Page 40

He sighs and looks away. “It’s funny, you know,” he says. “But the happiest times in my life are the moments I’ve spent with you.”

“I…” I start but then close my mouth. What can I say to that? Do I even believe it myself? What does it even mean?

"We should probably head back," I mutter, breaking the silence that had settled between us. I can feel his gaze on me, but I do not meet his eyes.

“Yelena, wait,” he whispers, reaching out to touch my arm. An electric jolt shoots through me at his touch, and my wolf howls within my chest.

I look down at his hand and then up at his face.

His eyes look wild with need and emotion, and it confuses me.What does he want from me? How can he look at me like this?

“What is it?” I ask, breathless. I couldn’t move, even if I wanted to. Not right now. I’m captured in his spell.

He reaches over slowly, cupping my cheek with his large, warm hand. A shiver moves down my spine, and I bite my lip. My heart is pounding wildly in my chest, and anticipation coils tightly within me.

He takes a deep breath, his hand still cradling my cheek. His thumb brushes comforting circles over my skin and it’s making me feel out of control.

When he leans toward me, I freeze.Is this happening right now?

The first brush of his lips against mine feels like white hot fire spreading through my veins. It awakens something deep in my soul, and I can’t resist it.

My body responds instinctively, and I lean into him. His fingers tangle in my hair, pulling me closer. The heat of his mouth against mine, the way his body feels hard and warm against me, it’severything.It makes me forget everything else.

I forget Sylvie. I forget the pack. I forget our impending separation, the ceremony, everything. All that matters is here; this moment, this connection.

I gasp at the intensity of his kiss, and he takes advantage, deepening the kiss until I'm dizzy.

I moan when his free hand anchors onto me, wrapping around my waist to pull me flush against him. Every single contact pointbetween us sends waves of pleasure through me, making me feel alive in a way I haven't felt for a long time.

Suddenly, he pulls away, and my heart stutters as if missing a beat. The loss of his touch and warmth throws me off balance.

He looks at me as if he’s trying to read into my soul. For a moment, I had let my guard down and let him see everything. The sorrow, the longing, and yes, even the glint of desire and love that I still have for him.

“Yelena…” he whispers again. His voice is a desperate plea, heavy with emotion and vulnerability. I break the gaze, hopping off the rock.

“We need to go,” I say firmly. “We have the rest of the Rites to attend to.”

My lips are still tingling when I shift, picking up my clothes in my mouth and heading toward the pack’s lands. I don’t wait for him, but he’s soon running beside me. The tension between us is palpable, a visceral reminder of what we once had and what we can no longer have.

In my heart, I know I shouldn’t have kissed him back, but the truth is, he’s my mate. I couldn’t have resisted him if I tried.

Chapter Sixteen

Austin

“May you rest in comfort, Callie,” I whisper, walking into her small bedroom for the final time. The room is tidy. The steady stream of visitors that have come to pay their respects have all taken care not to disturb the peacefulness of Callie’s home.

I look around the room, letting the weight of grief settle into me. Callie was a gift to our pack. She will be missed for a long, long time.

Just as I go to start my duties and prepare her body to be moved, I notice a letter on the end table. It’s crumpled and half sticking out of the envelope.

I pick it up carefully and turn it over. My eyes widen when I see who it’s addressed to.

Yelena.

Is this what caused her to run away so fearfully yesterday? I flip the paper back and forth in my hands.

On one hand, Yelena and Callie both deserve privacy. Reading a private letter would be, at best rude, and at worst, a deeply inappropriate invasion of privacy.