“New rules. If you are smart enough to live, you won’t hit Charles’s mate in front of his father.”

“Apparently deciding Charles’s brief introduction wasn’t good enough, his brother reintroduced himself. “Dr. Samuel Cornick, elder brother and tormentor. Very nice to meet you, Anna—”

“Like when you sit in front of a fire in winter — you are just there in front of the fire. You don't have to be smart or anything. The fire warms you.”

“Dez kissed his cheek and hissed in his ear, “You say a word—they won’t find your body for months.” Wolves were a smart breed and always knew when a predator meaner than them was near.”

“Stop moving around.''Your opponent" --Daniel panted--"isn't going to stand still and just let you hit him.' He held his boxing mitts out in front of him, welcoming a new attack.He would if he knew what was good for him.”

“This was why people got mated, Rehv suddenly thought. Fuck the sex and the social position. If they were smart, they did it to make a house that had no walls and an invisible roof and a floor that no could walk on-and yet the structure was a shelter no storm could blow down, no match could torch up, no passage of years could degrade.That was when it hit him. A mated bond like that helped you through shit nights like this.”