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"You ht be able to, but that doesn’t ht like having someone around to care for you"

Lyra took another bite of soup and propped her head on her fist, watching him "Is that how the vamps do it?" she asked "Hook up and then stay eternally h wolf couples who can barely stand one another, not that it…" She trailed off, her thoughts see to vanish into the ether for a moment before she came back

"Not that it matters with the bond," she finished quietly

"Um," Jaden replied "Actually, a lot of va time to spend with one person"

"Ah," Lyra said, and he wished he could take the answer back, truthful though it was

"Well, I won’t have to worry about that I get one lifetih, and he wondered if they were having sihts

Yes, she did have only one lifetibut dust Even without all the other roadblocks they’d had put up between theh, but not impossible

But it was a e her mind someday, Jaden kneouldn’t make the short list Or any kind of list

She stood, picked up her now eh for him to touch She couldn’t quite lift her eyes to his when she spoke

"I’ve got some stuff to do I’ll catch you back here in a couple of hours? The night is young and all that"

"I’ll be here," he said, trying to sound as casual as he could, though he kneould think of nothing else until she returned

"And thanks again for the soup Really," she said, this tiht at him "It hit the spot And besides that, it was… sweet"

That last word h not at her "Not an adjective usually applied to htly puzzled, touched her lips at his words "You should Have it applied to you, I mean I know it’s none of uess,They’re probably ones we used to ith"

"I think your pack has warred with just about everyone," Jaden said, unexpectedly touched "But thank you And as to the other," he lifted one shoulder, nonchalant, "they’ll get theirs eventually, I expect"

"Well, if and when it does, I would love to get in on that action" Lyra said She started to walk away, paused, and then turned to look at hinore what she et what had happened andto try, eventually," wouldn’t be acceptable, he told her what she wanted to hear

"We’re good," Jaden agreed But as she graced him with one last s what it h hers would seem in comparison to his own She was a warrior of a she-wolf, brazen and bold, but unexpectedly na&iu at times He would love to show her the world she had tasted so little of, to show her there was ht as he tossed the ladle into the sink, where it landed with an irritated little clank

Just then the phone started to ring At first he ignored it, assue for Dorien Instead, when the answering machine picked up, he heard a voice no one in this toould recognize but him

"Jaden, I know you’re in there Pick up We need to talk"

With a final, resentful look at the pot of dinner that had acco he’d wanted all at the same time, Jaden lifted the phone to his ear

He was certain some fresh hell awaited him Just what sort was all that remained to be seen

Chapter NINETEEN