Page 9 of Falling for My Shifter Defender

Eli smiles, a genuine expression that transforms his face. "That's the idea. Room for everyone who needs a safe place."

We walk the perimeter slowly, Willow running ahead, kicking at pine needles and chasing butterflies. Eli points out where different structures will be built—cabins for families, a schoolhouse, a clinic, communal gardens, gathering spaces.

"The main lodge will be there," he says, indicating the foundation we passed. "Administrative offices, community kitchen, meeting rooms. The heart of the place."

I listen, watching as he gestures, his face animated in a way I haven't seen before. This isn't just a project for him—it's a purpose. A mission.

"How long will it take?" I ask.

"To finish everything? A couple of years, probably. But we'll have the first phase up and running within six months, if all goes well."

Willow runs back to us, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She holds out a pinecone, offering it to Eli like a treasure. "Look what I found!"

To my surprise, Eli kneels down to her level, accepting the pinecone with exaggerated reverence. "This is a perfect one," he says seriously. "Where did you find it?"

Willow points proudly to a cluster of pine trees. "Over there! There are lots more, but this one's the biggest."

"It's excellent," Eli agrees. "Should we keep it as the official First Pinecone of the Sanctuary?"

Willow giggles, delighted by the idea. "Yes! We can put it in a special place when the buildings are done."

"Deal." Eli tucks the pinecone carefully into his jacket pocket, then rises to his feet.

Something in my chest aches at the exchange—the casual kindness, the way he treats her words with genuine consideration. Willow beams up at him before running off again, chasing a leaf caught in the breeze.

"She's a great kid," Eli says quietly, watching her go.

"She is," I agree, swallowing past the lump in my throat. "She deserves better than what I've been able to give her."

Eli's gaze shifts to me, his expression unreadable. "You've kept her safe. That's no small thing."

I shake my head. "Safe, but always running. Always afraid." I gesture to the clearing around us. "I'd like her to have this—areal home, someday. Somewhere she doesn't have to look over her shoulder."

"That's what the Sanctuary is meant to be," Eli says. "Not just a safe place for supernaturals, but for anyone who's been hurt, hunted, or lost." His voice softens. "Everyone deserves somewhere they can exhale."

The conviction in his voice catches me off guard. "I'd like to live here," I admit quietly. "When it's finished."

Eli doesn't smile, but there's a warmth in his voice when he says, "I'd like that too."

We watch Willow in silence for a moment, her laughter carrying across the clearing as she skips through the tall grass.

"The offer stands," Eli says finally. "You can stay at my place as long as you need. No pressure. No timeline."

I should refuse. I should insist we find our own place, maintain our independence. But watching Willow, seeing her truly happy for the first time in months, weakens my resolve.

My instincts have kept us safe these past two years. I've learned to trust that quiet voice inside me—the one that whispers when danger is near, when it's time to run. And right now, that same voice is telling me something entirely different. It's telling me that Eli is safe. That this place could be safe.

I'm so tired. Tired of running, tired of looking over my shoulder, tired of teaching Willow to fear the world instead of embrace it. The Sanctuary might be just a dream right now, stakes in the ground and blueprints on paper, but it represents everything I've wanted since the night we fled—a place where Willow can grow up without fear, where she can learn about her shifter heritage without hiding who she is.

"Okay," I say, the word barely audible. "But just until I get a job and find a place of our own."

Eli nods, accepting my terms without argument.

On the drive back, he swings through a local fast-food drive-thru without warning. "Anyone hungry?"

"Yes!" Willow exclaims from the back seat.

"We just had breakfast," I protest.

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