Page 57 of Wolf's Fate

“I hate that word.Safe. I never knew I could hate a word so much.”

I had nothing to say to that, so I let it drop. “How long were you gone?”

“How long wereyougone?” she snapped at me.

“Is there a reason you’re being so unreasonable?” I asked her calmly, watching her eyes widen in surprise.

And here it comes.

“Are you serious? I mean, are you freakingseriousright now?” Her eyes were full of anger, and I heard the barely controlled fury in her voice.

“I thought leaving would be best, but then I realized you needed me, and I had no choice but to come back.”

Willow scoffed, her arms crossing over her chest. “Youalwayshave a choice, Caleb.”

And my first choice had been to leave her, that’s what she wasn’t saying. She didn’t need to.

Silence hung thick between us, the air charged with unspoken tension. I stepped forward, the urgency to find who was in her room pushed to the side as I focused on her. Willow turned her head as I bent to look at her.

“Look at me,” I encouraged her. I didn’t touch her. We both knew what happened the last time I touched her.

Willow half turned her head back in my direction.

“You think I don’t know you’re pissed at me? For going? For coming back?” I asked her. “You think it is an easy choice for me to walk away from you?”

Her lip trembled, but she remained steadfast. “Then stop making really stupid decisions.” Finally, she made eye contact, her voice low. “Stop running away from me. We’reconnected. Whoever is out for me, is out for you.”

Those pale green eyes saw past every defense I had. For a moment, I was spellbound, caught in her stare. I wasn’t used to this feeling of…vulnerability.

“I won’t do it again.” I didn’t mean to say that, but the words were heavy with promise. One I wasn’t sure I could keep. Reaching out, I brushed the stray lock of hair from her face. My fingers lingered on her cheek for a second longer than necessary, the connection between us tightening.

Willow swallowed hard, her gaze searching mine as sheprocessed my words. She didn’t pull away, and for now, that was enough. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“I expect you will.”

Her smile was quick, and the faint flush of her cheeks made her look even more delicate. She was so fragile-looking, but I’d seen how strong she could be.

Maybe even stronger than me.

As I took a seat beside her, settling my body into the curve of the chair, ready for a long stay, I forced the wolf in me down. It wanted to hunt, find the shifter who had come into her room, and rip their throat out.

But I had told her I wasn’t going to leave again, and I was starting that promise tonight.

Let them come for her; I was waiting.

EIGHTEEN

Willow

I knew I slept,because it was daylight when I next opened my eyes. I knew Calebhadn’tslept, because I felt exhausted just by looking at him. For someone with my illness, I knew what exhaustion looked like.

“You didn’t sleep.”

His attention had been on the door, but I saw the small curve of his lips as I’d spoken. “You slept, and that’s all that matters.” He turned to look at me, and I tried not to grin like an idiot.

He had no idea how good it was to see him. Aside from all the other stuff between us, seeing him well andheremade me happy.

Reallyhappy.