Chapter 13

BRATT.

God, to be a fly on the wall of Marley’s mind. I didn’t know how long I stood there, watching her wheels turn, but it was long enough to sus out that she had an aversion to shifters.

I knew better than to think it was prejudice or even a phobia. I’d seen lycanphobic people around shifter children. Those assholes always seemed uncomfortable and awkward around them. I’d noticed it when Noah was around. Men and women gave him wary looks like he was a rabid animal about to lash out. Marley wasn’t like that. I recognized something in Marley. Someone wounded.

It pained me to think of what could have happened in the past to make her that way. I wanted to heal those old wounds, heal them in myself.

But for now, Marley wanted to dance, and I could do that.

I offered her my hand and a smile, and she took both. Our fingers twined together as I pulled her past the dining area to the dance floor. The music was loud and had a bass line so deep we could feel it in our chests.

As we reac