A few minutes later, we all parted ways. Carlo headed off to a nearby inn with Laura, who, despite her timid nature, had insisted on tagging along to Leonardo’s pack. Oddly, I felt no resentment toward her. Her gentle, almost shy demeanor mirrored how I used to be. Once, I’d been afraid of so much—until I lost Leonardo and my mother. That loss burned fear out of me, leaving only a simmering anger that seemed to come and go in waves. Ever since I’d finally confronted Leonardo, though, that blazing anger was harder to find.
My mind fought against the mate-bond with all it had, but my body… it seemed to have its own rules. My heart would quicken whenever Leonardo was near, my fingers trembling if he stood too close. His scent, his presence — it stirred something in me I wanted to ignore. For
