Chapter 217

Stella "Why is it always you?" The question hung in the air, aimed straight at me. His expression shifted. First shock, then something sharper. Familiarity. I felt a crease form between my brows. Always?Did he actually remember me? He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes flicking nervously across the crowd. " This morning and last night..." The last part came out barely above a breath, but it hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart skipped a beat. My spine went cold. He didn't just remember seeing me earlier. He remembered the alley.The bite. Everything. That wasn't supposed to happen. This was way outside the rules. A glitch I hadn't prepared for. It couldn't be real. I stepped forward without thinking. I grabbed his wrist, fingers digging in. Then I yanked him away from the crowd, away from all the staring eyes and whispers. "What did you just say?" My voice dropped low, dangerous. My nails were nearly drawing blood. He looked down at my grip, something unreadable flashing in his eyes.