Now, watching him open up so quickly around other shifters, I had that proof. It also made it clear to me that he needed to be placed with a shifter family. Hopefully, the pack from Shifter Alley could provide that.
There was a twinge of disappointment. Settling him in Shifter Alley would remove him from my jurisdiction. I wanted to keep watch over him and make sure he was doing well. He brought out all my protective instincts.
After dinner, Luke walked Eli and me back to our cabin. Luke stayed close to me, his hand brushing mine more than once, but he didn’t hold it in front of Eli, who kept shooting glances our way, which I appreciated.
Eli entered the cabin first, the door banging open as he stalked away from us. My brow furrowed at his change in mood. If he was still up when I went in, I’d talk to him.
I stayed on the porch, turning to face Luke, who stood on the bottom step, his dark eyes appearing to drink in the sight of me. He made me feel seen, as if he recognized who I was at my very core.
He slid his hands into his pockets and took a step backward, his gaze still on me. “I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t forget to use the liniment.”
I held the tin up for him to see. “I won’t forget.”
A few more steps backward and then he turned, glancing over his shoulder every few feet until he reached his porch. Ifaced the door, and together we entered our cabins at the same time.
Inside, I rested my back against the door, wondering what exactly I’d gotten myself into. Two days ago, I was just a social worker who did nothing but work. Now I was living among shifters, getting chased by trucks and cattle, and learning about fated mates.
And maybe even falling in love.
SEVEN
Luke
I leaned against the fence, trying to look casual, but nothing felt right. I shifted to prop my hip on it, but that was too awkward. Crossing my arms, I schooled my expression into what I imagined was a bored look.
That disappeared the second Katie rounded the corner of the barn with Eli. My gaze drank her in. Her sunny smile, bright eyes, and loose golden hair warmed my insides. I couldn’t tear my eyes away and had to fight to stop myself from running to her.
My brothers would tease me if they saw me now. I’d insisted I wouldn’t have a mate, and now I was falling all over myself.
It was probably good Eli was with her. It prevented me from taking her in my arms and rushing things between us. I needed to remember she was human and the bond would work slower on her.
I tore my gaze from her and cleared my throat. “We’ll be doing the same thing today as yesterday. I want you to shift on your own. If you can’t, I’ll force the change. It’s important for you to spend time in your wolf form regularly. If you don’t, you’ll feel like something is fighting to get out.”
Eli side-eyed me, a mulish set to his jaw. He gave a curt nod.
Katie’s cell rang, the children’s song a surprising choice for her ring tone. I grinned and looked toward Eli, thinking we could share our amusement, but he just glared at me.
Katie turned away as she answered, pitching her voice low. She looked back at us a minute later. “I need to take this. Will you two be okay without me?”
I nodded. “We’ve got this. We’ll be going for a run when he shifts. I’ll send him back to your cabin when we’re done.”
She shot me a smile. “Thanks.” She turned to Eli, placing her hand on his shoulder and looking him in the eye. “I believe in you. Have fun.”
Katie walked off, phone back at her ear. I watched her walk away, taking in the sway of her hips. She had an innate grace that made me think of a fairy.
When she was out of sight, I faced Eli, whose expression had darkened. “Are you ready to try?”
“Whatever.” He glowered and stalked a few feet away.
“What’s wrong? I thought you were looking forward to shifting again.” I studied the teen, taking in the jut of his jaw and the tension in his shoulders.
“Why do you care?” He bit off the words, shooting them at me like bullets. “You just want to get in her pants.”
I froze, his accusation shocking me. “Excuse me?”
“I see the way you look at her. You don’t care about helping me. You’re just trying to get on her good side.” He kicked at the dirt, pebbles scattering. “She’s here for me, not you.”
Tears welled in his eyes but didn’t fall. I turned over various responses in my head, but none of them felt right. Eventually, I just cursed, deciding to wing it.
