“Don’t.” I warned. My voice cracked. “If you touch me right now, I’ll break your f*****g hand.”
His hand hung in the air before falling uselessly to his side.
“It’s not safe out there.” He said, his voice urgent. “You don’t know what you’re walking into. The Alpha’s right—you need protection—”
“I don’t need his protection. And if you won’t come with me, then I don’t need yours either.”
I slung the bag down near the door, fingers trembling. Memories crowded like ghosts—warnings, lies, laughter turned knife-sharp—and for a moment I wondered if staying would kill me slower than leaving. Whatever came next, I refused to be held in place by fear or by someone else's rules and damn it.
The words nearly killed me to say. I saw them hit him like a blow. He staggered back a step, his eyes wide
