Page 10 of His Rescued Mate

"Only one pack?" she asked, her breath visible in the crisp morning air.

Max replied with a smile. "The trail is pretty rough and we’re going to have to scrabble up part of it. Let me handle the pack. I want you to focus on keeping your feet under you and enjoying the view—it’s pretty spectacular. Don’t forget your camera.”

She ran back into the cabin to grab it, grateful that he’d noticed. When she returned to the front porch, he was bending over, ensuring the pack was secured. She wondered if he knew that in her opinion the best view she’d had when they were hiking was watching his glutes flex under his jeans as they made their way up a steep hill.

Given what he’d shown her thus far, Alexa had to admit her curiosity was piqued. "I’m ready when you are, oh fearless leader. Let’s get this show on the road."

She helped him get the daypack settled and secure before he took her hand and they set off into the forest, the early morning light casting long shadows through the trees that lined their path. Max led them along a narrow, winding trail that seemed to disappear into the dense underbrush—never missing a step and pointing out where the best footing was. Alexa followed closely, her senses alert to the sounds and smells of the wilderness around them.

After a couple of hours of hiking, they crested a hill, entering a clearing with a breathtaking view of the entire lake and its rugged coastline. Alexa gasped, taking in the sight of the rocky cliffs, the dense, almost medieval forest, and the waves as they lapped along the shoreline below.

"Max, this is incredible,” she said, bringing her camera up, focusing and snapping several shots. “Every time you show me something, I think to myself, this has to be the best, and then you show me something even better. Thank you for bringing me here."

Max nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I thought you'd like it. It’s one of my favorite spots. I wouldn’t normally bring someone up here. I kind of think of it as my special place, but I wanted to share it with you. There's something else I want to show you, though. Come on, follow me."

Alexa took a few more pictures and then followed as he led her down a narrow path that wound its way along the edge of the cliff. Alexa's heart pounded with excitement and a touch of fear as they navigated the precarious trail. Several times, without her making a sound, he reached back to steady her. Finally, they began to make their way back down to the lake. There was another clearing, this one surrounded by towering rock formations, with a myriad of images carved into their sides.

Knowing there were some places sacred to those who lived in them, she raised her camera. “Is it okay to take some pictures?”

Max nodded. “Try not to take them in such a way that anyone could find their way here.”

“I can do that.” Alexa's eyes widened as she took in the sight. This small, hidden section of shoreline was like a concealed paradise, with crystal-clear water and smooth, white sand. "How did you find this place?" she asked, her voice filled with awe.

"I stumbled upon it a few years ago," Max said, his gaze distant. "It's one of my favorite spots on the island. I come here when I need to think, to clear my mind."

Alexa understood why. There was something almost magical about the place. A sense of peace and tranquility washed over her. She walked to the edge of the water, feeling the gentle rhythm of the cool waves as they lapped at her feet.

As she stood there, soaking in the beauty of the place, something caught her eye. A glint of metal buried in the sand near the rocks. She crouched down and began to dig, uncovering what appeared to be an old, weathered tin box, wrapped in a piece of oiled and tanned skin to protect it from the elements.

"Max, look at this," she called out, her excitement growing. Max joined her, his expression curious. “Should I open it?”

He nodded. “I own this property, so technically it’s mine. Go ahead.”

She opened the box. Inside, they found a collection of old photographs, letters, and a small, ornate locket. Alexa carefully picked up one of the photographs, her breath catching as she recognized the facial similarity between Max and the face in the picture.

"Max, these people... they look like they could be your family," she said, showing him the photo.

Max's eyes widened in shock as he took the photograph from her. "This... this is my grandfather and the woman standing next to him is his sister, my great aunt Evelyn," he said, his voice filled with disbelief. He took the box and flipped through the other photographs. “These are all of my family. I don't understand how they ended up here."

Alexa's mind raced with possibilities. "Maybe someone in your family buried it here, or it was stolen, and someone hid it.”

“I have no idea, but I’d like to cut our hike short. We need…”

“We?” she asked.

He nodded. “We need to look through the rest of the box to see if we can find any more clues."

They made their way down the shoreline to a place where Max had one of his canoes stashed. They loaded the canoe with their gear and the box, and Max paddled back to the cabin. They made their way up from the lake, heading into the cabin where Alexa began to make lunch.

Max sat down on the sofa, emptying the contents of the tin box onto the chest that served as his coffee table. Alexa brought him a sandwich and together, they sifted through the contents of the tin box, piecing together a story that seemed to connect if not Max's family, then at least his great aunt, to the island in ways he had never imagined.

The discovery was exciting. The journalist inside her wanted to uncover the key to unlocking the enigma that was Max and his past. What had happened? Alexa was determined to help him find the answers he was seeking, no matter where they might lead.

CHAPTER 6

REVELATIONS

“This is all so confusing,” said Max. “It looks as though my family may have had a connection to Kodiak from a long time ago, but I was raised in the lower forty-eight.”

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