We settled in the larger lounging space downstairs that wasn’t quite a living room or a media room, but probably more like a game room. There was a movie screen and projector in another part of the room that had more seating, but over here in the corner, where there were a ton of couches and comfortable chairs was the best place in the house to talk--even if we didn’t all want to talk about what some people (everyone but me) was asking about.“So… what happened between you and Liam?” Brice asked me, a smirk on his face that I sort of wanted to reach across the couch and knock off. It reminded me a lot of how he used to look at me before he became a part of my pack, when he was still with his family and Verina.“Nothing happened between us!” I said, hoping my tone conveyed how much I didn’t appreciat

 Brice drove me into town about fifteen minutes after we finished our conversation. I had to give him a chance to take a quick shower, and I decided to put on something a little more presentable than what I’d just been lounging around the house in. I also spritzed myself with Ben’s favorite perfume, the one he always told me made me smell so good. It couldn’t hurt to remind him of all of the reasons he loved me, right?The cafe was busy when we pulled in. For a moment, my mind was taken back to the first time I’d met Brice. It had been here, and he’d been flirting with my little sister. I felt my muscles tighten up. His hand came down on my arm, and he said, “I was a different person then.” I turned to him and nodded, knowing he was right. He had changed a lot in the last six months or so. And thanks to the burns I’d given him during our first fi

I slid into Brice’s truck and slammed the door behind me. He could likely see the snow in my hair melting and giving off steam from the heat coming off of me, not because of my magic but because I was ready to go snap someone’s neck.“What happened?” Brice asked, after he gave me a moment to take some deep breaths.“He doesn’t want to talk right now,” I said. I was surprised that tears didn’t fill my eyes, but I was too mad for that now.Brice was confused. I was used to him already knowing everything before it happened, so if he hadn’t seen Starla or didn’t know that she was even there, I had a lot to explain that I didn’t want to. I turned and looked at him, and the look on my face must’ve alarmed him because he shirked back a little bit. &ldq

 My fist hurt from banging on Starla and Sam’s front door so hard, I should’ve used my magic to alert them that there was an angry mage at their front door instead of pounding my hand into the wooden frame like I was trying to punch through it, but it was too late now. I’d already managed to bruise the outside of my hand. I figured I could heal it later, but at the moment, I was so wrapped up in what I was about to do, the pain was more like a battle scar I would proudly wear and feel than a painful reminder that I don’t have to use my hands for these sorts of things.No one was answering the door. I had convinced Ben not to come with me, even though he’d wanted to, but now I wished he was there so he could take over banging on the door for me. I knew that Starla and Sam were both inside. They were attempting to ignore me, and it was really pissing me off. I&rsquo

 “How did that go?” Ben asked, holding me close as I tried my best to control my tears. I really didn’t want to let Starla’s mean comments get to me, but it hurt to have anyone yell such awful things at me, especially someone who I’ve tried so hard to be nice to. It’s all so wrong, it makes my heart ache, and I had no idea how to answer Ben’s question without making my tears even more prominent.I sat up and swiped the single tear that had escaped off of my cheek. “That Starla is a bitch,” I said, trying to control my anger but not getting much of it under check. “I hate her.”Ben gave me an empathetic look but then said, “Tell me how you really feel,” trying to get me to laugh. I appreciated the effort, I really did, but it didn’t work this time. “What happen