Page 6 of Protector

I recover quick enough to demand in a throaty voice, “Where are you going?”

I don’t mean to do it. Putting a hint of the Luna into my voice… I promised her when I was a young pup that I would never abuse the power I have as one of her guardians. I never did—but just now? I couldn’t stop myself.

One thing that makes an alpha wolf shifter an Alpha is the ability to lead their pack. They have their own gifts from the Luna, too, and it helps them do that. That’s why their rank has the ability to tell when one of their packmates is lying.

My ability is a little different. With the Luna’s power filling my voice, I can compel someone to tell me the truth. I can’t do anything with it or make them change their minds. Plus, we all know what they say about the truth hurting… but my soul is in agony at the moment so what’s a little more pain?

My fated mate is walking away from me and, Luna damn it, I want to know why.

Is it me? What did I do wrong? Two seconds ago, he was into it as I was… so what happened?

What changed?

Where the fuck is he going?

The words are all but ripped from the male, but no matter how strong he is as a beta, my wolf is stronger.

“I’m going to the lake.”

“What? Why?”

And then I realize just how much worse the ache can get when he looks down at his hand in something that’s the complete opposite of the wonder, the lust, the marveling expression from before?—

“Because I have to wash your scent off of me before I go back to the pack house.”

Oh.

Oh.

Wow.

Okay. I… that was not the answer I was expecting from my fated mate.

He takes advantage of that to lope into the trees. Toward this lake he mentioned? Probably.

I take a couple of steps after him.

“Hey… hey, you.”

I let him put his hands down my pants. I would’ve mated with him without a second thought—and I don’t even know his name. He doesn’t turn around, doesn’t even respond, and mere minutes after I met my fated mate, he’s fucking gone.

Two more. I give myself two minutes to feel sorry for myself. Then, after dipping my hand inside of my jeans to readjust my panties, do the button on the front, grab my duffel and do everything I can to put what just happened out of my head.

I’m on duty, after all.

CHAPTER 3

IN STASIS (BUT WITHOUT A SIDE OF THE CURSE)

THREE MONTHS LATER

The Beta of the Winter Creek Pack’s name is Tristan Crowder, and I can’t fucking stand him.

Three months into my open-ended visit to Winter Creek, I’m still bitter as fuck. Can’t help it. It’s hard to live in a house with someone and not learn their name. That’s how I did, but he still hasn’t introduced himself to me. He hasn’t spent more than a few seconds in the same space as me, either.

Oh, and he one hundred percent is my fated mate—but that doesn’t change a Luna-damned thing about the way I feel toward him. Honestly? His existence wouldn’t annoy the ever-loving shit out of me if he was just some gorgeous wolf hanging around on the rare occasion I catch a glimpse of that blond hair, those strikingly handsome features. I like a little eye candy myself, and no matter how much Tristan simply existing pisses me off these days, there’s no denying that he is gorgeous.

But when he alternates between disappearing into the woods for days at a time because he’s obviously avoiding me and moving around the pack house like I don’t exist, he just rubs my fur the wrong way.

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