Chapter 28

Riley’s POV

I stormed down the tree-lined trail, trying to summon my inner storm goddess, but all I managed was heavy breathing and scrappy snow clinging to my boots. Sure enough, I heard Noah’s boots crunching behind me—silent, patient, and ominously close. He never let me out of his sight, and honestly, it was creeping me out in a “hot-but-creepy” kind of way.

My brain was doing somersaults. Plan? What plan? I was living at Noah’s place—his mom’s actually—a cozy mansion that felt less homey every second I stayed. And inside me lurked a wolf who had the emotional range of a disgruntled toddler mixed with a stand-in for The Parasite in every horror flick ever. One day it could be cute, tail-waggy company; the next, it could yank my body dead-center into a breakup slash horror-show sequel. All I had on me was chapped lips, frizzy hair, and a near-empty bank account. Awesome.

If I could somehow rein in my wild side—like fantasize about it picturing me as the n