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"Ambitious and fiercely original. Sondi Warner is the exciting new voice we've all been wai...
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September 10 | Morning
I had lain awake through the night, watching the fog roll in and blanket the forest beyond the window. When the pale dawn tried to illuminate what the mist hid, a hush cloaked the cabin, punctuated by the old air conditioner's hum and my companions' quiet snores. While Mys and Zyr slept, I left the bed to settle on the sofa. From there, I watched Tegan slip downstairs and tiptoe into the kitchen.
She couldn't see me, but I studied her. She rose on the balls of her feet and peered into a cabinet, fumbling out the whiskey bottle and lifting it to her lips with trembling hands. Before the room temperature liquor sloshed into her mouth, however, she thrust the bottle away.
"One month," I heard her whisper. "You made it a whole month. Don't ruin it."
I quirked a brow. At the same time, Zyr stirred, and I realized the werewolf had probably heard her all along—superior senses and what not. He made a point of turning his back as his partner hurriedly returned the bottle to the cabinet and scurried to the loft again.
The fog was lifting outside when he finally sat up with a dramatic yawn. It wasn't lost on me that he had conveniently given Tegan enough time to resettle upstairs, but my attention was no longer on her. It was on him. Tired circles ringed his eyes. The tight line of his mouth was unhappy. I unfolded from the couch and ambled toward him.
"You look like shit," I said.
He issued a good-natured laugh. "Is that any way to greet your dear lover, Ms. Edison?"
"Let's say you've made an honest woman of me, Mr. Ravani." I smiled.
"Well, Dear Lover and Honest Woman," Mys groused from a cocoon of bedding, "keep it down. I'm trying to sleep."
The two of us early birds shared a grin. I framed Zyr's face with my hands and stared into amber eyes where the yellow glow of fire was a constant now. It was a wonder Tegan Stoney hadn't noticed it. My gaze slid to Zyr's twitching fingers, which he balled into fists and tucked beneath his crossed arms.
"How are you holding up?" I whispered. He shrugged.
"Head's not in the right place."
"What can I do to help?" I asked.
"The busier I am, the better. We should stash supplies throughout the woods in case you three are forced to make a run for it. I'll get Tegan to park her car near the main highway where she can get you guys out fast if necessary."
"I think your partner has her end of things covered. I asked what you need," I said gently.
His scruffy face mustered a smile. "I need you to try to be nicer to her. You can trust Tegan. I'm worried about leaving you and Mys alone once I'm—"
I placed a finger over his lips. There had to be a way to reverse the process of going feral. I didn't want to think otherwise. "Don't worry about us. I'll...do my best with Tegan. Anything else?" I asked.
