by Sadie Hart
Benji, on the other hand, moved closer, nudging tentatively at her shoulder like an uncertain young wolf might his alpha. “Ha, April fool’s, right, Charlie?” This was the hard part. Leaving this guy was going to tear at her—she had always had a soft spot for Benji. They had sat together, side by side under many full moons, understanding the community that the silence could build. They didn’t need words as wolves. What had started as simply stumbling upon each other one night had become sort of a tradition and Charlie cherished both the memories and the friendship that had blossomed.
But it was Zane who surprised her. His normally cocky grin vanished, fast replaced by the hard tension in his jaw, the sharp drop of his eyebrows. His entire demeanor stiffened and she thought for a moment he was going to cause a scene, because—let’s face it, they were talking Zane Alexander. Her palms grew damp and clammy as she gazed at him. Please, just let me go.
Memories swirled to the surface. The secret smiles he always seemed to save for her, aimed straight for her heart, slipping like sand through the cracks of her resistance. The way her heart skipped when he teased her. They had a past, in a way. They’d worked together for three years and he’d flirted with her since day one, wining and dining like a pro. Still, she resisted.
He was gorgeous, she was attracted. She’d always been attracted… But she also knew what kind of a man Zane was. He wasn’t a steady-relationship kind of man and she didn’t need to fall hard and fast, only to get her heart broken. They’d never been lovers, even when the spark had always been there. She never allowed it.
But he said nothing and the breath she was holding escaped her slowly. Setting her jaw, she turned, but his stare stabbed into her back with all the force of a blade. Reminding her.
Too late. She shrugged it off, stepping away. For once in a long time, she was actually going to be able to run wild and free after a show instead of holding back until it hurt, until the moon only had a short hour or two left to shine. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought, her wolf surging forward, eager. She was finally free.
Touching a gentle hand to Benji’s, she gave him a half-smile and turned to go. Saying less was always more, right?
Why, then, did it feel like her heart was breaking?
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Thank you for reading!
