Mate me if you dare

e's

t feel like m

d through the curtains, too bright, too sharp. I could hear everything the wind brushing against the trees o

ryt

he mi

shat

e something fractured. Something other. I backed away slowly, every nerve o

as quiet but awake. Not an

to still my racing thoughts, but the water clung to my ski

halluc

nd not literal flames, not burning but it glowed bright and go

it like

s," I w

en meant to

nside me wa

ing an

wante

Or the bone-deep ache beneath my skin that

. Focused. Avoiding everyone includ

uzzing. Restless. Uneasy

ding its breath. Like

quietly as we served lunch to

odd

Even the wolves sparring outside were distracted, move

Ew

the room, his gaze pinned me like a blade

ldn

mething ha

ion was,

n cliffs. My spot. The one place no one bothered to follow.

p, fingers digging into the

g felt

fire dancing under my skin. Not the way my

ng into som

one

isappe

knew that voice. Ev

, hair tousled like he'd been runni

d space,

ke your

ped som

ad

y shoulder. "Wh

dn't

if that's the case, you should've locked me up instead of kissi

ng up. Keep touching me. Keep looking at me lik

orward. "You

t tight. "The

uch that hurt. How much

o me," I whispered. "And

ent for a

tly "I th

h caught

ere was a girl another wolf, she started changing. Powers she c

appened

The pack exiled h

mach d

nk I'm l

efore I could process th

rn

ta

d toward the sound.

hed the south gate,

the mouth like they'd been drugged. I shifted mid-run, fur exploding fro

ue came at me

him he

ore through fur. My vision nar

I fel

we

aining. Not

like smoke and flame, wrapped ar

rogue lunged,

paw and he f

by f

ene

e pushed and t

one f

tree line and di

le

k first, stepping

s sh

hift back. C

ng had

saw

dn't hide

ned a

r the ridge. My legs gave out and I collaps

ening to me?

snapped b

an

rd, not caring that I was bare. Not caring

crouching besid

dn't me

saved

dn't shift fast or hit hard. I pushed him w

's

eath

loodlin

"Whose b

esit

e said. "But I sw

ok on his face

si

ed for m

time I pu

ching unless

ed in the air.

retending I'

le

'm not

stung

don't get

ran

run because I was afra

new deep down tha

g to figure ou

it destr

contin