Chapter 1
ONE
Logan
I take a deep breath as I finish sanding the arm of the rocking chair and straighten up from the workbench.
My back immediately protests.
“Damn,” I mutter, pressing a hand to the ache.
I roll my shoulders, trying to work the stiffness out.
Spending hours bent over wood will do that to a man, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The scent of sawdust hangs thick in the air of my workshop, and sunlight slants through the open barn doors, lighting up the tiny golden particles floating around me.
This is my favorite time of day. The world is quiet and still. Exactly the way I like it.
I run my palm over the smooth arm of the rocking chair one more time, checking for rough spots. The grain of the oak curves in soft waves beneath my hand, and satisfaction settles in my chest.
Perfect.
I built this one for a couple in town who just had their first baby. A sturdy rocker for late nights and tired parents. It’ll last for generations.
That’s what I like about woodworking. You make something solid. Something real. Something that stays.
Unlike people.
My cabin sits on the far edge of Midnight Haven land, tucked deep into the trees where most folks don’t bother coming. That’s intentional. I built the place myself years ago and made sure it was far enough away that nobody could show up uninvited.
Peace and quiet. That’s all I need.
I set the rocking chair aside so the finish can dry. Wiping my hands on a rag, I step outside into the late afternoon sun.
The mountains stretch out around me, with endless forest rolling over the hills. Pine and cedar fill the air, and the wind rustles through the treetops.
Most people would find the silence lonely. I find it perfect. Except today. Today something feels… off.
My bear has been restless since sunrise. He’s pacing in the back of my mind like a caged animal.
Run, he grumbles.
“I know,” I mutter under my breath.
Usually, when he gets like this, it means he needs to stretch his legs. Shifting and running through the woods usually settles him down, but something about the sensation twisting in my chest doesn’t quite match that explanation.
Still, a run wouldn’t hurt.
I step down off the porch and move into the yard behind the cabin, rolling my neck as I walk. The grass is soft under my boots, and the forest line waits beyond the clearing.
Then I stop.
My bear goes completely still inside me, and we both tense, searching for what has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
Every muscle in my body tightens.
Something’s wrong.
The woods have gone too quiet. No birds chirp, no squirrels run around, no breeze rustles the leaves. Only silence.
I slowly turn my head, scanning the tree line.
Probably nothing, I tell my bear.
He disagrees, alert now as he presses forward in my mind.
Something’s here, he growls.
A faint rustling drifts through the trees, and my eyes narrow. It comes from the thick brush on the east side of the clearing.
Slowly, carefully, I walk that way, every step measured. My ears strain for sound while my eyes scan the undergrowth, but all I see are the usual branches, leaves, and shadows.
The rustling comes again, closer this time. My heart pounds harder in my chest as the noise grows louder. Whatever it is, it’s moving fast, and it’s headed right toward me.
Then suddenly—
The brush explodes. A figure bursts through the trees and collapses at my feet.
I freeze.
My instincts are still debating if I should shift. Shock slams through me as I stare down at the little figure.
A woman.
She’s sprawled in the grass, breathing raggedly, her dark hair tangled around her face. Dirt and scratches cover her arms, and her clothes are torn like she’s been running through the forest for hours.
My bear roars inside my head.
Mate, he thunders.
The word is so loud that it knocks the air out of my lungs and almost deafens me. It takes me a second to process what he says, and he lunges at my throat.
Claim her! he orders.
I blink. What?
Then I catch her scent. It’s sweet, soft… and mine.
The realization hits me like a lightning strike.
She’s my fated mate.
Holy shit, I’ve found her.
She groans softly, barely conscious, and tries to push herself up before collapsing again. Panic claws up my throat as I drop to my knees beside her, checking her over.
Where is she hurt? I think frantically while my bear bellows in my head.
“Hey,” I say, trying to sound comforting. I’m not sure I pull it off. My voice is rusty from lack of use.
I clear my throat, my fingers brushing over her, and I clench my jaw when I feel how cold she is. Too cold.
“Easy,” I murmur when she tries to move.
Her eyelashes flutter, and for a split second, I see them. Light blue eyes, so clear that they remind me of the lake north of my place.
Then they roll back as she goes limp.
My bear growls violently in my head. Save her! Protect her from whatever she was running from.
“I know,” I mutter quietly.
I scoop her into my arms, cradling her against me. She’s smaller than I expected. So curvy and soft. Her head falls against my chest as I stand, and the scent of her wraps around me again.
Mate. Mine.
The word echoes through every part of me. My bear surges forward with possessive pride.
Ours, he corrects.
He’s excited. So am I, but I need to focus on her right now. I need a plan. She’s hurt, and whatever she was running from could still be nearby.
I glance back toward the woods. The forest has gone silent again.
Too silent.
My instincts scream danger.
Without wasting another second, I carry her inside the cabin. The front door swings open with a shove of my shoulder, and I hurry to lay her carefully on the couch in the living room.
For a moment, I stare down at her. Her face is pale beneath the dirt and scratches. A bruise is forming along her jaw, and her lips look dry and cracked. She’s exhausted.
She must have been terrified to run like that, I think.
My bear snarls inside me. She’ll never be afraid like that again, he vows.
I nod in agreement as rage burns through my chest. Who the hell did this to her?
We’ll find them, my bear vows. And we’ll make them pay.
Before I can do that, though, I need to get my mate help.
I might be a loner, but I have a few friends in the pack.
I grab my phone off the kitchen counter and call Knox.
He’s my closest friend here, the one I’ve known the longest, and also a bear shifter.
He might not quite understand my desire for solitude, but he respects it.
I hit dial, and the phone rings twice.
“Logan? Is everything okay?” Knox asks, the concern clear in his voice.
“No,” I admit. “I need a doctor at my cabin. Now.”
“Are you hurt?”
I know he’s wondering how bad it is if my bear can’t help me heal.
“Not me. My mate.”
“Your mate?”
Pride fills me at the word.
“Yeah. She appeared on my property and collapsed. She’s freezing, and it’s obvious she’s been running from someone or something. She’s scraped up.”
“Running from the cult?” Knox asks, his voice low and deadly.
“I don’t know. I didn’t see anyone chasing her, and she’s currently unconscious.”
“We’ll be right there,” Knox promises, ending the call.
I set the phone down and return to my mate’s side. She hasn’t moved, hasn’t even stirred. Unease fills me.
I kneel beside her, brushing the hair away from her face. She’s beautiful. Even unconscious and covered in dirt, there’s no denying it. Midnight black hair, soft skin, curves that I instinctively know will fit my hands perfectly. And those blue eyes I glimpsed briefly.
My bear rumbles as he paces inside me. He’s on high alert, listening for any threat outside the cabin.
I glance out the window, scanning the trees and bushes for signs of anything out of place, but it’s still.
I glance back at my mate and smile softly. It still doesn’t feel real that I’ve finally found her.
The crunch of gravel outside draws my attention. I look up, relaxing when I see Knox and the doctor climb out of a car and move quickly toward my cabin.
Knox bursts through my front door. “Which direction did she come from?”
I point to my work shed. “To the left of my shop.”
He takes off.
Another car pulls up, and three more guys emerge, quickly catching up to Knox.
“They’ll pick up her trail and see which direction she came from,” the doctor explains. “I’m Christian. I don’t think we’ve officially met.”
“Logan. Thanks for coming.”
Christian gives me a friendly smile as he moves closer to my mate.
It kills me, but I step back, giving him room to examine and treat her. I stand over him, my arms crossed over my chest as I watch him check her pulse, examine her pupils, and gently lift her wrist.
“She’s dehydrated,” he says after a moment. “Exhausted too.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
Christian glances up and smiles reassuringly. “She’ll be fine. She needs to take it easy. I’ll leave some meds with you, and I’ll start an IV. I’ll come back to check on her, and I’ll give you my number in case something changes.”
Relief floods my chest as I watch him pull medical equipment from his bag.
“Any idea who she is?” he asks as he starts the IV.
“No. Not yet.”
“That should keep her for tonight,” Christian says, checking the drip. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning. If she wakes up, try to get her to drink something, preferably something with electrolytes. She can eat too, but light stuff, like soup broth or Jello.”
I don’t have any of those things, and I make a list so I can run to the store.
And leave her? my bear growls.
I wince at the thought.
“No sign of anyone out there now,” Knox says as he comes back inside with the guys from earlier. He looks pissed. “The trail led back to the cult, though.”
I clench my fists at my sides.
Knox tips his head toward the other men. “ Logan, this is Ansel, Pryce, and Julian. Guys, this is my buddy, Logan.”
I nod to everyone.
“We can stay. Make sure they don’t come back,” Ansel suggests.
“We’ll set up a patrol,” Pryce adds.
“What do you need?” Julian asks me.
“Some supplies. Christian says she needs electrolytes and light foods when she wakes up.”
“Send me the list, and I’ll go to the store,” Julian says.
I nod gratefully. “Thanks. There’s some money in my office—”
“Don’t worry about it. Just focus on your mate,” he says.
For the first time in forever, I regret my solitary life. The people of Night Grove Falls are all so kind and friendly. Maybe I should’ve made more of an effort to get to know them.
“We’ll be back soon,” Knox says, clapping me on the shoulder.
“Sounds good. Thanks again.”
The cabin falls silent again as they leave. Amber light spills through the windows as the sun dips behind the mountains. I take a moment to appreciate the sight before pulling a chair next to the couch to sit beside my mate.
She shifts slightly in her sleep. My bear settles inside me, still alert and watchful for any threat but calmer now she’s here with us.
I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, my eyes tracing over her face.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I murmur softly. “You’re safe here. I’ll always protect you. I’ll give you anything you need, anything you want.”
She shifts again, rolling slightly closer to me.
I smile. She may not know it yet, but she’s home now, and I’ll guard her with my life.
No one touches my mate. No one takes her from me.
Not ever.