Chapter 196

• The fog twirls and moves in the wind, and for a second, I catch a glimpse of a lone dark figure directly in front, separated by the twenty feet or so of wood, and he’s staring right at me. Full-on wolf form, black, devastating in size, claws extended in readiness and glistening in the moonlight. He’s a sight to behold on any given day, but like this, he shreds my emotions into frenzied pain that aches heavily in my chest. His eyes are still empty darkness, and his growling snarl is unmistakable to my ears. I would know Colton anywhere, no matter the distance.
• He’s warning me that I’m his prey, and if this wall weren’t holding him back, nothing I could say would stop him from tearing me limb from limb. We connect for one second, a tiny fragment between my mate and me, yet I feel only his desire to kill me. Its intensity is shocking and overwhelming to my soul. I shudder, turning away with tears blinding my eyes, to shut him out and jump when I bump into Carmen right behind me. She moved nearer as though to ensure I didn’t stray closer to the border. Lingering to protect.
• “It’s not really him…. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. This isn’t who he is, and you know it. When the spell’s broken, Luna, he’ll smother you with love and protect you and his children with the ferocity of what you see standing out there now. Try not to let this get to you… at least you know his heart is willing when everything else is pulled away.” Her sadness bites through, and she rubs my shoulder lightly. Rare physical contact before turning on her heel and walking towards the house. While I blink after her in astonishment, she gestures for me to follow and seems sure I am coming now. The hints of that caring person I see in her sometimes shining through and reminding me how unfair life can be.