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They look at me like I'm a goddess.

Cellulite, soft belly, and all.

I feel beautiful.

Not “beautiful if I just lost ten pounds” or “beautiful with the right lighting.”

Just... beautiful.

I pick up a new brush and continue painting.

I'm not the same woman who drove up here broken and lost.

I'm becoming something entirely new. Someone in charge of her own destiny.

When I’m done and the sun sets for the day, I’ve realized I’ve painted all day.

I painted the forest heart pulsing with golden light and a wolf racing through moonlit trees. Each one is so detailed, it feels almost alive.

"Holy shit," I whisper.

It turns out monsters are not only good for the body but also for the soul.

14

Lily

The cabin door creaks behind me before I take my first sip of coffee.

I don’t turn around.

“You know, in human society, we knock before entering someone’s home,” I say, clutching my coffee mug like it might protect me from whatever shenanigans await.

“I guarded you all night,” Kaelen’s rough voice replies. “I kept you safe.”

I turn to find him in his more humanoid form today—still massive, wolf-like, and covered in fur. His face is a fascinatingblend of human and canine features, and his amber eyes track my every movement.

“That’s… both creepy and oddly sweet,” I manage, taking a deliberate sip of coffee. “But maybe next time, just text me that you’re on guard duty? Oh wait, you can’t, because you’re a dire-wolf-man and we’re in the middle of nowhere.”

He moves closer, nostrils flaring as he scents the air. “It’s been two days, and you still smell like water. Like him.”

“Caspian? Yeah, I guess underwater make-out sessions will do that.” I try to be casual, but my voice betrays me.

Kaelen is so large and yummy, his presence fills the small cabin with desire.

“You need to smell like me from now on,” he growls, closing the distance between us with alarming speed. Suddenly, he’s looming over me, radiating heat like a furnace. “Like my mate.”

“Whoa there,” I say, backing up until I hit the counter. “Let’s dial back the possessive… It’s a little too early.”

His massive hand—more paw than human fingers—reaches up to touch my face. “I’ve watched you from the first day you arrived. You’re beautiful, brave, and smell like my mate. You’re mine, and I need to have you again.”

My heart hammers against my ribs. Yes. I definitely want that… But I also need time. “Kaelen, I—”

The cabin windows rattle as something heavy lands on the porch. The door swings open again, revealing Caspian, walking on strong human legs rather than his usual tentacles. A towel is wrapped around his waist.

“Step away from her, wolf,” he says, voice cold and dangerous. “You’re frightening her.”

“She is not frightened,” Kaelen snarls, not moving an inch. “She’s aroused. I can smell it.”