JADE
The stream behind the pack house glimmered under the moonlight, calm and cold—everything I wasn't. I stood with my arms folded tight across my chest, staring down at the water like it held the answer to a question I didn't know how to ask.
Behind me, Rhys paced like a caged wolf.
"You know I wouldn't hurt you," he said, voice rough with frustration. "I've given you space, time—whatever you need. But I won't keep pretending this doesn't kill me."
I clenched my jaw, heart thudding painfully. "It's not about you hurting me. It's about me not being ready."
Rhys stopped pacing. "Then tell me what the hell you are ready for, Jade. Because I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff with you, and you keep pulling me back with one hand while pushing me away with the other."
