Page 19 of Knox's Fate

"Can I handle this?" she whispered, more to herself than to him. The idea of living among creatures of legend was terrifying, yet the pulse of excitement that thrummed through her veins was undeniable.

“That’s up to you. I want you to stay, but if you choose to leave, no one will stop you.”

“What if I want to stay but don’t want to become like you?”

“That would be difficult. You are my mate, what we call a fated mate. Our legends and stories say you and I are destined to be together.”

“Holy shit. You mean the books got it right? Fated mates really exist?”

“For some,” he answered.

“So how will that affect my bed and breakfast?”

“Towns like Silver Falls have existed for centuries. We’ve always been able to accommodate human outsiders, you’ll just need to let people know if your guests are human, but franklyyou might find most of your guests are shifters of one kind or another. You don’t have to make up your mind today.”

“Is this why you’ve been running hot and cold with me?”

Knox had the good grace to almost blush. “I didn’t want you caught up in all of this. I’m a member of the town council and bringing in a human is frowned upon, but as I pointed out to the others, your aunt was once an outsider, and when she died, she was most definitely one of us.”

She looked up into his eyes, searching for the certainty she needed. There was safety in the known, but the allure of the unknown, of Knox, beckoned her with a siren's call. Scared and fascinated in equal measure, Ruby Edwards stood at the threshold of a world beyond her wildest dreams, teetering on the edge of decision.

“Knox, how did my aunt die?”

He paused for just a moment. “We think she might have been killed because there are those who thought she knew where a treasure was hidden.”

“What treasure?”

“There’s a legend about a cache of silver that was hidden somewhere in the area.”

“Do you think she knew?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know, but I think there are those that do.”

There was an abbreviated knock, and a tall, broad-shouldered, good-looking blond man stuck his head in. “Sorry to interrupt, Alpha, but one of our patrols have spotted a small group of bears headed our way.”

CHAPTER 12

KNOX

Knox stood on the porch, his gaze sweeping across the compound with the sharp acuity of a predator. His men, all grizzly-shifters with senses as keen as his own, gathered around him, their bodies tense and alert. The air was thick with the scent of pine and an undercurrent of unease; the kind that settles in the bones before a storm.

"Double up on patrols," Knox commanded, his voice low but carrying the weight of his authority. "I want eyes on every inch of this territory by sundown. Ensure the elders and our she-bears are secure within the compound. No one goes out alone."

A chorus of affirmatives met his orders, and his men dispersed swiftly, each moving with purpose to carry out their alpha's directives. Knox knew the impending threat wasn't just another pack encroaching on their land—their scouts had been too strategic, too calculated. Might it be personal? Whatever it was, every instinct in him roared to protect his clan, especially the most vulnerable.

As the last shifter disappeared to fulfill his duty, Knox turned, catching sight of Ruby standing in the doorway. Her wavy brown hair glinted in the morning light, and her posture was defiant even in the face of danger. Although new to SilverFalls, he knew she was as fierce as any of the rest of them, despite being human.

He strode toward her, his movements betraying none of the racing thoughts in his head. When he reached her, he didn't hesitate, hauling her into his arms with the possessive strength that came from both man and beast. Her eyes, a deep shade mirroring the earth they stood upon, widened slightly, but she didn't pull away.

"Knox...” she began, but he silenced her with a hard kiss that spoke of urgency and all the unsaid things he knew needed to be said.

His mouth moved over hers with an urgency that conveyed everything he didn’t have time to say out loud at that moment. It was a kiss that tasted of wildness and an unspoken pledge of protection. Ruby responded with equal intensity, her hands clutching at his shoulders, grounding him against the turmoil that threatened to engulf them.

Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers for a moment, allowing himself the briefest respite in the storm he felt brewing. "Coco will look after you," he said. "Promise me you’ll stay inside until I return."

Ruby's eyes searched his, a silent understanding passing between them. She nodded once, her jaw set with the same stubborn refusal to back down from a fight that had first drawn him to her. He could see the questions she wanted to ask, the concern etched in the furrow of her brow, but now wasn't the time for explanations.

"Be careful," she murmured, her voice steady despite the chaos that loomed on the horizon.

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