Page 23 of His Lost Mate

For the first time since he’d learned of his father’s death, Jonah felt something other than survival. He felt alive. Now all he had to do was keep them both that way.

10

PHOEBE

The sun was faint, filtering through the thick clouds and trees as Phoebe leaned against a tree, catching her breath and pulling her jacket tightly around her shoulders. Despite the quiet around her, her thoughts churned in chaotic loops, circling back to one unavoidable truth.

They had slept together. And Jonah had kept a part of himself—a rather large part of himself—hidden.

She turned her gaze to where Jonah squatted by the fire, scanning the map he’d retrieved from his pack. His movements were deliberate, confident, but Phoebe noticed the occasional flicker of tension in his jaw, the subtle rigidity in his shoulders. He knew exactly what was on her mind.

“I should have known,” Phoebe said finally, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. “The way you move, the way you... fought. Your competence in the wilderness. Your unerring sense of direction. It’s not human.”

Jonah didn’t look up immediately, his fingers tracing a trail on the map before he folded it and set it aside. He met her gaze steadily, his expression unflinching. “You have a right to feel that way,” he said, his voice low. “But I can’t change it. And I don’t regret it.”

Phoebe’s breath caught, his words settling over her like a weight. “You didn’t think I deserved to know before we—before last night?”

His jaw tightened, but his gaze didn’t waver. “I should have told you. But it doesn’t change how I feel about you, Phoebe.”

She shook her head, her emotions swirling in a confusing mix of frustration and something she didn’t want to name. “I don’t even know what this is,” she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. “How am I supposed to trust you when I have a sneaky suspicion you’re still keeping things from me?”

Jonah leaned forward, his piercing eyes locking onto hers. “I’ve trusted you with the truth about what I am,” he said, his voice firm.

“Only because you didn’t have a choice…”

“I had a choice. I could have let them kill you and just gone on my way. I told you something I’ve never told anyone who wasn’t a shifter. And if I could go back and tell you everything before last night, I probably would. But I can’t undo what’s already done.”

Phoebe stared at him, her chest tightening as his words sank in. He was right—there was no going back, no erasing what had happened between them. And no denying how much it had meant to her, even now, when doubt gnawed at the edges of her thoughts.

Jonah exhaled, running a hand through his hair as he rose to his feet. “You need to rest,” he said, his tone softening. “There’s a cave not far from here. I’ll take you there, and then I’ll scout the area.”

She frowned, rising as well despite the ache in her ribs. “You’re leaving me alone?”

“Not for long,” he assured her, his voice firm but not unkind. “We can’t afford to stay in one place too long, but I need to know if anyone’s still on our trail. And I’ll bring back food.”

Phoebe opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. The truth was, she trusted him—even when she didn’t fully understand why. She nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But don’t take too long.”

Jonah’s lips curved in the faintest hint of a smile. “I don’t plan to.”

The cave Jonah had found was smaller than the cabin but just as secure. He’d built a fire before he left, ensuring Phoebe would stay warm while he was gone. The fire cast dancing silhouettes on the walls, their light doing little to quiet her restless thoughts.

Phoebe leaned against the rough stone wall, her gaze fixed on the fire as her mind replayed the events of the last few days. Jonah had put everything on the line for her—his life, his secrets, his safety. He could have walked away the moment he found her, left her to deal with the fallout of the sabotage and the hunters who were still chasing her. But he hadn’t.

Why?

Her fingers brushed the fresh bandage on her arm, a reminder of how much she owed him. Jonah had saved her life more times than she could count, but it wasn’t just that. He’d trusted her with the truth about what he was, something he clearly didn’t share lightly.

She exhaled, her head falling back against the stone. He didn’t have to stay. He didn’t have to protect her, fight for her, or share his world with her. But he had. And that realization settled deep within her, the significance of it unfamiliar but not unwelcome.

The sound of footsteps pulled her from her thoughts. She straightened, her hand instinctively moving to the knife Jonahhad left her. But when his familiar frame appeared at the cave’s entrance, her shoulders relaxed.

Jonah stepped inside, his sharp gaze sweeping the cave before landing on her. He carried a small bundle of what looked like freshly caught fish, cleaned and ready to cook. “I didn’t see any sign of them,” he said, his voice calm but edged with caution. “We’ve got a little time to eat and rest.”

Phoebe nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line as she watched him set the fish on a makeshift spit on the fire. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

Jonah glanced at her, his brow furrowing slightly. “For what?”

“For not walking away,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “For staying.”

---