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512 pages, Hardcover
First published July 31, 2018
"I don't want to lose this. This tether鈥� it鈥檚 the only part of you that's ever been mine.鈥�
The roses bloomed.
The Raven took flight.
The wolves howled.
Their humans cried along with them.
And I did the only thing I could.
I tilted my head back and sang a song of war.
鈥淒id you just fart?鈥� Kelly screeched, sounding horrified.
鈥淵eah,鈥� Carter said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. 鈥淕as station microwave burritos are not so good on my intestines, apparently.鈥�
鈥淕et off! Get off!鈥�
I groaned, my face in my hands.
鈥淵es,鈥� the old man said as he chuckled, 鈥測ou have definitely found yourself a pack.鈥�
I dropped my hands and looked at him.
鈥淥h my god,鈥� I mumbled, wondering how my life had become this way. I was forty years old, and I belonged to a pack of meddlesome bitches.
But the funny thing about hate is the razor-thin line that separates it from something else entirely.
I hated him for it. For making me feel this way after all he鈥檇 done to me and I鈥檇 done to him. I wanted him gone. I never wanted to see him again. I wanted him to hurt like I鈥檇 hurt. To burn. To bleed. I wanted to keep my hands on him, to feel the animal underneath. I wanted to lean forward and bite him, leaving my mark against his skin, tattooed so that he would never be without me on him, so that everyone would know I鈥檇 been there, and I鈥檇 been there first. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to fuck him. I wanted him to tear me apart.
鈥淚 need to find someone to kiss,鈥� I demanded. Rico and Tanner and Chris stared at me with wide eyes.
鈥淣ot it,鈥� Tanner said.
鈥淣ot it,鈥� Carter said.
鈥淣ot鈥攇oddammit.鈥� Rico sighed. 鈥淚 never say it fast enough. Fine. You know what? I don鈥檛 even care. Pucker up, lover boy.鈥�
I stared at Rico in horror as he started walking toward me, arms outstretched. 鈥淣ot you.鈥�
鈥淲ow. Racist much? Puto.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 not racist鈥攜ou鈥檙e my鈥攇od, I hate this so fucking much!鈥�
鈥淭hough it does make more sense that Gordo would be the pirate instead of me.鈥�
鈥淲hy would that be?鈥� Jessie asked.
鈥淏ecause I鈥檓 straight,鈥� Rico explained. 鈥淎nd Gordo likes to plunder the booty.鈥�
鈥淚 hate you so fucking much,鈥� I told him.
The timber wolf eyed him warily, standing above Carter. Once it was sure that Joe wasn鈥檛 a threat, it turned back around and put its snout against Carter鈥檚 chest again, rumbling low in its throat. Carter tried to shove its face away, but it snapped at his fingers, growling a warning. 鈥淲hat the hell is its problem?鈥� Carter asked, sounding annoyed.
鈥淚 think it likes you,鈥� Elizabeth said mildly.
鈥淥h, gee, Mother, thank you for your input! I don鈥檛 know where I鈥檇 be without you!鈥�
鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 be born without her,鈥� Joe said, helpful as ever.
I pointed my finger at him. 鈥淚 want it working by the time I come in tomorrow. If it鈥檚 not, I will take your glasses and shove them up your ass.鈥� I turned for the door. 3
鈥淵ou know, with all the things you鈥檝e threatened to shove in me, it鈥檚 a wonder Mark doesn鈥檛 get more jealous.鈥� I turned slowly back to look at him.
"Life is...it's about the choices we make. Not the choices made for us. You have the right to set your own path. To be who you want yourself to be. No one should decide that for you."
"I hate you."
"I know. Even though your heartbeat says otherwise. I think you believe it. And I'm sorry for that."
"I don't like it when people touch my things."
"I'm sure Dale would agree with that," Ox said, because even though he was an Alpha, he was still a bitch.
Mark started choking.
I hated everyone.
But the funny thing about hate is the razor-thin line that separates it from something else entirely.