Page 8 of His Reluctant Mate

“That sounds pretty. I have to tell you; I think I’m glad you’re an apex predator.”

He chuckled. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.” He seemed to sense her hesitation. “We’re in this together, Melinda. I’ll get you and your information to safety. I promise.”

The intensity of the moment, combined with the flickering firelight and the howling storm outside, created a charged atmosphere. Without thinking, Melinda leaned in, and Joe did the same. Their lips met in a passionate kiss, the closeness igniting a fire within her that she hadn’t expected.

The kiss deepened, their breath mingling, and for a moment, the world outside ceased to exist. Joe’s presence felt grounding and electric all at once, a sizzling connection that made her forget the peril they were in.

Melinda melted into Joe’s embrace, the warmth of their kiss a stark contrast to the freezing cold outside. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to forget the dangers that surrounded them, lost in the unexpected tenderness between them. But the spell was abruptly broken when Joe pulled back, his head snapping towards the window.

“What is it?” Melinda asked, her breath hitching.

Joe rushed to the window, pulling the curtain aside to glance outside. His eyes were sharp and alert, his entire body tense. “Snowmobiles. Several of them.”

“Maybe they’re here to rescue us.”

“Doubtful. They don’t have on any lights. I think whoever doesn’t want your information to get out has found us. We need to move.”

Panic surged through Melinda as the sound of engines grew louder. Jumping up and heart pounding, Melinda ran to grab the flash drive, her eyes darting around the cabin. She needed to safeguard it, ensure the data wasn’t lost. “What about this?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Joe took the flash drive from her and the satellite phone from the floor, his movements quick and efficient. He placed them in a waterproof pouch, sealing it tightly. “I’ll keep it safe,” he promised, his voice steady.

“Now we need to shift and get out of here. Follow me and stay close.”

Without wasting another moment, Joe began to shift—his human form enveloped by the swirling mist, falling away to reveal the powerful, sleek figure of a sabretooth tiger. His fur bristled, and his eyes glowed with determination. Melinda took a deep breath and followed suit, feeling the familiar rush of energy as her body transformed into an Arctic fox. Her senses sharpened, the world around her becoming clearer and more vibrant.

Joe growled softly, a signal to follow, and then bounded toward the window at the back of the cabin, managing to open it without breaking it. He jumped through it, the sound of his landing muffled by the raging storm outside. He landed gracefully in the snow, his powerful legs propelling him forward into the night.

Melinda followed, her small, nimble form darting through the open window and into the blizzard. The cold wind bit at her fur, but the urgency of their flight kept her moving. Joe’s larger form was easy to track, his powerful strides leaving deep prints in the snow.

They bounded through the tundra, the roar of the snowmobiles growing fainter as they put distance between themselves and the cabin. Melinda’s heart raced, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She had no idea who was chasing them or how long they could evade capture, but for now, all that mattered was staying ahead.

Joe led the way, his keen senses guiding them through the treacherous terrain. They moved swiftly, the storm providing some cover from their pursuers. Melinda glanced back occasionally, her ears twitching at every sound, but the night remained filled only with the howling wind and their rapid breaths.

Finally, after what felt like hours but could have been mere minutes, Joe slowed to a halt beneath a dense copse of trees, their branches heavy with snow. He turned to her, his eyes piercing through the darkness.

She thought they’d outrun them, but no such luck. Much to her horror, the snowmobiles rounded the cabin and began to head their way.

CHAPTER 5

JOE

Knowing he would be naked in the storm, Joe shifted. There was no other way to convey what he needed her to know.

“I need to go back and slow them down. I need you to go up into the woods, burrow into the snow and stay there until I come for you or until you are certain they’ve left.” A swirling mist started to form around Melinda. “No. You stay in your Arctic fox form.” The mist faded away and she looked at him with dark eyes. “I’m leaving the flash drive with you. You’re right; it has to get to the right people. If I don’t return, you get to Mystic River or Otter Cove. Both are communities of shifters. The sheriff of either town, Zak Grayson or Jackson Miller, will get you and the data to the right people. If you can’t get to them, use the satellite phone and hit speed dial one. That’ll get you to Ash Wells—he’s the head of the park rangers.”

Melinda shook her head. They both looked towards the cabin and could see the snowmobiles coming. He would not fail her. She might be reluctant to go alone, but she would see it through.

“You need to take the flash drive and satellite phone. Stay in your fox form until you get to Ash, Jax or Zak. There’s so much I want to say, and I will, but if I don’t, just know you are doing the right thing, and I want you to live an amazing life. Promise me.”

Melinda nodded.

“Go. Get that data to the authorities, no matter what,” he said, reaching under her head to stroke her throat and chin. “Go. Burrow under the snow and stay safe.”

She turned and bounded away, stopping to watch him as he shifted back to his sabretooth tiger form. It was none too soon as he was beginning to get hypothermic and some of his dangly parts might not ever be the same. He shook his head. He was most likely about to die, and all he could think about was that if he didn’t shift, his parts might not work again.

Turning on his haunches, Joe crept to the edge of the forest. He crouched behind a snow-covered boulder, waiting. Joe's breath formed clouds in the icy air as he watched the snowmobiles coming closer. His heightened senses picked up only the faint scent of human presence, so perhaps, they wouldn’t be expecting a sabretooth tiger to attack. His muscles tensed beneath his thick fur. The low hum of the snowmobiles was becoming louder. His sense of smell confirmed his suspicion—humans were approaching, and they were closing the distance between him and his fated mate fast.

He had to believe she would be safe and would live on without him. He would not fail her, not as he had his brothers in Afghanistan.

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