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This was where most of my familiars lived and where I was drawn the first time I lost one of them. I’d been coming here ever since. The moon wasn’t completely obscured by clouds, thankfully, helping me see where I was going since my only flashlight was the one on my phone. I made my way to a small clearing, got down on the ground, and dug a little hole, then carefully placed the small box inside and covered it over, returning her to the earth like the others.

Laying my hand on the soil, I closed my eyes and thanked her for all the love she’d given me. Exhaustion overcame me, and I lay down and wrapped my arms around myself, letting the chill breeze drift over me, listening to the night.

I woke with a start and sat up, quickly checking my phone. I’d been asleep for an hour and was chilled to the bone. I dragged myself to my feet, picked up the hand shovel, and headed for home.

Everything was quiet in Ren’s place as I approached, the light off now.

“You stalking us, witch?” a female voice said.

The glow of a cigarette told me where she was in the shadows a moment before Breanne stepped forward. She was in the shirt Ren had been wearing earlier, her legs bare.

“Nope. I had something I needed to do.”

She smirked. “Something that has you skulking past Ren’s place late at night?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, and I wasn’t skulking, I was walking.”

She stubbed out the cigarette against the wall and tossed it on the ground. “I see you watching us. It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for you.”

I curled my fingers tight. This female was stronger than me, faster. She could shift into a wolf and use her sharp teeth and claws to kill me easily if she wanted to, but as hard as I tried, I couldn’t swallow down my anger. Okay, yeah, maybe there was some jealousy behind it, but right then I was too tired and cold and I didn’t care. “As riveting as your sex life is, my walk tonight had absolutely nothing to do with you or Ren. And what’s embarrassing is that you think you and he are an us. You’re one of many, wolf, and not even in his top five. Have a good night.” I walked away, giving her my back, which was highly stupid, but I was too emotional after burying my familiar and pissed off to think clearly right then.

A growl erupted behind me, and I braced for impact.

“Don’t even fucking think about it, Bree,” a deep voice said behind me. “Go back inside.”

Ren.

Awesome.

Had he heard what I said? I cringed. He had to have heard me. I tried to resist, but I couldn’t stop myself from turning back. Fuck.

He stood on the road in only a pair of jeans, his hands on his hips, moonlight highlighting every muscle and the thick scars on his chest and arms. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came.

What the hell could I say?

I turned my back on him and quickly walked away.

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Chapter 4

Ren

I woke with a jolt, covered in sweat.

Blood and screams filled with horror and pain, noises a being shouldn’t be able to make, filled my head. Their eyes, wide with terror, locked with mine, my roars muffled, trapped, unheard as I watched my own hands slice and cut and tear at their flesh, unable to stop it—to stop him.

His voice in my head, like it had been then, telling me to stop fighting him, to enjoy it, that deep down I wanted it. His sick thoughts had been a nightmare on constant loop in my head.

I shoved back the covers and stood, thrusting my fingers through my hair. Breanne stirred. I looked down at her, surprised. What the fuck was she doing here?

I couldn’t deal with her right then.

Striding from the room, still naked, I walked out the front door, shifted, and ran. I ran through the field that often had Jasmine’s scent drifting through it. It was stronger now, but she wasn’t here. She’d gone home.

I shook my head as I ran, trying to shake her image from my mind. I didn’t want her in there, not with everything else, not with his voice ringing through my head and the grotesque images of what he’d made me do.

My fox burst into the forest, running hard, trees flying past as the churning in my gut grew deeper, yawning wider until it was unbearable, until I was gasping for breath as I raced through the forest. I’d lived out here for nearly two years after it all happened. There was a small cave close by, and every morning I crawled out of the dark and ran to the same spot.