Ashley's POV
Scalding water poured over my skin, but it couldn't wash away the bone-deep chill clinging to me. I slipped into a clean silk robe and sat alone in the empty living room. The old brass clock ticked monotonously, its cold hands mercilessly crossing past 2 a.m. Sleep was out of the question. Every time I closed my eyes, the repulsive stench of that rogue wolf burst through my senses like an unwelcome memory. The only thing that could chase away this suffocating darkness was the strength of Hebert's arms.
But he wasn't back yet.
The heavy oak door creaked low and deep as it was pushed open from the outside. A suffocating, overpowering scent of blood instantly flooded the air in the living room. This wasn't the smell of a simple scrape or cut—it was the lingering stench
