Xavier bent to retrieve the shirt he’d discarded earlier and handed it up to Laurel. She smiled and
pulled it on while he yanked on his jeans. Although he definitely preferred her bared to him, he saw the
gratitude in her eyes as she mumbled her thanks. What the hell was it about this dominant woman’s
submissive side that made him putty in her hands?
He’d gone to her in that clearing without conscious thought. His bear had wanted only to protect and
comfort. But somewhere along the way, it had become more. She had become more important than he
could have imagined. And now, he was in too deep. There was no turning from her, not even if he
wanted to.
That scared the ever-loving shit out of him.
He’d known for a while now that his bear craved a mate. But he denied it. Just like Laurel denied her
fox. He couldn’t have that responsibility on his shoulders again. Not when he’d handled it so badly the
first time. Putting a mate first meant possibly putting his other loved ones in danger. He couldn’t—no,
he wouldn’t—do that ever again.
“Xavier?”
He found Laurel watching him uncertainly and knew he’d let his dark mood show in his expression.
“Come on, let’s get you home,” he said, guiding her along the tree line with his hand on her back.
“Did I do something wrong?” Her voice was too damn small and vulnerable and he cringed. Underneath
all that alpha-woman bravado, she was so sensitive. He’d seen it when she’d told him about her
childhood. And he hadn’t been brave enough to share his own secrets back.
“No, you didn’t do anything,” he said.
“Then what—?”
He grabbed her wrist and stopped them just inside the tree line. From here, he could see the station.
His truck was parked near the wall, and thankfully, Jake’s truck was gone. At least one thing was going
right. “There are things I haven’t told you about my past. Things that make it hard for me to…”
“To what?” She frowned, and he had to resist the urge to smooth those lines from her delicate mouth.
“If you knew, you’d change your mind about me. I’m not who you think.”
She shook her head. “You’re not making any sense.”
“You can’t tell me you haven’t heard people talk in town. The Wilde Bear alpha, head of Search and
Rescue. How I used to party hard and fuck even harder, right?”
“They say you don’t go out. You don’t date anyone. It seems like I’m not the only one hiding,” she said.
“So you think you know me.” He snorted, and Laurel flinched like he’d slapped her.
His polar bear reared up, furious at him for the way he was acting, but he couldn’t make himself stop. It
was the first time he’d ever tried explaining himself. The first time he’d felt the need to, dammit. Of
course, he was going to be an ass. His guilt wouldn’t let him do anything except hurt and be hurt when
it came to his past.
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