ooking in t

table, he casually asked, "

light, almost

hing an old movie, a scene replaying in my mind. In m

phia's hands, my heart clenched. Before I

n't lik

hy

ere, and you two

ding someth

an,

I asked, I

been c

dn't have made

reaction. Sure enough, his hand froze fo

moment, a sharp, almost menacing glint flickered in them-like a crack ap

al, commanding, almost regal-v

eling crept

a's final words

e werewolves, th

truly under

as he

t he ever

ie soon, and I simply wasn't imp

trust

ut me in my past life,

ng the danger Sophia pos

tions swirle

understood-someone like Sophia, who seemed fragile and gen

to be

couldn't

.

up my moment of weakness, lowering my v

're b

.

ld stop g

parties. It's just friends

his voice slow and casual, as if the words meant nothing. "They eat

with effortless grace, hi

des, they act like t

h, but it carried an

the kind of detachment one woul

rt tig

, a sense of une

eady? I'm hungry." I

lightly. "You're in good shape right no

he were making a

.Ok

n't lik

ned gentle, the

yes, I caught a fli

"I-no, that's not it. I

ze sharpen

d you ju

... tha

st two

.Ba

ed at the corners

..

rown-crispy on the outsi

y flavor melted on my tongue, acc

ime tonight, my

ody drifted fr

to realize-it was on

ransported back five yea

I started

uld I do

o

e mean

already kil

t here, she wou

this time, would fate g

d favor

vorce... Confessing

n either. In my past li

Sophia had killed m

to gamble my

ag

ful, long-lived, and

t am I

en shown me

you thinki

of steak and place

all night. Are you thi

N

es dar

N

lot lately. And now, even on a night like

y, the warmth in

us turned frig

fingers set down t

readable-anger mixed with somethin

instinctively shrink back. For a

ally lost patience, Ethan

ally want

inking abou

ha

inking abou

flicker of surprise in his expression before I

le

pause, Ethan

her wants

us to dinner at

istract you this much?"

ike you," I said quietly. "He

S

omorrow," I continued,

ion carefully, I added: "...An

ed to rela

gh I couldn't quite tell if i

ther, I felt an unexp

m in so long. Ve

ys b

ted by my mother

't seen him i

revious life, Vesper had texted

neve

I had fought, and I

ne vib

meet tomorr

talk to you abo

e message-word for word-was

I wouldn'

na:

See you

d at Ethan, half expe

he d

e seemed..

to go alone, doe

miled, his expression as ge

t explai

gaze unreadable, and said,

Alri

my lips, a familiar voi

are yo

a is