Page 82 of Mitchell's Untamed Mate

Jayden followed her, walking backwards with her spear still pointed at all the men who watched them in silence.She paused when they entered the cavern to give her eyes time to adjust.The interior looked as if it had been frozen in time.

No fires burned in the pit, though she could still smell the lingering scent of smoke.A rack with a partially woven blanket made from plant fibers stood in front of Anna’s space.The curtains were tied back on LaTrisha and Timmy’s space with a wooden toy lying on its side.The only thing that looked out of place was the modern tent set up where she and Mitchell had spent their nights.

“Here are your clothes.I’ll go let the others know we are here and it’s safe to come out,” Jayden said, thrusting her bag at Tracy.

Tracy gripped the strap of the bag in her mouth and carried it over to the site she and Mitchell shared.She dropped it and transformed.She had just finished dressing when Mitchell appeared.Her breath swept from her when he wrapped his arms around her and captured her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss.

“I love you.I love you,” he murmured, kissing her throat, jaw, and eyelids before capturing her lips again.

She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck.The kiss held an edge of desperation, fear, and relief.But most of all, it held love.

He loves me.He said he loves me.He loves me.

The thought swirled over and over in her mind as she let it sink in.She parted her lips, inviting him to deepen the kiss, and kissing him back with the same elation and love.It was only when she heard the dry chuckle of her brother that she reluctantly pulled away to look over her shoulder at him with a scowl.

“We were freezing our asses off.Thankfully, Connell invited us in,” he replied.“Hey, Mitchell.”

“Hello, Ty.”

Tracy turned back and buried her face against Mitchell’s chest.She breathed deeply until she had her pounding heart back under control.Only then did she tilt her head, give him a crooked smile, and step back to address her brother.

“There’s someone or something out there.I don’t know who or what it is, but it took out some serious apex predators.I think the only way we’ll know who they were is from their DNA,” she said.

“Van, Peterson,” Ty called.

“We’re on it, boss,” the two men responded, already on the move.

“There may be more.I can lead you to them, or maybe Jayden can,” she said, looking around for the other woman.“Where’s Jayden?”

Mitchell looked at her with a grim expression and shook his head.“She is probably with Elaina and Cyrus.Thomas is with them.”

Tears burned her eyes.She had only spoken to the old human a couple of times, but he had always looked at her with compassion.She looked to her brother.

“I’ll get a medic to see if there is anything we can do to help,” Ty murmured.

She nodded her thanks.Peterson and Van were talking on the radio.She imagined they were calling in some extra help.She leaned back against Mitchell, watching as the members of his clan slowly relaxed among the shifters who had arrived.

Timmy was asking a million questions while Macon was growling and telling all the soldiers that he was a bear.Even Dawson and Charles weren’t immune to awe at the way the men were dressed or the excitement of flying.She couldn’t help but notice that Timmy had taken off his shoes again.Soon he would have all the shoes he wanted without worrying about messing up the ones his mother made for him.

“Are you ready to go home?”Mitchell murmured near her ear.

She sighed and leaned back against him when he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Would you be surprised if I said no?”she asked.

His warm breath brushed over her when he chuckled.She smiled with contentment and wrapped her hands over his.It hadn’t been easy, but she had done it.She had found the humans she had dreamed about her whole life—and fallen in love with one of them.

“I love you, Mitchell,” she murmured, feeling the last of the threads bonding them fall into place.

Epilogue

Eastern European Alps bordering the Siberian Shifters of the Northern Hemisphere

Two weeks later:

Isabella relaxed back in her seat and stared out across the vineyard.She tilted her head when the nearly imperceptible sound of footsteps against marble floors reached her.A serene smile curved her lips.

“You have a visitor, ma’am.Mr.Hyder, ma’am,” Frances introduced.

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