lost once

horrible.

The shower curtain is cheap, dirty, and ripped near the seam.

I peel out of my clothes and step inside the shower, pulling the curtain behind me. The freezing water hisses out of the narrow pipe and trickles down my skin. I don't see any soap in the shower, but I need it to get the dried blood off me.

Using my fingers, I scrub my hands and then my face and body until I'm numb. My teeth chatter and I can't stop them.

I turn the faucet off and squeeze all the water out of my hair. A shadow flicked behind the plastic shower curtain and I still.

"That you, Raven?" Dex's voice asks. "You jerking off in there?"

Before I can answer, Dex whips the shower curtain back and I gasp. "Jessica

I lunge for the curtain, yanking it around my body.

"What are you doing out of bed?" He reaches down and picks up my torn clothes.

"I-I had to get cleaned up." I hold my hand out. "Give me my clothes back"

back."

"One condition." He smiles with a twinkle in his emerald eyes that has my breath hitching.

I roll my eyes, trying to appear like I don't care about his games, but my heart is racing in my chest. "That's blackmail."

"Nope. It's opportunistic. But hey, if you don't want your clothes," he says moving to the door with a shrug, "I'll throw them out for you-"

"No!" I'm wet, cold, naked and I can't chase after him. The bastard.

"Look," he strolls over to me, "I'm not asking for a make-out session like you did with Aspen."

My cheeks flame like they're on fire.

"Just a quick kiss."

"Why?" I square my shoulders, keeping the shower curtain between us.

"Never kissed a witch before." He tucks my clothes under his arm. "Some Roamies say it brings good luck."

"And some say a curse," I whisper.

"You want your stuff or not?"

"Fine." I hold up a finger. "One, quick kiss. Nothing more."

He closes the distance between us and I suddenly realize that this might be the worst thing I've ever agreed to do. He's bigger and stronger than me, with a grip that could force me against my will.

Before I can pull away, his fingers close around my wet hair. His warm, minty breath fans across my face, spicy and fresh. It smells like a summer breeze. He hauls me to his mouth. His tongue flicks across my lips, and I gasp in a sharp inhale. His scent fills me completely.

He tastes like he's been eating mint leaves by a stream. His kiss has me melting against him, the liquid heat between my thighs grows stronger. I couldn't resist him if I wanted to now. Which I don't.

A rumble of appreciation vibrates from him. Then he kisses me like he's claiming me. Hot and carnal and devouring.

My wolf growls inside me. Reminding me, chastising me that Michael is our fated mate and how much I wish I could convince her to let him go. But I can't stop kissing Dex. Don't want to stop how he's dulling the pain I've carried inside me for so long. I just want release. I just want

to feel good like he's making me right now.

I lean toward him; the shower curtain crinkles between us. He pulls away and the loss of his

lips on mine has me feeling dizzy. My lips burn from the kiss and my hands prick with needles from touching Dex. My body feels like a live wire as I try to contain the charge of conflicting feelings.

There is something seriously wrong with me.

Last night, I caulked off making out with Aspen as stress and trauma. But what does that mean with me wanting Dex now too?

He tosses the clothes to me with a smirk. "And by the way, you look way better with your clothes off."

My whole body heats.

"Now, go eat something. You're pale, and it will take you twice as long to heal if you don't stay strong."

And with that, he's out the door and I'm left shaking and wondering what the hell I've gotten myself into with these three wolves.

My wolf needs Michael even if I don't want anything to do with him. I tell myself that if he crawled on his

knees to me, I'd never forgive him for abandoning me and doing nothing while I was banished. Yet, I can't get his face out of my mind when he discovered I couldn't shift. I wrap my arms around my wet, naked body. His eyes, his scent, the way his kiss made me feel it's all still so fresh.

I think about kissing Aspen and the guilt claws at me. It has to be my wolf, playing with my heart because I shouldn't care about him.

Last night, it was like a switch was flipped on and I wanted Aspen.

And I wanted Dex too.

It has to be residual tension from yesterday, that's all.

I pull on my clothes and slip out of the bathroom and find Raven in the hallway like a silent guard glaring at me. Guilt slams into me. He knows I kissed both Aspen and Dex, but that I'm fated mates with someone else. My wolf growls, backing up inside my chest.

"There's no soap, but the water does work a bit." I force myself down the hallway and away from him. He's not my pack or my family and I don't owe him any explanation for my behavior. Not that he wouldn't have done the same thing in my place.

I take a shaky breath when he doesn't stomp after me.

Shit. I need to get my head in the game. First, find my mom so she can take this damn wolf bane charm off me. Second, remove the fated mate bound between me and Michael. Third... take a bite out of Casey's leg and show him I am a wolf. That I deserve to be in a pack. I'd make all of them eat their words.

Raven

I stare out the wooden slat covering the back window. My skin itches between my shoulder blades. The wolves had peeled out at dawn, but I didn't trust them. Their bloated bodies lounged around the house all night like they were waiting for a feast and had my own wolf howling in my chest for a fight. But there had been no recognition in their vacant eyes.

Not of who I was or Aspen or Dex. Nothing.

I clenched my fists, my shoulders tensing.

The promise I can have my Nambi back feels like someone is hacking at my breastbone with an ax. She didn't deserve to turn into a Lost One. All I