the night.” He winked the same as my dad had when he used to sneak another glass of blood wine, three parts fresh animal blood and one part red wine.
“Thanks. Have a great evening.” With a skip in my step and bag in hand, I hurried toward the exit as the winds outside rattled the building walls. Hopefully, this storm was all bark and little bite. Otherwise, in a couple of days, the blizzard would demolish the forest.
“Oh, Cacey I almost forgot. You received a letter today.”
Every muscle froze. Surprise wasn’t an emotion I ever accepted well. I’d run away from my last pack because my ex wanted to harm my daughter and me. And for that reason alone, I kept my new home a secret from my past. So who was sending me mail? No one knew we were here, and I preferred it that way. It had to be a mistake. I twisted around and the knot in my stomach tightened, but staring at the envelope in Henri’s hand wasn’t helping. My fingers trembled as I accepted it. We couldn’t move again. Not so soon. Tianna would be heartbroken. I couldn’t do this to her. I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping the mail was a fluke.
“Have a nice night, Cacey.” With a few quick steps across the room, Henri entered the storeroom and a clank of cans resonated.
My gaze fell to the envelope with my name gracing the front in cursive writing.
Shakily, I turned it over and found no return address. I shook my head at my nerves and let out a short chuckle. Could be one of the fashion stores I’d signed up for online to receive discounts.
The old wound on my wrist itched, and I rubbed it against my hip, remembering I got that by deflecting one of Daan’s drunken tantrums. It happened the night I decided to leave because he was swinging at Tianna who wouldn’t stop crying. I’d been stupid and defended his behavior for years, but that night was the last straw. We had to escape.
I ripped open the envelope.
Fear crouched quietly in my chest as I unfolded the letter. My eyes kept going over the one handwritten sentence, repeatedly, and still it wasn’t registering because this had to be a mistake.
Boo. I’ve found you, C!
My heart banged against my breastbone, and I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs.
Only one person ever called me C. Daan.
The sudden silence constricted around me, weighing on my shoulders, threatening to knock my legs out from under me. Fuck!
We had to get out of here. Now! The only reason Daan had send me a note first was because he was playing his games. I should have known living in Susi was too good to be real. Should have kept running away until I found a place across the world. Should have never believed Daan would leave us alone.
The last time I ran away, he sent his second-in-command after us, who kidnapped Tianna. For three agonizing days, I searched for her. Only sheer luck from the moon goddess helped me get her back. I fought the bastard and won, but gained myself a broken rib and major blood loss in the process.
Daan was a violent alcoholic who’d threatened to kill me if I ever left him. But no one was safe when he mixed drinking with his wolf side. I’d watched him tear a pack member’s throat out for disagreeing with him. No one went against him, and all pack members followed his commands.
He’d broken so many of my bones, but no way in hell would I let him harm Tianna.
A grip of silent panic rattled through me. I scrunched the letter in a fist and stuffed it into a pocket, yet my body kept shaking.
I grabbed my bag of supplies, spun, and darted for the exit, ripping open the heavy door. We had to leave. Thunder cracked overhead. In haste, I shoved open the screen door, but the wind ripped the handle from my grasp, swinging outward. The door slammed into a tall wulfkin.
He reeled backward from the impact, his hand pressed to his face. A duffel bag fell from his grasp, thumping against the wooden porch.
“Shit.” I rushed outside, kicking the door shut behind me. “Are you okay? Sorry. I didn’t see you standing there. The door got away from me.”
He massaged his brow and groaned. “Never been struck by a door.” His voice was like brandy, sweet and potent. My inner wolf