Page 10 of Rescued By Her Guardian

“You going to get all furry on me, Knox?” she asked, her lips quirking at the corner.

“No,” he said with a chuckle. “I was just caught off guard.”

“By…?”

“You.”

She rocked back on her heels and rolled her lips with a hum. “I need to replenish my magic, Knox. Will you and your friends walk with me so I can do that, and then we can talk?”

“Yes, of course.”

He’d been holding his jacket, so he put it on to give himself something to do other than grab her and hurry off somewhere private. He was enchanted by her, and he’d only just met her.

How was it possible that he’d come to Northernmost to help out one of his leap members and had found his truemate?

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Her pointed ear.

She was an elf.

Well, of course she was, she worked in Santa’s office and as far as he knew, only elves worked directly for him, except for Storm’s human mate, who was helping out in the office until the holidays were over.

It wasn’t that he cared that she was an elf. It just threw a wrench into his life in a way he hadn’t expected.

His leap was shifter-only. The laws were very clear.

If he claimed her as his mate, he would be exiled and treated as dead by everyone in the leap. But if he didn’t claim her?

Well, his leopard would probably claw him from the inside out.

Just thinking about not claiming her sent a chill down his spine and made him want to retch. He’d never do something so cowardly like walk away from his truemate simply because she couldn’t shift.

He’d have to figure things out. Later.

For now, he was going to focus on his beautiful mate and getting her magic replenished.

“We can come along, right?” Maverick asked.

“Why wouldn’t you come along?” Ivy asked.

“Because he wanted us to stay back,” Chase said.

Could a male blush to death? Because he was feeling like an idiot right now.

“It’s fine, just…keep your distance.”

Ivy giggled and when he gave her a side-glance, she pressed her lips together. But her eyes were sparkling, and he knew she found it funny that he didn’t want anyone around her.

He couldn’t help it. Until they were mated, he was going to feel strongly about her around unmated males, even his friends.

Or maybe especially his friends, since he was well aware that Maverick was a big flirt and Chase had zero problems finding female companionship.

He offered her his arm. “Let’s get your magic replenished, Ivy. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

As her hand settled in the crook of his arm, his leopard let out a happy purr.

Finally, he’d found the other half of his heart. Who would have guessed she’d be an elf?

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