Page 8 of Wedding for My Werewolf

The question was whether those wounds were simply the product of human prejudice, or if she had real reasons to hide.

He was still wondering when he made his last patrol of the day, the last rays of sunlight painting the river in shades of amber and gold. His wolf caught her scent before he saw her—that sweet vanilla scent mixed with something distinctly her.

She stood at the river’s edge, arms wrapped around herself, staring at the strip of open water between the sheets of ice. The evening breeze played with loose strands of her auburn hair, and he found himself tracking the movement.

He cleared his throat and kept his steps loud enough to announce his presence. “Evening.”

She startled anyway, her hand flying to her chest as she spun round to face him.

“Sheriff.”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.” He stayed back, giving her space. The fear in her scent lessened, but didn’t disappear entirely.

“Just… thinking.” Her eyes darted to the path behind him, checking her escape route.

“River’s peaceful this time of day.” He gestured to the water. “I used to come here myself when I needed to clear my head.”

“Used to?”

“Being sheriff doesn’t leave much time for quiet moments.”

The admission slipped out before he could stop it, and a ghost of a smile touched her lips. “Sounds lonely.”

The observation hit closer to home than he liked. His wolf pushed forward, drawn to the unexpected flash of empathy in those amber eyes.

“How are you settling in at Garrick’s?”

“Fine.” The walls slammed back up. “He’s been… kind.”

He nodded, noting how she angled her body away from him. Everything about her screamed of someone used to running. But running from what?

“If you need anything…” He left the offer hanging.

“I don’t.” The words came too quick, too sharp. She took a breath, softened her tone. “But thank you. And… thank you for the rose.”

“You’re welcome.”

The setting sun cast shadows across her face, highlighting the wariness in her features. His wolf whined, wanting to ease that tension from her shoulders, but he knew better than to push. He bid her goodnight and went on his way.

But he couldn’t stay away. Instead he found himself circling Garrick’s property for the third time that night. The mansion’sweathered stone walls loomed against the star-filled sky, and a warm light glowed from Robin’s second-floor window.

His wolf paced beneath his skin, refusing to let him return home. The protective instinct made no sense—she wasn’t Pack, wasn’t even a friend. Just a stranger who flinched at sudden movements and carried secrets in her wary eyes.

But he couldn’t shake the way her scent changed when she’d mentioned Garrick’s kindness. That flash of genuine warmth, quickly buried under layers of careful control. It wasn’t the typical human reaction to Others that made her guard herself. This went deeper.

Her shadow passed back and forth across her window, pacing. She paused at the glass, and for a moment he thought she’d spotted him in the darkness. His heart kicked against his ribs, but she turned away, the light clicking off seconds later.

He exhaled and leaned against a nearby oak tree. What was he doing out here, like some lovesick Romeo? He had responsibilities, a town to protect. He couldn’t afford to fixate on one mysterious woman, no matter how much his wolf wanted to unravel her mysteries.

But as he pushed off the tree to head home, his instincts screamed that there was more to Robin’s story than simple wariness. Whatever she was running from, whatever shadows dogged her steps, they’d followed her tohistown.Histerritory.

He cast one final look at her darkened window. Whether she wanted his protection or not, he’d make damn sure nothing threatened her here in Fairhaven Falls.

CHAPTER 4

Robin curled up in the window seat of her new room, wrapping herself in a thick wool blanket. Outside, darkness crept across Fairhaven Falls, the town’s lights twinkling like fallen stars beneath a fresh blanket of snow. The peaceful scene should have soothed her, but her mind refused to quiet.

Martin’s face flashed through her thoughts—his charming smile, the way his blue eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed. He’d always seemed so trustworthy, but he must have identified her naivety from the start. The betrayal burned fresh in her chest, making her fingers dig into the blanket.

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