Chapter 4

4

IRENE

I rene stepped out of the diner, the bell above the door chiming softly behind her. The cold mountain air hit her like a slap, doing little to quell the nausea churning in her stomach. It might not feel cold to the locals, but to someone who’d lived her life in Arizona, it was frigid. She paused on the sidewalk, gripping the paper bag containing her sandwich, and closed her eyes briefly.

It wasn’t the first time she’d felt this way since arriving in Silver Falls. The disoriented, queasy sensation had started near the boulders with the carvings, a dull thrum of unease that had only worsened when she walked into the diner. And running into Sheriff Beckett Grey had only amplified it.

His presence had been overwhelming in every sense of the word. The way his piercing blue eyes had pinned her in place, the way his deep voice had wrapped around her like a velvet snare... It was as if the man carried the responsibility for everyone in Silver Falls on his very broad, very muscular shoulders—not that she’d noticed and had wondered what it might be like to run her fingers over said shoulders. He wasn’t shy about letting everyone know about that sense of responsibility, either. He was the man in charge. The man everyone turned to. He was, in her mind, everything a good alpha or good sheriff would be.

“Damn it,” she muttered to herself, taking a deep, steadying breath.

She hadn’t wanted to spend any more time than necessary with him. Every second in his presence had been like standing too close to a flame—intense, consuming, and impossible to ignore. That was why she’d made her excuse, grabbing her lunch to go instead of sitting down like she’d planned.

Now, the sandwich in her hand felt more like a taunt than a reprieve. Eating on the go wasn’t ideal, but the idea of returning to the Bristlecone Bed & Breakfast didn’t appeal, either. Ruby Wilder’s knowing eyes had a way of appearing to see through her defenses, and Irene wasn’t ready for another round of polite-but-pointed questions.

Her boots echoed softly on the sidewalk as she headed toward the trailhead on the outskirts of town. The wilderness had always been her sanctuary—a place where she could think, regroup, and plan her next steps. The wilds of Silver Falls didn’t feel nearly as benign as Arizona, but the wilderness was far less dangerous than lingering in the sheriff’s shadow.

As the forest closed in around her, she followed the winding trail deeper into the woods. The crisp air carried the scent of the outdoors with it, and the leaves beneath her boots weren’t the only sound breaking the stillness—the call of a bird, something moving in the underbrush. Irene let out a slow breath, trying to shake the uneasy feeling that had been gripping her since she’d left the diner.

She wasn’t foolish enough to believe she was alone. Not in this town. The sheriff had watched her like a hawk back at the diner—or perhaps more like a predator sizing up its prey—his interest far too sharp to dismiss as casual. And if he was watching her, it was likely someone—or something—else might be, too.

The thought made her grip the sandwich bag tighter, her pace quickening. She told herself she was just being paranoid, but her instincts said otherwise. Maybe Sophie had been right. Maybe it would have been better to stay where she belonged.

Stopping at a fallen log near the edge of a small clearing, she perched on its mossy surface and unwrapped the sandwich. The rich scent of roast beef, cheddar, and horseradish filled the air, and her stomach growled in protest despite her lingering queasiness.

“Just eat,” she muttered to herself. “You’ll need the energy.”

As she bit into the sandwich, her thoughts drifted back to the sheriff. His presence in the diner had been almost magnetic, pulling her toward him even as her instincts screamed to keep her distance. The way he’d spoken to her—calm, probing, and laced with an authority that wasn’t just human—had rattled her more than she wanted to admit.

He knows. Or at least, he suspects something.

The thought made her heart race. She’d been careful, masking her scent, blending in as much as possible. But he wasn’t just anyone. He was a sheriff and an alpha, and his instincts were probably sharper than most. If she wasn’t careful, she’d draw more attention than she could handle.

The sound of a twig snapping pulled her from her thoughts. Irene froze, her senses sharpening as she scanned the clearing. The forest had gone silent—too silent.

“Not again,” she whispered, placing the sandwich into her pack and slipping her hand into her jacket. Her fingers closed around the hilt of her knife, the comfortable grip grounding her as she rose to her feet.

“Who’s there?” she called, her voice steady despite the fear knotting her stomach.

The silence stretched, but the feeling of being watched was unmistakable. Irene’s heart pounded as she turned in a slow circle, her grip on the knife tightening. She’d been careful since arriving in Silver Falls, but it seemed her precautions hadn’t been enough.

“Show yourself,” she said, louder this time.

A low growl rumbled through the trees, deep and guttural. It sent a chill down her spine, the sound far too close for comfort. She turned toward the source, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the shadows.

“Damn it,” she muttered, her pulse racing. She didn’t know if it was a wolf or something else, but she wasn’t sticking around to find out.

Irene took a cautious step back, then another, her senses on high alert. The growl came again, closer this time, and her instincts screamed at her to run. But before she could move, a familiar voice broke through the charged silence.

“You have a habit of finding trouble, don’t you?”

She spun, her knife still raised and found herself face-to-face with none other than Beckett Grey. He stood at the edge of the clearing, his tall, broad frame blending seamlessly with the shadows. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes burned with intensity.

“What are you doing here?” Irene demanded, her voice sharper than she intended.

Beckett tilted his head, his lips quirking in a faint smile. “I could ask you the same thing. I could also point out that these lands are public, and as I’m the one who is a public servant, my questions are probably more pertinent. Want to answer them?”

Her grip on the knife faltered, and she quickly lowered it, tucking it back into the pocket of her jacket. “Not particularly. I didn’t realize hiking was a crime.”

“It’s not,” he said, stepping closer. His presence was overwhelming, and the air between them seemed to hum with unspoken energy. “But you don’t exactly look like someone out for a casual stroll.”

“I just like being prepared,” she shot back, crossing her arms.

He chuckled softly, the sound low and rough. “Prepared for what, exactly?”

Her stomach churned, a mix of frustration and something far more dangerous. The pull she felt toward him was undeniable, and it was taking everything she had to keep her guard up.

“Look,” she said, her voice firm. “I don’t need a babysitter, Sheriff. So, if you’re here to lecture me, save it.”

Beckett’s smile faded, his expression turning serious. “I’m not here to lecture you, Irene. But you should know—these woods aren’t as empty as they seem.”

The warning sent a shiver down her spine, and she fought to keep her expression neutral. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

As she turned to leave, his voice stopped her cold.

“Be careful out there,” he said, his tone softer now, almost... protective. “There are things in these woods that don’t take kindly to strangers.”

She didn’t look back, but his words echoed in her mind as she disappeared into the trees. The nausea was gone now, replaced by a different kind of unease.

As Irene ventured deeper into the forest, the shadows seemed to stretch and shift all around her. She told herself she was imagining things—that the growl she’d heard had just been a warning from the sheriff, staged to keep her in line.

But when she stopped to catch her breath, the sensation of being watched returned, stronger than before.

When she’d put some distance between herself and the sheriff, Irene pulled her sandwich out of her pack and began to munch on it as she adjusted the straps of her pack before stepping back onto the trail leading away from Silver Falls. The crisp mountain air was invigorating, but it did little to soothe the unease lingering in her chest. Her meeting with Grey still loomed in her mind, his intense eyes and quiet authority haunting her thoughts like a specter.

She located the boulders, marking them on her map and drawing out a grid search pattern. Irene stood, brushing dirt from her knees as she scanned the clearing. Using the boulders as her starting point, she began scouting the surrounding area, marking off the grid areas searched with an X. Her eyes were keen for any sign of a hidden entrance, more symbols or a change in the terrain. The mountainside felt alive around her, every rustle of leaves and snap of a twig sending a jolt through her senses.

She moved methodically, her training keeping her grounded even as her thoughts strayed. There were too many unknowns here—too many risks. Beck was watching her, of that she was certain. And if she wasn’t careful, he’d figure out that she was more than just a hiker passing through.

As she climbed a steep incline, a faint sound reached her ears. She froze, her heart pounding as she turned, scanning the trees. It was subtle—a whisper of movement, a shift in the air—but it was enough to set her nerves on edge.

“Beck?” she muttered, her voice barely audible.

There was no response, but the forest seemed to hold its breath. Irene exhaled slowly, forcing herself to focus. If he was out here, she’d need to be careful. The last thing she needed was to run into him again, especially not when she was in the middle of her search.

But as she turned back to her task, the feeling of being watched persisted, a prickling awareness that sent shivers down her spine. She tightened her grip on the strap of her pack, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the tree line.

“If you’re out there,” she said softly, “you’re going to have to try harder than that.”

Her words hung in the air, a challenge she wasn’t sure she wanted him to accept. But as the forest remained silent, she wondered if the sheriff might be closer than she realized.

Kneeling, she traced the markings, her heart pounding. They were faded but deliberate, a language of symbols she recognized from her research. Her stomach churned as the faint musk of fur and metal reached her nose. Someone had been here recently, and it wasn’t a hiker.

Irene crouched beside a rocky outcrop, her fingers brushing against a faint indentation in the ground. Her heart leapt as she realized it wasn’t natural—it was man-made. As she began to clear away the dirt and debris, a deep voice rumbled behind her, sending a chill down her spine.

“Looking for something?”

She spun to find Beck standing a few feet away, his tall frame blending into the shadows. His eyes held hers, and her breath hitched.

“How do you do that?” she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

“Do what?” he asked, stepping closer.

“Appear out of nowhere,” she snapped. “It’s unsettling.”

“Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, his tone calm but probing. “You just looked... concerned.”

“I’m fine,” she said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just scouting trails.”

Beck tilted his head, his gaze unrelenting. “Most hikers don’t walk around like they’re searching for something or stop to examine scratches on the rocks—unless they mean something to you.”

“Maybe I’m just thorough,” she deflected, her tone clipped.

Beck stepped closer, his presence impossibly large in a space that was starting to feel suffocating. “Or maybe you’re looking for something you don’t want anyone else to know about.”

She really wanted to punch him in his arrogant face but then wanted to kiss it to make it better. It was the most maddening feeling in the world. She tried to keep her expression neutral, forcing a smile, lifting her eyes to meet his. “I’m looking for good hiking spots. Isn’t that what everyone comes to Silver Falls for?”

“Most people, sure,” Beck said, his gaze sharp and unrelenting. “But you’re not like most people, are you?”

The air between them seemed to hum with tension, his words laden with meaning. Irene forced herself to hold his gaze, even as her heart pounded in her chest.

His lips quirked in a faint smile. “Or maybe you’re looking for something specific.”

Her body went stiff. “Thanks for the concern, Sheriff.”

His gaze lingered before he stepped back. “Just be careful,” he said, his voice low. “These mountains and this wilderness are ancient. There are things out here that don’t take kindly to strangers.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she replied, turning away before he could say more.

As Irene turned and walked away, her pulse raced, and her senses stayed on high alert. But it wasn’t just his words that lingered—it was the way he looked at her, as if he could see through every carefully constructed lie.

And the worst part? A small, reckless part of her wanted him to.