Page 2 of Falling for My Shifter Defender

"You're a wolf," she says simply. Not a question.

I blink, surprised. "Yes," I admit. "I am. How did you know that?"

Instead of answering, she steps forward and presses her tiny hand against my chest, right over my heart. The gesture is so unexpected, so disarming, that I go completely still.

My wolf, normally restless in these formal settings, quiets.Protect, it whispers.Pack.

"Where are your parents?" I ask gently.

The girl hesitates, glancing toward the staff entrance. I follow her gaze and spot a woman in a server's uniform frantically searching the room, her movements sharp with panic.

And then it hits me—the full force of that scent I'd caught earlier, now unmistakable as the woman turns in our direction.

She's stunning in the most unassuming way—warm brown eyes wide with worry, her long, wavy chestnut hair hastily pulled back from her face. I can see the graceful curve of her neck, the delicate line of her collarbones visible above her shirt. There's a quiet strength in the way she holds herself, shoulders squared despite her obvious distress. Something about her draws me in—not just her beauty, but a resilience that radiates from her like heat.

My wolf goes utterly still.

Mate.

The realization slams into me like a physical blow, leaving me momentarily stunned. I hadn't been expecting it—hadn't even thought about finding a mate, not after thirty-six years of nothing. And she'shuman. The shock of it freezes me in place, my mind racing to catch up with what my instincts already know with bone-deep certainty.

My wolf doesn't care about my confusion.She's ours.

I clench my jaw, forcing myself to stay still, to not react. If she were a shifter, she'd recognize the bond too—but she's human, which means she has no idea what's happening between us. What's happening to me.

It's the first time in my life that I feel truly off-balance. I've faced down hunters and rival packs without flinching, but this—this unexpected connection—makes my heart hammer against my ribs.

The little girl tugs at my sleeve. "That's my sister," she whispers, pointing toward the woman. "She's looking for me."

Sister, not mother. I file that information away as I watch the woman's frantic movements. There's fear in her posture—the kind I recognize from years of working with displaced supernaturals. It's not just worry; it's the hypervigilance of someone who's been hunted.

"I should go back," the girl says, but she doesn't move. Instead, she looks up at me with those too-wise eyes. "Are you one of the people building the safe place?"

I nod, unable to look away from her sister. "I am."

"Good." She smiles, revealing a missing front tooth. "Grace says we need to find the safe place."

Grace. My mate's name is Grace.

The sound of it resonates through me, settling into my bones like it belongs there. Grace. I've never been a poetic man, but there's something about the name that fits her—the quiet dignity in her movements, even as panic drives her forward.

The woman—Grace—finally spots us, and for a moment she freezes, relief washing over her features before wariness takes its place. She moves through the crowd with purpose, her eyes never leaving the little girl.

And fuck, my mate is afraid.

I can smell it on her—the sharp tang of fear mixed with determination. She's not just worried about the girl; she's afraid of what happens next. Of me.

My wolf bristles at the thought. Every instinct in my body screams to protect her, to make her feel safe, but I force myself to remain still. The last thing a frightened woman needs is a strange man making sudden movements.

Grace reaches us and immediately pulls the girl close, her grip firm but not unkind. "Willow," she breathes, dropping to her knees. "What did I tell you about wandering off?"

"I wanted to see the wolves," Willow says, unrepentant.

Grace's eyes flick to me, wary and defensive. She stands, keeping Willow partially behind her. "What were you saying to my sister?"

The protective gesture should irritate me, but instead, something in my chest tightens. She's fierce, this human woman.

I cross my arms, trying to appear casual despite the riot of instincts inside me. "Relax. She found me."

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