Page 54 of Frost and Felines

She let out a bitter laugh, tears spilling over. "You say that now, but what happens the next time I lose control? What if I hurt someone? What if I hurt you?"

"You won’t," he said, his voice softening. He reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Because I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I’ll be here to help you through it. Toremind you that you’re not alone. That you don’t have to carry this by yourself."

She pulled away, her face crumpling. "You don’t get it, Kieran. I can’t risk it. I won’t."

Before he could respond, she stepped back and closed the door, the soft click of the lock echoing in the hallway. Kieran stared at the door, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. His tiger was pacing, restless and furious, demanding he break it down and drag her back out where she belonged—by his side.

But he didn’t. Instead, he leaned his forehead against the door, his voice low and rough. "You’re wrong, Mallory. You’re not cursed. You’re not dangerous. You’re amazing. You’re strong. You’re everything I’ve been looking for. And I’m not letting you go. Not now. Not ever."

He pushed off the door, his mind racing. She was leaving. After New Year’s Eve. That gave him less than forty-eight hours to convince her to stay. To make her see that she wasn’t a curse—that she was his future.

And if she thought he was going to let her walk out of his life without a fight, she didn’t know him very well. The tiger in him huffed in agreement. This wasn’t over. And he had no intention of losing the woman he loved without giving it everything he had.

25

MALLORY

Mallory folded her last remaining sweater with trembling fingers before placing it in her duffel bag. The soft cashmere reminded her of the way Kieran's hands had felt against her skin. She swallowed hard and turned to grab another item from the dresser.

"This is the right thing to do," she whispered to herself, her voice echoing in the empty suite. "The only thing to do."

The room felt colder now, stripped of the little touches that had made it feel like home these past weeks. No books scattered on the coffee table, no half-drunk tea cups by the window seat where she had spent hours watching the snow fall. Just bare surfaces and hollow spaces.

A burst of laughter filtered in from somewhere nearby as the staff prepared for tonight's New Year's Eve celebration. Mallory's chest tightened. She would miss Amy's sweetness, Charlotte's steady wisdom, and the rest of the staff's warm friendship. Most of all, she would miss...

"Stop it already," she commanded herself, zipping the duffel bag forcefully. "You knew this was temporary from the start."

But it hadn't felt temporary when she had kissed Kieran under the mistletoe, or when they had curled up together by the fire, or when he had looked at her like she was something precious instead of dangerous. The memory of his touch sent phantom tingles down her spine.

Thunder rumbled loudly outside, responding to her turbulent emotions. She forced herself to take deep breaths, counting slowly to ten. She didn't need to cause another storm right now.

She walked to the window, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. The Hearthstone's grounds stretched out below, dusted with fresh snow. The damaged decorations had been cleared away, but she could still see the scorch marks on the roof where Gregory's fire had burned.

Her mind drifted back to that fateful night when she had lost control.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, though no one was there to hear. "I wanted so badly to belong here."

A tear slipped down her cheek. Outside, the clouds darkened ominously. She quickly wiped her eyes and stepped back from the window. She had to maintain control for one more day. Just one more day, and then she could return to her solitary existence where she couldn't hurt anyone ever again.

Even if the thought of never waking up in Kieran's arms again made her heart feel like it was being torn in two.

Suddenly, a sharp knock rattled Mallory's door, making her jump. "I'm not leaving until you open up," Kieran's voice carried through the wood, deep and determined. "I'll camp out here all night if I have to."

Mallory pressed her lips together, knowing full well he meant it. The tiger shifter's stubborn streak matched her own. After a moment's hesitation, she opened the door to find Kieran fillingthe frame, his auburn hair slightly disheveled as if he'd been running his hands through it.

"You're going to be late for the party," he said, his blue eyes sweeping over her casual attire of jeans and an oversized sweater.

"I wasn't planning on going." Mallory crossed her arms, trying to ignore how good he looked in his dark suit. "I think it's better if I stay here."

"Not a chance." Kieran stepped into her space, his presence overwhelming her senses. "This is your goodbye party too, whether you like it or not."

"Kieran..." She glanced away, heat rising to her cheeks. "After what happened with the decorations?—"

"The decorations?" He caught her chin with gentle fingers, turning her face back to his. "You mean the cheap paper streamers and tinsel that took us all of two hours to replace? That's what you're worried about?"

"I lost control," she whispered, though her body betrayed her by leaning into his touch.

"No. Like I said before, you protected us," he replied, his thumb brushing across her cheek. "And even if every decoration, window, and tree had been destroyed beyond repair, it wouldn't matter. Things can be replaced, Mallory. You can't."

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