A Pack Of Vows and Tears

kin, and his full lips parted wi

is isn't what you or Ness want to hear, but your

wo

ting

nk had just thrown at us-but because I was shocked. Beyond shocked. I was probably experiencin

t a preordained fate. I wanted the freedom to fall in love with the person of my cho

love hi

ver love h

ng to do with l

houghts? Had I sp

es blurred and intersected at wrong angles. This couldn't be happening . . . I'd jus

nds are ev

out this. I think I would always be bitter about my pack ingesting

, N

planation, and August wasn't asking any questions, I deduced he'd

ancestors were given the gift of claws and fur. They used their gifts to protect those who walked the earth only in skin." Frank scraped in a breath. "To make sure our species endur

tlers, and so our numbers dwindled, but thanks to generations of mating, we

over the tiny clumps of earth left behind by dirty bo

merited a lock and chain? The pack artif

It still happens, though. Some werewolves will even experience

ugh sigh. This situation was

t?" Fran

on fire. Was that a result of our link? I didn't press my palm ag

nt to break it, N

rner with such intensity that if he'd been a warlock instead of a werew

are bequeathed

of our freewill isn't a gift. If anything, it's

ped off the fridg

ed everywhere.

at, he sai

orehead. "August hasn't been back for a da

and slipped over my bare arms. "Frank, with all due respect, August and I know ea

" the eld

about this? Because pack traditions were sa

g enough? Will it f

r, but it won't make it magically snap.

ting dying or killing August," I added, so they wouldn't

rueful smile that dimmed the in

roadcast August's mood. My gaze drifted to his stomach. He'd never o

ned again. "Is there a way, beside

hair and shook his head like a te

" I a

uldn't w

ust asked,

onds aren't

mated?"

nto place through

up like brake

't consummated by the next sol

ers, I said, "You'd just have to stay away for six months, A

sed before he an

ed in disapproval. "You'd be

the door m

nk?"

I wanted to share another meal with the vile

nst the nape of my neck, tryin

as though waiting for my

ng. And yet, I abhorred the thought of him finding out

so that it draped arou

hed, bloodied T-shirt flapping. Although the cut over his heart had sealed shut, the remnants of the pledging ceremony had left behin

aited. I'm done waiting. What the hell's goin

blood on the inside of my wrist,

le