Page 14 of Knox's Fate

Coco returned to pace before him, her eyes narrow slits of suspicion. "You checked her out, right? Ruby could be anyone, Knox," she pressed, her voice edged with the weight of clan security. "She might have secrets of her own for all we know."

"Relax, Coco," Knox rumbled with a calming authority that came naturally to him. "I've had her looked into. She is who she says she is." His gaze held steady, even as his mind wandered to thoughts of Ruby—to her fierce independence, her wit as sharp as a blade, and if he was being honest, to a smoking hot body that kept him from using anything but cold water when he showered.

"Then what about the silver treasure?" Coco prodded, refusing to retreat. "Could she know something about it? There’s an awful lot of people who think Lorraine and her husband knew its location.”

“And if they did, it was theirs to use as they chose to.”

“Some people say it belongs to the town…”

“Some people are wrong, but I don’t think Ruby knows anything about it. The secret of its location, if it even exists, may have died with Lorraine."

Coco nodded as she considered his words. “Lorraine was secretive, even with the others in their clan, so I guess it’s unlikely that Ruby knows anything."

“I'm fairly sure Lorraine took that information, if she ever knew it, to the grave."

Coco huffed, clearly dissatisfied, but she seemed to accept his judgment for the moment. As she departed, her concern lingered in the air as Knox stood alone. His thoughts strayed uncontrollably to Ruby once again. The need to ensure her safety, to protect her from the unexpected dangers of their world, gnawed at him. With a decisive motion, he strode back to his truck, fishing his cell phone out of his pocket and calling Beckett Grey, the wolf-shifter sheriff of Silver Falls.

"Beckett, it's Knox," he said when the line connected, his voice a low growl born of urgency and something deeper—a thing not entirely driven by duty. "There's been a development concerning Ruby Edwards."

"Knox? What's going on?" The sheriff's voice was alert, tinged with concern.

"Mavis may have spoken out of turn. Ruby could be upset," Knox explained, his words clipped as he fought against the rising tide of emotion.

“And you’re just the grizzly to allay those fears while you’re laying the pretty innkeeper,” Beckett laughed.

"I’m not going to compromise the town, Beck, you know that.”

“That, my old friend, never even crossed my mind. Just be careful you know what you want before you get in too deep.”

“Thanks, Beck. Keep an eye out for any unusual activity around Mavis’ place, will you?"

"Of course, Knox. We look after our own," Beckett assured him, and Knox felt a flicker of gratitude for his best friend’s unwavering support.

"Thanks. I'm headed back to Ruby’s now," Knox added, his hand tightening on the phone as if it were a lifeline.

"Understood. Stay safe," Beckett replied, and then the line went dead.

Ending the call, Knox's resolve solidified. His protective instincts were not just for Ruby but extended to all those who lived in Silver Falls. After all, their security depended, in part, on their secrecy and ensuring that outsiders had no idea that shifters existed. Yet, as he prepared to leave to face what awaited him at Ruby's house, it was the thought of her—sexy, tough, gorgeous, funny, captivating—that set his heart pounding with a wild, untamable rhythm.

Arriving at Ruby’s place, Knox parked his truck out in front, the engine ticking as it cooled in the evening air. He hesitated, staring at the wooden door that stood between him and the woman who had been haunting his thoughts since the moment they'd met. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the vehicle, his boots crunching on the gravel drive as he went up the stairs to the front porch. The door swung open before he could knock, and there she was—Ruby Edwards, her wavy brown hair framing her face in a halo of soft shadows under the porch light.

"Back again, Knox?" Her voice was sharp, a pointed edge to her words. "Can't decide if you're coming or going?"

He bristled at the accusation but knew she was right. His behavior had been erratic, torn between desire and duty.

"Ruby, I...” He began, but she cut him off.

"Hot and cold, Knox. That's all I get from you," she said, stepping closer, her hazel eyes ablaze with frustration. "One moment you're all protective, the next you're pushing me away like I've got the plague, which for the record, I don’t. And I don’t have any other diseases either. How about you?"

His resolve melted under the weight of her gaze. "None, but I’m not here for that.”

“Then what are you here for?” she said, stepping into his space.

“I came to make sure you were safe," he admitted, the truth of his concern for her overriding his caution.

Ruby snorted. "Safe? From what? You? You don't get to just freeze me out and then waltz back in and act all broody and protective." Ruby's hands found her hips, her posture defiant yet vulnerable in the doorway. “You know what Knox? Get out. You’re fired. Send me an invoice for what I owe you and I’ll see you’re paid as soon as the bank opens.”

The tension between them was palpable, charged with an energy that threatened to ignite into something far more intense. Knox reached out, his hand brushing against hers, and the touch set off a spark that coursed through them both.

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