Semua Bab Northstar Heir's Scarred Mate: Bab 1 - Bab 10

The little human woman seemed to prefer silence, so he left her to it. From the corner of his gaze, he appraised her. She was curvy in the right places, and she had a long fall of dark hair that obscured the scarred side of her face, which would be facing him otherwise. He winced again, recalling the first sight of it. It must’ve hurt her greatly, whatever injury had inflicted it. It made him feel protective, and he had the urge to demand to know how it happened so he could rectify it. It was an irrational response, as was his strong reaction to her, but he couldn’t deny she stirred something in him. That had to be why he’d made the insane offer to a complete stranger to allow her to stay in his home for the night. That, and there was an air of vulnerability about her. She was so lost and seemed broken, and it had to go far deeper than the scars that marred her skin. There was a fragility about her spirit that made him want to help her, to support her as she put herself back together

3Claire was too keyed up from the kiss to even think about falling asleep or using the guestroom. Instead, she occupied herself with her phone until she figured enough time had passed that Bodie would be asleep in his own room. She didn’t want to be rude, but there was no reason for her to spend the night here.Before leaving, she used the Uber app to order a ride. Even in their backwater, there were a few drivers available, and she was relieved for it though she didn’t really want to get into a car again. It wasn’t like she could walk twenty miles on foot, and since she couldn’t shift into a wolf to run them either, she was stuck with that option.She waited until the app alerted her that the driver was almost there before tiptoeing out of his house. She thought about leaving a thank-you note or something, but she decided it was better to cut and run. The less time he had to think about her, the better. She still cringed at the idea of him recognizing her as Gracie’s little sister o

5“I could be wrong, but I think she might have a thing for you, Bodie,” said Jalen with a little smirk. “Didn’t she used to have a crush on you that she tried so hard to hide?”“Huh?” asked Liam.Bodie quickly reminded him of the past connection to Claire before answering Jalen. “She was just a kid.” He was feeling his hackles rise, but he didn’t want to argue with his cousins.“Her scars, man.” Liam winced and shook his head.Before Bodie could stop himself, he was halfway out of his seat. “If you say anything like that to her—”Liam leaned back, putting up his hands. If he’d been shifted, he probably would’ve taken on a submissive pose, but that was good enough. “Relax, Bodie. I was just commenting on how awful they are. She’s still beautiful.”“Stay the hell away from her,” said Bodie with a thick growl he couldn’t stop. For a moment, he was perilously close to letting out his wolf.Liam and Jalen exchanged glances, and they both sat quietly until Bodie had regained control and sa

7Claire couldn’t help but be nervous as she rode beside him in his truck. Her nerve endings were strung taut, and she was certain that if he said anything, she would jump in surprise and let out a startled squeal. So far, he seemed content to let her maintain silence, and she was trying to avoid saying anything that would make her seem gauche, moronic, or eager to be with him. He didn’t need to know that part was particularly true.She had little reason to be nervous, except if her parents saw him dropping her off at the house. It wasn’t like Bodie was suddenly going to jump on her. A strong surge of regret went through her as she had that realization, and then she acknowledged she’d been hoping for some indication that he cared about her as more than someone he pitied and was worried about after her near attack last night.In her mind, she couldn’t help imagining how it would be if he pulled over to the side of the road and suddenly jumped on her, pulling her into his arms. No doubt

9He entered the sheriff’s station, and it was a calm and quiet environment, similar to usual. It appeared that their front desk person wasn’t working that day, but that was hardly surprising. Claudia was usually part-time at best, since it was a quiet town that rarely required any major intercession. Sheriff Dillon Starr and Deputy Juno Lane, along with a third deputy, though that position was currently unfilled, managed to handle everything that arose in their town—everything except this unsettling matter, which was new to all of them.Juno looked up from her desk, which was positioned where she could greet people in case Claudia wasn’t available. She nodded to him and said, “The sheriff said you might stop by after he spoke with your father.”“It seemed like the thing to do. Were you the one who found the fliers, Juno?”The tall brunette stretched as she pushed back from her desk and came over to stand near him. “It wasn’t me. Gus was coming in to do cleaning at City Hall, and he’s