RUM Rose. She looked frightened as hell, trembling. Yet, she faced the threat head on, not backing away. And that made me angry. How many times have I run away, just because I think it's unfair? It's unfair that I have to face such shit. Then again, who gets to choose the shit they want to face in life? Everyone faces all kinds of mess. Rose did. So why did I think I should get a free pass? 'Run, Rose!' Run, you stupid girl! But I could tell she was bound to the ground as much as I was. Hmm? The pressure on my feet vanished—I can move again? CLICK! The sound of instant death struck the air and my decision was as clear as glass. I leapt forward—knock Goldie out first, then get to Rose. My hand swung a crescent curve, then something struck me in the chest—pain exploded inside me, and a chill streamed in and fused with my blood, killing it. Fuck… I should've known why the binds around my feet were removed. I was meant to take that bullet. ***** ROSE The fog cleare

RUMI laid her down on her bed and then waited to make sure she was really alright. For the hundredth time, I traced her face with my eyes, drowning myself in the contours and forms of her features, getting drunk in the happiness I felt from being familiar with them and being able to discover something new about them. My thumb brushed across her brows, trying to sooth them. ‘Don’t worry, Rose.’ I heard my whisper. ‘I’m here.’ Stop frowning, cub. And a sigh left her lips, those slim brows relaxed. My own lips spread into a genuine smile. ‘You’ll be fine.’ Without thinking, I leaned in and kissed the corner of those fine brows then pulled back to study her some more. Of those times we made love, she’d always fall asleep first, and I would draw her in and wrap her in my arms, and listen to her peaceful breathing until the moon sets and the sun rises. Strangely, the wait for that darn moon to set seemed much, much shorter than before. ‘When you wake up, Rose, I’m not going to push y

ROSE He slid out slowly, caressing my insides like a light feather, and a delightful shiver shot to my toes. My face jerked to one side and a moan slipped from my pursed lips. ‘Rum….’ My voice has never been this high. ‘Why are you looking away, cub?’ asked a deep voice. Hands locked above my head, knees raised high, body pinned hard against the mattress, I couldn’t feel a thing except the intense pleasure Rum was filling up in me. How do I move my head? ‘R-Rum….’ I need something. Him. I need him inside. My desperation is soaring rapidly. ‘Rum!’ He kissed the throbbing skin below my earlobe and grunted, ‘How many times must I remind you, Rose?’ The scorching tip of his tongue travelled down my neck. ‘Ha!’ I shuddered. ‘K-Keithen!’ His mouth closed over the bulge of my collarbone and sucked hard. ‘That’s right.’ And he rammed in strong and hard, drove to the hilt. ‘Remember it, Rose.’ More pleasure bolted through me, arching my back, slipping out another cry of bliss. ‘O

ROSE A strong grip came around my wrist and I was roughly pulled back. I crashed against a hard warm body and looked up to see Rum glaring down at me with fear and anger. ‘What the fuck, Rose! You almost got yourself killed!’ His finger shot out, I followed its line of direction and saw the ground coming to an end just a step from where I stood. I almost walked off a cliff. His thick arm came around my waist clutching me tightly. ‘What the fuck were you thinking?’ He growled in my ear. I turned around in his embrace and hugged him. ‘I didn’t realise that I’d be on a cliff.’ A lame excuse but that was the truth. Honestly, I don’t know what to expect. Ever since I shifted and saw my so-called wolf form, I felt disconnected from my mind… from the present. ‘Jesus Christ… you’re sticking to me like a bubblegum, got that?’ I nodded and then something ruffled behind Rum. He stiffened and within the next second, pushed me behind him and faced the unknown creature who stumbled up

ROSE‘As in ‘shifted’, shifted?’ Elena murmured, the complexion of her shock permeated her eyes. ‘Jesus Christ,’ blurted Rum. ‘What else can it be?’ He was shouting again. ‘Well, how would I know?’ Elena thrust an open palm at me, her face flushed with another wave of shock. ‘She’s human, isn’t she? Humans don’t shift!’ ‘I know that! And I’m telling you, SHE DID.’ Rum pointed at me and then at his right eye. ‘Right in front of my eyes!’Ellis left Elena’s side and moved closer to me. ‘What happened before and after? Tell me everything. Don’t leave any details.’ And I proceeded to do so. Along the way, Rum added in his version—about the explosion of crystal whitish-blue light and then my wolf-form—how it reminded him of snow—and how he completely healed after that. ‘Wait a count.’ Ellis interrupted. He turned full face to Rum. ‘You healed? All that damage from the silver bullet, gone? Just like that?’ Rum raked his hair with his fingers and growled, ‘Yeah. Just like that.’ Elena