The Wolves Howls Of Sin

ODESSA:I'm pacing in my bedroom when I hear the shouting start downstairs. Damon has been back barely six hours and the pack has already been turned upside down.At first I try to ignore it because I don't have the energy to deal with pack politics right now, I'm still reeling from the day's events, but then I hear Damon's voice rise louder over the others and my hands ball into fists.How dare he come out of nowhere, after being gone for years and immediately start acting like he owns the place.I move closer to the door and crack it open slightly so I can hear what they're saying better. Their voices are coming from outside, probably on the front lawn where the elders usually hold important discussions. I can make out Elder Thomas's voice and Elder Margaret's, and they're both arguing with Damon about something but I can't quite hear what they're saying over each other."This is not how we do things," Elder Thomas says loudly, his voice strained, he sounds exhausted and I don't b

ODESSA:I'm running through the forest, and I can hear Kade laughing somewhere ahead of me, his voice echoes through the trees. The sun is warm on my skin, and everything feels perfect and light and happy in a way that I haven't felt in so long."You can't catch me!" he calls out, and I can hear the teasing in his voice."That's what you think!" I shout back, pushing myself to run faster.I break through the tree line and suddenly we're at the lake, the one where Kade first told me he loved me. He's already in the water, swimming lazily on his back with a huge grin on his face. His dark hair is wet and plastered to his forehead, and he looks so young and carefree that my heart aches."Come on, the water's perfect," he says, splashing at me playfully.I don't hesitate, running straight into the lake until I'm deep enough to swim over to him. He catches me around the waist and pulls me close, both of us laughing as we swim together. "I love you," he says softly, brushing wet hair back

I sit up straighter, my heart racing as I watch his face. His eyelids flutter and then slowly open, revealing those green eyes that are so much like Kade's but different at the same time.He blinks a few times, looking confused, and then his gaze lands on me."Odessa?" His voice is rough from not being used.I freeze. Nobody except Sarah has called me by my real name since I joined this pack. It was always Luna this, and Luna that… "You're awake," I say stupidly."How long has it been?" He asks. "Three days."He tries to sit up but winces in pain and falls back against the pillows. "What are you doing here?"That's a good question. What am I doing here?"I don't know," I admit. "I just... I couldn't leave."Something shifts in his expression as he stares at me. "The mate bond.""Yes. The stupid mate bond that won't go away like you said it would.""I know."We look at each other for a long moment and the tension in the room feels thick enough to cut with a knife. I should leave now