Chapter 186

Christina's POV It must have been the New Year's atmosphere—the crowded streets, the brilliant fireworks, and my racing heart. Hudson's dark eyes reflected my face as I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips against his. My lips gently brushed the smile at the corner of his mouth. Warm, soft. Even with all the noise around us, my enhanced wolf hearing caught his heartbeat speeding up for just a moment. My face felt hot, definitely from the cold night air. "Happy New Year," I whispered. Akira purred in my mind. "I'm not complaining, but why didn't some mistletoe suddenly appear here?" Thirty minutes later, we left Midtown Crossing. Everything felt strange. The same streets, but completely different somehow. My hands were numb from the cold. My ears were still ringing. I couldn't tell if it was from the wind or my short-circuited brain. When we got back to the apartment, my legs were so cramped I had to grab the counter to pull off my boots. I nearly passed out in the shower. The water