Ruthless love

5

in a way she hadn’t felt in years. She didn’t trust him, but there was something about him—his steady presence, his quiet confidence—that felt different from every other werewolf she had known.

He tilted his head slightly, studying her like he was assessing whether she was worth answering. “Because,” he said slowly, “if you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here.”

Blue opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. She hated that he was right. She hated that he saw through her so quickly, peeling back layers she had worked years to build.

“I’m here because you brought me here,” she snapped. “Let’s not pretend I had a choice.”

A flicker of something crossed his face, too quick for her to identify. Pity? Amusement? She couldn’t tell. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his broad chest, the movement deliberate and unhurried.

“Believe what you want,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “But I didn’t drag you here for fun, and I sure as hell didn’t do it for my own good.”

Blue narrowed her eyes. “Then why did you?”

For a moment, he didn’t answer. He just stared at her, the intensity in his eyes making her shift uncomfortably. Then, in a tone so low it was almost a growl, he said, “Because you’re in danger, and whether you like it or not, I’m the only one who can keep you alive.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and undeniable. Blue’s first instinct was to reject them, to tell him he didn’t know her, didn’t know what she was capable of. But deep down, a small, treacherous part of her whispered that maybe he was right.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time,” she said, her voice quieter now but no less resolute. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

His lips twitched, the closest thing to a smile she’d seen from him so far. “Good,” he said. “Because I’m not offering to babysit. I’m offering to make sure you survive.”

Blue’s pulse quickened, but she refused to let him see how much his words affected her. “And what do you get out of this, huh?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “What’s in it for you?”

He hesitated, his expression unreadable. “Let’s just say,” he said finally, “it’s in my best interest to keep you alive. For now.”

For now. The words echoed in her mind, filling her with unease. She didn’t know what game he was playing, but she knew one thing for certain—she couldn’t trust him. Not yet.

But as much as she hated to admit it, she couldn’t walk out that door either. Not yet.