The Wolf You Feed Arc by Angela Stevens Page B

bedroom floor.
    “There you are, Nea. You can sit with us in the kitchen, honey. Don’t be by yourself.”
    Annike stood at the door, her hand threaded through Tore’s. She leaned against her handsome mate, his arm around her shoulder, his face pressed into her hair.
    Nea wished someone would hold her like that. She wished Felix looked at her like that.
    Annike cleared her throat, “Tore told me… Ricky, you know that cute Mexican tracker who started a few months back? Well, he doesn’t have a girlfriend and we noticed he’s always looking at you. I think he likes you. Maybe we could invite him for dinner and see if you hit it off? What do you say?” Annike looked pleased with her scheming.  
    Nea cringed. They’d been at this for months. First the chef, then the mailman, Annike had even tried to set her up with the gardener.
    “Human men don’t interest me.” There was only Felix. “I’m tired, I’m going to bed.”

    ***

    As Nea sat in her room, there was a knock. “Please, Annike, I don’t want to discuss this now.” Opening the door a crack, she prepared to give her friend a reassuring smile. But it wasn’t Annike it was Tore.
    Nea pulled the door wider, allowing him to come in and she went back to her bed. He sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. “You okay?” Genuine concern filled his eyes.  
    Tears spilled from Nea, they wouldn’t stop. Four years of regret, four years of hating herself, four years of loving a man who would never love her back. Four years of shame, four years knowing how disappointed her mother must be. Four years of her miserable life rolled down her cheeks.
    Tore pulled Nea to him. He rubbed her back and stroked her hair while she spewed out her misery.
    Nea told him everything, how much she missed the commune, how she lay awake at night dreaming about Felix, how she felt about Rune. Finally, she told Tore how jealous she was of what he had with Annike.
    Tore’s arm stayed wrapped around her. He dried her tears and his eyes grew sad. He felt Nea’s pain.
    Once she’d calmed down, he stood up to leave. Pausing at the door, he said, “We’ll make it right with Felix, Nea. I’ll try anything. Do anything. Whatever it takes, I’ll get you back to him.” Then he left.
    Nea had no idea what Tore meant or how he could change anything. They were in exile. For all they knew, the clan was still hunting for them. Reuniting with Felix was impossible. Yet Tore’s promise sounded hopeful. Would his status as Isak’s son count for anything? Could they return without endangering themselves?  
    Despite Nea’s anxious thoughts, it was the first time in four years that she slept well. In her dreams and in her heart a tiny seed of hope germinated.

  10
    A Few Days Later.
    Nea wants to go back ! Tore didn’t mean to broadcast his thoughts, but they’d been filling his waking hours for days. A sudden resignation for what he had to do sent the words tumbling into Liam’s head.  
    Liam spluttered, inhaling his beer. “What? It’d be suicide. Why the hell would she want to go back there? She has a good life here.”
    “I know, but she’s miserable. She’s homesick and misses Felix.”
    “Tore, it’s too dangerous,” Liam said.
    “What can I do? She sees Annike and me together and she wants the same. Nea’s never forgotten him. She has to know if there is the slightest chance he’d have her back.”
    “Jeez!” Liam sighed, “You know him, I don’t. Is there anyway he’d take her back?”
    “Who knows? Felix is a good guy, but it’s a long shot. Four years is a long time. He might have found someone else.”
    “Okay, let’s use some logic here. Let’s say Felix isn’t mated and he still loves Nea. Even if he can find it in his heart to forgive her; what about Rune? Not everyone can do what you did. Not everyone is secure in themselves to take on another man’s son.”
    Tore’s mouth opened, but Liam raised his hand and silenced him. “Well,