Danny grinned, this smile reaching her eyes. “I’m more entertained at your inability to casually do anything—whether it’s friendship, dating, or fucking.

Sierra’s eyes flashed amber, the familiar color of her wolf, one his own had responded to all these years. “Don’t discredit yourself, Kelly,” she said, cuffing his shoulder. “No one happens to call me on my shit like you do. However, I also know I can’t keep you here. I’ve been so wrapped up in Dax and the changes to the pack I overlooked one of the most important members.

On her darkest days, the memories of the splintered floorboards crept in, along with the drip, drip, drip of old plumbing that had never been fixed. She still remembered the shouts from the others in the crew and how the mingle of voices was at first familiar and over time had grown as distant as the sea.

Better to leave with good memories than have the last ones be the embarrassing, smoking ruin of what once had been a fantastic friendship.

Fine, fine, I’ll indulge in this ‘socializing’ thing you always rave about.