Chapter 33: Vulnerable

-Anastasia-

I liked to hear that he wanted to warm me. I liked to hear how he wanted to chase away the cold, because that was exactly what he was doing every time he touched me. But if I allowed him to, I would lose focus. As the anger disappeared, I would no longer be able to do what I needed to do. I wouldn’t be strong enough to kill the people who had taken everything from me. His hands warmed me, but they also made me forget. They made me forget what was important and what I had waited for 14 years to happen. My revenge couldn’t be forgotten. I couldn’t allow it to.

“Maybe I want to stay cold,” I whispered.

“Like you want to stay angry?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Aren’t you tired?”

I looked at him, surprised.

“What?”

“Tired of being angry and cold? Isn’t it lonely?”

“I can handle it.”

He smiled a little.

“I don’t deny your strength, little mate. I see it in you. I see how strong you are, but we can’t fight every battle alone. We need people with us. We need them to stay stron