Page 34 of Cursed Wolf

“I’m lucky to still have Gran.” The old crone was probably going to outlive me, but Emmaline didn’t need the specifics of that. “And I have my friends, my pa—uh, my community. So I never went through it alone.”

“I’m glad you had that.” Her voice became wistful. “It sounds nice, to never have to go through something alone.”

“Eh, the guys can be overbearing sometimes. But yeah, it does help when you need someone to just be there.”

Emmaline went quiet, and my wolf howled mournfully inside my skull. My chest ached with the thought of how alone she must feel. She moved to that small town in the middle of nowhere for a dream career that discarded her. She didn’t talk much about her family or close friends. And while she seemed on good terms with her coworkers at the restaurant, they seemed more like acquaintances than true friends.

Fucking moon, I was dying to leap out of bed and drag her back home with me. She didn’t know it yet, but she never needed to be alone again.

“Are you off tomorrow?” I asked, hoping and praying for a certain answer.

“Yes, thank God.” She sighed while I pumped my fist through the air. “My one full day off this week. I’m going to sleep in until noon.”

“I fully support that. Sounds like you need the rest.”

She remained quiet, as if waiting for me to ask what was on my mind.

“After you’re well-rested,” I said, my heartbeat picking up speed, “any chance I could see you tomorrow?”

“I would love that.” I could hear the smile in her voice, but then she hesitated. “But aren’t you in Canada?”

“Canada?” I repeated with a laugh.

“I assumed you were back home since you mentioned seeing your grandmother. Unless I misunderstood and she lives close by?”

“Oh, right! Right.” I rubbed my brow and once again felt the pang of regret for lying to her. “No, she’s actually pretty close by. I’m still in your neck of the woods.”

“Oh, good.”

The relief in her voice made me grin with contentment. “What time should I pick you up?”

“How about six? That should give me enough time to properly veg out or run any errands I need to do.”

“Sounds perfect,” I murmured into the phone. Then before I could think too much about it, “I can’t wait to see you.”

“Can’t wait to see you too...” She sounded sleepy, like she was already drifting off.

“Get a good ten hours for me. I’ll be there before you know it.”

“Mm-hmm. Goodnight, Tryn…”

She was already halfway gone, if not more. And I found it so sweet and endearing that I found it physically painful to not be holding her against my chest as she drifted off.

“Goodnight, Emmaline.”

I stayed on the phone until she was breathing deeply in my ear. When I ended the call and the silence of my bedroom poured into my awareness like a can of black paint, I knew.

Human or latent werewolf, it didn’t matter.

I was a goner for this woman.

Chapter 11

Emmaline

Tryn appeared on my doorstep at five minutes to six, looking like sex on a stick in his usual leather vest, white T-shirt, faded jeans, and biker boots. He also carried a small bundle of wildflowers held together by a length of twine.

“Please don’t tell me you’re allergic,” he said at my open-mouthed shock. “If you are, I’m really sorry. I just thought?—”

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