*
She needs a safe place to stay.He needs time to convince her that they’re fated mates.
Cooper
I’m out for a run one night when someone crashes through the brush right into me.
It takes me a millisecond to realize that I’ve just found my fated mate.
It takes another second to realize that meeting her for the first time in my wolf form isn’t exactly reassuring because, well, she faints.
I carry her home, practicing what I’ll say to her as I go.
When she wakes up, though, I learn that there’s more standing in the way of us being together than explaining shifters and fated mates to her.
Now I need to keep her safe, all while convincing Landry that she’s right where she’s meant to be.
Landry
When my sister and I are kidnapped, I’m not sure what’s going on or how we’ll get out of this mess.
We’re separated early on, and I spend days worrying about where and how she is.
When I get a chance to escape, I take it, determined to find someone to help me locate Taylor.
Instead, I find Cooper.
He saves me and reunites me with my sister.
Then he tells me that I’m his.
Now I have to decide my next steps.
Do I stay with Cooper, or go back to my old life?
1
Cooper
This run isn’t goingto be enough.
That thought keeps playing through my head as my wolf tears through the forest, running north.My wolf and I have been on edge for months, but for different reasons.I’m worried about the cult and their increasingly horrible crimes.My wolf is more worried about the fact that all our friends are finding their fated mates, and we’re still alone.
I’m anxious about that too, if I’m honest.It’s every shifter’s dream to find their fated mate.No one wants to be alone and finding our mate is our only chance to have a partner.To build a family.I want all of that, badly, but I think before I find my mate, I should make sure that any threats have been neutralized.
And the cult north of our pack is a big threat.
We’ve been dealing with them for months.If it were up to me, I would have run them off or killed them months ago when they started buying and kidnapping innocent women.I understand why the Alphas have waited and tried to scare them in other ways.We don’t want people looking too closely at Night Grove Falls and finding out about the pack and that most of us in town are shifters.
The Alphas have to do what’s right for their packs.It’s their job to lead and protect us all, but I just want people to be safe.We’ve given the cult enough chances, and I know the Alphas are getting sick of giving them chances too.It won’t be long now before we retaliate.Hard.
I can’t freaking wait.
My wolf lets out a howl, and I grin inside as we run faster, zipping past trees and bushes.We get closer to the cult’s land, and I skid to a stop at the top of the hill, staring down at the grouping of houses and buildings.
It’s quiet now.I’m not surprised since it’s getting late.The sun is setting, and I’m sure everyone is busy eating dinner or preparing for bed.
A bear appears on my left, and I nod at Russo, recognizing his bear.I’m not surprised to see him out on patrol.He’s been helping more now that some of our members are needed at home with their pregnant mates or with mates who are still settling in here.
