we were younger. But he didn’t trust who I was now.
Godsdamn it, I needed to get myself together. Exhaling, I tried to calm my panic. Doherty would have found my dead wolf, maybe he brought it back here to torture Connor.
This is what grey eyes meant about a ghost. He recognised me.
I had to convince Connor I really was me, and what better way than to refuse to capitulate to him, no matter how scary this version of Connor was.
While I took several deep breaths, Connor snarled and leaned in. Goosebumps rose on my skin and I didn’t know what I wanted to do more, throw myself on him and weep with relief that he was alive, or run. Realising neither would help right now, I stood utterly still. He inhaled deeply again then straightened, his heavy brow dipping further. I sucked in a breath, steadying myself now that the shock of seeing him was wearing off.
“No. You can’t be. My mate died, I saw her head! I don’t know what you are, but you can’t be her.”
Damn! His wolf was even speaking through him, and there was no way he’d listen to reason. I needed to get Connor back in control so I could tell him the truth about what had happened. Or at least see if I could trust him enough to tell him. No matter how much I wanted the Connor I knew back, he’d been in this place for four years. And I had no idea what kind of person that had made him, so no matter how much I wanted to trust him, I bit my tongue. Grey eyes and Korea watched our exchange closely. In fact, grey eyes seemed really tense. His attention flicked from me to Connor and back, his mouth opening like he wanted to say something. I wondered if he’d been there the day we’d escaped from Doherty’s first prison. Was that why I recognised him? It had been so long ago, and so many things had happened since then, that it was hard for me to place faces and scents.
“Connor, it really is me. I’m here. I survived.” I tried again, my eyes burning with unshed tears.
“Stop!” His breathing was deep and erratic. Waves of power rolled off him, making even the large males that surrounded us shift their feet and roll their shoulders.
“I-I know it’s confusing, but I can explain.”
His throat bobbed and he shook his head again. “Explain? How the fuck can you explain being here after all this time?”
I watched, wide eyed as Connor’s body grew and his wolf tried to push through. The collar stopped him, but the thick scarred skin that ringed Connor’s neck burned and blistered. Korea cursed and grey eyes inhaled sharply. I guessed Connor and his wolf didn’t often lose control. His arms dropped to his sides and he took several long, slow breaths. Closing his eyes, he forced his wolf to recede. Opening them, familiar blue eyes regarded me. I shuddered, swallowing the ache in my throat. They were colder than I’d ever seen.
“I know my Ember is dead because her wolf’s head was given to me as a welcome gift when I got here four years ago.” His big hand shot out and grasped my neck, his thumb hooking over my jaw, and though I had dreamed of feeling his touch again, I froze. He could easily snap my neck.
My limbs trembled, my palms sweated, and I gulped reflexively.
He inhaled and bared his teeth. “Do I scare you, creature?”
“Yes.” There was no point in lying. He’d know.
“Good, you should be. You carry the scent of her killer. I can smell it.” He yanked me closer and lifted me until only my toes dangled on the floor. “That face is hers, no one else’s. If you’re a doppelganger—change it, or the next time I see you, I will kill you.”
The pressure on my throat increased, making me cough and choke as my heart pounded and my eyes watered. His nails drew blood. He was going to kill me! After all this time, I’d finally found Connor, and he would be the one to end my life—and reveal my biggest secret. Fire stirred, sensing the danger to my life. I couldn’t summon her at will, but I could sense when she was close to flying free. I closed my eyes. He won’t hurt me. He won’t. It’s Connor.
“Hey, man...”
I opened my eyes.
Grey eyes ventured forward, his voice steady, though his face was