Author: admin

On a picnic table and benches by the trampled ground where the trailer used to be, glittering snowflakes catch on the leaves of dozens of potted plants and cuttings in glass jars, sparkling in the starlight. Rosie’s warm scent fades second by second as the first snow of the season falls, and my pulse throbs….

She lingers a moment, her unsteady hand hovering over my cheek. “You look like him.” The red blaze in her eye dims as she stands and backs away. “Pity you’re no wiser.” She walks toward the trees she emerged from, unconcerned, her stride unrushed. As if that’s the final word. As if it’s over. No….

I’m ducking through the rope when the elevator dings, and I catch a whiff of fresh meat. My wolf bolts to the wall, scrabbling at it with silent claws. Brody Hughes. I smile and suck the blood from my teeth. “Cousin. Come spar with me.” I wave him into the ring. He strides forward, puffed…

I could have slowed down, made plans, gathered necessities myself, consulted Abertha. Had second thoughts. Convinced myself that it’ll all be fine. Read kindness and good intentions that don’t exist in Cadoc’s unfathomable expression. My adrenaline kicks up a notch. No, this is an escape in the nick of time. My wolf, bless her heart,…

“I didn’t think—” My bottom lip wobbles so badly that I have to bite it until my teeth make an indent. “I guess I thought, if it came down to it, he wouldn’t—“ I search for the reason why I thought Cadoc Collins wouldn’t let me down. Because his wolf kept me company when I…

When it comes down to it, no one begs me to stay. Nia cuddles with me on the sagging couch in Uncle Dewey’s trailer and peeks out into the darkness every so often to see if there’s any sign of Bevan and Pritchard. Drona has sent the pups to bed, and she’s sitting in Mama’s…

Brody screws up his fleshy face. “You didn’t bite her, though, did you? Test driving the pussy is one thing, buying it’s another, right?” Nia’s shooting daggers over her shoulder at me, aggression rolling off her in waves. If she weren’t holding Rosie, she’d attack. I have to walk away, defuse the situation, end this….

“Are you sick?” I take a step forward. She raises a hand, warding me off. My throat tightens. “Go away.” Her voice is weak. “You can’t be in here.” “You haven’t been eating.” She stares at the floor at my feet, clutching the wet cloth tight in her fist. “You keep leaving class.” Her breasts…

We race through, weeds whipping our shins, and scramble up the berm separating campus from the road to the east shore. My side cramps. I slow to a jog. “You can still shift, right?” Nia asks, panting. Her golden eyes know what I haven’t admitted yet, not even to myself. “Abertha’s shack isn’t far,” I…

I’ve heard this a million times. From her, from Father, from history class. “If you had ambition and brains, you could rise as high as you wanted.” A bitter chuckle escapes her lips. “But not all the way. Not if you’re female.” She swirls her drink. The scent is familiar. The whiskey is my father’s…