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My companion for life. The one thing that promised to stay with me when everyone else left.

I rested my head against hers and closed my eyes, inhaling the nutty scent of her fur.

Nala whined again and began to pant. The foulness of her breath hit me, and I recoiled.

“Ugh, girl. You need a mint.”

Her tail thumped harder on the tabletop as if she understood what I said and found it hilarious.

“Come on.” Orion stepped forward and ran his hand down Nala’s back. “I’ll help you get her home.”

7

Orion followed close behind me with Nala in his arms, as I made my way along the rocky path leading up to the front door of my cabin. His leather boots made a soft scuffing sound along the dirt, but he hadn’t spoken since we left his place.

With a quick flick of the wrist, I unlocked the door and swung it wide to make room for Orion and Nala. Fading light shone through the window to illuminate the interior.

Home.

When Orion stepped inside, the place grew smaller. He’d been over countless of times before, hanging out and sharing food until the sun started to lighten the sky. That all stopped when we’d slept together.

I followed them inside and closed the door behind me.

Part of me wanted to ask Orion to stay, to use his strong arms and wicked tongue to help me unwind and forget how close I’d come to losing my familiar. To forget if she’d been anything other than a bonded animal, she would’ve died today.

Instead, I remained silent and watched as Orion gently set Nala down on the couch. He straightened and looked over at me expectantly.

“Thank you for all your help,” I said.

He nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “Of course. I’d do anything to help Nala.”

He would do anything to help me, too. And the thought warmed my heart.

Then I remembered how I’d left things between us and that I was a giant asshole. My legs itched to run. I locked my knees instead and pulled my shoulders back. No more running. I was better than this. Stronger.

“Look, Rye—” I started.

“Emi,” Orion said.

We paused and exchanged a look.

Orion waved his hand in my direction. “Ladies first.”

“I…” I pulled my bow free and hung it on the hook by the door.

He pressed lips together. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

I didn’t bother denying it.

“I am not an idiot, Emi. I realize our night together meant more to me than it did to you.”

“It’s not that.” Well, it was. It totally was. I liked him, but I could never love him. How could I let anything develop between us when I held on to so many secrets? I’d accepted long ago that I’d live a long and lonely life.

Even if I could trust Orion with the truth, or somehow stomach a big fat lie existing between us, I couldn’t hold love in my heart.

I’d tried that once. It ended with heartbreak and a hard life lesson.

I’d never find love again, and I didn’t want to. Love deserved complete honesty and trust, and that wasn’t something I could give. Nor something I could afford emotionally.

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