Page 118 of Wolf's Vow

“C’mon,” he said gruffly. “He’ll know where you are. You could use some rest before…well, you know.”

I shared a look with him. “How far we’ve come,” I murmured as I fell into step beside him. “You’re offering me almost brotherly advice before I go and get laid.”

His bark of laughter echoed in the trees, causing many to look over at us, but I saw the smiles, not disapproval. Smiles that looked relieved that it was okay to laugh after all that had happened.

Killian looked amused at my familial reference. “I’m an only child, like you,” he told me as we walked. “I’d have been a good big brother.”

I nodded, playing along. “Bossy, domineering, loyal…” I shrugged. “I wouldn’t have complained.” We shared a look and both of us laughed. “Goddess, I would have fought with you so hard.”

“So much,” he agreed.

Killian’s house was near ours, and we both lingered as I got to the path, my attention on the house and what lay beyond the door. He clasped my shoulder, drawing my attention back to him.

“He won’t resent you if you don’t take it,” he said quietly. “He’ll understand. What he won’t understand is if you take it when you’re not ready.”

“I’m ready,” I told him. “I really am.”

Killian nodded. “Then have fun.” He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I was still laughing when I shut the door behind me.

I took a shower. I wanted to be completely clean and, I don’t know, desirable? Once I dried my hair, I pulled out the black lacenightdress I had worn on my first night here. I’d known exactly what I was doing that night, showing my new husband what he couldn’t have.

Now, here I was, wondering if I would be enough.

I held the vial in my hand like it might break—or maybe I would.

The contents shimmered faintly, and I really didn’t want to know what was in it. It smelled like herbs and something older, something I couldn’t name. Was this what magic smelled like? Or power? Or was it simply the wild chaos of instinct that lived in my bones?

“Well,” I said softly. “Whatever you are, here goes.” I drank it down in one gulp. The liquid was warm, thicker than I expected. It tasted like spice and summer air and something sharp that clawed at my throat as I swallowed. I coughed once, blinking back tears as the heat hit my belly. It had the same consistency as an oyster, and I fought the urge to gag.

I waited.

Nothing happened.

I lay on the bed. My impatience made me get up and go to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Then I debated whether I should drink anything in case I diluted the potion.

I went back to bed.

Nothing.

I got up and went to the couch, wrapped in a blanket in case Brand or someone else came in, and I didn’t want them to see me in this revealing nightdress.

The door opened, and Wolfe walked in, pausing when he saw me, before slowly closing the door. He stood across from me, watching like he wanted to reach for me but didn’t dare. His fists were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight, like he was trying to hold himself back.

“I took it,” I said softly, giving him one last out. “But we can wait. We can try to?—”

“You’re not doing this for the pack,” he said, voice rough. “You’re doing this for us.”

“I am,” I whispered. “But it is for the pack too. I want to be strong enough to stand at your side, Wolfe. Really stand there. Not halfway, not hesitating. I want them to know we stand together.”

His eyes burned silver in the dappled light. “You already do.”

I smiled, but it trembled. I stood up—unsure of what to do or say for a heartbeat. “Nothing’s happened so far,” I said with an embarrassed shrug. “It’s very anticlimactic?—”

The heat hit like lightning—no warning, no mercy.

One second I was breathing, the next I was burning. I choked on whatever I had been about to say because my body felt like it lit up.

Not a spark of heat. Not even a flare.