Chapter 76

Addy’s POV

I perched on the porch railing like a nervous hummingbird, watching Damien stride into the forest with that determined jaw of his. My wolf—let’s call her Rocky—was practically clawing at my insides, hissing in disgruntled wolfie growls because her mate had wandered out of visual range. Luckily, every few seconds I caught a flash of chestnut hair shimmering between the pine trunks. That little glint of “Damien” kept Rocky from staging a full-on mutiny.

A few minutes later, Damien re-emerged, escorting his brother Kieran—who looked like he’d just chewed on a lemon peel—and I felt a twinge of guilt. Technically, I hadn’t forced Damien to drag his snooty sibling here, but come on, peer pressure from your soulmate is still a thing, right?

They approached in an awkward slow march. Damien planted himself protectively in front of me while Kieran scowled past him like he’d never forgive the world for breathing. With his hands buried in his pockets and a sh