Page 164 of The Moonborn's Curse

Does she dream of me too?

Please, Seren. Look at me

If he so much as touches her again, I'll shift and rip him in half.

That braid...

Those damn shorts. Is she trying to kill me?

Still biteable. That arse. Gods.

She smiled despite herself.

Typical male.

Predictable.

Her instinct told her to run. To protect herself. But that feeling was in her chest. Gods.

What the hell was she going to do?

Chapter 60

Seren woke slowly to soft light creeping across the ceiling and the familiar sound of Threk's heavy footfalls outside her room.

"I've got plans today," he called through the closed door, his voice muffled. "Don't wait up. Try not to kill anyone."

The door clicked shut behind him.

She yawned and buried herself deeper into the blanket cocoon. The Hollow Moon didn't open until noon, and she planned to use the quiet to edit some photos she'd been putting off. Her laptop blinked sleepily from the desk.

But then-

Ding-dong.

She groaned. Probably Ana, forgetting her keys again.

But as she neared the door, the scent hit her through the tiny gap at the bottom - earthy pine, spice, and storm.

Hagan.

Her eyes narrowed as she flung the door open.

He stood there like a goddamn lost puppy, holding two takeaway cups and a paper bag that smelled suspiciously like her favourite croissants from the bakery on Sixth.

"Can I come in?"

"No."

He nodded, completely unfazed. "These are for you. I'll wait out here."

She stared at the bag.

Then snatched it and the coffee and shut the door in his face.

Of course. Of course, he would remember the first time he ever tried to feed her - stag meat from a fresh kill, which she'd refused flat-out. He'd never made the mistake of forgetting that she was a vegetarian again . In Vargrheim, feeding your mate wasn't just a nice gesture. It was a ritual. A declaration.

A promise.