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“Yes.”

His chest heaved with each agitated breath. “When?”

“On a demon in the nightclub the first night you kissed me.”

His gaze slid away from me, that strong jaw still working, every muscle rock solid.

Oh god. “You still don’t trust me.”

His gaze sliced back to me, and his throat worked. “Of course I do.”

I didn’t believe him.

“You saved Wren,” he said, but there was a distance in his gaze that cut me to the quick. He was trying to hide it, fight it, but I saw it, stark in his eyes. “You could have been killed.” There was a moment, just a split-second, of hesitancy, his step faltering before he strode toward me and pulled me into his arms, but I didn’t miss that either. “Thank fuck you’re all right.”

Despite his arms around me and the words he’d just said, I felt the trust we’d worked so hard to build shattering around us. “Draven—”

“It’s okay,” he said again.

Why did he keep saying that? I stared up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. God, was he…afraid of me?

He held me a little too tightly and a little too desperately. “I need to make sure everyone else is okay. You’re sure you’re not hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

He released me. “Go clean up, okay? Then come find me.”

“All right.”

Then I watched as he strode away, inside the keep to check on his people.

Ebony stood at the door watching, with Nia beside her, and my familiar ran to me, sensing my distress.

I forced a smile, swiping away the hot tear that streaked down my cheek. “Everything’s okay, Ebs,” I lied. “Go inside. I’ll be right in.”

I felt as if I were back at Shadow Falls, trapped in my worst nightmare. I’d worked so hard to earn his trust, but I was never going to have it.

I couldn’t stay here. Not after that.

He’d been afraid of me. He’d backed away from me.

Ebs ran inside, and I pulled my keys from my pocket and strode to my car.

I’d never learned my lesson with Brody. I’d stayed when I shouldn’t have, and my family had suffered for it. I wouldn’t make the same mistake again, and this time, at least, the only person who would suffer—would be me.

I’d seen this coming from the start, and, still, I’d dropped my guard. I’d risked my heart again and lost.

I’d told him I loved him, but he hadn’t said it back, had he? Nausea washed through me. I’d been so caught up in him, in the wildness of the moment, the fierceness of his need for me, that I’d convinced myself he had.

But he hadn’t said the words.

I covered my face with trembling hands, but refused to give vent to the agony and loss I felt. Being betrayed and attacked by Brody was nothing compared to the pain I felt now.

I drove away and headed for home.

Draven

I strode through the keep, calling for Iris. I’d been out with my warriors all night, and I hadn’t gotten back to my mate like I’d planned. There was no sign of her, and I was starting to panic. “Ebony!” I tried instead.