Page 46 of Mated to the Wolves

His brow furrows and a growl reverberates in his chest. His eyes flash yellow.

“No.” His gravelly tone is more wolf than man. Blinking, he regains control. “Doesn’t mean you can’t cultivate some happiness.”

“Here?” I roll my eyes. “In the town I hate?” I gesture toward the large windows to the left that overlook a spectacular view of the forest. “Did you all think this luxury prison would be a suitable consolation prize I’d exchange so easily for my freedom?”

“It’s only a jail if you allow it to be one.” Cadoc’s voice rumbles in his chest.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I push, ready to see his cool façade slip.

“You can change it. Turn it into a home.”

“Are you serious right now?” I enunciate each word. We’re trapped together, with an impossible task on our shoulders, not playing house.

“Make it a place you enjoy? This could be your haven,” he continues on a positive note.

“I never wanted this to be my home.” I cross my arms. “Being forced to return has only made my animosity for this place worse.”

“The best revenge is success. Thrive. Remind them that they haven’t broken you,” he encourages.

“I’m tired. I stopped trying to prove myself worthy years ago.”

“Hey.” He cups my chin. “You have always been worthy, Ylva. This is about finding joy in the storm we’ve found ourselves in the center of. Tell me what you need to feel like this is home.”

I laugh. “You’re asking an impossible question.”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I remember how much you loved growing up here.”

“I was a kid. I had a loving family and free run of the forest.”

“You can have that again. We’re your family now.”

“Families can be dysfunctional, you know?” I stare at him.

“This situation is going to be what we make of it.”

“Hah. We can’t even get along Cadoc.”

“Change takes time. We have plenty of that to get this right.”

“Blind optimism isn’t your style.” I purse my lips as I show my skepticism.

“No, but patience and playing the long game are.” His optimism has me ready to claw his eyes out.

“I’ve been around a long time. I’ve seen the most unlikely people rally together for a cause.”

“It’s our life, not a class project.” I shake my head.

He leans closer, and my breath catches.

“I won’t see you miserable or have your talent squandered.”

“And how do you plan to fix that, Cad?” I sigh.

“We’ll find a way moving forward. Because the path ahead is long and arduous, and you need sunshine to combat the darkness we’re fighting against.” His words are ominous.

“You make it sound so easy.”

“The only thing we can count on is each other. We’re in this together until death, the bond will see to that. We didn’t get to choose our clan, but we can shape it and decide our future together. Forget everything else for a minute and tell me what you need.”

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