Page 24 of Pucking Feral: Part Two

"A wolf?" Olivia's eyes widen.

"Yep," Whiskey says, nodding solemnly. "Came outta nowhere. Crazy fucker too. Rabies, probably. Total psycho."

Valek's lip curls back slightly, his silver eyes boring holes into Whiskey.

"Well," I interject before this goes sideways, "we really should be going. We need to arrange for another rental car and⁠—"

"At least come to dinner with the family tomorrow," Olivia insists. "After my surgery."

"Uh, are you sure, ma'am?" Whiskey's eyebrows shoot up. "I mean, if you're getting surgery⁠—"

She laughs. "After surgery's the best time to have a feast! I'll be starving after all that fasting and clearing out. We're going to Fork and Barrel. Best steaks in town."

I blink. "We don't⁠—"

"Ever say no to fucking steak," Whiskey says, cutting me off, and I could strangle him. "Right, babe?" He elbows me in my bruised ribs, and I bite back a curse. "Be great to get to know Val better. Team bonding and all that shit."

His grin is pure evil.

"Tomorrow at seven then?" Olivia asks happily.

Valek grimaces. "Mother⁠—"

"Don't be rude, Val. They came all this way." She pats his arm. "You'll text them the address, won't you?"

The silence stretches on and on, forever.

"I don't have their numbers," Valek says through his teeth.

Olivia looks at us expectantly, beaming.

Fuck my entire life.

Chapter 4

Wraith

Something is wrong.

The thought surfaces through layers of static like I'm drowning and fighting toward air.

Everything feels muffled.

Distant.

Where am I?

The air smells like rain and earth and…

Honeysuckle.

Ivy.

My eyes snap open to dim green light.

The sound of breathing.

Two warm bodies pressed against me in a space too small for one person, let alone three.