Page 11 of Wolves in Lust

No. Lust was wrong and had landed her into the arms of her enemy. Maybe it would be better to forget this night ever happened.

But could she ever forget the way he made her feel? Probably not. The way she had felt at his betrayal, though, would be enough of a cold shower for any lustful thought she might be weak enough to contemplate.

Accursed Shadowed Stars. A long time ago, a Shadowed Star and a Red Nightwalker had fallen in love with the same woman. They fought over her, naturally, several times over a few years. Their families got involved, joining the fight. One particular battle, a duel in fact, resulted in the death of not only the two would-be suitors of the woman but the woman as well. Ever since, bad blood had been spilled throughout the years. The trio had originally been buried together in one grave high up on the mountain, but the Shadowed Stars had dug it up and claimed their kin’s bones and that of the woman’s. Of course, the Red Nightwalkers had to retaliate by stealing her bones back, and bloodshed had resulted then as well.

Love. Lust. Neither is any good.

Having left the border of the city, Misti hesitated. She hadn’t showered after they… their time together, and she had to smell of a strange wolf. Which would lead to questions. Accusations. Denials. Tempers were flared right now, and she could hardly be certain her father wouldn’t react poorly to learn about her disobedience just for sleeping with a wolf who wasn’t her husband. And if he should learn or even just guess that her sexual partner was a member of the Shadowed Stars, she’d be dead before the sun made her next appearance.

No. She couldn’t return home. Her indiscretion had cost her her home and her position in the pack.

Head low, she turned and hurried away in the opposite direction.

Time to start a new chapter.

But she could not look forward to it.

8

The she-wolf was moving fast, but Anders followed her with relative ease. Even while jogging, she was beautiful, and the view of her backside was definitely one he could appreciate.

Not that he should. She wouldn’t care for him to be ogling her, and his family would kill him for having touched her as he had.

He’d recognized her the moment she walked into the bar. From spying on her earlier that day, he knew she frequented there, and he had been so pleased when she returned to it. His father had made his terms very clear. Kill Misti Wolventon. He hadn’t been sent to fuck her, just destroy her.

And he had intended to do just that. Until he saw her. Yes, it was stupid, and he had been thinking with the wrong head, but when he saw how beautiful she was, he opted to seduce her.

First, he had still planned on killing her. He had no choice. He’d been banished by his pack almost ten years ago, and the only way his family would allow him back in as the next heir was for him to do this one simple duty.

But they didn’t have a long leash. He only had twenty-four hours to strike her down before they would send someone else.

Once he realized her destination—her father’s manor—he gritted his teeth. He couldn’t afford to be so close to their territory.

But then she darted off, away from her pack. A strange feeling blossomed within his chest, and he dashed forward. “Misti,” he called, his voice low.

She stilled, stiffening, and he readied himself to shift if she showed any signs of aggression.

Slowly, she turned to face him, her eyes amber but the rest of her human. For now, at least.

“Misti, you have to listen to me.” Desperation crept into his tone, and he didn’t care if he sounded hopeless. “You’re in danger—”

“Danger?”

Her bitter laugh cut into him deeply. Not that he should care, and why was he warning her? He should be striking her down right now. After all, they were alone, and he was stronger, bigger. It would be no contest, really.

But he couldn’t bring himself to.

“From who? You? Your pack? There’s been danger facing me every day for my entire life.” Her gaze shifted toward the direction of her father’s manor. “Sorry if I don’t buy what a Shadowed Star has to sell.” She turned and started on her way again.

He rushed to join her side. “Where are you going?”

“Why? So you can go and run off and tell your pack?”

“No.” He kept his silence.

She broke it only a moment later. “I’m going on a self-imposed exile.”

Her words felt like a blow to his stomach. She was turning her back on her people because of him, because of what they’d shared. As amazing as it had felt, she couldn’t possibly think it worth giving up all of that.

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