Page 17 of Alpha Rising (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

“Have you ever shifted in this area?” Toby whispered, though doing nothing to disguise his alarm.

I understood my younger brother’s concern, and I shook my head. I hoped my denial would be the case for all of us. Spying eyes didn’t bode well for shifters.

“Tear it all down,” I said. “The markers, the camera. And—damnit—look for more. Then pray Reese is home when we get there. Something needs to be done about this. And quick.”

7

SARAH

Iwoke cradled in Reese’s arms. My clothes were still on the rocking chair, and the wood-burning stove was kicking out so much heat that sweat prickled along my hairline and the underside of my breasts.

I suspected Reese had added wood in the middle of the night, but at the moment he lay in sated-male repose. The top edge of the blankets rested, quite delectably, across his hips.

I had no idea what time it was. Besides the soft orange color that glowed through the gap in the stove door, the cabin was thrown into complete darkness. The trees around it were too thick to even let in a sliver of moonlight.

Stretching a little, I pushed the blankets off me—careful not to disturb Reese— and headed for the small bathroom. I pulled the chain that dangled from the ceiling. An exposed bulb lit the room, and I was shocked to see my reflection in the cracked and silver-spotted mirror that hung over the tiny metal sink.

I didn’t look like myself.

My eyes were a little bigger. My lips a little fuller. And even in the poor lighting, I could tell my face was still flushed.

As if rocking my worldoncehadn’t been enough, Reese had pressed his point three more times: mated or not, I was his.

Every inch of my body wholeheartedly agreed, even those parts that were sore and slightly swollen.

I did my business, washed my hands, and climbed back under the blankets. Reese had rolled onto his side in my absence. When my wet hands brushed against his warm flesh, he flinched and sucked in his abs before his eyes flashed open.

I met his steady gaze.

“Sarah.” His voice was rough with sleep. “Everything okay? You kept having nightmares last night.”

Did I? I supposed I did. I rarely got through a night without one. That’s what came from having a Chicago crime boss in your life who wanted you dead.

Reese’s broad, muscled chest filled my vision, and I nodded. “I’m okay.”

Reese moved closer, his green eyes glowing brighter. Then, slowly, as if he was still concerned I might run away, he stroked my jawline with the back of his fingers.

My eyes closed involuntarily, succumbing to the tenderness, and my mind wandered to the one remaining obstacle between us: the truth about who I was and why I’d come to Evergreen.

I knew I shouldn’t tell him. The training I’d received before entering the witness protection program had been deeply ingrained. But the guilt was real. Reese trusted me implicitly, and I hadn’t done the same.

There was another reason I wanted to trust him with my secret: If danger found me, it would also find him and his family. And I didn’t want Reese to be blindsided.

If his protective nature was as strong as I suspected, I wouldn’t want him to react instinctively to any threat that might come my way. I wanted him to have given the consequences every consideration before he had reason to act.

“We should talk,” I said.

“What would you like to talk about?” His question was smooth, calm, unworried. I couldn’t remember him ever sounding so much at peace.

I hated to ruin that, but here it was.

“Me. I want to talk about me. There are things you should know.”

I saw the second that realization flashed in his eyes. He’d been patient on the outside, but I knew my secrets had bothered him.

“I’m listening.”

“Can you stay calm?”

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