Jayln threw up, her whole body shaking as she sobbed. She had waited until she was sure he was out of earshot before she moved to even lower her shirt.

Oh gods, what had she done? She'd tried to make a deal with the devil was what she'd done—and she'd had the audacity to be surprised when he betrayed her.

She'd always prided herself in her cool head, her ability to read people and their intentions. Jayln had been so sure Fenrin had been serious. She'd been worried when they left, half expecting him to take his revenge, slaying her and going for more men. It would have made sense, after all she had kept him imprisoned for a month and killed his people. But when he hadn't attacked immediately, she'd taken it as a sign she'd been right.

Fenrin had taken her down so easily. Even after a month of imprisonment, he'd been stronger and faster. Her victory over his men before had made her cocky. She should have remembered the shock on his face when he'd realized he’d been defeated. It had been surprise and good planning that had beaten Fenrin, brute force was his.

Jayln fixed her clothing, hands shaking. She'd never felt so helpless before.

Naïve. Last time he'd called her that, she'd denied it adamantly. Now, she saw his point. There was darkness she had never seen. Fenrin had evaded all her planning with a simple sentence. He didn't need this alliance, he didn't need compliance or permission, he could take what he wanted.

Then why did he stop?

Jayln glanced over to his sword, still lying abandoned in the dirt. The strange fascination she felt when thinking about the man returned. She didn't believe there was anyone who was born evil. Only people who chose wrong due to greed or circumstance. She had a feeling for Fenrin, it was mainly the latter. It was why she had decided to try to trust him. Naïve.

She'd survived and was unharmed. She could go back to her village, gather her people and hunt him down like a dog. But that wouldn't solve the bigger problem.

And...he'd stopped. Why?

Did it matter? Was she willing to stand by his side, to try to make a man out the monster after what he'd just done?

It did matter.

It meant that there was more to him than a bloodstained past, a messed up family, and animal instincts. He'd claimed that taking what he wanted when he wanted it was his creed, but he'd just denied that.

Plus she needed him. She realized that now more than ever. If she had underestimated his depravity and his sister was bad enough to make Fenrin disgusted, Jayln and her people didn't stand a chance once the queen turned her eye to the north.

"Dad was right," she whispered recalling her father's parting words.

"This will be the hardest thing you've ever done, Jay, don't forget why you're doing it."

She'd seen the fear in his eyes when he'd let her go. He'd just lost his beloved wife and he suspected he was about to lose her too. The only thing that came close to her father’s love for his family was his love for their village and their way of life. That's what she was here to protect and not even Fenrin the Wolf would stop her.

He didn't deserve any of her efforts, but, for now, she needed him. She clenched her fists and stood up. With steady hands, she grabbed her pack, sheathed her sword, and shoved Fenrin's through the bag's front strap securing it there before slinging onto her back.

She had a man to find.