bSkye’s /bPOV

bBuck’s /bface fell, genuine disappointment shadowing his features. “Leaving? But why, darlin‘? I thought you were happy here.”

I truly had been happy here. Despite that terrifying night of being sexually harassed and shot, most of my time in Boring had been peaceful and pleasant. The Watering Hole had provided me with the closest thing to stability I’d known in three years of running.

But with my wolf finally awakened and the discovery of Oasisborn Pack, my life had irrevocably changed. I couldn’t go back to pretending to be something !

bwasn’t/b.

“It’s time for me to move on,” I said simply, unable to provide Buck with the real exnation. “But I’ll miss this ce. I’ll miss you.”

Buck pulled me into another bear hug, his weathered hands patting my back affectionately. “You got somece in mind you’re heading to, darlinb‘/bb?/b” he asked, concern evident in his gravelly voice.

b“/bYes,” I lied smoothly, though I had absolutely no idea where I’d go after helping with Oasisborn’s anniversary celebration. Perhaps I’d head north toward Colorado, or maybe east toward Louisiana. Anywhere far from bTexas /band theplications that bhad /barisen hereb. /b

Jessie returned to the bar carrying a tray of empty sses, having just delivered drinks and fries to a table bof /branch hands. Her beyes /bnarrowed suspiciously as she took in the scene–bme /bwrapped in Buck’s fatherly embrace, both of us with somber expressions.

b“/bWhat’s going on?” she demanded, setting down her btray /bwith a tter. “You two look like somebody died.”

Buck released bme/bb, /bone hand remaining on my shoulder. “Skye’s leaving us,” he announced, his voice bheavy /bwith disappointment.

Jessie’s shriek of dismay bwas /bso loud it caused several patrons to turn and stare. “What? You can’t bleave/bb!/b” She rushed around the bar and grabbed my hands, her eyes wide with genuine distress. “Why? bIs /bit because of that stomach bug? Did it mess up your bsystem /bor something? Or did you get a better job offer somewhere belse/b?”

Her immediate concern touched bme/bb. /b

“bIt’s /bnothing like that,” I bassured /bher, squeezing her hands gently. b“/bbIt’s /bbjust/bb… /btime for me to move on. I never stay in one bce /bbvery /blong.”

As Jessie peppered bme /bwith questions about my ns and Buck quietly arranged the bar ssesb, /bmy mind drifted to the oasisb, /bbthe /bke where I’d bfirst /bshifted, band/bb… /bAdrian.

I shook my head, forcing bmyself /bnot to be attached to things that weren’t mine.

“We should throw you a goingb–/baway party!” Jessie dered suddenly, her bface /bbrightening. “This Friday! We’ll bclose /bthe bar early, invite all the regrs-”

“No, pleaseb,/b” I interrupted, the thought of being the center bof /battention making me deeply ufortable. “I’d rather just work my shift and say my goodbyes quietly.”

Buck nodded understandingly, but Jessie looked disappointed. Before she could argue furtherb, /bmy newly enhanced hearing picked up a conversation from across the room–two deputies discussing the ranch hand who’d been “torn apart by wild boars” three nights ago.

“Never seen anything like it,” one was saying, shaking his head. “Throat ripped clean out. Rangers say boars don’t typically go for the neck like bthat/b.”

“Maybe bit /bwasn’t boars,” hispanion suggested, byoice /bdropping lower. “Thompson swears he saw unusuallyrge wolf tracks near the bscene/b.”

bI /btensedb, /bsuddenly hyperb–/baware of bthe /bdanger lingering in Boring. If humans started looking for wolves in this areab, /bbit /bwould only be ba /bmatter bof /btime before bthey /bfound something–or someone–they shouldn’tb. /b

bYes/b, it was definitely time for bme /bto leave.

The bweek /bbpassed /bbquickly/bb, /beach shift at The Watering Hole tinged with a bittersweet quality I hadn’t anticipated. Regr customers bexpressed /bgenuine

bChapter /bb24 /b

bdisappointment /bwhen they heard I was leaving, bsome /beven leaving generous tips for the road.”

Jessieb, /bbdespite /bmy protests, decorated the bar with farewell messages on my final day, and insisted on taking multiple photos so you don’t forget us.

bBy /bSaturday noon, Adrian arrived precisely as promised, pulling his SUV up outside the bar. I’d already packed my bfew /bbelongings into my redpact car, along with the bottles of specialty spirits Buck had allowed me to take for the Oasishorn celebration.

Adrian helped lond the remaining alcohol into his vehicle, his movements efficient but unhurried. As we finished, Buck emerged from the bar, clutching a small envelope.

“Almost forgot,” he called, hurrying over. “This is for you, darlin‘.”

Curious, I epted the envelope and opened it to find a stack of crisp hundred–dor bills, My eyes widened in shock–there had to be at least two thousand dors there.

“Buck, I can’t ept this, I protested, trying to hand it back. ‘It’s too much.”

He gently pushed my hand baway/b, his weathered face creasing into a stubborn smile. “It’s what you’ve earned.”

When I continued to hesitateb, /bhis expression softened. “If you really want to thank me, give bme /bba /bcall when byou /bget settled in your next town.” He shuffled his feet, suddenly looking much older and more vulnerable. “You know, I don’t have kids of bmy /bbown/b. Apart from these booze–hounds, nobody much thinks about this old manb.” /b

Emotion tightened my throat as I impulsively bstepped /bforward and hugged him onest time. b“/bbI’ll /bcall,” I promisedb, /bmeaning it.

After a final goodbye to Jessie, who extracted multiple promises that I would text her regrly, I climbed into bmy /bcar and followed Adrian’s SUV out of Boring, watching the dusty little town brecede /bin bmy /brearview mirror.fna5ca This content belongs to find?novel/fna5ca

The journey to Oasisborn passed in contemtive silence. When we finally arrivedb, /bbI /bbwas /bsurprised bby /bthe bsense /bof familiarity that washed bover /bme.

Nadia was waiting for us near the mainmunity building, her usual stern expression bsoftened /bby what almost looked like genuine bpleasure /bat seeing me.

“Wee backi,/i” she said, approaching my bcar /bbas /bI stepped out. “How bwas /bbyour /bst week in that dump?b” /b

“It wasn’t a dump.”

“By the way,” she added, her voice dropping conspiratorially, “that btime /bbat /bthe bar bwhen /bI bsaid /byour cocktail was bterrible/bb? /bI lied. It bwas /bactually pretty good.”

I blinked in surprise at this unexpected admission. Before bI /bcould respondb, /bAdrian bgestured /bbfor /bbus /bbto /bfollow him into the main building.

b“/bI’ve mind–linked the pack council membersb,/b” he bexined /bas we walked through bright, airy bcorridors/bb. /b“They should bbe /bbhere /bshortly to help n tonight’s celebration.

We reached a spacious conference room withrge windows overlooking the desert garden. I’d bjust /btaken a bsip /bof the coffee Nadia had poured me when bthe /bdoor opened and several werewolves entered.

I looked up casually–and froze in mid–swallow, barely managing not to chokeb. /b

I wasn’t prejudiced. I wasn’t one to discriminate. But the werewolves filing into the room bwere /bundeniably… not normal.

bChapter /bbComments /b

POST COMMENT

Visitor

Yes, be the center of the trouble then leave those who sayed you to clean up alone. Selfish AH.

L

Visitor

Godb, /bshe’s annoying. She’s so guarded beyond what would be rational at this point. I started this book hoping she wouldn’t be allowed fragile and broken yet here she is, be…

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