Page 5

“Pleased to meet you, Isaiah." Jake held out his hand, and Isaiah gave it a brief shake and then shifted his attention to the gorgeous man standing next to Jake. He was about five foot eight inches tall and about one hundred and sixty pounds and smelled like absolute heaven.

"This is my brother Aidan." Aidan extended his hand, and Isaiah took it, holding it in a firm grip while studying his eyes. The man was an impeccable specimen of masculine perfection. Muscular and beautiful with a softness that was not weakness. He had eyes that sparkled and lips that begged to be kissed. Isaiah was smitten in an instant, and the importance of this man was crystal clear.

"I'm so glad to meet you, Aidan." He saw the awareness in Aidan's gaze. He felt something just as Isaiah had felt the connection, and the bond began to form between them. Aidan looked at their joined hands and then back up at Isaiah, and he smiled.

“You work here?” Aidan asked.

“Yes, I work security with Travis and Hayes.”

“Do you live in the main house?”

"The Pack House?" He clarified, and Aidan nodded. "No, I have my own place on the cliffs.”

“Are you visiting or moving in?” Isaiah asked him, sensing that Aidan just wanted to keep the conversation going, and he was more than willing to oblige.

“I’m not sure at the moment.” The smile remained on Aidan's face, and Isaiah loved every minute with this man.

"Jake, could you come with me? I wanted to get your opinion on something." Travis inserted himself, and Jake caught on immediately.

“Sure.” He said and then turned to Aidan. “Isaiah will continue your tour, and I’ll catch up with you when I’m done.”

“Okay.” Aidan had no complaints, and Isaiah was appreciative of Travis and Jake’s maneuvering, although he sensed a hesitation in Jake. They watched as Travis and Jake headed back in the direction of the main house.

“So, how much of Bay Harbor has Jake introduced you to?” Isaiah began and placed his hand softly on Aidan's upper back.

“We just started. I met the gardeners and the house manager and toured the gardens in the front yard. I think thereis still a lot to see.” He took a step closer to Isaiah and looked up into his eyes.

“Have we met before? You seem familiar.” Aidan commented as they began to walk in the direction of the Bay. The beach was always lovely and quiet. It would give Isaiah the opportunity to have a nice talk with Aidan. The fact that this man was his mate was still a shock. When he heard that Jake’s brother was a mate to someone in the pack, he never assumed that this handsome man would belong to him. It was a delightful shock.

"I don't believe we have met. I'm sure I would remember you, but I do feel like I know you.” Isaiah kept stealing touches and glances, which, to his pleasure, Aidan reciprocated readily. "You live in Eastport, I assume." Isaiah wanted to get him to talk about himself.

He wanted to know all there was to know about his precious mate. His wolf was still pushing forward, trying to get a look at their new mate, and he wouldn’t doubt that the beast could be seen in his eyes. Therefore, he tried to keep his gaze on the ground or out towards the bay.

“I work for Sensor Properties as a real estate specialist.” Aidan moved his hand so that the backs of their hands touched as they walked. After a few hundred feet of awkward touches, Isaiah took the initiative to take hold of Aidan's hand, holding it loosely in his. Aidan accepted the embrace without comment.

“Henrik is dealing with Sensor in the acquisition of the property to the north. He hopes to expand the Bay Harbor footprint, and I believe he’s interested in some new builds broadening the residential.” Isaiah enjoyed their easy exchange, but there was a fire inside him that was growing larger by theminute. He needed more from Aidan than just idle chit-chat. He needed real recognition.

The chance for a deeper interaction came almost immediately. Aidan stopped all of a sudden and turned on Isaiah. “They’re keeping me here because of something I saw.”

“What did you see?” Isaiah had a hunch, but he wasn’t going to offer it up. Aidan needed to tell him. Isaiah turned toward him then, and their eyes met once again. The wolf was apparent, and Aidan’s reaction was predictable. The power of his wolf was showing through. Being so close to his newly discovered mate made it impossible to force him down. The wolf wanted what the wolf wanted, and so did Isaiah.

Aidan pulled his hand free and jumped back from Isaiah, but he did not run away. He stood there, taking it all in from a distance of a few feet. Fate was doing its job. “I saw a man turn into a wolf.” Isaiah did not speak but kept pushing the power of his presence toward Aidan, flooding him with calm awareness.

"You're a wolf," Aidan stated after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. "Hayes shifted in front of me because I had doubted what I saw. He was a huge wolf, black and fierce."

“Did it scare you?” Isaiah asked softly, and Aidan gave a quick shake of his head.

Aidan felt like his heart and his mind were all over the place, and he was struggling to understand even a portion of what was happening to him and failing. Was he afraid? No, he wasn't afraid; he was confused and agitated, but it was not fear. Isaiah did not scare him, and neither had Hayes.

“You’re a wolf," Aidan repeated himself, and Isaiah nodded.

“Yes, most everyone you will meet on pack lands will be wolves. There are mates that are humans, fox shifters, bear shifters, and other species, but this is a wolf pack led by the Alpha Wolf Henrik Vaughn.” It confused him further, but he appreciated Isaiah's honesty.

"I don't know how to process this information. I know it's true; I saw what I saw, and I can clearly see it in you. The area is teaming with energy, supernatural energy I can feel. I couldn't feel it before." He was grappling with this sudden flood of evidence that refused to fit into his previous view of life and the world he lived in.

Aidan came closer, one slow step at a time. It felt as if he were being pulled by an unseen force. “I believe you.”

"Thank you," Isaiah said and reached out his hand to Aidan. “I promise to never lie to you.” Aidan took the hand and held it tightly in his own. The contact was settling and comforted him in a way that was more than just supportive; he felt Isaiah’s presence down to his bones.