Resisting The Alpha (Werebear Shifter Romance) (The Crane Curse) Read Online Free PDF Page A

traced her cheek.
    "Nothing. All I know is my mother left me at the hospital and couldn't be bothered to give me a name. The only thing I have is this bird pendant."
    She lifted the silver charm hanging on a long chain around her neck. As he held it with the tips of his fingers he smiled. "This isn't just any bird, its a crane. They're all over down here. They love the water. Have you ever looked up the spiritual meaning for the crane?"
    "Spiritual meaning? There's enough crazy stuff that goes on in this town without my adding to it," she said.
    "The symbolism of the crane is to use your past as a source of strength for the present," he said ignoring her.
    "My past doesn't give me any strength. If anything, its the opposite," she said as she lowered her head. "I've been clinging to this dumb bird hoping it meant something, that maybe she'd come back for me or at least this stupid thing but nothing. She wouldn't even sign her rights away so someone else could adopt me," she said as a lump formed in her throat. "Why would anyone be so cruel?"
    "I don't know why people do the things they do, Faith," he said, his voice soft. "I'm sorry you had such a hard life, but you're with me now. I'm your family. You don't need anyone else."
    He slipped his fingers behind her neck and pulled her head down to him. Slowly his lips moved against hers, and she relaxed back into his nook. As long as he loved her, she wouldn't need anyone else in the world.
     
    Present Day
     
    "If Abel wants to, he can find me," Faith said to herself as she headed into the woods.
    She didn't care if he went after her or not, she needed to get away. Even if it was just a few minutes. Since his pack had been captured by the Kapok Council, he changed again. Gone was the Abel she knew and clung to believing he still was, in his place was someone else. Someone she didn't want to know.
    Wrapping her arms around herself as she walked, she picked up her pace hoping to get her blood moving to warm her. Leaving the house on a cool night wasn't the smartest thing she ever did, but at least the full moon shone through the thick trees and onto the forest floor. She had to count her blessings somewhere.
    Seeing a path up ahead between the trees, she followed it wondering where it would lead. The dead grass was worn away to the dry sandy dirt below. The further she got from Abel, the slower her breath came and the tension left her body as she relaxed. She wasn't shaking anymore and her heart didn't ache as much. Taking in a deep breath, she felt calmer.
    The path straightened as the moon slipped behind a cloud, making it harder to see. A woman with long black hair in a glowing white dress appeared down the path. She looked towards Faith, then turned around as if she heard something before running forward and disappearing into the trees. Without thinking Faith followed her, weaving between the trees, but she couldn't keep up. The moon came out and lit the forest again and Faith found the path through the trees.
    As she stepped back onto the path the woman appeared again, this time a little closer. She looked at Faith, then behind her again, before running. Faith couldn't tell if she was running out of fear or if she was playing a game with someone, but she needed to find out.
    "Wait!" Faith called out as she reached the trees the woman disappeared into. The woods were too dark and thick for Faith to see and she wasn't crazy enough to keep chasing her. The last thing she needed was to get lost, it didn't matter how curious she was. As it slowly dawned on Faith that the woman might be a ghost, she turned around to look in the direction the woman kept turning towards and noticed a large clearing through the trees.
      Snaking her way through into the clearing she looked up at the bright moon lighting the area. As she stepped towards the middle of the clearing the woman in white appeared again and smiled at her. Faith didn't know what to think or expect. As a witch she should know