Page 62 of Ravenous

Wes spun around to face me. “You’re mymate,” he growled.

I pointed out the back door and let the tears fall. “She’s yourdaughter.” I swallowed hard and tried to breathe them back, but it wasn’t working. “We’ve known each other less than a week. This–” I waved my hand back and forth between us, “–isn’t enough. I won’t let Remy suffer between warring parents like I did. And I certainly won’t let her be taken from you. I won’t be the reason you’re ripped apart.”

“No.” His growl was ferocious. If I didn’t already trust him to my bones, I might have been scared.

I shook my head. “No. It’s over. You told me last night you’d let me go if I asked. I’m asking you now.”

“Joy,” he pleaded.

“Just grab the things of mine I have over here and throw them into my yard. That way, when they come, they won’t smell me.”

“Your house has holes in it!” His hands clenched into fists.

I shrugged. “I’ll go to my mom’s.”

That was the last place I wanted to go, but there was no choice here. This wasn’t about me. Remy deserved her dad. Needed him.

I went to him, kissed his cheek, then fled, sobs choking my throat.

I wouldn’t risk her for anything. Not even love.

28

WES

Joy left.She ran out the front door. Crying.

My wolf raged. I wanted to beat the walls of my house down. To rampage. To fight for her.

But I had my daughter to think of, too.

Joy or Remy.

Soraya was giving me that choice.

Except Joy had decided for me.

My wolf was freaking the fuck out with her being gone.

Ached. Howled. Prowled.

My vision was shifting between wolf and human, like I was about to spontaneously shift and fight off the threat to my pup and mate.

“Daddy, I got gurt on my shirt!” Remy called, running inside with a dirty spoon and fingers covered in white yogurt.

I sucked in a sharp, harsh breath to regain control. I needed to get my wolf on leash, so I could think.

“Okay, let’s get you washed up.” My voice sounded hollow to my ears. I got a wet cloth and wiped her down, my moves wooden.

All the light that Joy had brought to my life had drained. Everything was black and white and red. I was…joyless.

Fucking literally.

“Where’s Joy?” Remy seemed to read my thoughts.

I cleared my throat, but it didn’t remove the sensation of a tight band squeezing the life out of me. “She had to go.”

“But she was going to braid my hair,” Remy whined.

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