Chapter 4

I was back in my apartment later that evening, ready to drown my sorrows in a cup of warm coffee and a bit of job searching. I was ready to shake off the events of the day—particularly what had happened in the forest.

I was researching different job opportunities around town and on campus, but I kept coming up empty-handed. Eventually, I decided to give up and trade my laptop for some rest. I shut the screen and lay in bed, thinking about what a bizarre day it had been.

All I wanted was a bit of rest, but of course it didn’t come that easily. I wouldn’t be able to sleep much with my mind racing—replaying the moment I’d met that wolf in the woods. The way it looked at me with those strange eyes.

It just didn’t seem… normal.

I shuddered, grateful to have gotten out of that place alive.

But something still wouldn’t settle in me. That darker wolf—it had to be protecting me. Right?

I couldn’t explain why or how, but I had the feeling that it came to my rescue intentionally. That it had been watching from afar. That it knew it needed to help me.

Maybe I was being stupid. Nikki was probably right earlier after I’d said it; I’d just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. And those wolves probably just had some kind of beef with each other. Animal instinct and all that. Maybe I should’ve called the forest rangers and reported the incident.

Maybe I’d do it tomorrow.

I was settling into my blankets and closing my eyes, determined to get a good night’s rest, when my doorbell rang.

I sat up, confused as to why it was ringing so late at night. I hadn’t been expecting any visitors. If it was Dean, I swore…

But it wasn’t a casual ringing. It didn’t stop. In fact, it seemed to get more aggressive—more frantic.

My day had been terrifying enough without a murderer at my doorstep.

Then my phone began to ring, and Nikki’s name popped on the screen. I nearly unleashed the scream of all screams but managed to gather myself and answer the call.

“Nikki, I’m freaking out. Someone’s ringing the doorbell. They won’t stop—”

“Yeah, it’s me!” Nikki cut in. “Let me in! I forgot my keys!”

I was relieved when I stumbled out of my room to find Nikki’s keys in the bowl by the door.

“What are you doing here so early?” I asked as I buzzed her inside. “I thought you had the late shift.”

“As soon as I was done with work, I got in my car and came as fast as I could,” she explained. “I had to be there for my badass wolf-wrestling roomie. I can’t believe you fought that scary thing and won. And I’m not talking about Dean.”

The door opened, and Nikki hung up as she stepped inside. I laughed and tossed my arms around her comfortably, thankful I wouldn’t be alone tonight.

“Did the wolves follow you home? Are you, like, the wolf whisperer now?” Nikki asked as we pulled apart. “Can you sic them on Dean? Hell, I’ll go after him if you want.”

“No, thank god,” I replied. “Could you imagine? Let’s just drop it.”

“All right, if you say so… But it’s Friday night,” Nikki said. “Where do you think Dean’s at? We could go say a friendly hello. And if I knock his teeth out, so be it.”

It was a tempting offer, but violence would probably only complicate things. “Don’t worry about it; I’ve already confronted him. That’s done. We’re done.”

“And he just… gave up?” asked Nikki. “Like that?”

“Not really. He’s been texting me all day, but I’ve been avoiding him. I know where I stand, though.”

Nikki snorted—a sound of amusement and disgust in one. “You think the guy would realize he’s nothing but a no-good, cheating asshole and take a hint.” She snatched her keys from the bowl and said, “Let’s go out. You can buy me a drink.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the proposition. “I don’t know. I was nearly ripped apart by wolves today. I kinda feel like just staying in and watching some Netflix to commemorate my being-aliveness.”

“What are you talking about?” Nikki exclaimed. “You should celebrate by going out with me! Come on, Shay. Live your life. You could be mauled by wolves tomorrow for all you know.”

I let out a much-needed laugh. In a way, it felt cathartic. All the stress was beginning to leave my shoulders. “But shouldn’t you be the one buying me a drink?” I asked.

“Okay, okay. Fine. But come on, you really want to stay in here instead of improving what sounds like possibly the worst day ever? A bit of fun could be the cherry on top of your heaping crap-pile of a day.”

I supposed she was right. There was no sense in lingering on what had happened—any of it. “Okay, you got me,” I said in agreement. Nikki cheered in delight, but I couldn’t share in her enthusiasm. Why was I doing this?

Regardless, a few drinks and maybe a bit of dancing sounded perfect. “As long as we go with our tradition of late-night pizza afterward,” I said.

Nikki gave me a thumbs-up and grinned. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

It didn’t take long for us to dress for the night. I wore a little black dress that hugged me in all the right places and did my hair in a sexy messy bun. After a bit of makeup, I was set. I took a moment to examine my nails, pleased at the sight of them. Not a single chip. I always felt a bit more confident when my nails looked good.

There was no denying that today was shit. Utter shit. But at least one thing was going right.

We were on our way to our usual bar when I noticed a line trailing down the entire block.

“What is that?” I asked.

“I dunno,” Nikki said. “But let’s go there instead. It looks new!”

I was hesitant because the place looked a bit too luxurious for my budget. The line was full of people dressed in diamonds and expensive-looking dresses.

Eventually, we pulled over and located a tight parking spot that would probably be impossible to get out of at the end of the night. The only problem now was the line.

It was way too long. If we waited, by the time we would reach the front, the club would probably be closed for the evening. Thankfully, Nikki managed to use her charm on the bouncer. A little lip pucker and a bit of groveling, and he allowed us in.

We made a beeline straight for the bar and ordered vodka sodas—our go-to drinks to start the evening. Drink in hand, Nikki gestured to the crowd of people swaying and dancing, bopping and moving to the music.

“Behold,” she said. “The men!”

There was a surprising number of men in the club, but I wasn’t sure about Nikki’s plan to move on from Dean so quickly. I wasn’t really the type for flings with random guys I met at a club I’d never heard of. I’d never done it, but maybe I should. That’d been Nikki’s advice, right? Live a little?

“Come on,” Nikki said with a nudge. “You’ve got your pick. What kind of guy do you want? Funny? Cute? A trust-fund baby, perhaps? Make your man for me, Shayla Santos!”

I sighed and looked around at the crowd. I wasn’t really all that picky. He didn’t have to be rich or full of muscles I didn’t know the names of. “I don’t know…” I mumbled. “Not a cheater or a player? Someone who likes to read? Likes the holidays? Kind, obviously. Maybe a nice smile?”

Suddenly, I noticed someone across the way. A cold jolt shot through my body at the sight of him. His eyes were piercing—stunning jewels in the light of the club. And he was looking right at me, his gaze not breaking.

For some reason, I was filled with a sense of déjà vu. I was right back in the forest, staring into the eyes of that wolf.

Every hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Maybe we shouldn’t have come here.

Nikki tracked my gaze to the guy in the distance. “Ooh,” she said over my shoulder. “Is he your type?”

My heart was thundering. The pressure of the search for an ideal man, the strain of my experiences from earlier still bearing down on my chest… “I don’t know!” I replied with a tremble. It was all too much. I was already so bad at dating, but tonight of all nights to begin a new romance…

I glanced back at the man with the piercing eyes. He was still watching. Still examining me from a distance.

Was he into me? No way. But his eyes were relentless—stuck to me like magnets. This wasn’t a common occurrence for me. I was too… regular to catch someone’s attention like this. Maybe my good luck was beginning to catch up with the bad.

Suddenly, he was moving. Coming closer. Weaving his way through the crowd.

Good god. It was like men could smell a freshly single woman from a mile away. I watched him approach, convinced he would veer at any moment and I’d feel ridiculous for making such a stupid assumption.

But his gaze stayed steady. He didn’t veer.

He cut across the crowd until he was in front of us, and my heart leapt into my throat as he asked, “Can I buy you a drink?”