Page 58 of Never Submit

But damn, right now a bologna sandwich sounds pretty good.

One foot in front of the other, I wobble down the hall on unsteady legs, using the wall to keep myself propped up. Things have finally caught up to me, physically at least, and I wonder when I’ll be able to mentally process everything that’s happened.

Not for a long time.

It’s better, for now, to keep it all tucked away.

Whole new territory, I assure myself, grabbing the knob of the nearest door and pushing it open. Bedroom. The hallway opens up at the end of the living room and I head toward the opposite wall, practically careening into a coffee table when my knee gives out.

Shifting is not for the faint of heart, it seems.

Or maybe it was the run down the mountain that ruined me.

Too much adrenaline in my system for too long a period of time.

I finally locate the kitchen after a few more doors. A penthouse this large is always full of surprises.

This one includes a grand expanse of white marble and stainless steel. It’s all the modern conveniences in one space and shows absolutely no personality. Which seems to be Torin’s personality.

Does Noble cook? Or do they have people here to do it for them?

Where is the rest of the pack?

It’s hard to picture either of them in this kitchen unlessthey’re sitting and waiting for a squadron of personal chefs to whip up confectionery delights.

Yeah, that makes more sense.

Although the mental image of me and Noble laughing over a bowl of ramen noodles has merit. Too low-brow for Torin. Mathis, now, he’d enjoy the noodles. And Dax would probably turn his nose up at it unless I plop down a huge bloody steak on top.

Then he’d have at it and spill things everywhere.

I see their individual reactions in my head and it makes me smile. Even as I pull open the refrigerator door and stare at fully stocked shelves.

Oh, hell yes. My stomach growls again, this time in pure childlike excitement, and I start stacking things into my arms.

Sandwiches. I’ve got two piled on the plate, along with apple slices and an entire bowl of chips before I realize I’ve got more food than I need. Except one of the sandwiches slides down so easily that I’m forced to check myself.

This whole wolf thing is a different ballgame, like my muscles have used up double what I’ve given them and I’m making up for it now. Excessive, maybe, but I’m still starving and so far what I’ve eaten isn’t cutting it.

I’m halfway through the second sandwich, still feeling empty, when the sound of voices from the other room becomes painfully evident.

My ears perk up at the familiar tones, two of them in person and the other two on speaker phone. Everything is much clearer now than it used to be. Wolfy senses.

Like Spidey senses, but better.

“Did you suspect it?” Torin snaps out.

Mathis chuckles darkly. “You expect me to give up mysecrets? Even if I did have my suspicions about Ren, there’s no way in the blue balls of fucking hell I’d tell you.”

“So much for your truce,” Torin replies.

“I was the first to know.” Dax’s voice comes out as a growl, hardly human. “She was half changed when I found her. Now, I’m going to fuck her as a wolf. Me, her, both of us. It doesn’t matter.”

“You’ll keep your goddamn paws off of her, you fucking son of a bitch,” Noble interrupts. “I don’t want to hear you say a word about my mate.”

I shiver at the dark promise in Noble’s voice. In Dax’s too, for that matter.

And he nearly had, I realize with no small measure of surprise. Fucked me as a wolf. I hadn’t been in control of the change then.

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