YEARS

et, gloved hands rubbing to

friend, Lei. She's as bundled up as I am, a creamy woollen hat pulled over her already near-white hair, scarf wrapped right up to her chi

sking sending me sliding across the slick patches of ice that litter the cobblestone bridge we cross over. My mo

sigh, looking up at the grey sky, clouds swirling menacing

hy." "You know Alec is coming, right

other's strictness hasn't changed since I became an adult. She still believes I should wait for my mate, that I shouldn't giv

ng very well that I don't like Alec.

s having only meet since starting university. It was just luck, or perhaps the opposite, that Alec was in a lot of

t, wh

uld make it a big deal," I say with a sigh, wishing I wa

something I like reliving, having it haunt my dreams every night being enough to keep the fear alive and well. My mother dismi

ious

son why Alec can't even look me in the eye now, knowing he left me for dead. "We haven't talked a

left me there, not coming back to allow me to thank them. My mother even put ads in

s not the first time she has said that.

n Alec and I arrived. I could have been certain it was just us out there, although my memory of the incid

pened," I remind her. Lei cares, or at least tries to. I don't blame her for finding my obsess

course it's going to be on your mind," she says, nudgi

as in a way I've managed to accept that I came out alive, and that was what was meant to

my mother's estate in the distance, a smile playing on her lips. "Remem

we stroll down would be more merciful than to hear Lei terrorise me with this. In my drun

At least I don't have to worry about her spreading that information to anyone else, as my best friend. When the incident happened,

such a

p thinking about it, I need to. It's becoming unhealthy," I say, drawing in a l

althy

he shadows," I admit. The feeling of being followed is an especially vivid one. It started the moment I returned home from

behind me, like I'm close to catching somet

be frightened of is her mother," Lei

he ball. Something tells me to

cal i