Chapter 17. The Longest Night

Elizabeth POV

The days crept by at a snail’s pace. It had been six weeks since my unplanned, intimate encounter with Cole and his wolf in the depths of the forest, and ever since then, he had kept his distance. His wolf, though… that was an entirely different story. More often than not, I sensed its eyes watching me from the shadows of the trees, its presence concealed by the undergrowth. And the food continued to appear almost magically at my cabin door. Night after night, I strove to stay awake, determined to catch a glimpse of the creature, but it always eluded me, leaving behind only a tantalizing mystery and an extra meal.

Between the provisions my unseen wolf companion brought me, the regular dinners provided by Daniel’s wolf, and my weekly “cleaning” visits to Ashley’s home, I was managing far better than I had ever dared hope. My pantry, once bare, was now full. My empty stomach had ceased its nightly protests. And though the loneliness lingered, the constant pre