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remind her that a life with him was out of the
question. As long as she was unable to shift, she had nothing to
offer.
    Thankfully, no one in the Black Hills Pack
suspected her secret. Or if they did, they’d never confronted her
with it. How she’d managed to avoid the pack’s notice this long
still astounded her, but it was only a matter of time before
someone learned of her affliction.
    As a young girl, while under Magnum’s rule,
she recalled the pack’s treatment of one shifter who suffered the
same infirmity. The poor man had been regarded as nothing more than
a pariah, an outcast among his own people, and driven out of town
with the threat of death. It hadn’t taken the man long to
disappear. If that’s truly what happened to him….
    Inwardly, she cringed. With no way of knowing
if the pack’s current Alpha, Andrew Tao, would react the same as
his father, Kate was safer keeping her secret locked away from the
light of day. And that also meant she could never form a mate bond
with any shifter. Much less the man she loved.
    She wouldn’t allow Stephen to suffer for her
failings. No matter how much she longed to give into her feelings
for him, it just wasn’t possible. Not to mention she couldn’t bear
to witness his scorn or disgust when he learned the truth about
her.
    Resigned, she shifted away from him and the
temptation he presented. “Well, if she’s told you to get lost, you
might as well leave her alone. I don’t suspect she’ll change her
mind. You’re better off looking elsewhere.”
    Before she could rise from the swing, Stephen
looped his arm around her neck and pulled her against him. Planting
her hands on his chest, the touch of his bare skin seared her
palms, lighting every fuse in her body. She tried to push away, but
he dragged her closer and refused to let go.
    “Steph—”
    His mouth cut her off.
     
    ***
     
    Stephen slid his tongue past Kate’s parted
lips and drank in the wild, untamed spice of her. Jesus Christ,
he’d waited ages for this one small sample of her sweetness, and
damn it had been worth the wait. But he wanted more.
    Desire rushed through his blood, and the urge
to seize and conquer his mate eclipsed all else. When he moved to
lift her onto his lap, she jerked her mouth free and cast her head
to the side. Holding her pressed to his body, the rise and fall of
her chest matched his own.
    “We can’t do this, Stephen.”
    As usual, she fought the attraction.
    “Why?” He nipped at her earlobe. For once,
just give me a damn reason and stop hiding .
    Kate shoved at his chest, and he dropped his
arm, breaking the pulse of energy between them. She had to feel the
connection they shared. Hell, it practically raised every damn hair
on his body when he touched her. She jumped to her feet and moved
to the porch’s railing. As she wrapped her arms around her middle
and stared out into the forest behind her home, it struck him how
vulnerable she appeared.
    Once he’d recognized her as his mate when
she’d turned eighteen, he’d given her plenty of time to grow into
adulthood, experience life on her own, and hadn’t forced her into
anything she’d regret. He’d always ensured she was safe, protected,
and had everything she needed, whether she asked for it or not.
    For fuck’s sake, he howled at her damn
bedroom window at the most ungodly hours of night like some
lovelorn pup just to get her attention. Out of respect, he hadn’t
messed around with other females in the pack. He’d been a paragon
of patience for years waiting for her to accept their bond.
    Perhaps he was finally wearing her
down?
    Stephen nearly snorted aloud. Yeah the fuck
right. The damn woman was impervious to his charms.
    He rose to his feet and crossed the wooden
deck until he stood behind her. “Give me a reason, Kate. Just tell
me why.”
    “We just can’t. Accept it, and stop trying to
force me into something I don’t want.”
    Oh, his little Kate wanted him. He wasn’t
mistaken about that.