Grayslake: More than Mated: UnBearable Secrets (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free Page A

she didn't quite understand. But she knew one thing: she wanted to be his. Gravel crunched under her feet as she turned off the main road and onto a path into the woods. This was where she could be at peace, finally clear her brain of all the thoughts that she was having about leaving home and now about finding Sam. She could just listen to the wind in the trees and the sound of her feet slapping against the ground.
    The woods were beautiful. There was a nice breeze today, so it felt more like fall than the day before. Finally, not so muggy. Maybe the South wasn’t so bad. Maybe she could stay here a little longer, get to know Sam better. She would have to consult with the local Itan, of course. She would need permission to stay, but no one needed her back home. Grayslake could be the escape she had been dreaming of. She would have to get over the cats in her room, though. They had kept her up for hours last night with their beady little eyes and blank stares. Or maybe she was up because she had been running over her semi-date with Sam instead.
    Why had he been so upset about her assumption that cows would go missing? She knew the damage shifters could do when unchecked. She had seen it a thousand times before. Without a release, the bear could take over completely. She then considered taking her clothes off and shifting, going for a run as her wild side. But just as she was about to find a rock to hide her belongings underneath, she heard the sound of water. She ran through the trees to the left and found herself at a wide expanse of lake. Immediately, she stopped. She was breathing heavily and put her hands on her knees as she watched the water lapping up on the shore. The lake was peaceful and serene and beautiful and it should've evoked some sort of calmness in her heart, but instead she had only one thought.
    Bianca.
    The sadness crushed against her body like a waterfall and she fell to the ground. It didn't matter how loud her music was—all that she could hear was the water.
    There were so many questions. So many secrets. Things that she would never know.
    Bianca was dead.
    And it was her fault.
     
     

Chapter Seven
    Sam
     
    Finally, the damn radiator had stopped making noise and blowing steam. Lucy was happy and the guests hadn’t noticed the issue, so everything was good. He could finally get away for a bit.
    He had stopped by Olivia’s room, considering knocking and asking her to walk with him multiple times, but he decided he needed to wait for her to come to him.
    He took one final look at her window as he began walking. He didn't have a car; there was really no need for it in such a small town like Grayslake. So he walked everywhere—to the store, to the park, and to the den once every few days to check in with the Itan, Ty. He hated having to report to someone, but that was the rule. While he had been traveling, he figured it was better to follow the rules then to break them. He didn't need some crazy Itan on his ass just for not checking in. It was better to fly under the radar.
    He kicked a stone as he passed the lake, the fall breeze rustling the leaves of the trees above him. He would give anything to just rip his clothes off and shift, running the rest of the way as a bear, but so many people in the town didn't know that they housed a large shifter population. So instead he took a shortcut through the woods on his way to the den. Finally, he arrived at the cluster of homes, the largest one being where Ty and his mate Mia lived. The door was wide open as usual. Anyone who knew about this place was coming to see him.
    Sam ascended the stairs, the boards creaking under his feet. He walked in the front door and could smell breakfast coming from the back of the house. The place was kind of dark, but it had a cozy feel to it, and there were always people milling around. Between the brothers that lived on the compound, and bears from the town, it was always busy. But it was still early morning, and that was