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My jaw drops.

Did…did Cole justfaketaking a drink?

Anger sweeps through me from head to toe. What, is Shayne’s tequila notgoodenough for this fancy-ass Prince?

Next to me, Grace laughs. “He’s onguard, Nadia,” she whispers. “He faked the drink because he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. He’s beingreallynice.”

I scowl, realizing that she’s right.

But who the hell does he think he is, anyway? What, he’s more stoic and responsible and dutiful than the rest of us? I roll my eyes and huff out a breath, hating him as he sits back on his log, turning his eyes back to his stupid stick.

“Come on,” Grace says, standing and tugging at my arm. “Let’s go say hello –“

“Noway–“ I gasp, leaning back as she tries to pull me up.

But just as she tugs harder at my arm, headlights sweep through the camp. The whole group around the fire goes still for a second before the nursing volunteers panic, cursing lightly and ducking down to not be seen in the sudden light. Shayne squeaks, dropping to the ground at her blonde wolf’s side.

Grace and I slip off our log, not really able to hide behind it but sitting still and watching as another military transport pulls into the clearing.

“Must be the psych volunteers,” Grace murmurs to me. I nod, agreeing. Didn’t dad say they were coming soon?

As I watch, the door to the transport opens and an absolutely stunning girl swings herself down. I blink a bit, taking in her willowy form, her long mane of white-blonde hair, the camera that hangs around her neck on a leather chord. I frown at that. Why on earth does a therapist need a camera?

She steps away from the transport so the next person can climb out and looks around the camp with interest, sniffing the air. Then her head snaps towards us. “No way,” she says, her words ringing out through the camp. “Noway!”

She bursts out laughing and runs in our direction.

My head snaps back towards the fire when I hear Cole’s delighted voice. “Are youkiddingme?” His face bursts into a wide smile.

“Cole!” the girl cries, dashing into the circle and leaping into the air, throwing herself at him.

Cole roars with laughter, catching the girl in the air and spinning her in a circle. “Rose! What are you doing here? It’ssogood to see you!”

My lips flatten into a thin line, my eyes focusing on the beautiful girl in Cole Kincaid’s arms, laughing prettily and gazing down into his face. Her cheeks dimple prettily as her hair floats down around her shoulders, looking like spun gold.

Cole grins up at her, holding her up in his arms, her perky butt supported by his forearm. I clench my teeth when she strokes a hand over hishair, asking how he is and how his family is doing.

“Wow,” Grace whispers. “Who…who the hell is that?”

I don’t answer. I have no idea, after all.

But I do know one thing.

Whoever this girl is? I…fucking hate her.

Chapter 9 – Rose

Cole

I beam up into Rose’s beautiful face, passively grateful that I thought to drop my knife and the stick I was whittlingjustin time to catch her. My eyelids threaten to flutter shut as I again smell her amazing scent – like snowfall – crisp and clean, with a touch of mint on the nose.

God, fuck but that scent takes me back.

“What are you doing so far from your palace, big scary wolf?” Rose asks, grinning down at me with her icy blue eyes crinkled with joy. “Have you gone wild and returned to your primordial self?”

I shake my head at her, my smile deepening at her slight accent – the way she rolls her r’s, slurs her s’s and her c’s.

“I came hunting after you, Rosie,” I murmur, playful, squeezing her tighter, making her laugh that lovely lilting laugh. “But the question is, what areyoudoing out here?”