Page 21 of Brody
“Noted,” he said quietly, his voice carrying that dangerous undertone that sent an unwelcome shiver racing down my spine.
Memories flashed through my mind of the Kenyan savanna, the hot sun beating down as I watched him disappear into the tall grass, taking with him the one connection I’d thought even the universe guaranteed couldn’t be broken.
I’d learned to be my own shelter after that.Built walls so high and thick that nothing could penetrate them.I transformed myself into someone who didn’t need anyone, not colleagues, not friends, and certainly not a mate who decided I wasn’t worth staying for.
I’d earned every degree, published every paper, developed every treatment through sheer force of will and the absolute certainty that I could only count on myself.I’d stopped waiting for anyone to show up, to stay, to choose me.
And now Brody had the audacity to say “we” like the past hadn’t happened.Like he hadn’t been the one to teach me the most devastating lesson of all, that even a fated mate could look at me and decide I wasn’t enough.
The room went dead silent.Tension crackled like static electricity.
Brody’s face tensed, a muscle jumping in his jaw.His left hand trembled visibly before he clenched it into a fist.I caught the flash of gold in his eyes, his wolf pushing forward in response to my rejection.
Meeting attendees glanced from me to Brody.
“Careful, Dr.Dhahabu,” Brody replied.“You’re playing with fire.”
“I learned not to play with anything that cuts and runs,” I replied.“Some lessons stick.Especially when they’re taught by your fated mate.”
Quinn cleared his throat, stepping between us with practiced ease.
“I think we should focus on the breakthrough we just witnessed rather than personal observations,” he said.
The pointed look he gave both of us wasn’t lost on me.
“Dr.Dhahabu has demonstrated that her research works,” Quinn continued.“The question now is implementation and security.Brody’s tonic shows potential and will be an asset to you, Rozi.Also, considering recent intelligence about planned activities against you, Brody will also be your security escort during your time in the Ridge.”
My blood chilled.Not only would my lab be in his Brewstillery, but now he’d be my security escort too?The universe wasn’t just laughing at me; it was doubling over in hysterics.
It didn’t help that I was at a critical impasse without willing test subjects.Being Tabia’s granddaughter created immediate distrust in shifter communities, and most shifters refused to participate in my clinical trials.
“For the benefit of my research and the eighteen males who are experiencing pre-feral symptoms,” I said, “I agree to your terms, Quinn.”
My inner cheetah practically purred with approval.Smart choice.Close to mate.Help mate.
I’m doing this for science and those suffering males, I corrected internally.Not for him.
Whatever story you tell yourself, my cheetah replied with what felt suspiciously like amusement.
“Excellent,” Quinn replied.
“I’ll be waiting outside to drop you off at the B&B,” Brody said, his voice carefully neutral even as his eyes betrayed a storm of emotions.He turned and walked away.
CHAPTER6
ROZI
Brody drove us from the town hall in tense silence.Neither of us spoke, the air between us heavy with unspoken words and the weight of our shared history.Every few seconds, his eyes would flick to the rearview mirror to check on me, but he’d quickly look away when I caught him.
The silence continued until he pulled up to a sprawling Victorian mansion that seemed to rise from the mist like something from a gothic novel, the Bane House Bed & Breakfast.Three stories of architectural perfection with wraparound porches, nestled against the backdrop of the dense Alaskan rain forest.
As we stepped out of the SUV, I caught the scent of oakmoss, earthy, primal, alive.My cheetah stirred beneath my skin, suddenly more alert than she’d been in months.Something about this place, the magical barrier, the concentration of Others, or perhaps something else entirely, was making her more present, more insistent.
Shift, run, hunt, be whole, she urged, claws pricking beneath my skin.
Not now, I thought, forcing her back with practiced mental discipline that felt weaker here than it had in the outside world.
As we approached the bed-and-breakfast with my luggage, gravel crunched beneath my boots.I inhaled deeply, catching the heady mixture of roses and honeysuckle that mingled with the distant sounds of laughter and music from somewhere nearby.Not the controlled environment of a research laboratory.Not the sterile efficiency of a medical conference.Something wilder.More alive.
