Page 100 of Rejected By the Winter Wolf

Astra fiddles with the cuffs of the sweatshirt. “Of course she would.”

“She could’ve seen all of this coming.” I pick up a lock of her hair and twist it around my fingers. “She could’ve seen exactly what would happen. And maybe she even pushed the pieces so it would unfold like this. Maybe she knew that you were fated to mate with me, and she didn’t do anything to stop it.”

“Why?” She lifts her head and stares at me.

“Because sometimes, little nightmare, we have to go through hell to find our peace.”

She swallows. “The only way we’re going to find out for sure is if we ask her.”

It’s a challenge—but I’m not going to shy away from it. Not after what we just went through. My wolf agrees.

Eventually, though, we’ll have to face the other problems looming over us: the mate bond, the fate of the witches and female shifters, the demons.

The life of my sister, and the future of my pack, all hangs in the balance.

Chapter 27

Astra

One room.

One bed.

I narrow my eyes at Kian, but he just shakes his head. I glance over my shoulder and contemplate storming back up to the front desk, demanding another room. Or a room with two beds, at least.

He seems unbothered. Of course he does—he asked for this while I wandered the lobby of the quirky hotel, holding on to the last remnants of the glamour by my fingernails.

After our lunch in the car, parked facing the trees, we drove for another few hours. It’s getting dark out, which just reminds me that I have even less choice than I’d like. Venturing outside in the dark doesn’t seem like a good idea in an unfamiliar location, at any rate.

“Close the door,” he says.

I let it slam shut, then flip the deadbolt for good measure. He drops our bags on the bed, and I’m startled to find my bag, packed to the brim. It’s fuller than when my mother shoved it into my hands… how long ago? Two and a half months ago?

Curiosity tickles at me, but we have bigger things to worry about. Namely, our sleeping quarters.

“What’s the plan?” I cross my arms. “Trick me into your bed?”

“Do you see any tricks here, Astra?” He rolls his eyes. “I’m not letting you out of my sight, and they didn’t have any rooms with two beds. Deal with it.”

I grumble, but he ignores me.

He unzips his bag and rifles through it. I’m curious about what a wolf shifter takes on a road trip to hunt down a witch. I inch closer until I’m peering over his shoulder.

There’s a few t-shirts, another pair of sweatpants—darker gray, but still that alluring color, damn him—a black zippered pouch, underwear…

He glances back at me, and I jump.

“Do you like what you see?” He smirks.

“Nope. It’s rather boring, actually.”

“Yours was, too. We have that in common.”

He searched my bag–and hid it from me–because he didn’t trust me. Totally different.

“We’re opposites,” I argue.

“Opposites attract.” He straightens to his full height. “Or did you decide to ignore what’s happening between us?”