Page 21 of Beckett's Fate

When they reached the edge of the woods, Irene turned to him, her expression guarded. “You don’t need to follow me any further.”

Beck crossed his arms, his gaze steady. “You’re hurt. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she turned and headed toward the Bristlecone Bed & Breakfast, her fiery hair catching the soft glow of the setting sun.

When they arrived at the B&B, Ruby and Knox were standing on the porch waiting. Irene pushed past them and disappeared with Ruby close behind.

“She’s going to be trouble,” said Knox as he came to stand beside him.

“I can handle her.”

“I hope so.”

Beck chuckled. “I don’t have a choice. She’s my fated mate.”

“Ah,” replied Knox. “I completely understand. Ruby and I will stay here tonight.”

Beck nodded and then turned away, lingering in the shadows, his wolf pacing restlessly within. The danger wasn’t over—not for her, not for anyone in Silver Falls. Somewhere out there, the hunters were regrouping, and the battle was far from over.

The thought sent a surge of determination through him. Irene was his to protect—whether she liked it or not.

And he’d be damned if he let anyone take her from him.

9

BECK

The wind whistled through the towering pines as Beck strode toward the pack’s estate, his mind a storm of thoughts. Irene’s scent still lingered on his skin, faint and maddeningly distracting, stirring his wolf and keeping his instincts on edge. Her words replayed in his mind like a broken record, each one adding to the puzzle she’d dropped in his lap.

A runaway. From a pack in New Mexico. The details she’d provided were thin, almost deliberately so, but enough to set his mind racing.

‘She’s lying,’his wolf growled, restless and agitated.

“Not lying,” Beck muttered under his breath. “Not completely.”

The estate loomed ahead, its sturdy wooden structures nestled within the protective embrace of the forest. The scent of his pack—familiar, grounding—enveloped him as he crossed into their territory. But it did little to ease the tight knot coiling in his gut.

He stepped inside the main building, heading straight for his office. The warmth of the room greeted him, the faint scents of leather, baking, fresh flowers, and pack life mingling andcalming his senses. Beck sank into his chair, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the map spread across his desk. His fingers traced the southern boundary, his mind drifting back to where he’d encountered the hunters and reports of other sightings.

They had walked in virtual silence until Beck had finally broken it.

“Start talking,” Beck had said, his tone having left no room for argument.

Irene’s eyes had flashed at his as she continued to walk. “I don’t know what it is you want to know.”

Beck had grabbed her upper arm and whipped her around to face him. “I think you do. You’re no ordinary hiker…”

“I hate to break it to you, but even shifters like to hike in their human form,” she’d said, jerking her arm away.

“What are you doing here?” he’d asked pointedly.

“I’ve already told you everything you need to know.”

“Not even close.” Beck’s gaze had been sharp, unrelenting. “You’ve got hunters on your trail…”

“No. You have hunters in your valley. They’re your problem, not mine.”

“If I hadn’t shown up, they would have been your death or worse.”

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