FATED ESCAPE

times a week, I guess it has to be recent. If I was a couple of mo

scent changing. I'm sure I only missed it when I was running because e

r his father were only one step behind me, ready to dr

fear. A deeper one that never leaves me. At twenty-two and being a rare type of shifter, I'

go back to Shane and that's something I swore I would never do. Not when ever

go back to a life that was

ll have no choice. This baby means I can't

use the bathroom was one of the most

I thought if I didn't think about it, the

of those people who can ignore the ur

in to see if I wanted lunch since I'd slept right from the s

out my knowing it, I was busy working up the courage to tell him I nee

or, I watch the deep blush spilling over my chee

an on. He didn't fight me, just helped me rise from the bed, but the second I put any pr

his eyes that told me he thought I was being stupid for refusing his he

ite of how an alpha w

er, I doubt they'd have cared

beta to deal with me. Shane would've just ignored my pain, pretending he didn't see me. I doubt he'd ha

en I nodded that I was, he curved an arm around my wa

g. He lifted me so easily, so smoothly, and didn't jar me at all as he carried me o

lt the coiled strength in his ropy lean muscles and I knew he was e

re of his scent. That or run a hand through his tousled dark brown hair, which looked soft an

but acting on it is another thing entirely. I can't imagine any guy would appr

pened. So don't mistake kindness with something else, Aerin

Shane, Mack couldn't have failed to pick up his s

er I'd left Shane. I think that's all I did in the first motel I

knew it, but that didn't s

A soul- deep connection. As long as I'm still mated to him, any shifter who comes w

e past. I got away, that's what matters. That Shane and his father haven't tracked me dow

wash my face and brush my teeth. I know a shower is impossible with my inability to stand on one leg

e after the accident. I grab a washcloth in a small wicker hamper filled with clean towels that Mack left cl

the best I can to clean as much of my body as I can, doubting I'm

y head, I wipe the steam from the mir

bit me at our mating ceremony, and as always, w

olf would've reacted in some way because not only is the human sid

be together. Bo

I think of all the ways he made me think I didn't matte

as the w

at my life would be like, I would've forced myself to ignore the mate bond. But I wouldn'

arely hear myself, much as I've done every single day since

the mirror, staring right into my eyes, pretending it's not my wide blu

but of course,

his face, or he says it to mine. But whispering it under my breath is one thing. To meet

okay in

other than my choosing Winter Lake as a hiding place, pr

how desperately I try to cling to it, it's no use. I

for my leg to check it's still there because it fe

his cool hand on my brow, asking if I'm okay, but I'm in too much pain

to the bedroom, I don't feel it. I'm still sufferi

ns on either side of my leg that I realize I didn't put my shirt back on. That

I stare at the door. "O