BROCK “I want you where I can see you.”“No. You’ll get distracted.”“Bullshit. I’ll be more distracted if I don’t have eyes on you.”“But Brock…”I shake my head adamantly, tightening my grip around Astrid’s waist. “But nothing. It’s either take a position where I can see you or sit this one out.”“You know I can’t do that,” she sighs.“Then you know what you have to do.”“Ugh!” Astrid groans, throwing her hands up. “You’re exhausting.”I know I’ve won, but the victory is hollow. I hate that she’s going to be on the battlefield at all- but since she’s insistent on it, I at least need to have her somewhere that I can see her so I can protect her if necessary. The thought of any harm coming to Astrid has me see

BROCK   “They took her.” As Devin’s words register, something inside of me snaps. I’m practically fucking feral as I shove through the others gathered around him while he lays there bleeding out, and all I can see is red. The red of his blood, the red of my anger. The red of our enemies’ blood that I’ll spill to get her back. Cole’s bent over Devin now, using a wadded-up sweatshirt to put pressure on his wound. It’s no use; the guy is clearly dying. Not to be a heartless prick, but we need to know what he knows before he does. “Where’d they take her?!” I demand, my wolf dangerously close to tearing through. Cole turns over his shoulder to shoot me a look of warning. “Give him a second,” he growls. I have no idea how the fuck he’s so calm right now. Devin’s lips tremble as they part. “Chris… traitor…” That’s all it takes. A roar tears from my throat as I shift on the spot, landing o

ASTRID   “Put this on,” Kara growls, shoving a wadded-up ball of black chiffon at my chest. I’ve been afforded the great pleasure of her company to prepare for the full moon tonight, which so far has consisted of a freezing cold shower in a dirty bathroom and Kara throwing things at me. A towel, a hairbrush, and now this chiffon garment, which I’m assuming is a dress. I hold it up in front of me, turning it around until I can discern what’s right-side-up. Definitely a dress. I slip into it, relishing in the feel of the clean, delicate fabric against my skin. I’ve been living in that disgusting t-shirt for the past three days, so a change of clothes feels like a luxury. Once it’s on, I glance at myself in the mirror, tugging the straps onto my shoulders. I have to admit, the dress is beautiful. It’s simple, but it’s stunning in its simplicity- thin straps, a plunging neckline, and an open back. Somewhat fitted down to the

BROCK Darkness. It’s all-consuming, and it keeps pulling me under. Every time I start to come back into myself, it sucks me into its depths again. Fuck, maybe I’m dying. Maybe this is it for me. Nothing has ever come easily to me, so it’d make sense that death wouldn’t, either. She’s the only thing keeping me anchored. Some part of me can sense that she’s near, and I keep reaching out to tug on the bond between us, trying to pull myself back to her somehow.Peaches. The scent tickles my nose, along with something else- strands of hair, as soft as spun silk. I bury my nose deeper, inhaling her into my lungs, into my soul. My eyes fight to adjust to the light as I blink them open. My limbs feel heavy. I wiggle my fingers and toes, testing their dexterity as my mind slowly clears out the fog, waking up.My left side is cloaked in warmth- Astrid is curled into my side tightly with her head r

BROCK “You glad to be back?” Astrid asks from the passenger seat as we roll back into the six-pack territory a few days later.“Yeah,” I admit, blowing out a breath. ‘Glad’ is an understatement- I’m fucking ecstatic. Relieved. Eager to return to some semblance of normalcy after the roller coaster ride I’ve been strapped into since leaving this place over a week ago. After experiencing the highest highs and the lowest lows, I’ll happily settle into something more mundane.“How about you?” I ask, flicking her a sideways glance. She’s wearing black leggings and her white Estes Park sweatshirt, her hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun. As much as I love when she’s all dressed up, I swear she’s prettiest when she’s casual like this. Her natural beauty is beyond compare.Astrid turns to look at me, her face lighting up with her smile.