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Chapter One

Jacob

I have two beasts growling at me at the same time

Although, our Great Dane’s vicious growls turn to pathetic whiy tennis ball out of his mouth Moose looks up at me ide eyes as I raise , kicking up dusty dirt with his four huge paws

I sigh as the second beast growls at me

He’s not as easy to placate This beast requires soive hi for and so far, fate has been a no-show

My inner Kodiak bear snarls as I watch our white dog with the black spots clear half of the valley in no ti with Moose Outraged that I would dare do anything except search for our mate every second of my life

Believe o to her

But I don’t And that painful fact is eating me alive

Stop it, I warn my bully of a bear as he starts to pace e roar and then starts trying to claw his way out

His intentions are clear: If you’re not going to look for her, then I will

I flexto hold him in He wrenches and twists my insides as he tries to wrestle and force his way out My own growl rumbles out of my throat as I push him back down

He’s feisty today, which is a nice way of saying he’s being a nasty feral fucker My Kodiak has always longed for ourelse

He’s desperate for her and he’s taking it out on me As if I’m not every bit as desperate to find her as he is As if I don’t lay awake every night wondering where she is, what she looks like, when I’ll finally be able to hold her in my hands and touch her sweet soft lips As if my insides don’t twist and clench every tierous world without her mate by her side

I need her so badly it’s killing me It always has I’m thirty-four, the oldest of the four Dixon boys, and I’m the only one who’s still alone Where is she?

I squeeze runt as my cruel bear tries to claw his way out I fall to my knees as I try to shove him back in With eyes squeezed shut and jaw clenched, I feel a wetness on my hand Moose is back with the ball

I yank it out of his e I’ watches helplessly as the tennis ball soars across the ranch and lands in the forest on the far side

He lowers his head with a whimper