Page 14

Chapter

Thirteen

D ANNY

“Do you think Knox will come?” I asked Milo as we carried platters of food through my parents’ house and out the back doors onto the deck.

There was a pack run tonight, and I’d been both dreading it and looking forward to it all week. I was eager to see Knox in his other form and to spend more time with him, but I was also anxious about achieving my mission.

I needed to make it clear to the clan that I cared for Knox so they shouldn’t ostracize him on my behalf. That wasn’t fair. Especially not when he was the one already being hurt by a reluctant mate.

“Do you want him to come?” Milo asked, setting down a platter on one of the tables arranged along the side of the deck. The outdoor lights were on, although most shifters wouldn’t need the artificial illumination to see the food properly.

“Yeah.” The admission was easier than I’d expected. “I do.”

Milo straightened and turned away from the table, his gaze catching on something behind me. He flashed me a smile. “Behind you.”

I looked around and my breath caught. Knox was standing in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the light spilling from inside. Shadows danced across his stubbled jaw and hid his eyes from view. Although I couldn’t see them, I got the feeling he was looking straight at me.

I shivered. Fuck, he was sexy.

“Go,” Milo hissed, giving my shoulder a little push. “You’ve got this.”

Did I?

I didn’t feel like it.

But I couldn’t just stare at Knox all night, so I gathered my courage and forced myself into motion. A moment later, I found myself in front of him.

“Danny.” His tone was warm and slightly raspy. Incredibly masculine.

“Knox.” I loved the way his name tasted on my tongue. “What’s your favorite bakery item?”

His eyebrows knitted together. “Why do you want to know?”

I kept my chin high. “Because I’d like to properly thank you for protecting me after those wolves drove through the bakery window, and for keeping an eye on me every night since then.”

The slightest hint of a blush appeared on his cheeks. “You don’t have to give me anything. I was happy to do it.”

“I insist.” I wasn’t about to back down now that I was finally being brave enough to have a proper conversation with him that didn’t involve either an exchange of cash for coffee or some kind of trauma.

He chuckled. “Suit yourself. I like apple pie.”

“Excellent.” I’d make him the best apple pie he’d ever eaten .

“Excuse me, boys.”

I started. I hadn’t noticed Momma hovering behind Knox, trying to get through the doorway. “Sorry, Momma.”

Knox stepped aside, and I moved with him. Momma joined us on the deck, and Dad whistled to get everyone’s attention. Once he had it, he injected a little Alpha boom into his voice and spoke loudly enough for us all to hear.

“Thank you for coming to our first run of December. I won’t talk for long because I can see you’ve all been helping yourself to Melinda’s excellent cooking and are eager to burn off some energy in the woods. Next time we meet, we’ll be well into the festive season. I know you’re looking forward to it. I certainly am. Stay safe tonight. Keep away from humans. And most of all, have fun.”

He fell silent, and after a couple of seconds, the hum of conversation restarted. Behind me, I could hear George and Sam from the children’s home chatting about the events they had planned, and to my left, the owner of the general store was making plans to put up decorations with his wife.

I sauntered over to them and joined in the conversation. When the opportunity presented itself, I asked if they’d met Knox. They were both wary, and I felt a twinge of guilt. If I’d been more aware of the situation, I could have ensured that Knox was made to feel welcome from the beginning, despite my uncertainty as to what to do about him.

I hurried to explain how protective he was of me, and how we were getting to know each other. When they seemed to have gotten the point, I moved on to another group. I cycled in and out of different conversations, mentioning Knox and praising him in ways that I knew shifters would approve of.

One of the older bear shifters asked why I’d rejected him if he was so great.

I flinched, and curled in on myself. “I’m afraid that has more to do with my own poor past decisions than it does with him,” I admitted, feeling two feet tall.

Understanding dawned in his expression.

“That no-good Rex,” he growled, opening his mouth as if about to begin a tirade. However, at that point, Knox materialized at my side.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “You look upset.”

I blinked, surprised that he’d picked up on my mood from across the deck. “I’m fine.”

Knox frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Perfectly.”

“He is,” my companion confirmed. “He was just singing your praises.”

Patches of red appeared on Knox’s cheeks. “Uh, the others are getting ready to run. Would you like to too?”

I looked around and realized that he was right. While I’d been busy glad-handing on his behalf, others had begun to strip off their clothes and head into the woods.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

The bear shifter we were with stretched onto his tiptoes and scanned the crowd. “Damn, my wife has already left. I’m gonna be in trouble later.”

He rushed away. Knox led me to the end of the deck. He kicked off his shoes, removed his socks, and was undoing the fly of his jeans by the time I realized that I was staring without actually doing anything myself.

He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow. One side of his mouth hitched in a smirk, as if silently asking whether I wanted him to reveal more. I wasn’t ready for that yet so I tore my gaze away and focused on undressing myself. Shoes came off, followed by socks, jeans, and my sweater.

I peeked at Knox. His legs were bare now, and damn they were sexy. Muscular thighs, juicy calves, and nestled at the top, a cock that was long and thick and made my mouth water.

Focus, Danny.

I pulled off my shirt and, feeling suddenly shy, turned away as I yanked down my underwear. I shifted quickly, eager to get into my fur. When I looked back around, Knox was gone and in his place stood an enormous wolf with glossy black fur and gleaming green eyes.

My breath caught. He was beautiful.

He met my gaze and I couldn’t help but wonder what he saw when he looked at me. My fur was thick and richly colored, and I took good care of myself, but Knox was a wolf. He wouldn’t necessarily find the same things attractive that other bears did. What did he think of me?

He nudged me with his muzzle, and jerked his head toward the woods. He wanted to join the others. I lumbered toward the trees but stopped when he ran in front of me and danced in a circle. His head was low to the ground, his backside up in the air, his tail wagging.

All of a sudden, he took off. He wanted to play.

I gave chase. I followed him into the woods, winding between trees, allowing the swish of his dark tail to lead me farther into the depths of the national park.

When he left my side, I used scent to guide me until I realized that he had doubled around. I turned and found him behind me. He yipped and bounced. I chuffed at him and nosed his side. He pounced, and I rolled onto my back. I should have been scared, having my belly exposed to a predator, but I felt safe.

Maybe we could make this work after all.

Just as I was considering shifting so I could talk to him properly, the bush rustled behind us and Everett burst into the clearing.

I sighed. Any conversation would have to wait.