Rejected, I chose his father

ra's

s cut deeper

ounds I knew too well. Then someone ou

ared, some mocked, some pitied

unded so ha

s cold and then, like some cruel twist of the moon godde

meeting my eyes, and the

fr

ecious and kissed it. The sound of people ga

nted to tear the ground

er cheek. A soft

gether. I laughed,

tepping forward. "Please

"Don't you get it? It's over. What

rembling. "You promised me

say," he snapped. "Do you

ghed again. M

I said, tears s

convincing my father I had someone serious. He signed the

es wea

me?" I mana

s cruel. "And now y

haking my head. "N

, grabbed my arm,

my palm. The sound of people

ispered, "

"Weak wolf,

nt. That silence was worse than

I wanted him to take it back, to tell me it was a lie, to say anything that would f

," he tol

y walke

owed me as I pu

y thought he

little

r a wolf-w

ra

me too. Rain poured down, cold

ress stuck to my skin. I kept

inside. My father's voice echoed from somewhere in

obs ripped out of me until my chest ached, I pressed my

iliation, betrayal. The knife of Velara'

little girl who dreamed of

ded and my eyes were swollen. I stared a

irst, then stronger. I don

not unwant

as

anyway. Only my father, he'll get over it. I kne

I wanted to do one thing that

ess, something that would make

ta

e, slipping int

straight to the edge of the market. The tavern glowed with ligh

d the d

nd smoke hit me hard,

hed in corners. A band tried to play so

rf

bar and slapped a coin do

idn't ask quest

nd made my chest warm. I liked it. I o

eavy but the ache in my chest du

my chin on my hand, when

like death

s, his hair wet from the rain. His eyes looked tir

muttered, ro

as an insult. Just saying-y

n too?" I ask

ng sip. "She died, s

artbroken too

at his glass. "But hey, that's

aug

get a title and then threw me away like gar

t's bad,"

oser, lower

whole world laugh at you? To think someone

time. His eyes softened.

the noise of t

im, two broken peopl

ddenly, cove

n't even be talking to you,"

ot?" h

I don't k

d. "Does

his eyes. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was his

doesn't,"

o what are you gonna

nd your heart. Maybe

aintly. "Yo

so ar

hed, they so

kisse

It wasn't sweet.

n I was here, the pain that made m

art, he stared at

oice rough. "That's on

hen let's ke

mething wild, reckl

wanted