After Jules declares that we’re going to find a way to retrieve my lost memories, he strikes a deal with Philip: let me go and leave me alone, and in exchange, he’ll get to the bottom of what happened the day my parents were killed.

“Once we get Lake to remember, we should have enough proof to get your family released,” he tells Philip. “And hopefully, we’ll be able to bring some justice for Elle and Breeze.”

“Who’s Breeze?” I ask, my brain already aching with information overload.

Jules and Philip look at me in pity.

Great. Glad to see that also happens in this realm.

“Breeze was your father’s shortened name,” Jules explains, giving my hand a squeeze.

I’ve moved my hand away from his several times, but his fingers always seem to gravitate right back. Eventually, I just stopped trying. I’m not sure why he’s so determined to hold my hand, other than perhaps it’s a werewolf thing.

“Oh.” I try to drag out a recollection from my mind, but the effort is useless. Whatever is making me forget is definitely working. “Why do you think I can’t remember anything?”

Jules wavers. “That’s really hard to say. It could be anything from a spell to a curse. Or, it could just be from trauma.”

I frown. “You think I forgot intentionally?”

“Not intentionally.” His treads with caution. “But I’ve heard of instances where, when a creature witnesses something so traumatically painful, their brain copes with the pain by blocking out the memories.”

“Yeah, stuff like that happens in the Common Realm, too.” In fact, I remember wishing my brain would react that way to the werewolf attack. Unfortunately, the memories only seemed to heighten with each passing day. “A couple of my foster parents took me to these doctors to see if they could figure out why my brain was broken. I think Social Service actually recommended it and paid for it and everything, but it was a waste of time and money because I’m still just as broken as when I was found.”

“You aren’t broken. And I don’t want you thinking you are,” Jules states, scooting closer to me.

Tell that to all my foster parents.

“I didn’t mean me, per se. I meant my head.”

He searches my eyes, and I swear to all the realms he can read the self-doubt in my mind. “You aren’t broken,” he states again. “And as for your brain, us Midnight creatures are more powerful and knowledgeable than the Common Realm doctors who simply study their methods in books.”

“How do you know that’s what doctors do?” I ask. “Earlier, you seemed like you didn’t know very much about the Common Realm.”

“I don’t,” he admits. “But I did cross paths with a doctor visiting here on a traveler’s pass. I was at a bar, actually, and he was drunk and chatted my ear off for hours.”

I giggle. “I don’t know why, but for some reason, I can’t picture that.”

A smile graces his lips. “And why’s that?”

“You just don’t seem like a people person. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know … Like I’m amusing.”

“Because you are amusing. And you’re adorable when you giggle.” He brushes a strand of hair out of my eyes. “And, as for being a people person, I’m actually pretty good at socializing, especially when I’m drunk.”

I’m still surprised he’d just sit at a bar and chat with a human.

“You didn’t seem that way when I first saw you,” I point out. “And you were pissed off at me because Shade pointed out you were smiling. You acted like it was a bad thing, and that it was all my fault.”

“I wasn’t drunk at the club.” His hand falls to his lap. “And that wasn’t about you. Well, not really. I was just irritated because you made me smile.”

I press my hand to my chest, mocking shock. “I made you smile? Oh, my wolves, whatever is wrong with me? I’m the worse person in the world!”

A beat skips by, then Philip bust up laughing.

“She’s an interesting one. I’ll give her that,” he remarks as he laughs his ass off. Then he suddenly grows serious. “You better be careful with her, Jules. She smarts off to the wrong creature like that and she won’t last long in this realm. And she’s currently my collateral, so that better not happen.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to her. I won’t let it.” Violet glints in his eyes again. This time I pretend not to notice.

“Just as long as I don’t make you smile, right?” I tease, attempting to lighten the intensity pouring off him.

He leans in, lowering his voice. “I wasn’t upset because you made me smile. I was irritated with myself because I thought you were a strange, yet very amusing girl who made me smile, something I haven’t done in a long time. And I felt guilty about it.”

“Why would you feel guilty about smiling?” I wonder. “And why haven’t you smiled in a long time?”

He sighs. “You’re so full of questions.”

“Sorry.” Not really.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way. What I said in the club about humans asking questions … I was just thrown off by you and acting like an asshole.” He pauses. “And while I’d love to answer all your questions, I’m not sure if you’re ready to hear some of them yet.”

“Because the answers are bad?”

“No, because they’re intense and a lot to take in, and you just learned that you’re a werewolf and ran off, so I think we should take it easy for now and not pile everything onto you at once.”

I rub my forehead, a headache approaching. “You’re making me nervous, like there’s a lot of bad stuff you’re not telling me.”

“It’s not bad, I promise.” He strokes my jawline with his fingertips.

I swear the damn guy can’t stop touching me. I wonder if that has to do with our little connection.

“There’s just a lot of responsibilities that come with what you are,” he continues, his fingers wandering across my neck, gently massaging. “And I don’t want to dump all of it on you at once.”

“Do these responsibilities have anything to do with me being a princess?” I ask. “I don’t have to run a kingdom, do I?”

It takes him a moment to answer. “That all really depends on how the crowning selection goes.” He thrums the fingers of his free hand against the top of his knee. “Every werewolf pack has at least a dozen princesses and princes for every generation, but only one is chosen for king and one for queen, which is chosen by the crown.”

“You’ve already been chosen for king, right?” I ask, and he nods. “So, then a queen has already been chosen, too, right?”

He shakes his head. “The crown didn’t choose a queen during the last selection, probably because not all the princesses were there. We didn’t know that at the time. We actually thought there was something wrong with the crown. My father even sent out a small team of royal wolves to track down the witch who enchanted the crown to see if she could figure out why it wasn’t working. She said the magic in it is fine, so no one knew what to think. Now it makes sense. It was waiting for you.”

“But that doesn’t mean it’s going to choose me, right?” I ask with hope. “That would be disastrous.”

He sketches a delicate path along my star marking. “Why do you say that?”

“Um, because I don’t know anything about the Midnight Realm or wolves or ruling.” My eyelashes uncontrollably flutter as his finger grazes the corner of my eye. “I don’t even have a scent.”

“Yeah, what’s up with her scent?” Philip interrupts. “It’s very faint.”

“I don’t know why it’s so faint.” Jules trails his fingertips down my cheek to my jawline, coming to a rest at my collarbone.

“But in the club, you said you couldn’t smell it at all,” I remind him, unsure whether to move back from his touch or not. I’m so conflicted and confused. “Why is it faint now?”

He splays his fingers along the base of my neck. “When you jumped across the table to run away, a tiny bit of it blew into the air.” He lowers his head and inhales against my neck. “I don’t know for sure, but I’m wondering if your scent and powers have been dormant for over a decade because you’ve been trapped in the Common Realm, away from the powers of the moonlight that current through our realm.” He burrows his face into my neck. “At least, I’m assuming your powers have been dormant since you didn’t know what you are and you looked shocked as hell when you effortlessly jumped over the table.”

“I was shocked … I’ve never been able to move that fast or gracefully. Well, at least for the last decade.” I slant away from him. “Look, I don’t know what it is with everyone smelling me, if it’s like a paranormal’s way of shaking hands, but it’s making me very uncomfortable.”

Jules raises his head, inhaling deeply. “I’m sorry I keep doing it, but you smell so fucking good.”

“I’m sure I smell just like the rest of you.” Though Jules’ scent is a tad bit different than other wolves. I’m noticing that now that my werewolf senses are tuning in. Like moonlight mixed with the tiniest dash of violets.

“You smell way lovelier than any other wolf.” He drags his teeth along his lip rings. “Like stars and moon dust and violets. No other wolf smells like violets.”

“You do a little bit. Smell like violets, I mean.”

“I know.”

“Does that have anything to do with that little connection thing you were talking about …? I can’t remember the name of it.”

“The alterum dimidium animae,” he says, and I nod. “Yeah, it does a little bit.”

I eye him over suspiciously. “What exactly is a alterum dimidium animae, anyway?”

“I already explained part of it to you. As for the rest, I don’t think you’re ready to hear that right now.”

I want to say that I am, but he’s probably right. Only hours ago, I freaked out and ran out of the club because he tried to kiss me and told me I was a werewolf.

“We should probably get going,” Jules announces as he stands. “We need to get back home so I can talk to a few wolves, and then see if we can figure out what’s blocking your memories.”

I note the time. “Holy crap, how long was I out?”

“For quite a while,” Jules says, shooting Philip a glare.

I throw a nasty look in Philip’s direction, as well. “Thanks for wasting my time, kitty cat.”

He merely grins. “Waste your time? Come on now; you had a little bit of fun. I mean, it’s not every day you’re used as a bargaining tool between an awesome cat shapeshifter and a moody werewolf.”

Shaking my head, I focus back on Jules. “My pass expires in just a few hours.”

He stares down at me with hesitancy written all over his face. “Lake, I’m pretty sure that, despite having a pass, you might not be able to get back into the Common Realm. Even if the portal allowed you to pass through, the guards on the other side would be able to detect your scent now.”

“Yeah, so? A few wolves managed to sneak in a couple of weeks ago.” I rise to my feet and stretch my arms above my head. “So, who’s to say I can’t sneak into it, either?”

His forehead scrunches. “Wolves snuck into the Common Realm?”

I nod. “That’s what Legend’s guard friend said.”

He runs his thumb along the silver rings on his hand, making the skin hiss. “Did he say what pack they were from?”

“No.” I flick his thumb away from the rings, the silver fleetingly scalding my fingertips in the process. “Stop doing that.”

“Sorry,” he mutters distractedly.

I rub my fingertips together where the silver rings briefly touched. The skin is already smoothed over. “Why does it matter what pack they were from?”

He shrugs, apprehension flooding his eyes. Before I can press him for details, he tangles his ring-less fingers through mine. “If you really want to try to go back to the Common Realm, I can walk you to the portal and see if I can get us both in.”

“You want to go to the Common Realm with me?” I question with skepticism.

“No, but if you really want to live there—to go back to that life—I’m not going to stop you. But I’m also not going to let you go there alone. Not now that you have a scent. And not when other werewolves are sneaking in.” His eyes flicker with faint violet light. “And not when I just got you back.”

“You don’t even know me,” I tell him. Still, his words make me feel strangely warm inside. “For all you know, I could be super annoying and mean and evil.”

He chuckles. “You’re definitely not annoying, mean, or evil. And I may not completely know you now, but I knew you back then, and I liked you back then.”

“But I could be different now.”

“So? I want to have a chance to get to know you.”

“Even if that means living in the boring human world?”

He gives a stiff but firm nod. “Even if it means I die of boredom.”

“You wolves are awfully dramatic,” I remark with an eye roll.

“You should probably fit right in then, at least from what I’ve seen,” he teases with a smirk.

I shake my head. “You know, for someone who supposedly didn’t smile for a very long time, you sure got that whole smirk thing down.”

He chuckles, but his laughter promptly dwindles as the clock chimes, announcing the start of a new hour. “So, what do you say, Lake? Are we going back to the Common Realm to live with the boring humans and watch me die a slow and torturous death by the hands of boredom? Or are you going to stay here, in your home, and rediscover who you are and the magic of your realm?”

Well, when he puts it that way …

“Fine. I’ll stay here for now and save you from a slow and torturous death by the hands of boredom.” When I roll my eyes, he grins. “And it’s nice to know that you’re a drama queen.”

Philip snickers, and Jules just keeps on smiling, looking happy as can be. It makes me feel a tab bit better about going home with a werewolf to a place where his entire pack lives.

A pack I’m supposed to be a part of.

Reality crashes over me, but I do my best to stay calm. I just hope that everything will be okay. And that all the werewolves in the pack are as nice as Jules seems.