bChapter /bb32 /b

Skye’s POV

bBack /bbin /bmy room, my heart still raced. I wasn’t sure if I had misinterpreted Adrian’s gaze, but the way he had looked at bme /bmoments ago was unmistakably

different.

For the first time, I had glimpsed something predatory in his eyes. A look of possession.

Or was it simply my imagination? Was he merely surprised by my silver hair?

Too much had happened tonight. I inhaled the scent of Adrian on the borrowed shirt, finding sleep impossible despite bmy /bexhaustion. The ocean–pine fragrance that clung to the soft fabric enveloped me, simultaneouslyforting and unsettling.

bMy /bfingers absently traced the hem of the oversized shirt.fnb616 This update is avable on f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?/fnb616

Unconsciously, my hand slipped between my thighs. The wet heat there met my touch, sparking a fleeting rush of satisfaction.

My fingers moved, circling the slick warmth, each stroke igniting shivers.I pressed harderb, /bbreath catching as pleasure coiled tight, then ebbed. Withdrawing my hand, Iy trembling, the shirt’s scent a haunting reminder of my forbidden yearning.

My feelings toward Adrian were a tangled mess I couldn’t begin to unravel.

Gratitude, certainly–he had saved my life, given me his blood, triggered my long–dormant shift. But beneath that gratitude lurked something moreplicated, something that made my heart race whenever our beyes /bmet.

I pressed my face into the pillow, breathing in Adrian’s bscent /bmore deeply.

A low growl suddenly pierced the quiet night, instantly triggering bmy /bsurvival instincts. Years of living alone had honed my alertness to potential threatsb. /bbI /bleapt from the bed, my heart hammering as bI /brushed to the door.

*Adrian?” bI /bcalled out, opening my door a bcrack/b. When no response came, I called again, louder this time, fear tightening my throat.

Was Adrian in danger? Had Kane already sent wolves to attack bus/bb? /b

The bathroom door swung open, and Adrian emerged, a towel wrapped low around his waist. Water droplets still clung to his chest, tracing glistening paths down the defined muscles of his abdomen and disappearing beneath the towelb. /b

bI /bswallowed hard, suddenly bvery /baware of my own state of undress in nothing but his bt/b–shirt.

I quickly averted my gaze, heat rushing to my cheeks. “I–I heard a sound,” bI /bstammered. “I thought something might be wrong.”

“Just slipped in the shower,” Adrian exined, his voice slightly rougher than usual. With the light behind him, I couldn’t make out his bexpression /bbclearly/b.

Oh. Right. Sorry,” bI /bmumbled, awkwardly retreating back into bmy /broom. “Goodnight, thenb./bb” /b

I closed the door perhaps a bit more firmly than bnecessary/b, leaning against it bas /bbI /btried to calm my racing heart.

Adrian’s bedroom was directly across from mine, and in the stillness of the night, I could hear his movements–the soft rustle of fabric as he bpresumably /bdropped the towel and dressed for bed, the quiet click of themp being turned boff/bb, /bthe slight creak bof /bthe mattress as hey bdown/b.

Somehow, I felt as though our eyes were meeting through the walls that separated us, an impossible connection that nevertheless felt butterly /breal.

I crawled back into bed, pulling the bcovers /bup to my chin like armor.

This bwas /bgoing to be a long night.

The harder I tried to banish Adrian from my thoughts, the more insistently he invaded my dreams.

bChapter /b32

bThe /bbnkets /bfelt btoo /bheavyb, /bbtoo /bbwarm/b, and I sank into a restless half–sleep filled with confusing images and sensations, bI /bwas bdrowning /bin warm, wet unable bto /bbpull /bbmyself /bfree…

bUntil /ba shrill ringing jolted me awake.

bSkye/bb, /bare you up yet? Morning training is about to start, and I’m waiting at the hotel entrance for you! Nadia’s voice cut through bmy /bbgrogginess/b, sharp and

expectant.

bI /bscrambled to sit up, disoriented. ‘Don’t wait for me! I’ll eat breakfast and meet you at the training grounds from yesterdayb./b”

“You’re still in bed, aren’t you?” Nadia’s tone was usatory but tinged with amusement. “Our training sessions are mostly in the mornings and evenings when it’s not so hot. You can’t be sleeping in like this once you’re officially part of the pack.”

b‘/bbI’m /bsorry,” bI /bapologized hastily. “It won’t happen again, I promise. Please go ahead with the others–I’ll be there as soon as I canb.” /b

After a moment’s hesitation, she agreed. When I hung up, I exhaled with relief.

For some reason, I couldn’t bear the thought of Nadia discovering I’d spent the night at Adrian’s home. It felt like a betrayal, even though she wasn’t his

mate.

After dressing quickly in yesterday’s clothes, I ventured out to find the house empty of Adrian’s presence.

Lucyb, /bhis housekeeper, had prepared a simple breakfast of toastb, /bbeggs/bb, /band fresh fruitb. /bbAs /bI sat down bto /bbeat/bb, /bshe enveloped me in an unexpected but warm hug.

“Wee to Oasisborn, dear!” Her weathered face crinkled with a knowing bsmile/b. “So, byou /band Alpha Adrianb… is /bthere something going on between you btwo /bnow? It’s been years since I’ve seen him this close with a woman.”

My face med with embarrassment. “No! It’s nothing like that. I’m not his mateb./bb” /b

Lucy waved her hand dismissively. “Mates, schmetes. Some bwolves /bdon’t wait around bforever/bb, /byou know. If they don’t find their destined mate, they choose someonepatible at the right time.” She winked conspiratorially. “And you two would make beautiful pupsb–/bsilver hair and bthose /bamber beyes /bbof /bbhis/bb! /b

2 Imagine!”

Iughed awkwardly, grabbing a piece of toast and backing toward the door. “Thank byou /bfor breakfastb, /bbut bI’ve /bgot to brun/bb. /bTraining bsession/bb./bb” /b

I practically fled the house, my cheeks still burning as I made my way to the training grounds.

By the time I arrived, the session was well underway. About twenty werewolves bwere /bpaired off, engaged in variousbat exercises. Some practiced in human form, while others had shifted, their wolf forms circling each other with calcted movements.

Nadia spotted me immediately, breaking away from her demonstration to approach me. bAs /bI drew closer, she did a double–take, her beyes /bwidening bas /bbshe /bnoticed my hair.

“Your hair–it’s silver!b” /bshe eximed. “bI’ve /bbnever /bseen a wolf with hair this color beforeb./bb” /b

‘bIt’s /bmy natural color,” bI /breplied simply.

She nodded with appreciation, then crossed her armsb. /b“Well, it’s striking, but that doesn’t bexcuse /byou. bWe’ve /bbeen at it for half an hour already. Don’t bbe /bbte /bagain.”

“I won’tb, /bI promiseb, /bbI /bbassured /bherb, /beager bto /bbegin. “Can I btry/bb?/bb” /b

bA /bsmile broke through her stern expression. “That’s what I blike /bto hear. bLet’s /bbsee /bwhat you’ve got.”

bHer /bunexpectedpliment warmed me, especiallying from bsomeone /bwho had initially been so bsuspicious /bof me. But the moment bof /bcamaraderie bwas /bshort–blived /bbas /bshe quickly returned to business.

b‘/bAnyway, let’s bsee /bwhat you can do,” she said, gesturing toward an open bspace/b.

Nadia demonstrated a basic btakedown /btechnique, and within momentsb, /bI found myself t on bmy /bbback/b, the wind knocked bout /bbof /bbme /bbas /bbshe /bbpinned /bbme /b

effortlessly to bthe /bground.

But as she held me down, her expression suddenly changed, her nostrils ring slightly as she caught a scent.

Her eyes narrowed, and her voice dropped to a whisper. “You stayed at Adrian’s housest night, didn’t you?”

bChapter /bbComments /b

Jamie DeWitt

I must have missed it.. but what color are her eyes?