a

dn't

n I recognized the scent. And not

nearly

head, my muscles sore from another day of pretending I belon

t before

ugh the air. The kind of pr

a

pa

k Ri

d toward the door, quiet, b

it right awa

h

e kn

l

ibe

that

y

man who once held my hands behind my

e muttered. "It

-

e he still had permis

et

med the door, I'd

eeded a

d to be dead,"

he wall, arms cros

"No. Just surprised. Elin's

nd when she's not the sma

u doing here, Zara? In his c

ng infor

wh

ryth

tment like he expected to

illing him?" he as

n't a

head. "You'

ck. "You still follow or

owed th

wed Elin,"

t h

were a threat. That you leaked

atly. "And you all at

le

d your scent markers. S

dn't even

t it was the only way

from me? I w

More than you knew.

at him. "

like he was seei

're terr

-

mi

ing wa

on pulled harder than usual that night, like it wan

ena's texts, ignoring everything except

a

en know whe

mehow,

in the East Village, standing in front of

o knock when

fr

ma

a

door open wit

-

flinch when

the

already reaching for

row

fro

throat out," I sa

," Zara

ing forward. "Let him show me exact

s. "Easy, Alpha. I'm

are you in her apar

ked at

't answe

ecause someone else from

shut

ha

uspects. She's digging. And she's not g

jaw tig

ou, she'll take down Damian

do you wan

n said, "I want to

"Bit late

h... I never wanted you gone. I just d

't say a

ay, eyes wet b

," I sai

dn't argue. Ju

it was

-

a

sk you to c

kno

u came

omething

You felt me. That'

g closer. "Or maybe it's

and low. "You don'

derneath. I remember how you always hide your hurt in sarcas

," I

did

rself when you think

roat

to say those

hen tell me w

llowe

offered. "That I shou

n't a

Zara," he sai

g in me I didn't even

-

w. Rain had started a

e, he di

ge?" he asked. "Or

urn

he truth,

to you," he said.

pau

d, "Stay

ed. "Ex

. No Black Ridge spies. No

d y

h you unless

t him for

lly, I no

one