“I didn’t mean to worry you. Damien should have explained that he sent me to follow the trail left by the intruders.”
“He and I aren’t exactly best buddies.”
“But you and Tess?—”
“She’s nice, but she doesn’t talk pack business. I got the standard line.He’s away on an op and he’ll be back soon. I wasn’t quite sure what to believe. And my imagination, if left unchecked…” She shrugs.
“I intended to come find you the second I returned. When I reached our border, Frank told me you’d moved here. That surprised me, after what happened last time.”
Her eyes roam over the doorframe. “It appears our positions are reversed.”
“You can slam the door in my face if you’d like. I deserve it.”
“Why would you say that?” She swings the door wide open. An invitation into my own home, yet I’m reluctant to enter. Afraid that if I do, I might act on my base desires.
I swear I can still feel her cold, limp body in my wolf’s jaws. Nearly losing her… it’s fucked me up more than I thought possible.
“I’m not sure we should both be inside… together,” I warn.
“Come inside, shifter.” Those blue eyes holding me hostage in a way I can’t explain, and don’t want to escape. “Don’t make me ask twice.”
“Tell me why you’re here, Angel.” I hold firm, not entering. “You said you didn’t have anywhere else to go. Explain that. What about the women’s cabin?”
“I had a disagreement with one of the women.”
“Disagreements are common in close quarters. I used to have them all the time when I lived in the men’s cabin. Never let them kick me out though. It was as much my home as theirs.”
“They didn’t kick me out. I left. Don’t want to be where I’m not wanted.”
“Which is why you came to my cabin, the place you were kicked out of.”
“It made sense at the time. Probably because you weren’t here at the time to argue with. Or maybe I just needed a friend. But that’s right, we’re not friends. You made that pretty clear.” She goes to slam the door, but I catch it with my hand.
“I didn’t finish telling you about my time in the men’s cabin. I learned the best approach to resolving adisagreementwas to apologize and then ignore the asshole.”
“Why apologize if you don’t mean it?”
“Because it gave us the ability to co-exist.”
“And that’s why you now live way out here on the outskirts of your pack. Totally alone. So you don’t have to get along with others?”
“And yet that seems to be working for you, giving you a place to retreat to when pack life gets too hard.”
“It’s like looking in a mirror, isn’t it, shifter?”
“No, actually. I got along with everyone, learned how to compromise. Never had any true issues.”
“Until Marla,” she says. “Why then?”
That’s when I shut up.
She grabs me by my shirt, pulls me inside, and shuts the door. “If you’re going to lie to me or avoid the truth, we might as well do it where it’s warm. I’m still a bit sensitive to the cold.”
I have this urge to wrap my body around her, to keep herwarm, but that’s the worst thing I can do right now. Once I touch her, I won’t be able to stop.
“Whatever you’re cooking smells delicious. Not that it really matters. I’m so famished I’d even eat mushrooms.”
A dainty eyebrow kicks up. “Then you’re in luck. Mushroom stew.”
