Page 6 of Falling for My Shifter Stranger

“They thought I betrayed them,” he says finally, his voice tight with barely contained emotion. “Someone I trusted—someone I thought was a friend—framed me for something I didn’t do. It didn’t matter how much I denied it. The pack believed him. And I… I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t live with the way they looked at me, the way they doubted me.”

My throat tightens at his words, the pain in them cutting through me like a blade. “Rhys,” I say softly, taking another step closer. “I’m so sorry.”

He shakes his head, his jaw clenching. “Don’t be. It’s not your burden to carry.”

“But it is yours,” I say, my voice trembling. “And no one should have to carry something like that alone.”

He looks up at me then, his silver eyes blazing with a mix of anger and something I can’t quite name. “You don’t understand,” he says, his voice rough. “You don’t know what it’s like to lose everything.”

“You’re right,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know what that’s like. But I do know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong. To feel like no one really sees you for who you are.”

His gaze softens slightly, the anger fading as quickly as it came. “And what do you see when you look at me, Hannah?” he asks, his voice quieter now, almost vulnerable.

I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “I see someone who’s stronger than he gives himself credit for. Someone who’s been through hell and is still standing. Someone who deserves more than he’s letting himself have.”

His eyes search mine, and for a moment, I think he might say something. But then he shakes his head and rises to his feet, putting distance between us once again.

“I’m not who you think I am,” he says, his voice hardening. “I’m not… good. Not for you. Not for anyone.”

“That’s not true,” I say, my voice firm. “You’re not defined by your past, Rhys. You’re more than what happened to you.”

He chuckles bitterly, the sound hollow and self-deprecating. “You’re too kind for your own good, you know that?”

“Maybe,” I say, lifting my chin. “But I’m also stubborn as hell. And I’m not giving up on you.”

He looks at me then, really looks at me, and for a moment, I see something in his eyes—something raw and unguarded. But then he turns away, his walls slamming back into place.

“I should go,” he says, his voice tight.

“Rhys, wait. Just stay a few more days—”

But he’s already at the door, his hand on the knob. He pauses for a moment, his broad shoulders tense, and then he’s gone, leaving me alone in the flickering light of the fire.

I sink back onto the couch, my heart heavy in my chest. My wolf growls softly, her frustration mirroring my own. “He’ll stay,” I whisper to her, to myself. “He has to.”

Because the bond between us isn’t something that can be ignored. No matter how much he tries to resist it, no matter how much he tries to push me away, I know one thing for certain.

Rhys Everhart is my mate. And I’m not giving up on him.

Chapter 4

Rhys

Morning comes too soon, the pale winter sun stretching long shadows across the snow. I wander near the edge of the Whispering Pines pack’s territory, my hands shoved deep in my pockets, my thoughts as restless as the wind stirring the trees. The woods are quiet, save for the occasional rustle of branches or the chirp of a bird. It should calm me. It doesn’t.

I hear her before I see her—her boots crunching in the snow, her breath visible in the cold air. My shoulders tense, my wolf perking up as her scent reaches me: cinnamon, pine, and something uniquely hers. I don’t need to turn around to know it’s her.

“Rhys!” she calls, her voice cutting through the quiet.

I stop but don’t turn, my jaw tightening. I should’ve known she’d come after me. She’s nothing if not persistent.

“Hannah,” I say, finally facing her. She’s bundled in a bright red scarf, her cheeks flushed from the cold, her copper hair catching the sunlight. She looks... radiant.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask, my voice rougher than I intend.

She plants her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing. “I could ask you the same thing. You’re not sneaking off again, are you?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Just needed some air.”

---