Page 57 of Wolf Tamer

Five minutes seems like it would be a miracle at this point.

I haven’t been sleeping well, and I know Tasha hasn’t either, tossing and turning beneath the weight of her nightmares. She won’t tell me what they are, but I can guess.

We all have darkness inside us. Darkness we try to heal but have no time to do so anymore.

I’m aware of the wolves in my pack when they are in close proximity to me, and at that moment, I realize the only wolves in the house are my brothers and Bullet. Julius and Liam are both in their own rooms. Darcy must be out on an errand run, because she’s usually stuck right up his—

I delve deeper into those sensations and realize with a start that Tasha is also upstairs in her room.

Ourroom, I mentally correct.

It’s strange, but this is the first time I’ve been aware of her in any large capacity. It’s as though my senses have sharpened where she’s concerned, and her energy is as bright and vibrant as any of the others in my pack.

Well, shit.

The hollow silence of the house seems almost a mockery of my too full head. It won’t last; it can’t. But maybe staying inside for tonight, finding a little bit of quiet, would be better than beating my head against the wall of my problems.

Certainly better than interacting with anyone.

The tension in my bedroom is apparent the moment I open the door, and I swallow thickly. Sure enough, there’s Tasha standing near the window and staring out at the mountains beyond with her hands clasped on the old spellbook. The afternoon light glints her features almost as though the sun decides she looks better cast in gold. And between us is a heavy, choking sensation.

I’m not sure exactly what has changed, but sometime during the morning, our dynamic has drastically shifted.

“I’ve missed you,” I say, because being kind might be the only shield I have right now between myself and whatever is going on with her.

Not that I want to come at her from that place, but I have a feeling I won’t have a choice.

“What is this?” She holds the book up high, her hands shaking and my senses sharpening the longer I look at her.

I slowly push my nerves aside to focus on her.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I tell her slowly. “I found that with my dad’s things, as I already told you. You know what it is.”

“Oh, you found it, did you? That’s fucking convenient.”

“I’m not sure what you want me to say. Yes, I found it in my dad’s stuff once he passed, and we cleaned out this room.”

“Bullshit!”

She launches the book right at my head, her aim razor sharp and deadly. I don’t duck in time, and the corner knocks into my temple. Pain blossoms from the area and sends spasms out across the rest of my face.

Okay, Tasha isnotplaying around.

It isn’t just hot anger pouring off her now. It’s something deeper, something vicious and homed in on and directed right at me. Tasha wants answers I’m not able to provide her fast enough.

“Tash, slow down and talk to me. What’s going on?” Hands up, I approach her slowly, taking in her wild eyes and her hair practically standing on end with her rage.

“Why is my sister’s name in that book, Reid?”

She refuses to look at it now, her hands clenched into fists.

“What?” Ice slices through my veins. An ice so cold that I wonder if I will ever be able to move again. “Tash, what are you talking about?”

“Don’t. Fucking. Call. Me. That!” It’s exactly the wrong thing to say because she goes from simple fury to absolute black rage on a dime. “You’ve been lying to me this entire time! You’ve been using me.”

She reaches out to point at the fallen book and sparks begin to crackle around her. Almost as though she welcomes the anger and feeds it into the magic she isn’t able to easily access.

I want to say it’s better than numbness. Better than the pain.

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