Page 22 of His Lost Mate

“We’re stopping here,” Jonah said, his voice firm as they reached a small, sheltered clearing. A cluster of thick pines loomed overhead, their branches creating a natural canopy that shielded them from view.

Phoebe shook her head weakly. “We can’t stop?—”

“Yes, we can,” Jonah interrupted, lowering her carefully onto a patch of moss. “You’re bleeding, and if you keep pushing yourself, you’ll pass out. Let me handle this.”

Phoebe opened her mouth to argue but stopped when she caught the sharp edge of his gaze. She sank back against the tree trunk with a reluctant sigh, her breathing shallow as Jonah huddled beside her.

“Let me see,” he said, his tone softer now. He peeled back the blood-soaked scarf, wincing inwardly at the sight of the jagged wound on her arm.

“You’re worse than a drill sergeant,” Phoebe muttered, her attempt at humor strained.

Jonah didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he pulled a small med kit from his pack, his movements precise as he cleaned andrebandaged the wound. “You’ll thank me when you’re not dead,” he said finally, his voice low.

Phoebe managed a faint laugh, though her eyes glistened with exhaustion. “You’re full of charm, you know that?”

Jonah smiled faintly, his focus still on her arm. “I’ve got other priorities.” When he finished, he sat back on his heels, scanning her face. “How’s the pain?”

Phoebe shrugged, wincing slightly. “Manageable. For now.”

Jonah nodded, his jaw tightening as he weighed his next words. The truth was burning a hole in his chest, and after everything that had happened, he couldn’t hold it back any longer. “Phoebe,” he began, his voice unusually hesitant.

She looked at him, searching his face. “What is it?”

He exhaled slowly, his hand resting on his knee as he leaned closer. “There’s something I need to tell you. Something I should’ve told you before.”

Phoebe’s brows furrowed, but she said nothing, waiting.

“You’ve seen what I am,” Jonah said, his voice low and steady. “The snow leopard. That’s not just some anomaly. I’m a shifter.”

Phoebe’s eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t interrupt. Jonah took that as a sign to continue.

“There are others like me,” he said. “All over the world. Some live in shifter-only communities, places where humans never go. Others, like me, live among humans, hiding what we are.”

Phoebe’s lips parted, her breath catching. “And you’ve been hiding this your whole life?”

“Not my whole life,” Jonah admitted. “My father was a shifter, too. He taught me how to control it, how to use it to survive. But when he died...” Jonah’s voice trailed off, his jaw tightening. “I kept to myself. It was easier that way.”

Phoebe tilted her head, her eyes softening as she studied him. “You didn’t have to tell me this. Why now?”

Jonah hesitated, his chest tightening as he held her gaze. “Well, for one thing, you saw me shift, and I can’t keep lying to you,” he said finally. “And because I’m beginning to have feelings for you I’ve never had before. You and I are what my kind calls fated mates.”

Her breath hitched, her eyes widening. Jonah reached out, his calloused fingers brushing against her uninjured hand. “That sounds very gothic,” she said with a trembling smile.

“I know you’ve got your walls,” he said quietly. “I’ve got mine, too. But whatever this is between us, it’s real. And I’m done pretending it’s not.”

Phoebe stared at him, her chest rising and falling as she absorbed his words. “Jonah...” she began, her voice trembling. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Start by trusting me,” Jonah said, his voice low but fierce. “I’ll protect you, no matter what. But you’ve got to let me in.”

Phoebe exhaled shakily, her fingers tightening around his. “I’m scared,” she admitted. “Not just of what’s out there. Of this. Of us.”

Jonah leaned closer, his gaze steady and unyielding. “You don’t have to be,” he said. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”

Phoebe’s lips quirked into a faint, bittersweet smile. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“And you’re stubborn,” Jonah replied, his voice softening. “But that’s what makes you worth fighting for.” The tension between them thickened, the air charged with unspoken emotions and something deeper, primal. Jonah’s hand moved to her cheek, his thumb brushing against her skin as he leaned in, his voice a low rumble. “You’re mine, Phoebe. Whether you’re ready to accept it or not.”

Phoebe didn’t respond with words. Instead, she closed the distance, her lips brushing against his in a kiss that spoke of both fear and longing. Jonah’s arms wrapped around her, pullingher closer, the connection between them burning brighter than anything he’d ever felt.

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