Page 38 of Howling Night

“Night,” I said, offering him a gentle smile.

I turned toward my bedroom, feeling his eyes on me as I walked away. I closed the door with a soft click, my hand still on the door.

It was stupid, but I wanted him to crawl into bed with me. Just one night of letting go and not having to worry about feelings or getting hurt. Surrendering to each other.

I crawled into bed, forcing myself to think of anything other than wolves and the extremely attractive man in my living room. Despite my exhaustion, sleep came fitfully, and my dream was a tangled web of howling, kisses, and warm hands on my skin.

I jerked awake a few hours later, disoriented for a few seconds, before realizing I wasn’t in my bed in the city. It would have been one hell of a crazy dream, but at this point, nothing seemed impossible. In fact, I wouldn’t even be surprised if someone told me vampires were real, too.

The digital clock on my nightstand read 3:17 AM. After trying unsuccessfully to fall back asleep, I threw back the covers and silently walked out into the kitchen for water.

Ryder was sitting on the couch, the blanket folded neatly where I’d left it. He still had his shoes on, but the top two buttons of his shirt had been unbuttoned, revealing his rock-hard chest.

“Everything okay?” he asked, voice quiet in the stillness of the night. He didn’t turn.

“Sorry, I was trying to be quiet,” I said, frowning. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“You were quiet. I just have really good hearing.”

I glanced toward the window and then back toward him. “Are they still out there?”

“No.”

“Then why aren’t you sleeping?” I asked, raising a brow.

He shrugged and set down his phone. “A lot on my mind.”

“I’m sorry. I guess I made things more complicated for you,” I said, sitting on the edge of the couch cushion.

“No,” he said, his hands resting loosely on his wide-spread legs. “It’s Kellan that’s the problem. Not you. What’s keeping you up?”

I leaned my chin on my closed fists. “Everything.”

“He won’t hurt you. Not while I’m around,” Ryder said, his eyes glowing fiercely.

“It’s not just that. I don’t belong here. And Steven called to ask me to help out at the bar again next weekend?—”

“No fucking way! You will not be going there again.”

My eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“That place isn’t good…”

“You were there!”

“I can take care of myself,” he growled. “Not to mention, I wasn’t alone.”

I pushed my shoulders back. “I can take care of myself, too. I’ve done it since I was seventeen.”

Ryder’s eyes pulsed. “It’s not the same thing. You’re human. If they wanted to?—”

“I’m not going to let you or anyone else, for that matter, tell me what I can and can’t do,” I said, sucking a sharp breath.

“This is to keep you safe,” Ryder said, throwing his hands in the air. “We have to be smart.”

“We?”

He let out a slow breath as he stared at his hands. “Promise me that you will at least wait until I know Kellan will leave you alone. Until I know you’ll be safe. I couldn’t handle it if something?—”

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