Meryn Three hours ago, I was so scared that I drank an entire bottle of whiskey alone. Two hours ago, my sister made a joke to Alpha Reinar that they should use me for hide and seek. That it would be funny to search for me and that whoever found me should be allowed to maul me. An hour ago, Reinar decided to arrange the hide-and-seek game. And now? Now I’m sitting on wet moss, my back is pressed up to a thick tree, and I’m feeling drunker than ever. Everything is spinning. My hands clutch the black dress I’m wearing, and I only want to sink through the ground. My heart is pounding fearfully, each little beat like a knife to my heart. Will there ever come a day when I can leave this hellish pack and live without fear? There are vampires out there, other packs, and scary rogues. They can all tell by my scent that I’m not a normal human, and that might make it tempting for them to mess with me, but if I’m lucky, maybe they would leave me alone if I asked? Suddenly I hear rustling lea

Meryn I can’t bring myself to answer Weston. My emotions are vivid, and I know how I feel, but the words won’t come to me. Weston seems to realize this, too, and huffs. “I never thought you were a coward.” His words irritate me, but not enough to make me shut up even if I should, “Well...now you know better.” Why am I biting the hand that feeds me? Stupid, stupid, stupid! To my relief, Weston doesn’t bite back. Neither does he do something stupid, like demanding I leave his mansion because we had a disagreement. He is more mature than that and scratches his neck. “You can sleep in my bed,” he says, looking down at his feet with a frown on his face. “I will take the floor, I guess...” “Aren’t there any guest bedrooms?” I ask. It would feel terrible to steal his bed when I’m just grateful that he took me home with him in the first place. “Yes, but—” I’m not entirely sure, but it looks like he is blushing. His expression, however, is so grumpy that it’s easy to miss the faint red

Meryn When I wake up, I’m not sure what to expect: aliens, talking animals, being thrown seven years into the future...or crocodiles ruling the world. But, to my utter relief, everything is exactly as I left it...except Weston is naked and slipping into his clothes, but I have no idea how any boxers would hide his obscenely huge morning wood glory. Don’t stare, Meryn. You know better than that. Don’t look at that beautiful cock— “It’s rude to stare.” My cheeks burn when Weston frowns at me, and I quickly avert my eyes. “I wasn’t staring.” “Gawking then?” Weston sounds irritated, and I’m about to give him a taste of his own medicine, but then I remember what that older Weston told me in my dream: the younger him is keeping his distance because he thinks that’s what I want. If you read between the lines, that probably means he is insecure as well. So maybe I should try to let him in? “I had a strange dream,” I sit in bed, folding the bedsheet over my legs. “I was supposed to p

MerynTasting Weston’s lips is dangerous. But being kissed by him and hearing him groan in a way that makes it obvious that he wants me is lethal. I don’t want to have sex with him. I want to wait to see who my mate is, but his tongue inside my mouth is irresistible.He slides it over mine, pulls me closer, and allows me to place my hands on his wet, soapy chest that is ridiculously ripped. And I touch him because who wouldn’t? I’m not pretty or popular—I might never get a chance to touch a guy looking like Weston again, so I brush the digits of my thumbs over his nipples, and Weston yelps into my mouth.Sullen eyes meet mine. “What did you do that for?” he asks in a grumpy voice. “I thought we were having a moment.”I feel my cheeks burn in embarrassment, too aware of where my hands are resting. “I...uhh...sorry...I just really like your pecs and thought...you know...”Weston frowns. “Had you been any other girl, I would have thrown you out,” he averts his eyes, and if I’m not mistak