Ryder's POV
The wolf inside me was a ghost.
I felt it in the stillness of my bones, the hollow where his howl used to vibrate.
It hadn't howled in months. Now, it just… shivered, curled tight like a dying pup. The rot wasn't just in my veins anymore—it was in my soul.
Joshua slammed the motel room door, the sound cracking through the air like a gunshot. He tossed a greasy paper bag onto the bed, the smell of fries and burnt meat seeping into the room. "Eat."
I stared at the burger, its wrapper stained with grease. My stomach turned. Meat tasted like ash now. Like her.
"Not hungry," I muttered, pushing the bag away. The motion sent a bolt of pain up my arm, the muscles there withered and twitching.
Joshua crouched in front of me, his eyes blazing like coals. It's been four days already, I wished he would just give up on me. But not Joshua...there was no giving up in sight.
"You're skin and teeth, Ry. Eat."
"Or what?" I rasped. "You'll force-feed me?"
