphatically that I

ven't I already apologized?" Jerome slightly lowered his head and stared at me. He

"That's what we'll talk about." He tried

anything, Corrine? The murder happened last night and when the

be it was too soon, so the two

ed. "One of the warriors said

tone as I raised both hands, confirming my words. "If anything had happened

r help. Trevor, who responded to the code I gave, sai

ook in his eyes made me uncomfortable. I averted my eyes

" he said afterward. He still stuc

ewolf. But I wouldn't tell Jerome, or anyone else if

e done? I must go home. I have a lo

"Starting life

n't wait to ge

Trevor. He knew I was startin

with him, Jerome caught my arm and pulled me, making me turn around and my face almost coll

onnection with the pack," he whispered in my ear. "And that me