Page 77 of Howling
I’m not surprised the council lied to me. Honestly, I try not to dwell on the heinous acts they force me to commit. It leaves me wondering how many times I’ve turned a blind eye over the years and taken the easy way out to appease my guilt.
How many innocent people have I condemned?
With the collar around my neck, I literally had no choice but to obey.
As I stare at her sleeping form, I realize that I’ve become part of the problem. I stopped caring, stopped seeking justice, and I’m so ashamed that I can barely lift my head. I was so focused on my vengeance that I ignored the signs when things didn’t add up.
If she hadn’t removed my collar, I would have willingly handed her over to the council without a second thought. Sure, I procrastinated, but I would’ve eventually caved.
I would’ve captured her and left her at the mercy of the council.
What’s worse, I’ve been manipulated by the council for so long, I’m not even sure I would’ve realized the enormity of my mistake.
I don’t know when it happened, but I’ve stopped fighting.
Sure, I rant and rave, plotting my revenge, but my plans are just fantasies. Without my dragon, I became nothing more than a mindless drone.
Her fire makes me feel ancient…and alive for the first time in a very long time. I haven’t yet decided whether that’s a good thing or not. My dragon stretches under my skin, my body feeling tight and a little too small. He’s awakening slowly, and I’m already struggling to keep my animal instincts contained.
I’ve been draped in chains for so long that my body feels light without them, naked…vulnerable and uncertain.
The only thing that keeps me clinging to sanity is her—Francesca, the woman who should hate me.
My chest aches at the thought of her rejection. Not that I deserve better after I treated her like a criminal. Frost creeps across the stones, and I release a ragged breath, struggling to shake off my remorse. I would never forgive myself if I hurt her.
No, I need to make amends.
The best way I can do that is by protecting her, because once the council has set its sights on someone, they are relentless.
They will never stop searching for her.
The question is, why?
They don’t give a fuck about Givvens. In fact, I suspect what she says is true—they were probably just looking for a way to getrid of him. People respected him too much. He had too much sway over others. They couldn’t allow that to stand.
Givvens was a wily old wolf. He was protecting her for a reason. He never did anything without thinking twenty steps ahead, which means Francesca is someone special—someone who needs protecting.
And if it takes my last breath, I vow to keep her safe…even if it’s from me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
FRANKIE
Amurmur of voices rouses me from a restless slumber. My head pounds, and a nagging sensation that I’m forgetting something important lingers like a dull throb at the back of my mind. My body is stiff, and I groan when I try to stretch in the cramped space.
No more sleeping in the car.
Only when I stretch, arms tighten around me.
I jolt upright, suddenly wide awake. It’s only quick, shifter reflexes that prevent me from headbutting Garth. His blue eyes shimmer as he gazes down at me, their intensity making me suck in a sharp breath. Disoriented by his nearness, I peer around the room to gain my bearings.
At the sight of our cell, the events of the day come rushing back.
I shove out of Garth’s arms, a flush filling my cheeks at how much I enjoyed his embrace. A grumble of protest rumbles in his chest, his arms tightening before he reluctantly releases me.I stumble to my feet on unsteady legs, battling the urge to crawl back into his lap, where it was warm and safe.
I run my hands down my clothes, feeling rumpled and flustered. Voices fall silent, and I realize the guys were talking to the other occupants of the cellar. Some people gaze at me with awe, others with speculation, and a few with hatred.
The rest refuse to look at me altogether, likely for fear of drawing my attention. This prison might as well have been the gates of hell, the majority having abandoned all hope long ago.
