Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“I figure that’ll make it easier for everyone.”
Derren knew it wouldn’t be easy for her at all. Shifters were tactile creatures; social and sexual touch was important to them. Going without it wasn’t good for their mental state, particularly that of their animals. “That’ll be tough on you, and you know it.”
Her tone dry, she said with a sweet smile, “Yeah, life will be so very hard and depressing without you . . . it will be almost the same as having you around.” His eyes narrowed dangerously, but his mouth curved in amusement. “It’s not like I’ll be totally alone all the time. Shaya will come see me. Being around her doesn’t hurt.”
Guilt began to bloom inside him. He didn’t want to hurt her. In fact, everything in him recoiled at the idea. And knowing that just being in close proximity caused her pain . . . it made him feel like a bastard.
“Tell me why you hate me, Derren.”
The words shocked him. He liked hearing her say his name, which made absolutely no sense. “I don’t hate you.” He wanted to, because it would mean he could shake off his attraction to her.
“I’ll rephrase: Why do you hate my kind?”
He didn’t want to talk about it, but he found himself explaining, “Let’s just say I never would have ended up in juvie if my old pack’s Seer hadn’t lied about a vision, turned my entire pack against me, and then stood up in a human court and testified against me.”
So much pain and anger—it was like ice picks embedded in her lungs, and it made Ally’s wolf whine to see him that way. Although she didn’t know just what lie the Seer had told, Ally could understand the depth of Derren’s rage. She’d heard from Cain exactly what juvie was like.
“You have no rights in there,” Cain had told her. “No say in your life, no privacy, no place to run as a wolf, no one to care if you live or die. If you can’t defend yourself, if you can’t fight, you’ll never survive it. If the guards don’t get ahold of you and have their sick idea of fun with you, the other prisoners might, especially if you break the ‘prisoner code.’ No one gets out of there whole, Ally. No one.”
Who wouldn’t be angry to have been through that, to have lost so much of their youth? To have been trapped in a place where they were always watching over their shoulder, where they’d been hurt over and over by the guards who were supposed to maintain order? Add in that Derren hadn’t deserved any of it, had carried the blame for something he hadn’t done, and it was no wonder there was so much pain, anger, and darkness in him.
Ally might not be able to relate to his experiences in juvie, but she did know how much it hurt to be blamed for a crime she’d played no part in, to have everyone turn against her. If she were to come across someone who made her think of Rachelle, who brought back those memories, Ally couldn’t say she’d be all that happy to be around that person. And if she’d been charged with protecting them, Ally definitely wouldn’t have liked it very much. So, yes, she could understand Derren’s reaction to her.
Careful not to unbalance the hammock, she sat upright. “I’m sorry for what happened to you—”
“I don’t want pity,” he snapped.
“Good, ’cause I’m not giving you any.” Anyone who could survive juvie was worthy of respect and admiration, not pity. “It’s true that power corrupts, and some Seers abuse their gifts. But the same could be said for Alphas. How many times have you heard of Alphas abusing their position and power? Or dominant wolves using their vibes to suppress and force less powerful wolves to submit against their will? You can’t tell me you haven’t known at least one person guilty of that.”
Derren wanted to object, but he knew she was right. He simply hadn’t thought of it that way before.
“People do shit like that because they’re assholes, Derren. Not because they’re Seers, or Alphas, or dominants. It’s all about the individual.”
He wanted to dispute it, wanted to hold on to his anger . . . but he couldn’t. She was right again.
Even though it wouldn’t be easy and her wolf wouldn’t like it, Ally proposed without heat, “Look, how about I stay out of your way, and you stay out of mine?”
It would probably be for the best, but Derren knew he wouldn’t manage for long. This female drew him, was like a magnet to his wolf. He’d dreamed about her the night before, dreamed he was balls deep in her, his teeth piercing her neck, his hand clutching her breast. Just the memory had his cock hardening. Suddenly she inhaled sharply, and a flush crept up her neck and face. He knew then that she could sense his arousal.