Page 8 of His Relentless Mate

But he kept his mouth shut, focusing on the road ahead instead of the woman sitting beside him. When they finally arrived at the cottage Annika rented, he pulled into the driveway and cut the engine, turning to face her.

“I’ll walk you to your door,” he said, more out of a need to prolong their time together than any real concern for her safety.

Annika nodded, her expression unreadable, and they made their way to the entrance in silence. The air was cool, the sky above them darkening as evening settled over the town. Trace could feel the tension between them, a magnetic pull that drew him closer to her, even as he fought to keep his distance.

When they reached her door, Annika turned to face him, her eyes searching his as if looking for something she couldn’t quite find. “Thanks for the ride, Trace,” she said softly, her voice tinged with something that might have been regret.

He nodded, feeling his heart race in his chest. This was it—the moment when he could either say something or do something to bridge the gap between them or let her slip away once more.

But as he leaned in, his face inches from hers, he hesitated, the words catching in his throat. Annika’s breath hitched, her eyes widening as she realized what was about to happen. For a moment, they stood there, frozen in place, the tension between them crackling like electricity.

And then, just as suddenly, she pulled back, breaking the spell. “Goodnight, Trace,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, before turning and slipping inside the cottage, the door closing softly behind her.

Trace stood there for a long moment, staring at the closed door, his heart pounding in his chest. He had been so close, so damn close to telling her everything, to finally bridging the gap that had grown between them over the years.

But the moment was lost, and all he was left with was the echo of her retreating footsteps and the cold, empty feeling in his chest. He turned and walked back to his car, his mind racing with questions, doubts, and the gnawing uncertainty that came with loving someone you weren’t sure you could ever truly be with.

As he drove away, Trace couldn’t help but wonder if he’d just made a mistake, if he had let his fear of rejection, of revealing the truth about who—what—he was, keep him from taking the leap. He had always been a man of action, someone who faced challenges head-on, but when it came to Annika, he found himself hesitating, unsure of the ground beneath his feet.

The case they were working on was heating up, and he knew that they were getting closer to uncovering the truth. But as much as he wanted to focus on the investigation, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the real battle wasn’t with the mystery they were trying to solve, but with the feelings he had buried for so long.

Trace wasn’t sure where things would go from here, but one thing was certain—he couldn’t keep running from the truth. Not with Annika. Not with the investigation. And certainly not with the part of himself he had been hiding for so long.

The past was catching up with him, and he would have to face it head-on, no matter the cost.

Chapter Five

Annika

Annika closed the door to her rented cottage with a soft click, leaning against it for a moment as she let out a long, shaky breath. Her heart was still pounding from the almost kiss with Trace, the tension between them lingering in the air like an unspoken promise. She had been so close to letting herself fall back into the familiar comfort of his arms, but at the last moment, something had held her back—fear, uncertainty, maybe even the ghosts of their shared past.

She pushed away from the door and walked over to the small bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the sound of the rushing water fill the silence. Stripping off her clothes, she stepped under the hot spray, hoping it would wash away the confusion that was clouding her thoughts. The water beat down on her skin, but it did little to soothe the turmoil within her.

As she scrubbed away the grime of the day, Annika couldn’t help but wonder how she had gotten herself into this mess. She had come back to Kodiak with a clear purpose: to solve the cold case that had haunted the town for decades and to bring closure to the family that had been left behind. But now, with Trace back in her life, everything felt tangled and complicated. The emotions she had buried deep inside were surfacing, and she wasn’t sure how to handle them.

Stepping out of the shower, Annika wrapped herself in a towel and wiped the steam from the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, eyes shadowed with fatigue and something else—something she didn’t want to name. She dried off quickly and pulled on a pair of pajamas, trying to push the thoughts of Trace to the back of her mind. But as she crawled into bed, the warmth of the blankets doing little to ease the chill in her heart, she knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.

Sleep came reluctantly, her mind still buzzing with questions and unresolved feelings. But when it did, it brought with it a dream that was both familiar and unsettling.

Annika was back in her childhood home, the one she had shared with her parents and her brother, Daniel. The sun was shining through the windows, casting a warm, golden light over the worn furniture and the faded wallpaper. She could hear the distant sound of the ocean, the rhythmic crash of the waves against the shore, and a comforting presence in the background.

She was sitting at the kitchen table, her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee, when Daniel walked in. He looked just as she remembered him—tall and lean, with the same mischievous grin that had always made her smile. His dark hair was tousled as if he had just rolled out of bed, and his blue eyes sparkled with a playful light.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” he teased, ruffling her hair as he passed by.

Annika laughed, the sound bubbling up from deep within her. “You’re one to talk. You were always the one who couldn’t get out of bed before noon.”

Daniel shrugged, flashing her a grin as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “What can I say? I’m a night owl.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, sipping their coffee, the familiar routine bringing a sense of peace that Annika hadn’t felt in years. But then, as if sensing the weight of her thoughts, Daniel set down his mug and looked at her, his expression turning serious.

“So, what’s going on with you and Trace?” he asked, his tone light but probing.

Annika blinked in surprise, not expecting the question. “What do you mean?”

Daniel leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Come on, Annika. I know you. I can tell when something’s bothering you. And it’s pretty obvious that Trace is at the center of it.”

She sighed, feeling the familiar ache of old wounds reopening. “It’s… complicated. We almost kissed tonight, but I pulled back. I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to get involved with him again, not after everything that happened.”