It’s magical, the way the rain patters down on my heated flesh, cooling me and providing me with even the tiniest amount of comfort. Blossom looks like she is sobbing, crying out something I can’t quite comprehend. My body jostles as I blink, unable to feel anything, my body numb as I focus on her. She tries to move toward me, but someone pulls her back, dragging her away. A glint of something metallic catches light from somewhere and my wolf perks up. My ears ring as my body jostles again and I’m forced onto my back, staring up at the grey dark sky that unleashes its wrath. I realize the light is lightning violently cracking like a whip across the clouds. The ground rumbles beneath me and I look for Blossom once more. Elliot stalks toward her, knife in hand. The sound of rushing water and grumbling thunder come rushing back into my ears and I gasp out as pain explodes through my body. No longer numb to what they have been doing to my back.I force my wolf to stop healing, to focus

Gemini burrows into my neck, but not before I see the way my words seem to crush her. She has no idea how much I have craved her lips in the mere seconds they have been apart from mine. She has no clue that the only pain I have ever felt was too much to bear will be the pain of keeping her at arm’s length. I want her; I need her. No, I crave her. Damn it. I fucking love her and I can’t let her go. Which means I have to push her away, all the while keeping her close, if that’s even possible. “Gem?” I whisper softly, my eyes scanning the area around me as I walk to catch up with Jude. “Please…” Her voice breaks. “I don’t want to talk.” The plea in her voice clenches my chest, taking hold of me. Why does she have to feel the same about me? I can hear it in her voice, feel it in the way she is so comfortable in my arms. I wish I could forget the way she took the lead and kissed me first. Hell, I wish I could walk away from her and know it was for the best, but I can’t say that. Ge

*Rocky*Everyone sits around the small fire, the smoke filtering through the rundown corner of the small barn where the roof has a large hole. The rain has at least stopped, but a cold has settled in with the dark. Gemini sleeps easily in my arms, her shivering gone and her breathing feels normal now.No longer a fast panting like she is running a hundred miles for her dear life. Jude keeps eyeing me and Blossom is curled into her sister’s side, Ames poking the fire and sliding glances at Violet. It’s a strange group of people, and I’m not sure I trust them entirely, but I trust Jude, so that is enough for me to let my guard down, even just a little bit. My gaze flickers down to Gemini’s sleeping face.She looks near angelic, like a porcelain doll, and I want so badly to stroke her cheek, but I don’t. She would never notice, and it would be for me to stow away in my secret stash of sweet memories of her, but there are eyes on me. Jude stands, sauntering over to me with a frown on hi

I expect him to drop me in the water to clean my wounds, considering the way he mentioned dipping me in a few times. I don’t think I would have been too crazy to assume that.What I didn’t expect him to do, however, is to gently walk me into the small pool where the water churns from the falls. I let go of him, waiting for him to lower me into the water but his grip remains firm. “Are you going to dip me in?” I ask him and he seems to snap out of a daze. His right arm lowers my legs, my hands clinging to his shoulder as nausea hits me harder than the icy water. I gasp, sucking in my breath, my side throbbing. “You need to scrub the mud off,” He tells me and I nod, but don’t make a move. The nausea clings to me, ebbing and flowing with the ripples of the water, and I whimper, trying to keep from blowing chunks. “Are you okay?” he asks. A big brave person would shoot off a snarky remark, ensuring they are totally fine, even when they aren’t. But I’m not a big or a brave person. Hell,

*Gemini*I can’t bring myself to look at Rocky any longer as I take a step away from him, a frown tugging at my lips. I can feel his eyes, the way he wants to say something, but I know he won’t say what I want to hear. There is no point in waiting around for him to make a promise he doesn’t owe me.What good does it do to cling to a man who repeatedly tells me and everyone around me that I am nothing but a tool to him? He may want friendship, but he is like everyone else. I am of use to him and when I cease to be, he will disappear from my life.“How far away are we from this meeting?” Violet asks behind me as I trudge forward, alone. Not that it matters that no one else is following along. I’m not incredibly speedy at the moment, so they will catch me in a few steps. “A day and a half, at least. Two days at most.” Ames answers and I can nearly feel the icy demeanor I know she is sporting talking to him. “Great. So for that entire time, direct all conversation to anyone but me.” She