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“Because black roses are a rare scent. So rare that I only know of one werewolf who smells like it.”
My fingers curl inward as I clutch the bottom of his shirt. “Who is he?”
His heartrate accelerates. “My cousin.”
CHAPTER19
My mind is soaring a million realm jumps a minute.
His cousin is the one who hurt me.
His cousin is here in the kingdom.
My attacker is here.
Jules presses a savoring kiss to the top of my head then steps away from me. Worry screams in his eyes as he grasps the doorknob. “Stay here, okay? Only open the door for Legend and Rune.” He yanks open the door, but then pauses, keeping his back to me. “I’m so sorry. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make this up to you.” Before I can respond, he rushes out of the room and closes the door behind him.
A jump of a heartbeat after he leaves, his words click. Wait. He said he was sorry? That he’d make this up to me? Does Jules think what happened to me is his fault because his cousin was the one who hurt me?
I pad over to the window and draw back the curtain. The sky is a glossy shimmer of silver and violet stars, and the land is shadowed, except for the lampposts lighting up the street. A few werewolves are out and about, strolling the street, but I’m searching for one werewolf in particular.
A star flicker of a second later, Jules emerges from the house right below the window, his strides long and determined. Shade is right behind him.
I flip the latch, glide the window open, and then stick my head out. “Jules!” I call out.
He skids to a stop and whirls around, his gaze darting up to me. “Is everything okay?”
I nod. “I just wanted—no, needed—to say that this isn’t your fault.”
He’s a bundle of tension. “I know.”
I don’t believe him.
“Do you? Because, what you said when you walked out of here sounded an awful lot like you blaming yourself again.”
“Lake,” he starts, “can we talk about this later? I really need to take care of this.”
“Fine. But just know that the conversation will go exactly how it is now.” I place my hands on the windowsill and lean farther out, holding his gaze. “What happened to me isn’t your fault.”
He nods, but doubt lingers. “Okay.”
I release a sigh. “Just be careful, okay?”
His lips strain to smile. “Always.”
As I duck back inside, I realize Jules and I have exchanged those parting words before. A long time ago. I can’t place a memory to the words, but I wonder if perhaps my mind is attempting to remember.
A confliction of fear and excitement stirs inside my chest. Excitement to remember the lovelier stuff about my past, yet afraid to be pulled into the darker memories.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
My body lurches as I spin around. Jules said not to open the door for anyone but Rune and Legend.
I tiptoe toward it, wishing for a weapon. Not that I could use it properly or anything, but at least I could try.
“Lake.” Legend’s voice floats through the door. “Open up. It’s me and Rune.”
A relieved exhale rushes from my lungs as I throw open the door.
