Page 60 of The Alpha's Runaway Mate
My voice drops low, the promise in it absolute. “Then he made the biggest mistake of his life.”
Jessica nods once, but the fear in her eyes is replaced by something fiercer, determination. The kind that matches my own.
I stay where I am for a long moment, staring down at that single muddy print near the door. The scent still lingers in the air, taunting me, daring me to follow.
The peace we built here, the safety I promised her, it feels fragile now. Breakable.
Outside, the trees sway in the wind, their branches whispering across each other in the dark. The ridge is quiet, but it’s not a peaceful quiet anymore. It feels like the mountain’s holding its breath, waiting to see what happens next.
Jessica heads upstairs first. I can tell she’s trying to keep calm, but the tension in her shoulders gives her away.
I stay downstairs a while longer, doing one more sweep through the cabin, double, then triple-checking every lock, every window latch. The back door. The side door. Even the cellar hatch.Everything’s sealed tight, but it doesn’t stop the uneasy feeling crawling down my spine.
The scent’s fading, almost gone now, but my instincts won’t shut up. I make another round anyway. Just in case.
I blow out a slow breath and mutter under my breath, “I need a damn dog.” A big one. Something with teeth that’s always here, especially when I’m not. The thought sticks as I head upstairs.
The bedroom’s dark except for the soft wash of moonlight spilling through the curtains. Jessica’s already in bed, curled on her side, facing away from me. Her breathing’s steady, but I can tell she’s not asleep.
I strip down quietly and climb in behind her. The mattress dips, and I slide an arm around her waist, pulling her close until her back is pressed against my chest.
She doesn’t say anything at first, just tucks her hand over mine. Her skin’s warm, but there’s a tension in the way she breathes that makes my chest ache.
“You okay?” I ask, my voice rough against her hair.
She gives a small shrug. “This is what I was afraid of,” she says softly. “That he’d find me.”
My grip tightens instinctively. “I won’t let him hurt you.”
“I know,” she whispers. “But it’s not just me I’m worried about.”
I huff out a low sound, half laugh, half growl. “Did you forget I turn into a fucking bear?”
That earns a quiet, breathy laugh from her, the kind that sounds more like relief than amusement. She rolls over in my arms to face me, her forehead brushing against my jaw.
“Yeah, but you can’t be everywhere,” she says. “And if he’s out there…”
“He won’t get far,” I interrupt, my tone firm but calm. “He came close once. That’s on me. But next time, I’ll be waiting.”
She searches my face in the dim light, eyes soft but worried. “You mean that.”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean.”
Her fingers find mine under the blanket, threading them together. “I hate that he can still scare me.”
“He’s not the one with power anymore, Jess,” I murmur, brushing a strand of hair off her cheek. “You are. You’ve got me. You’ve got a whole pack at your back. He’s nothing compared to that.”
She nods slowly, her tension easing just a little.
I lean down and press a kiss to her temple, lingering there until her breathing evens out.
After a while, her hand goes slack in mine, and I know she’s finally asleep. But I lie awake long after, listening to the wind move through the trees outside, every sense still tuned for the faintest hint of danger.
TWENTY
JESSICA
The unease creepsin like fog that won’t lift. At first it’s nothing. The silence around the cabin feels heavier than usual. The trees seem to hold their breath when I walk past. Then it’s the lights. I swear I turn them off before bed, but in the morning one is always on.
