Page 74 of Season of the Wolf

So wrong.

She was a beautiful person, inside and out.

There was a look of surprise in her eyes when I took her hand before she could walk away. That look turned into confusion when I stood and embraced her. I knew she had places to be, people to tend to, but I needed this first.

I needed to hug my mother.

Something changed for me this evening. Getting to see my adoptive mom, looking into her eyes and realizing her memory was all the witches stole, and not her love for me, it gave me peace. No, she may not have remembered who I was, but she definitelyfeltwho I was.

“Thank you,” I breathed, squeezing Elise tight around her neck, feeling her arms envelope my waist. “You’ve done so much and I appreciate it.Allof it,” I clarified.

“Anything for you,” was her reply and I never doubted that for even a second.

I’d been so distant with her in the past, but that was behind us now. I wanted her to know I understood the sacrifices she made for me, understood the hard choices and decisions she made on my behalf. It was all for my own good.

“I love you,” I added to everything else I admitted tonight.

There was a long period of silence while Elise must have had to let that sink in, had to convince herself I’d fully come around, but I did. I felt so much peace finally letting the last of my guard down with her, there was no doubt in my mind I was doing the right thing.

“I never stopped,” she replied, and there was no missing the emotion in her voice, choking her up a bit.

I released her and saw the tears I fully expected, but I also saw a smile and it did my heart good.

She left to meet Hilda. It was incredibly late, and despite being dog-tired, I knew I wouldn’t get to bed anytime soon. The air was too charged tonight. There were people out there trying to piece their lives back together, people the night’s events had broken. There was no way I could just pretend things were as peaceful outside this house as they wereinside.

Peaceful … maybe that was the wrong word.

At the thought, I glanced up, focusing on my bedroom door. I imagined the one across from it where Liam likely sat brooding about the choices I made. I stood and turned out the light, but didn’t bother getting into bed. Instead, I moved toward the balcony, stepping out for fresh air.

It was cool, but I didn’t need to cover my legs or arms. The tank and shorts I put on after my shower were fine. Hugging myself as I surveyed our property, I breathed deep, doing all I could to release the tension pent up inside, but it was no use.

It killed me knowing how pissed Liam was. If he’d given me a chance to explain, I might not be spending the night alone in my bed, a bed I hadn’t slept in in so long I couldn’t remember the last time.

The cool metal of the wrought-iron railing touched my forearms when I leaned against it, trying not to feel sorry for myself. Not when there were so many out there much worse off than I was.

The door to my room creaked and I turned, half expecting it to have been Elise to say one last thing before the supply run, or even one of my brothers coming in to say goodnight. But what I didnotexpect … was Liam.

My nerves got the best of me at the sight of him, causing my stomach to sink. I stood straight, my back to the rail now as I watched him cross the room, moving through the darkness like a man on a mission. It wasn’t until he made it to me that I realized that’sexactlywhat he was.

Stepping out onto my balcony, moonlight outlined the breadth of his shoulders. Strong hands cinched my waist the next second, and then the shock of warm lips against mine that had cooled in the night air. It was natural for my fingers to gravitate toward his hair, still damp from a shower. They tangled in the strands as I gripped them, keeping him close, letting the emotions, thetension,he held in spill over now. I felt it all.

The hurt.

The relief.

The need.

The struggle within him.

All at once, he wanted to give in and come to me, but also wished he’d been strong enough to stay away. I knew as much from the feel of greedy hands roaming all over me just before he’d pull back, attempting to bridle the beast.

When it came to us, there was no possibility of holding back. With the energy that vibrated between us always, no amount of anger or frustration could keep us apart. I knew this to be a fact even after he sent me away. While I didn’t expect this visit to be so soon, it was a welcomed surprise.

My mouth trailed his jaw to his neck, feeling his veins pulse where my tongue met skin. I only backed off him long enough for my shirt to be snatched from my torso, my shorts to be tossed carelessly to the floor. While my back cooled in the air, my bare chest was warm against his. Leaving me only long enough to kick a pair of sweats aside, Liam returned, taking our wordless reunion where it’d been headed all along.

He was usually so gentle, so patient. But as my thighs were brought to his waist in one rough motion, I knew I’d accuse him of being neither of those things tonight. Rough, animalistic … those words were more accurate as I stared into a set of feral eyes that only wanted one thing.

He’d always trusted me enough to share his heart, to admit his inability to live without me, and I hurt him anyway, put him through unthinkable hell, although my intentions were honorable.

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