Grayslake: Furrever Yours(18)

Heather’s books were already put away on the bookshelves that stood on either side of the bed, and her toiletries were neatly arranged on the vanity.

“My stuff is here,” she said in surprise.

“Yes, I sent my pack to bring it here. Your clothes are in the closet. Olive let them in,” he said.

“She did?”

“She’s my great-aunt,” he said. “Long story. I’ll tell you when you wake up. I see you yawning.”

She nodded. “Long shift,” she mumbled.

Knox left her to sleep, and she crawled onto the softest bed she’d ever felt and passed out. In her dreams, wolves chased her through the forest and howled at the moon.

He let her sleep ’til early afternoon. Thankfully, she had the night off.

After she’d showered and dressed, she went downstairs to help with dinner. The kitchen was an absolute chef’s dream. Without Sasha there, the atmosphere was considerably more relaxed.

Heather helped make fresh rolls to go with the pot roast. They taught her how to churn butter, which she’d never done before.

“We make our own ice cream too,” Lark told her eagerly. “We sell it at the grocery store in town.”

“Oh, I would love to learn how to make ice cream,” Heather said. “Will you teach me how?”

“I get to teach the Alpha’s mate?” Lark cried excitedly. She beamed with pride.

“Now, now, dear, that’s between Knox and her,” Janet chided her.

After dinner, Heather went upstairs to brush her teeth. Knox had offered to give her a tour of the property.

When she walked down the back staircase, looking for him, she spotted him on the back porch, standing close to one of his packmates. She strained her ears to hear what he was saying.

“Have you thought this through?” the packmate was asking. “Does she understand what would happen to her if she doesn’t agree to be your mate?”

“No, and don’t say anything to her. That’s between me and her.” That came out in a growl.

What would happen to her?

Her veins turned to ice. What was Knox keeping from her? He was asking her to trust him, and change her entire life, and he was keeping secrets?

Furious, she headed back upstairs, grabbed her purse, and then went back downstairs and slipped out the side door. She glanced around to make sure that nobody was there, and then began jogging through the woods towards the highway, way off in the distance.

The sun was setting, but it wasn’t completely dark yet. She had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do. This wasn’t a problem she could run away from, especially with Margaret hiding out in a cave in Grayslake, waiting for Heather to bring her food and smuggle her out of the state as soon as it was safe.

Soon, she heard the rustling of underbrush, and realized she was being followed.

A big wolf was keeping pace with her. She could just make out its dark form through the trees.

She stopped and turned to yell at it.

“You suck at being stealthy!”

There was a pause, and then after a minute, Knox came trotting out of the bushes. Stark naked. She swallowed and stared up at the treetops.

“Heather, what are you doing?”

She looked down and met his gaze. “I heard you talking to Clarence. So, what would happen to me if I didn’t agree to be your mate?”

He drew in a sharp breath, looking away for a moment. “Shifter law says that a human who knows about our existence has to be one of our mates…or has to be eliminated. Now do you understand why I never pursued a relationship with you?”

“Eliminated?” She fell back a step.

“I would never let that happen to you,” he said quickly, holding his hands up, palms out. “If you didn’t want me, you and I would go on the run, and I’d take you somewhere that nobody could ever find you. Nobody is hurting you, ever, whether you choose to be with me or not.”

He’d give up everything for her. Looking into his eyes, she absolutely believed that.

“But I do want you,” she protested faintly. “I have for the past year. Every time I see you, it makes my heart beat faster. I have highly embarrassing X-rated dreams about you, most nights of the week.”

“Tell me more.” His eyes gleamed with hunger, and he moved closer. “What am I doing to you in these dreams?”

Then he jerked around and sniffed at the air.

“Everything okay?” a woman’s voice called.

He looked back and saw Sasha standing at a distance.

“I saw her sneak out of the house!” she yelled. “You know she was going to tell people about us! Do you need any help? Let me challenge her!”

Fur covered Knox’s face in an instant. “Get away from us, now, or I’ll rip your hide off!”