Page 10 of Knox's Fate

Their bodies seemed to move of their own accord, fueled by an attraction neither could deny. Her senses reeled with the musky scent of earth and pine that clung to him, the primal essence of the man who was both enigma and desire incarnate. The world beyond their embrace ceased to exist; there was only the fierce pressure of his lips and the unrelenting drive of her own passion answering back.

She was lost to the sensation, to the dizzying thrill that coursed through her veins, heating her skin where Knox touched her. Ruby's heart thundered, a wild drumbeat that matched the intensity of the kiss, every pulse screaming for more…more of his touch, more of the intoxicating danger that he represented.

And then, as suddenly as the storm had erupted between them, it broke. Knox’s hands, which had been instruments of ardent exploration, became barriers as he pushed her away. His chest heaved, and those eyes that had burned with heated desire now flickered with a different flame—conflict.

"Ruby," he rasped, his voice a low growl that vibrated with warning, "this can't happen."

In the scant inches that separated them, the heat lingered like the echo of a flame extinguished too soon. His words hung heavy in the charged silence, a dissonant note in the symphony of their shared breaths still mingling in the space between.

Ruby stood there, the remnants of his kiss lingering on her lips, a tempest of confusion brewing in her eyes. Her pulse still danced to the frantic rhythm of arousal, yet the sudden coldness in Knox's demeanor left her feeling exposed and vulnerable.

"Knox," she said, her voice laced with an edge of hurt she couldn't quite mask, "what just happened? You can't just... ignitesomething like that and then act as if I'm a switch you can flip off."

Knox avoided her gaze, running a hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration. "I told you, Ruby, it can't happen. I apologize; it shouldn’t have happened."

"Can't or won't?" Ruby stepped closer, her own irritation flaring up at his evasion. She could feel the heat from his body, a primal call that she was trying to ignore. "You don't get to make that choice for both of us—for yourself maybe, but not for me."

"Damn it, Ruby, you don't understand...”

"Then help me understand!" she shot back. His mixed signals were maddening; one moment he was a flame drawing her in, and the next he was ice, pushing her away.

But Knox shook his head, his jaw set in a firm line. "I'm done for the day," he stated, his words cutting through the tension like a knife. "I'll be back in the morning, unless, of course, you'd rather hire someone else."

The suggestion struck a nerve, but Ruby’s pride wouldn’t allow her to show just how deep it cut. "So that's it, then? You're going to leave after... after whatever that was?"

"Ruby..." There was a hint of something more in his voice, a depth of emotion he quickly quashed.

"Fine." She squared her shoulders, her form radiating defiance. "I guess I'll see you in the morning, Knox."

He nodded once, sharply, before turning on his heel and striding down the hallway. Ruby watched him go, her heart a chaotic mess of emotions. The sound of the kitchen door closing echoed through the lodge, leaving her alone with the shadows that had begun to creep in as evening approached.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the peaks of Silver Falls, Ruby felt a chill that had nothing to do with the approaching night. Knox was hiding something —but what? Andwhy did it have the power to push her away when everything in him seemed to be pulling her closer?

CHAPTER 7

KNOX

The night draped over Knox like a shroud as he prowled through the shadows of the sleeping town, the moon a slender crescent casting its pale, silvery light. The air was thick with the scent of impending rain, the quiet broken only by the distant hoot of an owl. He moved with purpose yet hesitated upon reaching the edge of his own property, his gaze lingering in the direction of Ruby's place, where the windows glowed softly in the darkness.

Knox felt the pull, a magnetic draw tethering him to her. The mating bond was only supposed to spring into place once a bear had claimed his mate, but the bond between fated mates was said to be stronger. Already he could feel an indication as to what her emotions were. He strove for calm while wrestling with the tempest that raged within. He had always been a creature of control, but the emotions Ruby stirred in him were wild and uncharted—a siren’s song tempting him toward the rocks of forbidden desire.

"Ridiculous," he muttered under his breath, the words dispersing into the cool air. It was ludicrous to think that someone like Ruby, with her fierce independence and human fragility, could be destined for him. Yet every cell in his bodyscreamed that it was true. She was his fated mate, and denying it was like trying to keep the falls from tumbling over the edge of the cliff with his bare hands.

He recalled how her laughter seemed to hang in the air and how her eyes sparkled with mirth and intelligence. Knox let out a ragged sigh, imagining the softness of her skin, the warmth of her touch. The memory of her lips on his, so sweet and intoxicating, lingered like a phantom caress, and he shuddered with the effort it took not to turn back.

"Focus," he chastised himself, his voice a low growl that slipped into the night. He needed to keep his distance, to maintain the boundaries that would keep her safe from the dangers that lurked within him and around them. He was the protector of this clan, bound by duty and ancient laws that did not take kindly to the entanglement of their kind with humans.

The wind picked up, carrying with it the promise of a storm, and Knox lifted his head, nostrils flaring as he scented the change in the atmosphere. It mirrored the tumult inside him—a storm of longing, duty, and fear. Fear of what might happen if he gave in to the primal urge to claim her, to let the world see just how deeply she affected him.

"Get a grip," he whispered to the void, his voice a juxtaposition of command and plea. He would uphold the line between them. For her safety. For the town’s peace. For the sake of his own tormented soul.

But as he turned away, his heart heavy with the weight of unspoken yearnings, the rustle of leaves beneath his boots seemed to mock him. There was no escaping the truth that lay coiled within, ready to strike. Ruby was his fated mate, and no amount of denial could sever the bond that fate had forged. It was a haunting melody that played on a loop in his mind, a tune as old as the mountains themselves, singing of unity, passion, and the inevitable surrender to the mating call.

Knox strode through the starry night toward his clan’s compound, the moon’s silvery light filtering through the trees, his mind a labyrinth of haunting desires and unyielding duty. The kiss, searing and potent, lingered on his lips like a forbidden spell. He felt the ghost of Ruby's touch against his skin, the heat from her body igniting a fire within him that he struggled to contain.

The taste of her, wild and sweet, taunted his senses as he moved with purposeful strides, attempting to distance himself from the siren call that beckoned him back to her doorstep. It was an exercise in futility; every fiber of his being vibrated with the knowledge that she was his mate. Yet, the undeniable truth clashed with the harsh reality of their existence—hers, that of a human with dreams and plans, and his, that of a guardian of shadows sworn to protect the delicate balance between their worlds.

As the first drops of rain began to fall, mingling with the earthy scent of petrichor, Knox found himself entering the compound, the outdoor lanterns a beacon in the darkness. With a resigned sigh, he pushed open the door, the bell above jingling softly, announcing his presence.

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