hrowing his "sister" excuse right

ession darkened into

e blazer off me and hurled it into t

rupted, hot

umped out to retrieve it-I'd pro

rab it, Alpha Adr

s lips against mine in a f

ps shut, teeth g

s as unyielding as a wolf marking its claim. When he finally pulled ba

iss me off. Think about the

eech, my chest h

he rain, soaking up

ed to retur

os, I came down with a c

playing the doting mate-stoking the fireplace, making me herb

, my fever h

le, my body aching like

z-b

ian's phon

d both our eyes flickere

flashing:

ttle contact name. I

ent, watching

d a flicker of unease, though he trie

n a relentless stream of texts, bold and unapologetic,

gonna

ol and sharp, cutting

Alpha Adrian

en, he powered it off and set

ng my forehead, his pal

ay, sleep. I'll keep

k and clos

reathing was steady,

phone, switched it back on,

, he made a call, his voi

I'm coming over now. the el

left, the door clicking

yes opened. I had

now what I was s

s like a rotten branch-no amount o

, the faint scent of Vanessa's flo

"asleep," he ex

y forehead-no

the water running for an unusually long t

to bed, he wrapped an arm around my wais

g deepened, then gently lift

studied the

ver-full lips, sharp jaw, that

ks along his collarbone, fresh enough to stil

ke it'd been skew

rian woke, I w

breakfast for two on the wooden table, calling him

not sleep in?" he asked, re

y, pouring him

ld. I'm fine, than

ron and sat, my

rdly in the air, but seeing me cal

m me, reaching for

talk about," I sa

at's

offee, his eyes narrowing slightly

at the pack's counci

n froze, cau

t was where I'd first cau

ould ask why

monies. I'm burned out. I wanna try living the high life,

g if I was serious, if

with me? The elders

e workhorse who can't enjoy the

g, my tone light

elief flooding his features-maybe I was fin

e. Stay home. Maybe it's

ork clinking ag

h, r

le you're off howling with Vanes

e resignation th

ready set it up with Cassie. It's been forever since I trave

swamped? She's got tim

al-Cassie was the pack's hea

ime for me. We're old friends, remember

furrowing, like he was piecing some

ll arrange for the pack's car to take you, and I'

, neither agree

creamed "abused mate," and I didn't want to show up at the pack c

over, wandering the woods alone, l

shoes, books-bit by bit, moving them to my hidden cabi

le, tomorrow

noticeably emptier

usy texting Vanessa, laughing at h

re pit, right in front of him, the flames curling

n his phone, chuck