JESSICA'S POV
The taxi felt like a prison. Every red light lasted forever. Every turn was too sharp. I stared out the window, gripping my bag so tight my knuckles turned white. The rumors kept buzzing in my head like an electric shock, over and over. Suspended. Because of me. And underneath that worry was something darker and deeper. Those men who attacked us... they were still out there somewhere. Waiting. Hunting. And my wolf... it was a sleeping monster I was terrified to wake up. I'd hurt Julian. What if I lost control and hurt everyone else?
I paid the driver and practically ran inside, slamming the front door like I could lock the whole world out. The quiet inside the house felt heavy and wrong. I went straight upstairs to my room, dropped my bag, and collapsed onto the bed. I just
