Page 70 of The Beast of Ashwood Manor

Going to the bookshelf, I picked out the book Gil and I had looked at several times, the book on mythological creatures. It was interesting to look at all the drawings of different creatures in it. There were banshees and water nymphs and fae, all of them resembling humans in some way.

Then there was the wolfman, and looking down at it, I saw the word there. The picture was of a dark, furry creature standing up like a man, its back hunched slightly over and its eyes red with a humanish nose and sharp claws. I looked at the arms and claws, realizing how similar they looked to Gil’s before when he’d attacked the birds.

Could this be what he turns into?

I tried to read what I could about the beast.

“The wolfman inhabits dense woods but comes out at night to find flesh to eat. In the woods, he will linger in his dwelling and once in his lifetime may find a mate. This is rare, as wolfmen are hungry not only for meat of any kind, but they also hunger for blood and death. They may find a mate who submits wholly to them, and if chosen, they will become the wolfman’s claim.”

I couldn’t make sense of all the words, but from what I could read and from the picture of a naked woman hanging loosely in the arms of a wolfman, someone who gave into the wolfman would become its mate, but only if they deemed them worthy of it.

Shivering, I closed the book and looked back at the window, suddenly missing Gil.

Iwasinafoul mood after coming out of Ashwood, having no luck in finding that fucking Shade. If this curse couldn’t be broken, I feared that beast would take over my mind completely, and then those creatures would take over the manor and . . .

I knew if Spring Tide came and we were all still here that I’d succumb to it and become part of the woods completely, and they’d all perish.

Each turn left me hazy. I hardly remembered the things I did, but I knew they’d been full of blood and death. I’d angered so many beings in that forest, and many of them feared me. The one who attacked Royce was especially unnerving, as she seemed to know how to lure me out, only to leave me deep within the confines of the forest, making it harder for me to find my way out.

I couldn’t let her return to the manor.

Coming up the stairs inside, I went to Annie’s door and knocked.

Her eyes widened when she stepped outside.

“How is he?” I asked her.

“He’s stable, but I’m not sure how much longer he can hold on.”

I nodded and peeked in at Royce. He was sleeping, his face pale, so I let him be for now. When Annie grabbed my arm, I clutched her shoulders out of instinct, but then I relaxed.

“When will you tell Cale?” she whispered. “It’s obvious how he feels about you, and yet nothing?” Tears grew in her eyes.

“It’s not so simple . . .” I started. “You know he must see that side of me first.”

“Then show him! He is not Jared! And you know it.”

Pulling away, I glared at her, and she scowled at me before going back into her room. Turning, I marched to my tower rather than go to Cale’s room. I didn’t want him to see me angry.

But he must have heard me, because I heard his door open, and his voice called out to me.

I ignored it.

“Gil!”

Halfway up the stairwell, Cale caught up to me. He grabbed my cloak, and I spun around, grabbing him and pushing him up against the wall.

“What do you want?” I started, my voice low.

“I’m trying to apologize”—his brow pinched—“for badgering you about showing me.”

I couldn’t keep the growl from my tone, and he seemed to realize how disagreeable I was.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“Nothing that you will understand.”

“But I can try.”

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