Page 44 of Nightmare Island

The weather outside my window is disgustingly perfect—blue skies, gentle breeze, not a storm cloud in sight. It’s almost offensive how calm everything is now that I’m not running for my life or having emotional meltdowns. My storm-brewinggiftseems to be taking a vacation.

“My mother never…” I start, then catch myself.

But Awa’s already reading between the lines, the way she always does. She enters the room casually, smiling, hands in the pockets of her jeans.

“Never what?”

“She never just checked on me. Never just… talked normally to me.” I shrug, aiming for casual but probably missing by a mile. Maybe she knew what was coming—the arranged marriage, everything. Maybe keeping her distance was her way of being kind.

Tightness forms in my throat, and I hate that after her coldness, all I can think about is her tears and pleading with my father not to sell me off on the day I was delivered to Jarl. It was the only time I felt like she truly loved me.

Awa’s face softens, watching me. I blink my eyes, frustrated that I should shed a tear for her after everything.

“Or maybe she didn’t know how to love properly. Not everyone does.”

“Yeah, well, fuck that.” I wince at my own language, but Awa just chuckles. “Sorry. I just… distance doesn’t make anything hurt less. Trust me, I’m an expert on emotional distance by now.”

“Come on,” Awa says, throwing an arm around my shoulders and pulling me against her side. “There’s a gathering outside. Food, fire, fresh air, and company—all the things you need.”

We head outside the room. I adore Awa for being so kind to me, so down to earth. She’s in her early to mid-thirties, yet we get along so easily.

“You never told me,” I say on our stroll down the hallway. There are a few guards around, something I noticed since the incident with my leg, which would be Ghost not trusting I won’t disappear again.

“What’s that?” she asks.

“How did you end up in this place?”

Her lips pinch tight. “I killed my new Alpha in self-defense. That was, of course, after he rejected me as his mate and intended to feed me to his pack.”

“The fucker!” I growl, pressing closer to her. “I hope you made it really hurt. Like, made him suffer.”

She laughs. “I love how evil you sound. I used a screwdriver in all the places it hurt.”

We both chuckle, which makes us sadists, considering our topic of discussion, but I never said I was pure and perfect.

The front yard of the enormous mansion is alive with activity when we step outside. A massive bonfire dominates the center, flames licking at the darkening sky. The smell of woodsmoke mingles with cooking meat, making me salivate.

Around us, the scene is pure chaos… but organized chaos, like a wild family reunion. Two men wrestle in the corner, all snarls and muscles, while others cheer them on. Several wolves in their shifted forms lounge in the grass, their fur catching the golden light of sunset. A group of men practice throwing knives at a tree trunk, the blades thunking into the bark with deadly precision. Others are drinking, eating, chatting.

Then there are a few totally naked men walking around like it’s the most natural thing in the world. I roll my eyes but still stare because I’m a hot-blooded woman.

The Omegas cluster together in small groups near the flames, though I notice a few chatting with Alphas. The whole yard thrums with energy, laughter, and the occasional playful growl. I remember Eve telling me how deadly they are, and I’m not saying they aren’t dangerous as fuck, but they all get along, too.

Then I spot him.Ghost.

He’s standing by the fire, deep in conversation with two men I haven’t met yet. Even from here, the sight of him makes my insides burn up, butterflies bursting to life in my stomach, and my nipples harden.

Calm down, girl. He hasn’t even looked at you yet.

His feet are bare, and he’s wearing jeans that hang indecently low on his hips and a white V-neck shirt that’s definitely struggling with the task of containing his biceps. His dark hair is longer on top, wild in the breeze, and that mask… that damn mask that should be terrifying but somehow just turns me on.

He twists his head, catching my gaze, and smirks.

My pulse speeds up, heat burns me up, and fire pools between my thighs so fast that I blush. I feel giddy and crazy hot. What in the world is wrong with me?

All three men start walking our way, and I’m struck again by how Ghost moves—all predatory grace, all shoulders, and raw power. He towers over his companions, who are hardly small men themselves.

Awa nudges into me. “Hey, I’m going to go say hi to some friends. You’ve got company coming.” She gives me the most sinful grin in the world, wiggling her eyebrows, and I playfully push her away.

---