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North Beach was the private stretch of coastline on the northern edge of the Sinclair property, accessible only through a winding path that cut through the forest. It was smaller than the main beach, sheltered by cliffs on either side, with water deeper and clearer than anywhere else on the property.

By the time we arrived, the sun was high enough to warm the sand but not so high that it was uncomfortable. Aunt Vivian set up her chair and umbrella, while Drew immediately headed for the water, diving in with a whoop of joy. Mochi raced after him, fearlessly plunging into the gentle waves, while Boba waddled along the shoreline, dramatically avoiding getting his paws too wet.

I stripped down to my swim shorts, acutely aware of three pairs of eyes tracking my movements. Their attention should have made me self-conscious, but instead, it made me feel… powerful. Desired. I stretched deliberately, enjoying the way their gazes darkened, before running toward the water and diving in.

The ocean was cool but not cold, perfect after the hot walk down to the beach. I surfaced with a gasp, pushing wet hair from my eyes just in time to see Keir diving in after me, his powerful form cutting through the water with effortless grace.

“Race you to the rocks,” I challenged, already striking out toward the small formation at the edge of the cove.

Keir grinned. “You’re on, little fox.”

I had no illusion of actually beating him—not only did his werewolf strength and stamina give him an unfair advantage, but his sheer size meant each of his strokes covered nearlytwice the distance of mine. The contrast between us was striking—his broad shoulders and six-foot-two frame making powerful strokes while my five-foot-six body had to work twice as hard just to keep pace. Still, I gave it my best effort, swimming hard toward the rocks, feeling the burn in my muscles as I pushed myself. As expected, he reached them first with embarrassing ease, turning to watch me with a triumphant smile as I approached, still a good thirty feet behind.

“Show-off,” I accused as I finally reached the rocks, breathing hard and trying not to show how winded I actually was.

“Poor loser,” he countered, reaching out one large hand to help me up onto the flat surface beside him. His fingers easily encircled my wrist, reminding me yet again of the size difference between us as he effortlessly pulled me up.

The rocks formed a small, secluded alcove hidden from the view of the beach, sheltered on three sides by higher formations that created a private nook. Keir took advantage of our privacy immediately, pulling me against him as soon as I was seated, my legs still dangling in the water.

“Been wanting to do this all morning,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that I could feel vibrating through his chest where it pressed against mine.

His lips found mine with deliberate slowness, tasting of salt water and desire. The first touch was gentle, almost reverent. His hand came up to cradle my jaw, thumb stroking the line of my cheekbone with surprising tenderness. The kiss was unhurried, exploratory—his tongue tracing the seam of my lips, requesting rather than demanding entrance. When I parted for him, he made a sound low in his throat, something between a growl and a sigh, before deepening the kiss with careful precision.

His tongue slid against mine, tasting, teasing, a leisurely dance that made heat pool in my stomach. His hands, warmdespite the cool water, moved from my face to tangle in my wet hair, tilting my head to better angle our mouths together. I melted against him, my hands sliding up his chest to wrap around his neck, fingers threading through his short hair.

What started as gentle exploration gradually transformed into something hungrier, more urgent. Keir’s arm circled my lower back, pulling me flush against him until I was practically in his lap, our chests pressed together, heartbeats syncing. His other hand cradled the back of my head, holding me in place as the kiss deepened further, turning almost desperate.

I could feel every hard plane of his body against mine, the warmth of him seeping into my cooled skin. His tongue stroked deeper, more insistent, claiming every corner of my mouth as if memorizing the taste of me. I responded in kind, pressing closer, trying to eliminate any space between us, suddenly needing more of his heat, his strength, his solidity.

When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, he pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes still closed as if savoring the moment. His hand remained at the nape of my neck, thumb stroking the sensitive skin there in a way that sent shivers down my spine.

From this vantage point, we could see the beach clearly. Drew was engaged in what appeared to be a splash war with Logan, while Cade helped Aunt Vivian set up the small portable grill she’d insisted on bringing. Mochi was paddling in circles around Drew, occasionally barking encouragement, while Boba had found a comfortable spot next to Aunt Vivian’s chair, watching the water activities with judgmental disinterest.

“They look happy,” Keir observed, following my gaze, his arm still wrapped possessively around my waist.

I nodded, watching as Aunt Vivian said something that made Cade throw back his head and laugh—a rare sight that made my heart squeeze. “It’s been a good week,” I said softly.

Keir’s hand found mine on the sun-warmed rock. “It has,” he agreed, his thumb tracing circles on my wrist. “Better than I expected.”

I glanced at him, surprised by the admission. “What did you expect?”

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes on the horizon. “Resistance,” he finally said. “Anger. You running at the first opportunity.”

“I still might,” I warned, though we both knew it was an empty threat.

His fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around mine. “No, you won’t.”

The certainty in his voice should have irritated me, but instead, it sent a warm shiver down my spine. Because he was right. Somewhere in the past week, the idea of running had lost its appeal. The thought of leaving them—leaving this—behind made my chest ache in a way I wasn’t ready to examine too closely.

“We should head back,” I said reluctantly, “before they send a search party.”

“Let them search,” Keir replied, stealing another quick kiss. “But you’re right. Cade’s probably already suspicious.”

“Race you back?” I challenged, already pulling my hand free and sliding back into the water.

Keir let me have my escape, though I had no doubt he saw right through it. He followed me into the water, and this time, he let me win, hanging back just enough that I reached the shore first, triumphant and breathless.

Cade looked up as we emerged from the water, his eyes tracking the droplets running down my chest with an intensity that made my skin heat despite the cool ocean breeze.