The library is full of students getting last-minute studying done before finals week starts. I stride past everyone, not bothering to say hello to familiar faces. I follow Zara’s scent to a study room on the third floor. She’s facing the whiteboard, showing her study group something that looks like a complex cell structure. One girl is standing next to her, pointing something out. I hesitate when I see her interacting with her friends, but goaded by Rocky, my temper gets the best of me when I remember she manipulated me to sleep for almost twenty hours. I don’t know what pulled me out of the sleep state, but I’m lucky I did.  There are countless accounts of male wolves doing stupid shit because of a sigma manipulation. We had a client a few years ago that drove his car off a bridge because of it. Another one gave almost all his belongings, including his home and furnishings, to charity before his family could stop him. It’s a dark side of the ability that isn’t

“Ah, no. First, you’re going to tell me where you’ve been.” I sit up so she is on my lap, straddling me. I take her scarf off and unzip her coat, tossing them to the side. I take her chin in my hand and turn her head from side to side, running my fingers over her skin. “Then we are going to talk about what happened. I have to call everyone and let them know you’re home. There’s no way we will have time to talk after that.” “What are you doing, Keller?” Zara tries to pull her head away. “What are you looking for?” “I’m making sure you’re not hurt. Force of habit.” I say, pulling up her sleeves so I can look her over. “I haven’t seen you in close to a week. Placate me.” “Okay. Mostly, I’ve been in the computer labs and the library. A girl from my study group let me sleep on her sofa. It was a lot more comfortable than living in the forest, so it wasn’t that bad.” She purses her lips and looks a little embarrassed. “I should have messaged you to tell you I was s

Estelle and I head to the kitchen while Zara gets a shower. Half an hour later, Zara drags herself out of the bedroom and leans heavily against me while I stand against the kitchen counter. “Tired, Pocket?” I kiss the top of her damp hair and wrap my arms around her to pull her close. “Exhausted.” She yawns and wraps her arms tighter around my waist. I move her hair off the back of her shirt and rub slow circles to help soothe her. I can feel how tired she is through our mate bond. “Too exhausted for dinner?” Mom asks from her spot at the breakfast bar. “And we’re all dying to hear more about your development for the sigma cure, Zara.” “I would love some dinner. Thank you, Mom.” Zara pulls away from my hug and smiles at Mom. I pick Zara up and sit her on the counter so she doesn’t have to stand up. I hand her a plate of food and watch as she takes a few bites. She nods happily at Mom and gives her a thumbs up. Her face brightens up when Mom hands her a tall glass of apple juice.

It takes another hour before we can get everyone to leave, except for Estelle. She and Zara go back into Zara’s office and make a long list of tests Zara would like done on the blood and sweat samples. I keep myself busy in the kitchen, pretending to wipe the counters down and shuffling things around in the pantry. “What are you doing?” Rocky huffs at me. “You’re making me nervous?” “What if things are different once we’re alone with Zara, Rocky?” I confess my worries to him. “What if she doesn’t trust me anymore? I wouldn’t blame her, but the thought of it hurts.” “Since when are you this guy?” He asks me in a tone that makes me think any way I answer is going to be wrong. “What do you mean by ‘this guy’?” I stop what I’m doing and lean back on the counter. “The guy who has zero confidence with a woman?” I can feel him pacing as he becomes more irritated with me. “Okay, but this woman is our MATE, or have you forgotten?” I say, as if I need to remind him who Zara is. “All the

“Well, think about it rationally. Have you ever heard of someone being salty and still able to be in love?” Heph wipes a few symbols from the board and writes something else. “No. It doesn’t happen. Love isn’t just a chemical, dear girl. It causes a physical reaction that is the opposite of salt. Salt may be a neutral compound, but it has a bitter taste. It destroys love. Chemistry isn’t my strong suit, but even I know that. You need something to strengthen your compound… like… I don’t know… gallium, I guess? Small particles of it. Ever heard the expression, ‘make him melt in your hands’?” He points to the new symbol with the butt of the marker. Zara nods her head at him, too afraid to speak, but curious about what the man is getting at. “Well, that’s love, beta-carotene, and hemoglobin.” He writes another chemical structure with some letters on the board. “I assume you are trying to get this inside someone’s body, right? If there’s one thing I am an expert on, it’s metals. There’s