b36 /b

    CHAPTER b36 /b

    ANNA’S POV

    “Anna! You got a tattoo!”

    “What?!” I snapped my head upb, /balmost dropping the wet shirt in thy hand.

    “R. Wolfe… is that his name? Your ichi /icrush?” Sasha’s voice was high and loud, like she had just discovered the biggest

    secret in the world.

    My whole body went stiff. “What?“”

    “You tattooed his name on your neck! Anne

    but it came out weaker this time.

    what the hell did you do?!”

    I gasped and my hand flew to my neck. “No-

    My words got stuck in my throat as I felt it, the faint sting, the tender skin. My phone slipped out of my other hand and ttered onto the washing machine. “Shit…”

    It was Sunday afternoon. Afterst night with Ryan, I’d slept through the morning and only dragged myself out of bed when Sasha knocked on my door, asking if I wanted to doundry with her. I’d said yes, grabbed my dirty clothes, and even pulled off the bedsheets Ryan had ruinedst night, but I never expected this. Not this.

    My hands trembled as I yanked my phone back up, turned on the front camera, and tilted it toward my neck. My breath caught. There it was. Clear as day. olliWolfe. /li/ol

    His name. Stamped into my skin like ink. Only it wasn’t ink. Beside the letters was the outline of a wolf’s head. The mark. His mark.

    “Oh my God,” I whispered. “Oh my God, no-”

    I’d seen this before. I’d seen it on Mom and Dad, the way his name was etched into her skin and hers into his. I always thought it was some weird tattoo thing they’d done for each other to prove their love. I had never, not once, imagined it was… this. That it was the result of a mark.

    And now… Ryan had marked me.

    Sasha was staring at me like I was insane. “Anna, when did you even have the time to get this done? Yesterday afternoon there was nothing on your neck. Don’t lie, I would’ve noticed. Then you’ve been in bed since… since-” she gestured wildly, “-how did you even pull this off? And why on your neck? If you loved him that bad, couldn’t you have done it somewhere private? Somewhere less… obvious? Anna, are you out bof /byour mind? What if you break up?”

    Her voice was frantic, worried, but it only made my stomach twist harder. My hand stayed glued to my neck, covering the mark like that could somehow erase it. “It’s not-” I started, then stopped, because what could I even say? That Ryan had bitten me in the middle of everythingst night and branded me permanently? That I had no choice in this?

    I shook my head, my eyes burning. “Shit!”

    She frowned, “Anna, what’s going on with you?”

    Her voice faded as my mind spun. Mom. Dad. Oh God. What would they say if they saw this? Mom would panic. Dad would…

    I lifted my phone with shaky hands, angled the camera at my neck, and snapped a picture, my chest tightened as I typed fast;

    ‘What the hell is this? Exin.‘

    I hit send before bI /bcould second–guess myself, clutching the phone like it might burn through my palm. My stomach twisted while I waited for the little dots to pop up, hoping he’d reply right away.

    A buzz rattled the phone in my grip. My heart leapt, thinking it was him, but when I nced at the bscreen/b, my breath caught.

    b86 /b

    bIt /bbwasn’t /bRyan.

    It was Dad.

    ?? b+15 /bbBONUS /b

    I’m outside your dorm Angel. Your mom and I want to see you before our flight. Just a few minutes. Come out now.‘

    My heart stopped and then started again in a panic. “Nob, /bbno/b, nob, /bne…” I whispered, pacing back and forth. “Oh my God, Sasha, 1 can’t let them see this.”

    “See what?!” she pressed, her eyes darting between ine and my neck. “Anna, you’re scaring me.”

    I wasn’t listening anymore. My hands were shaking as I grabbed the nearest thing I could, a shawl from Sasha’sundry pile, and wrapped it tightly around my neck. Too tightly, maybe, but I didn’t care. My pulse was pounding so hard I thought it might break through my skin.

    Sasha reached for my arm. “Where are you going?!”

    “My parents,” I croaked. “They’re outside. I have to-

    My words cut off as I bolted for the door.

    Outside, I spotted them immediately. Mom and Dad, standing near the car, waiting for me. My chest clenched so tight it was painful, but I forced a smile and hurried forward.

    Mom’s face lit up as she opened her arms. “Honey.” She hugged me tight, kissing my cheek, and I had to fight to keep my breathing normal. Dad hugged me too, his hand firm on my shoulder, his eyes scanning me in that way that always made me feel like he could see through everything.

    “Are you enjoying it here, angel?” Mom asked, her voice soft, her eyes full of warmth.

    I nodded quickly. “Yes, Mom. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” My voice cracked on thest word, but I prayed they didn’t notice.

    Mom tilted her head, her brows knitting. “Are you sure: iou /ilook pale. You’re not sick, are you?”

    “No, I’m okay.” I shook my head too fast, clutching the shawl tighter around my neck.

    Her hand lifted, reaching for the edge of the fabric like she wanted to check my temperature at my neck, the way she always did. Panic surged through me. I stepped back, clutching the shawl tighter. “No! I mean–no, I’m fine, Mom. Really.”

    She froze, her hand still mid–air, her frown deepening. “Anna…”

    b“/bI’m fine,” I whispered again, my throat tight.

    ??

    Dad’s eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to piece something together, but then he sighed and brushed it off. “We have to go,” he said, his tone firmer, checking his watch. “Our flight is in less than twenty minutes. We’ll miss it iif /iwe don’t leave now.”

    Mom still looked like she wanted to push, but Dad touched her arm, and she let out a breath. She leaned forward instead and kissed my forehead. “Don’t forget everything I’ve told youb, /bokay? always be the good girl you’ve always been.”

    My chest twisted so hard I almost couldn’t speak. I nodded quickly, my eyes stinging. “Yes, Mom.”

    Dad reached into his wallet, pulled out a thick bundle of cash, and pressed it into my hand. “Take care of yourself, angel.” His voice was deep, steady, but his gaze lingered on me just a second too long.

    I nodded again, my throat burning. “I will, Dad. I promise.”

    They both gave me onest look, waved, and climbed into the car. The driver pulled away, and I stood frozen on the sidewalk, my shawl still clutched desperately around my neck.

    The second the car turned the corner, I let out a huge breath I didn’t even realize I was holding, my whole body shaking as I pressed my hand over the mark hidden beneath the fabric.