Ryder’s POV

The apartment was quiet for the first time since we ran. The air still smelled sharp. Sweat and heat lingered. I sat on the couch. He sat across from me, breathing slower now. Cooler. Human again, mostly. The fever was gone. The wild tension in him had eased.

I finally dared to look at him. He looked almost normal. But not quite. His eyes were gold in the light. Not glowing. Not wolf, not human. Something between.

He spoke first. “I’m sorry,” he said. Voice rough, but steady. “I didn’t want to lose control.”

“You—” I began. Then stopped. I had too many questions. I didn’t know where...