Once Rejected Then Desired
bloodlust, alphas with pride thick in their bones,
t scen
prop
most. It's like his wolf
w and wary, whenever he's near, even if "near" is only fl
I should be able t
c I've learned to keep buried. Glamours and suppressants, subtle tricks passed from my m
feel like I'm
y shoulder blades when I walk home after closing, a flicker o
ike a ghost. I tell myself it's nothing. Just nerve
lf isn't
ther is
kwork. Like he's not just watching over me, but w
the cheesy kind but when he does,
e back, sleeves rolled up and that inf
der my arm, "you only offer to help when y
rowding close as I set the last box down
t to smile. "That line won
it'd get me so
, the thrum in my chest that's got nothing to do with nerves. My wolf paces beh
one in?" he asks
ath, and we'll be touching. Another, and I'll
I shove him. Not hard. Ju
, hands raised in surre
be. My fingers tremble slightly w
mean to-"
head. "It
lf," he says
but I don't need
a half-grin, softer this time. "Gu
real bite. He nods once, looking more serious now. "I j
still
now anything
olf's pacing constantly because she's
cia
you're
s through my ch
I admit, barely audible. "Not
tens. "What pack
left after the funeral. Couldn't s
g for a moment. Then:
ild it to be neutral ground. No more
in, this time keeping t
nt solitude," he murmurs.
ch. "C
hored. Marked. Someone st
er. "I don't
rence. Marks bind wolves emotionally, but no
rea
ou think anyone else feels wh
s in from the front, apron askew
llow
ar noise. No vampires fig
. No promises. Just that ever-present intensity
***
th I always take. Moon high. Streets empty. That same itch craw
. Wolves. Young. Aggressive. Reeking of swea
st
s ask
en," one growls. "Your fathe
inside me. I
ng g
rus
renaline screaming in my veins. I fight hard. Dirt
see it. A silver-laced net, old school and letha
th
d gra
. So
too
t burns. My knees buckle. I
he haze of pa
na
try to speak. Ask why. Demand answers. But the world's already going dark.