16

- Okay. That is good. I took a deep breath. The wolf even smelled like Josh. That deep, primal scent that took me over the edge. At the moment, it was the most delicious smell in the world. "Josh," I whispered against his fur. “It's been such an intense day for me. Listen, I'm really sorry about the way I reacted this morning. I know you know my dad died. He was killed in a factory accident. But what you don't know is that five months ago my boyfriend died here in the woods. He went hiking with a friend, and they decided to hike over one of the rocky ravines beyond. Ben slipped and fell into a crevice. He broke several bones and his head. The friend couldn't get him out, and when he returned with help, Ben was dead.

Tears welled up in my eyes. Josh licked them, his tongue rough like sandpaper against my skin.

“Last night… it was the first time since Ben. And it was amazing. I really like you, Josh, but it's hard for me to be here in the woods without him. My mom withdrew into herself,