Forbidden Bond by Jessica Lee Page A

rising alpha, but he had had no intention of coming back to live in Little Crow Pass.
    This year marked his thirtieth birthday and when the clock struck midnight in six months on New Year’s Eve, he would assume his destined place among the shifters of Screaming Eagle.
    But he hadn’t been able to resist a one-time visit back to Little Crow to personally place the ranch up for sale.
    Later inside, Eion stepped from his shower, a white towel hanging low on his hips as he padded into the bedroom. Sinking onto the edge of the bed, he swiped his fingers through his wet hair, pushing it away from his face when his cell on the nightstand rang. He glanced at the display. Mandrake One. Eion sighed, snagged the phone from the table, and answered as he fell back on the mattress.
    “Hello, Father.”
    “Eion, my son. I hear you’ve been in Little Crow Pass for a week now. When were you planning to inform your alpha?”
    He stifled the groan in his throat. “My duties are being covered by my brother, so I didn’t see the need to trouble you since I’ll be returning soon.”
    “It’s not your duties as overseer that I’m concerned about, and you know it,” his father growled. “There is still much to be done in preparation for your succession. There are meetings that need to be planned with the other packs. Alpha dinners that take time to arrange. You have to start acting like an alpha. Act like you want this or they’ll eat you alive. And you know I’m not necessarily speaking figuratively,” he grumbled. “You need to be here where you belong, not running some fool errand that could have been handled by someone else. I don’t know what my brother was thinking, giving that place to you.”
    “They’re sentimental. I didn’t hate my time here, and I appreciated the gesture.”
    “Eric was always a bit too soft for his own good,” his father added. “We don’t have time for your trip down memory lane, and I didn’t think I’d have to remind you what a fragile time this is for the pack. A shift in power is at hand, and as an alpha family, we can’t afford any signs of weakness because you are not making it a priority.”
    Closing his eyes, Eion sucked in a calming breath. He’d been groomed for this moment his entire life. He’d almost forgotten the peace that came with his time in Little Crow Pass. Even with the stress of seeing Liv again, he hadn’t realized how good it felt to be away from it all, if only for a few days.
    “Do I make myself clear?”
    “Perfectly, Sir,” Eion said, his voice steady, cool.
    “Good. So when shall we expect you?”
    “I’ll call you when I know more.”
    “What does that mean?” his father bit out.
    “Exactly what it sounds like. You’ll know when I do.”
    “What is going on there, Eion? There has to be more to it than your desire to oversee selling that ranch. I’m old, but I’m not stupid. I didn’t like what I saw when you returned from that place the first time. You’d changed. Something happened while you were in Little Crow, but I didn’t push you on it, because you were a grown man, and at least you were back. Now…now whatever is going on there is threatening your future. What are you hiding from me?”
    “Nothing.” Eion fisted his other hand. “I’ve got business to take care of with the ranch, and it looks like a former friend of mine might need a little help while I’m here.”
    His father grunted. A familiar vocalization from his childhood that said I ain’t buying that story .
    “And this friend is more important than your responsibility to the pack?”
    This time Eion didn’t choke back the sound of irritation rolling from his throat. “It’s not a choice of them over us. For God’s sake, it’s a visit, not a permanent move. I think the pack and any preparations will be just fine without me for a few days.”
    The line hung open, soundless, for what felt like minutes rather than seconds.
    “Tell me about the woman.”
    Eion’s jaw