Page 3

Chapter

Two

K NOX

I approached Everett and Milo with my heart in my throat. “Hey.”

“What?” Everett growled, obviously pissed at the interruption to their impromptu make-out session. I didn’t care. There were more pressing things to worry about.

I tugged the end of my ponytail, my gut clenching as I tried to give voice to my fears. “My mate…” I began. “Did he just reject me?”

Sighing, Everett released Milo and turned toward me. “I wouldn’t say that.”

I kept my eyes firmly on him, ignoring the red patches of beard burn on Milo’s face. “Then what was it?” Because it sure as hell felt like rejection. He’d seen me and run off into the woods to escape. “I thought when I met my mate, they’d want me as much as I wanted them.”

I’d never expected this. I’d risked my professional reputation, turning on my employer to help Milo because I’d known he’d lead me to the person who was meant for me. Now I couldn’t help wondering if the gods were playing a sick joke on me. Hadn’t I experienced enough rejection without my mate abandoning me too?

Everett grimaced. “The bear who ran away, you’re sure he’s your mate?”

My eyes narrowed. “Yes. Why?”

Was he already spoken for? Dating?

My chest constricted.

“He’s my little brother,” Everett said.

“Oh.” I wouldn’t have guessed that. “He’s much hotter than you.”

Everett grumbled, and Milo snuggled against his side. My heart ached. That was what I wanted. An omega to call my own. Someone who would always want me around. A man I could make a life with.

“Danny, my brother, was in a bad relationship recently.”

Danny .

What a sweet name for a gorgeous person.

“I won’t tell you more than that,” Everett continued. “You’ll have to ask him yourself. But the point is, he’s wary of getting hurt again, so you’ll have to be patient with him.”

Wait. Hurt? What kind of hurt?

I gritted my teeth. I hated to imagine my Danny in any form of pain, but if he’d been abused, then I’d hunt down the guy responsible and make him pay.

“I’ll be as patient as it takes,” I promised.

But only with Danny. Anyone who touched him without using the utmost care deserved whatever they got.

“Good, because if you mess with him, I’ll tear you apart.”

I smirked. I’d like to see him try. “Understood.”

I offered him my hand. We hadn’t gotten off on the best foot, but if he was going to be part of my family, I’d better try to fix that. He gripped my hand firmly and shook. As soon as we broke apart, he gathered Milo close.

I moved away to give them privacy, ignoring the slight twinge when I recalled the fact that I’d hoped to end my night that same way, with my own mate in my arms.

I backed up against the side of the house and leaned on the wall, gazing into the woods. Somewhere out there, Danny was roaming in his bear form. Should I have followed him? His family had stopped me, but being separated from him felt wrong down to my bones.

Gods, I hoped this wasn’t the beginning of another massive rejection.

Surely it was bad enough that I’d been exiled from my pack’s homeland because my father had seen me as a threat rather than a son—never mind that I hadn’t given him any reason to think I wanted to take his place as Pack Alpha. Fate wouldn’t be cruel enough to give me a mate that didn’t want me.

Would it?

I wasn’t as certain of the answer as I wanted to be.

I watched as more of the clan members stripped off their clothes, shifted, and made their way into the woods.

My wolf itched beneath my skin, fighting to come to the surface, but I flexed my hands and breathed deeply, keeping him inside. If I let him out, he wouldn’t have the same restraint as me. He’d hunt down our mate, and if we frightened him, I’d never forgive myself.

Instead, I looked around at the few people who remained in the area. Everett and Milo were still plastered against each other. The Clan Alpha, Aaron—my mate’s father—was speaking with his wife, Melinda, on the deck. A slim figure was seated on a picnic chair on the ground at the end of the deck. I wandered toward them.

As I drew near, I used my wolf’s eyes to see more clearly. The figure had dark, silky hair and was reading something on his phone screen. I inhaled the earthy, herbal scent that I generally associated with healers.

“Hi,” I said, drawing closer. “Can I sit?”

He gestured at the ground beside him. “If you don’t mind the dirt. I brought a chair because I’ve learned it’s best to be prepared. I don’t run as hot as you shifters do.”

I lowered myself to the ground and crossed my legs, ignoring the cold that seeped through my jeans. “You’re a witch?”

He nodded. “I’m Li. You’re Knox, right? Danny’s mate.”

“If he’s willing to give me a chance.” That was a very big “if” at the moment.

Li switched off his phone screen and angled himself toward me. “Danny is a really nice guy. Fun. Loyal. And he makes the best honey-glazed fruit pastries in town. He’ll come around, as long as you don’t push him.”

“I hope so.” I stared into the dark, noting movement between the trees. I couldn’t smell Danny though, not strongly enough to imagine that one of the figures might be him. Wherever he was, he’d gone far enough away to dilute his scent.

“You’re new to town, right?” Li asked.

“Yeah.” So new that I didn’t even know where I was going to sleep tonight.

“Have you got somewhere to stay?” he asked, as if reading my mind.

“Not yet.” I hated to admit it. It felt like yet another way in which I was a failure. I couldn’t provide a comfortable home for my mate.

Li patted my shoulder, and I flinched, caught off guard by the sudden contact. He withdrew his hand. “Sorry. I’m used to being touchy. Most shifters are very physical.”

“It’s fine.” Back when I’d been part of a pack, I’d been used to casual affection too. Now, people rarely touched me except in violence. That was a consequence of the job I’d chosen.

“My mate Yuri’s parents own a small home on the edge of town that they’ve been meaning to renovate so they can rent it out as a vacation home.” Li nibbled on his lower lip. “It’s a bit rough, but it’s livable, if you’d like to use it.”

Something loosened in my chest. “I’d be happy to work on it while I’m there.”

I wasn’t taking a handout.

He looked dubious. “Do you know much about renovation?”

I shrugged. “Enough to get by. I can paint, sand, measure, hammer nails. If they give me instructions, I should be able to muddle through.”

He brightened. “That would be great. They’re out on the run at the moment, but we can talk to them when they get back.”

“Thank you.” I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. I wasn’t used to people going out of their way to help me.

Li returned his focus to his phone screen and I sat quietly beside him. I closed my eyes, picturing the look of horror on Danny’s face before he’d spun and stumbled into the woods.

There was a tug on my heart, almost as if an invisible tether was drawing me toward him.

Someone had scared him.

Sure, tonight he’d been afraid of me. Maybe. But only because of what someone else had done to him.

If I ever found out who had terrified my mate like that, I’d wipe them off the face of the earth.