I forgot how big the world was outside of Vast, sometimes.
Vaguely, I wondered what it would’ve been like to be born a werewolf instead. To grow up being taught that you were on the top of the world, not the bottom. That you were strong and powerful, not a danger to everyone you came in contact with.
I took in another breath of fresh air. Somehow, I had to keep my emotions under control long enough to convince Maverick that I was normal and everything was fine.
I guess growing up afraid of yourself was good for something after all.
Maverick parked in a large, dirt lot on the side of the estate. There were dozens of cars there, with no real rhyme or reason to where they had parked or why they had picked that spot. Half of them looked way too nice to be parked in the dirt. The other half looked way too shitty to be parked next to a building as massive as the estate.
Maverick pulled me out of the car and into his arms, lowering his nose to my hair and breathing my scent in.
My chest squeezed.
“So does everyone live in the main building?” I asked, my gaze sweeping the massive length of it.
“Nah. Most of the wolves who stay year-round have cabins around the back. You’ll see them from our room.”
“Do we need to go out and greet anyone?”
“Nope. We’re here purely for pleasure.”
“Sounds scandalous.”
“It is.” Maverick flashed me a grin.
He looked so free-spirited. So calm. Sohappy.
Harper had been right about my badass plan from the beginning. I wasn’t cut out for any of it. Not the werewolf-dodging, using, or seducing. Definitely not the murder-solving. Not even the information gathering. I wasn’t a badass, period.
I was just a desperate bitch trying to stay afloat in a motherfucking ocean. And I didn’t have a lifejacket.
Maverick took my hand, lacing our fingers together as he towed me toward the massive doors leading into the estate. There was a gray wolf sitting on the snow outside, sunbathing. They wagged their tail when they saw Mav. He greeted them with a quick pat on the head, but didn’t stay to chat.
When we stepped inside the building, he gave me the speed version of a tour on the way to his room—which he calledours.
It was on the far side of the building.
I tried not to fall in love with the place. I really did.
But it turned out I had a growing soft spot for all things nature and laid-back and... well, related to werewolves.
Real shocker, huh?
When we reached his room, Maverick closed the door and tugged me in for a slow kiss.
I pulled away after a few minutes. He only let me lean back a few inches from his face. “I shouldn’t be kissing you.”
“Why not?” He bumped his nose with mine.
The man was far too sweet, and far too adorable.When he wasn’t being a complete asshole, at least.
“You abducted me,” I said.
“Out of protectiveness.”
“Out ofpossessiveness,” I corrected.
“Maybe you’re right. So?”
