Something dangerous moves across Connor’s face, there and gone so fast I almost miss it. When he speaks again, his voice is carefully controlled, like he’s holding something back by sheer force of will. “How did you finally get away?”
“Two weeks ago, he broke into my apartment while I was sleeping. Stood over my bed watching me, and when I woke up, he told me I’d never be able to leave him. That I belonged to him forever. The next morning, after he left for work, I packedeverything I could fit in two suitcases and ran. Drove for three days until my car broke down outside Silvercreek.”
Connor is quiet for a long moment, processing everything I’ve told him. Then he stands and extends a hand to help me up. “We need to go. Now.”
“Go where?”
“Pack headquarters. Nic needs to know about this.”
I take his hand and let him pull me to my feet, but something in his tone sends warning bells clanging through my head. “And then what?”
“Then we figure out how to keep you safe.”
“How? You said yourself he might not even know where I am.”
“There’s one way to guarantee your protection. One way to make sure every wolf in Silvercreek treats your safety as their own personal responsibility.”
I know what he’s going to say before the words leave his mouth. “No.”
“If we complete the mating bond—”
“No.” I yank my hand free and take a step back. “Absolutely not. I barely know you.”
“The bond would tie you to the pack. You’d have the full protection of every member.”
“I don’t care. This is way too fast. And besides, that’s not a solution, Connor. That’s just trading one cage for another.”
“This isn’t a cage. I’m trying to help you.”
“By forcing me into a permanent bond I didn’t choose? How is that different from what Robbie wants?” I’m shakingagain, but this time it’s from anger rather than fear. “He wanted to own me, too. Control me for my own good.”
The comparison lands exactly where I aimed it. I see the impact in the way Connor goes completely still, in the way his nostrils flare as he draws a breath through his nose.
“I am nothing like him,” he states.
“Then stop acting like him.”
We face each other across the small office, neither willing to back down. The silence between us is filled with barely contained emotion. Then Connor steps forward and wraps his fingers around my wrist.
“We’re going to pack headquarters. Right now.”
“Let go of me.”
“Not until you’re somewhere safe.”
I try to twist free, but his grip is like iron wrapped in warm skin. “Connor, I swear to God—”
“You can scream at me all you want once we’re there. But right now, we’re leaving this building.”
He starts toward the door, pulling me along with him. I dig my heels into the carpet, but it barely slows his pace.
“Stop it!” I fight against his hold. “You can’t just drag me around like some kind of—”
He wheels around to face me, and something dangerous glints in his eyes. “If you don’t stop fighting me and come with me right now, I will pick you up and carry you out of here.”
The threat ignites something hot and reckless in my chest. Before my brain can catch up with my body, I swing my free hand and crack my palm across his face.
The sound echoes through the empty hallway.
