Page 72 of The SnowFang Storm

“No. I’m fine. Do you want this? I can’t finish it.” I pushed my half-eaten slice to him. A strange shaking had taken hold of my veins, leaving me feeling like I was shaking on the inside, under my skin, where the world couldn’t see.

Someone brushed past me, and I twitched.

It was too noisy, too many smells, too small, too crowded. “Do you want to get going?”

Mint said, gently, “Winter, we’re going to skip the fitting.”

I bit down a snarky growl. “I’m fine, Mint, really.”

He studied me a moment. “No. You look like you’re about to jump out of your skin, turn yourself inside out, and then faint. You’re shaken up. Don’t worry about the fitting. I’ll take care of it and everything will be fine. I promise.”

[Sterling] >> I’m on my way home. I’m across a bridge, but I’m on my way.

Winter [Sterling] >> Is your meeting done?

[Sterling] >> Fuck the meeting. Let it burn. Let it all burn.

Stubborn Harrier

I yanked off my earrings off and tossed them into their box, then took a long shower. I rubbed my thigh raw. Someone needed to be working FryerVats’ face across cell bars like an empty metal cup.

Except FryerVats and his crew had disappeared into the crowds, and I doubted the cops were going to pursue them. Which suited me just fine. I did not want to get mixed up with the human legal system.

Sterling came into the flat like a storm.

“I’m not hurt,” I told him.

He held my face in his hands. “I can smell it on you. I can feel it.”

“I’m not hurt,” I said again.

“That is hurt.” He pulled at my sweater’s neck to expose the deep blue from the seat belt.

“Technically, the seatbelt did that.” I wasn’t about to give FryerVats more credit than he deserved.

“We are leaving the city,” he said.

I already had some whiplash, didn’t need more. “We are?”

“You don’t want to move your den?” He practically crackled with jolts of lightening.

Of course I wanted to move the den. This concrete maggot-riddled blister on Gaia’s blessed ass wasn’t worth fighting over. “If we’re right about Apharia and FrostFur, and you suddenly acquire more property and you go to ground to do it, we’ll have a Hunt on us. You’ve already got it in your mind to piss on Demetrius’ territory while he’s watching.”

“I know the logical reasons we need to stay. And every instinct I have is telling me to take you away from here, tonight. I should have moved the den weeks ago. I should have realized there is a reason that the packs like SteelPelt left, accepted it, and moved. I should have let myself see how bad for you the city is.”

“I am not an invalid that needs her big bad wolf to keep her swaddled in silk. I’m just an idiot feral who has no idea what she’s doing. And don’t you dare call me my father’s pawn again.”

He caressed my cheek. “Winter, I know that—”

“I am not arguing with you about that.”

“Please don’t go into denial. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Well, if it was true, I was ashamed. Dad had taught me to question everything, watch everything, sniff out every small detail, take nothing at face value. And of course, what had I done? Taken him at face value. Taken all of it at face value, even when he’d taught me that no one was above scrutiny. “I am not broken.”

“And I don’t want you to break. It’s my duty to protect you, and every instinct is telling me I have to take you from this place.”

“And logic should tell you that’s not an option. I’m the harrier, you’re the fang, and we’re the only decent hunters this pack has. Actually, I’m assuming you know how to hunt at that.”

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