Page 9 of Awakening Storm

She gasped and drew back several steps. “Are you wild?”

But the pup simply sat at her feet and then sprawled on his belly.

She observed him for a few more seconds. She knelt, then stretched her arm out, presenting the back of her hand to him. “Why, you’re just a puppy. How did you get here?”

Takeshi rose and nuzzled the woman’s hand.

Traitor.

Aidan retreated farther into the shadows. He couldn’t possibly get his dog back without revealing himself. He sighed. The goal was to get the woman to leave without discovering the Divine Tree. But he’d also have to wait until the pup decided to return to its owner.

The dog pushed his way onto her lap. She sat back on her bottom and crossed her legs, laughing. It was a delightful sound—warm, inviting, gentle. In all his loneliness, it was definitely a sound he could get used to.

But why is she here?he asked himself again. His brother Ian’s words rang back in his ears:Even if there is no clear danger at present, it may be the calm before the storm.

He clenched his teeth. Could this female be part of that coming storm? Or the cause of it?

She reached up and flicked on the camera. “Look what I found. I thought I’d heard a dog barking earlier. He’s such a sweetie.”

Why was she filming here? Who was she speaking to? The camera made him uneasy...as if the secrets of the island were going to be revealed.

With a warning flaring inside him, he went into protection mode as he transformed into his eagle.