The Wolf Who Played With Fire: New Adult Paranormal Romance (Cry Wolf) Read Free

taking my hairbrush with me. However, that would be a surefire sign of my presence. It was better for Nolan to think I’d forgotten it, even if I suspected he didn’t totally buy Ethan’s excuse.
    Pulling myself through the window presented a problem. It was positioned on the wall at chest height. Fortunately, the toilet was nearby.
    There was no way around it. I pulled up the blinds, then used the toilet lid to climb out the window, legs first. Sitting on the windowsill, I plotted how to drop without hurting myself. Fear clenched my chest. The distance to the ground was bigger than I’d anticipated. Some say they’re afraid of heights, but heights aren’t my problem; it’s falling.
    What had I been thinking? I started to drag my legs back into the bathroom and wait in the shower for Nolan to leave, but footsteps in the hallway steeled my resolve.
    Wind rushed through my hair and I bit back a scream as the ground flew up to greet me. My feet hit first, but the momentum threw me to the right. The pleasurable ache Ethan had lit within my body snapped into searing pain.
    I sank my teeth into my lower lip, looking up at the bathroom window. Thankfully, no one stared back.
    Climbing to my feet was a burden. My right ankle badly hurt, but nothing appeared broken. I’d make a comfrey poultice when I arrived home. Still, I could support some of my weight without bringing too many tears to my eyes.
    With one last backward glance, I quickly limped through the backyard of Ethan’s neighbor. This way I could cut cross over to the next street and hobble home without Nolan spotting me. My bare foot squished on something wet, and I glared at the sky. I had just taken a shower. This was not so fair.
    The Universe had to be picking on me. Mornings couldn’t possibly start this wrong without help.

CHAPTER TWO
     
    Ethan
     
    With each passing minute, my anxiety increased. Was Mia okay? Nolan had suspicions about her hairbrush being there, and I only hoped he didn’t act on them and find her hiding. That would raise questions better kept secret for now. With everything going on in the Pack, I didn’t need more stress.
    I hovered in the doorway to my bedroom, keeping my ears open for any sign of Nolan leaving the restroom. With how good my hearing was these days I could’ve been further away, but concern refused to let me get that comfortable.
    Then again, my improved senses hadn’t helped me detect Nolan’s presence in the first place. Somehow, Mia overrode them all. Being intimate with her had been my top priority. My cock was still half-erect from our close encounter. A cold shower would be in my immediate future.
    My job resumed soon. Who knew how that would go? With what had happened with Mia during Christmas break, and my future as a werewolf, my career wasn’t exactly top priority, but I’d used up my leave. Maybe getting out of the house would do me good.
    The door opened to the bathroom and I tracked Nolan’s footsteps as he headed down the hall. Damn. I hated walking on eggshells with him, but our friendship had been tense since Christmas Day. He hadn’t liked that I didn’t come home on Christmas Eve. But I’d been in bed with Mia after the fight in her friend’s shop and ensuing hospital visit.
    He thought I was hiding something, which granted I was, but the cold shoulder frustrated me to no end. I’d spent a year of my life overseas thinking about how good it would be when I came home, but my life was turning upside down.
    Anger flowed through me stirring my beast, and I squeezed my hands into fists until the joints in my fingers hurt. Each moment that passed, my wolf grew stronger and more dominant. If I didn’t calm down, he might take over. The last thing I needed was to explain to Mia why I’d mauled her brother.
    I crossed the span of my room to rummage in my closet. He might ask fewer questions if he thought I was busy, or at least I hoped so.
    Instead of him coming in, he walked by. Should I be