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“And you’re going to share the information with me?” His question is positively gleeful.

I nod again, and a wicked, sly grin spreads across his face. “Perhaps we can both have our Little Red after all.”

Chapter Eleven

Scarlett

The room is dark and quiet. It’s not too cold or too warm. The bed is perfect. The most comfortable I’ve ever lain in.

Yet I still can’t sleep.

With a sigh, I roll over and stare at the ceiling. I came to bed hours ago and have yet to fall asleep. I even drank a sleeping draught I brewed to no avail. I should be exhausted. The past two days have been some of the most stressful of my life.

Instead, I’m ready to crawl out of my skin.

Giving up, I toss back the blankets and slip on the pair of thick slippers Hunter gave me earlier. Thankfully, the door to my room opens on silent hinges as I step out, and none of the floorboards creak as I tiptoe down the hall.

Moonlight shines through the windows, revealing the cozy interior of Hunter’s cottage. It’s killing me that he bought this place out from under me, even though he had no idea I wanted to purchase it.

It’s perfect. Cozy, comfortable, quiet, and secluded. As much as I enjoy talking to other people, I need my alone time every day, or I become nearly unbearable. This would have been the perfect sanctuary for me.

At least I get to enjoy it for a few days before I go back to Vera’s.

The cottage is chilly now that the fires have died down, so I take my red cloak off the hook and drape it over my shoulders. It’s heavy enough to keep me warm, even though all I’m wearing is a thin nightgown.

Cool air stings my nose as I sneak outside. The forest is quiet tonight, except for the occasional sound of a small animal moving through the underbrush.

I leave the garden, going further into the trees, where I can still see the cottage, but I’m far enough away that the vague restlessness fades. Settling at the base of a thick tree trunk, I lean back against it, gathering the cloak around me and keeping my body heat trapped inside.

I release a deep sigh. The feel of the earth beneath me, the crisp air, the scent of the night-blooming plants, all of it seeps into my soul. For the first time since my conversation with my mother and stepfather, I feel peace. Maybe even contentment.

I feel his presence before I hear his light footfalls and let my head fall back against the bark with another sigh.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask.

“Checking on you. Are you all right?”

Conall sits on the ground next to me, our shoulders brushing.

I answer honestly. “I’m not sure.”

“What keeps you awake?”

I glance over at him and see he’s genuinely interested in my answer.

“I keep thinking about this afternoon,” I admit, my heart rate picking up.

A soft rumble escapes his chest. The vibration against my arm sends a shiver up my spine. “That is what keeps me awake, too.” He falls silent for a few moments. “But why do you smell afraid instead of aroused?”

Trust a Lycan to discern my emotions when I didn’t even want to face them myself. I let more of my weight rest against the tree, closing my eyes. “I told you about the marriage my stepfather tried to arrange for me. But I didn’t mention I’ve never wanted a husband. Ever.”

“What of children? Will you have them someday?”

I don’t open my eyes, but I can feel his gaze on my face. “Someday, maybe. Right now, no.”

“Why?”

I release a long breath before I open my eyes and meet his gaze. I know this will hurt him, and I don’t want to do it. But I have no other choice. He has to understand.