Chapter 331


    I run off Rathbornnds, but this time it’s on purpose.


    And once I’m far enough away from pack territory and into the public National Park, I quickly make my


    way to the spot I’ve seen Ronan twice now.


    I’m hoping to see him again, and part of me thinks I should have messaged him to check he was going


    to be out here again today. I know I’m taking a risk, particrly if Axel’s tied up with our enemy


    breaching our borders, but that’s to the North and I’m here, in broad daylight, far to the North.


    I barely know him, but there’s something almost maic about him.


    Plus, he’s listened and seems to care in a way other people in my life simply don’t.


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    I want to get to know him better, and my heart flutters as I idly wonder just how well I might get to know


    him…if we might be something more than friends.


    The idea thrills me, but my wolf is unhappy and sulky about it.


    She wants us to go back to Rathbornnds, back to our mate, back to Axel.


    Clearly, she has no self-respect, and doesn’t care about the fact that he rejected us and has treated me


    terribly.


    I push down my brooding wolf and continue on through the forest.


    When I step out through the trees and into the clearing, I’m thrilled to once again see Ronan sitting on


    a pic nket, this time writing in a journal of some kind.


    “Do you live out here or something?” I ask as I cross over to him.


    He looks up with a smile. “I could ask the same of you.”


    I sit down on the nket without waiting to be invited, but Ronan is smiling, so I know he doesn’t mind.


    He reaches down to a container and lifts it.


    “Chocte muffin?” he offers. “Made fresh this morning.”


    I take one, my mouth watering at the scent of freshly baked muffin, even though breakfast wasn’t that


    long ago.


    “Did you make these yourself?” I ask before biting into it and trying not to moan at the spongey


    choctey goodness of it.


    Ronan gives a quick shrug. “I like to bake.”


    I can’t help but smile. “Keep this up, and I’m going to start thinking that you’re kind of amazing.”


    He smiles in return, but there’s an edge to the expression, like maybe he’s not telling me something, or


    he’s worried about something.


    I realize for all the times we’ve talked, I’ve gone on and on about my stuff, but he hasn’t really told me


    anything about himself apart from the basics.


    “Is everything okay?” I ask him, thinking maybe it’s time I returned the favor and listened to any


    problems he might have, instead of talking about myself all the time.


    “I’m just not who you think I am, Emily,” Ronan says, ncing away and looking troubled.


    “Well,” I say, picking at the muffin, my appetite suddenly gone. “I don’t know much about you, other


    than some basics. So maybe you can tell me who you are. I promise, it won’t change the fact that I


    think you’re a good person.”


    He looks troubled as he returns his gaze to me, and I wonder what he wants to tell me that could be so


    terrible, it’ll change my opinion about him.


    Considering my own life and all the things I’ve been through, I’m pretty sure whatever he tells me won’t


    be as bad as he thinks it is.


    “You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t feel ready,” I quickly say to him. “In fact, whatever it is,


    you don’t have to tell me at all. You don’t owe me anything. Truthfully, I probably owe you for all the


    listening and understanding you’ve given me since we met.”


    Ronan smiles at this, and it’s a more genuine expression.


    “It’s no hardship, Emily. I think you’re an amazing person, and the people in your life don’t give enough


    credit for who you really are at heart.”


    I feel myself blushing from his praise and find myself wishing if only Axel had such a high opinion of


    me.


    And then I wonder what it would have been like if Ronan had been my mate, not Axel.


    Except I don’t even know if Ronan is a wolf…


    I’ve been trying to brush aside the fact that I haven’t been able to scent-identify him.


    It’s not natural, and I probably should be more suspicious of it than I have been.


    But Ronan hasn’t proven to be a threat to me, so I’m left wondering if it even matters.


    “I want to tell you the truth, Emily,” Ronan says when I don’t reply to his earlierpliment. “I think you


    deserve to know, and I think—I hope—you’ll understand.”


    “Understand?” I repeat, feeling worried for the first time.


    “Yes,” Ronan says with a nod. “You’ll hear me out when I tell you who I am…what I am.”


    Thest three words make me go still, and I know in that moment, whatever Ronan is, he’s not human.


    And maybe it’s no ident I can’t scent him.


    “What are you?” I demand, my body tensing, ready to run.


    Ronan takes a breath and then calmly looks me in the eyes.


    “I’m a vampire.”