NICOLE’S POV
The bar was not the type of place I usually went to. It was small, dimly lit, and tucked away at the edge of town where no one knew me, where no one cared who I was or what I was running from. That was exactly what I needed tonight. The guards are with my kids so I have nothing to worry about.
The bartender barely looked at me as I slid onto a stool. I ordered something strong, something that would help quiet the noise in my mind and still my wolf. Maybe not the healthiest way to cope, but I wasn’t thinking about long-term consequences. I just wanted to survive the night.
I took a sip, letting the burn slide down my throat and focusing on the dull warmth spreading through me. The music was low, the hum of conversations around me blending into the background. I felt a littl
