  Jacob&#39;s Perspective
  Damn, I really didn&#39;t want this kind of trouble. On human turf, we had to play by their damn rules, at least superficially.
  I signaled for Celena to pull over first, letting a few ordinary civilian cars pass. We stopped by the roadside like two genuine, law-abiding citizens, but every muscle in our bodies was coiled tight. We watched the police car parked behind us, its lights strobing aggressively, like two wolves poised to strike.
  Two officers got out, flanking us, their hands hovering near their holsters in that infuriatingly textbook posture. One of them picked up a loudspeaker, his voice metallic and absolute. &quot;Cut the engine! Step out of the vehicle! Get on the ground, hands on your heads!&quot;
  Hell no. On the ground? Helpless? Not a chance.
  Celena and I exchanged a single glance. No words needed. The moment the two men thought we were 

  Jacob&#39;s Perspective
  The campfire crackled, its strength fading until only deep red embers remained, breathing softly in the darkness. Celena&nbsp;had curled up beside the dying fire and fallen asleep. Moonlight washed over her face, tracing impossibly soft lines. Her long lashes cast faint shadows on her cheeks, and a few strands of brown hair clung to her slightly parted lips. God, she was so beautiful it made my heart ache. I wished I could stay right here, like this, shielding her from all the storms and trouble forever.
  Exhaustion finally claimed us both. In the dead of night, the temperature plummeted, the raw chill of the wilderness seeping into our bones. Driven by some wolf-instinct, or maybe just our bodies unconsciously seeking familiar warmth and comfort—when I felt a warm form press against me in my half-asleep state, my arms opened almost on their own. She settled 

  Celena&#39;s Perspective
  That idiot! How did he manage to get himself cut dealing with two bumbling, amateur human thugs? I could have handled it perfectly well on my own. A slight burst of werewolf speed was all it would have taken to drop the guy with the knife. I didn&#39;t need him charging in like some action hero to take the blow for me... Well, okay, not exactly take the blow, but the result is still this gash on his arm.
  My fingers worked deftly, tying an efficient knot in the bandage around his solid forearm while I silently grumbled. Strangely, beneath the annoyance, a trickle of undeniable sweetness seeped through, like honey leaking from a cracked jar. This was how we used to be. Whether it was me bruising my knee during training or him getting scratched by branches on patrol, one of us would always patch up the other—clumsily applying ointment, accompanied by a mix of 

Jacob&#39;s Perspective
  Damn, I really didn&#39;t want this kind of trouble. On human turf, we had to play by their damn rules, at least superficially.
  I signaled for Celena to pull over first, letting a few ordinary civilian cars pass. We stopped by the roadside like two genuine, law-abiding citizens, but every muscle in our bodies was coiled tight. We watched the police car parked behind us, its lights strobing aggressively, like two wolves poised to strike.
  Two officers got out, flanking us, their hands hovering near their holsters in that infuriatingly textbook posture. One of them picked up a loudspeaker, his voice metallic and absolute. &quot;Cut the engine! Step out of the vehicle! Get on the ground, hands on your heads!&quot;
  Hell no. On the ground? Helpless? Not a chance.
  Celena and I exchanged a single glance. No words needed. The moment the two men thought we were complying, their vigilance wavering for a split second, Celena slammed her foot on the accelerato

Chapter 221