Page 36 of Howling Night

The way he said it sent a chill through my body. A part of me didn’t really want to know the details, but the other, smaller part was curious.

“This has happened before? That a human saw a wolf… um, change?” I asked, my brows raised.

“Shift. And no, not this exact scenario, but other issues,” Ryder said, looking away. “Kellan is always pushing his limits. He won’t ever be happy. Even if he had everything he wanted, he’d still be miserable. That’s just how he is. There is always something more he wants. He will never be satisfied.”

I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to,” Ryder said, dragging his hand down his face as if wiping away his stressful expression. “You’re not supposed to know.”

I studied his face. “Why do you trust me? Why don’t you think I’ll tell the world about all of you and what’s really going on?”

Ryder’s eyes met mine, clear and certain. “It’s a feeling. And it’s never wrong. Kellan lacks that ability, which is just another part of the problem.”

“I won’t say anything. You know that, right?” I said, swallowing hard as I looked up into his eyes. My lips curled slightly at the ends. “Besides, no one would believe it, and Annie would have me put into an institution.”

“Who’s Annie?” Ryder asked, his brow wrinkled.

I waved my hand. “A friend from the city.”

“It’s not just a feeling,” Ryder said, drawing in a breath that pushed out his chest. “I trust you.”

The concept was foreign to me, especially from someone he barely knew. I’d spent my whole life learning the hard way that trust had to be earned, and even then, it could be broken in an instant. Everyone had an ulterior motive in my experience. They took what they wanted, and then they left. That’s how it had always been.

“I don’t understand that,” I admitted quietly. “I never trust anyone.”

“You can trust me,” Ryder said, taking a slow step forward.

I looked down at my feet. “I’d like to but?—”

“Not all guys… people are like the ones you’ve met before. Some people are good… loyal,” Ryder said, taking another step closer.

“I’ve never met anyone like that, and I’m not sure I ever will,” I said, swallowing hard as he hooked his finger under my chin and raised it until I was forced to look into his eyes.

“You have. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

I stared up into Ryder’s eyes, caught in his steady gaze. Something inside me wanted to believe him, to trust that he was different from everyone else I’d known. But years of disappointment and betrayal had forced me to build walls, and I wasn’t sure anyone could break through.

“You make it sound so easy,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Just trust you… like flipping a switch on or off.”

His hand remained under my chin, warm against my skin. “Not easy. Nothing worth having is ever easy, is it?”

I drew in a shaky breath. “This is just all so crazy. A week ago, I couldn’t get away from city life fast enough. Now I’m out here, and there are actual wolves threateningly sitting on my doorstep.”

“And yet you’re still here,” Ryder said softly. “Most people would have packed their bags and run off by now.”

I laughed. “I would have, but my SUV was dead.”

“There are buses, planes, rental cars…” Ryder said, his hand moving from my chin to my cheek.

I leaned in, finding his touch more comforting than I’d expected. There were feelings raging through me like a thunderstorm… feelings I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in a long time.

His touch was so warm.

The glow in his eyes was calming.

I felt safe… protected… charged.

My heart hammered against my ribs, a rhythm that both terrified and exhilarated me. When he leaned in, I held my breath, waiting for my instinct to retreat to kick in — but it never came.

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