Lone Reach Shifters

The Complete Collection

Samantha Leal

Contents

Bear for Her

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Her Fated Dragon Protector

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Second Chance Wolf Protector

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Damaged Daddy Bear’s Nanny

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Taken by the Dragon Shifter

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Bear for Her

Lone Reach Shifters 1

Bear for Her

Copyright ©2020 by Samantha Leal

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author’s permission.

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Chapter 1

The cold gripped them as Chloe grabbed as many of their things as she could and shoved them in the bags waiting on the bed. The icy air from outside seemed to be filtering into the house, turning the place to stone and making their teeth chatter. Chloe knew she didn’t have a lot of time, and Harper was watching her mother with wide eyes, fully aware something was happening, even though Chloe was doing her best to disguise it.

She moved quickly, but kept calm, she smiled down at her daughter as she zipped up the bags and slung them over her shoulder before she reached for the little girl’s hand and pulled her gently to her feet.

“Come on then, kiddo,” she said with as much cheerfulness as she could muster. “It’s time for us to go on a little adventure.”

Harper held her soft, worn toy bunny close to her chest and nodded her head as she and her mom made for the door and down the stairs of their home. Chloe had to keep her face straight and the quiver out of her voice. She had to move fast and get them the hell out of Bridge Hollow while she still had the chance.

They stepped out into the frigid temps, the cold nipping their skin, and the moon shining brightly in the sky overhead as they slipped down the driveway, clutching to each other and trying to keep their balance, toward the car.

When Chloe loaded Harper into the back and fastened her seat belt, she smiled down at her little girl and kissed her on the forehead.

So much had happened in the past year, and now, she was ready to make a fresh start for them both. This was their chance to begin again.

Some may have called it running away, but for Chloe, it was just the necessary step she had to take to move on with her life and keep her and her daughter safe.

She climbed in the driver’s seat and adjusted the rearview mirror before she started the engine.

The whole town felt eerily quiet, and the chaos of the past few months had calmed almost overnight, but still, she knew she couldn’t stay there.

What if he ever came back?

She shuddered at the thought and pressed the gas, gripping the wheel and steering them swiftly off into the night.

Chloe may have been leaving Bridge Hollow − a place she had always called home − but she was doing what was right.

And now, there was no turning back.

The roads seemed to thaw the further away she traveled, and as she wound through the mountain roads, rising high and dipping into the trees, again and again, she began to get the sensation back in her fingers. She had felt as if she had spent the best part of six months frozen to the bone, but now that she was putting distance between herself and that place, she was finally coming back into the land of the living.

The distance between Bridge Hollow would be a shield for her against all the bad that had happened… and, of course, him.

As long as he didn’t know where they were, they were safe.

She flashed her eyes up to the rearview mirror and checked on Harper. She was fast asleep, cuddled in a fluffy blanket with a pillow under her head. They had been on the road a couple of hours, but she had been asleep within twenty minutes and hadn’t stirred since.

Chloe smiled warmly and then cast her glance back to the winding mountain road ahead. She had done the right thing. And now, she was on her way to a new place to start a new life… wherever that may be…

She yawned and blinked, trying to keep herself awake. It had been one hell of a day and night, and now, as it was nearing 4am, she had no idea how she was going to keep driving.

She gripped the wheel and sat forward, trying to focus, and as she turned another bend and started out on another sharp edge of the mountain highway, she felt the nerves creep along her spine.

“I hope there’s a motel somewhere near here,” she whispered to herself, even though she didn’t truly hold out much hope.

She had lived in Bridge Hollow her entire life, but she had rarely left, and when she had, she had always driven toward warmer climates, never further into the mountain range like this. Had she made a mistake coming to unchartered territory? Should she have just gone toward the West and found a city to get lost in?

She shook her head.

Chloe was a small-town girl and the thought of ending up in a city was overwhelming. She needed somewhere quiet and unassuming… somewhere no one would ever think to look.

The snow may have stopped falling, and the harsh cold of Bridge Hollow may not be reaching her, but she could tell Mother Nature was still wanting to play. It was the bleakest of midwinter, and she was driving through mountains she didn’t know, in the middle of the night, with her child in the back seat, sleeping soundly. Suddenly, the gravity of her situation started to hit her, and she felt tears prick the corner of her eyes.

How had she gotten herself into this mess?

She reached up and wiped the tears away. Determined not to dwell on what had happened to her over the past year, and even more certain she didn’t want to give him any more of her head space. Her thoughts were swirling like the darkness ahead of her and she blinked as she realized it had started to snow again. The small flakes were flying at the windshield, making her feel as if she were in a spinning tunnel, and she was becoming dizzy.

She gripped the wheel and sat forward, pressing the breaks slowly to avoid skidding, and to make sure she didn’t become too disorientated in the mix of darkness and snowflakes being caught by her headlights.

She felt a rumble underneath her, and for a split second, she thought there was a problem with the car. She clenched her teeth and pressed the breaks again, willing the car to stop comfortably as to not wake Harper, but as soon as the motion stilled, she became aware that the rumble was not from the engine but from something further away.

She felt her mouth gape open as she squinted out into the night. She couldn’t see a whole lot, but she could tell that both sides of the road were steep slopes running up into the mountains, as if the road had been built right through the middle of one. She bit her lip and held her breath, trying not to make a sound.

The rumble thundered again, and behind her, she was aware of Harper stirring and her little voice calling, “Mom?” before, without warning, their vehicle was pushed forward, a huge rush of snow powering into them from behind.

Chloe tried her best not to scream but was unsuccessful. Out of instinct, she reached her hand into the back seat to grab hold of Harper, trying to protect her in any way that she could. The car kept sliding forward, and it didn’t stop until they were at least twenty feet from where they had begun.

It must have only taken seconds to happen, but to Chloe it felt like she had been slipping and sliding for hours. Her heart was pounding, and she was still trying to make sense of what was happening, but once they had come to a stop and she heard a thick crunch as the snow pressed on the roof of the car, she realized what had happened.

They had been caught in an avalanche.

She gasped and squeezed hold of Harper’s ankle, barely daring to breathe or move. She held her hand to her lips and stared at her daughter, who, she could tell, also knew the gravity of the situation. It was clear she was too scared to move or speak.

The car had only just about stopped, and it was still in gear when the snow had hit them. It had pushed them along rather than burying them right away. But now, the whole of the back half of the car was covered, and she could see the dense white that had gripped the windows.

“Okay,” she whispered almost without a sound. “I need you to move as slowly and as lightly as you can.”

Harper’s eyes were wide, but Chloe knew she was brave. She nodded her head and unclipped her belt before standing, barely making a sound or any movement in the car whatsoever. She still clutched her stuffed rabbit, and as Chloe held out her arms and pulled her daughter into the front, onto her lap, and held her tightly. She breathed in her scent and thanked God they were both okay.

The window wipers were still on, and when she peered out the window on her side, she could see the snow had blocked her door too.

“We’re going to have to climb out this window,” she whispered to Harper.

She reached for her purse and made sure she had everything inside, she reached back for their coats and bunched them up under her arm. She pressed the button to put down the window and felt relieved when it opened all the way.

She held Harper and put her feet out first.

“Move away quietly,” she whispered and pointed ahead to where the road was clear. She wanted them to get the hell out of there as quick as they could, but she didn’t know if there was a chance more snow could fall.

She pushed the coats out next, hearing them fall to the ground lightly, and then she heaved herself out of the driver’s window, holding her purse and not daring to breathe until she was on solid ground, was holding Harper’s hand, and running as fast and as quietly as they could from where the avalanche had caught them.

As she looked back at the car, almost completely buried by the snow, she felt her bones begin to shake.

My God, had they been lucky.

She squeezed Harper’s hand as she bent down and started to wrap her inside her heavy coat and do up the zipper and buttons, and as she was doing her own, she felt a rumbling again and a gasp escaped her lips.

She closed her eyes and gripped Harper, but before she had a chance to run, she heard a beeping and saw the headlights, and her stomach seemed to drop with relief as a huge truck came toward them.

It wasn’t another avalanche. It was the movement of the truck bumping over the road.

Out of the darkness, someone had found them.

She ran toward the driver’s door, pulling Harper along, barely able to keep her footing as she slipped across the snowy ground.

The door opened and she fell into the driver’s arms.

She didn’t know who this person was… but he had saved them.

It was as if they had been blessed with a Guardian Angel.

Chapter 2

“Woah!” The voice was deep and gruff, and as she hugged him tightly, she could feel that he was big and muscular.

She stepped back, wiping the tears from her face and still clutching Harper’s hand for dear life.

“Holy shit,” he said. “Were you two in that?”

It was so dark, and the lights from the truck were blinding as she moved away from him, still not able to see him properly, but she could tell he was looking back at her car.

“It just came out of nowhere,” she panted. “It swept us along and we just climbed out the window.”

The man walked around the front of the truck and the lights hit him. Chloe instantly took a step back. He was at least six foot five, with a huge, hulking frame. One that would suggest he could most certainly take care of himself and probably spent a lot of his time in the gym.

She swallowed and instinctively held Harper a little tighter.

“Jeez,” he said with a whistle. “You’re damned lucky to be alive.”

“Tell me about it,” Chloe panted.

He looked at her and the light from the truck illuminated his face.

She could see a dark smattering of stubble across his cheeks and chin, and his jawline was strong and chiseled. His eyes glinted, and she caught a flicker of green mixed with the dark brown.

She swallowed and her heart thumped quickly.

He smiled at her in sympathy and his perfectly-straight teeth made him even more attractive. Some may even say perfect. She tried to pull her eyes away from him, her head screaming at her that all men were bad news, and this certainly wasn’t the time or the place to be considering anything like that.

“Are you okay?” he asked genuinely as he reached out and touched her shoulder.

Chloe was shaking, but she was caught up in his eyes. The way his heavy hand felt on her shoulder seemed to send ripples of excitement to her very core. She nodded her head slowly, hoping she didn’t look like a dumb fool.

“I think so,” she said, but the cold was starting to grip her, and she could feel little Harper shivering next to her.

“Where are you heading?” he asked as he took a step closer to the buried car. He was being cautious, as if he could sense there may be another avalanche on its way. Kneeling, he looked ahead, not getting more than twenty feet closer to it.

“Good question,” she half-laughed.

And she realized how ridiculous it must sound. How could she even begin to tell this guy she had no clue where she was driving her and her five-year-old to in the middle of the night?

He looked over his shoulder at her and smirked.

“All of our stuff is in the trunk,” she said with a groan of realization. She rubbed her forehead and sighed.

“Well, it’s probably going to be staying there for a while,” he sighed as he rose. “And a plow and tow truck are going to be needed to clear the road and dig the car out.”

Chloe felt tears sting her eyes again.

Could this night get any worse?

Harper clung to her mother’s hand tightly and Chloe could feel that they were ice cold. She couldn’t let her stay out in the dark wilderness for much longer.

“You look exhausted,” he said as he stepped toward them. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a cellphone. “Here, do you want to call someone?” he asked. “I could give you a ride?” He was being kind, but Chloe could tell he was hesitant, as if he were hoping she would say no to his offer.

She blinked and looked to the snow-covered ground.

It was a depressing but sobering thought that she had not a soul in the world she could turn to. She was escaping in secret, and she didn’t want anyone to know where she was. But she didn’t want this guy to know that.

“It’s okay,” she said, trying to brush it off as nothing. “I’ve already sent a text to my parents and they know where we are. I said I’d just find a motel or something until morning.”

He smiled and nodded.

“Do you know of anywhere?” she asked, trying to act natural.

“Sure,” he said as he moved to the truck, giving her a weak smile as he held out his palms. “I can give you a ride.”

He stopped in front of them both and smiled down at Harper.

“You’ve had a pretty exciting night, huh?” he said kindly.

Harper clung to her mother’s thighs and seemed to slink behind them. She had always been shy around men, so it wasn’t a surprise to Chloe, but after a night like this, it would probably be completely understandable to him too.

“I’m Mason,” he said as his eyes traveled back to meet hers.

He offered his hand, and Chloe smiled.

“Chloe,” she said as she reached out and shook it.

A tingle rolled through her, a shock of excitement and electricity. The feeling of the heat from his palm made her heart thump harder and her stomach churn. She felt instantly sparked, as if he was waking something up inside of her.

His grip was strong and firm, and although his hands were big and so very, very masculine, they weren’t rough or calloused. It was clear, he did take care of himself.

He was something else.

Something she couldn’t quite figure out.

“The closest town is Lone Reach,” he said as he opened the back door for Harper and Chloe. “There’s a good motel there and I know it will have vacancy.”

“Really?” Chloe asked as she lifted Harper into the back seat before climbing inside and buckling in her daughter. She could see that the truck’s flatbed was covered, and it appeared to have a few things in it. She wondered what he did for a living.

Mason nodded and closed the door for them, then he walked around to the driver’s seat and got in, the truck sagging with his weight. Closing the door, he turned the heat all the way up. As it blasted through and started to warm them, Harper seemed to relax a little and nuzzled into Chloe as Mason put the truck in reverse and started to back away from their car and the avalanche.

“Thank you,” Chloe said as she caught his eyes in the rearview mirror. “I can’t imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t been driving out here.”

“It’s nothing,” he said. “Wrong place wrong time for you, right place right time for me when I found you.”

His eyes glinted at her as he smiled.

“I guess,” Chloe laughed.

“I’ll call the owners of the motel and give them a heads up,” he said as he fiddled with the display in the dashboard, a ringtone booming out over the stereo.

The call was answered on, what must have been, the fifth ring.

“Hello?” a voice croaked from the other end.

“Joe…?” Mason asked.

“Mason?” the voice said before clearing his throat. “Is everything all right? It’s the middle of the night.”

“Sorry about that,” he half-laughed. “But there’s been an avalanche up on the mountain road and I’ve just come across a lady and her daughter caught in it.”

“Oh goodness.” The voice sounded more awake now and full of concern. “Are they all right?”

“Yep, they’re fine. They’re here with me, but their car got covered and they need a place to stay. Do you have any rooms?”

“Of course,” Joe said. In the background of the call, Chloe could hear him moving around as if he were getting out of bed. “Mary…,” he said. “Mary… wake up… Mason has just rescued some folks up on the mountain road, there’s been another avalanche.”

A lady’s voice cut in and Chloe already felt weary. She was in the middle of nowhere, caught in an avalanche, on the run, her car was wrecked, and now, by the sound of it, she was waking up an elderly couple in the middle of the night for a place to stay.

“Oh, heavens,” the lady gasped.

“Bring them right over,” Joe said on the other end of the line. “We will head to the office and get a room set up. We have a few available, so it’s no problem.”

“Thanks, guys,” Mason said before ending the call.

“Oh, man, I feel awful,” Chloe said. “They sounded old. And we woke them up.”

Mason laughed and caught her eyes in the mirror again.

“Are you insane?” he laughed. “You were caught in an avalanche. People tend to look out for each other, you know…”

“Hmmm,” Chloe said with an eyeroll. “I’m not one hundred percent sure on that.”

Mason shook his head, a little grin still playing on his lips.

“I’ll put the fact that you’re hard work down to the trauma,” his reflection winked at her. “Anyway, it’ll do you both good to be somewhere safe and warm while your car gets sorted out. Who knows how long it’ll take in weather like this?”

Chloe nodded. She knew he was right. She may have been feeling hot and cold, open and then defensive, but she was overly tired and she had just been through a traumatic experience.

Harper was silent and still in the seat next to her, and Chloe could tell it was all too much for her to take in. She had to get her somewhere comfortable and warm; Mason was right. Once they had slept, they could reassess.

They weaved through trees, further into the mountains, and as they began to head down the other side and the air became thicker, Chloe saw a sign welcoming them to town.

LONE REACH.

It looked like Bridge Hollow, and for that, she was kind of grateful. At least it wouldn’t be a big shock to her system like a city would be. And she knew Harper would be able to relax a little.

Mason drove through town, but it was dark, and Chloe could barely see anything until they reached Main Street, the lights illuminating the sidewalks. It was a quaint little place, with lovely little stores, and as Mason pulled around a corner and off the road, into a driveway that looped around and was clearly the entrance to the motel, she felt her jaw sag a little.

This place wasn’t a motel at all.

It was an actual hotel.

It was big, with glass doors and bright lights inside. It may have been closed only moments before, but inside, she could see the little old couple, Joe and Mary, waiting with a security guard at the check-in desk.

How bizarre.

She smiled as Mason looked at her over his shoulder.

“So, this is The Lone Reach Hotel,” he said. “And they are Mary and Joe, and they’ll take good care of you.”

“Where are you going?” she asked, almost offended.

“To get some sleep,” Mason said. “I’ll call over tomorrow when I’ve spoken to someone at the car garage.”

Chloe nodded, almost on autopilot. She felt completely bewildered.

“Will my car be okay?” she asked.

“Do you mean, is someone going to steal all your goods in the trunk?” he half-laughed. “I can’t see anyone going to the trouble of digging through over a meter of snow to see if there’s anything worth taking, can you?”

Chloe felt herself blush.

She unclipped her seat belt and then Harper’s before smiling and reaching for the door.

“Thank you, so, so much,” she said genuinely. “I honestly don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t driven by. I dread to think what could have happened.”

Mason nodded.

“Especially with the wolves and other wild animals that roam the mountains at night.”

Harper gasped, and Chloe shot Mason a warning glance.

“Sorry.” He looked down and cringed. “Not much experience, you know…”

Chloe frowned and stepped out of the truck and helped Harper out next. When she looked back to Mason he was smiling, but he seemed to stop himself, as if he was internally conflicted.

“Shall I come and meet you at the office tomorrow?” she asked.

Mason leaned out the driver’s window.

“No, no need,” he said, before he cleared his throat and looked away. “I’ll give Joe or Mary an update in the morning, tell them to pass the message on.”

Chloe felt a little crestfallen but didn’t know why.

“Okay,” she said. “Well, thanks.”

She stepped away from the car and picked Harper up. She held her in her arms and waved as best she could before turning to make her way up the steps to the hotel.

Chapter 3

The warmth cocooned her and kept her safe as she started to stir from the most peaceful sleep. She stretched and felt her bones softly click, and she yawned and pushed herself down into the softness of the mattress and pillows.

This had to be the comfiest bed she had ever slept in.

Where the hell am I?

She opened her eyes slowly and scanned the room, her mind not working fully and the sleep still clinging to her.

The room was one she didn’t know, but it was familiar. She looked next to her and saw Harper sleeping soundly and any fears she may have had quickly vanished.

Of course, she half-smiled. We’re stuck in a small town, in a hotel, our car is totaled, and we have no way of getting out of here.

If she had been a negative person, she could have let this situation define her and drag her down even further. But she had been through too much in the past year, and she knew this was just a minor bump in the road.

They were lucky to be alive, and even luckier to be staying in such plush surroundings.

She yawned again and sat up, climbing out of bed as quickly and quietly as she could. They hadn’t gotten into the room until almost 5am and she had been utterly exhausted, but she could tell Harper needed to rest too. It was a lot for her little brain to take in, and they had experienced a trauma; Chloe had to hold it together and protect her daughter. Being here in The Lone Reach Hotel was the best she could have hoped for, and she wasn’t disappointed.

In the early hours of the morning, when Mason had dropped them off, she had walked inside to the warmest welcome from Mary and Joe, the owners. They had been waiting with blankets and cups of hot chocolate and had helped them straight to one of the best suites and insisted they stay free of charge.

Chloe had never met two kinder people. They clearly could see how distressing it must have been for them, and they seemed keen to settle them in and make sure they were comfortable before leaving them to rest.

The big, red, velvet curtains were still drawn across the windows and the room was as dark as it had been when they had fallen asleep, but right down the middle where they joined, Chloe could see a small sliver of light. She reached for her cellphone and pressed it to illuminate it.

“Almost noon,” she whispered to herself before she held the phone to her chest.

She hadn’t slept in this late since she had been a teenager. And since Harper had come along, she hadn’t slept later than 6am on most mornings, so it felt quite luxurious, even if it did mean she was wasting a day.

She turned the light on in the adjoining bathroom and looked around the suite. It was big and spacious, with a huge super-king-sized bed in which they had both slept, fur throws, an original wooden floor, and ornate fixtures and fittings. It was the sort of suite to expect from an old hotel in a city, not one in a small town that looked as if it had recently been refurbished.

She crossed to the minibar and opened the door before pulling out a bottle of mineral water. Mary and Joe had insisted that anything they needed was on the house, but Chloe already felt too indebted to them, and there was no way she wasn’t going to pay her way.

Harper rolled over in the bed and yawned. It was clear to Chloe, who knew her better than anyone, that she could likely sleep for the rest of the day, but she wanted to wake her up as soon as possible, get them downstairs for a bite to eat, and out to the garage to see if their car had already been towed.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” she whispered as she sat on the side of the bed next to Harper and traced her finger softly down her cheek. “How are you doing?”

“I’m tired…” Harper yawned. “Do we have to get up?”

Chloe smiled and nodded.

“Sorry, kiddo,” she said. “But we have to get some food and see if our car’s been towed here to town. I’m hoping someone went out for it at first light.”

Harper opened her eyes slowly and they settled on her mother’s. She was such a beautiful little girl, and Chloe thanked the stars every day for being so lucky to have her in her life. Out of all the darkness, Harper had made everything worth it.

“Come on then,” she said as she stood straight and pulled the covers back. “Let’s get moving, little lady! We can’t lie around in hotel rooms all day. We have places to go and people to see!”

“Where are we even going?” Harper asked, a lot more intelligently and aware than Chloe thought she would be on the matter.

She turned and looked at her; Harper was standing now with her hands on her hips.

“I don’t want to get back in the car,” she said nervously.

Chloe rushed toward her and knelt so she was at eye level.

“Oh sweetie, you don’t need to worry about that,” she said genuinely. “What happened last night was a complete one-off… it wouldn’t happen again.”

But Harper crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

“I’m scared,” she said.

Chloe felt her heart break for her. Was she a terrible mother for putting her in this situation?

No! Surely, she would have been a worse one if she had risked staying in Bridge Hollow and not knowing if he would ever show back up.

She shuddered at the thought of him. An ice-cold tingle rolled right down her spine and she had to shake herself to pull herself back to the land of the living.

“We don’t even know if our car is ready yet, sweetie,” she said soothingly. “Come on, let’s go down and get something to eat.”

Harper hesitated for a moment, but she slowly smiled and nodded.

The lobby of the hotel was a lot more modern than the bedroom had been, but it was still quite ornate and seemed out of place in such a small town. It was clear, the owners, or certainly whoever had designed it, had expensive taste and a budget to match.

Mary was pottering around in reception, but now there was staff working away too. A girl sat behind the check-in desk, a porter was bustling around tending to luggage and speaking with drivers outside, and a cleaner was busy dusting the big, gilded mirrors and marble countertops.

Chloe stepped out of the elevator area, and Mary’s eyes flicked straight up to meet her.

“Chloe!” she beamed. “Good morning, how are you feeling?”

She had the warmest smile; it was almost enchanting. As if she had the natural ability to look after people and was an instinctive caregiver. Chloe had spent so much of her life around people who just seemed to take; this was refreshing. It made her feel completely at ease and happy to be there, even considering the circumstances.

“We are good, thank you, Mary, and thank you so much again for your hospitality, I honestly don’t know how to repay you.”

Mary laughed and waved her hand as if she were waving away the suggestion.

“You don’t need to thank me; I wouldn’t have it any other way. You both needed the rest. Now, I must show you to the dining room. Breakfast was cleared away a couple of hours ago, but I asked the chef and our resident baker to keep some pastries warm for you, and we have fresh tea and coffee.”

It was music to Chloe’s ears, and at the suggestion of food, her stomach began to rumble. A big smile spread across Harper’s face and she clapped her hands together.

“Do you have chocolate spread?” she asked eagerly.

“We sure do,” Mary beamed as she held out her hand.

Harper took it, and Mary winked at Chloe and started to lead them out of the lobby and to the dining room.

It wasn’t as big as she had been expecting, considering the hotel seemed to be ginormous, but it was beautifully furnished and comfortable, just like everything else in The Lone Reach Hotel.

The tables were all spaced apart, not crammed together; there was a fire burning away in a large stone fireplace; and the ambiance was just as opulent and plush as the suite had been.

Mary sat them at a small table for two, close to the fire, and passed them two traditional cotton serviettes.

“I’ll send one of the waiters out to help you,” she smiled.

“Thank you so much,” Chloe said, unable to believe how generous everyone was being. “Oh, sorry to ask straight away, but has there been any update on our car? Mason said he would check in with you first thing this morning.”

Mary shook her head and shrugged.

“I’m afraid I haven’t heard anything yet, but don’t worry about that, I’m sure he’ll drop by once he’s had it towed for you.”

Chloe tried not to let her smile fade, and she nodded and thanked Mary again. There had been a significant part of her that had hoped they would be able to get up and out of town the moment she had woken, but it was clear, she was going to have to do some chasing first.

They had only been waiting a few moments when a waiter came to the table with a pot of coffee and a jug of orange juice. He filled both of their glasses to the top and then motioned to Chloe’s coffee cup.

“Yes, please,” she smiled.

The scent of fresh pastries was still hanging in the air and she felt her stomach growl again.

“What can I get for you both?” the waiter asked.

“Mary mentioned some pastries?” Chloe asked tentatively.

“Yes! And don’t forget the chocolate spread,” Harper said mischievously.

She was getting her spark back, and it made Chloe feel better. She could never settle when Harper was quiet; she was so used to her being witty and energetic, it was as if she were shrinking in on herself if she started to stay silent.

“How are you feeling?” Chloe asked her as she watched Harper sip the juice.

“Okay,” she said with a positive nod. “I don’t feel scared now that we’re down here.”

Chloe smiled. That was all she wanted to hear.

The waiter came back to the table and loaded them up with croissants and cinnamon rolls, topped Chloe’s cup up with more steaming hot coffee, and gave Harper the biggest tub of chocolate spread either of them had ever seen.

“Don’t tell Mary,” he winked. “But I think you can keep it.”

Harper’s eyes glistened and she gasped a big wide smile.

Once they had eaten as much as they could, Chloe began to tidy the table and collect all the plates, glasses and cutlery they had used, and she walked toward, what she assumed, was the kitchen, with Harper following close behind her.

She cleared her throat to signal she was there, and then took a little step inside and called hello?

No one answered, but she rested the plates on the edge of the counter and pushed them to the side. She knew she shouldn’t really be in there, but everyone had been so generous with them that she wanted to earn her keep.

When they wandered back to the lobby, Mary was chatting to the girl at the check-in desk and she came over to them with a smile.

“Did you have a good breakfast?”

“It was amazing, thank you,” Chloe said.

Mary smiled down at Harper, who was clinging to the chocolate spread.

“He told me I could have it,” Harper said honestly.

“And he’s right,” Mary laughed. “I think a girl who got caught in an avalanche deserves the biggest tub of spread we can find, don’t you?”

Harper smiled again.

“Can I help you with finding your way around town?” Mary asked as if she was reading Chloe’s mind.

“Actually,” she said, “I was just about to ask you where I could find the car garage… or failing that, Mason… He said he was going to call someone about going to tow our car.”

“The garage is right at the end of Main Street, take the last left and it’s on the street behind,” Mary said as she began to walk toward the door, pointing in the direction as she went. “As for Mason, he has good friends who work there, so he may be around, but if I were you, I’d go see them yourself.”

“Okay,” Chloe smiled. “Thank you, Mary. Hopefully, we’ll be out of your hair as soon as possible.”

“Don’t think anything of it,” she said, waving her hand away again. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need.”

Chloe slipped her hand into Harper’s and thanked Mary again. She knew they would be getting out of there as soon as their car was recovered, but it was good to know they had options.

And there were certainly worse places to be stranded than Lone Reach…

Chapter 4

When Mason woke, after the drama with the woman and her kid being stuck in the snow, his head was pounding so hard he thought it may explode.

He rolled onto his front and pulled the pillow over his head.

As if he was still in this goddam town.

Of all the days he had finally decided to leave, it was so typically his luck that there would be a huge avalanche, and not only that, that he ended up having to play rescuer to a damsel in distress.

He sighed and closed his eyes again, not wanting to see the sunlight filtering through the crack in his curtains.

When he had gotten home in the early hours of the morning, he hadn’t even bothered to unload the flatbed of his truck with the bags he had packed only hours before. All being well, he might be able to get out of there later that day and no one would be any the wiser. Especially his pack.

The bear inside of him began to growl as he thought of the mess they were all in. The Lone Reach Bears weren’t exactly flying high, even if they were on the verge of opening the biggest brewery for miles around and about to put the whole town on the map. There were plenty of people interfering, and as the alpha, Mason couldn’t help but feel somewhat responsible. He felt as if his inaction had gotten them all into this mess. Suddenly, bikers from another town were involved with their dealings, and he was the one who was going to ensure his people were safe. They may have been opening a brewery, but it had come at a cost… and he was having trouble dealing with it.

He rubbed his forehead, the headache threatening to pierce through him once more. He knew he had failed in his role as alpha; he was sick of outsiders meddling in the Bears’ affairs. And now that it had gone too far to pull it all back, he felt as if he had fallen short and that he was to blame for the mess that had happened to them over the past ten years, even if he knew deep down that was totally irrational.

He growled and finally forced himself to his feet. He rubbed his big hands through his mussed-up hair and looked in the mirror, his heaving chest and muscles naked and pulsing in the half-light.

“Mason,” he sighed. “You’re a fucking mess.”

He half-laughed and opened the bedroom door before stomping down the hallway to the living area of his cabin. He couldn’t believe he was waking up to another day in Lone Reach when he had planned to have at least three hundred miles between him and there by now. But fate had a funny way of intervening.

He yawned and grabbed his favorite mug before he started to boil some hot water to make his morning coffee. He may have been half man and half powerful animal, but he still needed a little caffeine to pick him up in the morning. The bear inside him may as well have been in hibernation he was so goddam tired.

When he had walked out the front door the night before, determined he wasn’t ever coming back, he hadn’t even noticed the piles of dirty dishes sitting in the sink, or the layers of dust running all around the beams above his head. He looked around the room and really took it all in. Since he had broken up with his last girlfriend three years before, he had started to slip into unhealthy habits and slowly, gave up altogether. He didn’t want to be with anyone, and he didn’t feel the need to make sure his home was spick and span. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized, it must have been adding to his terrible mood.

He groaned and rubbed his hand down his face again.

If he was ever going to snap himself out of this funk, he was probably going to have to start with his environment.

“This place is a pigsty,” he said as he looked up at the dusty cobwebs on the beams and in the corner of the ceiling again. “It’s no wonder you’ve been feeling like shit.”

He drained the rest of his coffee and headed for the shower. One step at a time. He still wasn’t sure if he was staying in tow, and he better try to wake himself up before the day fully began.

His truck bounced over the potholes at the beginning of Main Street, and he cursed underneath his breath at the fact they hadn’t been fixed yet. He knew he was going to have to be the person to step in and speak to the mayor; it didn’t appear he had any intention of trying to help bring Lone Reach up to scratch before the brewery opened. In fact, he didn’t seem to care much about the town at all.

It was a good thing this place had shifters protecting it, or who knows what would become of it.

The town center was full of hustle and bustle, and the familiar sight of everything managed to eke a small smile out of Mason. He did love this place, even if he tried his best to hate it. He had lived there since he was born, barely traveling far, and knew pretty much everyone in town.

His eyes drifted along Main Street, taking in the stores, alive with light and smiling people, folks getting their groceries, girls in the beauty salon having their hair and nails done, men gathering at the side of the street talking about the latest football game and laughing and joking with each other. It was a quaint place, full of charm and rustic living, but it worked for him.

If only the bikers hadn’t gotten so involved.

He had been okay with it at first, and he knew they were good men. But he had a bad feeling. Something was twisting away at his gut since the brewery site had become a reality and now that they were so close to opening, he was beginning to regret letting the bikers be involved at all.

It was why he wanted to leave town. He felt like he had failed; he felt as if he had lost control of his pack, and with nothing tying him there, he had decided to make the break. He wanted to find meaning in his life.

He pulled his truck up to the curb and parked before climbing out and putting some change in the meter. It was a frigid day, but the sun was shining behind the clouds and breaking through, which lifted his mood slightly.

He had been planning on driving straight back out to the site where he had found the girls, and where their car was, no doubt, still covered in snow, but he knew he needed someone to tow it, and he may as well stop by the garage to hurry them along. Plus, he wanted the plows to clear the road, so he might have a chance of leaving. He knew the mayor wouldn’t have sent any.

He was about to make his way to the mayor’s office when he heard a voice call his name from a distance. He stopped, furrowed his brow, and slowly turned around.

The crowd was thick all down the street as people weaved in and out of stores and stood chatting with one another, but there was something familiar about the call of his name that made him wait a moment. And sure enough, he heard it again.

The frequency of her voice sent a tingle along his spine, and he felt his bear stir.

“No,” he said to himself. “Don’t do this to yourself…”

He wasn’t going to permit himself to feel anything, even if he was being pulled in her direction and almost couldn’t look away from her when he was in her presence.

He slipped his hands into his pockets and even though he was as tough as they came, he still felt his heart jig a little in his chest with apprehension.

The crowds parted slightly, and he saw her running toward him, gripping the hand of the little girl he had saved the night before, and he felt his skin begin to burn. She looked as good as when he had first laid eyes on her only hours before, but seeing her in the daylight, and the way the sun glinted in her eyes and shone on her perfect skin, made his bones shake.

She was so goddam beautiful. He knew he was in trouble.

“Hey, Mason!” the girl called to him as she jogged along, waving and bringing her daughter with her.

He stopped and smiled, and as she approached, she did too.

They were both out of breath and he couldn’t help but smirk at them. They were adorable.

Stop it… he told himself.

“We’re really keeping you on your toes here, aren’t we?” he laughed.

Chloe nodded as she caught her breath.

He looked at Harper and smiled.

“And how did you sleep?” he asked her.

Harper was clinging to a tub of chocolate spread for, what appeared to be, dear life, but she also looked much more relaxed than in the early hours of the morning.

She smiled at him with big brown eyes that seemed to mirror her mom’s.

Chloe sighed.

“I just wanted to say, thanks again for last night,” she said shyly.

Mason nodded and tried to keep up his tough-guy exterior.

“It’s no problem,” he said matter-of-factly. “You would have done the same.”

She bit her bottom lip, and he found his eyes drawn to her teeth and the way they were gripping its plumpness. He had to look away as his heart raced harder.

“I thought I may have had some news when I woke up this morning,” she panted. “But Mary said she hadn’t heard anything from you.”

“No,” Mason said. “I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’m actually just on my way to the mayor’s office to see if he’s aware of what happened and if he’s dispatched a plow. Knowing him, though, he hasn’t.”

Her eyes were such a beautiful color, and they were deep and engulfing. Her pupils were wide and so dark, but they blended in with the intense brown so perfectly that it made her eyes look even wider and more inviting.

“Small towns, huh?” she smiled.

“Are you familiar?” he asked as the three of them began to walk along.

She nodded and rolled her eyes.

“All too well,” she laughed.

She had such a refreshing aura about her. Most of the women he had ever met were slightly stuck up and standoffish, but Chloe and her daughter seemed natural and down to Earth. He knew he had done them a big favor and had saved them from a night out in the wilderness, but even if he had done that for half the girls who lived in Lone Reach, he didn’t think he would get much more than a curt thank you. Chloe seemed genuinely pleased to be chatting to him, and even though he could sense she was holding parts of herself back, he didn’t mind because she was such a breath of fresh air.

Harper skipped along with them as they made their way toward the mayor, but Chloe kept guarded about why they had found themselves out on the road that late at night.

“I just prefer to travel then,” she said. “The roads are so quiet, and Harper can sleep. It saves her having to sit through any long and boring car journeys.”

She seemed genuine, but he had the feeling she was covering something. But he had no reason to push her.

“I know what you mean,” he half-laughed. “I guess I was doing the same thing.”

He slowed his pace as they approached Town Hall and the office of the mayor. It was in the center of Main Street and surrounded by a small park covered in fluffy, fresh snow.

“It’s a lovely place,” Chloe smiled.

“It is,” he nodded. “But I suppose it can have its moments.”

“Oh, I’ll bet…” she said as she let her eyes travel over the stretch of stores and the coffee house, which people were sitting outside of, around heaters, sipping mugs of hot chocolate.

“I recommend there,” Mason said. “It’s got some amazing carrot cake…”

“Eww, carrot cake?” Harper said as she scrunched her nose. “I only like chocolate.” She held up the jar of spread again, and Mason couldn’t help but laugh. She was too adorable.

“They do a pretty mean chocolate cake too,” he winked.

Chloe smiled and he felt her eyes on him. It made his skin prickle and the bear inside him stirred. He instinctively pushed the feeling down as deep as it would go, then cleared his throat and reached for the handle to the mayor’s office.

“Okay,” he said as he stepped inside and the girls followed. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Chapter 5

Chloe and Harper sat outside the coffee shop, nursing two big mugs of cocoa and wondering what on Earth they were going to do with themselves next.

They had found Mason on Main Street and had gone with him to see the mayor, and just like he had warned her, the mayor hadn’t exactly been a whole lot of use when it had come to requesting a snow plow to clear the roads in and out of town.

They had come away after being told, “it would get done when it got done…” and that they were best just making themselves comfortable.

“I’ll speak to some of the guys in the garage,” Mason had offered. “I think they should be able to pull it out… that’s, if the snow hasn’t drifted much more than it had last night.”

“We can only hope,” Chloe had smiled, and she was sure that she had seen his pupils widen, as if every time he looked at her, he was drinking her in.

He had sat with them for at least thirty minutes, and the entire time Chloe had been on the edge of her seat, pulled closer to him by some kind of invisible force that was making her body tingle. Whenever she was close to him, whenever their eyes locked, something seemed to spark between them, and it was both exciting and unnerving. She hadn’t thought about the possibility of a new town bringing her a new love, but something about Mason was turning her head into a full spin.

When he had finished his drink and rose to his feet to leave he had paused for a moment, as if he was going to say something but then changed his mind. His gaze lingered on hers, and she couldn’t help but be drawn to his lips, at the stubble on his chin and strong line of his jaw, his perfect bone structure and the way she could imagine his lips bumping up against hers, and kissing her so deeply it would take her breath away. She had started to feel flustered, and it was as if he had felt it too. He moved quickly away, smiling at her, but not quite daring to meet her eye, and Chloe had thanked him and watched him walk away. His broad shoulders and shaggy hair being an interesting mix.

He wasn’t like anyone she had met before. She may have been from a small town herself, but she had been pretty sheltered. And she had only had two serious relationships. The first had been with Harper’s father when she was younger, and the second was with him. She couldn’t even bring herself to think his name, never mind speak it.

But Mason was different in a lot of ways. He seemed to be either genuinely uninterested in her, or afraid of what he was feeling too, which, first of all, made her take notice. But there was also something about him that was just so relaxed and normal, as if being in each other’s company was something they always should have been doing. He was a mountain man, one that oozed masculinity. He was clearly well known around town, and he had a nice air of confidence about him, as if he truly knew who he was in life. There seemed to be something sad behind his eyes, but she couldn’t tell if that was because she didn’t truly know him yet, or he had been through some shit too. But she had the feeling they could easily be friends.

Who was she kidding…? More like easily more than friends…

If only she weren’t so attracted to him, she would maybe be able to pull herself away.

Harper was humming and sipping her hot chocolate as a group of kids started to play in the park in the middle of Main Street. They were rolling up big balls of snow and throwing them at each other, shrieking with laughter and hopping around on the spot. Harper’s eyes were wide and glistening, as if she loved what she was seeing.

“Why don’t you go on over?” Chloe asked her. “You haven’t had much play time of late…”

She felt guilty as soon as the words left her mouth, but she had kept Harper close to home with her best interests in mind. She had attended a play school and had friends, but since everything had started to happen at home, and things had taken such a sinister turn, she had wanted her with her at all times to make sure she was safe.

Chloe didn’t want to isolate her daughter, and now that they were away from Bridge Hollow, she didn’t see the harm in her playing in the snow with some local kids while she sipped her cocoa and watched from the sidelines.

“Really?” Harper asked with wide eyes.

Chloe smiled and nodded.

“Sure,” she said. “Why not? Just go join them.”

Harper tipped her mug and drained it quickly before pulling on her gloves and slipping her wooly hat back on to her head and then she jumped to her feet and headed to the park.

Chloe watched as the kids welcomed her at once, and she remembered, fondly, what it was like to be that age, and how everyone became friends in an instant. It was such an innocent time and it was lovely to watch. If she hadn’t been on the run and wanting to put as much distance between her and Bridge Hollow as possible, maybe Lone Reach wouldn’t have been such a bad place to stay after all.

She smiled and took another sip of her drink, and her mind wandered back to Mason and the way he had been driving in the wilderness in the middle of the night. She was so intrigued by him; she wondered what he had been doing. He had so many questions for her, but she could easily ask him some too. Why hadn’t he been at home, in bed? Why was he headed out of town at 4am? Why had he even been awake?

She scratched the side of her neck, then turned back to watch Harper. She was on her knees in the snow, with three other girls, as they were rolling up a massive snowball that looked as if it may be the beginnings of a snowman. She had a smile on her face so wide and happy, it made Chloe smile too.

All she wanted was for her little girl to be safe and happy… and that is why she was doing all of this. To make sure they were out of harm’s way and could enjoy their life.

“Okay!” a familiar voice bellowed from behind her, making her jump.

She turned to see Mason walking her way, and she instantly felt a warmth rise inside her chest. She hoped she wasn’t blushing, as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I spoke with some of the guys at the garage and they reckon there was more shifting of snow last night… They headed up that way this morning before they heard the news and said the road was totally impassable not far from where I found you.”

He looked almost embarrassed to be telling her the news, and Chloe couldn’t help but let a little moan escape her lips.

“Seriously?” she asked as she rubbed her forehead. “So, my car is gone?”

“Not gone,” Mason said sympathetically. “Just covered in snow. Hidden away… Being kept in its own little ice vault.”

“But… all of our stuff,” she said, her head beginning to spin. “We have nothing but the clothes on our backs…”

The makings of a headache were working their way to the surface and, suddenly, Chloe didn’t feel very optimistic at all.

They were well and truly stuck.

Who even knew if the car was okay and they would ever get on the road again?

“If I were you, I would look on the bright side,” Mason said with a hint of irritation in his voice. “Listen, you could have been killed last night. And if I hadn’t been driving by exactly when I was, you could have been caught in further snowfall.”

She nodded, and now she knew she was blushing. She had momentarily acted like a brat, and he had instantly called her out on it.

“I know,” she said apologetically. “I just worry about Harper…”

She trailed off and turned to watch her again. She was running and laughing, helping the other girls make the top half of the snowman now, while the boys gathered pinecones and stones to make the eyes and buttons.

“She looks like she’s doing just fine to me,” he said with a hint of cockiness.

She scowled at him, but he smiled, and then, so did Chloe. He certainly knew how to tease her in a nice, lighthearted way.

Her mind was going a hundred miles a minute; so many thoughts were swirling around.

Where would they stay? She didn’t feel as if she could ask Mary to put them up in the hotel for another night free of charge…

What would they do for money? She had intended on getting a job as soon as they had landed in their new town…

What about Harper? She had been out of school now for several weeks and again, Chloe had been intending to enroll her the moment they had found their new town. She was going to settle her in quick and hope she made friends and forgot all about Bridge Hollow and what had happened to them there…

And now, there was the problem of the car… it would, no doubt, need a ton of repairs, and she was running low on funds as if was.

“Oh, man,” she found herself sighing.

Mason put his hand on her shoulder, and she felt a tingle of electricity. She looked up, her eyes locking with his. They were a dark, enchanting green and made her still for a moment.

“Everything will be okay,” he said. “I know it will. So, try not to worry.”

He may have been good at telling her off when she had a princess moment, but he was also good at reassuring her. She smiled weakly and nodded.

“You’re right,” she said. “I’ll figure it all out.”

“Did you call your folks and update them?” he asked, and for a moment, Chloe was aware she was looking at him with confusion as she tried to piece together exactly what she had told him…

“You said you texted them when you got stuck in the snow,” he said. “I just wondered if you had told them you may be here a little longer and that you had a place to stay last night.”

“Oh, right!” Chloe laughed. “Yes, I’ve updated them.”

She let her eyes fall to the floor and hoped she didn’t look too awkward. How could she forget what she had said? She may have had a traumatic evening, but she had been so meticulous when it came to planning everything else about their escape from Bridge Hollow.

“Okay,” Mason smiled again as he pushed his hands deep into the pocket of his jeans. “Well, I’ll keep checking on the progress of the plows and with the guys at the garage.”

“Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”

She smiled and bit her bottom lip, trying to stop herself from blurting out something stupid when he was clearly trying to leave.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you around,” he said as he began to walk backward, but he kept his eyes fixed on her, and the whole time he was moving, it felt to her like he was in slow motion. Something inside her heart was screaming at her to ask him to wait, to ask him to stay and have a drink with her, but she didn’t have the courage.

She watched as he turned and began to merge with the crowd, then she finally let herself breathe.

“You idiot,” she whispered to herself. “You’re stuck in the ass end of nowhere, you’re on the run from your ex, and you’ve lost all your belongings… Of course, you would suddenly get the urge to ask someone out… What is wrong with you?”

She thought she had spoken silently but she was aware that an older couple at the table next to her was looking at her with puzzled looks on their faces.

She laughed and supped the rest of her cocoa and then she jumped to her feet and went to collect Harper from the park. If they were going to be stranded there even longer, she was going to have to rethink her game plan, and fast. Or, before the week was out, they will have spent all their money and be indebted to the people of Lone Reach.

It was time she decided what they were going to do.

Chapter 6

As the sun went down and the night rolled in, Lone Reach came alive with twinkling lights and wonderful smells of cooked food drifting out from the various restaurants and inns scattered along Main Street.

As they walked back to the hotel after a day of exploring, Chloe looked over to the coffee house they had been at earlier, when Harper had made some new friends, and saw that they were setting up for an event that evening.

A roaring fire was burning away inside, candles were lit, and a stage was being set with a microphone to host an open mic and poetry night. Main Street was a hive of activity, and she could hear music coming from some of the inns. It had a similar feel to her old town at night, but this place felt much safer after everything she had been through.

She held Harper’s hand as they walked and thought of how long they had been on the road. She estimated they had driven for at least five hours before the snow had caught them.

Could that be enough distance for them to start a new life?

She looked at the pine trees and beautiful scenery. At how the whole town oozed a more innocent quality than where she had been before. She liked the fact that no one knew her there yet, and seeing Harper play so openly and freely with children her own age had also warmed her heart. She had never seen her daughter take to a group of kids so well before; it was as if Lone Reach was bringing out a more confident side in her, and Chloe didn’t want her to lose it.

They walked up the slope leading to the entrance of the hotel, and the concierge opened the door for them, welcoming them back. He was dressed in a green suit with gold trim and looked every inch the traditional kind you may find in a big city. They were certainly expecting big things to happen in this small town, and it felt exciting to be a part of it.

Chloe sat on one of the big, plush chairs in the reception and let Harper look at the magazine rack and watch the television that was high on one of the walls. It was showing the news, but even at her young age, Harper showed an interest in current affairs, even if she didn’t truly understand.

“Hello there,” Mary’s voice came from the other side of the lobby, and when Chloe looked up, she felt instantly relieved to see her.

“Hi, Mary,” she said as she rose to her feet.

“How’s your day been, dear?” Mary asked as she rung her hands together. “Did you get your car sorted out?”

Chloe shook her head with a sigh.

“I didn’t, I’m afraid,” she admitted. “I found Mason, and we went to speak with the mayor, who said he would send plows out to clear all the roads into town, but so far, I don’t think he’s done it.”

Mary rolled her eyes.

“That’s typical of him,” she said with a scowl. “He only tends to jump into action if there’s something in it for him, and at the moment, with the brewery opening soon, all his focus is on that because it’ll earn him big bucks when people start pouring into town.”

“Brewery?” Chloe asked with interest.

“Yes, I suppose you and Mason wouldn’t have gotten around to speaking much about the exciting time for our little town, but he and some of his close friends are in the process of opening something that is going to bring a lot of work and tourism to us here. It’s going to put Lone Reach on the map.” She grinned and held her arms wide. “Hence why the hotel had a big upgrade,” she beamed. “We needed to keep up or we would never get people through the door. Plus, some big corporation would no doubt catch wind of what was going on around here and move in with one of their chains. We like to keep things local here to help the town as much as possible.”

Chloe nodded and smiled. It certainly seemed like a genuinely nice place, and it suddenly struck a chord with her that she hadn’t seen one big brand name since she had been in town, every single store and restaurant was independently owned and run.

“That’s great,” Chloe said. “This place must have cost you a fortune…”

Mary shrugged and waved her hand again, pushing the statement to one side. She smiled and held out her arm for Chloe to take hold of it.

“There’s a lot of old money here,” she whispered. “Most people wouldn’t think it, but the people of Lone Reach have always done okay.”

Chloe looked down at her and she winked knowingly. Harper was sitting, good as gold, on the other side of the lobby, watching the television and flipping through magazines, and Chloe knew she had to seize the opportunity to speak with Mary properly.

“Mary,” she began, “you have been so unbelievably kind and generous to us since we arrived last night… but I don’t feel comfortable taking handouts from you, and I have the feeling we may be stuck here for a while.”

Mary nodded and her eyes seemed wide and expectant.

“Would it be okay if we stayed on a bit longer… I’ll pay you, of course, but I think we should probably move to a smaller room. And if you have any work that needs doing around here, I would gladly do it.”

Mary smiled at her warmly.

“My dear, you can stay as long as you need to… and I won’t accept a dime. Just get yourself and that lovely little girl of yours well rested and secure.”

“But−” she began.

“I’ll hear no more of it,” Mary said as she held up her hand. “If my daughter had been driving alone in the middle of the night with her young child and this had happened, I would expect someone to do the same for her.”

Chloe felt an overwhelming swell of gratitude.

“I don’t know what to say…,” she whispered. “I can’t believe how kind everyone is being… but I really want to pay my way.”

Mary smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “There’s nothing here for you to do, my dear… but I believe they are looking for someone over at The Bear Brewhouse. Maybe you could swing by and see if they’ll give you a trial run.”

Chloe faltered for a moment, not sure what to think. This lovely old woman was giving her free accommodation, was feeding them, and now she wouldn’t even let her help around the hotel. She was suggesting she worked elsewhere… It was as if the world had gone momentarily mad.

“But Mary,” she said, “I really feel like it should be you I’m helping; you’ve done so much for us.”

“It’s boring in here,” Mary smiled. “The Bear Brewhouse will offer you much more excitement. It’s the hottest bar in town, plus you’ll get to meet a few people.”

“But… Harper…” she said.

“While you work, I’ll take care of her,” Mary said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. “There’s plenty to be done in the kids’ club area of the hotel, Joe and I made one specially just last year. It has a play area and ball pit, there’re desks and a craft station. Stacks of paper and crayons. It’s a kid’s dreamland!”

Chloe laughed.

“Okay,” she said. “I guess I’ll wander over there tomorrow and see… If we are still without our car, that is…”

Mary nodded and rubbed Chloe’s shoulder.

“There are worse places to be stranded,” she winked, echoing Chloe’s thoughts from earlier.

Mary turned and walked away, and Chloe felt a tingle run down her spine again. There was something different about Mary; it was as if she could see right to the center of Chloe’s soul and knew she had been through a tough experience. There was an intense kindness and understanding about her, and she seemed determined to help them in any way she could.

Chloe had never had a mother figure in her life, so it felt wonderful to be taken under someone’s wing. It helped her not panic at how disastrous things had been for her, especially being caught in the avalanche and almost being killed!

She wandered over to Harper and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Come on then, Kiddo,” she said, a yawn taking over her, so she had to cover her mouth mid-sentence. “I’m still tired, aren’t you?”

Harper yawned too and rubbed her eyes.

“Yeah,” she said. “I could have stayed in bed all day… but I’m glad we didn’t. I really like it here, Mom.”

She rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around Chloe’s waist and squeezed tightly.

“Why can’t we just stay here?”

The words hung in the air between them, and Chloe felt a wave of anxiety. She would be lying to herself if she tried to pretend the same thought hadn’t crossed her mind about ten times that day already… but she just wasn’t sure.

Had she come far enough?

What if, somehow, he got back into this world and came looking for them…

An icy chill washed over her and she shivered.

“Come on,” she said, not answering her daughter’s question. “Let’s get up to bed, Mary said we can stay as long as we need.”

Harper’s smile spread across her entire face and she clutched her mom’s hand as they started for the elevators.

It had been another interesting day… and Chloe had a feeling there was much more in store for them if they stayed in town.

In her dream, the sense of being followed was intense and familiar. She was running through the mountains and forests of Bridge Hollow, not daring to look back as she raced away from her hunter.

She had loved him once… he had seemed so kind… so handsome and debonair and most of all… different. He had romanced her like a true expert, and he had been the most intense lover. But once he had her… he changed…

She ran deeper into the forest, not wanting him to catch her.

She knew, even without looking, it was him chasing her − there was no doubt in her mind.

Even though he was at least ten feet behind, she could still feel his cold breath on the back of her neck, she could still feel the ice in the air. The closer he got to her, the more her bones began to chill and freeze. He was hunting her, and he was going to make her his again. But she couldn’t let him.

She had worked so hard to escape.

As she moved further into the dense forest and the branches of the evergreens whipped at her skin, she shrieked and powered forward, her chest burning with exertion.

There were moments when she felt his long fingernails grace the fabric of her sweater, and for a second, she thought he had her. Her heart raced harder and she wanted to scream for help, but she couldn’t open her mouth. She had been scared mute; she was the only one who could save herself.

She had to put as much distance between them as possible.

Overhead, a shriek came through the darkness and bats began to swirl like a cloud of fog. They enveloped her, and she felt them in her hair, their little claws scratching at the skin of her forehead and cheeks, cutting her face and making her bleed.

In her head, she was screaming NO.

She wanted it all to stop.

She threw herself on the ground and wailed, wishing that, somehow, he would be taken away again. That he would be sucked back into the dimension from where he had come. He didn’t belong here on Earth; he didn’t belong in Bridge Hollow. But now, he knew Chloe and Harper existed, and they would never be safe if they stayed so close to the gateway of which he had emerged.

The bats clawed at her again, and she felt his icy hand around her ankles. He pulled harder and harder, and she rolled along the ground, her back grazing against the dirt as he began to pull her back toward a gaping hole in the earth.

“You’ll always be mine,” his wicked voice told her.

When he spoke, she heard him inside of her head, not out in the air around her. He inhabited her… he owned her.

“No…,” she managed to say.

The word escaped her lips feebly and in the darkness, she heard him cackle.

When she looked down, she could see his gnarled pale hands gripping her ankles and feet, pulling her toward the hole and into hell with him. She would be in the underworld with this man for eternity if she didn’t get out of his grip.

He wanted her because he wanted to destroy her. Just like he had tried to destroy everything else.

He wanted to kill.

He wanted his revenge.

His hands started to move up her legs to her torso, his sharp claw-like nails nipping her skin.

She screamed and the bats still hounded her, their wings flapping against her face, their legs and arms getting caught in her hair. She tried to say no again, but no words would form.

He was so close to her now, he had her under his full control.

This was it…

She closed her eyes tight but she still heard his voice in her head, and she heard the snap of his jaws as he opened them wide.

She knew he was baring his teeth… those wicked fangs that had already caused so much pain and suffering… and now, he was going to take her too.

He was going to kill her.

She opened her eyes in the seconds before he clamped down on her neck, and as his fangs connected with her skin, she screamed out loud for real and sat bolt upright in bed.

Her heart was pounding, and she flicked on the light on the nightstand. Her whole body was pulsing and thumping, and she was panting and gasping for air.

She reached up and touched the side of her neck and realized it had all been a dream, but her hands were ice cold and so were her ankles as if she could still feel him there… as if he had been with her in spirit and left his mark.

“No…,” she whispered, “it was just a dream.”

He was gone, she had to remember that.

The shifters of Bridge Hollow had killed him. He was back where he had come from… rotting in hell.

She shivered and looked to the other side of the massive bed at Harper sleeping soundly. Even though she had screamed, her daughter had barely even fluttered her eyelashes. She was fast asleep and snugly warm, wrapped up in the duvet and comforter, completely safe.

Chloe turned off the light and lay back down.

It had all been a dream. No one was there; she was safe.

She may have run from her hometown, but she felt safe in Lone Reach. And now she had the thinking that if she went any further, she was never going to feel safe again. How was she ever going to keep traveling and expect to find a warmer welcome?

She pulled the covers back around her and settled down, lying so she could face Harper and watch her breathe gently.

They had been through so much, and Chloe had never seen her happier than she had been earlier, building the snowman with the other kids in town. Maybe she should just make the decision and enroll her in the school there. Then, if she got a job, they were halfway to being settled. She could find herself an apartment or cabin once they had saved up some money, and they wouldn’t even need to rush to get the car fixed…

It was a big decision to make but she knew they couldn’t run forever. It wasn’t fair to Harper, and she was already enjoying it so much there. She had even already asked Chloe if they could stay. Why uproot her and take her somewhere there was a possibility she may hate?

It had been a strange way for them to find their new home, and maybe it wasn’t as far as she had hoped to be from Bridge Hollow, but the fact still remained, it was a new town, and it was a fresh start.

Her ex was long gone, and only fear was making her take these drastic measures. She was just being extra safe.

She reached out and touched Harper’s arm lightly and gave it a reassuring rub. She loved her daughter so much, and all she wanted was for her to be happy and healthy. And she could tell Harper liked it there.

“Okay, Chlo,” she whispered to herself as she rolled onto her other side and closed her eyes. “You’re going to stay…”

But as she began to fall back to sleep, she made a pact with herself that she wouldn’t be so foolish as to get involved with another guy. No matter how much she may be attracted to him or feel as if they may have a connection. She had just escaped from a terrible relationship, and she had to look after herself. She may have been drawn to Mason, he may make her feel alive again, but she just couldn’t do it.

She had to focus on herself, on Harper, and on making their new life in Lone Reach as settled and successful as possible.

As she fell to sleep, she was smiling.

For the first time in a long time, it felt good to know she had found somewhere worth fighting for.

Chapter 7

As the sun went down on another day in Lone Reach, Mason stood outside of The Bear Brewhouse and looked down Main Street, surveying the place he called home.

In the past seventy-two hours, he had done a lot of soul searching. He had almost fled, leaving his pack; he had rescued a mother and her daughter from an avalanche; and he had thought long and hard about his position in this little part of the world and whether he could still see himself in it.

He gripped the neck of a bottle of beer and drew it to his lips. He was tired but he needed to unwind and be around people rather than retreating to his cabin in the woods in isolation. Since he had woken up in town after his failed flee attempt, he had done good on his promise to himself and had cleaned and tidied up his home. The dust no longer swung from the lights and beams on the ceiling, and his dishes had been left sparkling clean. He had even taken some tips from some of the girls who came into the Brewhouse and bought cleaning products that smelled of things like zesty lemon and calming lavender, and he had splashed them around the surfaces until the place smelled like a perfume factory.

Overall, he was starting to feel a little better.

But he still wasn’t sure…

His pack were still acting wild, the bikers were still crawling all over town, and the brewery was almost ready to open, but all he could think about was how he had failed.

The Forsaken Riders were a good bunch deep down, but he had a bad feeling and wished he knew why. The bikers came to their town a couple of years before and started doing some low level dealings with the shifters of the town, but now, things had stepped up a notch and the Bears had taken a significant investment from them to open the brewery. It meant they had the cash injection they needed to get everything up and running, and it also meant they had The Forsaken Riders’ experience when it came to running such a massive operation.

It was a huge and important time for Lone Reach. But Mason was very aware that he had done dealings with outlaws, and he was worried about the consequences.

Even on a quiet night like this, there were still motorcycles parked along Main Street, and he knew that some of the bikers would be hanging out and sinking beer and whiskey in either The Bear Brewhouse or The Dragon Pit, the club at the other end of town.

He supped his beer again and when he had drained it, he wiped his mouth and headed back inside. He needed another. There was no way he was calling it a night early, no matter how tired he felt.

The Bear Brewhouse was a business he and another member of his pack, Hudson, had taken over from their fathers years earlier. It was the best bar in town, open from 10am, but still full of late-night revelers, killer pool tables, tasty food, banging music and great drinks. When Mason set foot in the place, he felt more at home than he did in his cabin, and he enjoyed spending time at the bar, watching whatever game was on the big screen, sipping beer and eating the best barbeque ribs he had ever tasted. And it seemed that most of the people of Lone Reach felt the same way. The bar was always busy, even on week nights, and it gave him, Hudson and the rest of the bears a steady income and had helped set them all on their way to opening The Brewery and crafting their own ales to sell nationwide.

At least that was the plan.

Now, they were so close to opening and he was trying to rationalize with himself if he was just wanting to run because it was all feeling like too much.

Had he overcommitted?

Or was there another reason he had suddenly lost his nerve?

He pulled out a high barstool and sat, motioning to Emma, one of the regular girls who tended bar.

“Hey, Mason,” she smiled as she strutted across to see him. “Same again?”

“Please,” he smiled as he tapped the corner of the menu and opened it wide, even though he knew everything listed by heart.

“Which chef is working tonight?” he asked Emma as she slid him another bottle of beer.

“Cameron,” she smiled. “So, I take it you’ll be wanting… a big, bloody cheeseburger?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

Mason stroked the stubble on his chin and laughed. He had been wanting the ribs, but the rare burgers Cameron served were his specialty, and it would be a shame to miss out.

“Go on then,” he grinned. “Extra onions.”

Emma gave him a curt little nod and then she headed back toward the kitchen and disappeared.

He sipped his drink and closed the menu, noticing the leather on the edges was frayed. He made a mental note to order new holders and to print new copies to keep the place looking fresh. Now that he was on a roll, there was no point in stopping.

He heard the door open behind him and when he looked over his shoulder, a couple of The Forsaken Riders were wandering in. He recognized them straight away, not just because they were all clad in leather and chains but because he knew them from meetings they had held about the investment for The Brewery.

Ax, Bull, and King…

They were the good guys; he had never had a reason to doubt them, but he had met others in their charter he hadn’t been overly sure about.

“Hey.” He nodded toward them, and the three bikers nodded back, raising a hand to wave.

Mason turned back to the bar and drank his beer. He could feel the excitement in the air tonight and the bear inside of him was feeling frisky and ready to play. He had spent so many days feeling sorry for himself that now that he was out in the world again, sitting up at his bar, he was finally starting to feel more like this old self.

Emma came wandering back behind the counter after placing his order, and he noticed that she was the only waitress and bartender working.

“No other girls tonight?” he asked.

“We actually have a new one starting,” she said with a smirk. “A new girl in town in fact.”

Mason felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

“A new girl in town?” he asked with intrigue.

“Uh huh,” Emma nodded. “In fact, she should be here any minute.”

She had only just said the words when, suddenly, he heard the door opening behind him again and his heart instantly responded.

His bear stirred.

He could smell her before she had even crossed the threshold. The same scent he had found that night out on the snow-covered road.

It was Chloe.

He felt himself still, and even though he didn’t fully realize he was doing it, he began smiling.

“Hey, Emma.” Chloe’s voice cut through the surrounding noise of the bar, of the chinking of glasses and the rock music playing from the juke box, right through the crack of the pool balls hitting off each other as they flew around the felt.

“Evening, Chloe!” Emma beamed. “I was just talking about you.”

Her scent was getting stronger and it was making his inner beast awaken. She smelled so good; it was something he knew he was going to find hard to resist.

He had met plenty of attractive women before, and his bear had barely even noticed they were near him. But every time he was close to Chloe, it was as if he were about to lose his mind. He took another sip of his beer and then turned to face her, and he saw the glint in her eyes when she realized it was him.

“Oh!” she said happily. “Hi, Mason!”

He smiled and turned his body toward hers.

“Still stuck in town then?” he asked mischievously.

Chloe shrugged.

“I guess so,” she laughed.

“And you’re the new girl we’ve got starting?” he asked with a raised brow. “I thought you had places to be…?”

She looked so goddam cute when she was embarrassed. She looked at the floor, and he thought he could see a hint of pink flushing across her cheeks. He swallowed his beer again and grinned.

“Harper likes it here,” she said. “My car’s wrecked, and I need to earn some money to get it fixed…”

He smiled and leaned in closer.

“I’m just playing,” he said with a wink. “It’s good to have you here. Is Mary still taking care of you both?”

Chloe nodded.

“Actually, she was the one who suggested I get a job here,” she said. “Harper is with her now at the hotel. And she’s already making friends left, right and center… I think I’m going to have a tough time getting her to leave.”

Mason shrugged one shoulder and then looked across the bar to the television, trying to pretend his interest in the conversation had ended.

Fuck… she’s going to be staying… his inner voice was screaming as he watched the game, his eyes following the ball even though he had no clue what was happening, never mind who was actually winning.

Since the second he had laid eyes on Chloe, he had felt something that had shook him to his core. Never, in the whole time he had been alive, had anyone sparked that kind of reaction. He had looked at her and seen something in of her, some kind of light… as if he were being pulled to her, and he found it hard to look away.

It had scared him.

He had been so drawn to her, it made him panic, and he had done his best to avoid her ever since, even if he had been the one to rescue her and been the only one in town she had known in those first few hours.

He had dropped them with Joe and Mary because he knew they would take good care of them… and he had hoped he would be able to avoid her for the remainder of her time in town. But fate seemed to keep pulling them together, and every time he saw her, he was becoming increasingly addicted.

It was like her scent had been made just for him, and it made his bear crave her like a drug. The way she moved around the bar and her dainty wrists flexed as she reached up and pulled down glasses made a lump form in his throat and his heart pound.

He watched as Emma settled her in behind the bar and gave her a dishcloth, and a small apron to go around her waist. Just watching her tie it at the base of her spine sent his head and heart into overdrive, and all he could focus on was what it would feel like to be the one undoing the ribbon and slowly peeling off her clothes.

He slammed the bottle on the top of the bar and rubbed a hand down his face, trying to snap himself out of it.

The last thing he needed was another complication. He already had far too much going on with The Brewery, his pack, the goddam bikers, and the fact that he was about to ditch it all and leave town.

The only thing that had been keeping him going since he had first met Chloe that night out on the road was the fact that, soon, she would be gone, and he would be able to clear his head and figure out what the hell he was going to do…

But now, she was staying.

She had gotten a job in his bar, and she and her adorable daughter could well be staying in Lone Reach for some time.

He bit his bottom lip so hard it made him wince, and then he rose to his feet and moved toward the door.

“Catch you girls later, good luck, Chloe,” he called as he left and let the door slam behind him.

He was angry, but he couldn’t figure out whether it was because he wanted to go but didn’t want to leave her there in town… or because he had wondered if he would go too when she left…

All he knew was, while Chloe was in Lone Reach, that’s exactly where he would be too.

Something inside him wouldn’t let him leave her. He felt drawn to her, connected to her, honored to protect her…

And for the first time in a long time, he felt as if he had found some purpose.

Chapter 8

Chloe rubbed her tired eyes as Harper bounced around in the playground, chatting away to her whole host of new friends that seemed to be ever expanding by the day.

When they had lived in their old town, they had barely mingled with anyone. Chloe had been forced into isolation by her ex, and she had become so insular.

Here in Lone Reach, it was completely different.

Her confidence was returning, and she had a new job in The Bear Brewhouse, serving beers and chatting to the locals. And Harper was in her element with all the kids in town, playing outside and chatting happily about school.

She had already begged Chloe to sign her up to the school there, and Chloe knew she wasn’t going to be able to hold off for much longer.

Her car had been recovered once the mayor had plowed the roads, but it had been damaged, and the repairs were going to be expensive and extensive. It had made her think twice about leaving, especially when she had been treated so well by everyone.

She had concluded that she already had her fresh start. She and Harper were happy, and now, it was time to make it a bit more permanent.

Mary and Joe had told her that they could stay in the suite at the hotel free of charge for as long as they needed, but already, just a week in, Chloe was beginning to feel awkward. She hated not paying her own way and she wanted to do the right thing.

She had found some potential accommodation, but the problem then would arise with Harper when she needed to work nights. It was all a lot to think about.

She was just glad they had their belongings from the trunk back, that they had spare clothes and didn’t need to keep spending money she had set aside for the start of their new life.

Her dreams had begun to quieten too. She felt a lot more at peace since she had arrived in Lone Reach, and she no longer felt so haunted by him. In fact, she had started to snap herself out of any negative thoughts about her past and what had happened back in Bridge Hollow the moment they started to form and she was feeling much better for it.

The one thing that was consuming her thoughts daily now was Mason. She barely even knew him and yet, he was taking up so much of her headspace it was making her dizzy.

When Mary had suggested she ask for work at The Bear Brewhouse, she had no idea it had anything to do with Mason. But the moment she had turned up to work that night and saw him sitting at the bar, she instinctively knew it must have been his. She saw the way Emma was acting around him, and then he confirmed it pretty much straight away that he was indeed the owner.

And now she had one additional dilemma.

She knew there was something different about Mason when she had met him, but she had tried to push it from her mind for fear of what it may mean.

Chloe had lived in Bridge Hollow her whole life, so she knew all about the rumors and legends that swirled around there… and after the past six months, she especially knew there was a hidden side of society she hadn’t been privileged to know until the war had broken out.

She had learned all about shifters… about the bears and wolves and dragons that roamed the mountains… the beasts that were also men.

When she had met Mason that night out on the wilderness road, she had felt something different about him, but it was also something she had come in contact with before. And now that she saw the name of the bar he ran, she knew, with certainty, what that something was.

Mason was a shifter bear.

He was a man who could turn into a bear. A terrifying beast who could rip her apart… but one she knew had the most loyal and protective qualities she had ever encountered.

And now that they had met, she had felt something forge between them. When he rescued her and Harper, they had formed a bond. Something had stuck between them, pulling them together, no matter how much she tried to push it out of her mind and avoid him… she still kept working back to him in her dreams and thoughts, and she couldn’t get him out of her mind.

He intrigued her more than anyone ever had before, and that was saying a lot considering the circumstances of her past relationship… but she didn’t want to get in too deep.

She was still afraid, and she didn’t want to be involved with another man… in another relationship… what the hell was she going to do?

“Mom!” Harper called, breaking her thoughts. She ran over to her with a big grin on her face, bouncing around and clapping her hands together. “Tomorrow, Jamie is having a party at her house! Can I go? Can I?”

It took Chloe by surprise and she felt her eyes widen. Already, her daughter was having so much fun and bonding with her new friends that she wanted to play with them at their house all on her own.

“Really? Wow, that sounds great,” Chloe beamed, not wanting to put a downer on anything for her. “What kind of party?”

“It’s a princess party that turns into a slumber party,” Harper clapped her hands together with excitement. “So, I need a princess dress and some pajamas!”

Chloe could see the look of sheer joy on Harper’s face and she rose to her feet and took Harper’s hand softly in hers.

“Well, I guess we better find something, then, in one of the stores in town,” she winked. “How about we treat ourselves to a little shopping?”

“Oh my goodness, yes!” Harper exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around Chloe’s waist and hugged her tightly.

It had been such a stressful time for them, and they were settling in so well, Chloe figured it was about time they had a little fun and stopped worrying about every cent they spent. She was working now, after all.

“Which one is Jamie’s mom?” Chloe asked as she scanned the park, looking for the other mothers.

Harper pointed to a lady who looked a little older than Chloe, with blonde hair and a nice smile. Chloe could see that she had a kind heart and she started toward her.

“Come on then,” she said. “Let me chat with her and see what this party is all about…”

They went toward the other mothers, and Chloe felt completely at ease and at home.

This place was bringing out the best in them both.

The store was one of the most interesting either Chloe or Harper had ever been in, and as they walked around the racks of handmade children’s clothes, Chloe watched as her little girl’s face lit up with delight. It was in the center of Main Street, in the thick of all the independent stores and gorgeous boutiques. This place seemed to be a haven for children, especially girls, with stunning, unique pieces in every color imaginable.

There was a young woman sitting behind the desk who looked around the same age as Chloe, and she smiled across at her.

“This stuff is amazing,” Chloe said genuinely. “Do you know who made it?”

The girl rose to her feet and nodded.

“I did, actually,” she said shyly. “Self-taught… I just love designing and sewing.”

“Wow,” Chloe said. “That’s amazing, I mean, you can tell how much it must capture the imagination of kids, look at Harper right here.”

Harper was jumping up and down on the spot, clinging to a pink taffeta dress with a huge skirt. It had a long train and a tight waist and looked every bit something a princess in a Disney movie would wear.

“Oh, that one is perfect for you,” the girl who owned the store said. “It will go so well with your complexion and hair. Would you like to try it on?”

Harper grinned and nodded excitedly.

The girl held out her hand to Chloe and introduced herself properly.

“I’m Angelina,” she smiled. “So nice to meet you. Are you here on vacation?”

“I’m Chloe, and this is Harper,” she returned. “No, actually, we were passing through but got caught in the avalanches that happened at the end of last week.”

“Oh my goodness, I heard about that,” Angelina said with a look of worry. “Are you both all right?”

Chloe nodded.

“We are, and everyone has been so unbelievably kind since we arrived here. We’re even thinking we may stay. I’m working at The Bear Brewhouse,” she laughed.

“Wow,” Angelina smiled. “Throwing yourself right into Lone Reach life, I love it!”

Chloe smiled too, and all three of them began to walk to the changing area, which was draped in pink and white lace and created a magical environment for children to dress up and play princess.

“I love this,” Harper said. “Mom, I want my room to look like this.”

Chloe laughed.

“I think I’d quite like my room to look like this too,” she grinned.

“Have you found somewhere to stay?” Angelina asked.

“At the moment, we’re at the hotel,” Chloe said. “Mary and Joe have been so kind to us, I don’t know what we would have done without them.”

“They are great,” Angelina admitted. “They’re total pillars of this community.”

Harper closed the curtain and started to try the princess dress on over the top of her leggings. Chloe was proud of her as she waited, glad that her little girl was gaining more independence and growing up. As they were waiting for the big reveal, Chloe heard a bell ting at the front of the store, and Angelina excused herself as she went to see who was there.

When Harper jumped out from behind the curtain and swirled on the spot, Chloe could see she had chosen exactly the right dress for the party. And Angelina had been right, it matched her hair and skin tone perfectly.

“Wow,” Chloe beamed. “Look at you… You look just like Sleeping Beauty…”

“No, I don’t,” Harper pouted. “Sleeping Beauty’s dress was blue, Mommy… I’m more like Rapunzel.”

Chloe laughed and shrugged.

They turned to go back into the main part of the store to show Angelina her work of art in action, and Chloe’s jaw almost hit the floor when she saw Mason standing by the counter, his hands digging into the pockets of his jeans and his broad shoulders covered by a frayed denim jacket.

“Oh,” she felt herself stop abruptly.

Mason’s eyes flicked up to meet hers, and in an instant, she felt the pull toward him. The pull she was having trouble resisting.

“Hi,” Mason smiled, and she saw a glisten of green deep inside them.

After she had thought about him and the possibility of what he might be, now that she was in front of him again, she was finding herself even more attracted to him.

A bear…

She felt her gut tighten and a twinge deep between her legs.

“What are you doing here?” she smiled. “I didn’t figure you for this kind of fashion…”

Mason threw his head back and laughed and then he smiled at her warmly.

“I own the building,” he winked. “Just here collecting this month’s rent…”

Angelina rolled her eyes and slid an envelope across the counter to him.

“You’re such a pain in my ass, Mason,” she joked.

Mason shrugged and picked up the envelope before he slid it into the back pocket of his jeans.

“And wow, look at you, Harper,” he grinned. “You look every bit the princess.”

Harper grinned and held out the corners of her skirt so she could twirl and curtsy.

“I’m going to a party,” she smiled. “All day tomorrow and then staying over with my friends! We’re going to do each other’s hair and have a midnight feast!”

Chloe laughed and rubbed her daughter’s head.

“This place has certainly got hold of us both,” she admitted. “I think we’re going to find it hard to leave.”

“Well, we’re not leaving,” Harper pouted. “You said you were going to enroll me in school here on Monday.”

As soon as Harper said the words, Chloe became aware of Mason standing straighter and his attention focused on them both intensely.

“Really?” he asked. “So, you’re definitely going to be sticking around for a while?”

Chloe’s eyes locked on his and she felt a jiggle of excitement in her belly which rose toward her chest and heart. Just looking into his eyes was making her feel like a kid again, full of hope and promise.

“Yes,” she smiled. “Everyone has been so good to us here, and Harper loves it.”

“Well, you’re in a good place,” he said as his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer.

She was aware that they were falling silent, fixated on each other, and the tension in the room was growing and evolving into something steamy and powerful. Angelina caught on and cleared her throat nervously before she took hold of Harper’s hand and led her back toward the changing room.

“I’ll help her out of this and get it wrapped up…”

“Yes, please,” Chloe said, not taking her eyes away from Mason’s.

What was happening to them both?

It was as if he were as confused by it as she was.

“I… I don’t know…what this…is…,” she whispered.

Mason took a step forward and it was clear that whatever she was feeling, he was experiencing it too.

“I’ve tried to stay away from you,” he whispered as he came closer, “but somehow, we keep being pulled back together. To the same place, at the exact same time.”

Chloe nodded and a little smile crossed her lips.

“Harper said she’s out all day tomorrow…,” he began, and Chloe nodded her head, not daring to speak, in case she ruined what he was about to say. “How about you let me take you out?” he asked.

She felt her heart race away beneath her skin and a warm rush of excitement rolled over her. She couldn’t think of anything better, but she had no idea if she was making a terrible mistake. What if she was getting in too deep? What if he was the bear she thought he was? And what if she was doing all of this too soon after the trouble she had been through back in Bridge Hollow?

“I’d like that,” she found herself saying, because she couldn’t hide from the truth. “I’m working from ten am until four in the afternoon,” she said. “I think you’ll know where to find me.”

Mason’s eyes twinkled, and he winked.

“I’ll be there before the end of your shift,” he said as he stepped toward the door.

His eyes didn’t leave hers, and he looked so sexy standing there, dressed casually, and clearly at ease in his own skin. He seemed completely different from when she had seen him each time before, as if he had finally found some peace somewhere, much like she had.

The bell tinged as the door opened and he stepped through it, not breaking contact with her gaze until he finally had to turn to walk away. As she watched him go, she realized she wasn’t breathing. She was completely transfixed and taken in by him, completely unable to believe she had been able to deny herself him this long.

“Mommy!” Harper called, breaking her trance. “I love the dress so, so much! Thank you!” She jumped up and threw her arms around Chloe’s neck and squeezed her tightly. Chloe held her so she didn’t fall and rocked her back and forth.

She had never seen Harper so happy and confident, and Chloe had never felt so free and ready to take on the world. And now that she had found Mason and was letting herself roll with it instead of being afraid, it was as if she had suddenly released so much negativity and doubt.

Out of all the darkness, they finally seemed to be finding their light.

Chapter 9

After speaking with Jamie’s mother and getting to know her at the park, Chloe was able to drop Harper off at their home the following morning completely at ease. She had topped up a prepaid cellphone with only her number programmed in and given it to Harper, just in case, but she knew she was being over cautious. She told Jamie’s mom she would call to check on her a few times, and she put her nervousness down to them being new in town and just wanting to make sure Harper was settling well and not getting overwhelmed.

She had been assured that they had a big, fun day planned. The party began at noon and all the little girls would be dressed as princesses before an actual princess arrived to play with them for the afternoon and help them do their hair and make-up. There would be a tea party with cakes and sweets that had been made right there at the bakery in Lone Reach, and then they would play games, open presents, and do some painting before getting changed into their pajamas and watching a movie with “Midnight Feast” snacks and hot chocolate before they all went to bed nice and early.

It sounded like the perfect day for a six-year-old, and even though it was the first time Harper would be doing anything like this, she was confident that with her being so mature, she would be fine.

Chloe looked at her reflection in the mirror in the bathroom at The Bear Brewhouse and cocked her head to the side. She had come to work straight from dropping Harper off and had already called once to make sure lunch had gone all right. Jamie’s mom had also given her the telephone number for the local elementary school, and Chloe was going to enroll her first thing Monday morning. There was so much to think about, but Chloe was glad because it meant her former life was behind her; she wasn’t even thinking about it any longer.

She rubbed a bit of smudged mascara from under her eyes and checked the time. It was getting close to 3pm and she wanted to make sure that she was ready in good time. She ran a comb through her hair and spritzed a little bit of perfume on at her wrists and neck, before she dabbed on a bit of rosy blusher and applied lip gloss. She didn’t want to look as if she had made any sort of effort, and with her being at work, it was pretty easy.

She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and smiled at her reflection. She looked dewy and sparkling, but her face was clean, and it didn’t look as if she had overloaded the makeup.

“Perfect!” She smiled as she packed her things into her small purse and slung it over her shoulder. She reached down and checked the front pocket of her apron for her cellphone to make sure she didn’t have any missed calls or texts from Harper, and then she headed back to the bar.

Emma had been shadowing her shifts since she started, and Chloe was glad for it. Already, they were becoming good friends, and it also helped her learn more about her new town. Now, she hoped she would have a little time to pick her brain about Mason before he arrived. The bar was having a quiet lull after lunch, since no games were on the TV to draw in a crowd, so the girls were having an easy shift, sitting behind the bar cleaning glasses and restocking the refrigerators while they chatted.

“So,” Chloe said as she put her bag under the counter. “Mason is coming in to pick me up soon.”

She said it nervously but when Emma turned to her with wide, glinting eyes, she was glad she had told her all the same.

“No way!” she said excitedly as she clapped her hands together. “He asked you out?”

Chloe nodded shyly, and Emma gripped her by the shoulders.

“This is incredible, Chlo!” she said. “Do you have any idea of how in demand around here he is…? And he won’t give a single woman the time of day.”

“Really?” Chloe raised her eyebrows. “How come?”

Emma chewed her bottom lip for a moment and then lowered her voice.

“Apparently, he got his heart broken, some girl treated him like absolute shit. But that was years ago, and he has never bothered dating anyone since. In fact, I’ve seen girls coming in here and actively try to get his attention and he flat out ignores them. I knew he was acting different around you! I clocked it right away!”

Chloe felt her skin get hotter and had to fan her face.

“Oh, man,” she said. “He’s super-hot, isn’t he?”

Emma grinned and nodded wildly.

“Super. Hot.” Emma emphasized. “But like I say, he just seemed to be out of the game and completely uninterested. He’s always working so hard and busy. In fact, there was even a rumor he was going to leave town… but then you showed up and it all went quiet on that front.”

Chloe felt her eyebrows raise. She was learning so much in such a short space of time that she felt like her brain was going to explode.

“What happened with him and the girl he went out with?” she asked quickly, as if she could almost sense he was near.

She felt a tingle run down her spine that feathered out into her fingertips and her breath caught in her throat.

He is near me… she thought. I can feel him.

“I’m not sure,” Emma admitted. “Like I say, it was years ago, I only know anything about it at all because I asked one of the guys who is good friends with him. I’d seen him turn so many girls down and was intrigued. I had to know why he was literally ignoring some of the best-looking women in Lone Reach. But then, I got my explanation.”

Chloe smiled and reached down to check her phone again. It was still quiet; there was no word from Harper. She would check in again in an hour or two, once the girls were likely in their pajamas and getting ready for bed.

The sensation down her spine intensified, and she turned around before the door to the bar opened. Her breath caught in her throat and she knew he was there, so when the door swung inward, she was already smiling as Mason stepped in and his eyes found hers.

It was like a dream. She had done her absolute best to keep him out of her thoughts, but they seemed to be connected inside and out. Her brain was, somehow, wired to his; her body was responding to him when he was close to her. It was as if there was an invisible force connecting them and vibrating between them when they were close to each other.

He smiled at her, and she shyly bit her bottom lip.

He looked incredible.

Better than he had ever done since she had met him. His hair was wavy and pushed back out of his face, his jeans were slung just below his hips, and he had a black t-shirt under a stylish leather jacket. It stopped her in her tracks and made her nipples harden.

He looked so goddam good, she didn’t know how she was going to keep her hands off him.

Calm down, Chloe…, she told herself. You don’t even know if you’re ready for this…

“Hey there,” Mason said as he walked across the bar, his eyes fixed on hers the entire time. “I heard someone’s shift was finishing soon.”

Chloe smiled coyly and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Emma was standing close by and Chloe could almost feel her excitement radiating, so she turned and gave her a little look to make herself scarce. Emma nodded knowingly and went into the kitchen, while Chloe and Mason caught up.

“How are you doing?” he asked as he sat on one of the stools in front of the bar and put his arms across the countertop. “You look… pensive…”

Chloe couldn’t help but laugh.

“Pensive?” she asked with a raised brow. “Well, I guess I am always deep in thought.”

He smirked.

“I can almost hear the cogs turning,” he teased. “Can I get a beer while I wait?”

Chloe nodded and reached behind her into the refrigerator, pulling out the brand she had seen him drinking each time he had been in.

“Thanks,” he smiled. “I think we can escape a little before your shift is over if you like?”

Chloe felt ready to tease him too…

“Oh, I don’t know about that, the boss is a real jerk…,” she grinned. “I’ve heard he doesn’t let employees sneak out early.”

Mason sat back in the stool and laughed. She loved the way his eyes seemed to shine, the way the green flecks were caught by the light and made them look even more alive and magical.

“Oh, really?” he asked. “Yeah, well, he sounds like a real hard ass.”

“Oh, he’s the worst,” Chloe teased.

The tension between them was already at breaking point, so much so that she couldn’t think of anything to say without worrying it would sound cringy. She smiled at him and felt herself getting lost in the perfect features of his face. He really was handsome, and it was hard to believe he had avoided love for so long. He must have women throwing themselves at him, and if what Emma had said was anything to go by, then he clearly did.

“You don’t need to hang around on my account, you know,” Emma said as she appeared from the kitchen. “I can cope just fine on my own for an hour.”

Another girl was coming in at four thirty and the bar was practically a ghost town.

Chloe looked to Mason for his approval, and he rose to his feet and tapped his hands across the countertop.

“Shift ends here,” he said with a wry smile. “Grab your jacket!”

He downed his beer and left the bottle still half-full on the bar top, before he jangled a set of keys in his hands and headed for the door.

Chloe felt all a fluster, as if she couldn’t believe any of this was even happening. She hadn’t spent a day without Harper since she was born, and now, here she was, in a new town, Harper was off on an overnight playdate, and she had a hot date with an even hotter guy who may or may not be a shifter bear.

Her life was insane.

But she had to embrace it. As they said… get busy living, or get busy dying…

And she had already nearly done the latter, and she didn’t like it much.

“Okay.” She grinned as she grabbed her purse, undid her apron, and put her jacket on. “Let’s go.”

She walked toward Mason and as her arm brushed against his, and she felt the rush of electricity between them all over again, she knew, with certainty, that this date was going to change her life.

She had been swearing off dating, and men, but it was clear there was something between the two of them that was defying all odds, so it was time to explore it.

Chloe and Mason smiled at each other as they headed out the door, onto Main Street.

“Your carriage awaits,” he joked as they approached the truck he had rescued her and Harper in, on that first night she had met him. He opened the passenger door for her, and she climbed inside, her heart a banging drum in her chest the entire time.

When he climbed in beside her on the driver’s side and she felt the truck sag with his weight, she was at ease and knew she was completely safe. She had spent so much of her time living in fear, and now, she was ready to let herself be free and enjoy her time. She deserved it, after all.

Mason started the truck and put it in drive.

“Where are we going, anyhow?” she asked as he pulled into traffic on Main Street and they started off toward the mountain roads.

“Oh, that would be telling.” He grinned.

She smiled back and looked straight ahead. It felt good to be entering the unknown.

The landscape outside of town was so beautiful; she was glad he had decided to take her away for a while. Mason’s truck bumped over the mountain roads, and Chloe looked out at the scenery she had missed the night she and Harper had driven this way and got caught in the snow. The blankets of white were still piled at the sides of the roads, but the roads were clear, and she could see they had been well salted.

“The mayor finally decided to get to work then,” she laughed.

Mason groaned and playfully slapped his forehead.

“That guy is painful,” he said. “He’s useless. I don’t know why he doesn’t get overthrown somehow. I’m sure I could do a much better job.”

“Overthrown?” Chloe laughed. “Sounds very medieval.”

“Well, you know, small towns make their own laws,” he joked.

“Tell me about it.” She rolled her eyes.

He looked at her, and she bowed her head slightly. It was the first time she had given him a hint as to where she may be from, and she wondered if he had ever heard of Bridge Hollow. If he was a shifter as she suspected, then she was sure he would have. There were packs there of their own, and she thought they all must be connected somehow.

Mason slowed as they reached a sign for a walking trail and he pulled into a parking lot. It had a few cars and people milling around, either setting off for a late-afternoon walk as the sun went down or heading home after a day on the trails.

Mason killed the truck’s engine and opened the door before walking around to Chloe’s side and opening the door for her. He held out his hand for her to take, and she did. He helped her out and made sure she was steady on her feet. He really was being the perfect gentleman.

Chloe checked her cell to see if there was any word from Harper, but the screen was blank. She also noted that it wasn’t even four pm yet. She had spoken to her and Jamie’s mom only around two hours ago; she would look way too overprotective if she called again so soon.

“Well,” Mason said, “I brought you out here to show you the view… Come on.”

He held out his arm, Chloe took hold of it, and they began to walk down one of the cleared trails that led to the edge of the mountain. The air was cold up there, and it nipped at Chloe’s skin, but when she touched Mason, she could feel a heat inside of him that seemed to transfer to her, and it made her smile.

The mountain was covered in snow, but most of the popular trails had been cleared, and Chloe could see that there was a small café up there too, with walkers sitting outside with their dogs, drinking coffee and chatting amongst themselves.

“Everyone is so happy here,” she commented. “It’s lovely to see.”

“It’s a friendly town, and most of the people have kind hearts.” He smiled at her. “I’m intrigued as to what made you want to stay. You must have seen that it was a good place.”

“I did,” she said. “At first, I thought I would get my car fixed and be out of here as soon as I could. But even after just one day, I noticed how content everyone seemed to be, and I was feeling settled too, even without fully knowing it. It’s strange, isn’t it, how some places call to your soul?”

Mason smiled and they kept on walking. As they approached the ridge of the mountain, she slowed her pace and gasped.

The view was like nothing she had ever seen. It was like a painting, and it was so perfect, it was hard to believe it could actually be real.

“My goodness,” she whispered. “Look at that…”

She could see the whole town of Lone Reach and the way it was deeply embedded between the range of mountains. She could see Main Street cutting it in two, the forests that surrounded it, and the lights turning on from various cabins dotting the woodland. The town’s center looked multicolored and magical, and even from up there, she was sure she could hear the sweet melody of music from some of the alehouses.

Seeing it from up high made it seem even more surreal. She felt as if she had actually found a slice of heaven.

Mason pointed to the other side of town to a patch of land that looked like it had recently been cleared. Some construction vehicles looked to still be on-site and a new, Scandinavian-style building had been erected.

“That’s my latest project,” he said. “The Brewery.”

From where they were standing, it had to be miles away, but she could see it so well that she could tell the scale of it had to be massive.

“I heard about this,” she said quietly. “Something to put Lone Reach on the map…”

Mason nodded and wrapped his big, muscular arm over her shoulder.

“Yep,” he laughed. “And boy, do we need it. This place is so hidden away and off the beaten path that we rarely get any visitors. The economy here was faltering, and we decided we had to act. We helped Mary and Joe overhaul the hotel, we started on The Brewery, and we encouraged lots of independent businesses to open along Main Street. We had to kickstart something here or we ran the risk of turning into another forgotten one-horse town, and it’s too beautiful here for that to happen. We’ve got a lot to offer, and we want this place to thrive.

I think about what it was like when I was growing up, and we didn’t even have half of this… There’s so much talent here that it would be criminal not to utilize it and make Lone Reach into something extra special.”

“So, it looks like I found you all at an exciting time,” she said with a grin. “And there does seem to be a lot of opportunity…”

“Tons of it,” he said.

The weight of his arm around her shoulder felt so good; she leaned in to him and the heat from deep inside enveloped her. She felt so very safe with him, no one had ever made her so at ease like that, and it was becoming addictive. She looked up at him and smiled.

“And what will happen with The Brewery?” she asked.

“Well, the plan is to start crafting our own ales,” he said. “We’ll sell them here in town, exclusively, at first, but then roll them out nationwide. We’re going to be creating a lot of jobs, and hopefully, make it a kind of tourist destination, so we will bring more people to the town that way too.”

“And you seem to be the one at the front, leading this whole thing,” she said warmly. “That must feel pretty good.”

“My family was one of the first settlers here,” he said as he looked wistfully over the mountains and back down at the town. “I have a lot of love for this place; it’s the only town I’ll ever call home and I want to make sure it doesn’t disappear. We want the young people growing up here to want to stay… To think, yeah, I can start a family and live my life in Lone Reach, because there is so much going on here. I want it to be somewhere people can visit and feel how special it is.”

He looked so passionate about it that it made Chloe smile. She looked deeply into his eyes.

“I felt it,” she whispered. “I really did… The moment I got here.”

He reached up and traced his finger down the side of her face, and she turned to face him. They were standing on the edge of the world, and he had just opened his heart to her. It felt so good to hear about his ambitions and how enthusiastic he was about his hometown and all he wanted to achieve and create. He wanted to give life… He was the complete opposite of her ex, who only seemed to want to take it and destroy it.

She felt a cloud cover her heart and she momentarily pulled back. She had done so well not to think of him… But somehow, she had let him sneak in and ruin an almost perfect moment.

She dropped her eyes to the ground and sighed.

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m an idiot… I…”

“What are you running from?” Mason asked suddenly.

He reached for her hand and held it gently in his, and when she looked back into his eyes, she felt his sincerity and knew she could tell him anything… But she was just too afraid.

She faltered.

She could see something deep inside his pupils, something animalistic and ferocious, but she didn’t feel afraid. She gripped his hand tightly and willed herself to open up, but she just couldn’t do it. She wasn’t ready to talk all about what had happened to her back in Bridge Hollow… She was nervous to even tell him she was from there.

Behind them, a car horn started to honk, and some kids were whooping and cheering, and it broke the intensity between them. Chloe smiled and so did Mason, and they looked back over their shoulders to see the kids climbing into a truck of their own, honking the horn again, turning up the music and starting to drive on back down the mountain.

“The future of Lone Reach,” Mason said with a wry smile as he shook his head and stepped backward, taking her with him as he held her hand. “Come on… Let’s get something to eat.”

Chapter 10

This was the first time he had ever taken a date to his favorite restaurant in Lone Reach, but there was a first time for everything, and Chloe was more than worth it.

The more time he spent with her, the more he could see himself falling in love with her. She was so gentle and nurturing, and he had the overwhelming urge to look after her. But not only that, he could see her vulnerability, and he felt that she was afraid and running from something.

They sat opposite each other and he watched her discreetly as she surveyed the menu. He knew what he would order, but he wanted to get a feel for her tastes and wondered what she would choose. In the back of his mind, he thought she may be the kind of woman who would order a burger just to make a statement, but she had so much class, he didn’t know whether her standards would allow it in a nice restaurant like this.

“Come on then,” she said as she closed it and sighed. “It all sounds delicious, so I’m going to need you to help me.”

Mason grinned.

“Well…,” he said as he rubbed a hand over his stubbly chin. “This is a classy joint, so I usually go for the wild Salmon.”

Chloe raised her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side as if she were trying to figure him out. He had wondered if she had a feeling about his truth. This was a woman who had appeared out of nowhere and was so secretive; she obviously had a lot of her own to hide.

Had she come across his kind before?

Did she see the bear in him, like he could see the fear in her?

“Salmon?” she asked knowingly. “Interesting choice.”

Mason shrugged.

“Okay, I’ll do the same,” she said as she sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. She was full of sass, and he loved it, even if he could tell that, deep down, she was terrified of falling in too deep.

She was the first girl he had met in a number of years who hadn’t just thrown herself at him, and it was making him want to know more. Now that he had started to peel back the layers, he was hooked. Chloe was deep and there was a lot to learn about her, he could see that much. And Harper by her side only made him more interested; she was raising a little girl all on her own and doing an amazing job. That just reinforced what an incredible person she must be.

He watched her from across the table and every time their eyes met, he felt himself become more deeply bonded to her. He had heard stories of how his kind found their mates… and he knew, all too well, that his connection to Chloe was the kind to change the way he looked at everything.

“Where are you from?” he asked once the waiter had taken their order and they were getting settled into good conversation. “I don’t even know that about you. You’re so mysterious.”

Chloe seemed shy to answer, but finally, she sighed and put her hands palm down on the table.

“Okay,” she said, “I guess there’s no harm in telling you…”

Mason waited with bated breath.

“I’m from a town called Bridge Hollow,” she said without taking her eyes from his. He could tell she was waiting to see what his reaction would be, and he had to try hard not to let his eyes go wide and his mouth sag open.

Bridge Hollow?

Now, things were certainly getting interesting.

“Really?” he asked, trying to keep the deep sense of interest and shock out of his voice. “You’re seriously from Bridge Hollow? The biggest paranormal hotspot of the entire country?”

Chloe nodded slowly.

“Yeah, that’s home…” she said with a weak smile.

If he had suspicions that she may be on to him and the fact that he was a shifter, then he may as well have just had it confirmed. Bridge Hollow was crawling with shifter packs and a whole host of other phenomena, it was very unlikely that Chloe hadn’t encountered something before.

“Why did you leave?” he asked.

She looked at the table and began to fidget with the serviette. He could tell she was hiding something, and it was clearly something to do with her hometown. Had she done something terrible? Or had something terrible happened to her?

“I know a lot about that place,” he said in a whisper so that other diners around them didn’t hear. “I know what went on there recently.”

Chloe’s eyes widened and she nodded and swallowed. She looked nervous.

“Yes, a lot of bad stuff happened there,” she said.

She looked sad as well, as if the memory was painful and she was trying to banish it from her mind. He didn’t like seeing her this way; she looked distressed and uncomfortable, and he knew he shouldn’t push her too hard.

“Do you still have family there?” he asked, just wanting to make sure she hadn’t been left without the ones she loved in the series of horrific events that had rocked Bridge Hollow.

Chloe nodded.

“My family are all okay,” she said with relief. “But I couldn’t stay, for a number of reasons.”

Mason nodded and looked at the table. He knew a broken soul when he saw it, and he didn’t’ want to be the one to open her wounds. She was clearly still trying to heal.

“And what about you?” she asked him. “You’ve heard of my hometown and have, no doubt, seen the documentaries and weird conspiracies about the place… But what makes Mason… Mason? And why were you out in the middle of the night when you found us in the avalanche?”

It was her turn to grill him, and he couldn’t say he was surprised. She was an intelligent girl, and he wasn’t going to be able to hide from her; he could sense it already. The thing that surprised him the most about it was that he didn’t want to hide. He wanted to tell her everything.

“If I’m one-hundred-percent honest,” he started, “I was actually about to skip town.”

It was the first time he had admitted it aloud. He knew some of his packmates, especially Hudson, had suspected he was about to ditch them and make a run for it before The Brewery opened, but he had never told anyone in.

“Skip town?” she asked.

Mason nodded.

“Saying it like that makes me hate myself,” he said as he shook his head and took a sip from the glass of water on the table in front of him. “I’m a piece of shit.”

“No, you’re not,” she said as she reached out and let her hand rest on his.

The feeling of her lovely skin against his made the bear inside him want to claw to the surface. He was fighting everything to not ravish her; he was so into her… He wanted to let loose and take her right there on the table.

Control yourself, he scolded the bear. She’s more special than that. You have to wait.

“I ran away from home…,” she said. “And I understand that people have their reasons, everything is complicated, and nothing is straightforward. You can’t blame yourself for the actions you sometimes take.”

“I was being selfish,” he said with a sigh. “I can see that now. I felt as if I had failed and rather than facing up to the problem, I was just going to walk away from it.”

He had done a lot of soul searching, and he knew he had to be honest with himself. Telling Chloe was helping him work through it and become a better man and alpha. He had a duty to his pack, and the feeling he got when he looked at Chloe and wanted to protect her and Harper, filtered to the other bears he stood alongside.

He had to be there for all of them.

“I know it was the wrong thing to do, Chloe, and I’m ashamed. All I can say is, thank you for being there at that exact moment… Thank you for coming into my life and making me feel differently.”

She squeezed his hand, and he smiled at her.

“You’re like no one I’ve ever met before,” he said. “I’m feeling things I didn’t know existed.”

“Me too,” she smirked. “It’s so weird, but one of the reasons I stayed in Lone Reach was because of you. I just… wanted to get to know you.”

They smiled at each other, and Mason couldn’t believe how everything had lined up in such an incredible way. They clearly had a connection that was written in the stars.

“And Harper, she’s just… Well, she’s amazing,” he said. “A total credit to you.”

Chloe nodded.

“She’s a superstar, all right. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

She checked the time on her cellphone, and seemed to be thinking.

“Must be hard leaving her with someone else,” Mason said.

“It’s torture,” Chloe admitted. “But I can’t hold her back forever. Part of the reason I wanted us to start again, somewhere new, is so I can loosen up a bit and let her live. She’s a smart kid and she needs to have friends and a social life. She loves being around people.”

He felt the urge to ask her again what they were running from but stopped himself before he blurted out the questions.

He knew he had to take baby steps with her. She wasn’t ready to tell him everything.

They ate their dinner and chatted all night, not once breaking conversation. Their bond was growing by the second, and every time he looked at her, he felt himself opening up more to the possibility of love.

He had spent so much of the past few years ignoring and avoiding women that he had almost been foolish enough to walk away from this before it even got started. He had been so skeptical and full of rage still, his heart hardened by past failures and disappointments. But when he saw Chloe, it was like he could already see the future with her, and there was no hurt wrapped up in it. She was going to be the best side of him… And he wanted to be with her always.

When they left the restaurant and he drove her back to the hotel, it took all the will in the world not to kiss her. He sat and looked into her beautiful eyes and held her hand and kissed it gently on the top by her knuckle.

“I’ve had a great night,” he said. “Thanks for letting me take you out.”

She seemed to blush, and she rolled her head onto her shoulder and looked up at him adoringly.

“I’m the one who should be thanking you.” She smiled. “You have no idea how much I needed this normality.”

He kissed her hand again and shut the engine off before he opened the door and went around to her side to open hers for her.

She stepped out and when he stood in front of her and looked at her, she leaned up on her tiptoes and planted a sweet, solitary kiss on his cheek.

“Goodnight, Mason.” She smiled as she began to walk to the door of the hotel.

“Goodnight, Chloe,” he echoed.

He waited until she was inside and walking safely through the lobby and then he grinned and climbed back into the driver’s seat.

“What a night.” He exhaled as he slammed the door behind him and started the engine.

He pulled his cellphone out of its holder and tapped it to life and opened a webpage before he searched for Bridge Hollow.

He had heard so much about it, and now, he just wanted to be sure there wasn’t anything he had missed.

His eyes scanned the results and he was shocked to see that a lot of them had disappeared. What he was looking for, specific and startling events from the past six months, were nowhere to be seen.

He put the phone down and scratched the back of his neck.

Someone was trying to cover it all up. And he couldn’t say he was surprised. It had been one hell of a shit storm, from what he had heard through the bear pack grapevine…

He put the truck in drive and made his way back onto Main Street and toward his little part of the forest where his cabin lay. It had been one of the best evenings out he had had in a long time. And now that he knew Chloe was from Bridge Hollow, he was even more determined to help her get settled in Lone Reach.

“She’s someone special,” he said to himself.

And he thanked his lucky stars for bringing her to him.

Chapter 11

It was strange an unnerving to come back to the hotel room and find it empty. Chloe instinctively looked to the spot on the bed where Harper should have been sleeping and she wrapped her arms around herself. She still had the tingling sensation on the top of her hand where Mason had kissed her goodnight, and she could still feel the heat on her lips where they had planted on his cheek.

She had had the best night and was feeling things she had long thought to be legend.

Mason was someone important to her.

Her mother and grandmother had told her stories when she was growing up of how they had met their husbands, and they had always said that, when the right person came along, you just knew.

Chloe just knew with Mason, and it was the most exciting feeling in the world.

She may still be healing from her past, but she knew she would be a fool to run away from something so incredibly unique and special. And now, she had all the confirmation she needed without actually coming out and asking him the exact words.

Mason was, without a doubt, a shifter. A bear.

She could see it inside him, and it turned her on.

He was the perfect man for her, in so many ways, and she longed to be able to ask him all about his secret, but she didn’t want to scare him away.

It was almost reassuring to her to know they were both hiding something. She was hiding a terrible secret about her past, something she was running from… And Mason was hiding the fact that he could turn into an animal.

What an incredible gift to have.

She lay on top of the covers on the bed, still fully clothed, and sighed as she stared at the ceiling.

“What are the chances…,” she whispered. “You leave Bridge Hollow, a town full of shifters and paranormal happenings, and you find a place that has similar people and phenomena… It’s like it’s your calling.”

She rubbed her eyes and yawned. She was exhausted. The shifts at the Brewhouse had been keeping her up late, and she was still trying to be one-hundred-percent up and bright when Harper woke, early in the morning. She reached for her cellphone and looked at the messages. She had called a couple more times throughout the evening to see how the girls were getting along, and Jamie’s mom had told her they were all fine. Harper had come to the phone and told her, excitedly, how she had met a real-life princess and now, they were in their PJ’s and ready to watch Cinderella and eat smores. It sounded like an absolute dream, and Chloe knew how lucky they both were to stumble across a place so welcoming and suited to them.

Harper had sent her a couple of messages too before she had gone to bed, and first thing in the morning Chloe would be going to pick her up, and then they had one last day of chilling together before Chloe was going to enroll her in school on Monday and their real lives in Lone Reach could begin.

She opened a web page and began searching for jobs. She was happy at The Bear Brewhouse, and glad she had done it, but now, she couldn’t help but feel she needed to be working regular hours. She wanted to make sure she still spent as much time with Harper as possible, and that she was also there to do homework with her in the evenings and tuck her into bed.

Most of the work that was cropping up appeared to be for The Brewery, and she smiled as she remembered how enthusiastic and excited Mason had been about it. He really did love this town; it seemed almost impossible to consider that he had thought about leaving it.

“Must have been bad,” she said to herself.

But then, she could understand that. She knew what it was like to need to run.

She undressed for bed, cleansed her face and brushed her teeth, and climbed into the big super-king all by herself and hoped Harper was having the best time with her little friends.

She only had a few hours and then they would be reunited, and when they were, Chloe couldn’t wait to hear all about her first real slumber party and take her for pancakes and syrup in one of the little coffee houses on Main Street.

She turned off the light and closed her eyes.

It had been a pretty amazing day, and she was optimistic for the ones to come. Mason had brought her to Lone Reach, and now, he was making her stay there one she would never be able to forget. Chloe had never much believed in fate, but the fact that the forces that be had pulled them together in such a way, made it impossible not to believe. She had found someone who she could see her life unfolding with, and she could see that Harper had taken to him too after she had initially been scared and tired.

She wondered if Mason was lying in his bed thinking of her too, and if he felt the same.

The pull between them was strong and the forces were real. Chloe had been brought to Lone Reach for a reason, and she was starting to see that the reason was him… she just hoped he wouldn’t run once she told him her truth.

She drifted to sleep, dreaming of a world where she, Harper and Mason all lived happily together, and she knew it was possible; she felt it in her blood.

“Mommy!” Harper called as Chloe stepped through the doorway of Jamie’s house.

They were all eating their breakfast and chatting away about the night before and the princess that had come to play with them. Chloe had never seen her look so happy, and to see her making real friends was absolutely amazing.

“Thank you so much,” she said to Jamie’s mom as they were leaving. “She’s had the best time.”

As they held hands and walked toward Main Street, Harper filled her in on all the exciting things that happened and told her mom all about how she wanted exactly the same kind of party when it was her birthday.

They had only been walking for around two minutes when a horn honked from behind them, and when Chloe looked over her shoulder, she saw it was Mason.

Her heart did a little jig, and she stopped and whispered to Harper.

“Hey, look who it is…”

She watched as Harper’s gaze focused on the truck, and how her eyes became brighter when she realized who was behind the wheel.

“It’s Mason!” she said as she looked at her mom and grinned.

“It sure is.” Chloe bit her bottom lip to try to hide how happy she was.

He pulled the truck up beside them and put down the window. When she locked eyes with his, she remembered all she had felt the night before when he had kissed her tenderly on the hand and the way he had taken her to the top of the mountain to see the amazing view.

It had been the most romantic night, and he hadn’t pushed her in any way. They had just been happy in each other’s company and loved spending time together, and now… He had found her again.

“Good morning.” He smiled, and his eyes glinted.

“Morning, Mason!” Harper beamed. “Guess what happened yesterday… I met a real princess! It was amazing!”

He looked at the dress she was still wearing with a pair of walking boots and smiled warmly.

“And you look like one yourself, little lady,” he said as he mock tipped an invisible hat.

“This is the dress I got in the store,” she said as she held out the hem and twirled on the spot as if he wouldn’t remember. “It’s special.”

Chloe and Mason both laughed. Harper had certainly taken to him.

“Well, I’m glad you had a fun slumber party, it sounds like a blast. I was going to see if you and your mom fancied grabbing some breakfast. I know a great place that has lots of games for kids.”

“I’ve eaten already,” Harper said before Chloe had a chance to speak.

“But I haven’t,” she finally managed to add. “Why don’t we check it out and if there’re games, you can play while we eat? Plus, I’m sure you could manage an extra pancake.”

Mason nodded and winked at Harper, and Harper jumped up and down and started to shout yay.

They all laughed, and Chloe opened the back door and helped Harper in the truck. It had been a lovely surprise to bump into Mason again, and it was so natural, it really was as if they were being pulled together by some magical force.

She climbed in the front seat after she had buckled Harper in, and Mason looked at her and smiled before he put the truck in drive and headed toward Main Street.

“This place is another new addition to town in preparation of us becoming a top tourist destination,” he said with a grin. “It’s the only one like it for miles around and the kids are already loving it. Imagine amazing breakfasts, the best cheese pizza and ice cream, slushies and video games… That pretty much sums it up.”

“Oh yes, that does sound like every kid’s dream,” she laughed.

“They also do parties and have bowling; it’s got something for everyone really, but the owner decided to make it twenty-four hours and the kids love it first thing in the morning and in the afternoons. A bit later on, well, it can get a bit wild.”

“A twenty-four-hour venue in a small town like this? That’s insane, but I love it.”

“We have a nightclub too,” Mason said with a raised brow. “But I tend to stay away from that one.”

“How come?” she asked as they drove past The Bear Brewhouse, heading to the other side of town.

“Oh, it’s a long story.” He smiled. “I’ll fill you in at some point.”

She shrugged and looked over her shoulder to see Harper sitting there with a big grin on her face, kicking her feet lightly and humming a song she must have learned the day before because Chloe didn’t recognize it.

“Here we go,” Mason said as he pulled off Main Street and into a parking lot.

Chloe looked up at the building and it didn’t look like much from the outside, but it did have a big brightly-colored sign that read, LONE REACH ARCADE.

He turned off the engine and helped them out the truck and when they walked inside, Chloe saw instantly how wide Harper’s eyes went as she ran off into the noise and lights of the games and started to check each one, pushing buttons and laughing before moving on to the next.

“I think she’s going to like it here,” Chloe laughed.

“I had a feeling she might,” Mason winked as he took her hand and they wandered toward a table.

After they sat and ordered some breakfast, Chloe found herself looking at him again and daydreaming. She couldn’t believe her luck. She had always seemed to attract such losers, but Mason was all man, and completely worth breaking her vow of never getting in another relationship.

“So, this is a pleasant surprise,” she said.

Mason gave her hand a little squeeze.

“I came out hoping to bump into you both,” he admitted. “I’ve done nothing but think about you since I dropped you at the hotel last night.”

Chloe’s heart thumped harder and as she looked into his eyes, she saw so much… she saw her future, she saw his promise and his love for her, even though it was in its infancy.

“I’m the same,” she said. “I was so close to texting you to ask you to come back,” she said with a half-laugh.

Mason grinned and cocked his head to the side.

“Harper is incredible, you know,” he said. “I see her, and I see everything I hoped for, for this town. The future generations are so important, and I never thought I would meet someone who had a kid already, but since you two burst into my life, it’s all I can think about. I want to be with you, Chloe… I know that may sound crazy since we’ve only known each other a short time, but there’s something about you that draws me in and keeps me there. And I don’t ever want to be away from it.”

She smiled and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. It was insane that he felt exactly the same way she did; it was as if they had been made the same, that their bodies and souls had been waiting to find each other, and now that they had, there was no escape.

“Mommy!” Harper called from the other side of the arcade as she bashed at the buttons on a game. “This is awesome! Can we come here every day!?”

Mason laughed, and Chloe buried her head in her hands, joking.

“She’s a firecracker,” she said. “I never get a moment of peace, but I love it.”

“I bet you do.” He smiled.

There was a silence between them for a moment, and she could tell he wanted to ask her something but was holding back. She smiled and sat backward, as if welcoming the question.

“What happened to her dad?” he asked as he looked at Harper.

Chloe had been expecting the question, so it wasn’t a surprise.

“He’s never been in the picture, really… we were childhood sweethearts and together for years, but when I found out I was pregnant, he suddenly decided he had too much living to do to be tied down. He left town and I’ve never seen him again. Harper hasn’t even met him.”

There was a deep sadness behind Mason’s eyes.

“That fucking sucks,” he said angrily. “I don’t know how these men live with themselves.”

Chloe nodded in agreement.

“I think the same most days, but the truth is, we’re happier without him. He’s not good enough for her if he wasn’t willing to give her the time. I mean, he’s the one missing out. And he’ll never find us now. I often wonder if she’ll want to go looking for him when she’s older, but I honestly don’t think she will. I’m honest with her about everything, while sparing her feelings as much as I can, but I think she’s doing okay. I think she’ll just accept it.”

“Is he who you’re running from?” Mason asked, his eyes pinpointed on hers.

This question, she hadn’t been expecting and it made her sit back and clear her throat. She didn’t know what to say.

She wanted so badly to be honest with him, so that it was out in the open and she didn’t have to fear him finding out some other way, but she just couldn’t bring herself to go there. The thought of reliving it and telling someone what had happened to her in her old hometown was one that sent fear rocketing through her.

“I…” She tried to say something, but nothing would form. Her mouth hung open a little and she shook her head. “No, I’m not running from him.” Was all she managed.

And then, she looked away and willed him not to ask anything more.

“Hey,” he said as he reached out and put his other hand on top of hers and held it there between both of his palms. The warmth from him was so different, and it made her feel safe… But she was so afraid.

“It doesn’t matter, whatever it is,” he said. “I just want you to know that.”

He had a strong sincerity about him, and Chloe nodded as she blinked back the tears threatening to spring from the corner of her eyes.

“We all have a past,” he said. “And we all have secrets.”

It was his turn to look at the table now, and he looked momentarily shaken, as if he didn’t know whether he was about to do the right thing or not.

“I have a secret,” he whispered, checking that they weren’t surrounded, and that Harper was a good distance away so she couldn’t hear them.

Chloe looked deep into his eyes and willed him to continue.

“And I normally wouldn’t tell anyone this… but I feel like I have a duty to be fully open with you before we take this any further.”

Chloe’s heart may as well have stopped beating, she couldn’t breathe, and her skin went cold.

“But with you, this also feels different,” he said. “I feel like you may already suspect something about me… It’s to do with the look in your eyes when you catch me a certain way. Or the fact you were so amused I chose Salmon for dinner.”

Chloe smirked and felt herself relax a little.

“I think I might know…,” she said. “But only because of where I’m from… And I probably don’t know as much as you might expect.”

Mason smiled.

“I’m a shifter bear, Chloe,” he said it under his breath, but his eyes never left hers.

“I thought as much.” She gave his hand another little squeeze.

“What do you know about us? About my kind?” He asked.

She could feel a rising tension within him, as if he was about to unload his darkest secret. The look in his eyes was intense, but this didn’t frighten her, she was happy to hear all about it. She wanted him to tell her and to know it all, she wanted to experience everything to do with his life.

“Not a whole lot,” she said. “But I do know there were packs in my old town. Bridge Hollow was crawling with shifters… and other things…”

Her stomach dropped again when she thought about those other things.

About… him.

Mason nodded.

“It’s a big town for it,” he said. “Some may say it’s where it all began.”

Chloe had heard something similar.

“Have you ever been?” she asked.

“No,” he said. “And I don’t intend on it… I have too much going on here, and rival packs are never a good thing. We have enough drama here to last us a lifetime, trust me.”

“What do you mean?” She felt as if she was getting to the very core of her new town, and she loved to learn.

“You know how I said earlier, I stay away from the nightclub?” he asked.

Chloe nodded.

“It’s because it’s owned and run by a rival pack, a pack who is feuding with another in our town.”

“Jeez, how many packs are there?” she asked with a laugh.

“Three,” he said with a proud smile. “One bear, one wolf and one dragon.”

“Holy shit,” she said as she raised her eyebrows. “You have dragons here too?”

Mason grinned and nodded.

“So, none of this is blowing your mind then?” he laughed. “You’re just taking all of this in stride?”

“Oh, trust me,” Chloe said seriously. “I’ve had my mind blown many times already and seen some truly crazy and terrible things. I know how dangerous this world can be… So, I’m not so much taking it in stride, just processing it and relating it to what I already know.”

“You’re so smart,” he said. “It’s refreshing.”

“And you’re… grizzly…” she said. “Also, rather refreshing compared to the guys I’ve dated in the past.”

Mason let his right hand move from hers up to her cheek. He cupped her face and stared at her so powerfully, she felt as if their bond was strengthening without them even having to say a word. Chloe and he cast a nervous glance out of the corner of their eye to check that Harper was nowhere in sight, and then he moved closer, over the table, and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

Sparks seemed to fire off all around them. It may have been the light and noise from the video games, but it felt intensely real in that moment. Mason opened her mouth with his and slid his tongue against hers, kissing her passionately and deeply. Chloe’s breath was taken away, and she felt like putty in his arms, never wanting the kiss to end.

When their lips broke apart and she looked up at him, he smiled down at her and she could see the bear in his eyes. The beast she had awakened. Her pussy throbbed and she bit her lip. This man was everything she never knew she needed, and now that she had tasted him, she never wanted to stop.

She leaned back and Mason sat on the bench on the other side of the table. He grinned at her and laughed.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw you standing in the snow in the middle of the night.”

“Me too,” she admitted. “I think I just tried to convince myself I wasn’t bothered.”

They stared at each other for a few more moments, just enjoying the aftermath and the knowledge that they were both on the same page.

It had been another wonderful day together, and they were only just getting started.

Magic was in the air, and they were both breathing it in as deep as they could.

Chapter 12

The chilly air on the mountain was perfect for the night run the bear pack was going for. Mason had rounded them all up after they had closed The Bear Brewhouse, and they decided to roam the mountains and forest land around Lone Reach in bear form, heading over to The Brewery site to check on it and make sure no one was trying to steal the copper piping or construction materials.

He may have trusted the bikers but that didn’t mean he didn’t have slight suspicions. There was something about them that made him wary. He may have been on good terms with the majority but there were still a few of the charter members he hadn’t met yet, and he was going to play it safe until he knew them all like brothers.

His bear was hulking and heaving, they had undressed and he shifted behind the bar and they had all scattered toward the forests in a flash of gnashing jaws, wiry fur and big, bear paws. Now, they were chasing each other up the mountain, roaring, rolling each other, playing, and burning off as much energy as they could, so once they arrived home as their human selves, they would be able to sleep.

Being a bear wasn’t always such hard work, but when it had been days since he had last turned, his energy levels seemed to peak and he needed a release.

Hudson stomped along beside Mason and the pair growled at each other in their own special language. The moon was full overhead and it illuminated the path in front of them with silvery light. This was always the most perfect time of night, when the rest of the town was fast asleep, when the sky was as dark as it would ever be, and the stars and heavens shone down on them and made them feel as if they ruled the world.

They broke into a fast run, all the bears together, bouncing and galloping up and down the rocks and mountain paths as they headed to the other side of town, over the mountain trails, to find the site of their latest venture. It would be the first time they had visited it as bears together, and Mason had been looking forward to arriving and seeing it from their animal eyes.

The Brewery was going to be such a huge thing for their pack, and it was going to do so much for their town, he was incredibly proud.

He sniffed the night air and somewhere on the tip of it, he was sure he caught scent of Chloe. He lusted after her even when he was in his most animalistic state, and he yearned to hold her again.

Now that he had told her his truth, he felt better for it, and for the first time since he had met her, he was enjoying being the bear again. He no longer feared she would think him a monster.

She truly was the perfect girl for him.

They came to the top of the mountain ridge and ran down the other side, their huge weight and frames powering them forward as they approached the construction site. Most of the work had been finished, but there was still a bit to do before they opened the following month.

A lot of the roles had been filled and the bears were ready to take turns nightly to protect, from the forested sidelines, and make sure that no harm came to their biggest investment yet.

They had a lot riding on it, so it would be worth it.

Mason sniffed the air, and he was pleased that nothing seemed untoward. He turned on his heel and began to pad backward, grunting to the rest of his pack to signal that he, their alpha, was leaving.

It had been a successful night run. He had enjoyed taking charge and being with his pack again, after so many weeks and months of feeling inadequate and as if he had done something wrong.

But thanks to Chloe, he had realized he was doing just fine and had much to offer.

Mason, both as a bear and a man, was one in a million. And he had to have faith in himself to stay true.

Chapter 13

After over a week of calm and peaceful dreams, that very same night, Chloe began to have nightmares again.

She rolled around the hotel bed, sweating and gripping the sheets and pillows, begging for relief.

In her nightmare, she was being chased; it was just like all the rest, but this time, it felt different.

More real.

She was running through the forest, bears all around her, and she was one of them. She was part of the pack and she knew she was safe. She felt safety all around her, and she kept running with them, keeping up as to not lose her security.

When they reached the top of a mountain and looked down on Lone Reach − much like she and Mason had the night they had their first date − this time, she saw something different.

Instead of the lights and happiness she had seen as the sun set over her new town, in her nightmare, all she saw was darkness.

The spread of death that had destroyed the woodland around Bridge Hollow had followed her.

She saw the cold, and the destruction, the dead animals that had fallen from the sky and trees in the hundreds. Whole families wiped out.

No lights were shining in the homes and buildings. Main Street was black and silent, and the ground was rotten and oozing.

Something terrible had infected them.

Something terrible had found her.

She tried to scream but nothing came out. She had lost her voice and all she could do was silently cry.

She felt him before she saw him, like she always had.

She felt the cold, the ice cold, the way it penetrated her heart first and then took her over, piece by piece. Her bones seemed to freeze from the inside, the ice working its way through her flesh and organs, right out of her skin and eyes, a little wisp of frozen air escaping through her lips.

“Help…,” she tried to say, but she couldn’t speak.

He had seized her tongue. Frozen it solid. Made her mute.

She cried and a tear froze on its way down her face. This was bad. She knew it was very, very bad.

“Help… me…,” she was trying to call out.

But she was just moving her lips, no words were being spoken and she couldn’t breathe. Her lungs felt frozen.

When she was stuck in the same spot and couldn’t move her feet, she realized that the bears had gone. She was still looking down over the town, she was seeing the decay that had taken over the last place she called home, and she heard his footsteps approaching from behind.

It was him.

She thought she had gotten away from him. But she must have been wrong.

Him.

The reason so many people had died, so many animals had perished, so many lives had been ruined.

It was all because of him… and she had been connected to him in the worst possible way.

He had loved her.

And for that reason, she had run.

“No, please…,” she managed to croak as a cold hand closed around her neck from behind.

She could feel his icy breath; she had felt it so many times when she was awake, she knew the feeling by heart. She cried silently, willing herself to wake up, but this was all very real.

Far too real.

She shivered as he opened his mouth wide and used his other hand, with its ice-cold blood and sharp nails, to dig into her cheek as he held her there, ready to bite.

“No, please…,” she whispered.

The terror in her heart rocketed through her, and somehow, she screamed and woke herself up.

She flew to the floor and tumbled around in the bedsheets, Harper screaming in the place next to where she had been laying and quickly turning on the light.

“Mommy, are you okay?” she asked with wide eyes as Chloe lay on the floor by the side of the bed, shaking and looking at her hands as she held them out in front of her.

She could see the outline of an ice-cold handprint on her wrist, slick and wet, and she quickly jumped to her feet and looked in the mirror to see a scratch and puncture marks on her cheek.

She reached up and touched it, and could still feel his hand there.

His sharp nails had made the marks.

She thought it had been a bad dream… but this was all too real.

Somehow, against all the odds…

He had found her…

She hammered on the door of Mason’s cabin, holding Harper tightly in her arms as she brayed repeatedly, calling his name.

“Mason!” she shouted. “Mason, are you there?”

The sun was rising and it cast a pink and gold glow over the world around her. She hadn’t been able to get back to sleep after the nightmare, but since she had gotten out of bed, she knew she had to get herself and Harper to Mason and tell him everything. He was the only one who could protect them, and now, it was time she told him the truth about her past.

She saw a light flick on somewhere inside and she hammered on the door again. She hadn’t been to his cabin before, but both he and Mary had told her where to find it, should she need to.

Now that she needed to see him so very badly, she couldn’t wait until it was proper morning and well into the next day to find him.

She had to see him now.

A key turned in the lock and the door slowly opened, showing Mason’s bleary eyes and his mussed-up bed hair. She could see that he wasn’t clothed, at least on the top half, and when he managed to focus on what was happening, he blinked and quickly unlatched the door and opened it wide.

“Chloe, Harper, are you all right?” he said as he took hold of Chloe’s arm.

When his skin touched hers, he flinched and stepped back as if he had been burned or given an electric shock, and he eyed her suspiciously.

“Something happened,” she said, trying not to let on too much in case she scared Harper. “And we’re both exhausted, can we come in?”

Mason nodded slowly and stepped back. His eyes were still focused on her and he was looking her up and down in a way he never had before. It was as if he were disgusted by her. As if he could see something evil in her and it was making him want to stay away.

She felt the tears prick her eyes and she reached up and rubbed them quickly.

“Can Harper please lay on your couch or something? She’s so tired, I don’t know what to do.”

Mason nodded, not saying a word and still staring at Chloe as if, suddenly, she was a stranger.

Harper cuddled into her mom and yawned, and Mason beckoned them to follow him as he walked down the hallway and into the main body of the house.

The cabin was much bigger than it appeared from the outside, it was like a Tardis. From the exterior, it easily could have been just one room, but once you stepped inside, it opened up and a myriad of rooms, with big open windows, overlooked the lake positioned behind.

“Here you go,” Mason said kindly to Harper as he passed her a cuddly blanket and pointed to a door a little further down the hallway. “Do you want to lie on the bed in the spare room?”

Chloe nodded in answer for her daughter and walked with her to the room. She opened the door and looked inside. It was small but it was lovely. Simple and plain, but the bed looked freshly made and clean, and Harper crawled in, yawned and fell into the pillows, a snore almost escaping her lips before her head had even touched them.

Chloe smiled and pulled the cover up around her and then tiptoed out of the room and closed the door.

When she turned around and looked into the living area, Mason was standing at the end of the hallway with a stern look on his face and his arms crossed over his chest.

“What’s going on?” he asked, and he appeared to sniff the air.

Chloe’s lip began to tremble and so did her shoulders as she burst into tears.

Mason softened for a moment and he came toward her, wrapping his arms around her but then flinching again.

“What’s happened to you?” he asked as he stood back and held her at arm’s length. He looked her over, trying to figure out what on Earth was happening, and each time he started to look her over again, his eyes kept traveling to her wrist and then the marks on her cheek.

“I have to tell you something,” she whispered, stepping further away from the bedroom door, just in case Harper was, in any way, still awake.

Mason took her hand and led her into the living area where he had a big, L-shaped leather couch facing the windows with a view of the lake.

They sat in the half-light as the sun continued to rise, but this time, he didn’t hold her hand. He sat back and let her talk.

“What do you see when you look at me?” she asked nervously.

“Something different than what I saw yesterday,” he said sadly. “But I can’t figure out what… It’s like… It’s like evil has touched you.”

A tear rolled down Chloe’s cheek and she took a deep breath. This was going to be so much harder than she had anticipated, and she was starting to wish she had just told him the moment they had met, to save her all this pain.

“You know I came from Bridge Hollow,” she said.

Mason nodded.

“And you were right when you asked if I was running from something.” She stopped and swallowed nervously.

Mason didn’t say a word, his eyes remained fixed on her and she could see a glint to his too, as if he were on alert. The bear within him was ready to come forward if he needed it to.

“I was running from something bad, Mason. Something very bad. I know you asked me if it was from Harper’s father, but no, like I said it, wasn’t from him.”

“Who was it from?” he asked deadpan.

She could see he was wary of her and it was breaking her heart. After all she had been through, and how far she had come to escape her past, it had finally caught up with her, and somehow, in some inexplicable way, it had marked her, and he could sense it.

“I was running from a man who I thought I loved once,” she said and took a deep breath. “But he wasn’t a man… He wasn’t anything pure or good. He was evil, corrupted… Sent from hell.”

She felt her emotions overcome her and she sobbed and had to take a moment.

She could sense that Mason wasn’t as suspicious as he had been when she walked in, but she could also see his eyes fixed on either her wrist where she had been touched or on the marks on her cheek.

“You heard about the things that happened in Bridge Hollow over the past year,” she continued, and Mason nodded. “Well, this man, this thing, he was the cause of all that.”

Mason’s eyes widened.

“I met him in a completely innocent way, and he cast some kind of curse on me, some kind of spell. He used me, drained the life out of me, while he began his plan to flood Bridge Hollow and our sacred land with death and decay.”

Mason sat forward and reached for her hand. This time, he didn’t flinch.

“I didn’t know anything about the shifter world… Or about the paranormal world. But when I met him, that changed. He tried to take me to the dark side. He used me to stay close to where he needed to be, he fed on me, and he was going to kill me, but luckily, before he had the chance, the shifters from that town found him and ended him.”

“So, you didn’t know?” Mason asked.

“I didn’t have a clue of what or who he was…” She swallowed. “He was a vampire… a terrible, terrible one.”

Mason nodded slowly.

“I’ve heard the stories through the pack grapevine of what happened there… And when you said you were from Bridge Hollow, I didn’t really think to connect the two in this much detail.”

“Well, why would you?” she half-laughed. “What are the chances of the one person you meet from there being the chosen one from an evil entity who tried to destroy humanity?”

Mason shook his head in disbelief but moved a little closer to her.

“He always scared me,” she whispered. “So, once he was banished and, I believe, taken back to the dimension from where he came, I knew that was my chance to escape for good. I tried to stay there in town, but every night, I had nightmares, I woke up feeling like I do today, as if he were close by, waiting to find his way back and kill me.”

She sobbed, and Mason wrapped his arms around her.

“I can’t believe this,” he whispered. “You could have told me…”

“I was scared to,” she said. “What if you didn’t want me?”

“I told you, you could tell me anything and it wouldn’t have made any difference.”

He pulled back and looked into her eyes, cupping her face with his hands.

“Shifters stopped that thing… And you’re with one now. As long as you’re with me, you’re safe, Chloe.”

She nodded.

“This is why fate brought us together,” he smiled. “I’m your protector, your mate… And once I’ve imprinted on you, he won’t be able to find you or hurt you anymore.”

He looked at her wrist and then turned her head to study the puncture wounds on her cheek and the scratch.

“How did he do this? Is he here?” he asked.

Chloe shook her head.

“It was a dream I had… It was so real,” she sobbed. “He was about to bite my neck and finish me off but I woke up screaming… But I could feel him all over me, and the injuries were there.”

Mason nodded.

“I could smell death and evil all over you the moment I opened the door,” he said as he rubbed his chin and sighed.

“I’m scared, Mason,” she whispered. “Scared for Harper…”

“He’s not going to make his way back over to this side to get either of you, Chloe,” he said. “I can make sure of that. He’s clearly stuck there, and he’s trying to get close to you when you’re in your most vulnerable state because he’s weak. It’s all he’s got. He’s drank your blood, so he can get in your head. But Harper, she’s completely safe. Don’t worry.”

He looked into her eyes and cupped her cheek again and kissed her hard on the mouth. He wrapped his hands in her hair and she was so full of tension and emotion that she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as passionately as they rolled onto the couch and gently bumped noses.

“I was so afraid for you,” he whispered as their lips broke apart. “When you came in, I thought I had lost you.”

The tears in Chloe’s eyes were still glistening and one rolled down her cheek. Mason used his index finger to wipe it away and he smiled warmly.

“You’re my woman,” he said. “And I want you to know you’ll be safe.”

She nodded.

“He can’t hurt you if we are connected,” he whispered. “He must have sensed you were moving on and another, stronger entity was making their mark on you. It will have been his last-ditch attempt to claim you.”

Chloe looked up into Mason’s deep eyes, and the green sparkled in them again as he held her there.

“He can’t get you, baby,” he said. “I promise.”

She let him cradle her there until the sun had fully come up and Harper was beginning to stir. It had been a crazy night and one that had shaken them both to their core. But now, it was time to look at the next steps they had to take to insure all their safety.

It was the beginning of a long road, but it was time to start traveling it.

Chapter 14

With Harper safely at school, Chloe and Mason drove back to the cabin, and he locked the doors. She could barely keep her hands off him; everything about him was making her need to be close to him, and she could tell something had changed in the air between them.

“What’s happening to me?” she asked as she breathed deeply and let him push her gently against the wall of the cabin.

He was so big and strong.

So grizzly.

And she ached to be with him.

“This is what happens,” he said, “when you’re ready to be claimed.”

She gasped and went weak at the knees as he kissed her neck. He was so tall and strong; his arms were thick and powerful, and he took hold of her hands and pinned them above her head as his kiss moved down her neck to her chest.

This was love.

This is what it must feel like.

She had never experienced such passion before, such an animalistic need to be with someone.

She let him lift her and she wrapped her legs around his waist and he pressed against her sweet spot as he stared into her eyes.

“This,” he said. “This is why fate brought us here… Why we met on the road in the snow and the middle of the night… So we would end up right here, together, at this moment, when we both needed each other the most.”

She kissed him deeply and he took her breath away. In this moment, she didn’t know how she had resisted him for so long. They had known each other for a couple of weeks, and they had dated and been around each other so many times, but this was different.

His need to protect her, to claim her, was turning them both into animals.

She reached up and ran her hands through his hair as he panted and smiled down at her. He kissed her and carried her to the table in the kitchen, sitting on it while he unbuttoned her jacket and pulled it off slowly.

Just looking at him was making her wet. She bit her bottom lip and tried not to moan as his hands began to peel away her clothes. Her nipples were so hard and erect, and she could see the bulge in his jeans was so big it was frightening.

Mason kissed her neck again and then pulled back while he took her top off. She pulled at his t-shirt, doing the same, and exposing the most incredible abs and muscles she had ever seen. They were big and firm, making him look like a god.

He was an alpha.

Her alpha.

And now, she was ready to be claimed as his mate, so he could protect her for the rest of time.

Mason reached down and slipped his hand into her underwear, searching for her pussy. When he found her sweet spot, he grunted and slipped a big, rough finger inside her. She groaned and moaned, it felt so good.

She gasped and fell into him, never wanting this moment to end, but knowing he had something much bigger and more powerful waiting for her in his pants.

She undid the buttons on his jeans and pulled them down, taking his underwear with them, and exposing his huge, hard cock. She took hold of it in her hand and gasped again, feeling its immense girth and length. He was going to absolutely destroy her, but she wanted him to.

She was his woman, and she wanted him to take her roughly, right there on the table.

He kissed her neck and turned her around, holding her hips as he slid her panties and jeans down, helping her kick them off and sending them scattering across the room.

He let one hand creep between her legs at the front and he started to rub her clit gently, making her so wet and engorged she couldn’t take it any longer.

“I need you inside me,” she gasped.

Mason took hold of the back of her neck and bent her forward, pushing her onto the table and taking hold of her hips. She could feel the tip of his cock, hard and wet, on the side of her thigh, and when one hand moved away and she felt him take hold of himself and position his tip at her opening, she barely dared breathe.

This was it.

Her protector was going to claim her. She would be his mate until the end of time.

When he pushed himself inside her and opened her wider than she ever had been before, Chloe gasped and rode the wave of pleasure Mason was taking her on.

Her whole body felt light as air, and each time he thrust into her, he hit her in places she didn’t know existed. He was so deep, and so hard, it was as if the bear inside him was there with them, claiming her too. The heat powering into her and rising inside was so intense that it was only a matter of seconds before she was coming and screaming with ecstasy, as Mason took hold of her hair and pulled her head back slightly, so he could kiss her as he kept fucking her slowly from behind.

She gasped and panted, her legs wobbling and eyes unable to focus. Her orgasm may have come and gone, but as his cock thrust in and out of her so hard and slow, she felt herself on the edge of another and she screamed as his thrusts got harder and closer together.

She could feel the roars and the power within him, and she heard the growls. Inside of him was an animal that was desperate to spring free, he was letting it come to the surface, and then he was hiding it away, not wanting to lose this feeling of power and dominance, he rode it in perfect time, his cock claiming her and making her his with each push inside her.

When he started to come, he pushed her forward and roared so loudly she couldn’t hold on anymore. She dug her hands into the table and her nails scratched the wood, leaving claw marks as if she were a bear too.

Mason’s cock jerked and spilled his seed, and he growled and roared as they were bonded together for the rest of time.

Chloe came again, her hips bucking and her back bending, pushing her ass against his groin as he held her there and the last few bursts of cum left him and settled in her.

He leaned forward and kissed her neck, still inside her, and panted into her ear. She was floppy, like a rag doll, and when he withdrew from her, he quickly swept her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom.

He lay her gently on the bed and climbed in next to her, running his fingertips up and down her body, worshipping each inch of her, and committing her to memory, so he would never forget this moment.

Her heart was racing, and she could still barely breathe, but she was his now, he had claimed her.

“Wow,” she finally managed to whisper.

Mason smiled and cupped his hand to her cheek as he stared deeply into her eyes.

“You can say that again,” he said before he touched his nose against hers and kissed her softly on the lips. “That was life changing,” he said. “Never before have I been like that…”

She smiled and cuddled into him. It felt good to be the one to appeal to his alpha, to be the one to bring out the best and most powerful in him.

He had chosen her, and she had chosen him.

They were mates now, forever.

Mason kissed her neck and she pulled the covers up around them and looked into his eyes as he leaned back and ran his fingers through her hair.

It had felt like such a long time ago that they had met on the road in the middle of the night, when he had saved her and brought her and Harper to Lone Reach, and they had done their best to avoid each other. But they had been crazy to deny themselves this. This was all that mattered. This was where they both needed to be.

“He can’t hurt you now,” Mason said as the green glinted in his eyes and made Chloe’s legs tremble again.

Just seeing a hint of the bear within him made her pussy throb. Now that she knew what he was capable of, she was turned on just looking at him.

“You’re mine,” he said. “My woman, my mate… I’ve imprinted on you.”

She nodded.

“Now, if you’re ever in even a tiny bit of trouble, I’ll be able to sense it and I can be with you in minutes,” he said. “I’ll know, I’ll feel it in here.”

He placed his hand over his heart, and Chloe put hers on top of his.

“And that ex of yours…” He shook his head. “He won’t come looking for you again. I can promise you that.”

Chloe smiled and rested her eyes for a moment. She was so completely exhausted, being claimed by an alpha bear had certainly taken it out of her, but she wanted to bask in the aftermath of it forever.

It was the most incredible feeling.

Mason held her tightly as her weary body fell to sleep. She may have been newly claimed, but she was going to need to regain her strength. Being the chosen mate of an alpha bear was going to be tiring work, and now that she had had a taste, she knew she would be keen to show up for the job every day.

They lay together, completely in love, and so incredibly lucky to have found one another.

For two people who didn’t believe in fate, both Mason and Chloe had certainly had their faith tested and were newly converted to their own cause.

The course of true love never did run smooth… but these two, they were more than ready to enjoy the bumpy ride.

Chapter 15

Lone Reach, One Month Later

Chloe waited by the school gates and watched the doors intently. The bell hadn’t gone yet, and she was sure it was a couple of minutes over. She checked her watch impatiently, and then she tapped her foot and bit her lip. This school was wonderful, but whoever rang the bell, rarely did it on time.

The trill shrieked out all around her and she sighed and clasped her hands together with relief. If they were quick, they could still make it.

She watched as the double doors opened and all the kids started to file out and head toward the gates where all the parents were waiting.

Chloe had sent Harper to school in a red beret that morning, so she wasn’t hard to spot. She saw her little head bouncing through the crowd and making its way toward her, and she bent down so Harper could run and jump into her arms.

“Mom.” Harper grinned. “I had the best day. Jamie and I were partners for English, and we got to act out a play!”

“Oh, wow.” Chloe smiled widely. “That sounds amazing! What was the play about?”

“It was about an old king who lost his kingdom because he was greedy, and the princess and the queen took over.”

“That sounds pretty exciting,” she said.

“It was,” Harper beamed. “I was the queen and Jamie was the princess.”

“And who played the king?” Chloe giggled.

“No one, he wasn’t really in it…”

She laughed and rubbed her daughter on the head. This was the best part of her day, picking her little girl up from Lone Reach Elementary and hearing her being so happy and enthusiastic about what she had done all day. It was a dramatic difference from her old life when Harper would barely utter a word at pick-up and didn’t seem happy at all.

“Well, do you remember what today is?” Chloe asked as she gripped her hand and they walked to her car.

It had been fixed in the past few weeks, and Chloe had been glad to have it back, although she knew it wouldn’t be making any long journeys. Lone Reach was her life now, and neither of them had any intention of leaving.

“Today?” Harper asked with a quizzical look on her face.

Chloe watched as she racked her brain and then clapped her hands together and squealed.

“It’s opening day!” she said. “Are we going?”

“We sure are.” Chloe grinned as she opened the passenger-side door and helped Harper in. She buckled her up and wandered around to the driver’s side, climbing in behind the wheel and starting the engine.

She drove away from the school and out the other side of town, following the mountain roads out to what had been the construction site but was now cleared and bright and fresh, with newly laid tarmac and stunning trees that had been planted only the week before.

The Brewery stood tall and proud in the middle of the forest, surrounded by lush evergreens and beautiful scenes. The view of the mountains and the snow that was still capping the tops made the whole place look incredibly idyllic, even considering the fact that the place was crawling with people for the big press conference and opening ceremony.

Chloe drove through the crowd and headed toward a small selection of parking spaces at the front of the lot. Behind her, there must have been hundreds of people waiting, all looking up at the main doors of the Scandinavian-inspired building and warehouse that had been lovingly created by the bear pack of Lone Reach.

She waited for Harper to climb out of the car, and then she locked the doors and took hold of her hand. They walked slowly toward the foot of the main stairs leading up to the entrance, and she looked out and saw all the eyes looking back at them. There were even photographers and film crews, and she and Harper managed to duck out of sight of them while also keeping a good view of the main doors and the big, red ribbon that was spread across them, tied in a bow in the middle.

“Woah,” Harper said. “Have you seen the size of those scissors?”

Chloe laughed and nodded. A huge, novelty pair she had ordered online for the ceremony was sitting on a pedestal in the center of a man-made stage.

There wasn’t long to go now.

She held Harper’s hand and they both watched with excitement as Mason, Hudson, two of the other bears, and a biker came to the front of the steps and went on stage. The mayor came with them, waving to the crowd and lapping up all the praise, even though it was clearly not for him but rather the men who had taken the time and effort to invest in their town and put it on the map while creating hundreds of jobs.

Mason scanned the area where Chloe and Harper were hiding to watch, and he waved and blew Chloe a kiss.

She felt it deep in her heart, as if he had kissed her right on her breastbone, and his heat filled her momentarily.

God, she was a lucky woman.

She had hit the jackpot with him. He was so caring, sexy, driven, and determined. And not only that but powerful and strong.

She watched as he approached the microphone and began to speak, and her heart swelled with pride.

“Thank you all for coming today,” Mason began, and Harper gave a little squeak of excitement. “It means a lot to us that you could be here to celebrate and commemorate the opening of our new brewery.”

The crowd whooped and cheered, and Mason waited for a moment while they clapped.

“When we first had this idea, we didn’t know how we were going to accomplish it. All we knew was, we had to make it happen. And after a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, here we finally are, ready to take Lone Reach to the next stage of its evolution. It is an exciting time, and I’m so glad to share it with you all.”

The crowd went wild again, cheering and hollering, and Chloe found herself clapping, so immensely proud of her man.

“So, without further ado…,” he joked, and the crowd laughed.

He picked up the big pair of golden scissors and stepped to the double doors. He opened them wide and brought them down on the oversized red ribbon, and when it cut and fell away, the crowd cheered and clapped, marking the momentous occasion in the town’s history.

Cameras flashed and people called out questions, but Mason put the scissors down and let Hudson and the others take over as he went to Chloe and Harper.

He high-fived Harper and gave her a hug, and then swept Chloe up in his arms and kissed her softly on the lips.

“You’re amazing,” she told him, with love and adoration in her eyes.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said. “I nearly walked away from it all, but you brought me back to the here and now. You made me see what life is all about and gave me purpose. I love you, Chloe.”

She smiled and kissed him again, as his arms cradled the base of her back and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I love you too,” she whispered.

Harper wrapped her arms around both of their legs, and they all cuddled together.

Chloe and Harper had their fresh start, and buckets of happiness, and Mason had fulfilled his dream, claimed his mate, and now, had a family all his own.

Together really was better. True love had found them all.

The End

Her Fated Dragon Protector

Lone Reach Shifters 2

Her Fated Dragon Protector

Copyright ©2020 by Samantha Leal

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author’s permission.

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Chapter 1

The night was suddenly coming in fast for the workers who had been busy since the crack of dawn. Men of the town had been manning the production line and packaging areas at the latest hub of enterprise in Lone Reach. The Brewery was open for business.

Martin Hall rubbed a hand down his face and across his chin, wiping away the sweat that clung to him after a hard grind at his new role. He saw the way some of his peers moaned and complained about not being able to split their shifts, but he would never be one of them. He was glad to have the work, and completely stoked to be one of the lucky people of Lone Reach to be given such an amazing opportunity at this thriving business. He didn’t understand how any of the others could even think about rolling their eyes. It didn’t matter if the hours were long; they were paid well, they got good breaks, and they even had a canteen on site which fed them several times a day.

Some people just don’t know how good they have it, Martin thought. There’s always someone wanting to make an issue. Why can’t they be happy for the fact they are lucky enough to have a wage and can support themselves?

Martin wasn’t a stranger to tough times, and he wasn’t just supporting himself; he also had a family. A doting wife and two strapping boys who were about to hit their teenage years. He would do anything for his tribe. And the fact that he had to work long hours to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head was more than worth it. It gave him a deep sense of satisfaction.

“Good night,” he called as he slammed his locker closed and pulled his baseball cap down snugly onto his head.

His co-workers all called goodbye to him and some of them clasped his hand as he walked past. It had been another good day at work for him; he was feeling upbeat and looking forward to getting home.

As he exited the back entrance and walked into the crisp evening air, he noticed how dark it felt. He stopped and looked around, gazing up toward the inky sky, then toward the parking lot and the woodland beyond. There were thick clouds blocking out the light from the moon, and he couldn’t see any stars.

He shivered. And as he picked up his pace toward the rows of cars all lined up and waiting for their owners, he noticed the streetlamps that usually lit the way were out.

The darkness seemed unnatural, as if it were stalking him. And it made his breath catch in his throat as he continued forward. His feet crunched along the gravel, and he clutched his backpack to his shoulder, as a sense of dread began creeping up on him with each step he took.

He wouldn’t turn around and look back toward the brewery, he just wanted to get to his car. It was so silent around him, and the air was so still, he should have felt as if he were alone… but deep inside, he had the terrible knowledge that he was not.

Something was following him.

He swallowed and stopped a moment, holding his breath, trying to hear as much as he could. And it was then that he heard the crack of a stick, as if someone had stepped on a branch, and it made him gasp as he turned around and raised his fists defensively.

The parking lot was empty apart from the darkened vehicles, but he could feel eyes on him, and it made his spine tingle.

He turned back toward his car and began to run. His breath was sharp and ragged, and as his own feet crunched across the ground, he could hear the footsteps of someone ‒ or something else ‒ gaining on him with each second. As he fumbled in his pockets to find his keys, it all happened so fast… He felt the ice-cold hand on his shoulder and then he was paralyzed: pressure was closing in on him, and something seemed to flatten his cheeks, gripping him from behind and squeezing his head.

That was the last thing he felt before the world went dark and blank, and the images of his wife and boys began to fade to blackness, along with the rest of the life he held so dear…

Chapter 2

“Okay, I’m giving you ten minutes to get here or I’m leaving without you!” Aubrey laughed as she called across the room and into the cellphone lying on her bed. The speaker was enabled, and she heard Mia’s little huff coming from the other end.

“You’re such a slave driver!” Mia teased.

“And you’re always late!” Aubrey grinned as she smoothed on some blush and looked at her reflection in the mirror above her dressing table.

“Well, you’re not wrong there,” Mia admitted. “Okay, I’m just finding an outfit, I’ll be as quick as I can.”

“Ten minutes,” Aubrey said ominously and with a giggle as she walked over to the bed and ended the call.

She smiled and put her hands on her hips, surveying the complete mess that was her bedroom.

Her best friend, Mia, may be late for their night out, but she could certainly use the extra time to tidy the place before she arrived.

Aubrey sighed as she reached down and began to sweep up the bundles of clothes she had strewn across the carpet. She dumped them all on the bed before sorting them onto hangers or into neat little folded piles.

“What a Rock-and-Roll Saturday night,” she whispered to herself.

She knew she would soon be hitting the town with her bestie, but she still had to laugh at how the night had begun. As usual, Mia had found herself involved in some kind of drama. This time, she had been fired from her job at one of the local restaurants on Main Street, and she was down in the dumps. Aubrey hated seeing her friend so lost and miserable, and because of this, they had decided it was time to paint the town red.

The girls were in the prime of their youth, and loved being strong, independent women, but Aubrey had to admit, she was a little bit worried for Mia this time… She was beginning to get a name around Lone Reach as someone who was flighty and unable to hold down a job, and Aubrey just hoped that this latest incident of her slacking on her shifts wouldn’t somehow hamper her chances of finding anything new.

“Small towns,” she said aloud, letting her thoughts escape from her lips.

She turned around with the clothes and carried the folded pile over to her dresser. She set them down on the top and opened the drawers to slide the clothes inside. On the top of the dresser was her favorite framed photograph of her and her father, and she smiled and felt warm inside as she looked at it.

Aubrey could never stand in front of the dresser and not be drawn to the photograph. She missed her father more and more each day, and as she looked back at herself in the image, the way she was so small and carefree, she wondered if she would ever feel so innocent and protected ever again. It was still hard for her most days. She had been without him since she was a kid, and she had grown up without a strong male role model around, but it still didn’t stop her pining for him and the memories she still had. She and her mother would regularly talk about him; her mom would tell her stories that happened before Aubrey was born, and she would love to imagine her father as a young man about town in Lone Reach, causing havoc and driving the girls wild, just like he had clearly done with her mother.

Tears began to sting her eyes and she slammed the drawers shut and turned away.

She may love looking at the picture of her and her dad from before he died and reminiscing, but it always made her tearful… And she had just spent way too long fixing her make-up to start crying and sobbing the way she wanted to. That would have to wait until another time. Maybe she could call see her mom to come over in the morning and they could have breakfast, and talk some more about the old ways of Lone Reach and how her dad had been right there in the thick of it.

“Okay,” she breathed out as she dabbed her eyes and took a moment. “What else do you need to get together…?”

She collected her lipstick and mascara, her cellphone and apartment keys, slipping them into her little clutch purse before she opened her closet and pulled out the jacket she wanted to wear. It was a lovely grey, fur-lined, leather aviator her mom had gotten her the Christmas before. It had quickly turned into one of her staple pieces. She pulled it on and then surveyed her reflection in the full-length mirror.

It had been a good few weeks since she and Mia had gone out in Lone Reach properly, and she couldn’t remember the last time either of them had gone to The Dragon Pit… but tonight, they had decided it was time to change that. She looked back at herself, wearing tight, wet-look leggings, a low-cut silver camisole, a black choker and silver rings that made her look as bad ass as she felt. Her stilettos felt a mile high and her hair was perfection, even if it had taken her most of the evening to curl it just right.

She smiled and blew her reflection a kiss.

She looked damned good. And she felt even better.

The buzzer to her apartment sounded out, and she laughed and cocked her head to the side. She wandered over to the entry phone and picked up the receiver.

“I thought you said ten minutes?” she mused.

“I ran here like the wind, can’t you tell?” Mia’s voice was huffing and puffing from the other end; she sounded as if she had just done a ten-mile sprint.

“Yikes,” Aubrey said through gritted teeth. “It’s a good thing I’m ready too. I’ll be right down.”

She placed the phone back on its cradle but hit the button to open the door to the apartment block so Mia wouldn’t have to stand out in the cold. She double checked her bag and grabbed her keys, and then left her apartment and headed out into the night.

The girls walked arm in arm as they made their way off the street Aubrey’s apartment was located on and down a couple of blocks to Main Street. With it being Saturday, there was a certain buzz in the air, and Aubrey’s stomach was electric inside with excitement. Mia and she laughed together as they trotted along, watching the cars flash by as they too made their way toward the hub of the action.

They had both lived in Lone Reach their entire lives, but recently, both noticed how much busier the place was becoming. Since the brewery had opened, the town had been crawling with new faces. It had been exciting to see, and Aubrey loved the fact that her town seemed to be getting a little facelift in certain areas, like the refurbishment and expansion of their only hotel and the new stores that were popping up around Main Street. This was part of the reason they had decided to come out on this very night and reintroduce themselves to the nightlife. It had been a few weeks since they had been out at all, and months since it had been in the evening. The girls were used to spending their Saturday day times in the ale houses and pubs that were scattered around the place and were usually home by ten at the latest. But this was different, Mia had heard that The Dragon Pit, the only club in town, had also had a bit of a revamp, and according to the rumors, it was certainly the place to go for the young folk of Lone Reach.

“Shall we grab a drink somewhere first?” Mia asked as they tottered along in their high heels.

“Sure.” Aubrey smiled, feeling warm inside. “I’ll go wherever you would like; this is your night.”

She gave Mia’s arm a reassuring squeeze, and they headed across another intersection and onto the block behind Main Street. The crowds were beginning to get bigger, and the music and noise level was increasing. Whenever Aubrey came into town like this, she was always glad she had leased an apartment that was more than a few streets away from the majority of the action. She may love being around people, but she wasn’t sure she could stand the noise when she was trying to sleep. She liked the quiet and her down time, just like anyone else.

The streetlamps that were running all the way along to Main Street looked different than usual, and Aubrey slowed her pace, looking at what appeared to be a sign tethered to them. She stopped completely and started to read it, the title capturing her attention and sending a ripple of fear over her.

MISSING….

She swallowed and her eyes scanned down…

MISSING MAN

MARTIN HALL – LAST SEEN LEAVING THE BREWERY ON

THURSDAY EVENING. ANY INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL

LONE REACH POLICE DEPARTMENT at 555 - 0172

Her breathing slowed and she felt an icy chill run up her spine as she looked into the eyes of the man staring back at her. She recognized Martin Hall; she was sure she had seen him around town.

“What’s this?” she asked with a whisper.

“Oh yeah, haven’t you heard?” Mia asked as she sidled up next to Aubrey and shook her head sadly. “No one has heard anything from him since Thursday when he walked out of work to go home. Isn’t that crazy?”

Aubrey rubbed her hands up and down her arms as if she were trying to warm herself up.

“Not even his wife?” she asked Mia.

Mia shook her head.

“My mom is close friends with her, and they are all worried sick. It’s so unlike him,” she sighed. “I said to Mom, I’m sure he’ll turn up… You know what some middle-aged men are like, some of them just disappear for a few days, to go find themselves or whatever… But I never pegged Martin for that kind of guy. I thought he was a devoted family man…” She lowered her voice and leaned in a little closer. “Between me and you, my mom says he must be having an affair. I mean, why else would he just disappear like that? Goes off to work one day like everything is fine and then never comes home?”

She rolled her eyes and pouted.

“His wife is probably better off without him,” Mia said.

“You’re such a cynic!” Aubrey nudged her arm and scowled. “What if something awful happened to him?”

Mia seemed to listen to what she was saying and nodded her head.

“Well, then, I guess we shouldn’t be wandering around out here late at night like this, should we?” she said.

Aubrey could sense there was some seriousness to her voice, but she just shook it off and smiled.

“We’ve waited too long for this night out to head home. I won’t hear another word of it!”

Mia laughed and the girls carried on walking, but as they passed each streetlamp and she saw the posters again, Aubrey couldn’t help but wonder if Mia was right.

Two girls wandering the streets of Lone Reach when a man was missing… a local man that everyone seemed to know… suddenly, her little town didn’t feel so safe anymore.

Before the thought could grow legs, Mia squealed with excitement and tugged on Aubrey’s jacket.

“There it is,” she beamed. “The Dragon Pit.”

The club loomed up ahead of them out of the uniformity of the other buildings ‒ all black and red, covered in flashing lights, and music coming booming from inside as crowds loitered and danced on the sidewalk. It looked hectic and fun, and it gave Aubrey a buzz just looking at it.

“I guess it’s now or never,” Aubrey mused.

“A drink first.” Mia grinned as she steered her out of the way and toward one of the ale houses. “I feel the need for a little Dutch courage.”

Aubrey laughed and nodded in agreement.

It was Mia’s night after all, and she was ready to party.

Chapter 3

The Dragon Pit was three floors of complete mischief and mayhem. It had been since the day it had opened, way before Carter was even truly aware of what his family business dealt with, and it had continued to grow and serve the youth of Lone Reach for what would hopefully be many more generations.

Carter stood looking out from the balcony on the third floor where his office had a panoramic view of the entire club. There was nowhere like this place for miles around, and it was no wonder it continued to pull in crowds from the surrounding towns. Since the brewery had opened, he had seen an even bigger appearance in the nightclub industry, and it had made him feel proud of what he and his family had created. They may have stepped aside and left the majority of the work to him and his cousins, but it still felt good to have some connection to his ancestors, and this club had defined them all.

He smiled as he thought of the first days of Lone Reach, and how it would have been oh so very different inside these walls. His parents and grandparents had passed on stories, and told him of the golden years, from the roaring 20’s right through to the 70’s. Tales of music nights, sold out dinner and show tables, actors and actresses that had flown in from Hollywood to see the kind of place that was redefining entertainment. He wasn’t sure how genuine the stories were, but for a small town, The Dragon Pit had certainly attracted its fair share of famous faces and had been a fixture since the town had come to be over a hundred years ago.

Carter slid his hands into the pockets of his suit trousers. It wasn’t often he came down on a Saturday evening, but he had been promised that this night was going to be something extra special. His cousin, Victor, had marketed a big party night, and it had been targeted at all the local liberal and private colleges in the small towns surrounding Lone Reach. He had been informed of kids coming into town and booking into the hotel, of Main Street being busy all day, and of the new faces in town who had begun work at the brewery all having purchased tickets too. It felt exciting and promising, but it was also a tad nerve-wracking. For some reason, Carter always felt as if he had to prove himself. He tried to tell himself over and over that he was doing ridiculously well for a guy in his mid-twenties, but there was a part of him that always felt inferior.

He remembered growing up as a kid in a dragon clan, son of a nightclub tycoon who was regularly out of town, left with his mother who had dreamed of much greater things and regularly got sad and distracted by trying to live another life in her head. She had praised her only son, Carter, but she had never truly known him. She had pushed him aside, given him money, letting him live his own life, but her nurturing nature had always been absent, and for this reason, Carter had learned to take care of himself and become the Alpha his family needed.

His father may have been a protector too, but he was gone far too often, away making deals, buying properties and opening nightclubs. Carter had learned a lot from him and was grateful, but he also knew that if he ever had a family of his own, he would be there for them, and not fade into the background like his own parents had done.

He ran his hand back through his hair and looked down at the dancefloor which was already filling up even though it was still only early.

Eleven pm. Not even the witching hour, and his place was bouncing. He smiled and reached for the crystal tumbler on his desk and took a sip of neat vodka. He smiled.

His inner dragon was happy, and he knew that even if he decided to head home soon, the night was going to be a roaring success.

There was a knock on the door behind him, and as he turned around, it opened, and Victor stepped inside.

“Hey.” He smiled as he reached for the bottle of vodka and another crystal tumbler. “What are the numbers looking like on the door? From where I’m standing, things are looking pretty good.”

He handed Victor the glass and they chinked them together.

“Going well so far,” Victor confirmed. “Looks like your birthday is going to be one hell of a night.”

Carter heard the words and wanted to throttle him.

He had hoped with everything in his entire being that his cousin hadn’t remembered it was his birthday and that wasn’t part of the reason he had planned such a huge night at the club… but it looked as if he was wrong.

Victor was so crafty. He had lured Carter there under the pretense of seeing the club thrive and of how they could do more nights like these where local colleges were targeted.

“You know how I feel about birthdays,” Carter smirked. “Hell, you know what I think about being down here at the club when it’s open at all…” He sighed and took another sip of his drink.

Victor smirked back at him and raised his eyebrows.

“You don’t want to grow old before your time, C-Man,” he winked. “How can an Alpha dragon like you spend so much time locked away in that mountain-top mansion? Surely, you must crave a bit more excitement?”

Carter sipped the neat vodka again and enjoyed the way it cooled him inside. He was so full of heat and fire, it was soothing, like sucking on ice.

“I’d say our lives are pretty exciting,” he laughed. “But I suppose one night won’t hurt… just to keep you happy.”

Victor slapped his hands together and grinned, then he crossed the room to his cousin, wrapped his arm around his suited shoulder. Turning him back around to face the window, they could look out at their empire.

“All of this is ours now,” Victor said. “We’ve made it what it is today. We should be celebrating, and with it being your birthday… Well, it’s just double the excuse.”

Carter nodded his head and smiled. His cousin was right; he had spent a lot of time isolated at the top of the mountain. But the truth was, with a secret such as his and the rest of his family’s, he felt more comfortable staying out of the way. The last thing he wanted was to be discovered for his magic and power. For one night, he should be able to relax a little. He took another drink, draining the glass.

“I’ll stay until 1am,” he said. “Then I’m getting the hell out of here and back up the mountain.”

“Okay,” Victor said, holding up his hands in surrender. “That is unless you’re having such a good time that you don’t want the night to end.”

He winked, and Carter shook his head and laughed. He loved his cousin; he was his best friend and a total pain in his ass, but he loved him all the same.

“Come on then,” Carter said, finally giving in to his fate. “Let’s get downstairs and see what this night is all about.”

“Sure thing,” Victor grinned as he opened the door to the office and stepped back to let Carter exit. “There’s a VIP booth waiting with your name on it.”

Carter cringed and rubbed his hand down his face, wishing he could just run home now and be done with it.

“You really know how to make me squirm, don’t you?” he said.

“I’ve made a career out of it,” Victor winked.

When they reached the bottom floor of the club, they walked around and surveyed each bar, checked the total number of admissions at the door, and grabbed themselves a drink. Then Victor led the way as they walked back up to the second floor and headed into one of the VIP booths. It had a private area and open balcony with an awesome view over the dancefloor and DJ box below.

The rest of his dragon pack was waiting in the wings, ready to jump out and uncork bottles of champagne, and as Carter was ambushed and welcomed with the sound of cheering and roars, he finally let himself ease into the night and vowed to let himself have a good time.

“Happy Birthday!” his friends all called as they chinked glasses together and held out a glass of champagne to Carter and made him down it in one.

Carter smashed it back, smiling at his peers and shaking his head. They had all done good, he had to admit. It may have been an unwelcomed surprise at first, but he was already having a good time.

Waitresses came into the VIP area and circled the table with trays of flaming shots, and the dragons all roared and clapped their hands together.

He loved all the people who had come out to support him and Victor with the club, and to celebrate his birthday. Some of the clan were his blood relatives but all of them were family. They had grown up together; they were a strong brotherhood. Their fathers had been friends, and their fathers before that. Their ancestors had begun a legacy, been the first dragon shifters to come to Lone Reach, and they had been the wealthiest for miles around. Carter knew he was at the top of his game, but he still liked to play it safe and be humble. Flashing around in the club he owned with his cousin was completely out of character, but the more he looked around, the more he could see how much his pack needed it. They hadn’t had it easy over the past few months, and tensions were beginning to resurface from a terrible accident that had happened many years before. The bad feeling was in the air and threatened to consume them all.

“Okay!” Carter said as he rose to his feet and called for their attention. The pack hushed their voices and looked to their alpha.

“I want you to let your hair down tonight and have a good time,” Carter began. “I know it hasn’t been easy the past few months. A lot has been going on around town, and with the bikers going into business with some of the other packs of Lone Reach, we need to stick together more than ever.”

There was a rumble of agreement around the table as his brothers nodded and discussed it between themselves.

“We know our dragon family has always been genuine and true, and our good hearts will continue to prevail. Keep strong, my brothers. But tonight, we will enjoy ourselves and stay up until dawn!”

The men around the table all whooped and cheered, and Carter felt like he was leading them into battle, not psyching them up to have a good time. He laughed and slumped down onto one of the couches, as his friends and Victor patted him on the back and passed him another drink.

“How’s that for rolling with it?” he asked Victor.

“I think you’re making a wonderful start,” Victor teased.

Carter shook his head and sipped his drink… And then, he looked over the balcony, down onto the dance floor, his eyes being drawn to a certain spot as if he had been entranced or had a spell cast on him…

It was as if time began to slow down.

His pulse quickened.

The crowd seemed to part, the lights seemed to shine just right, and the music, in that split second, seemed to slow and play only for him.

The girl… In the center of the room, dancing with her eyes closed, holding her purse in one hand and a drink in the other. The way her hips swayed and the way her legs looked in her leggings… In an instant, it made the rest of the world fall away, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

He felt his jaw sag open and his heart jump in his chest. He felt his palms get sweaty, and the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He swallowed and rose to his feet slowly, not once taking his eyes from her, as he moved to the railing of the balcony and looked down at her from his vantage point.

Man, she was beautiful. Like nothing he had ever seen before.

Her lips looked juicy and shiny, her button nose so perfect on her face, and the way her hair curled was as if she had been styled by an angel; like a cherub from a renaissance painting, but dressed so sexy and wild, it was a complete juxtaposition.

He realized he hadn’t taken a breath, so he sucked in a lungful of air, before raising his glass to his lips and sipping again ‒ not once moving his eyes away from her ‒ as he watched her dancing with her friend.

The dragon inside him was stirring.

He had never reacted to another person this way. This girl, she was enchanting. She was awe-inspiring. Even from all the way up there on the balcony, as he looked down on her, and he hadn’t even caught a whiff of her scent.

He clenched his teeth and rolled out his shoulders.

“What are you doing, Carter?” he whispered to himself. “Getting all caught up in the moment, when you don’t even want to truly be here…”

Maybe he really had been locked away and self-isolated for too long. He couldn’t make sense of what was happening to him. He couldn’t stop staring at her, and she didn’t even know he existed.

He gripped his bottom lip with his top teeth, put down his glass and clenched the railing with both hands. His shoulders were broad and wide; he could feel the power coursing through him, and he couldn’t not look at her. She looked exquisite, like something out of a movie… And for a moment, his mind flitted back to the way he had watched his mother, each time she preened herself before heading out and left him alone.

He had always told himself that all women were the same. They had never wanted to truly know him. They ran to him for things they wanted, to parade him around or to use him for his money. And for that reason, he had vowed never to date again.

This girl on the dancefloor, capturing his attention, she may have been stunningly beautiful, but no doubt, she was trouble. He had to tear himself away.

He went to let go of the railings, but just before his hands dropped so he could move away, she broke out of her dancing trance and her eyes opened.

They opened and fixed instantly on him… as if he had spoken to her… As if he had willed her to find him.

Carter’s mouth sagged open slightly again, and when he looked into her eyes, even from all the way up there, he felt something within him click into place. Something that made sense; but it also frightened him. Her eyes were wide, and with the lights reflected in them, they turned the natural azure blue to green, then pink and then purple.

And she opened her mouth and smiled, showing her perfectly straight teeth.

She was more stunning than he ever could have imagined. Her eyes were exotic, enchanting, and making his bones shake.

He wanted to smile back, his whole body was screaming for him to respond, but his inner voice was screaming at him to run. He had to be careful. He didn’t want to fall in love with someone… He didn’t even want a fling.

He swallowed and a small smile escaped through his lips, before he stepped back and tried to regain his composure. She still stared up at him, and he stared back at her… but he found his strength and cocked his head to the side, before he turned his back and walked away from the railing.

He sat back down on the couch, and his brotherhood all gathered around him with more bottles of champagne, filling up empty crystal flutes until they bubbled over and the sweet liquid cascaded down the sides.

His heart was racing, and he was short of breath. Her image lingered in his brain, deep and cemented. He could almost taste her on his lips.

What a night this was turning out to be. And to think, he had only thought he was coming in to work…

Chapter 4

Aubrey and Mia stood by the bar on the first floor of The Dragon Pit and ordered another cocktail. They had been inside not even half an hour, and already, something strange had happened.

Aubrey sipped her drink through a straw and tried to forget the man she had locked eyes with from the balcony. He was intense and dark looking, dressed sharply and looking incredibly sexy in a suit. Something that was a rare sight in this little town. It had been so weird the way they had locked eyes. How she had been dancing and could feel someone watching her. When she had opened to look, her eyes had fixed immediately on him, even though he was high up on another floor of the building, looking down at her from over a balcony.

She hadn’t been able to resist smiling. He had captured her imagination and attention… And she had felt something. But she didn’t know what.

She sipped her drink and tried to push the sense of curiosity away. Her eyes kept traveling back up to the balcony, hoping to catch sight of him again, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“You’ve gone quiet…,” Mia said suddenly as she leaned in and spoke over the throb of the music. “What’s up?”

Aubrey pulled her eyes away from the balcony and shrugged.

“Nothing,” she smiled. “I was just looking around.”

Mia eyed her suspiciously and smirked before taking a sip of her drink.

“Someone caught your eye?” she asked, as if she were reading Aubrey’s mind.

Aubrey looked at her and rolled her eyes. How was it that Mia could figure her out so quickly? It only ever seemed to take a split second, and she was reading her thoughts.

“Of course not,” Aubrey brushed it off. “You know I don’t have time for things like that.”

Mia grinned and moved in a little closer.

“Everyone has time for something like that,” she said. “And let’s be honest, if anyone needs some loving, it’s you.”

Mia tickled her playfully on the side, and Aubrey swatted her hand away and laughed.

“I’m good, thanks,” she said. “But I’ll bear it in mind that I’ve been earmarked for love by the one and only oracle, Mia.”

Mia sipped her drink and looked around.

“There’re tons of hot guys in here,” she said. “We should be out there on the dancefloor, shaking our stuff and seeing what this town is all about. Now that we have new businesses popping up all over the place, we’re finally beginning to see some footfall.”

Aubrey couldn’t help but laugh.

“Mia, we know what this town is all about,” she said. “We’ve lived here our whole lives, and trust me, just because there may be a few new faces doesn’t mean they’re not still going to be the same.”

Mia scrunched her lips into a pout and pretended to be upset.

“But if you want me to wing woman you, then I’ll do my very best,” she smirked.

Mia seemed to think for a moment before she picked up her purse and took hold of Aubrey’s forearm.

“I don’t need to be on the hunt,” she said. “But come on, let’s at least go to a different side of this club and see what hotties are waiting in the shadows.” She raised her eyebrow, and the two girls began to walk through the crowds.

It was hot in there, and the further into the compact mass of bodies they found themselves, the more Aubrey began to wish she could just call it a night and go home. She had been so ready to give this night her all, for Mia’s sake. She wanted to cheer her friend up and help her get her groove back. But now that they were inside The Dragon Pit, she realized why she didn’t come into nightclubs very often. It was too hot, too sweaty, and everyone seemed wasted.

Mia began to climb a set of stairs, and although Aubrey followed her, her heart began to race a little and she felt a tingle of nerves race through her.

Her mind went back to the man on the balcony. To the way he had watched her; of how handsome he was; of the way she had felt him watching her, and of the way her eyes had fixed on his from the moment she opened them.

It was such a strange feeling. It had been a powerful experience, and then, he had walked away. She had been trying to ignore it and just enjoy herself, but the more time she spent in the club, and especially now, with them climbing the stairs to the second floor, she could feel him all over again… As if getting closer to him physically was somehow affecting her heart and her head.

Mia stopped at the top of the stairs and looked around, and within a couple of seconds, she turned to Aubrey and rolled her eyes and frowned.

“VIP only,” she mouthed. “Booths and areas cordoned off… you must have to book it to be up here.”

Aubrey could see there was an open bar at the very far end of the room, but the rest of the floor was indeed roped off into sections, and no one seemed to be up there apart from the crowds gathered around their own prospective tables and areas.

“Hey girls!” a voice cut through the music and made them both turn around.

Aubrey felt a twinge of excitement, and she saw Mia’s eyes light up as two men came walking slowly past them from the stairs behind, as if they had been downstairs and were heading back to their table.

Aubrey’s eyes instantly landed on him again…

The man who had been watching her from the balcony; the one who had given her chills.

Being so close to him was unnerving, but he looked back at her, his eyes fixed on hers, and the reality of how tall and handsome he was hit her like a ton of bricks. She tried not to gasp, her hands trembling as she held her drink.

“Hi,” Mia beamed.

The guy who had spoken moved closer, stopping in front of them, clearly ready to talk.

“You guys got a booth booked?” He looked around and stared at the roped off sections.

Mia looked at Aubrey nervously, and Aubrey did her very best not to sound annoyed or roll her eyes.

“No, we don’t,” Aubrey said flatly. “We just wandered up here by accident. Come on Mia, let’s go.”

She took hold of Mia’s hand and went to lead her away, but the guy who had been speaking to them piped up again.

“Hey, wait, it’s okay,” he said as he dipped his head to the side to catch her eye. “You don’t have to go back down there. It’s way too hot and busy. Why don’t you join our table?”

Mia instantly squeezed Aubrey’s hand, and Aubrey was aware that the man in the suit who had caught her attention was looking at his friend with daggers; as if he was just as unsure of this situation as Aubrey was.

“Oh, really?” Mia asked before Aubrey had the chance to speak. “Are you sure that’s okay?”

The guy who seemed to be into Mia held out his hand and reached for hers. He shook it professionally, like they had just concluded a job interview.

“Of course, it is,” he laughed. “I’m Victor, and this is Carter…”

Carter.

When she heard it, the way it sounded, in her mind, she knew it was perfect for him. Almost like he could never have had any other name.

Carter.

She let her eyes travel back up and meet his again. They were dark and engulfing, almost completely black.

She swallowed and quickly looked away.

Victor reached his hand out to Aubrey this time, and even though it took her a moment to realize it, when she did, she smiled and shook it.

“Aubrey,” she said. “Nice to meet you.”

Victor looked toward Carter, and Carter smiled and then looked back at Aubrey. The four of them were standing there as if they had been brought to this moment by fate. It had been a long time since she had been out and partied like this, but it always felt good making new friends, and bonding over dancing, drinking and music.

The guys held out their arms as if to lead the way, and the girls followed them.

“Please play nice,” Mia whispered in Aubrey’s ear. “They’re both super-hot, and they have a table we can jump on for a while. Why not?”

She looked so excited; Aubrey didn’t want to ruin the moment for her, even if she did feel like running. She may have been drawn to Carter, but she could tell there was something different about him. And she was intrigued as to why he and Victor seemed to be the only two men in the place wearing suits and acting completely as ease, as if they knew the club inside out.

They ushered the girls into the VIP area, and then, security put a red rope across the entrance. Aubrey was sure that the security guard was a guy they had gone to high school with, but he was now massive and stacked and clearly enjoyed his time in the gym.

Victor brought over two glasses of champagne, and Carter seemed to disappear into the crowd. He had been watching Aubrey ‒ she could feel his eyes on her ‒ but he had turned his back and was chatting to some of the other men, as if he were trying his very best not to acknowledge her.

She felt herself scowl.

It rattled her that he had walked away, even though she was adamant that she wasn’t interested in him… He may be cute… but how rude!

She felt herself huff and then sipped her drink and turned toward Mia, who was busy chatting away with Victor. She looked happy finally, as if she had forgotten about the fact that she had been recently fired from her job and may potentially struggle to find work in their little town ever again.

It was never easy starting over in such a small place, and Aubrey was so thankful that she had a career of her own that seemed secure and stable, allowed her to earn great money, and was something she enjoyed doing. Even if it meant she was working harder than she was playing at the moment.

“Okay,” Mia said as she giggled and stepped toward Aubrey. “These guys are hilarious, and it turns out, the two we met… They own this nightclub.”

Aubrey raised her eyebrow and felt that she was suddenly going to become overly pessimistic.

“Seriously?” she asked.

“Yeah, and it’s that one’s birthday…” Mia pointed over to where Carter was standing, and at just that second, he turned around and glared with intrigue at them both.

Aubrey’s mouth fell open a little and her heart sank down into her stomach, a flip of nerves that he seemed to be able to keep up when he looked at her. His eyes honed in on hers, and she felt trapped by him. She couldn’t look away from him, at the way he was so ruggedly handsome but standing there in his suit and appearing devilishly sexy.

She swallowed and smiled.

He smiled back.

Her heart seemed to pound harder.

“And don’t kill me…,” Mia whispered. “But they’ve invited us back to a party at Carter’s house, and I said we’re going.”

Aubrey’s eyes were still transfixed on Carter’s across the room. The music was so loud that it vibrated through her; she could feel it in her throat, and her palms were hot and skin tingled. She felt alert and on fire, and as she looked at him, she felt herself falling.

She wanted to go to him, but she had to resist.

“Aubrey, did you hear me?” Mia snapped. “I said, we’re going back to a party at Carter’s house. Come on, grab your purse.”

Aubrey looked at her friend, snapping herself away from Carter and his deliciously sexy stare, and blinking to try and bring herself back into the moment.

“What?” she said. “A party?”

Mia grinned and took hold of her arm. They looped their forearm and began walking toward the crowd of men who were already doing the rounds, inviting more and more people to go with them.

“Yep,” Mia said with excitement. “And you’ll never guess what… I think I just got myself a new job. Here!”

Aubrey’s eyes widened.

“I was chatting to Victor and told him what had happened, and he said they’re looking for a shift manager for the club. Isn’t that great?”

Aubrey smiled and nodded. She could see how ecstatic Mia was, and she had to admit, even though she was doing her very best to have a bad time, she was actually kind of having fun.

Plus, there was Carter…

Gorgeous, mysterious Carter… who kept capturing her eye and making her want to know more.

“Okay,” she said. “We can go for an hour, but then, I’ll be leaving you to it.”

Mia winked, and they both smiled and began to follow the crowd.

As she passed by Carter and Victor, she could feel his gaze on her again, and her heart did a little dance in her chest.

She had never known excitement quite like it.

Chapter 5

From going to work to see how well the club was going to having a surprise birthday party thrown for him, and having one of the most random, if not fun, nights in a long while, Carter now found himself standing in his kitchen with half of the club bouncing around and drinking his wine.

He rubbed a hand down his face and looked across at Victor. How the hell had he even let him convince him that this was a good idea?

All he had wanted was to come home, but he hadn’t seen the night ending this way. It was like something out of a movie, as if it had been professionally organized.

It was clear that they were both in the nightclub business, even Carter’s home welcomed debauchery… He scowled, at nothing in particular. He had done so well to keep his privacy, but now it was out there for half the town to see.

He lived in a goddam mansion. His family was old money and they had many expensive and rare antiquities that had been passed on to him. Not only that but he was also hiding the small secret that he could shift into a dragon. He wasn’t sure inviting normal people from town up to his house in the mountains was exactly the smartest move. But in his defense, he had drunk enough birthday booze to sink a pirate ship. At least his dragon could handle it; that meant he didn’t succumb totally to alcohol like a regular human. Even though most of the people that had made it to the party were either his dragon pack brothers or completely wasted, he still felt as if his life was on show, and he wanted to shut the party down.

“This was a bad idea,” he said to Victor as he sidled up next to him and handed him a straight vodka. “A very bad idea.”

“No, it really wasn’t.” Victor chinked his glass against his. “You spend too much of your time up here alone. It’s good to open your doors every once in a while, and let the world in.”

Carter looked at Victor and rolled his eyes. He knew there was no point in arguing with him; he was fully letting the night run away with him, and Carter had to admit, he couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t often they were all in this position and having a good time together.

He paused and sipped his drink. He had been standing, waiting to catch sight of the girl from the club again.

Aubrey.

He had wanted to disappear when Victor had drunkenly started talking to her and her friend, but he knew she was here somewhere, in his house. Now that he had been close to her, he could detect her unique scent. It was enchanting, like the forest mixed with gum drops, tinged with musk and champagne.

He bit his bottom lip and adjusted the turn on his shirt cuff before he tucked it back inside his suit jacket.

Victor had been chatting to Mia, Aubrey’s friend, and it seemed like they had been getting on well, but Carter could tell there wasn’t a romantic spark between them. Not like he was feeling for Aubrey.

He hadn’t even spoken to her beyond introducing himself and all he could feel was her presence. It was driving him mad, making his bones ache for more and sending his senses into overdrive.

He turned and discreetly sniffed the air. The predator in him was stirring, but he would have to try and control himself.

Suddenly, he knew she was near. His dragon instinct was firing up, the hairs on the back of his neck began to tingle, and he made a few steps toward the doorway, getting closer to the hall. He saw her standing there with Mia. Her blonde hair was draped to one side, her blue eyes were glinting in the candle’s light that had been lit along the hall, and he couldn’t help but notice that she was standing close to the ancient Dragon statue that had been in his family for generations.

She was quiet, standing there sipping her drink and barely taking notice of anything that was going on around her. He could tell that other people who he had welcomed into his home that had never been there before were gawking at all the chandeliers, at the open roaring fireplaces, at the artwork on the walls, and at the fact that the house was probably bigger than their entire street. But Aubrey, she stood quietly, not looking impressed in any way, and just seemed to be enjoying chatting with her friend.

It made him smile.

He stepped back and turned toward the kitchen to see Victor standing right in front of him with a quizzical look on his face.

“That’s at least the tenth time I’ve caught you in a trance watching her,” he said. “Why don’t you just go over there?”

Carter crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said defensively.

“Yes, you do,” Victor teased. “And the sooner you stop putting blocks in your own path, the sooner you’ll realize there’s a whole world out there that you’ve been missing out on.”

Victor walked away, and Carter felt as if his feathers had been ruffled. His cousin was such a pain in the ass, but he did speak sense at times.

It had been months since Carter had even seen his pack socially away from official dragon business, and he really should have been taking better care of not only them but also himself. There had been some strange happenings in Lone Reach, and a man had recently gone missing. He hated to think of his town as being in danger and him having not been present. He may have had everything he could ever want or need within the confines of his incredible family home ‒ which was now his alone ‒ but he had been missing out on a lot of normal activities for a guy his age.

He didn’t party. All he did was work. He had isolated himself on the mountain, and all he seemed to ever feel was the weight of responsibility for his pack and the burden of his family’s past.

He sighed and downed the rest of the vodka in the tumbler, and then he sucked in some air and made his way toward Aubrey. It was about time he had a conversation with her and stopped torturing himself.

As he approached her and Mia, Mia’s eyes caught him coming and she nudged Aubrey who turned to face him, and he was sure he could hear the sound of her heart beating.

He was making her nervous, he could sense it in her, and it was such a turn on, because she seemed like the most confident girl on the planet.

“Hi,” he said as he stood in front of the two of them.

Mia’s eyes were flashing excitedly from Aubrey to Carter and then back again, and she looked down at her glass and feigned surprise that it was close to empty.

“Oh, would you look at that!” Mia exclaimed. “I’m completely out! Hey, I’ll be right back, you guys…”

Mia laughed as she walked away, slipping out of sight and into the crowd. Carter grinned as he stepped into her place and leaned against the wall of his grand entrance hall.

“How are you?” he asked, looking deep into her strikingly blue eyes. It was all he could think to say; she had almost left him speechless, as if he couldn’t hold a thought together.

Aubrey smiled, and he was sure he saw a twinkle appear in her eyes, as if they were growing wider with her attraction to him.

“I’m good,” she said. “Tired, but good.”

“Out past your bedtime?” he asked.

“Something like that,” Aubrey grinned.

He liked that she was playful and could respond to his questions in a way that was something other than what he had been used to when it came to making small talk with girls. They were usually so screechy and gushy. Aubrey appeared calm and intelligent, as if she were taking it all in stride.

He could still smell her nerves though, and he could hear the thump of her heart. She was intrigued by him like he was by her, but she was nervous around him, even though she was trying to disguise it.

“Have you had a good birthday?” she asked him, sipping her drink.

“It’s been nothing but one surprise after the next,” he smiled. “I went out thinking I was going to work. Instead, Victor surprised me with all of that and then with inviting everyone back here.”

“I bet you wish none of us were here right now then?” she smirked.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that…,” he trailed off, making it known that he was happy to be speaking with her.

She smirked and then looked over her shoulder as if she were checking to see if Mia was on her way back.

“I’m not one for big nights out myself,” she said. “I would usually just do the alehouses around town on Main Street. It’s been forever since I’ve been in The Dragon Pit.”

“And what did you think?” he asked her.

“Interesting,” she said, looking away from his gaze for a moment, but a little smile still played on her lips. “It was good fun… I enjoyed it.”

“Me too,” Carter admitted. “Even if, at the time, I just wanted to do my checks and get home.”

He looked at her again, at the way her eyes were twinkling. She really was so goddam cute that it was hard to look away from her. He wanted to drink her all in, memorize every bit of her so he would never have to be without her image again.

He realized his thoughts were running away with him, so he cleared his throat and took a step back. He had been doing so well trying to avoid her, and then, in a moment of weakness, he had let Victor goad him into coming over.

Now that he was standing there with her, he was quickly becoming hooked.

“Fancy going for a walk?” he asked her.

She cocked her head to the side and took him in, as if she were trying to figure him out.

“I would, but my parents always taught me not to go off with strangers.” She had mischief in her eyes and a little smile was flickering on her lips.

“I don’t think I’m a stranger anymore,” he said, taking a step closer to her. “We know each other’s names, and you’re standing in my hallway.”

She smiled and dipped her gaze to the ground.

This was quickly becoming a game, and he was relishing every second, but there was a part of him that was getting so sucked into it that he had a feeling it was going to derail him and the good work he had put into his self-control.

“How about you get me a drink instead?” she asked playfully. “And then, we’ll see from there.”

Carter’s dragon was itching to take the bait, and he reached down, took hold of her hand, and began to walk her toward the kitchen where the drinks were waiting.

They made their way to the island in the center of the room, and Carter found a crystal tumbler for Aubrey and filled it with ice. She motioned to the vodka he was drinking, and it surprised him in a good way. This was clearly a girl who knew herself. Not someone who wanted to be shown off and carted around; she wasn’t afraid to speak up and say what she wanted.

“You drink neat Belvedere?” he asked her with a smirk.

“Only on Saturdays.” She grinned as she took the glass. “The rest of the week I’m all about Beluga.” She sipped and winked.

“I’ll have to keep my eyes on you then,” he teased.

They were testing each other, and it was making him more interested. He could tell she was joking with him, that likely, for the majority of her time, this girl worked hard and kept to herself, much like he did.

“So, what do you do? Are you local?” he asked her, getting captivated by her eyes again.

They had found themselves moving slightly away from the island to a corridor off the kitchen that was dark and led to the back of the house where his grand reception room overlooked impressive gardens and the snowcapped mountains. People were walking past them, going to the reception room where Victor had turned on the stereo and had managed to hook up some old disco lights from the club that had been hiding in the basement.

“Born and bred,” she said. “Have you always lived in Lone Reach?”

Carter nodded.

“My whole life,” he said. “It’s crazy to think we’ve been this close all along and never met each other.”

“Did you go to school?” she asked. “We can’t be that different in age.”

He shook his head and smiled.

“Homeschooled,” he admitted, thinking back to the long days spent locked up in this very house with tutor after tutor. His parents were so determined to keep him and his cousins away from the townsfolk, and as he had grown up, Carter had understood their reasons for doing so. He could sense that, if anyone in Lone Reach who wasn’t familiar with magic and the world of shifters found out about what was right under their noses, it would be some kind of crazy witch hunt.

“Well, that maybe explains it,” she said with a shrug. “But I guess by living up here, you were out of the main part of town anyway.”

He nodded.

“I’ve lived up on this mountain forever too,” he smiled.

He looked at her again and found his attention drawn to her mouth, to the way her lips parted slightly, and how he could see the glistening white of her teeth. She looked coy, but he could sense her badass edge, as if she had looked after herself for a long time.

“I work in a law firm just off Main Street,” she said. “Sort of like an executive assistant but with more responsibility.”

“Wow,” he said with a nod. “I didn’t think jobs like that existed around here. I thought it was all bar work or the brewery.”

“At one time, it probably was,” she said. “But I worked hard in school and was lucky to get this gig. I’ve worked my way up and been there for years. I love it.”

“Will you ever train properly?” he asked her.

“Maybe,” she smiled. “It’s definitely out there as an interest. I’m just not sure I’m wanting to go fully down the law road, you know… I always thought I’d do something a little bit more creative.”

“Oh yeah?” He leaned in. Now, this was getting super interesting.

“Yeah, I like to paint,” she said. “If I’m not working in the office, you can usually find me in the spare room of my apartment, sitting at my easel, with a ton of messes around me. Paint flicked up the walls, my hands the color of the rainbow and music blasting from the stereo.”

He liked the thought of that. He could see her creating something mysterious and fantastic with her hands. She clearly had ambition, which was more than he could say for anyone else he had ever met in these circumstances. Usually, the girls who came into the club were so vapid, he could barely stand to even pretend to be interested. But Aubrey was so very different.

He knew, right there and then, he was in trouble.

“I’m glad you came here tonight,” he said genuinely, and she looked up at him and smiled.

The candlelight caught hers again, and he could see fire reflecting in her wide, engulfed pupils.

It was as if his inner dragon was being reflected back at him. As if from somewhere inside of her, even though she wouldn’t know it, she was welcoming him to her… wanting to know more about him and his secret.

“Okay, guys!” Victor’s voice suddenly cut over the music and chatter. The song that was playing screeched to a stop, and there was the sound of moaning echoing through the hallways. “You’ve all had your fun, now it’s time to call it a night. I promised my cousin I’d let him get at least an hour’s sleep. Party’s over!”

Carter smiled down at Aubrey, and she drank the remaining vodka from her glass before she passed it to him and let her eyes linger on his.

“Good night, birthday boy,” she said as she turned to walk away.

He felt dumbfounded, as if the rug had been pulled out from under him. He had done his very best to stay away from her since the moment he had seen her in the club, and now that he had gotten to her, he was feeling hooked…but she was walking away.

He went to call to her, but by the time he managed to snap himself out of his stupor, the front door was open, and the crowd was surging. He pushed his way through looking for her, his eyes frantically searching each face as they walked on past, but she was nowhere to be seen.

He saw Victor walking to the entrance hall, and he shot him an angry stare.

“What the fuck?” he said as Victor frowned.

“I thought you were ready for everyone to go. This is a bad idea…” he said, mimicking their conversation from earlier.

“Yeah, yeah,” Carter said as he shook his head and walked away. “Never mind.”

He reached the front door and looked out into the cold night, but the last people to leave were beginning to disappear down the road that led off the mountain; car lights were streaming away, and all he could hear was the sound of beeping horns and music spiraling away in the night.

“Well, I guess there’s no time like the present to get down to a bit of business…,” Victor said as he moved to stand beside Carter, both looking to the other.

“I thought this was supposed to be a night of fun?” Carter mused.

“It’s clearly over. Now, we need to chat with the rest of the pack about you know what…” Victor raised his eyebrows and moved back inside to find the others.

Carter nodded his head slowly, a twist of dread clutching at his insides. Carter looked up at the stars and sighed.

It had been fun while it lasted.

Chapter 6

The corridors of the mansion were dark and winding. She should have left when Victor had told them to, but she had slipped down the wrong hallway when she had been looking for Mia and was lost.

“You were right by the doorway dammit,” she whispered to herself, rubbing her head with a wince.

The alcohol was wearing off and she could already feel a hangover starting. She just wanted to be at home in bed but she was trapped in a mansion on the top of the mountain and had no clue if Mia was even still there. Why the hell didn’t I just go outside and wait for her there? Why did I feel the need to go looking for her inside and end up getting lost?

The more turns she took, the more she seemed to lose her way. She wasn’t sure, but it felt as if she had gone down a floor… She hadn’t used any stairs, but the floor had sloped in one of the hallways, and she felt as if she had somehow gone underground.

This place was a total mindfuck. Monstrously huge, and full of dark hallways and rooms. She couldn’t hear anyone; to think there had been a raging party in the same building only minutes ago was bizarre. Now, she was somewhere that was deserted and silent, and even when she tried to turn back, nothing looked the same. It was as if she had become trapped in a maze.

She stopped, leaning against the stone wall behind her, and sighed. It wasn’t until the wall moved slightly that she realized it wasn’t a wall at all, but more of a door that had been created with the same stone to match the rest of the walls around it. She reached down and took hold of the handle − it was obvious now that she looked properly − turned it, opening the door, and stepped inside the darkened room beyond.

Her jaw sagged as she took in all that was around her. It was an opulent office, only lit by candlelight − no windows − which would maybe confirm that she was indeed below ground. There were ancient portraits on the walls, a huge mahogany desk flanked by Chesterfield couches in green leather, and the whole room screamed money and secrets. She smiled and laughed.

What a house!

She found herself stepping further inside, drawn to the desk. She ran her finger over it, and she could swear the wood felt hot. Everything about this place seemed full of fire and heat.

She paused a moment as she heard a noise and her heart sank to her stomach. There were footsteps coming along the hall.

Someone was coming.

She was lost but she didn’t know who was approaching and she didn’t want to look as if she were snooping. She danced on the spot for a moment, unsure of where to go, when, suddenly, she noticed what appeared to be a large built-in cupboard or closet on one side of the room. She darted for it, opening it wide and slipped inside before the door to the room opened. She was unable to shut the door before a number of people file inside.

Her heart was raging in her chest as she curled into a ball in the back of the cramped space. All she could do was do her best to hide beneath a shelf. She found herself almost willing herself invisible like a child might when confronted with a such a situation. She was virtually holding her breath.

Then, the voices began…

“This whole town is fucked,” a man’s low, gruff voice said, and it was so loud it seemed to echo around the room.

“Well, we’ve known that for a long time,” someone else spoke, and she was sure it was Victor.

She eased forward a bit, and could see the backs of a group of men, all suited up, and still drinking. It was clear, they were agitated, and they were the men from the nightclub.

“Martin Hall going missing is just the beginning,” Victor said. “We need to speak to the bears before we end up getting blamed.”

“I agree,” Carter said, and when Aubrey heard his voice, it sent a pulse of desire right through her.

Did he just say bears? she thought.

He was so fucking hot, and the fact that she was now hiding from him and feeling a bit intimidated by the whole thing was turning her on even more.

“Our kind have to be careful now,” Carter continued. “We know what the other gangs around here think of us. We know they want our blood. This is not the time for drawing attention to the fact that bad things are happening.” He paused and the other men let out a low rumble of agreement.

For a moment he stopped and looked around the room, his eyes pausing for a moment she was sure, right on her hiding spot. Her heart almost stopped in her chest. But then he made a dismissive gesture and took another drink of his beer. He was clearly agitated, and they all seemed hyper focused on the topic at hand.

“We need to find this guy before the wolves start getting restless again, before they come looking for us − pointing fingers, like we know they love to do, and whipping this place up into a total frenzy. This is exactly what our town doesn’t need right now.”

“Amen,” Victor agreed.

Aubrey slumped a little as she frowned and digested what she was hearing. Bears and wolves. This all sounded so strange, but it tugged at something deep in her memory. Something she had heard long, long ago… A fable, an urban legend. Exciting stories and fairy tales she was told as a child.

“Okay,” Carter sighed, “it’s been one hell of a night, and I’m ready to focus on my beer and unwind a bit. Thanks, guys.”

She watched as Carter shook hands with Victor and the rest of the men, and they all began to file out. When they were gone, Carter locked the door behind them and leaned against the wall with a sigh.

Oh man. She was locked in there with him.

She bit her bottom lip and tried not to cringe.

How the fuck was she going to get out of this one?

You are a fucking idiot, Aubrey, she thought.

She should have just taken the embarrassment of being lost when she had the chance. Now she was stuck in an office, she had overheard something she clearly wasn’t supposed to hear, and the man she wanted to do wicked things with was right there with her… But he didn’t even know she was hiding.

She slowly got to her feet moved to the front of the closet. Taking a deep breath, she quietly knocked on the door she was hiding behind.

Through the crack, she watched as Carter’s eyes flashed with something dangerous before he looked in her direction. She almost thought he knew it was her as he took a step forward.

He reached for the handle and ripped open the door, looking down at her from his immense height.

“Hi…,” she said as she waved lamely and cringed. “I got lost.”

Carter’s pupils enlarged and a small smile crept up over his lips, but it quickly disappeared. She couldn’t read the expression on his face and it made her even more nervous. Was it shock and worry…or amusement?

“Sorry…,” she whispered. “I’m an idiot. I came into the house to look for Mia when Victor asked us to leave, and I got lost. This place is like a maze.”

He still looked down at her, not saying a word, and the tension between them was palpable. Her heart began to race, and her skin prickled with heat.

He held out his hand, and she reached out and took it. When she slipped her palm into his, she felt the electricity between them, and her heart thumped with excitement.

“Come on,” he said as he pulled her forward, out of the cabinet and closer to him.

She looked up at him and they were pressed together so close it was hard to pull herself away. She had never wanted to get involved with someone, but here, in the candlelit office, she was finding it impossible to resist him.

Carter reached up with his other hand and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear before lingering a moment too long, and she felt herself getting lost in his eyes.

There was no way she could deny herself this. They leaned closer together and their lips met. The tension and electricity between them were becoming overpowering. Aubrey eased into him, letting her hands reach up and wrap them around the back of his neck, pulling his face closer to hers as they kissed each other deep and hungrily. His hands were strong, and he gripped her waist, pulling her body against his so hard that she was sure she could feel his heaving muscles beneath his shirt.

When their lips parted, she felt as if he had taken her breath away, and he looked as startled as her, as if the kiss had taken them both by surprise, even though it was obvious that they both needed and wanted it.

“You shouldn’t be down here…” he panted. “This is dangerous.”

She nodded slowly. But she didn’t know if he meant the two of them together, or the fact that she had stumbled across him leading some kind of gang and speaking about how they were in a whole heap of trouble. And they had mentioned finding the missing man.

She had kissed him, she wanted him bad… he was awakening things in her that she had never known before… and now she felt compelled to find out all of what they had been speaking about, but she had the feeling he was going to be cagey.

“Wolves and bears?” she asked, nervously, to break the tension, they were still holding on to each other, and his hands were so hot it felt as if he were sending pure heat into her bones. “What was all that about?”

Carter looked momentarily troubled, and he reached up and rubbed his head.

“So, you heard it all then?” he asked.

She nodded.

He paused and took a breath.

“It’s nothing,” he said. “Just some dumb name we use for the gangs around town. You know, just groups of guys that hang out together…”

He sounded convincing, but Aubrey wasn’t stupid, and she could tell that he was hiding something.

“Okay,” she said with a smirk.

Carter smiled and leaned down and kissed her again.

She wanted nothing more than to stay the night there with him, but she knew she had to get herself home. Her head was a mess, her mind was scrambled, and now it looked as if there was so much more to him than was meeting the eye.

“I better go,” she whispered.

Carter nodded, even though it looked as if it pained him to do it.

“I’ll take you…,” he said.

He slipped his arm around her shoulder and led her out of the office.

What she wouldn’t give to stay there and have her wicked way with him on the desk of that incredible office but she had to be smart. She didn’t want to get her heart broken.

As they made their way back to the main doors of the house, she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, and she leaned into his muscular frame.

What a fucking night.

Aubrey woke the following morning to a pounding headache that seemed to be punishing her as best it could.

She groaned and rolled onto her side, blinking her bleary eyes to wake herself up as she stared at the digital clock on the nightstand. It told her it was almost 11am. How the hell had she slept so late? Normally, she was up at the crack of dawn, shuffling around her apartment, drinking fresh smoothies, reading the news, cleaning and tidying before either hitting the gym or working on her art. This was like waking up late afternoon for her, and she felt as if she had missed most of the day.

“Oh my God,” she said as she touched her tender head and tried to sit up. “What the hell was last night?”

And suddenly, like a crashing wave, she began to remember what had happened…

The club. The guys they had met. The VIP room. The mansion on top of the mountain. The hidden office deep underground. The secret meeting.

Carter.

Her heart skipped a beat and she pulled her knees up to her chest and bit her bottom lip. How could she have forgotten him for the slightest second? It was almost as if her body and mind were trying to defend her from believing he was actually real. She sat back, resting against the headboard and looking at her hands. She could still feel the sensation of him holding her hand.

“Carter,” she said out loud, enjoying the way his name sounded on her lips.

She cast her mind back to how they had kissed in the hidden office, how he had tasted of whiskey and smoke. His hands had been so strong, and the way he had held her waist had made her pussy tingle with excitement, her whole body responding to him and needing his touch.

He had driven her home − even though he had been drinking, there was something about him that was completely in control. It was as if he were completely sober; the alcohol didn’t seem to have touched him in the slightest.

There was something different about him, and as they had driven through the night toward her apartment, she had thought about what the group of men had been talking about. Wolves and bears. She had looked at him and saw something animalistic in him, and for a moment, she had wondered if there was something otherworldly about him, but she had dismissed the thought as soon as it had come.

He had stopped the car in front of her building and they had kissed in the car. It had been so hard to walk away from him, but he had slipped her clutch purse into her hand and told her he was going to be calling her the next day. It had been getting light by the time she had flopped into bed, and her feet had ached from all the dancing in her stilettos, and her lips ached from his kiss.

He was such a good kisser; she had never wanted it to stop.

Still laying in bed, she looked to the floor and leaned down, searching for her purse. She wanted to check her messages on her cellphone. She quickly fished it out and tapped it to life, seeing that she had some missed calls and texts from Mia.

“Oh man,” she said. “I’m a terrible friend.”

She returned Mia’s call, and it wasn’t long before she heard her scratchy voice say hello from the other end.

“I am so sorry,” Aubrey said as she cringed and closed her eyes. “I totally suck.”

“Where the fuck did you go!?” Mia said, but she didn’t sound angry, just a bit concerned.

“I went inside looking for you and I got lost,” Aubrey said as she rubbed her tender head. “I ended up in some weird corridor underneath the house, and I ran back into Carter…”

“Oh yeah…” She could hear the smirk in Mia’s voice.

“It’s not what you think,” Aubrey said, but she couldn’t help but smile. It was exactly what Mia was thinking.

“I honestly went looking for you, I had walked away from Carter, but I ended up in some weird office and then, the next thing I knew, Carter was there, and well…”

“It’s okay, I won’t take offense,” Mia teased. “I understand, you forgot about me because you were too busy being distracted by the hot shot club owner. AKA, my new boss.”

Aubrey laughed. She had completely forgotten about Mia managing to wangle herself a role at The Dragon Pit.

“I’m meeting Victor around noon,” Mia said. “He’s giving me some kind of trial run and showing me around.”

As she said the words, Aubrey’s cell pinged in her ear and she looked to see she had a text. Her heart skipped when she saw it was Carter’s name that flashed up with it.

“Oh my God,” she breathed. “Hang on, Mia, wait there…”

She scrolled to the message, keeping Mia on the line.

C: Good morning beautiful… Come meet me for brunch at the diner?

Her heart began to sing, and she grinned from ear to ear.

“Oh my God,” she said as she spoke into the receiver to Mia. “It’s a text from Carter. He wants me to meet him for brunch at the diner.”

“This is fucking fantastic!” Mia’s voice was like that of a child on Christmas morning. “Get your ass up and showered, I’m heading down there to meet Victor at noon, we could go together and then we’ll leave you to it.”

Aubrey was already out of bed and running for the bathroom. It certainly made her feel less nervous at the prospect of Mia being close by.

“I’ll come and collect you at 11:50,” Mia said. “You better be fast.”

They hung up and Aubrey texted a quick reply to Carter.

A: That sounds perfect… I’ll see you there at noon x

C: 😊 See you then x

As they walked toward the diner, Aubrey started to have flashbacks to the night before. She remembered the way it had felt when she had been dancing with her eyes closed, enjoying the feel of the music thundering through her entire body… And then, how she had just known that someone was watching her. She had felt his eyes on her, penetrating her soul. When she had opened them and found herself lost in Carter’s gaze from all the way up on the balcony, it had felt magical.

Fateful.

But she had done her best to suppress it.

When she had finally met him properly, and they had chatted back at his home, she had been even more intrigued by the man who had somehow managed to stay hidden in one of the smallest towns around the mountain. Not only had he lived in virtual isolation, he had been home schooled, and also ran a nightclub that had been right under her nose.

She couldn’t help but view Carter as Lone Reach’s best kept secret. Though she would never let him know that; not for one second.

The way she had stumbled into the office when she was lost in the hallways under the house, the way he had come in and she had heard him talking with his friends. He was part of something, and it was clear it was dangerous.

She was falling for him, but she knew she was going to have to keep her wits about her.

Her internal voice was telling her no.

This is a bad idea Aubrey. There is no way you should be getting involved with a guy like him. None whatsoever. He clearly has secrets and is dangerous. Do you really want to fuck your life up? He’s going to destroy you!

As they rounded the corner and the diner came into view, Mia slowed her pace and appeared to be searching for them.

Aubrey caught sight of two men walking around the corner from the block ahead, and her eyes instantly found Carter. He was dressed in a pair of distressed jeans, a tight polo shirt and his arms were bare, showing off how tanned and muscular he was.

She swallowed and had to take a breath.

Carter and Victor were coming toward them, and he looked so good that she didn’t think she was even going to be able to string a sentence together when he was right there in front of her. He was wearing sunglasses, but as they got closer, he reached up and pulled them away from his eyes, and she felt as if she had been shot directly in the heart by Cupid’s arrow.

Man, his eyes were stunning. So dark and deep, like nothing she had ever seen before. Each time she looked into them, she felt as if she were staring into space. He was pure magic.

And she was in serious trouble.

“Hey, girls,” Victor said as they stopped in front of her and Aubrey.

Aubrey didn’t even look at Victor; she was too busy taking in the incredible sight that was Carter.

Holy fuck…

He was even better than she remembered.

Had she really been the lucky girl who had locked lips with him not even twelve hours before, and now he was asking her to brunch…

“Morning,” he said smoothly as his lips parted, and she saw his perfect teeth. They looked so white against his tan, but she could tell that they were natural. He wasn’t the kind of guy to go and get them bleached or to have veneers. It was clear, he had spent a lot of time outdoors, as if he had been hiking the rugged mountains or been skiing.

She felt a twinge deep in her pussy at the thought.

Carter scaling mountains… Carter on the slopes…

Carter. Carter. Carter.

She snapped herself out of her stupor and smiled.

“Good morning,” she said, trying to hold her composure and not act like the giddy schoolgirl she so easily could have slipped into. This felt like her first crush all over again, but on steroids.

What the hell was he doing to her?

“Right, then,” Mia said as she looked across at Victor and grinned knowingly. “I guess we’ll see you guys later, we better get going.”

They watched as Victor and Mia walked away and headed in the direction of The Dragon Pit, and then Carter turned to face Aubrey and she was right back where they had been in the early hours of that very morning. He slid his arm around her and squeezed her tight, kissed her on the cheek and began to walk with her toward the diner.

Inside her head, she could hear the sounds of victory, but also alarm bells.

She was so confused that her head was in a total spin.

Chapter 7

Carter didn’t know if he had ever even been inside this diner on Main Street, but it was certainly a different experience than what he was used to. Since he was a child, he had been taken to plush restaurants out of town by his parents, ferried into cities for weekend breaks and to get the hell away from Lone Reach, so that no one would suspect them and their fiery secret.

Since he had grown up and got a mind of his own, he resented them for putting all of that on him. He would have much preferred a more regular upbringing. Hanging out with the local kids, going to a real school, having an actual life.

He had had more fun in the past twenty-four hours than he ever had during his years growing up in Lone Reach. His parents had inhibited him. Kept him away from a real world, but then, had not been interested in him enough to educate and nurture him themselves.

As they slid into a booth in the window of the diner, he looked across at Aubrey and couldn’t believe she had been so close to him for all this time. He had heard his kind talk about the feeling a shifter could get once they saw the person they were supposed to be with. When he had first seen Aubrey, the way his eyes had gone to her in the club the previous night, he had felt something within him change.

And that kiss… well that was something else entirely.

He didn’t know what it meant fully, but he knew it was important. He had dated girls before, never anything serious, but he had had his fair share of women, even considering how isolated he had been. But he had never met someone who had left an impression like this.

It was as if, when he looked at her, he saw the possibility of a future.

“I’m glad you texted,” Aubrey smiled, her beautiful blue eyes twinkling.

“I’m a man of my word,” he winked.

“Good, I like that,” she said honestly.

“Does Mia know what happened after everyone left?” He looked at her mischievously.

“She knows I got lost in your maze of a house and we bumped into each other again.” She couldn’t help but grin.

“It was the best part of the night,” he paused. “I hope she was okay though… she didn’t think you ditched her?”

“Oh God no,” Aubrey said. “I called her as soon as I woke up this morning, she had gotten home fine and she’s just super excited to be starting work at the club. How do you think she’ll get on with Victor?”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine. Victor is the ultimate pain in my ass,” he smiled. “But I love him like a brother.”

“Are you related?” she asked him as the waitress came over with menus and a pot of coffee.

“He’s my cousin, on my father’s side.”

“That’s awesome. It’s nice that you’ve got a good relationship. And to work together too… That must take some doing.”

“It’s easier than it probably looks,” he said. “My family has been working together for generations. We don’t know anything different. It’s just our time now; we’ve taken over from our fathers, just like our fathers did for our grandfathers before that, and so on and so on.”

“I like that,” she smiled.

She was so demure and confident, as if she didn’t need him but wanted to be there anyway. Normally, whenever he had chatted to women, they had all wanted something from him. They were either wanting to be let into the club for free, given free drinks, or to be driven around in a nice car and show him off like some kind of trophy. But when he sat with Aubrey, it was as if she was wary of him. As if she wasn’t sure if she should be there or not, but she was being pulled to him in the same way he was being pulled to her.

It kept him on his toes and kept him guessing like no one ever had before. And it made him like her all the more.

“Brunch is just what we need after last night,” Aubrey said as she half-laughed. “That vodka you were serving up was strong.”

“I was going to tell you,” he smiled with a shake of his head. “But I got the feeling there wouldn’t be much reasoning with you. You seem like the kind of girl who knows her own mind.”

“Damn straight,” she said. “Plus, I wanted to see what it was like… neat vodka… why not?”

He laughed.

“Even at 5am?” he said with a raised brow.

“Especially, at 5am… and especially, if that is what the host is having.”

He smiled and looked down at his menu.

“What does someone order in a place like this?” he asked her.

“Are you serious?” Aubrey’s eyes were wide, and he knew she was desperate to laugh again.

“Deadly,” he said, trying to suppress his smile.

Damn, he felt like a kid around her, as if he wanted to laugh at everything she said. He hadn’t felt this alive in years.

“Pancakes,” she said. “Something sweet for you, I think. Get the bacon and maple syrup, it’ll cure the hangover with the salt and the sugar, and if you have some fresh OJ, you’ll be set up for the day.”

“Okay,” he said. “Sounds like a plan.”

The waitress returned to the table and pulled out her notepad and pen.

“What can I get for you?” she asked.

Aubrey nodded as if she was urging him to order.

“Pancakes with bacon and maple syrup please,” Carter said. “And a fresh orange juice.”

“No problem,” the waitress said as she jotted it down and then looked to Aubrey.

“Make that two,” she said, and she closed her menu and slid it to the center of the table.

Carter had the overwhelming urge to reach out and take hold of her perfect hands, and he didn’t stop himself. They were so soft, and he could see a tiny fleck of paint still embedded down the side of one of her nails and it made him smile. He remembered her ambition and how she had told him of her dream of becoming an artist.

He wondered if she would ever paint for him…

Stop it, Carter, he told himself. Stop all of this right now. You’re getting in over your head.

His cellphone started ringing and he reached down and turned it off without even looking at who was calling.

“It never stops,” he said.

“Really?” she asked.

“Yep,” he sighed. “Twenty-four seven, there’s always someone who wants me or needs me for something. Sometimes, and especially when I’m having brunch and a good conversation, it just needs to be turned off. I can go back to it all later. Who needs interruptions?”

“But what if it’s important?” she asked.

“What could be more important than this?”

She sipped her coffee and nodded.

“I like your style,” she said. “Every morning from 9am until noon I don’t check messages, calls or emails, I just blast through my work and get as much done as I can without anyone being able to cut in and throw me off course. I guess it’s kind of the same thing.”

“Kind of,” he mused. “Except, I’d take this brunch and conversation with you over any work any day…”

He said it and it came from the heart, and he saw the way it had penetrated her. For a moment, she looked disarmed, as if she couldn’t believe he had actually uttered the words, but when she smiled, he saw the twinkle in her eyes again, he knew she had liked it.

“That’s very good of you to say,” she said as she brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m enjoying being here with you too.”

Carter’s heart did a dance in his chest, and all the reservations he had the night before, and even leading up to this point, for what could have been his entire life, were beginning to fall away.

This was what people talk about in the movies. This was what his parents and other dragon shifters wrote about and told in legends.

There was one person in this world meant for everyone… and you will most certainly know when you find them.

Carter swallowed and had to let his eyes travel away from hers and down to the table. He reached for his coffee cup, just for something to do, so he didn’t start rambling again.

For a man that had always been so incredibly confident and at the head of the pack, Aubrey had done something to him that was making him want her approval.

And he knew in that instant, as they sat there in the diner on Main Street, that whatever happened from here on in, he was going to be a different person.

He had found someone that was making everything change.

Aubrey had been sent to him by fate.

They ate their brunch and chatted nonstop, but Carter could feel the elephant in the room was going to rear its head at some point and they were going to have to address what had happened when Aubrey had been hiding in the office cabinet. He wanted to be honest with her and tell her everything, but at this moment in time, laying it out there that he was a dragon shifter who had some secrets of his own wasn’t exactly an option.

He didn’t want to scare her away.

“So…,” she said, and he knew it was coming. “When I was accidentally hiding in that cabinet…”

He placed his coffee down and reached for her hand.

“I know it must have all sounded weird,” he interjected, “but there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.”

She smiled and gave his hand a little squeeze.

“It’s okay, don’t worry,” she said. “I know I shouldn’t have been there, and I’m sorry. I’m extremely embarrassed. But I was thinking about what you were all talking about and I think you’re right.”

He raised his eyebrows and waited. He wasn’t sure he was following.

“And I want to help you,” she smiled.

“Help me?” he asked.

“Sure, I want to help you find Martin Hall.”

As she said the words, the sense of dread that had been building within him began to subside.

“Help us find the missing man?” he asked slowly.

“Yes,” she beamed. “I mean, I don’t know him but I think it would be good to try rallying the town to go on the hunt for clues, don’t you? What use are a couple of posters pinned to streetlamps? This is 2020, we need to be out there being proactive.”

Carter leaned against the seat behind him and nodded slowly. She was right… but had she forgotten about the other things that had been mentioned? Or maybe they had just been so vague she hadn’t really caught on to what was being said.

“Sure,” he said. “I mean, that would be great.”

She smiled at him, and he rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand.

She really was an incredible woman. And even though he knew he was getting in over his head and his inner voice was telling him to stay away, now he wasn’t going to be able to. They were together and they had a shared cause… and he was going to roll with the journey.

Chapter 8

Aubrey walked back to her apartment in what could have easily been described as a daze. She was so distracted that she didn’t even find herself staring at the streetlamps and the MISSING posters that were tethered to them. It was as if she had forgotten altogether about the strange happenings around her home, and the fact that a well-known member of the community had gone missing. She breezed through town with her head in the clouds and a spring in her step.

She had just had the most amazing time with Carter. A surprise brunch and some truly wonderful company. It had been something she had never expected and even in its simplicity, it had captured her heart.

She had never found someone she could sit and talk to, she had never been around a guy where she could totally be herself, where she wasn’t afraid of what he thought of her, where she just felt at ease and relaxed, knowing she could speak freely and not fear his reaction. It was almost as if they had a deeper connection running between them. Something that was fixed and stable; she didn’t find herself worrying about what may happen next. She was happy to just roll with it and see where the ride took them both.

When she had said goodbye to him outside the diner, she had felt shy but grateful for the amazing day she had had with him. He had held her in his arms and kissed her softly on the lips, staring into her eyes and faltering when it was time for them to part. It was clear he didn’t want to go, but he had to go to the club, and she had to start on their investigation into Martin Hall.

She slid her key into the lock and stepped inside her apartment. The blinds were open in the living area, letting strong afternoon sunlight beam in and she slinked over to the couch and found herself flopping down on it like a cat, stretching out in the sun. She smiled and reached her arms high over her head and sighed. It had been a great weekend and she had the feeling it wasn’t even over just yet.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her face, warming through her skin and making her feel radiant from the inside out. Pure happiness. That was the way it felt. Like she had woken up from a long sleep and fallen into a life that was getting more exciting by the second.

She wrapped her arms around herself and rolled onto her side. She had always thought nothing was missing with her life, but just in the past twenty-four hours, that had seemed to change. She had always been so successful with her career and hobbies, she had a place of her own and she was settled and stable, she had never felt as if there was room for anything else.

Until she met Carter.

Now, all she could think about was when she was going to see him again.

She smiled and reached for the remote. She turned the TV on and blinked as her eyes adjusted to the screen. She flicked through the channels, looking for something worth having on in the background before she prepared herself to jump up and get on with her weekend chores. But she stopped when she reached the local news and sat up straight to watch as she saw the photograph of the man that had been on the streetlamps.

LONE REACH – MISSING MAN – MARTIN HALL STILL NOT FOUND – FAMILY APPEAL FOR INFORMATION AMID DESPERATE SEARCH…

The marquee at the bottom of the news was spinning the words over and over again on a loop, and she could see the reporter was standing on-location, outside the brewery, interviewing someone. She turned the volume up and leaned in a little closer, placing her elbows on her knees and resting her chin on her palms.

“It was just a day like any other,” the man being interviewed said. He was someone that Aubrey realized she recognized too, a man who she has seen around the bars on Main Street. And she read the caption beneath him as it appeared on the screen which told her his name was Mason Bernard, and he was the owner of The Brewery.

“Martin clocked off his shift at the regular time and left the staff compound before heading out into the parking lot. We have CCTV present in all areas of the interior and exterior, so we can see what time he leaves… But the camera that was covering the area where his vehicle was parked appears to have been disabled by a malfunction around that time.”

A chill rolled over Aubrey. How could the one CCTV camera that could have explained something be the one that had malfunctioned or been disabled? She found herself nervously chewing her lip. None of this sounded right, and she could see the look of apprehension on Mason Bernard’s face as he was speaking to the reporter.

“We hope that, if anyone has any information or has seen anything, either on the evening Mr. Hall disappeared or in the days since then, they get in touch with the police.”

Aubrey’s mind traveled back to the posters that had been tied to the lamp posts and couldn’t help but feel a swell of sadness for the man’s family. She had been on the side where they were now… She had lost her father in a tragic accident and she hoped this wasn’t going to be a similar outcome. It may have been over a decade before, but the wounds still ran deep. Did anyone ever truly get over the loss of a parent?

She didn’t realize, for a few moments, that she was crying, until a tear rolled down her cheek and she had to choke back the tears before she rubbed it away.

“Okay,” she said. “Don’t put yourself on a downer, but you know you’re going to try and help.”

She opened her laptop and started to google the Brewery site, and articles about Lone Reach and missing people. There had never been a case like this before which is what made it so unusual. Lone Reach had always been a pretty safe place. But then she saw references to the accident, and she shunned it and closed the computer. She didn’t want to read about the fire that had happened all those years before.

She rose to her feet and had to distract herself. Maybe working on this case with Carter wasn’t going to be so easy after all. She rubbed her head and sighed.

She was wiping down the surfaces and running the sink with soapy water to do the dishes when her phone began to ring. She dried her hands before picking it up.

“Hello, Mia,” she said with amusement. “And what can I do for you?”

“Oh my god!” Mia cackled with laughter. “You know what you can do for me! Tell me everything! How did it go?”

“It was pretty amazing,” she admitted with a grin.

“I can imagine…” Mia said. “Victor told me that Carter had been watching you on the dancefloor and when he had seen us come up the stairs, he knew there was no way he was letting Carter miss this opportunity. Apparently, not many girls catch his eye… In fact, according to Victor, Carter hasn’t dated anyone in a long, long time.”

“Oh, really,” Aubrey smiled.

“Yep,” she could hear the glee in Mia’s voice. “And who does that remind you of?”

Aubrey had to laugh. As it turned out, it seemed she and Carter were alike in a lot of ways.

“So, yeah, I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself right now,” Mia teased. “It’s awesome seeing my best friend hook up with a seriously hot, eligible bachelor, and I’ve bagged myself a new job. Not bad for a random weekend, especially when it started out so badly.”

“You’re telling me!” Aubrey laughed. “And well done on the job. That really is awesome. How did it all go? And when do you start?”

Mia paused for a moment, and Aubrey was sure she could hear the cogs turning in her head.

“Well, that’s another thing,” she mused. “Turns out, they have a student night on Monday and that’ll be my first shift. Your presence is also required.”

“Huh?” Aubrey felt her eyes widen. “You want me to come with you to work?”

“It’s an induction on Monday evening,” Mia said, and Aubrey could sense the sarcasm. “It’s not going to be in any way busy. Victor said to come down and he can show me the ropes while you chill at the bar with Carter.”

Aubrey put the plate she was cleaning on the counter, dried her hands, and then reached for the phone to hold onto it, instead of leaving it to balance on her shoulder.

“I can’t come with you to work, Mia,” she said. “I’ll look crazy.”

“Victor said,” Mia protested, “maybe Carter asked him to arrange it.”

“If Carter wants to see me, then I’m sure he’ll call,” Aubrey said with an eye roll. “There’s no way I’m turning up at The Dragon Pit on a Monday night looking for some guy. How thirsty would it look?”

She laughed and shook her head.

“Oh, come on!” Mia moaned. “I would do it for you.”

“It’s your first night at a new job,” Aubrey said. “Plus, there’s a missing man in town and no one knows what’s happened to him. Carter and I are actually going to look into it, try and help the family find some information.”

“All the more reason for you to come with me then.” Mia didn’t miss a beat. “I assume you don’t want me walking the streets alone at night.”

Aubrey knew she had caught her out there, and she rolled her eyes and closed them tight.

“Dammit, Mia,” she said through gritted teeth. “You certainly know how to guilt trip me.”

“It’s what friends are for,” Mia chirped. “Plus, I know you will thank me for it later.”

Aubrey looked at the clock on the wall and the fact that it was getting closer to dinner time startled her. The whole day seemed to flash by in a blur; waking up later certainly meant you didn’t get as much time to contemplate life and enjoy some peace and quiet. She had been nonstop since the second she had opened her eyes. It only felt as if it should have been around noon, and yet it was approaching five and she had barely gotten anything done.

“I have chores to do,” Aubrey said. “I’ve got work tomorrow and a ton of laundry to sort through before then.”

“Promise me you’ll come tomorrow night?” Mia said hopefully. “It’ll be fun, it’ll help me feel at ease going in for my first night, and it’ll mean you get to see Carter again.”

“If Carter wants to see me, then I’m sure he can get in touch,” Aubrey said sternly. “But I’ll consider your proposal.”

Mia sighed on the other end of the line, and Aubrey felt a little smile play on her lips.

“He likes you,” Mia said. “Don’t run a million miles in the other direction before you’ve even given the poor guy a chance.”

Aubrey felt stunned by the statement, but she had to admit, she felt the weight of Mia’s words, and could understand why she had said them. She knew she had put up walls in the past. She was just so used to being on her own and looking after herself that the idea of a man being around was totally alien to her.

“Okay,” she found herself saying. “Thank you for the pep talk.” Aubrey smiled.

“Any time!” Mia chimed. “Speak tomorrow.”

As she hung up the call, Aubrey leaned back against the kitchen counter and sighed. Mia was right, it had been a pretty epic weekend by all accounts, and now she had the potential of seeing Carter the following night too.

She stretched and scowled. She wanted to see him more than anything, but she didn’t want to just turn up at The Dragon Pit either.

She wandered through to the bathroom and put the stopper in the tub before she poured in some soothing bath foam and started to run the hot tap. She swilled it all around and watched the bubbles begin to form, and her mind wandered to the thought of heading out late at night again and on a Monday… It just seemed like madness to her. The beginning of the work week was not a time to be hitting clubs, but maybe it was time she broke her routine ever so slightly.

Once the bath was full, she pinned up her hair, lit a few candles, and dimmed the main lights. She pressed shuffle on her favorite chill-out playlist and undressed before she climbed into the warm, relaxing water and eased herself down. She closed her eyes and let her imagination take her back to earlier that day and to how content she had been sitting with Carter in the diner. It was as if they had known each other for years, but there was still something about him that was nagging at the back of her mind.

She didn’t know why he seemed so different to her; it was just as if her instincts could pick up on it and it was driving her crazy. When she had first laid eyes on him in the nightclub, she had thought that he had an animalistic nature to him and the way he was watching her had ignited something in her soul. His eyes were so dark and deep, they almost didn’t look human… And yet, when she sat and spoke to him, and when she was close to him, she felt so drawn in and safe. It was as if she were meant to be there beside him.

How could he radiate something so strange and yet she be so drawn to him and become so quickly addicted?

She opened her eyes and ran her hands down her face to try and freshen herself up. She still didn’t feel brilliant from the evening before, and suddenly, she felt overwhelmingly tired. Her cellphone pinged on the washstand and she dried her hands with a towel before she leaned forward to grab it, reaching out her arm as far as she could and just being able to grab it before she slid back down into the bubbles, keeping the phone safe in her fist high above the water.

She rested back, looked at the screen, smiled and felt warm inside when she saw his name. He was messaging her…

She bit her lip and grinned.

C: So, Victor tells me that Mia is starting at the club tomorrow, and I was thinking it would be good if you came down with her… What do you say?

Aubrey laughed and clutched the phone in her hands and held it against her lips. She was grinning from ear to ear and wanted to scold herself for being so giddy, but she just couldn’t help it. Her heart was doing summersaults and she was feeling like a schoolgirl all over again.

She waited a few moments and wracked her brains for a witty reply, but in the end, she just went with her gut and began to type…

A: Hmm… on a school night? It’s tempting but I don’t know about that… some of us have regular jobs to tend to, not just living the wild party lifestyle ;P

Once she hit send, she instantly cringed and rolled her eyes at herself. She had just done exactly what Mia had told her not to do. She had put up a wall and told him no, when, really, she had wanted to say yes. She felt annoyed at herself and found herself wishing there was some kind of unsend button on text messages.

Luckily, for her, Carter didn’t seem like the type of guy to drag out a conversation and keep people on hold.

C: I quite agree… so with that in mind, let’s do dinner instead? Drinks in the club first then we can head out to somewhere on Main Street. I promise to have you back before 10pm 😉

Aubrey’s heart was practically jumping out of her chest as she read his words. He hadn’t turned his back on her, and he had got her humor, even if it had been terrible.

She had never been more relieved and excited.

A: Okay, you’ve twisted my arm. See you tomorrow at the club around 7?

C: Perfect x

Aubrey grinned as she let the phone fall to the floor at the side of the tub and then she laughed and slid down into the water until her head was underneath it and she was covered in foam and her hair was soaking wet. When she rose up again, she was laughing and could barely see, but she felt happy and full of energy.

Carter was giving her so much happiness, and she could sense that they had so much more ahead that it was only going to get even more exciting.

She pulled the plug out of the tub, wrapped herself in a towel and padded back along the hallway to her bedroom where she threw open her closet doors and peered inside.

She only had just over twenty-four hours… she better get to planning.

Chapter 9

The clock struck midnight in the great entrance hall of Carter’s mansion. His fiery eyes flicked up to the doorway and his breath caught in his throat as he waited for the rest of his pack to arrive.

It had been a strange day in many ways. So much had happened. And now he had to take the next step in ensuring his town was protected and to also see that the new person in his life was going to be safe.

He smiled when he thought about Aubrey, of what a great time he had had with her both at the party the night before and that day at the diner. For someone who liked to shut people out, somehow, he had found himself enjoying her company and lusting for more. And her kisses were addictive.

The house was old and echoing as he began to pace along the flagstone, and he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline spike through him as his inner dragon began to awaken. He had been suppressing his instincts for the past few days, being overwhelmed with so many issues that had been haunting him, but now he was ready to unleash all his pent-up energy and take to the skies.

From outside, he heard the sound of crunching gravel, of the trucks making their way closer. He breathed in and out deeply and stepped toward the massive front door, before he opened both sides and flung them open so he could look out into the night. Parking up in front of him were five vehicles, all of them big and impressive and coming from other secluded parts of the mountain.

From behind him, he heard Victor’s footsteps as he approached from inside the house and then sidled up next to him. He had been there with Carter for some time, while they had gone over the takings from the club from the previous evening and bagged up some cash to put in the vault in the basement deep below the house.

“Everyone made it,” Victor smiled as he looked at his cousin.

And Carter nodded his head approvingly.

He always felt incredibly powerful when his whole tribe came together. It was the ultimate mark of respect, and even though he knew they would all still be recovering from the night before, he felt certain they were all about to be reinvigorated when they let their inner beasts come forth and headed toward the heavens.

“What’s up?” a voice came from out in the darkness and Carter saw his third in command, Dom, walking toward them.

“All good,” he laughed as he reached out and grasped his hand, shaking it hard and then hugging into him. “And you?”

“I’ve felt better,” Dom admitted with a shake of his head as he exhaled and raised his eyebrows. “Last night was something else.”

“It was much needed,” Eric said as he approached and climbed the steps to embrace Victor and Carter too.

When everyone had come to the steps of the grand woodland house, they all began to head out north, higher up the forest pathways and toward the summit of the mountain. They had to be certain they were as high as they could be and that from below them, the town of Lone Reach would not be able to see what was about to happen.

The moon was shining brightly, and the stars were out twinkling. It was the first night in a while that the heavens hadn’t been completely covered by cloud, and in a way, this made what they were about to do all the more dangerous, but that also meant it was more exciting.

Carter stopped when they reached a familiar clearing and he waited for the others to catch up. They all stood around in a circle, facing one another, and it wasn’t long before the energy began to change around them, and a wind began to blow. The whistle of the wind brought with it the noise of temptation, the hiss of the forbidden. It had always been their nature to express themselves this way but knowing that they were still hidden from others and that barely anyone knew their secret always made it all the more exhilarating.

“We need to do this,” Victor said. “My power has been suppressed for too many days.”

“And mine,” Dom agreed.

Carter also nodded.

“I think we’ve all been waiting to come together again,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to speak to you all for some time about what is happening around Lone Reach. I am sure I’m not the only one of us to sense that something isn’t quite right?”

His pack all began to slowly nod their heads and look at each other.

“I feel negativity,” Eric said, “deeply, in the pit of my stomach. Like something terrible is about to happen.”

Victor nodded.

“I can smell something rotten and unearthly,” he added. “Something evil.”

“As can I,” Carter said lowly. “And the missing man from the town? Has there been any news?”

He looked around the pack, but their faces remained blank.

“Nothing,” Dom confirmed. “We’d been keeping our ears to the ground but none of the other packs have heard a thing.”

Carter crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. He felt certain that surely, either the bear or the wolf pack of Lone Reach would know something that they didn’t.

“However,” Dom continued, “I did find out something of interest.”

Carter raised his brow and turned to face him fully.

“The bears and their new brewery…,” he said with a wry smile. “They haven’t gone into it alone…”

Carter cocked his head to the side.

“What do you mean? Are they in business with the wolves?”

The thought made his stomach churn. His dragon clan had always had a good relationship with the bears, but the wolves had always been a strain and they had a long-standing feud.

A decade earlier, there had been a terrible accident, a fire that had raced through the woodland of Lone Reach and destroyed much of the wolf’s habitat while also taking the lives of several of their pack members and unfortunately, people of the town. It had been disastrous, and the aftereffects had rumbled on through history alongside them. The wolves had been certain that a fire that powerful must have been started by the dragons, and they had long blamed them for what had happened that day. It had broken Carter’s father’s heart, and it had made him, and many other elder members of the dragon clan lose faith when it came to their place in town.

Ever since, tension had been high, and they had never been able to shake the stigma that they had caused the deaths of some of the wolves and town’s folk. When his father had stepped down as the alpha of their pack and Carter had taken his place, he had always hoped that, one day, he would be able to be the bridge between the dragons and the wolves, but so far, nothing had been able to be arranged. The wolves were bitter and flat out refused to speak with Carter or the rest of the dragons. It had been an upsetting time, but it had also become the norm.

If the bears and wolves were working together, then it may mean that Carter and his pack were in a more vulnerable position. They had always been on good terms with the bears, but if their priorities changed, then who knew what could happen in the aftermath.

“Not the wolves,” Dom said as he looked around the circle, and Carter’s nerves began to slow down, and his mind stopped racing.

“Then who?” he asked, furrowing his brow.

“A gang of bikers.” Dom said it as if he were trying to stop himself from laughing. “Humans,” he said and shook his head. “But dangerous ones. Outlaws by all accounts.”

“Interesting indeed,” Carter mused.

“They invested money in the brewery and some of them have set up home in Lone Reach,” Dom continued. “I heard some of them talking about it in one of the ale houses, and then I had it confirmed when I went into the Bear Brewhouse.”

“What kind of background do they have?” Victor chipped in. “Can they be trusted?”

Dom grimaced and shrugged.

“From what I gather, they’re from a town further out West,” he said. “I think they know their fair share of trouble, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were bringing some of it with them here.”

Carter exhaled and felt a pang of anger. This was the last thing he needed, but he also couldn’t blame the bears for making alliances elsewhere. The atmosphere around Lone Reach and amongst their packs hadn’t exactly been harmonious, and the past was always there to remind them that they had bad feelings.

“I think we need to keep an eye on them,” Carter said sternly. “I trust the bears, without question, but this gang of bikers, The Forsaken Riders… Well, we know nothing about them.”

“I’ve seen them around town,” Eric said, “and I don’t like the looks of them, not one bit.”

Carter clenched his teeth. The thought of a rogue gang running around his town made his blood boil. He wondered if they knew their secret… If the bears had told them all about the magic that was running through Lone Reach.

“We should set up a meeting with Mason,” Victor suggested. “See what his take on it is?”

Carter considered this for a moment and then shook his head.

“Not yet,” he said quietly. “Let’s see if anything else happens around town in the meantime, and we can also find out as much as we can about these bikers.”

“I know their kind,” Victor added. “I’ve seen men like that before, they all have more money than sense and they use violence to get what they want.”

“Do you think they could have something to do with Martin Hall disappearing?” Carter asked. “And could the bears have helped them cover it up?”

The dragons all looked at each other and the circle fell silent with dread.

“I don’t think the bears would do that,” Dom said. “But nothing surprises me anymore…”

“Me neither,” Carter agreed.

He held his hand up to rub his mouth and breathed out deeply before he ran a hand through his hair and looked up to the sky. He was feeling more powerful than ever, and the adrenaline hurtling through him was making his dragon want to roar.

He stepped back a little out of the circle, glancing at his pack with a knowing look. When he began to tear off his shirt and then the rest of his clothes, his brothers followed suit, and within an instant, they were all standing there naked, touched by moonlight, and a fire raging within them all that was ready to spring free.

When Carter roared at the moon and his body began to radiate heat and start to change, he felt the short, sharp pain that came with his limbs and spine elongating, and then his skin began to tear and scales took its place. Feeling himself become the dragon was always the most intense and exhilarating experience, and as he pushed off the ground and powered up into the sky, his energy and inner power grew by the second, sending him faster and higher toward the stars.

As his pack joined him in the night sky over Lone Reach and they flew and circled, looking down at the place they called home, he felt the intense need to protect it all once again. He was the most powerful entity in this town, and whether the bears were forming other alliances or not, he had to let them know that, on some level, they must always clear things with him.

He roared again, a plume of fire shot from his mouth and nostrils, lighting up the way ahead.

As he and his clan flew off into the night, he knew that whatever happened, he was going to be prepared. It was time to settle old scores and move forward… because things were beginning to change here and there, and they were all going to have to adapt… Whether they liked it, or not.

Chapter 10

For Aubrey, Monday’s usually went weirdly fast, but knowing she was going to see Carter that evening meant this particular day was moving painfully slow.

She had sat at her desk for most of the day staring into space and clockwatching. She had barely checked her emails or gotten any work done, and she didn’t even feel guilty, which was very unlike her. For the first time since she had begun her career, she was feeling as if she were putting herself first.

She had sipped smoothies and watched the minutes count down, one by one, and when it had finally got close to five pm, she had slapped her computer off at the power button, jumped up from her chair, grabbed her jacket and handbag, and headed straight for the door.

She could hear some of the assistants calling after her as if they were worried at how out of character she was being, but she just turned, smiled and waved, and then went on her way.

As she sauntered home, she felt as if she could sense Carter’s energy. She wondered if he was down from the mountain and already around Main Street. Maybe he was at the club, working, until they headed out later. The thought was so exciting that it was almost frustrating, and she couldn’t help but smile as she walked home, she said hi and how are you to pretty much every single person she passed on the street.

At home, she turned on the shower and got out of her work clothes before she jumped in and revived herself after another long day. When she was wrapped up in a soft, plush towel, she sat on the end of her bed and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

She looked different.

Lighter.

More awake.

As if something had changed deep within her.

Her eyes were bright and sparkling, and she had a certain glow to her cheeks that made her look refreshed and youthful, as if she had just run a mile and then had a hot spa afterward. She was radiating health and vitality, and it was making her giddy.

She opened her closet and chose a pair of black skinny jeans, some electric blue court heels, and a matching silk camisole. She would pop with color in dress and keep it tame in makeup, and as she started to put the look together, she realized that the blue was the perfect complement and enhancement to her eyes. They seemed to sparkle and shine even more and as she ran her fingers through the loose curls of her hair, she had to admit that she thought she had never looked better.

As it got closer to 7pm, Mia texted her several times. Aubrey laughed as she read the messages and responded to her, and she wondered who was more excited for this date… Mia or Aubrey!

M: I’m there now, just quickly checking my phone while Victor and Carter are upstairs. I hope you’ve got some sexy underwear on because he is looking HOT AS HELL…!!

Aubrey laughed and shook her head. Mia was completely hilarious at times and she was so glad that she had her as a friend.

She made one final check in the mirror and flicked her hair over her shoulder before she grabbed her keys and headed for the door. Her nerves should have been eating her alive, but she felt strangely calm; she was looking forward to being with him again.

It made her wonder if this could be real… And it was a wonderful feeling.

The Dragon Pit may have been located in the smallest town ever, but it was certainly doing something right when it came to pulling a crowd. As she approached, Mia could see that there were groups of college kids heading to some of the bars and alehouses along Main Street and she heard them mention that was where they were ending their night.

“Student night in The Dragon Pit,” a boy called to his friend on the other side of the street. “It’s going to be a wild one, see you there?”

The group on the other side started cheering, and Aubrey pulled her jacket closed a little and kept walking. To think she was on her way for a date with the owner of a club that people from colleges all around were flocking to was a pretty crazy notion.

She saw the club and the way it seemed to loom out of the darkness. It may have been early, and the doors weren’t open yet, but she could see that the lights had been turned on outside, illuminating it with red and yellow, making it appear as if on fire.

As she moved closer to it, she reached for her cell and debated calling Carter. The main doors looked very closed and secure, and she didn’t know whether she should try and open them, in case they were locked and had an alarm.

She paused for a moment and then rolled her eyes at herself. When had she ever doubted something in this way before?

She pulled her shoulders back and strode forward with confidence, and as she climbed the steps and approached the doorway, they began to open slowly, as if by magic.

She smiled, and when they opened fully, one of the exterior lights shone in and cast a glow across Carter’s face.

“Hey,” he smiled as he reached out his hand, took hold of hers, and pulled her forward. “I’ve been waiting.”

She moved inside and up against him, feeling tiny in the opening space because all the lights were off, and the place was pitch black. His strong hands were gripping hers and she pushed her body against his, feeling his muscles beneath his shirt against her chest and teasing herself, wanting to let her hands wander and touch him properly. The tension between them was hot and growing heavy, it had been growing since they first lay eyes on each other, but there in the dark it was almost impossible to walk away from. She had been so good at controlling herself until now, but her whole body ached for him, she yearned to feel his touch. To have his hands all over her, to feel his lips pressed against her.

His breathing was becoming heavier and she was sure the world began to spin. She reached up on her tip toes slightly and they were even closer together, Carter was staring down at her as he reached up and touched her face softly with his hand before he leaned in and their lips met. She moaned into him, his kiss taking her breath away, her knees trembling and her entire body switching on and wanting to give in to her deepest desires. She was putty in his hands, and with each split-second part of their lips and as they came back together, she craved all of him even more. When they broke apart and she looked into his eyes she saw his wicked smile and the intensity of her passion reflecting back from inside of him. He stroked the side of her face and then they both looked around at where they were and laughed.

She had barely even made it through the front door of The Dragon Pit and already she was kissing him. She bit her bottom lip and grinned.

“Have you been peering through the peephole all night?” she laughed to break the tension.

“My sixth sense kicked in,” he winked. “I knew you were near.”

She swallowed and was glad it was dark because she was sure she was blushing. She squeezed his hand, the one that was still holding onto hers, and he smiled back. She thought of how she had felt when she had been on her way there, it was like they could read each other’s minds. He had known she was there right outside. And also, as if he had heard her thoughts from earlier when she was walking home from work, because she had felt that she could sense him too.

“Come on in,” he said pulling her with him.

It may have been dark but his eyes were bright and alive, and he led her though the deserted entrance of the club and toward the huge doors and floor to ceiling curtains that shielded the main room from view. She couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was.

He was tall, his shoulders broad, his jaw had a smattering of sexy stubble and his jeans and shirt were so effortlessly classy and smart but without looking overdone. It was clear he had money, from the watch on his wrist to the way he was totally pristine, but he still had a rugged edge that she couldn’t quite place.

“Has Mia caused total chaos yet?” she asked, almost shyly, and trying not to laugh.

“Oh, she’s well on her way,” he said as he looked down at her and smiled.

They stepped through a parting in the curtains and the main room of the club opened out before them. It looked so strange being completely empty and silent, and nowhere near as plush as it looked when it was full of people.

“Weird, isn’t it?” he asked as he saw the look on Aubrey’s face.

“Yes,” she said. “So strange compared to how packed and full of life it was in here the other night. It’s strange without the same mix of energy.”

“It’s funny what some flashing lights, music, and a bunch of people will do to a place,” he said. “But we try to give that sense of escapism so that everyone who walks through these doors has the best time.”

“And you certainly do,” she agreed. “I’ve never been anywhere quite like it before.”

“Me neither,” he laughed. “But at the same time, this is just the norm. My family opened it so long ago, it may have changed with refurbishments and various cosmetic features, but the place is still the same and I still love it. It’s a part of me.”

They stopped near one of the main bars and he pulled back one of the high stools along the front for her to sit on before he jumped up onto the counter in front of her, swung his legs over the other side, and jumped down. The bar was so long, it made perfect sense for him to climb over that way, but it still seemed funny and she giggled.

“How was your day?” he asked as he reached toward the refrigerators and pulled out an ice-cold bottle of vodka. He held it up and shook it from side to side, and Aubrey held her hand up to her head in mock distress.

“My day was long and boring… and there’s no way I can handle that after Saturday.” She pointed at the bottle in his hands.

Carter laughed and his eyes glinted.

“I feel the same,” he said.

He stood back so she could see what else was on offer in the club refrigerators, and Aubrey selected a small bottle of sparkling wine and Carter found a fresh strawberry to put in the glass with it. He poured himself a beer, before he leaned in close over the top of the bar and they chinked their glasses together.

It felt so good to be with him again. And even though she had no idea what was in store for the two of them, she knew that even if this was it, it would be worth it. He had somehow managed to open her heart and mind to the possibility of love, and she felt excited about her future.

“Oh, here she is!” Victor’s voice came bellowing down from the floor above.

Aubrey watched as Carter’s eyes flicked up to the balcony behind her and he smiled. She turned to look over her shoulder and waved as she saw Victor jogging down the stairs to join them.

“Hey, Aubrey!” he said as he came in for a hug and then shook hands with Carter.

“Hey, Victor,” she smiled. “How’s it going having Mia under your care?”

“I can hear you!” Mia’s little voice chirped from somewhere on the second floor and the three of them all laughed.

“Come on down, Mia,” Victor called up to her. “May as well take your tenth break now before we start getting busy.” He winked, and Carter laughed.

“Ha ha,” Mia said as she reached the top of the stairs and began to descend. “Very funny. I’ve only had two, I swear.”

She clopped down the stairs on her high heels, came over to Aubrey and threw her arms around her for a hug.

“Feels like forever since I’ve seen you,” she said.

“It has been,” Aubrey smiled. “I mean it’s been longer than twenty-four hours.”

“You guys sound like us,” Carter said as he pointed at Victor. “We can barely go an hour without speaking to or seeing each other.”

“Yes, that does all sound very familiar,” agreed Aubrey.

“Where are you guys heading?” Mia asked, looking at them all starry eyed.

Aubrey wished she would lay off the teasing, but at the same time, it was kind of nice to have her friend so happy for her. She knew she meant well.

“I have no idea…,” Aubrey said as she looked up at Carter. “I’m completely at your mercy…”

Carter’s eyes ignited slightly, and she felt something stir deep within her.

“I like the sound of that,” Carter smiled, and it sent shivers right through her.

Their eyes were locked in on each other’s again and the intensity of when she had first arrived flashed between them, it was as if Victor and Mia weren’t in the room with them. She felt something powerful, Carter’s aura pulling her closer to him, inviting her to stare deep into his soul.

She was entranced, and it wasn’t until Mia broke the silence by declaring that she and Victor were clearly interrupting something that Aubrey managed to snap herself back to reality and she felt flushed, her heart beating so fast she could barely catch her breath.

“We’ll leave you to it.” Victor winked as he and Mia began to move toward the stares. “Have a good night you two.”

Mia held her hand up to the side of her head, her pinky and thumb up and the rest of her fingers curled in ‒ American sign language (ASL) for phone ‒ before she mouthed CALL ME. And Aubrey smiled and nodded.

Once they were out of sight on the floor above, Aubrey looked at Carter, her pulse still rapid, her heart still racing. He was looking at her hungrily, as if he wanted to pounce on her, and she instantly wished that the bar between them would disappear so she could move closer and kiss him again.

He smiled, and she wondered if he knew what she was thinking. They seemed to be in sync, as if they could read each other’s minds. It wouldn’t be a surprise to her if Carter was having the exact same naughty ideas as she was.

“Why don’t we get out of here,” he said before he raised the beer to his lips and drained the glass.

Aubrey had barely had a sip of her wine, but she didn’t care. She nodded her head and rose to her feet, waiting for him to come around to her. When he finally made it around the long bar, they just stood and looked at each other for a moment.

She felt so small next to him, and as she looked up into his eyes, she was sure she could see fire burning within them.

“You’re different,” she whispered. “I like it.”

“So are you.” He reached up and ran a finger down the side of her face, tracing her jawline. It sent tingles right through her, and she gasped lightly before she leaned into his hand, eager for him to do it again. Something was passing between them, a strange exchange of energy, and as his skin connected with hers and she looked into his eyes, she saw something dark and different.

At first, she couldn’t be sure what was happening. She could hear roars inside her head, and she felt the sensation of something powerful and hot. His eyes glinted and caught the light and she saw fire, she was sure of it.

“What are you?” she whispered.

Carter smiled playfully and he leaned in and kissed her. As their lips met and he wrapped his arms around her, she felt completely swept away. Their mouths opened and their tongues met, and with each kiss, she felt more entwined with him and as if she could feel each part of him opening up to welcome her in.

She had never had a kiss like it. It was more than that and she could sense then that something was happening to her; and something to him as well. They weren’t just exchanging their energy, they were being bonded together; something strong was being forged not just between their hearts, but with their bodies as well, as if each of them had been waiting for the other to arrive for their whole lives.

When their lips broke apart, she could barely breathe. She was breathless and her skin was on fire, her heart was aching in the most amazing way, as if it had been not only jolted back to life but also warmed and protected.

“What are you?” she asked again, more certain than ever that something strange was at play.

Carter held his face in her hands and looked deeply into her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter what I am…,” he whispered gently. “All that matters, is you can feel it.”

She smiled at him, and he kissed her again. This time, she ran her fingers through his hair and wanted so badly to drag him down to the ground and ravish him right there and then, but she had to control herself.

He was so passionate, and she felt like a different person when she was with him. He had done something to her, and now she was certain that he wasn’t only hiding something but that he was different to anyone she had ever met.

There was something magical about him.

She melted into his arms and let herself be carried away on the wonderful ride of his romance.

She never wanted this moment to end.

Chapter 11

How they had made it to the restaurant without ripping each other’s clothes off, he had no idea. But as he sat opposite Aubrey, in that moment, Carter knew it wouldn’t be long before he had to have his wicked way with her.

She was insatiable.

A completely mind-blowing surprise.

To think that a week earlier they hadn’t even met seemed insane. It was as if he had known her forever, and each time he looked into her eyes, he felt something inside himself change.

His dragon was happy. He had found something solid and true.

He had known the moment he saw her on the dancefloor back at the club and he had tried to deny it. But now, it was becoming harder and harder to run from the truth.

This girl, Aubrey, was the woman he was supposed to be with.

She smiled at him from across the table as she sipped her wine and let her delicate hands rest softly on the edge of the menu. They had been watching each other in silence, as if they were playing a game of who was going to break and speak first.

It was erotic in its simplicity, and he couldn’t get enough of those blue eyes. There was a lot that made them the complete opposite to each other, and she was so innocent and pure. He was a dragon, but she called to him in a way no one ever had.

He liked the fact that she was confident and comfortable enough to sit in silence and just look into his eyes. It made his heart race faster and he was feeling hot under the collar.

This girl was driving him wild.

After they ordered with the waitress, he leaned in closer and smirked.

“What are you thinking?” he asked her.

She cocked her head lightly to the side and rested her glass on the white tablecloth. He had brought her to the most exclusive restaurant in Lone Reach. It had silverware and different place settings for each course, and the wine had been decanted into carafes rather than just being placed on the table in the bottle. There was a live pianist, softly playing some classical tunes, and the waiters were all in crisp white suits with black bowties, all of them speaking soft and quiet.

“I was just wondering when you’re going to tell me your secret,” she said cheekily.

When she said it, he sensed her nerves spike, but she was doing good not to show it on the outside.

“Why do you think I have a secret?” he asked her, raising his eyebrow playfully.

She leaned in a little closer this time and narrowed her eyes and smiled.

“Everyone has secrets,” she whispered. “But I can sense something about you. You speak to me on another level… It’s making me wonder how we are so bonded.”

He smiled now too.

“Some things can’t be explained…” He sipped his drink.

“I know something is going on,” she said. “And I will find out.”

He laughed and found himself unable to control his smile.

“I asked you what you are…,” she said again as she ran a finger around the stem of her wine glass. “And you said it didn’t matter, as long as I could feel it.”

He nodded.

“Well, what am I feeling?” she asked.

He loved how feisty and intelligent she was. Normally, he would have been able to silence these kinds of questions, but when they came from her, they took on a new meaning. He knew she was going to be someone important to him and he wanted her to know everything… but at the same time, he was afraid he would scare her away.

The waiter arrived with their main course and set it down on the table, breaking the intensity of the moment and allowing Carter a chance to think. He didn’t want to hold back from her, but it was too soon to lay his biggest secret out there. He had no idea how she would react, even if his instinct was telling him that she would be okay and she was intelligent enough to understand. He was having such a good time, he didn’t dare risk it.

She gently shook her head and looked away with a wry smile, as if she knew the moment had passed and she couldn’t ask again.

Carter watched how she reached down to lay her serviette delicately over her thighs and picked up her knife and fork. Her fingers were long and slender, and she looked so poised, he could tell she had perfect manners and it was making him like her even more. She wasn’t in any way rough and ready; she was well-bred and had class.

“Tell me about your family,” he said, and then he took a bite of his rare steak.

Aubrey paused for a moment and then smiled fondly.

“My mom and I are very close,” she said. “We speak every day and I see her a few times a week. She lives in town, but she has a great social life away from here too. She travels and has friends a few towns over who she stays with sometimes. They go out and are members of a dinner party club, a book club, things like that. She’s an awesome woman.”

Carter smiled. He could imagine Aubrey aging well, and he could sense that her mother was likely as ambitious and classy as her daughter.

“And your father?” he asked.

Aubrey looked up and their eyes met. He could see an instant sadness to them, but it was also tinged with a lot of love. His heart sank for her as if he knew what was coming.

“My dad died just over ten years ago,” she said. “He was the most amazing man I ever met, and I think about him every day.”

Carter placed his cutlery down and reached across the table to take hold of her hand.

“I’m sorry,” he said genuinely. He could feel the sadness and hurt radiating out of her. She was so meek and vulnerable in that moment. It was hard for him to see; it almost felt as if he shouldn’t be witnessing it, she was also so strong and feisty, but now, it looked as if she could easily fall apart.

“He really was a great man,” she smiled. “But there was an accident… a lot of people around town know about it… maybe even you’ve heard of it. A fire… it happened so long ago but it felt like yesterday. Isn’t that strange…”

Carter’s heart sank again, but this time, it was with anxious nerves.

“A fire?” he asked.

Aubrey nodded.

Carter kept hold of her hand, but he could feel the sweat start to form on the back of his neck and underneath his shirt. His skin felt hot and inside, he was burning with anxiety.

“Yes,” she said. “We don’t really know how it started, no one seems to understand it. But basically, he was out working in the forest close to the middle of the mountain ‒ he was a logger ‒ and something happened… Some witnesses said there were animals that were spooked and their habitat was disturbed, that someone must have dropped a cigarette… others said it must have been some kind of freak bush fire… that we’d had an exceptionally dry summer. But anyway, they think my dad was somehow knocked unconscious… Whether he was attacked by an animal and banged his head, or a tree had fallen or maybe he had tripped running from something… They’re not entirely sure, but he was knocked out and a fire had started. It was fast-spreading, and he died right there.”

She had to stop, taking a sip of water and clearing her throat. Carter could tell that his eyes were wide, and he wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what exactly. Surely, this wasn’t happening…

“Other people died too, so it remains a bit of a mystery,” she continued. “At first, for many years, my mom really fought for justice to find out what happened, but in the end, nothing was coming up… It looked like evidence was lost, or someone messed up somewhere and she had to walk away without truly knowing what had happened.”

She looked up at Carter and shrugged.

“I am so sorry,” he said again.

Aubrey smiled.

“Just a terrible accident,” she said with a sigh. “We miss him every day, but we are just so glad that we had him in our lives.”

Carter nodded and realized that he was still gripping her hand.

She smiled again and then she picked up her wine and he dropped her hand as she moved back. He could tell her family’s story had upset her, but he was glad he knew.

He also knew that, from this, there was no way he could tell her about his dragon secret. She may not know about shifters and all the magic that was living in Lone Reach, but imagine if he told her the truth about himself and then she somehow found that his clan had been blamed for the very fire that had killed her father…

They were innocent, the dragons had no part in it, but he knew it would be a wedge between them, and it would be something that would ruin whatever it was they were building. He couldn’t take the risk.

She rose to her feet and excused herself for a moment and Carter held his hand up to his chin and he thought of what to do. He watched her wander across to the lady’s restroom and disappear inside.

He was falling for this girl fast and he didn’t want to hide anything from her… but his secret was such a big one, he knew it had the potential to blow her mind.

He sat back in his chair, took a drink of his wine and then exhaled. He was going to have to think about this seriously before he decided what to do. He had always hated the way he and the dragons had been blamed for the fire that had destroyed the wolves’ habitat and the fact that some of the wolf pack and people from the town had died… but for Aubrey to somehow be connected to it too, it would just open old wounds all over again.

And then he thought about Martin Hall, the man who was missing in Lone Reach at this very moment. All of it was crazy, and there was something deep inside of him, maybe his dragon instinct, nagging at him and wanting him to investigate it all as if, in some way, the two things could be connected… Even if they were ten years apart.

Aubrey wanted to help him… but what if they uncovered something that could drive them apart? Suddenly he felt as if the world was being pulled away and he had to take a deep breath.

Surely, they weren’t connected… but what if they were?

He had a bad feeling. As if he had just stumbled across something that had been hidden in plain sight. He tried to grasp onto the idea, but before it was even coherent, it trailed away in little wisps, the dots he was connecting in his head vanishing like bits of dust.

Aubrey came back to the table and it was clear that she had composed herself and was feeling better. She sat down, bright and breezy, tossed her hair over her shoulder, and sipped her drink. He could see that she was back to her old self and it relaxed him a little, but he still knew that this was going to pull at and nag him for as long as he was unsure of what it was exactly that his instinct was trying to tell him.

When they had finished their dinner and were walking back along Main Street, they passed by the club and Aubrey faltered for a moment as she looked up to it and seemed to be in awe.

“It’s a massive building, isn’t it,” she said as if she were thinking out loud.

“It sure is,” he smiled. “When I was a kid, it felt like an absolute palace… In fact, at one point, I even found it kind of scary.”

He laughed and so did she.

“But I didn’t just tell you that,” he winked.

“I wonder how Mia is getting on,” she mused. “At least it’s still standing and isn’t a pile of ash on the ground.”

Carter laughed but the uncomfortable feeling returned, and he was glad when Aubrey carried on walking and she rounded a corner away from Main Street and into the more residential areas.

She stopped when she reached the glass door of a small apartment building. Carter looked up and could see there were maybe only three floors and it looked fresh and clean as if it had been recently refurbished.

“Why don’t you come inside?” she asked him, playfully as she held his hand and walked toward the door.

Carter smiled and leaned in to kiss her. She tasted incredible, and each time he was so close to her and his lips met with hers, he felt himself falling deeper.

He didn’t want to leave her there, and he knew there was no way he was going to walk away…

He may have just had the best date of his entire life.

Aubrey was one hell of a game-changer.

Chapter 12

Upstairs in her apartment, Aubrey opened some wine and they sat down on the couch and locked their legs together before they chinked their glasses together.

It had been such an incredible few day, and now they had been on such a romantic date, she didn’t want the evening to end.

Each time she looked at him she felt herself becoming more and more turned on. He did things to her that no other man had ever done. Just looking into his eyes made her ache for him. Her nipples became hard and her heart fluttered. She wanted to taste all of him.

He took her glass from her and placed it down on the coffee table alongside his and then he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her hard on the mouth. She had been waiting for this moment since the second she had lay eyes on him. She eased herself back into the couch cushions and pulled him toward her, so his body was pressed on top of hers and she could run her hands up and down his torso, she dug her nails into his back over the top of his shirt and moaned as he gasped and pressed down on her harder.

She opened her legs so he could climb closer and he reached down between her legs and slid a hand up to the buttons on her pants, slowly but with longing and need. Aubrey moaned as he hooked his fingers into her waistband and into her panties and pulled them down so he could work his hand in further and find her engorged pussy, which was already soaking wet and desperate for him.

As his fingertips found her opening, he dipped one inside of her slowly. She was so wet for him; he grunted with approval, and when he pulled it out, he stroked her slowly, slicking her juices up and down her clit to bring her as close to coming as he could. Aubrey threw her head back and gasped, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and bit her lip. He was so strong, and his hands were all over her, pleasuring her and making her hot and on the verge of tipping over the edge at any moment. She held onto him tightly and could barely control herself any longer when suddenly, he teasingly took his hand away, rose to his feet and pulled her with him before he picked her up, and slung her over his shoulder.

“Where’s your bedroom?” he panted.

Aubrey motioned to one of the doorways off the main hall and Carter walked with her, kicked her bedroom door open and threw her down on the bed. She lay there waiting for him, and he pulled her free from her pants and tore her panties to the side and threw them down on the floor. She watched as he reached for his shirt and began to unbutton and pull it off over his chest. He threw it down and when she looked up at his incredible muscles and his tanned physique, she gasped again. He looked so sexy and strong, and she saw that on his left arm, he had the tattoo of a fire-breathing dragon. She held her breath as she watched him work downward to his belt buckle. He undid it with a snap and unbuttoned his jeans, pulling them down to reveal the biggest, most impressive cock she had ever seen.

He took hold of her by the knees and pushed them back as he climbed between them, and as he put his weight down on top of her she felt the power within him. He was like an animal. He was so strong and dominant she knew that she was completely at his mercy. He reached down and took hold of himself and positioned himself at the opening of her slick, juicy pussy before he looked into her eyes. He was going to take her, and she was so full of anticipation that she could barely breathe.

He slowly and powerfully slid his entire length inside her.

As she wrapped her legs around him and he began to thrust in and out of her at just the right pace, Aubrey threw her head back and clung to the headboard. He was opening her in ways she had never been before, and his power and the way he was able to dominate her was so perfectly frightening; it was a turn-on. She moaned with delight as she dug her feet into the base of his back, driving him deeper inside of her as he grunted and groaned and she felt the heat in his skin get more intense and feverish.

Carter was like nothing she had ever known. It was as if he knew exactly where to touch her and how… He was meant just for her, and their bodies were meant to fit together, it was so incredible that she never wanted it to end.

He pumped himself in and out of her, hard and fast, and just when Aubrey didn’t think she could handle his immense girth anymore, Carter’s body tensed, his thighs pinning her down into the mattress as he grunted hard and came, hot and heavy inside of her.

Aubrey trembled beneath him, Carter was reaching new depths and it felt incredible, as he kissed her neck, he thrust into her one final time and she spiraled out of control and over the edge. Her orgasm tore through her, her whole body quivering as she unraveled beneath him. She bucked her hips and gasped and moaned, his slick muscles pressed down on her and she bit her lip and screamed as she came hard again and again.

When she was completely spent and couldn’t take it any longer, he slowly withdrew and held her neck as he kissed her gently on the lips. He was trembling too, but as they looked into each other’s eyes, she felt something change between them. They were bonded deeply, more than she had ever been to someone she had slept with.

“That was incredible,” he panted as he kissed her again. “It was so right.”

Aubrey couldn’t even speak, she was still in the throes of too much pleasure, but as Carter cradled her in his arms, she knew right then and there that she had found something life changing.

She had been in doubt when they had met, but there was no turning away now. Carter had been sent to her, and she had the feeling he was going to completely change her life.

Chapter 13

Aubrey looked at her watch as she skipped away from the office and made her way toward her mom’s house. Another couple of days had passed by at work and she had been up in the clouds during all of them. Her colleagues had commented on how happy and excited she seemed, and she didn’t know how she had managed to keep her time with Carter to herself. But she was a private person, and she didn’t want to be grilled and become the office gossip. She was enjoying every moment that she spent with him, and to have this just for the two of them.

They had spent hours on the phone each night, talking about their hopes and dreams. They met up once or twice a day, discussed the Martin Hall disappearance and looked into things that they thought could be good leads. But it was proving harder than she had thought it would be, and he was becoming less and less eager to talk about it. It was a good job their passion was high, and they could barely keep their hands off each other. Every time her phone pinged, and she saw his name her pussy tingled at the thought of what he could do to her and how she knew he could make her feel. They had found something so unique and powerful, and it were as if they had known each other for a lifetime. She was already in deep. She had let him break down her barriers when it had come to being unsure of whether she could do a relationship, but every time they were together it became obvious that they had something so pure and special, and she was falling harder and harder for him each day.

He had texted her during the day, almost every hour, and had filled her in on everything he was doing. He lived an exciting life, that much was obvious. He was constantly on the go, doing things for the club and working with a group of guys he seemed to treat like family. He spent a lot of his time out in the wilderness, which she loved, especially as she had been right about him being the outdoors type. He called her on his hikes and told her he was sitting by clear blue lakes and thinking about her, begging her to take the day off and to come out with him.

She wished she could… she truly did… but she couldn’t risk losing her job. Even though, for Carter, it would be totally worth it…

On the nights he was working, Aubrey would venture down and sit at the bar with him, their legs tangled up together as he did the books and she tapped her foot to the music. It was fresh and exciting, and just being there with him, watching him in his element made her fall for him ever harder. If she couldn’t be there, he would text her from the club and tell her about what was happening. Mia had been settling in well, and he thought she was a good worker, and Victor seemed impressed with her too. This had given Aubrey the best feeling to know that her friend had finally seemed to have found a working environment that suited her and where she was appreciated. She hoped this would be a turning point for her, and from now on, she would have a stable workplace and not have to worry.

Carter had fast become the first person she spoke to in the mornings and the last person she spoke to before she went to sleep. He sent her fun messages, jokes, and memes; he just seemed to get her humor and get her in general, and she never felt as if she was trying with him, they just seemed to click together effortlessly.

She thought about him all the time… He was deep inside her mind, and when they weren’t tangled up together in bed she could still feel him inside of her, as if he had left a part of himself there and she was going to hold on to it forever. It had been the most fun she had had in a long time, but because of it she had also neglected to spend as much time as she normally did with her mother. Since she had told Carter about her father and what had happened to him, she had been missing her mom more and more and really felt they hadn’t been together as much lately, even if they still saw each other several times a week and spoke every day.

When she turned the corner and saw her family home at the end of the small, quiet street, she smiled and felt warm inside. Her mother’s car was parked in the driveway and the flowers in the window baskets were bright and blooming with the most incredible colors.

“Hi, Mom!” she called as she opened the front door and went inside. The delicious smell of cooking was wafting through the house and Aubrey knew, in an instant, that it was her mother’s legendary roast chicken.

“Hello, darling,” her mom said as she wandered down the hallway and wrapped her arms around Aubrey’s neck and breathed her in. They hugged each other and Aubrey felt like a kid all over again, coming home from school and jumping up for hugs before telling her mom about her day with her friends.

“You’re looking well,” her mom said as they wandered into the kitchen and sat down at the island in the center of the room.

“Thank you,” Aubrey smiled. “You do too.”

Her mom looked at her suspiciously and then raised her eyebrow.

“You look different,” she said as she narrowed her eyes with a mischievous grin. “Brighter and fuller of energy.”

Aubrey shrugged and tried to play it down.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said half-joking.

“It’s a man,” her mom said, holding up her finger as if she had just solved the crime of the century. “I can tell… You never were very good at hiding when you had a crush.”

“This is more than a crush,” Aubrey said as she sighed back against the back of the barstool and dreamily looked off into the distance. “I think this may be… the one.”

When she said the words, she wanted to slap her hands over her mouth to stop anything else sappy from escaping… but it was the truth.

Her mother’s eyes widened, and she stared at Aubrey.

“Well, it’s a good job you’ve come to see me,” she said as she patted the countertop and reached for an uncorked bottle of wine that was to the side of her. “Because we clearly have a lot to discuss.”

She poured her and Aubrey a glass and slid it over to her daughter. Then she headed for the cabinets to grab plates so they could eat.

“Oh Mom,” Aubrey sighed. “We really do… you have no idea.”

Once they had finished eating and were clearing the plates away, Aubrey noticed how quiet her mom seemed to become. They had spent the whole of the past two hours talking about Carter, and she had divulged as much information as she could without giving away too much of her privacy. Her mom seemed genuinely excited and pleased for her and had even remarked at how she had recently been worried that Aubrey would never consider falling in love because she had always been so independent and was so good at looking after herself.

Aubrey had agreed with her, but she explained how Carter had opened her mind to the possibilities of spending a life with someone else. She could still take care of herself, but she could spend time with him too and see how they merged their lives.

But now, after all of the exciting discussion, she could see that her mother had gone quiet and even looked a little sad.

“Are you okay?” Aubrey asked as she went and stood beside her.

Her mom turned to face her, and her eyes looked full of emotion, but it was hard to tell if it was happy or sad.

“I’m fine,” her mom said as she took hold of Aubrey’s hand. “Just hearing you talk about Carter like that reminded me of how I felt when I met your dad.”

Aubrey smiled.

“It’s true when they say that you know when you meet the right person,” she continued. “I knew it when I met your dad, and it sounds like you know it now.”

She gave Aubrey’s hand a reassuring little squeeze.

“I want you to enjoy every moment,” her mom said.

Aubrey hugged her and was so glad to be there with her. She always felt her best when she was at home spending time with her mother, it was almost as if she felt guilty for having given so much of her time to Carter. Seeing how supportive her mom was being of her made it even sadder that she was without her dad.

“I’ve been thinking about dad a lot,” Aubrey admitted. “I was wondering if you’d mind if I went and looked through some of the old boxes of his things in the attic?”

Her mom looked over her shoulder and smiled.

“Of course, you can,” she said. “The door’s unlocked up there, just head on up.”

Aubrey stepped into the hallway and went up the first set of stairs to the center of the house where her mom’s bedroom, her old one which she still slept in when she would come to stay over the holidays, and the spare rooms which had long been turned into art studios and rest areas for her mom to enjoy her hobbies were.

She looked at the foot of the stairs that led up to the attic floor, and she breathed in deeply before she strode forward and made her way up to the top of the house. As her mom had told her, the key was in the door at the top of the stairs and it was unlocked. She pushed it open and stepped inside and instantly a rush of memory hit her. The attic still smelled exactly the same ‒ a mix of essential oils and paint which her mom stored up there, along with their Christmas decorations and her dad’s belongings which they had never been strong enough to let go of.

She closed the door slightly behind her as she stepped in. She looked up and around and the sights came flashing back to her, memories burst into her head as she saw little trinkets and ornaments that had been placed up there but had once lived downstairs in the main body of the house. Her mother was so good at decorating and keeping the place feeling fresh, but she rarely did ever throw anything away. She loved to keep the pieces of her past, even if it meant storing them up in the dusty attic.

Aubrey found the boxes with her father’s belongings and she opened one of them and started to leaf through old notebooks and pictures. She could still recognize his handwriting anywhere, and she loved the fact that her dad had spent some of his spare time writing stories and jotting down notes on things he planned to write when he had some spare time. She remembered the fantastical stories he used to tell her before bed about the wolves and bears who roamed the woods around Lone Reach and the dragons who protected the mountains. She moved to the next box and opened it to see some of the magazines he had collected over the years. He had been a lover of the outdoors and a keen fisherman. Her mom had told her plenty of stories of how he used to go up to the lakes that were dotted around the mountain to hunt, and she couldn’t help but think of Carter and how maybe he had been somewhere her father had once been when he had called her earlier that week.

She put the lids back on the boxes, and when she moved to the last one, opening it wide, her gaze was instantly drawn to a picture that was framed and sitting on top of the rest of the items.

Aubrey felt her brow furrow as she reached in and picked it up, and when she held it out in front of her, it felt as if the floor was falling away beneath her.

It was a photograph of her father up somewhere in the wilderness, and he was standing with some men… but it was one man in particular who caught her attention… A man who looked incredibly like Carter. She swallowed and held it closer to her face. Barely daring to breathe. This man was clearly not Carter, but he looked like an older version, maybe it was his father? He had to be a relation in some way.

She cocked her head to the side as she studied it and then shook her head and tried to dismiss it, but she just couldn’t.

She held onto the frame and decided to take it with her. There was no way she could ignore something like this, even if it might have been just a crazy coincidence.

“Hey, Mom,” she said when she got back downstairs and held out the picture to show her. “Look at this, who is that dad is with?”

Her mom took hold of the frame and squinted as she looked at the faded, old photograph.

“Hmm,” she said as if she were trying to wrack her brains. “Well, I’m not totally sure… But if it was someone your father went hunting with, they are probably one of the were folk…”

As soon as the words left her mouth, her mother clamped her lips closed and cleared her throat.

“One of the what?” Aubrey asked.

Her mom shifted uncomfortably on the spot and looked as if she were trying to figure out a way to change the subject or think up a lie quickly, but it was clear she wasn’t able to think of anything fast enough.

“Aubrey,” she said slowly. “You must have heard some of the strange tales of this town…”

Aubrey shook her head, shrugged and scrunched her mouth. “I don’t think so,” she said, not even considering the kind she had just been thinking about her father telling her when she was just a kid. “What kind of tales?”

Her mom sighed, sat down and looked defeated as if she couldn’t believe she had made this kind of oversight.

“Your father never did want you to know properly…,” she said with a smile. “He loved telling you those stories, but he never let on that they were anything but the writer and creator in him, he vowed to never tell you they were real. He always thought your imagination would run away with you and you would end up going and getting yourself into some kind of danger…”

Aubrey was confused, and she stared at her mom until she continued.

“Aubrey, this place isn’t like other towns,” her mom said sternly. “Lone Reach is full of something else… something mystical.”

She could barely believe what she was hearing, but her mom was being so deadly serious, she knew she couldn’t be playing with her.

“Your dad was close with a group of men… They were some of the oldest families of this town and they were very well respected, still are in fact.”

“And?” Aubrey was starting to lose her patience.

“And Aubrey, there are certain things in this world that are sometimes too great to comprehend… but your father had a wild imagination and he loved all people and creatures. He was a very understanding man and he worked up on the mountains and saw all kinds of things.”

“Like what?” Aubrey asked, a strange feeling settling in her stomach.

“Have you ever heard of the bears and wolves that are supposed to roam the mountains around here?” her mom asked.

Aubrey shook her head. But inside of her something more recent stirred. In an instant she was taken back to hiding in the closet of the office at Carter’s mansion on the night they met.

Bears and wolves…

She gasped and then tried to hide her worry.

“No…” she said. “Nothing apart from the stories Dad used to make up.”

“He didn’t make them up…,” her mother continued. “It was real.”

Aubrey closed her eyes and had to take a deep breath. All of this sounded crazy. And now was beginning to connect it all to the man she was falling in love with. What had been a fond childhood memory of her father telling her wild tales that she thought he had created to write down in a book someday, was now looking as if it could be something solid and true.

“Well,” her mom continued. “These animals aren’t normal… they’re big and they’re powerful… and some say, they are also human.”

Aubrey scrunched up her face in confusion.

“I know it sounds crazy,” her mom said, “but I know, even at school, there were rumors you heard told them. The bears and wolves in these woods around here… they’re shifters. Men who can turn into beasts… and your father, well, he was friends with them.”

Aubrey felt her mouth sag open. Had she just heard that correct?

“It’s been a good secret around here, either that or most people in town don’t like to acknowledge it… but yes, your dad was good friends with the wolves and the bears… hell, he even told me one time that a group of powerful dragons lived at the top of the mountain.”

Aubrey’s mouth closed and she had to swallow down the hard feeling in her throat. Her dad had told her stories about dragons too.

And suddenly all she could think about was Carter.

It wasn’t just the tattoo on his chest, or the statues along the hallways and opulence of his home. She knew there was something different about him. She knew that he had a fire inside of him, something animalistic that both frightened her and turned her on. She had seen fire in his eyes when she had looked into them, she had felt something in his skin.

A dragon…

She stared at her mother and blinked.

“Your dad was full of imagination, just like you,” her mom continued. “And he told me these stories with such passion. They were our secret, and he loved those friends of his that he met on the mountain dearly… but one day, he came home and said something had happened up there. That the wolves were in some kind of trouble and he thought maybe he should stay away. He seemed worried… even troubled… and the next thing, there was that awful accident and he was dead.”

Aubrey’s heart was racing in her chest.

The dragons at the top of the mountain.

Her dad could have known Carter’s father…

The fire…

Dragons…

It was all too much for her to take in.

She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead before she turned and reached for the photograph.

“I need to go, Mom,” she said. “But I loved hearing that story about Dad… and about the animals in town… I just…”

“It’s not a story,” her mother told her. “Ask anyone… There’s magic around here.”

She looked at her mom and wanted to speak, to ask more questions, but she already had too many things working around in her head and it was overwhelming.

Aubrey hugged her mother and left, and as she made her way home, her mind was completely scrambled. Her dad had been friends with shifters from up on the mountain and her mother said something bad had happened and he had wanted to stay away… and then the fire had occurred, and her dad had died.

Shifters?

How could she even begin to comprehend that this could be true? That men could turn into animals or mythical creatures… and even more crazy, that she could be dating one!

She thought of her father, of the way he had such a passion for the stories he had told. He had completely captivated her as a child, and she had loved those stories the best of all, but it had never entered her head that it could be true.

The fact that Carter lived on top of the mountain… that when she looked at him, she saw fire… that she sensed some kind of danger in him, something animalistic and powerful… and now, the dawning realization that his family business was called The Dragon Pit.

A fire had killed her father. Her mother had just told her the legends or stories around their town about wolves and bears and dragons were true. And she had even heard Carter and his “gang” speaking in private about the fact wolves and bears would blame them all potentially about Martin Hall disappearing.

Carter had been strange about discussing it with her lately… as if he was worried about it.

What if Carter and the dragons had had something to do with the fire that killed her dad?

Her stomach was churning, and she blinked back tears and raced home, she had to speak with Carter, and fast.

Chapter 14

Carter pressed the buzzer on the main door of Aubrey’s apartment building and willed for her to answer. She had called him crying only moments ago and he had come straight over, hoping she was okay and that she would let him in.

“Hello?” her voice came from the other end of the intercom.

“Aubrey, it’s me,” he said, his voice a rapid pant.

She pressed the unlock button and the buzzer went again to let him know the door was open. He pushed it wide and stepped inside, looking around and racing up the first flight of stairs, two at a time.

When he got to the top, he saw her standing in the doorway to one of the apartments and could see her face was puffy and red. He just wanted to go to her, he wanted to know that she was okay.

“Aubrey…,” he said. “What happened?”

She stepped back and let him come inside with her. If he hadn’t been so worried and caught up in the moment, he knew he would be taking in her personal space, that he would love to see how she had set out her apartment and got a true sense of who she really was, but it was all too frantic.

She sat down on the couch and passed him a photograph in a frame.

Carter reached out to take it and looked at the image. At first, all he saw was a group of men, but it didn’t take long for him to see that most of them were pack elders, from the dragon, wolf, and bear clans. His father was among them, and he could tell from that alone that the photograph had to be at least fifteen years old. And in the middle, there was a man he had never seen.

“Where did you find this?” he asked her.

“At my mom’s house,” she said. “The man in the middle is my father.”

Carter looked at the image of the man and it was strange, but he could see some of his features and how they matched with Aubrey’s.

“My father is there too,” he said warmly.

His nerves were fading, but he could still see that she was upset.

“They knew each other…,” she said as she wiped away a tear.

Carter nodded.

“Looks that way,” he smiled. “This is up on the mountain; I recognize the clearing.”

“My mother told me something…,” she said, and he could tell by the falter in her voice that it wasn’t going to be good. “She said that my dad was friends with men who could turn into animals… shifters…”

Hearing her say the word was both a comfort and somewhat alarming.

She knew.

He could see it in her eyes.

He nodded and looked at her deeply, keeping as calm as he could.

“Are you a dragon?” she asked him.

Carter couldn’t fault her intelligence. He had known all along that she would figure him out if he hadn’t already told her.

“Yes,” he said.

It felt like a weight had been lifted, but he still wasn’t certain she was happy with him.

“Was my dad?” she asked.

Carter smiled and shook his head.

“I don’t recognize your father,” he said. “But I know there was a local man who used to spend a lot of time up on the mountain and he kept our kinds secret safe.”

She exhaled and her eyes went wide as if it was all finally dawning on her.

“I thought it would turn out to be a joke,” she said, staring down at the floor. “But this is real, isn’t it? I could feel it in you from the moment we met.”

Carter nodded again and reached for her hand.

When he touched her this time, something between them seemed electric and more powerful than it had been before and made her gasp.

She jumped back slightly and looked up at him as if, when he had touched her, he had burned her skin. The sensation was tingling and hot… it shot through his fingertips and up his arm and directly into his heart. He felt it settle warm inside of him, and when he looked at her again, it was as if she was radiating light.

“Did you feel that?” she asked him in a whisper.

Carter nodded.

“What was it?” she asked, breathless.

“I think it was me imprinting on you,” he said as his own heart raced away within his chest.

“Imprinting?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “It’s happened because you’ve seen all of me now…” he smiled and rubbed a hand down his face. “I knew the second I saw you that there was something strong between us. I knew you were the one… but I was holding back, and I hadn’t told you the truth about me… Now that I have… we can be together as we are fated to be.”

Her eyes were glistening, her pupils wide, and she smiled at him, even though he could sense her fear.

“Fated?” she asked.

“Yes,” he told her as he reached for her hand again and he felt warmth radiate between them. He had to hold her close, to bring her body next to his and to look into her eyes properly. “I’ve been waiting for you my whole life…”

He could see that she was getting emotional and her eyes seemed to be filling with tears.

“I’ve been feeling that too,” she admitted. “But I didn’t know if it was all in my head.”

Carter reached up and cupped his hand to her face.

“No,” he smiled. “Something this good has to be real… It could never just be in your head.”

She leaned into his touch and blinked, a lone tear rolling down her face and down to her chin.

“I’ve never wanted to protect someone as much as I have you,” he said. “When I saw you for the first time, I tried to deny it… but the more time I spent with you, the more I knew it was going to be impossible to stay away.”

“I’ve never wanted a man in my life,” she said. “I’ve never needed one… I never thought I would need one. But when I met you, all that changed. I’ve never felt vulnerable before, but I do when I’m with you… It’s strange but I don’t even mind. It’s like it’s meant to be this way. Now that I’ve found you, I can let my walls down and just be me.”

Carter pulled her close to him and kissed her deeply. In his brain, he could feel the electricity thumping through him, he felt the power of their connection forging and becoming stronger. He could taste the endless nature of their love; of the way it was aching to be explored. He had wanted this woman since the moment he had first laid eyes on her… And now, she was there in his arms and he had been able to tell her his secret… She knew he was half man and half dragon, and she hadn’t run away. And not only that but he had found that her father had some connection to his clan. He wasn’t just a random man from town… Was it possible that Aubrey’s father was the man that had been such good friends with the packs before they had all fallen out around the time of the fire?

The fire… it had killed him… he swallowed and tried to push it out of his mind. He knew she would be able to see it all over his face.

Her lips were soft and welcoming, and as they pulled themselves even closer together, Carter knew he was never going to let this woman go.

He sat back and looked in her eyes, and she smiled at him. He was barely able to believe his luck. But here he was, a dragon alpha of the Lone Reach pack and he had finally found his fated mate.

From here on in, his life was about to change.

Chapter 15

A dragon.

She was in the arms of a dragon.

It should have terrified her, but instead, she had never felt so safe, secure and protected.

Carter’s father and her father had known each other. But now she had other questions… ones that wouldn’t be quiet… ones that were becoming muddled in her mind and making her want to ask more… but she was afraid that she wouldn’t like the answer.

Carter kissed her and she fell into his arms, her passion and desire for him overcame everything and all she could focus on in that moment was him and the way they clicked so perfectly together.

He had spoken about them being fated mates, but now, it was as if there was no doubt in either of their minds. They had been meant to be together since they had both been born. Who knows how long their dads had been friends, maybe they had been their whole lives. Knowing what she did know about the magic and secrets in her little town, it was likely her father had kept his friendship with the shifters a secret to protect them, his wife and Aubrey.

What a man her father was. He really was a saint. One of a kind. And now that she had met Carter, she saw so many of the same qualities in them both and knowing that they had a deeper connection through their families made her love him even more.

Having him there with her in her apartment was taking away all of her fear and doubt. He had come to her and was helping her through this. She wanted to know all of him, and she wasn’t afraid that he had magic running through his veins. She would give him all she had, and she wanted to be with him forever…

She felt as if they were deeply bonded at their soul.

He was the other half of her…

Carter held onto her and she looked up into his incredibly dark eyes. The light caught them in the right way; she saw the fire within them, and it made her heart race. The danger attached to a man like him was massive, but she was ready for it and she wanted to experience it all. Now she knew he was a dragon; she was sure their love making would be even more powerful.

She rose to her feet slowly and took hold of his hand.

“Take me to bed,” she whispered.

Carter picked her up at the waist and she wrapped her legs around him. They kissed each other hungrily and as he kicked open the door to her bedroom and walked with her to the side of the room, she could barely wait to rip his clothes from him.

He gently took hold of her throat and pushed her up against the wall. He kissed her neck and his rough stubble grazed against her so deliciously that it made her weak at the knees. He looked at her deep in the eyes as he breathed heavily, the fire within him getting stronger and more dominant. As he pushed against her, she could feel the rock-hard power that was between his legs and she moaned with want for it. She had to have him inside of her. She wanted him so badly her whole body was in a tangle of desire.

He gripped her thighs and turned and walked with her toward the bed where they tumbled down onto together and he trailed kisses from her neck all the way down to her breasts. He clutched them and pulled them free from her top and nuzzled his head into them, before he reached down and hooked his hand into her panties. She could feel his fire. He was so hot, and she could see something different in his eyes. His whole aura was changing, and she was sure the dragon was lurking right there beneath the surface of his skin.

When he removed her underwear and pulled them off over her feet and gripped onto her legs, he began to lick and kiss down her thighs, onto the inside and up to her sweetest spot. He pulled her to the edge of the bed and held onto her as his tongue flickered up and down her pussy sending her whole body convulsing and her hip bucking up to meet his mouth. His tongue was hot and wet, and with each lick and suck he sent ripples of ecstasy right the way up the entire length of her spine.

She grabbed onto the bedsheets and gripped them, crunching them between her fingers as he pushed his powerful tongue inside of her. In and out, again and again. She gasped and bucked her hips, meeting his mouth with her pussy as he ate her hungrily and sent her towering over the edge into the most intense orgasm of her life.

She moaned and writhed in the bed, but he didn’t let her rest for long. Before she knew what was happening he had taken hold of her wrists and was pinning her back into the pillows with one hand, whilst with the other he took hold of his incredibly powerful cock and pushed it deep inside of her. The sensation was almost too much for her to take, and as he fucked her deep and slow she felt something transfer into her… it was as if she had some of his fire inside of her now; as if her eyes would be reflecting the same flames as he did.

Her dragon.

She felt the power surge through him as his thighs tensed and he bore down on her harder, he was so powerful as he came that it sent her into climax once more and they came together as he spilled his seed inside of her and they were joined for all time.

They collapsed down next to each other, a mess of lust, love and pleasure, and Aubrey looked up at him, unable to believe how lucky she was.

He had come into her life and flipped it upside down in the best possible way. She was with him now, forever.

“This is so meant to be,” she whispered when she finally got her breath back.

Carter kissed her again and wrapped his hands up in her hair.

“I’ve waited so long for you,” he said. “And I’m never letting you go.”

She smiled and buried her head into his chest. Beneath his skin, she could hear his heart beating, strong and hard, like the dragon he was.

She closed her eyes and felt all of her troubles begin to fall away, all that mattered, in that moment, was her and Carter. She loved him so much, and she couldn’t wait to see where they would go next.

It was the best feeling she had ever known.

Chapter 16

Waking up with her dragon beside her again was the best feeling. She felt so safe and protected, and knowing now what he was… meant that she was even safer than she ever could have imagined.

She rolled over and stared at him, he was still sleeping soundly, and he looked so peaceful. It was hard to imagine that somewhere within him there was a terrifying creature that could rip loose and cause so much damage.

She reached up and stroked his face, before she was sure she heard the sound of something dropping through the front door.

She furrowed her brow and sat up.

Weird, she thought, as she climbed out of bed and tiptoed down the hall and toward her front door.

The mailboxes were downstairs in the lobby, so for someone to put something through was a rare occurrence.

She stopped and looked down at the small piece of paper that was lying on the mat, and she reached down and picked it up. It was a plain sheet of A4 that had been folded down the center, shielding what was inside.

She opened it and stared, and for a moment she couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing… but the more the words came into focus, the more her hands began to tremble and she felt the tears prick the corner of her eyes.

She swallowed and tried to steady herself against the wall of the hallway, before she staggered back through to the bedroom, shaking, and completely confused.

“Carter…” she said, barely able to speak. “Carter…”

He rolled over in bed and stretched, and she saw how he reached for her and then sat upright instantly when he realized she wasn’t there.

“Hey,” he said, bleary eyed. “What you doing over there? Come here…”

She shook her head.

She was crying hard now, and the tears spilled down her cheeks.

“Oh my god, Aubrey?” he said as he clambered out of bed and came to her.

She stepped back and put her arm up between them as a shield.

“Explain this…” she said, and she threw the piece of paper at him. “Is this true?”

She watched as his eyes scanned the page, they darted from right to left, taking it all in, and he looked up at her, stunned, but not shocked and he faltered.

On the paper that had been put under her door was the image of a dragon… and beneath it someone had simply scrawled…

DON’T TRUST HIM. HIS KIND KILLED YOUR FATHER.

“Aubrey,” he said as he took a step toward her. But the look on his face told her all she needed to know.

“You knew this… all this time?” she stammered.

“No…No..” he tried to speak but she was walking away. She couldn’t and wouldn’t listen to his excuses.

He wasn’t shocked or surprised by this… and he wasn’t telling her it wasn’t true.

“You let me sit there and pour my heart out… pretending you cared, and all this time it was your pack of fucking dragons that killed my father?”

She was so incensed that she picked up the closest thing to her and sent it hurtling at the wall. A glass, which smashed on the other side of the room.

Carter tried to come closer, to calm her, but she was too upset, and she fell to the floor and sobbed.

“Just leave,” she cried. “I never should have got involved with you.”

Carter took a step back and looked as if she had punched him in the stomach. And then he gathered up his clothes and went for the door.

“Aubrey…” he said as he stood there, slipping his jeans and t-shirt on and reaching for the door handle. “This isn’t what you think.”

“It seems pretty clear to me,” she said. “Get out.”

She couldn’t look as the door opened and closed and he walked out of her life. And she couldn’t look at the piece of paper than had come and destroyed them either.

She had worked so hard at letting him in, she had fallen for him, and now this? It had all been for nothing.

A fire…

Dragons…

Of course, they had had something to do with it.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and curled up on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.

She had never been this low… and she only had him to blame.

Chapter 17

The next day, after a fretful twenty-four hours, Carter walked along Main Street with his head in his hands and a fire raging inside of him. It had to be the wolves… but why? In the aftermath of their love, he and Aubrey could barely take their eyes off each other, drinking each other in and wishing they could stay in bed forever. And now, only a day later, it had all been destroyed.

He was so full of anger, and he made his way toward the club, to collect some paperwork, anything to help take his mind off this.

He walked up the steps to the club and he pushed the door open, showing the big, red curtains that were draped over the interior entryway. They were ruffled slightly as if they had recently been disturbed, and Carter paused for a moment and waited, trying to listen to hear if any sounds were coming from deep inside.

There was something about the place that didn’t feel right, and he sniffed the air.

He wanted to tell himself that everything was all right, but the truth was, he had the feeling that it wasn’t.

Something had happened there… it reeked of something evil.

He stepped forward silently, barely daring to let his feet touch the ground as he went. He moved stealthily and held his breath so that any slight sound would find him instead of him drowning it out.

He could sense a change in energy around the place, and he could smell something too… something dark and menacing. His dragon was stirring within him as if he knew there was danger lurking around the corner, and somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he felt as if he could see something, almost like a premonition. He caught flashes of a man in pain, he heard a scream, and he felt a stab on the side of his throat…

He reached up and held onto it, trying to quell the sensation that he was trying to stop his jugular from gushing blood.

He gasped and it brought him back to the here and now. He didn’t know what had just happened, but it was if he had either seen into the future or experienced a memory from someone else’s past… and it hadn’t been good. It was as if he had been attacked as if someone had stabbed him in the neck.

He swallowed and looked up and around at the ceiling, making sure he had covered every angle of the entryway. He knew there was something bad inside the main body of the club, he could smell it in the air, and he felt it all over him.

He swallowed hard, and he took a step toward the red, long velvet curtains.

He felt no fear as he approached, but his sense of danger was on high alert. He knew something was wrong… something terrible.

He crept in slowly, moving into the main body of the club, barely daring to breathe and keeping his eyes wide and alert, scanning each corner and upstairs to the balcony and the third floor beyond.

He waited and wanted to call out, but he didn’t dare. Most of the lights were off, apart from a couple of low ones that were shining around the bar area and high on the ceiling, which seemed to be a lifetime above.

He turned around slowly on the spot and closed his eyes. His dragon senses were firing through him and he knew there was someone else in there with him. He couldn’t just feel them, he could smell them. It was an awful scent, one of raw meat and bone… it reminded him of death. He swallowed and opened his eyes.

From above, somewhere high, he heard a clatter and a light fixture fell to the ground next to him. He jumped out of the way just in time as it crashed and smashed into a thousand pieces right next to his feet. His eyes shot up to the eaves, looking around the very top of the building and trying to see what had happened.

He heard footsteps and someone running high up on the third floor, and even though he wanted to turn into his dragon, his instinct was just to run and catch whoever was up there. He sprinted up the stairs, two at a time, as he pulled his clothes from his back and kicked off his boots. As he got higher and higher into the building, the scent got stronger, and it wasn’t until he was at the very top right near the entrance to his office that he stopped and turned around. His chest was bare, and his jeans undone, ready to rip out of them and turn into the dragon alpha that was raging away inside.

And then he smelled something else. He felt the danger in the air, the sense that he had to protect.

It was her…

“Carter!” Aubrey’s voice pierced through the darkness before a horrific scream followed and cut through the air like a knife.

“No!” he shouted as he dove toward the balcony and gripped it, looking over to the center of the dancefloor.

It was as if it were happening in slow motion, and when he saw her move into the light in the center of the room, his heart both sang and sank. She looked roughed up, as if she had been dragged from her bed, her face was pale and her hair was mussed up, she looked terrified and he could hear the thump of her heart. She was afraid and it killed him. And that was when he saw a cold-looking, grey arm clutched around her neck.

He was so far away from her, his heart sank.

What the hell was that thing that had her…? And how had it brought her here? It was in the shadows and he couldn’t see its face… but it looked human from where he was standing, but it certainly didn’t smell that way.

“Aubrey,” he called out sternly. “It’s okay… stay calm.”

She sobbed and the hand around her throat gripped her tighter and he saw her tremble.

“Carter…” she sobbed, her knees shaking.

He was aware of something up on the third floor with him too, and he knew there was only one thing for it, he was going to have to shift. If he didn’t, who knows what would happen to either of them.

He heard the sound of nails dragging down something behind him as if they were cutting through the glass of the office window, and he went to spin around quickly but he was knocked off his feet, a heavy and hard object hitting him smack in the face.

“Carter!” Aubrey’s terrified voice rang out from below and he moaned as he tried to get back to his feet, his mouth streaming with blood. There was a hiss behind him, like a cold wind, and he rolled to move out of the way, his dragon senses kicking in. Whatever was stalking him was dark and malevolent, and the stink of it was heavy in the air.

He growled as he tried to find his energy to shift, but he was winded and the blood pouring from his mouth was making it hard to focus. He spat out as much as he could onto the ground and then he turned with his fists held up, ready to fight in his human form, looking around to try and see what had attacked him.

He edged toward the balcony ledge and peered over, making sure that Aubrey was okay. She was still standing in the center of the dancefloor and the dead looking arm was clamped around her neck… but whoever it belonged to was still hiding in the shadows.

Suddenly, through the sound system, a piercing screech rang out all around them before a voice cut through and began to laugh.

Carter covered his ears, his dragon getting even more enraged as it tried to fight its way to the surface.

“Little Lone Reach…,” the voice said. “Who would ever think there was so much bad hiding in plain sight…” he cackled, and it sent a shiver right down Carter’s spine.

“The wolves blame you still… for the fire…,” the voice said coldly. “And it’s true isn’t it… you’re all to blame for the death of this lovely lady’s dear old dad. Now another man from town is missing… how will you cover over this one?”

Carter’s ears were ringing, and he snarled.

“My clan had nothing to do with that,” he said. “Something evil started that fire… it wasn’t dragon fire… it was dark magic.”

He could hear Aubrey sobbing and he wanted to go to her. He could only imagine what she was thinking with hearing someone say those words. She would be thinking he had held back from her information about her father. The idea that she could possibly think his clan had something to do with his death was devastating. He had to make her listen to the truth.

“Don’t listen to him Aubrey!” Carter called. “This is all a trick! He’s lying!”

The cackle rang out around the room, the stereo system blasting it out and the floor of the club rumbling beneath them. Carter covered his ears as the creature began to screech through the sound system again, and even over it all he was sure his instinct was picking up on Aubrey’s sobs. All he wanted was to go to her, to sweep her up in his arms and to protect her.

“His father and the rest of the dragons killed your father Aubrey,” the voice said. “They wanted to destroy the wolves, so they were the most powerful and in doing so they killed the most important man in your life…”

“LIES!” Carter snarled. “IT’S ALL LIES! My kind would never do that Aubrey! It’s something we have always been blamed for, but something else started that fire. And I don’t know how but I will prove it to you. Listen to me Aubrey, I love you! Don’t listen to a word this thing says!

She sobbed and wailed, and suddenly, the shaking of the building and the noise from the speakers quieted. Carter took the opportunity to run from his point by the balcony and dive toward his office. As he moved, he felt the energy and rage burst out of him and his skin tore open and scales sprang up in its place. He roared as the dragon took over his body, as his face elongated, and his nails split to reveal claws. His body grew and grew in size, and when he was fully changed, he turned and looked around the room and screamed, a dragon’s roar cutting through the darkness and lighting the way with a burst of fire.

He felt the energy in the room shift. Whatever had been hiding was afraid, and he heard Aubrey scream again before he climbed up and over the balcony and began to scale down the walls, his huge dragon frame defying gravity as he clung on sideways until he reached the ground.

When he got to the dancefloor, he could see that the room was clear, except for Aubrey. She was standing in the center of the room, looking up at him, and her eyes were ablaze with fire. Where the beautiful blue had once been was now engorged with flames, and his heart swelled for her. She truly was a part of him now… She was carrying his dragon fire around inside of her and when he was in his dragon form, she was reflecting his power within her.

The creature that had been holding onto her, keeping her captive had vanished, and she reached up and touched her neck, wrapping both her hands around her throat as if she felt shocked to find the arm had gone. She turned and looked over her shoulder and nervously looked back to Carter the dragon, before she stepped back nervously.

Carter bowed his head for her and pressed his chin against the ground, breathing softly.

The danger had gone; now he was the one she would be afraid of. And she had to believe him, the creature had been lying. Now he was going to have to show her that, even as a dragon, he was a gentle giant.

Chapter 18

Aubrey was still trembling, but the creature that had taken her and held her against her will and planted her in the club as bait was gone. Now it was just her and Carter. The man she loved, but the man who also could have had something to do with her father’s death.

She looked at the beast in front of her.

To think that only a day before Carter had been inside of her, had been making love to her, and now, he was standing in front of her as a dragon.

She had heard him and seen the way he reacted to the accusations… she knew deep down he hadn’t had anything to do with the death of her dad, but there were still some unanswered questions.

It all seemed so crazy, and yet it made perfect sense.

It didn’t frighten her… she loved him, she had fallen for him hard and fast, and now she felt his energy running through her veins and she knew they were joined together forever.

But that creature that had come for them… That was something else. Something dark and nasty. It had surprised her out in the lobby of her building, dragging her out from her home and forcing her into the club, wrapped away and blindfolded and waiting in darkness. Its skin had been ice-cold and its breath fetid. She didn’t know what it was, she hadn’t even seen its face… but it had felt like a corpse.

She trembled as she remembered.

She looked up at Carter, at how he looked down at her as the dragon. She had heard and seen him shift from a distance and down below, and as soon as he had changed the evil had gone. One of them had been upstairs with him, and one of them had been down with Aubrey, holding onto her and dangling her there like bait, wanting Carter to run to her.

But it was as if they hadn’t bargained on his dragon turning up. Either that or they weren’t aware of how much power he could wield.

She smiled meekly and stepped forward. She realized she had been keeping her distance and didn’t want to offend him. This was her man; she had nothing to fear… He loved her, and he was her protector now.

The dragon was so big ‒ its entire body was taking up the whole of the dance floor and filling the club ‒ it was clear that if he wanted to, he could burst through the roof of the building and fly away with her on his back and they could be out of Lone Reach in a matter of seconds… but his eyes looked sad and it pained her to see him that way. It was as if he were ashamed to be the dragon… and she didn’t know why.

She reached out and touched the side of his face and the scales were so warm and smooth, not at all like she had thought they would feel. She didn’t know what she had expected, but maybe something cold… like a snake. He nuzzled into her hand and she smiled. His breathing was low, but he was clearly so powerful; he could kill her in seconds, but he was being so loving and gentle.

She leaned forward and kissed him on the top of his nose and rubbed her hand over his head.

He was her dragon.

They were joined, body and soul.

She wrapped her arms around him and breathed him in, the scorching scent of fire, masculinity, and power. It was intoxicating.

When she stood back, the dragon rose up on his back legs and began to move away, toward the other side of the room, and she could see the look in his eyes changing as if the human Carter was coming back to the surface.

She stepped back too, going right to the red velvet curtains that separated the room and the lobby and she stood on the other side of them, peering through the gap and waiting for a sight she was so intrigued to see.

Carter roared, and she saw him spin and his body begin to jerk; he shrank in size and then his scales shed and skin began to appear in their place, his nose and limbs returned to normal size and in a heartbeat, it was all over and he was lying on the ground, the naked man she had fallen in love with.

She pushed her way out of the curtains and ran to him. He was lying there, his face covered in blood. He had, no doubt, been attacked by whatever it was that had come for them.

Aubrey cradled him in her arms, and even though he was so big and muscular, she still wanted to try and support him as she helped him to his feet.

Once he was dressed, they sat together at the bar downstairs. Carter dabbed at his face with a damp cloth to clean the blood from his lips. Aubrey helped him, making cold compresses with clean bar mops and ice and holding them against his forehead.

“What happened here?” she asked him once they had both calmed down. It had been such an emotional few days. They had gone from the high of relishing in their new love to breaking up, to then being attacked by something evil, and coming back together… And of course, she couldn’t shake the words that the evil entity had bellowed through the club… Something about the dragons having started a fire…

“I don’t know what that was,” Carter admitted. “But it was clearly something dangerous, and it wanted to destroy us and the rest of the dragons.”

Aubrey nodded.

“Do you think they have something to do with Martin Hall disappearing?” she asked. “He was so cold… his skin… so cold and hard, like a corpse almost… He didn’t feel alive.”

She shuddered as she said it and had to blink away a tear.

“My clan had nothing to do with the fire all those years ago Aubrey,” he said seriously as he looked into her eyes and dropped the cloth from his chin. “I want you to know that. It’s something that has divided this town for over a decade… It has caused so much unrest among the shifter packs and we don’t have anything to do with the wolf clan because of it. Indeed, they always blamed us, but we always knew we were not responsible, that it was dark magic. Maybe the creature that came here tonight had something to do with it… maybe they were the ones to blame, they certainly seemed to know a lot about it.”

“He did, didn’t he…,” Aubrey said, thinking about all that had happened. “And it knew where I lived… so it could have been the one who sent the note.”

“Yes,” he nodded.

“It just seems so weird, why send that to me? Why try to break us up and try to make it look as if you had something to do with my father’s death?”

Carter paused for a moment and then he smiled sadly.

“I think they used you to get to me,” he said. “Whatever these things are, they’re watching us closely. They know I’m the alpha, and they clearly know I’m with you… they wanted to drive a wedge so they could capture you and use you as bait to lure me here. They never would have got to you if I had been by your side.”

He rubbed his head as if he couldn’t believe he had been so stupid.

She looked at Carter and could see the pain inside of him. He was sad because of the fire… And she knew deep within herself that his kind couldn’t have done it. The dragons were good people and they had nothing to gain by destroying a part of their town. There must have been something else that happened, something darker that none of them were yet sure of that they were up against.

“I don’t know who that person was…,” he said. “I don’t know what he meant, and I don’t know what happened to Martin Hall, but one thing is clear, he wanted to drive us apart tonight, Aubrey, but like I’ve told you before, I’m not going to let anything hurt you. I am yours and I’m here to protect you until the end of time.”

She smiled and walked closer to him, pressing herself up against his chest. He was still battered and bruised, and his lip still bled slightly, but she nuzzled into him and put her head on his shoulder, breathing him in.

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, and she couldn’t believe that she had fallen in love with a man that could turn into a dragon. She couldn’t believe anything that had happened over the past few weeks, but she knew her life had changed beyond all comprehension.

She had found the man she was meant to be with, and she had discovered that her town, Lone Reach, was not all that it seemed. It had secrets and magic, and somewhere along the way, her father had once been caught up in it all too. He had been friends with the shifter clans, he had roamed the mountains with them, and it made her feel an even deeper affinity to her connection with Carter.

Maybe her dad had been the beginning of her fate. He had paved the way for her and Carter to meet by being friends with his father and telling her all those stories when she was a child, making her imagination run wild and also preparing her for what was to come. Maybe, in some way, her dad knew she was fated to be with a dragon. The thought was comforting, and she held a hand to her heart and silently thanked her father. She felt as if she could finally heal and let him go.

She still loved him dearly, but now she had found a man to help look after her too… Even if she had always thought that she would go it alone. It turned out she didn’t have it all figured out, and she was so grateful to Carter for breaking down her walls and showing her how to love and learn to trust.

For someone who had never wanted protecting, suddenly, Aubrey could never imagine being without her dragon man. He had worked his way into her heart, and now, she was never going to be alone ever again.

Chapter 19

Two Weeks Later…

The club was bouncing, and the music thundered through the floorboards as Carter and Victor stood in the office and looked out over the scene below them.

The revelers were dancing to the heavy music that rumbled through the building, the lights flashed a rainbow of colors and the atmosphere was electric and full of fun. It had been a crazy few weeks, but things were finally starting to feel more back to normal. Even if they were no further forward in figuring out what had happened that night.

Carter looked at the dance floor and remembered, with a shudder, the feeling of seeing Aubrey so vulnerable… The way she had been captured and put there as bait for him, and the way the whole thing had unfolded. It had been a strange encounter, but one that had served in some ways a positive purpose. Since the night in the club when they had been attacked, Carter had spoken with Victor and they had decided it was time to try and bring the packs of Lone Reach back together. Clearly, there was something out there that wanted to destroy them, to drive them apart and watch them fight and grow weak.

He was wise enough to understand that the wolf, bear, and dragon packs would be stronger together, and so he had met with Mason, leader of the bears, and they had talked about building bridges with the wolves.

He knew there was a long road ahead, but he felt good to be on it, nonetheless. And now, he wasn’t doing it alone… he had his woman by his side.

Carter turned and walked with Victor to the door of the office where they left and began to walk down the stairs to the first and then ground floor. The VIP tables were fully booked, and he couldn’t help but reminisce about the night that had changed it all. The night Aubrey had come into his life and made him a better man.

They stood and surveyed the dance floor and the hustle and bustle of the club, and Carter took note of each security guard, making sure they were in the right places and looking nice and alert. Since the attack, he had amped up the security and made sure the club was well-protected at all times. They couldn’t take any risks. He even had someone up in housekeeping watch all through the day and night.

He may have been overreacting, but nothing was too much when it came to Aubrey’s safety… He loved her so much, he couldn’t risk anything happening to her. Especially, when a man was still missing in town. They may have been trying to help the cops find Martin Hall, but after the night at The Dragon Pit where Aubrey had been kidnapped and almost killed, Carter and her had pulled back slightly from trying to dig too deep. They would still help in anyway they could, and Carter was already looking into setting up some new security measures throughout the entire town, it was something he held close to his heart.

He turned and saw her sitting at the bar, chatting away with Mia, and he smiled and knew she could feel him. As he knew she would, Aubrey turned and looked over her shoulder and their eyes connected, locking in on each other as the fire raged within them both. They had their deep physical connection, and their physical one as well. He loved that she always knew and could sense when he was near.

Carter stepped toward her and wrapped her up in his arms.

His woman.

The girl who changed his world.

He leaned in and kissed her and was so grateful for this moment, even if it was just sitting in the club, on a Friday night, with his girl and his cousin… He didn’t need anything more than this.

Life was perfect in every way, and even though he knew there were challenges ahead, for him, his pack, and the town of Lone Reach… He was so glad that he had Aubrey by his side… because with her, he knew he could achieve anything.

Her love had saved him.

And his had saved her.

They truly were fated to be.

The End

Second Chance Wolf Protector

Lone Reach Shifters 3

Second Chance Wolf Protector

Copyright ©2020 by Samantha Leal

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Chapter 1

Main Street still looked exactly as it had five years ago. The grocery store at the heart of town still had the peeling paint on its door frame, except now, it was completely faded and all but gone, the same little groups of old-timers sat in the doorways of the restaurants or beneath the awning on the corner, across from the park.

It still felt like home but was much quieter than she remembered. Plus, there were the signs… Piper couldn’t help but notice the signs adorning the street lamps.

MISSING MAN, one read. And the other, TOWN CURFEW IN PLACE.

She scrunched up her brow and gripped Jake’s tiny hand, and then, she looked down at him and smiled; a way of reassuring herself more than him. None of this felt right. She had certainly come home to noticeable differences, even if Main Street still appeared normal on the surface. She let her mind drift back to the conversation she had with her mother on the day they had arrived. She had been told that strange things were happening around there, and the curfew was put in place to keep everyone safe in an uncertain time. Her mother had not wanted to elaborate much more, but Piper knew she was going to have to try to pry a bit more information, either from her or from another friendly face there in Lone Reach. She took a deep breath and tried to banish the thoughts from her mind; it was time to focus on her son.

“What do you think?” she asked as she knelt down so she was eye level with Jake. “Pretty neat little town, huh?”

Jake didn’t reply; instead, he leaned into her and held his hand up to his face as if he wanted to suck his thumb but hesitated. Since they had left the only place he had ever known and come back to Piper’s hometown, he had been even more introverted. But what could she expect from a four-year-old who had recently lost his father? He had already had to grow up beyond his years. Sometimes the way he spoke she forgot he was only four.

It had been a rough couple of months. Piper may not have been with the father of her son for the past three years, but they had managed to co-parent well, and he had been a good man deep down. Now, her little boy was going to have to go through life without a male role model, someone to show him the way, and it broke her heart. He had been so upset that she knew the only way to help him through this was to come back to a place where they had family; her mom and his grandmother could help them through this tough time, and it was going to do them both good to have a fresh start.

Piper cuddled him into her and held him tightly.

“Don’t worry, little man,” she whispered in his ear. “Everything is going to be okay.”

He looked up at her with his big, dark eyes and finally managed to crack a smile. “Come on,” she said with a grin. “Let’s go get that ice cream I promised.”

Jake grinned and squeezed his mom’s hand, and they both began to walk slowly along Main Street. Piper took in the rest of the sights that she remembered from her younger years.

It had been five years since she had been back to Lone Reach, and even though it felt like a long time, it also seemed to have flashed by in a heartbeat. She had left under a bit of a cloud, running from her past relationship, and knowing that she had broken the heart of the man that she could honestly say was her only true love. Her first love, Alexander.

But she had been young and naïve. And not only that but he had been a shifter wolf. Few people could say that their first love had been a supernatural being… a man who could shapeshift into that of a huge, hulking wolf when the mood struck right.

Alexander.

She had run because she hadn’t felt good enough for him. She had thought that he would always just view her as some human girl who he would eventually cast aside for his own kind. It had killed her to leave him, but she had loved him so much… and the thought of losing him in the end had been too much to bear. She had left before he had the chance to leave her, and she had never looked back… until now.

But she had never forgotten him. Even when she had gotten with Jake’s father and enjoyed those times with him, even welcoming her son into the world… she had never forgotten her first love… her wolf.

She found herself letting her eyes scan the streets as she moved along them, a deep wondering in the back of her mind of whether he was still a part of this town or had moved on too.

She felt a warmth radiate through her heart and she took a deep breath to refocus and clear her mind. It was so easy to slip into the comfort of memory and all the happy years she had spent along Main Street in this little town. It was such a happy feeling having all this nostalgia.

“Oh look,” she said as they stopped outside the ice cream parlor. It was mint green and electric pink and had a serious fifties vibe going on. It had had a lick of paint and a rebrand since she had last seen it, but it still had the unmistakable welcoming atmosphere, and oozed fun. She could hear jive rock playing from the jukeboxes inside that were mounted in the booths, and Jake looked up at her with his doe eyes and grinned from ear to ear.

“This looks awesome, mommy,” he said as he ran toward the door. “I want a chocolate and strawberry sundae!”

“Well, come on then,” she said with a relaxed laugh of relief. “We better get on in there.”

It felt good to see him smiling and excited, and as they stepped inside, it was as if she had gone back in time all over again. She remembered it all so well and seeing her little boy so happy and enthusiastic about something, after all the weeks of heartache and tears, gave her fresh hope for the future.

They climbed up on high stools by the counter and Jake spun the seat from side to side and eyed all the delicious treats on display, the rainbow of colors that couldn’t help but captivate a grown woman’s attention, never mind that of a child.

Piper smiled as she flipped open the menu and passed some money to Jake to feed into the big jukebox on the counter. Suddenly, things were starting to feel a little more back to normal.

She had the feeling that coming back to Lone Reach was going to turn out just fine.

Chapter 2

Alexander bounded through the forest around Lone Reach and sniffed the air. It had been days since he and his pack had shifted and roamed the full extent of their land, but with tensions growing higher every day, they decided it was time to ensure that none of their boundaries had been breached.

The fir trees were lush and thick, swaying in the spring breeze, and the scent of pine was so heavy in the air it was adding an extra bounce to their steps as they were beginning to feel the familiar sensation of the world waking back up for another year. After the months of winter and darkness, it felt good, and the wolves could not help but be drawn into the forest to roll in the earth, to playfight and jump in the rivers and streams and let off all the energy they had been keeping buried away inside.

Alexander stopped by one of the streams and looked back at some of the members of his pack. He could see the distinctive colors of Oz and Joe bounding through the shadows as the sunlight cut through the thick branches overhead. They were jumping and snapping at each other, playing and snarling, and it made him proud. He loved all these wolves like brothers. It reminded him of his childhood, and how he had bonded with them so fast when he had been left out on his own. His father had left him when he was young, walked out on him and his mother, leaving them to fend for themselves. It had been tough for Alexander to take on the role of man of the house at such a young age, but what helped was the fact that he had his pack and his brotherhood to help him.

His father hadn’t been a shifter, but his mother had. Even though his dad had been a deadbeat and a raging alcoholic, Alexander had always wondered whether this was also part of the reason he had walked out and left. As if the supernatural power he and his mother possessed had made him resent them in a way, made him feel like less of a man. Alexander had never seen him since, and he would never forgive him. His father should have known the only thing that makes a man a real man is to stick by his family no matter what. To put them first, and not spend all his time getting drunk and sleazing over women. It had hurt him, but he knew, in the long run, he had been better off without him.

He and some of his pack had been out in the wilderness for hours and even though he wasn’t tired, he knew it was time they began heading toward town and changed back into their human form. It was time for them to have the meeting they had been putting off, and for them to have serious discussions with the others in their pack. The meeting was essential, but it was one he was dreading. So much was happening in Lone Reach, and now it was becoming impossible to ignore the fact that action was going to have to be taken.

Alexander howled toward Joe and Oz, and then turned and began to bound back toward the trails that led out of the main density of the forest and back to town.

Alexander leaned back and kicked his boots up on the table in front of him and took a swig of his beer. The sun had long set, and after he and the others had been out racing around the forest, he had shifted back to his human form, showered, and changed into some clean clothes, using the changing rooms at the wolves’ clubhouse.

Since their habitat had been burned to the ground ten years before, they had had to adapt their way of living slightly. They may have owned and claimed a lot of the land around Lone Reach, but they needed somewhere secure to keep their business records and their own secrets safe. The clubhouse was a place where they could all come together to hang out and meet, away from the prying eyes of the other shifter packs that roamed the mountains and land around Lone Reach. Alexander and his brotherhood had had their run-ins with the bears and the dragons that were in town in the past, they even believed the dragons responsible for the destruction of their habitat, and he had always wanted to make sure they had a place of their own, somewhere secret and guarded by magic in the middle of Lone Reach.

He had already owned the building with the rest of the wolves, but when they had decided to transform the place into the clubhouse they had done so discreetly and ensured that it didn’t create much attention. They had left the place looking all but derelict on the outside, an old abandoned warehouse in the back streets, hidden away from Main Street and boarded up, with only one way in and a secret way out in the tunnels that weaved underneath the town. It was big and impressive, and from inside, Alexander and the wolves conducted most of their dealings. It was like a second home, and he loved being there, even if some of the rooms were still a little rusty and in need of some TLC.

“Hey,” Oz said as he came into the room and ran a hand through his hair, taking a seat opposite Alexander on the other side of the huge conference-size table.

Alexander took another swig of his beer and smiled.

“I’m not looking forward to this,” he said lowly, catching Oz’s eye.

Oz nodded in agreement.

“I feel as if it’s going to set plenty of wheels in motion, but I’m not sure it’s going to be for our benefit,” Oz sighed.

“Yeah,” Alexander rested his bottle down. “It’s only ever to benefit those fucking dragons, that’s why.”

He clenched his jaw and gripped the corners of the table. It was going to take all his willpower to not blow up when it came to having their actual meeting with the shifter packs so they could all begin to work together properly and make sure the town was safe. So much had been happening over the past few months, and it was beginning to get worse by the day. Strong men had gone missing, strange figures had been seen lurking in the shadows, tension was growing in the air and all of the packs could smell the change. Something evil had descended on their town, and it was only a matter of time before someone was found dead.

“That dragon,” Alexander said. “Carter… he said he’s seen something… knows something about what could be going on. But how can we trust him?”

Oz shrugged and sighed. A few weeks before, one of the dragon members had been ambushed at his own nightclub and had nearly been killed by some kind of supernatural force. He said it had smelled like death and had so much strength it had thrown him off guard. Now, the packs were going to have to unite to defeat whatever this thing was… and Alexander hoped to hell there weren’t more of them.

“I guess we don’t have a whole lot of choice,” Alexander answered his own question.

The door to the meeting room opened and the rest of the wolves began to file in. They were Alexander’s most trusted confidants and brothers in arms. Together, they were powerful and ready to fight this fight no matter what.

“Hey, guys.” Alexander rose to his feet and greeted them − they shook hands, patted each other on the back and hugged − and everyone began to catch up before the main meeting began.

“Some of you missed out today,” Joe told them. “We headed out around our boundaries and really let off some steam.”

“Well, while you boys were playing daft wolf, some of us were working,” Rick, one of Alexander’s oldest friends, winked. “In fact, I had a pretty interesting day all round.”

He turned to Alexander as he said the words and the two locked eyes.

“Oh yeah?” Alexander asked him.

Rick smirked and nodded his head slowly.

The others all began to talk among themselves, but Rick leaned in a little closer so that Alexander could hear him.

“I was out on Main Street, I’d been running a few pick-ups from some of the bars, and you’ll never guess who I saw coming out of grocery store…”

Rick let the statement hang in the air between them and Alexander waited for him to continue, but he wanted him to ask.

“Okay…,” Alexander said. “Who did you see?”

Rick sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat, his teeth bright and glinting as if he couldn’t wait to drop a bomb.

“Well…?” Alexander asked again, getting impatient.

“I saw… Piper…”

The world seemed to slow down as he heard her name, and Alexander had to sit back and act fast to stop his jaw from sagging. He blinked and shook his head.

“Oh…,” he managed to say. “Piper?”

He pretended as if he wasn’t sure who Rick was talking about, but he knew it was pointless, it must have been written all over his face. “Wow…,” he said, trying to recover. “I mean… Piper… I haven’t seen or thought about her for a long time.”

Rick smirked.

Piper… holy shit… His first and only love. A girl who had meant everything to him, and then, somehow, had left him alone. He had never understood her reasons for leaving Lone Reach, but he had certainly never forgotten her, or the way she made him feel when they were together. She had made him a better man. She had been his world.

Alexander wanted to ask how she was, but he wasn’t about to. He wasn’t going to give Rick the satisfaction. He knew if he delved deeper, suddenly they would be rehashing the most intense relationship of his life, one that had left him broken hearted and pining for the girl ever since.

“Yep,” Rick finally broke his smug silence. “She’s back in town…”

Alexander smiled and shrugged.

“How nice,” he said, trying to not let his voice falter. He had so many questions… how could she be back in town and he hadn’t sensed she was here?

They looked at each other for a moment, as Alexander’s mind went a mile a minute, churning over the details of what this could possibly mean.

“I didn’t get a chance to speak to her, but I thought you’d probably like to know,” Rick said genuinely.

Alexander nodded and patted him affectionately on the shoulder before he slapped his hands down flat on the table in front of him and rose to his feet.

“Okay, gentlemen,” he bellowed, changing the subject fast and getting his head back in the game as best he could. “Let’s get down to business.”

He took his seat again and nodded toward Oz for him to start the meeting on his behalf, while he sat back and raised his index fingers into a steeple under his chin.

Piper was back in town… now that is something he hadn’t seen coming. He swallowed down hard and tried not to catch Rick’s eye. He knew from that moment on he wasn’t going to be able to think of anything else… and it had shaken him to his bones.

Chapter 3

Piper looked at herself in the mirror as she outlined her lips and then slicked on some coral lipstick. She smiled at her reflection and sighed. It had been a good week back in Lone Reach, and she had the feeling that even Jake was feeling instantly settled. She had seen his mood lift dramatically, and after their mommy and son date in the ice cream parlor, he was like a new kid. Now he had pre-school to look forward to, and Piper had high hopes for him settling in quick and making friends. It would do him so much good to be back around peers, to have kids his own age to talk to and to just get back to some degree of normalcy after the awful time he had had.

She reached for her purse and made for the door. When she stepped out into the hallway, she could already hear Jake downstairs with her mother having breakfast, and she was so very grateful that she had her mom around to help her through this difficult time. She was so glad to be back home in Lone Reach, it almost felt insane that she hadn’t moved back here the moment her and Jake’s father had broken up all those years before. But she had never wanted to give any sort of divide between them, and they had all still gotten along so well, even considering Jake’s father had moved on with someone else and begun a new life, he had always had time for Jake, and he was a good dad, that was all that mattered.

“Morning,” Piper said cheerily as she entered the kitchen and rubbed Jake on the top of his head to ruffle his hair.

“Mommmm,” he moaned as he reached up and combed it back down with his fingers. She winked at him and sat opposite him at the breakfast bar, where her mother, Fiona, had lovingly laid out some fresh orange juice, a cup of coffee and some fruit, and toast smothered in jelly.

“Thanks, Mom,” Piper beamed. “And how are you both this morning?”

“Oh, we are good,” Fiona said as she grinned at Jake. “Someone is getting very excited about the prospect of starting pre-school today…”

Jake looked up at his mom and smiled and held up his thumb positively. It was a new trick he had learned.

“I’m excited,” he said.

Piper smiled sympathetically. It really must have felt like a long time for him and she could only hope that by the end of the day he was feeling as if his life were returning to normal.

“And what about you?” Fiona asked as she looked across at Piper. “Have you thought much about what you’re going to do now that you’re back in town?”

“Yes, I have,” she smiled. “In fact, I was going to go look for somewhere to work after I’ve signed Jake up at the school.”

Fiona tipped her head to the side and looked impressed.

“I don’t want us under your feet forever,” she said. “I appreciate you having us here so much, Mom.”

Fiona smiled and reached for Piper’s hand.

“You don’t have to thank me,” she said. “And you don’t have to worry about working to pay for your own place. You can stay here as long as you want. Hell, you don’t ever have to leave as far as I’m concerned but I know, in the end, you’ll likely want to find your own place.”

Piper nodded.

“Thank you,” she said.

Piper looked up and her eye caught the time on the clock.

“Yikes,” she said as she took a quick bite of her toast and drank a few quick sips of OJ before moving on to the coffee.

“Ahh, you’ve got plenty of time,” Fiona said. “It’ll only take you five minutes to reach pre-school.”

Piper and Jake quickly finished their breakfast and then Jake jumped down from his seat and grabbed his coat and his backpack. Piper helped him get them on and then they both headed for the door.

“Have a wonderful day,” Fiona said as she cupped Jake’s cheeks and then leaned in to kiss him on the forehead. “I’m so excited for you, you’re going to have a blast.”

“Thanks, Grandma,” he said as he slipped his little hand into Piper’s. Piper looked back over her shoulder as they wandered down the driveway and gave her mom a little wave. It felt as if they were both on their way to begin their new lives.

After she had signed him up at the office, Jake went into his new classroom without hesitation. Piper watched on how straight away, much to her delight, that a group of children came over to him and started talking. He was instantly swept up in games and play, and as Piper said goodbye to the teacher and gave Jake a wave, she felt a huge sense of relief roll over her.

“One down,” she whispered to herself as she headed out of pre-school and skipped down the steps. “Now just one more to go.”

She tucked her hair behind her ears and began to walk slowly toward Main Street. It had been a long time since she had had to find a job, and now ,she was back in her hometown, wondering if anyone would even be looking to hire.

As she turned the corner that led to the main stretch of storefronts, she was caught up in her thoughts, her eyes scanning each store, looking specifically for a beauty parlor where she could apply her trade. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks as she caught sight of a man loading boxes into a truck on the other side of the street, and she realized he was someone she knew all too well.

Her heart seemed to drop into her stomach, before slowly rising back up and settling heavily in her chest.

She swallowed and instantly felt her mouth go dry. Part of her wanted to run, her heart racing away ferociously beneath her skin, and sweat beginning to prickle on her palms. But part of her wanted to see if it was really him, or whether he was like a mirage. She had been expecting to see him since the second she had arrived back in town, so had she just created him there now that she was alone and feeling vulnerable? No, surely not… there was no way it wasn’t him.

He was unmistakable, and her mind could never create anything so perfect. Especially after all this time.

She realized she hadn’t moved and was standing still in the middle of the street, staring to the other side at the man in his battered leather jacket, low slung blue jeans and big, black boots. His hair was longer than she remembered, shaggier almost, and he had stubble across his jawline as if he hadn’t shaved that morning. He looked much the same, but there was something different about him, probably the same as there was something different about her too… they had both aged five years, and their fresh faces were ever so slightly more worn and lived in.

Damn, Alexander looked good. And he was right there in front of her.

In an instant, she was swept back up in the memory of him, and of how they had meant everything to each other. They had been so much younger, and it had been the most amazing relationship… but she had never been able to shake the feeling of not being good enough. As she looked on and watched him, he was totally unaware that she was there, drinking him in with her eyes and noting how much he had changed and yet still looked essentially the same.

He was collecting a box from one of the stores, hitching it up onto his shoulder, which meant his own view was blocked and Piper was able to watch him without him seeing. She took in how he threw open the door of his truck effortlessly, his big, strong hands gripping the box and slinging it down into the passenger seat.

His truck was still the same and it made her smile. She remembered all the evenings he had picked her up and taken her out for dinner or to the movies or even just to a secluded spot where they lay on their backs and looked up at the stars while Alexander told her stories of what it was like to be a wolf. She still thought about those stories often, about the danger that came with being a creature like him, with knowing that some people would want to harm him if they ever found out what he truly was. Humanity could be terrible at times. People always feared what they didn’t understand.

She was lost in her thoughts, looking at him and noticing how deep and blue his eyes still appeared, even from all the way on the other side of the street. They seemed to radiate life and color, and even from the distance she was keeping, she felt transfixed by them. They really were the window to his soul.

While her mind was wandering, she realized he had become aware that she was there. He had sensed her. Just like he always could. She saw him suddenly still for a moment, his hands in midair, ready to reach for the next box to put inside the truck. His eyes slowly traveled up from the ground, over toward Piper, from her feet, up to her knees, then her hips and chest… then directly into her eyes.

She felt herself gasp.

She knew she should have run… but he had known she was there.

And now he had seen her.

She felt her jaw sag open slightly, and she wanted to smile or to wave, but she felt pinned there against the wall, with only her racing heart and her memories of the past for company.

Alexander.

The man she had loved more than anyone in the world… he was right there on the other side of the street, and now they were locked in on each other’s eyes.

She felt him. She felt his touch all over her skin. She shuddered and rubbed her arm. His heat was inside of her and slowly but surely, he began to take a step forwards, making his way across the busting Main Street to come to her again.

He stopped as he reached her side of the road, his eyes hadn’t left hers for one moment since they had locked in on them, and she felt herself shrinking. After all of these years she was still in awe of him… she still felt as if she wasn’t good enough, as if he were so superior to her in so many ways.

“Piper…” he said softly, a glint of warmth in his eyes.

Her heart swelled and she felt a smile flicker across her lips.

God, it felt good to see him.

“I heard you were back in town,” he said, and he took another step closer.

“Alexander…” when she said his name, she knew she sounded breathless. She hadn’t spoken it in so long, and she always loved the way it played on her lips.

She finally managed to move her limbs and she stepped forward, she looked up at him, at the way his deep eyes pulled her in, at the line of his jaw and at how his lips looked just as plump and soft as they always had. He was so handsome, and he still took her breath away.

His face cracked into a big, beaming smile, and he opened his arms wide and wrapped them around her, pulling her in close. She let hers circle his waist and she buried her head into his chest, breathing in him deep and feeling a sense of peace and home that she hadn’t known in a long, long time.

“Wow,” he said into the top of her head as he held her there. “It is so good to see you… what has it been? It must be at least three years?”

“Five,” she laughed as she stepped back and looked up at him. The heat in his arms was as soothing and protecting as she remembered, and although she didn’t want their hug to end, she didn’t want to fall madly in love with him again either.

“Five?” he said as he ran his hand through his hair. “No! How the hell can it be five years?”

She nodded and smiled. “I know, right?” she laughed. “Crazy.”

He looked at her deeply, and the memories kept flooding back. The way they had first kissed when they were teenagers, the way they had gotten together properly when they left high school… the way he had been her one and only for so very, very long.

She smiled and breathed in deeply, catching the familiar scent of his aftershave… it sent a tingle down her spine.

“How are you?” she asked, trying not to stammer.

How the hell did he still have the power to make her so nervous?

“I’m great,” he grinned, and his eyes seemed to twinkle. Up close they were even more intense and alluring, the blue so pure and powerful. “How are you? You look amazing.”

When he said it, she couldn’t help but smile and it was obvious that she had liked him saying it.

“Thank you,” she shyly pushed her hair behind her ears. “I’m good thank you… just, you know…”

He cocked his head to the side as if he could tell she was holding something back. He had always been able to read her like a book, and it was clear now that he could see right through her, that she wasn’t as good as she was pretending to be.

“What are you doing now?” he asked as he shoved his hands onto the pockets of his jeans, almost as if he was nervous to ask.

“Nothing much… I’ve just… well, I just dropped my son for his first day of pre-school and now I’m looking for a job…”

Saying the words out loud to Alexander was strange… she didn’t know if he knew that she had a son.

“I heard you’d had a baby,” he smiled. “Congratulations.”

“Not so much a baby anymore,” she laughed. “He’s four now, and a total firecracker.”

“Sounds just like his mom,” he winked.

They both laughed and Piper raised her shoulders and nodded as if she couldn’t argue with him on that one. There was something between them that was still as electric as it had been when they had been madly in love. She was trying to resist falling back into how they had always been with each other, and it was clear that they were both nervous, but he also made her feel so at ease. She bit her bottom lip and felt the urge to reach out and wrap her arms around him and pull him close. She found her eyes lingering on his lips, feeling the want and need of pressing hers up against his, to feel his toned and muscular body holding her tight and keeping her safe. She started to feel breathless again and knew that if she kept on thinking that way she was going to be in a lot of trouble. She and Alexander had broken up for a reason… she had run away and called time on their romance because she had always feared that he would meet someone from his own kind and see that Piper wasn’t good enough for him.

She found her eyes flicking down to this left hand. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring… and there certainly wasn’t a white band where one could have been. She looked back up and met his gaze.

“Well,” he said as he looked over his shoulder at his truck. “I’m just finishing packing all those boxes away and then I was going to head on over to Monroe’s to get a cup of coffee, fancy joining me? I think we deserve a catch up after all this time.”

She smiled and tried not to show how happy it made her that he wanted to speak with her and find out what she had been up to over the past five years.

“I’d like that,” she said as he took a step closer.

Just being in his airspace again was like being swept up in a former life… a life she had never truly wanted to leave behind.

“Come on then,” he said as he held out his arm, like a mock gentleman.

Piper laughed and rolled her eyes before she slipped her arm though his and they began to walk toward his truck. They may have not seen each other in five years… but their connection was still evident, and it was something that was exciting to acknowledge.

As she walked with him by her side again, everything deep inside of her was telling her to run. She would only get her heart broken, and she couldn’t love Alexander again after how she had hurt the last time. She had to keep her head screwed on. One cup of coffee… and then that was it. Then she would be back to focusing on finding a job, settling Jake in as best she could and not getting involved with anyone.

Just one coffee.

Surely, that couldn’t hurt… right?

Chapter 4

Since Rick had told him that Piper was back in town, Alexander had done nothing but think about her. But nothing could have prepared him for how it felt when he saw her across on Main Street… her icy blonde hair was blowing in the wind, her perfectly tan skin seemed to be dewy and glistening, and the second he caught her scent he felt a surge of want and lust in his heart. His hunger returned. His hunger that had lived and died with her, a hunger no one had been able to make him feel since.

Now she was sitting at a table in Monroe’s, only a few feet away, and she was waiting for him to bring her a cappuccino. Man, the world had a fucked-up way of working sometimes. This girl had been it all. Then she had gone and left him, and it had broken him in two… but she was back, and she had a son with her. What kind of man would he be if he didn’t check that she was doing ok?

He grasped the hot mugs in his fists and walked back to the table, setting one down in front of Piper and taking his seat. Her eyes flicked up to meet him and he felt a jolt of nerves. He could tell that he was making her nervous, but the truth he would never admit, was that she was making him quake in his boots too.

He couldn’t believe how good she looked, and how good it felt to see her. It was like coming home.

“I can’t believe how surreal it is just to be sitting in Monroe’s,” Piper laughed as she blew the steam from the top of her coffee and took a tentative first sip.

“You missed it back here then?” he asked her.

“I guess,” she smiled. “I moved back here to give Jake a better chance… we haven’t exactly had an easy ride of late.”

Alexander leaned in as if he was gearing up to listen to all of the backstory from the past five years, but Piper seemed to clam up as quickly as she had opened, and she looked away and changed the subject.

“I’m back at my mom’s,” she half-laughed. “It’s just like nothing ever changed…. And now I’m here, sitting with you.”

Her eyes locked in on his and he found himself smiling warmly. It felt damned good to be sitting there with her, he had to admit. She had a way of reading him, of grounding him. They had been so deeply entwined all those years ago that even though they had spent five years apart, being there with her in that moment felt as if they had never left each other’s side.

The chemistry was still there, and it was hot and overpowering. Every time he looked into her eyes, he remembered what it was like to be with her. To love her.

He reached for his drink and tried to subdue his thoughts.

“I never thought this would ever happen,” he admitted. “I thought you were gone and that was it. I didn’t think you’d ever come back.”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” she said. “But I guess that’s another story for another day.”

She winked and then she smiled.

“Tell me about you…” she ventured. “You’d heard I have a kid, but I don’t know what you’ve been doing in the past five years. How is everything? How is the pack?”

He sat back in his seat, it felt strange and also completely natural to be able to speak to someone outside of his brotherhood about his situation. Piper talked so open and freely, and he loved that he didn’t have to hide who he truly was with her, because somehow, she just got him.

“They’re all the same,” he laughed. “A pain in the ass!”

She giggled and bit her bottom lip.

His gaze focused on it, wishing it were him biting down gently on it instead. He imagined him wrapping his hands up in her hair and the intense moment of connection between them before he leaned in and kissed her. He could easily fall into the fantasy, to imagine it all going further, but before he had chance she spoke again and broke his daydream.

“And the clubhouse? Is that place still going strong?”

He cleared his throat, almost as if he were nervous that she could tell what he had been thinking.

She had been the only human that had ever been inside the clubhouse. She had even helped Alexander decorate part of it when they had been refurbishing.

“Oh, it sure is,” he smiled. “It’s the hub of all our activity as I’m sure you’ll remember.”

She nodded and looked down at the table and twirled the cup in her hands.

“And what about you?” he asked. “What sort of work are you looking for around here? Did you continue doing your study in hair and beauty?”

“I did,” she perked up, her eyes wide. “I’m fully trained, fully qualified and been working in salons for years now. So, I guess I’m on the hunt for a place around here with space… I don’t suppose you know of any local girls who have their own place and looking to expand?”

Alexander knew of a couple of salons dotted around town, but nothing that was good enough for someone like Piper. He couldn’t see her working for some of the dumb bimbos that trotted around Main Street as if they were on a catwalk. She was far more down to earth than that, and he wanted to help her in any way he could.

“I actually do know of somewhere,” he said with a raised brow. “But it may be a little bit more work than you had planned…”

She sat up with excitement, her eyes wide.

“I will work as hard as I need to,” she beamed. “Believe me, I will be glad of getting stuck into something, I need a new project.”

He smiled and felt the urge to reach for her hand. He knew she would be game for something like this. It was bizarre that she had come back to town at exactly the right time when so much was happening for him, and he and his pack were trying to mend bonds with the bears and the dragons. He had a shop space sitting empty, and he had vowed to fill it for the dragons, it was part of them growing closer and becoming trusting of each other. To show good faith, Alexander had agreed to manage it for them, saying he would find the perfect business to occupy it and bring them in good rent money. He wouldn’t trust anyone the way he trusted Piper… and if she needed somewhere to work, this was the perfect opportunity for them both. He could help her AND fulfil his promises to the dragons. It was a win – win.

“I have a space,” he said. “It’s empty at the moment and would need a few things to get started, but I would help you with that. The main thing is I want the building occupied.”

She sat back in her chair, looking across at him stunned and as if she couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

“Really?” she asked. “You have a whole building sitting empty that I can lease?”

“Yep,” he grinned. “Good rates for a good friend too… so it would only be a token amount of rent money until you were established.”

It felt so weird calling her a friend… but what other word could he use? They weren’t together anymore. She was his ex-girlfriend. But somehow, friend just didn’t quite cut it.

“I don’t know what to say…” she whispered.

“Say yes,” he winked.

And then he reached out and put his hand over the top of hers, his palm covering her like a blanket. The heat from the wolf inside of him rose to the surface and he could tell that she felt it too. She seemed to gasp a little, her eyes completely engulfed in his. Her pupils dilating and her heart racing. He could hear her heart beating and he could feel her pulse thumping away beneath his hand.

Touching her again was stirring something powerful inside of him. Just the sensation of her skin against his was like a drug he had weaned himself off and was relapsing against.

Piper.

The only girl that had ever meant anything to him.

“Okay,” she said suddenly, her voice quivering with nerves. “Yes. I’ll do it.”

Her eyes were bright, and he was sure he could see she was fighting back the tears.

“You’re amazing,” she said. “You’re so kind… thank you.”

He squeezed her hand in his and they looked at each other longingly.

Somehow, after all this time, they had found their way back together… and now Alexander knew… he was going to find it hard to walk away.

The building was a short walk down from Monroe’s, and once they had finished their coffees, they headed straight on over. Alexander looked across at Piper as they walked along the street and watched the way her eyes moved, the way she played with the strap on her handbag, the way she was so beautiful he didn’t know how he had ever let her out of his life. She walked along beside him and talked and talked, she reminded him of some of their high school friends, she chatted about her mom and the old family home he would remember so well, she told him she had enjoyed her life in the city and that at one point she had been happy, but she didn’t go much further than that. He could tell that she was holding back on something, something that was going to be painful for her to talk about.

The wolf inside him stirred and felt the overwhelming urge to protect her. She had touched his life in such a massive way, and now she was back, it was as if a switch had been flicked and he was back to where he had been when they were together.

She was his woman.

She wasn’t his woman.

He was beginning to get confused and he had to shake his head a little to push away his runaway thoughts.

“Here we are,” he said as he stopped in front of the empty store and looked at Piper to gauge her reaction.

It had recently been painted and the front was a clean and tidy white, it looked slick and was a completely blank canvas, ready for whoever wanted to take it over. Alexander reached into his pocket for the key and opened up the front door, and when they walked inside, he felt the excitement bounce from her.

“Oh my God!” she beamed. “Alex this is perfect! Are you sure?”

He smiled and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched her dashing around the space, looking at where she could place things, and move some of the workstations. He had already bought and lined up a couple of plain white desks, and they could easily be used as manicure tables.

“Of course, I’m sure,” he smiled. “It’s always good to help out a friend.”

There was that word again, and he knew now for certain he didn’t like using it. He saw the way she flinched too when it came out of his mouth. It was as if he had slapped her. It was an insult to the memory of what they had. Their shared history and all they had been through.

She stopped and looked across at him, her eyes looked different, almost sad.

“It sounds so strange when you say friend,” she half-laughed nervously. “We’ve never been just friends… have we?”

He could practically hear her heart thumping away beneath her skin and he took a step closer to her. She looked so vulnerable and afraid, as if she didn’t know why she had just said it, but also as if her heart was aching for answers.

“No…” he said.

He took another step closer and their eyes were penetrating each other’s. The wolf inside of him was stirring and he was longing to touch her, to taste her, to sweep her up in his arms and be with her the way he was used to. Being so cautious, keeping their distance, this wasn’t them. They had been everything to each other… and now he couldn’t stop himself any longer.

He looked down at her and reached for her face, he tilted her chin up slightly so he could look deeply into her eyes and he brushed a loose strand of hair over her shoulder and paused.

She wasn’t stopping him… but he could see the reservation within her. He could feel her fear, and he didn’t want to ruin this. There was too much at stake. Too much of a past that had made up such a big part of his life.

“Alexander…” she whispered, her eyes flickering down to his lips as she wet her own with her tongue.

He slid his hand slowly and gently around the back of her neck, and with his other one he wrapped it around her waist and pulled her gently toward him. Touching her in this way made the sparks inside of him ignite. They began to fire like fireworks, exploding up and up, growing bigger, engulfing his heart.

He felt all of the emotions and feelings he had for her all those years before, and he remembered what it had been like to love her. He moved in closer, their lips skimming against each other’s and both of their breathing becoming more rapid. His wolf was clawing away beneath, eager to taste her too, desperate to have her with him again and to go back to how they had been.

He kissed her, slowly and hard. His lips parted hers and she eased into him, she had been afraid, but with each flick of their tongues she was relaxing more, pushing herself against him and opening up to him. He could taste her hunger and her desire, and he knew that she still loved him. He could feel it all over her, it was oozing out of her skin.

“Wait,” she said suddenly and breathlessly as she pulled away from him and ran her hands through her hair.

Her heart was still hammering, he could hear it… and he could smell her fear rising again.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t know what came over me… I… I’m confused.”

Alexander leaned against one of the tables and smiled as he watched her, sympathetically and cautiously.

“You’re right,” he said. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No… it’s not that, it’s just…” she trailed off and shook her head. It was clear she was confused, and she had been taken by surprise. “I better go…” she said as she looked back to him and her deep eyes fixed in on his. “I…”

“It’s okay,” he said, saving her having to explain. “I understand, I’m sorry… It’s okay…”

He sighed and ran a hand back through his hair and looked down at the floor. Had he totally misread the situation? Or had he been right, and she had just panicked at the last minute?

It was all so confusing.

She walked over to him and reached for his hand. Alexander loved how warm and smooth her palms were. She looked after herself so well, she always felt as if she had just been buffed and moisturized. So smooth and soft. She smiled and a little laugh escaped her lips.

“We’re a disaster,” she said, but he knew she meant it in a playful way.

“We’re certainly something,” he agreed with a wry smile.

She hitched her handbag up onto her shoulder and cocked her head to the side.

“The space is yours,” he told her. “Take this key, and just get started whenever you want.”

“Really?” she asked.

He scowled at her, as if he were at her for asking.

“Okay, okay,” she said as she raised her hands in surrender. She took the key from him and slipped it into her back pocket.

“I have a spare,” he said. “We can discuss the finer points of everything later. And I’ll help you out with getting things set up.”

“Thank you,” she said.

She took a step backwards and faltered by the doorway for a moment as if she were about to say something else, but then stopped herself at the last minute.

She turned on her heel and began to walk away without saying goodbye. But Alexander could see in her what he always had. She was thinking things over, her mind was churning it all at a mile a minute and he knew he had thinking of his own to do too.

“A disaster…” he whispered to himself as she went out of sight. “But a pretty interesting one…”

He smiled and headed for the doorway himself, pulling down the spare key from up above the doorframe, and locking up behind him as he left.

After five years… really, not a whole lot had changed.

Chapter 5

Piper looked around the empty space and rested her hands on her hips. It was her first morning getting things properly sorted in her new business premises, and she was raring to go, even if her mind was still completely scrambled.

Meeting up with Alexander again had been a whirlwind, and for him to offer to help with getting her set up and back on her feet had been awe inspiring. Being around him again had taken her right back to where they had left it. She may have run away from him all those years before, but it had been to save her own skin. She had never known if he would leave her and move on with another shifter. She had always feared she wasn’t good enough for him. But he had stayed single all this time she had been away. She had done her digging around town and with some of their own friends. Apparently, Alexander had dated here and there, but he hadn’t had a serious relationship, and he had never married. Hearing all of this had filled her with a strange kind of hope after her initial reservations, as if maybe she had been hasty in denying him their kiss. But she hadn’t just denied him. She had denied herself as well, and it had been torturing her ever since.

He had been in touch with her plenty, texting and offering her help with things around the store and she had told him she would get back in touch if she needed him, but she had resisted so far. She was still scared what it might mean if they let each other back into their lives, but at the same time it was growing impossible. She wanted to see him, and she was ready to learn more about the Alexander of 2020, rather than the Alexander of 2015.

She had told her mom all about their spontaneous reunion, and her mother had been a little concerned. She remembered how in love Piper had been with the man who could turn into a wolf, and she had remembered how heartbroken Piper had been when she had left.

“Don’t just slip back into old habits,” her mom had said. “Give yourself some time.”

And she had. Surely it had to mean something that she was still pining for him. All she could think about was introducing Alexander to Jake, and she had laid awake at night thinking about how that would go and if they would like each other.

Suddenly, she felt a change in the air, and she knew that he was near. She turned and looked toward the door and saw Alexander crossing from the other side of Main Street. He caught her eye straight away through the glass and smiled and she felt a rush of relief to see him there.

“Hey,” he said as he opened the door and stepped inside.

Piper stepped forwards and hugged him, genuinely pleased to see him.

“Hey, you,” she smiled and then she had to check herself and step away.

Alexander smirked, as if he knew she wanted him but was playing hard to get, and he rubbed his back teeth with his tongue and his eyes glinted.

Her goddam wolf.

Man, he looked good.

He rested his hands behind him and leaned against one of the tables and looked around, checking out what she had done so far.

She had spent the best part of one evening painting the back wall an electric shade of pink and had ordered some neon signs to get the place looking extra funky. She had brought in some boxes and some artificial plants to decorate the place, and she was waiting on deliveries of her new supplies and treatment bed.

“It’s looking good,” he grinned. “I think you’re going to turn this place into something special.”

“Well, I do aim to please,” she said with a joking toss of her hair.

Alexander waited her instruction, he had his arms crossed over his chest and she kept finding herself drawn to the way his muscles seemed to bulge. She was sure he had beefed out a bit more since they had last been together, it was like he had been working out every day, and also as if he had grown up into more of a man.

“How’s Jake?” he asked.

Piper smiled, she liked it when he asked her about her son.

“He’s settling in well,” she smiled. “I’m very proud of him.”

“Is he making friends?”

“Seems to be,” she said as she rested down the sweeping brush and moved toward the desks which she was going to convert into manicure stations. She stopped and put her hands under one side of the desktop and Alexander joined her on the other side and they both lifted together and moved it into its more permanent position. She could feel him watching her as they did it. He had hungry eyes and it was both unnerving and a turn on. Her heart started racing and she felt a longing deep inside of her. What she wouldn’t give to be able to just throw caution out of the window and let him take her right there and then.

“You’re strong,” he said as they went for the next desk and started to lift it across the room. “You been working out?”

Piper couldn’t help but laugh, it was as if he had read her mind when she had been thinking about him.

“Oh God,” she said. “You sound like a guy hitting on me in a nightclub.”

Alexander guffawed and threw back his head in laughter.

“Please, you know me better than that, that’s totally not my style.”

“Well maybe I don’t know you so well anymore,” she teased with a raise of her eyebrow. “You seem the same… but I mean it has been five years.”

“Then stop resisting and come for dinner with me,” he said it seriously as he dropped his side of the desk and stared at her across it. “I mean it,” he continued. “I would love for us to go out like old times.”

Piper’s jaw wobbled slightly, and she wanted to jump in and say yes, but her head was still full of reservations.

Alexander stared at her, and he tipped his head down a little so he could look at her intently with his incredible crystal blue eyes.

“You know I want to…but…” she said in a whisper. Her nerves were beginning to climb, and she couldn’t tell if she was blushing or not.

“Okay,” he said as he reached back down and picked up the desk. “Forget it… I’ve tried.”

His words cut straight to her heart. He looked pissed and she couldn’t believe how stupid she was being. Why was she holding back so much? It was so clear there was still so much between them.

“Alexander…” she said. “I just don’t want us to dive into something and regret it, that’s all.”

“I said forget it,” he said as he motioned for her to pick up her side of the desk.

She scowled and followed his orders.

He wasn’t being awful, he was just being realistic. She had rejected him now twice, and she was sending more than mixed messages.

“I want us to go out,” she said. “Please don’t get moody with me…”

He laughed and smiled at her warmly.

“I’m not,” he said. “It’s cool. I’m not chasing.”

“Chasing?” her voice seemed to raise a level and she could feel herself becoming amused and irritated with him. He always did have the knack of making her want to throttle him, in the best possible way.

“So now are you going to make me beg?” she asked as they set down the desk and he walked around from his side to hers and sat on top of it. He was close to her again, and he was smiling at her. She felt like his toy, and she liked it.

He was like a cat and she was like the ball of yarn.

He was coming for her… she knew it… and she wanted him to.

They had barely been in the same room together for longer than ten minutes and already they were looking at each other as if they wanted to rip each other’s clothes off. It was impossible for them not to be drawn together. She couldn’t deny it any longer.

She took a step closer to him and looked up at her. His arms were on the table, behind him slightly and either side, so he was open. His legs were open too, and she stepped slowly between them and barely dared breathe.

“You know what I want,” she whispered. “I just have trouble letting myself fall…”

He reached up and cupped her face in his hand and when he pulled her head toward his she let herself be swept away. His kiss was so powerful and strong, it was deep and romantic, the kind of kiss she had longed for. She moved in closer and pushed right up against him, wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he rose to his feet and took hold of her at the waist.

She never wanted the kiss to end, but as their lips finally broke apart and they stared into each other’s eyes, she saw the wolf inside of him lurking beneath the surface and it felt so good to be back there, with them both, knowing she was protected.

“I never stopped thinking about you,” she said, honestly. “I always wished things could have been different.”

Alexander looked down at the floor and smiled sadly.

“Well, we just need to make the most of today,” he said. “I never stopped thinking about you either.”

She smiled.

“What time are you picking me up tonight”? she said as she bit her lip and grinned.

Alexander leaned back against the table and pulled her with him, nuzzling his face into her chest and laughing as he held her tight.

“Go and get yourself home and ready,” he winked. “I’ll be with you for seven.”

She kissed him again and then rested her head on his shoulder.

It was always inevitable they would end up back here. She didn’t know why she had ever tried to deny it.

Chapter 6

Piper was in a whirlwind of panic as she dashed around her bedroom and rooted through her closet. Throwing down potential outfits onto the bed and standing back to survey them.

After she had said goodbye to Alexander at her new salon and raced home, she had done nothing but pace and plan. She was far too excited and couldn’t wait to get out there and see him again.

She had picked Jake up from pre-school, taken him home and cooked him an early dinner, before sitting down and doing some reading and homework with him, while enjoying hearing all about his day. He was certainly feeling well at home in Lone Reach, and he seemed to have taken very well to his fellow classmates, already sounding as if he was a popular member of the class. The teacher had taken her to one side at pick up a few days before and told Piper how amazing he was doing, and how much the other students had taken him under their wing. He had slid into their lives effortlessly, and it was now becoming hard for Piper to imagine them living anywhere but here.

After they had eaten dinner and done homework, Piper had run a bath for Jake and handed the reigns over to her mom for one night.

“You deserve a break,” Fiona had told her. “Especially if you’re going out for dinner with Alexander, you should try to relax and have a good time.”

She had felt so very grateful to have her mother there with her, it made all the difference when it came to Piper trying to also take back a bit of normal life after the terrible time she had been through. And so, she had thanked her mom, closed the door to her own bedroom, and got ready with some much-needed peace and quiet. If only her mind would stay as calm.

She stared at the dresses she had pulled out and placed down on the bed sheets. None of them felt right, and all of them seemed too over the top. She had no idea where they would even go once they were out on Main Street. When they were younger, they had never gone to fancy restaurants, instead always choosing to just kick it wherever they ended up, sometimes if that even meant just sitting on the hood of Alexander’s truck and drinking beers he had bought in the gas station.

She picked them all back up and hung them away in the closet, choosing instead some black skinny jeans, a red camisole, and a black jacket. This way she could be slightly more done up or casual, depending on where they ended up. If she added a light scarf, then she could just keep in on all night if they ended up somewhere overly causal.

She sighed and sat down at her dressing table. She pulled out her make-up and looked at her reflection. She looked brighter and her eyes seemed more alive. She hadn’t cried for days now, after it had become a bit of a habit as her heart broke for Jake each evening. She still couldn’t believe he had lost his father, but she was determined to give him the best life possible, and already things appeared to be working out well for him.

She dabbed on some concealer, blush, and eye shadow, before she curled her lashes and slicked on some mascara. She never needed a lot of make-up, she definitely suited a more natural look and always kept things light when it came to her eyes and lips. She dotted some nude gloss on her lips and then began to curl her hair before she shook them out into loose waves and rose to her feet. Considering she had gotten ready relatively fast, she felt good. She looked better than she had done in weeks and as she filled her handbag with some mints, lipstick and her cell phone she heard the bell to the front door ring and she breathed in deep, a smile working its way across her lips.

She literally felt like a teenager all over again.

Here she was in her childhood bedroom, waiting for Alexander to come and pick her up. And now he had arrived.

She opened the door to the room and from downstairs she could hear her mother greeting him and him stepping inside.

“My, my, my,” her mom said happily. “I can’t believe it’s Alexander… after all these years.”

“It’s so good to see you Fiona,” Alexander said warmly.

They were standing in the hallway, and as Piper reached the top of the stairs and started to walk down, it felt like she could have been about to head out for her prom night.

She had to laugh.

“Hey!” she said with beaming smile.

Alexander turned and watched her walk down, and she let her eyes take him all in.

As if the fact that her old boyfriend was standing there in her mother’s home wasn’t crazy enough, now she also had to get to grips with the fact that he looked good enough to eat. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a black shirt which was open at the neck and showed his tanned skin, and just a flash of the top of his muscular chest. She could see a tattoo creeping out of the collar too, and she had to really try to stop herself from blushing. It was strange noticing something different about his body, he definitely hadn’t had a tattoo five years before.

“Wow,” he smiled as she reached the bottom step and she pulled him in for a hug. He kissed her on the cheek and when Piper looked up, she could see how thrilled her mom was. She was grinning from ear to ear.

“Look at you two,” Fiona laughed. “It’s like going back in time.”

They laughed, and at the sound of fun coming from them, Jake came skipping through into the hallway and his wide eyes looked up at Alexander as he wondered who on earth this man was.

“Hi there,” Alexander said as he knelt down to Jake’s level and held out his hand. “You must be Jake?”

Jake nodded slowly and slipped his palm into his. Alexander gave him a manly handshake and Jake laughed.

“I’m Alexander,” he smiled. “I’m a friend of your mom’s.”

Friend. He looked at her when he said it and winked. She felt herself grin and grow warm inside. She loved that they had inside jokes again.

“I’m four,” Jake said proudly. “And I’ve got loads of race cars, do you want to see?”

Alexander beamed.

“I would love to see your cars, Buddy,” he said as he rose to his feet and let Jake lead him into the living area.

Piper and her mom lingered by the doorway and watched the way Jake took to Alexander like he had known him for years. He sat down on the couch and pulled out a big box of mini cars and started to pull them out one by one and line them up on the coffee table, giving brief descriptions of each.

Piper held her hand up to her face and had to blink away a tear. She didn’t want to get emotional, but she could see how much Jake was clearly longing for a strong male presence in his life, and for Alexander to be so kind to him when he still didn’t know any of what they had been through was amazing to see. He really was such an incredible man.

“Wow,” Alexander smiled as he ruffled Jake’s hair. “This is certainly quite the collection. You’re a lucky boy.”

“I have ten more on my list, but I have to do chores so I can earn some pocket money.”

“That’s good,” Alexander laughed. “I could also use a helper around my business some time so if your mom will let you, you could always come and earn some extra cash with me.”

He looked up at Piper and winked.

“I could do with some door security,” he crossed his arms over his chest and scowled, doing his best tough guy impression.

Jake laughed and started to copy.

“Oh, that is definitely the look,” Alexander grinned. “No one will mess with you. I think you’ve got a job.”

Piper laughed and shook her head with a smile. It was so good seeing the two of them together, chatting and instantly connecting. It was taking her quite by surprise.

“Did you hear that mom?” Jake looked up at Piper. “Alexander said I can go and work for him and earn some money.”

“Really?” she gasped with wide eyes. “Well that sounds fun!”

“Maybe he could help me wash my truck too.”

“Ohh yes, can I mom? Can I?” Jake was jumping up and down on the spot, clapping his hands and grinning from ear to ear. He was wearing his pajamas and little robe and he looked so goddam cute. It was going to be hard to say no to him, plus he knew it would be more than a good thing for him to spend some more time with Alexander, even if it did mean earning his keep.

“I think that would be a wonderful idea,” she beamed. “You get to learn the value of hard work and earn some money for your racing cars… sounds like the perfect deal to me.”

“Awesome!” Jake grinned as he reached up and to respond to Alexander’s high five. They slapped their hands together and cheered.

Fiona laughed and looked at Piper, it was clear she could see too how much this meant to Jake, and it was so good to see.

“Come on then Alexander,” Piper broke the conversation. “And you, come here and give your mommy a kiss.” She opened her arms and Jake ran into them. She hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head. It would be the first night she had left him since his father had passed away, but she could tell that he was going to be okay. He was happy and settled and there with her mom, not just a random sitter. He was clearly going to be in good hands.

“Make sure you go to bed when you’re told,” she smiled. “And listen to everything grandma says.”

Jake stood to attention and nodded with a smile.

“It was good to meet you Jake,” Alexander said as he and Piper walked toward the door. “I’m looking forward to us working together.”

He winked and Jake’s smile was almost a mile wide. It was clear he liked Alexander a lot, and Piper felt a rush of relief as they walked out the door and realized that the meeting couldn’t have gone any better.

“What a fantastic kid,” Alexander said as he opened the door of the passenger side of his truck so that Piper could climb inside.

He closed it behind her and walked around the front and climbed in behind the wheel. Fiona and Jake were standing in the doorway, and Piper and Alexander both waved to them as he put the truck in reverse and started to back out of the driveway.

“He really is,” she smiled, and when she looked across at Alexander, she saw him watching her with adoring eyes.

For the beginning of their first date in over five years, things couldn’t have gone any more perfect.

Chapter 7

The pack had teased him back at the clubhouse when he had showered and started getting dressed to go out on his date with Piper. Rick especially could see how taken and happy Alexander had become since had had run into her in town a few days after he had told him she was back in Lone Reach. But Alexander hadn’t let them bother him, in fact he was thriving on the fact they were bigging up his and Piper’s reunion so much.

He had a spring in his step as he had headed out the club house door, and the other wolves had all whooped and cheered him as he went on his way. They could see the change in their alpha, he was sure of it. Having Piper back in his life was certainly bringing out the best in him.

To have had the honor of meeting her son Jake at the beginning of their date had been incredible. And now, as he parked the truck on the corner of Main Street and killed the engine before he hopped out and quickly made his way around to open the door for Piper, he didn’t think he had ever felt as happy.

She slid out of the truck and took his hand before she adjusted her purse up onto her shoulder.

“Did I tell you how good you look this evening?” he asked her.

“You didn’t actually,” she said with a wry smile.

“Well you look amazing,” he winked. “I feel honored to be out on such a fine night with such a fine woman.”

“You don’t need to try to charm me,” she teased. “I think you know I’m into you.”

She laughed and then so did he. He hadn’t dated seriously since she had left town, and to be back with her was the most interesting thing that had happened to him in a long time.

They walked slowly down Main Street, hand in hand, and as they passed by some of the MISSING notices nailed to the streetlamps, he saw Piper’s eyes flash over them with concern.

“They still haven’t found that man,” she said lowly. “I wonder what happened to him.”

Alexander and his pack, along with the other shifters of Lone Reach had been trying to figure out the very same thing. But a lot had been happening around town in the past few months, and a missing man was rapidly becoming not the only problem that was starting to gain momentum.

“And this curfew,” she sighed. “Do you think it’s warranted, or do you think the sheriff is going over the top?”

Alexander wasn’t sure how to answer her question. When it came to the strange happenings of Lone Reach, he knew a lot more than the average person, but he didn’t want to tell her too much and alarm her.

“I think for now, it’s certainly the best thing to do,” he said.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, and he could tell that she was churning the information over.

He stopped by one of the smaller restaurants, it wasn’t as stuffy as most of the others in town and it was relatively new. It may not have been the kind of thing they would have done when they were younger, but he wanted to look at her across a table and hold her hand. He wanted to talk to her properly and hear all about her life while she had been away. He didn’t want to miss anything, he had to know what had happened to her and Jake, and why she had come back with so much sadness inside of her, even if he could sense part of it was melting away when she was by his side.

The restaurant was more of a hipster diner in a lot of ways. It was run by a couple of young guys who had tried to make it a more of a hangout for people in their twenties and thirties, rather than the kind of place the old folks of Lone Reach would frequent. They had rock music playing on the stereo, industrial tables and chairs and a blackboard painted on the wall showing the menu. They had a motorbike in the corner of the room as decoration, and on Thursday nights they held poetry slams and served sharing platters and craft ale. Now the brewery was open, and the bears were selling their creations far and wide, this was always one of the first ports of call when it came to gauging the public’s reaction. The quirky little restaurant dubbed The Reach was the perfect place for their first date.

“When did this open?” Piper asked as they took their table in the corner and got settled.

“Last year,” he replied. “I haven’t been in a whole lot, but each time I have I’ve always enjoyed it. Makes a change from the usual bars or the serious restaurants. I think the brothers who own this place are trying to bring Lone Reach into the here and now, not stuck in the dark ages. Especially now we are getting more people coming into the town with the brewery opening. A lot of young people are coming here for work.”

“I can tell there’s a lot going on here now,” Piper’s eyes fixed on his. “I saw some news about the brewery…”

“Yeah,” Alexander nodded, and lowered his voice. “That’s the bear pack.”

Piper smiled.

“And what about you and your wolves,” she grinned. “What are you all up to these days?”

“Property mainly,” he said. “But we have a few stores scattered around.”

She nodded and laughed.

“It’s okay, I don’t want to know…” she looked away and her eyes traveled to the motorbike in the corner. “You always were a group of slightly naughty guys, on the edge of something dangerous,” she laughed. “But I always digged it.”

“We’re straight as they come now,” he reassured her and followed her gaze to the bike. “The men that donated that thing though, well I’m not so sure.”

“The motorbike?” she asked.

Alexander nodded.

“There’s a group of bikers that are hanging around here these days and have some affiliation with the bears. I’ve heard on the grapevine they have invested in part of the new brewery… but what not a lot of people are acknowledging is that all the weirdness and trouble started here around the same time…” he trailed off.

“Wow,” Piper said. “Sounds like a scandal waiting to happen.”

“The Forsaken Riders are up to something,” he said. “I’m sure of it. But at the same time, it’s not my place to meddle. At the moment my focus is making sure the wolves are safe and our relations with the dragons and the bears isn’t put under any further strain.”

She smiled.

“You sound like a good leader,” she said.

He looked into her eyes and smiled back. Hearing her praise him like that felt like he was getting validation he didn’t know he needed. He hadn’t been desperately trying to impress her, but he knew he wanted her to see that he was a good man. A better man than he had been when they had been together last. He always wondered if he had hurt her in some way, and that was why she had left.

He was about to open his mouth and ask her, when the waiter came to the table and stopped him before he had the chance.

“Evening guys,” he said as he pulled a notepad out of his back pocket and a pen from behind his ear. “What can I get for you both tonight?”

Piper looked across at Alexander and shrugged.

“I’m happy for you to order for me,” she said. “It can be a test, see if you remember what I like.”

She laughed and bit her bottom lip cheekily.

“Oh, it’s like that is it,” he guffawed. “Well okay then, challenge accepted.”

He flipped open the menu and scanned down the sharing boards. There were plenty of delicious things to sink their teeth into and his wolf was certainly craving meat.

“We’ll take the carnivore sharing platter,” he winked at Piper as he closed the menu and handed it to the waiter. “And one of the Lone Reach ales for me, and a glass of sparkling wine for the lady.”

She tipped her head to the side and looked impressed.

“How did I do?” he leaned in once the waiter had gone.

Piper held her hands over the table and reached for his.

“I’m slightly concerned about halving a carnivore sharing platter with a wolf, but I’m sure we can figure something out.”

Alexander laughed and leaned across the table to plant a solitary kiss on her lips.

She gazed into his eyes and they kept holding hands. The server came back with a glass of sparkling wine and an ale for Alexander, and once he was sure they were going to be left alone for a little while and could actually speak without being interrupted, he worked up the nerve to ask her the question that had been nagging at him since the moment he knew she was home.

“What happened to Jake’s father?” he asked.

He saw how she stilled a little and her eyes took on the sad tinge he had grown used to seeing.

She paused for a moment, but he could tell that she wasn’t shocked that he had asked her. It was almost as if she had been preparing for the right time to have the conversation, and this was most certainly it.

“When I left here all those years ago, I was quite lost,” she said. “I was heartbroken because I had lost you… and I fell into the arms of someone who was a good man, but not the right man for me.”

Alexander saw the pain behind her eyes, but he urged her to continue. He knew he had to hear this story. He squeezed her hand slightly as a sign of reassurance.

“I found out I was pregnant, and we stayed together for a little while after Jake was born, but we both knew it wasn’t right. We both wanted different things and even though we could have probably stayed together and muddled through somehow, I didn’t want us to have any regrets. It was all very amicable. When we split up, he met someone else and I was happy for him, I really was. We co-parented well and never had a problem.”

“How does he feel about you coming back to Lone Reach?” Alexander asked. “Has he visited Jake yet? Will Jake go and stay with him during the school holidays.”

He saw the change on her face the moment he had asked the questions, and he sat back and waited with bated breath.

“He died, Alexander,” she managed to say the words and she sighed, as if a weight had been lifted the second that they had left her mouth. “Just over three months ago he was killed in a car accident.”

Alexander was stunned. He hadn’t been expecting her to tell him this. He had thought he was about to hear a story of a relationship gone bad, of a man who had hurt her, of her and Jake running away to start their new life together without a toxic presence in their lives… but this, it was truly heartbreaking.

“God, I am so sorry,” Alexander said.

“I’m okay,” she said reassuringly. “Like I say, we hadn’t been together in a long time. He was getting married to someone else, and we were never right to begin with… if Jake hadn’t come along, we never would have even lasted six months. But I am heartbroken for my son. He has lost his father and I feel pained for him every day that he doesn’t have him in his life.”

Alexander felt a twist of something in the pit of his stomach. It was a situation he knew all too well. His own father had left him… he had grown up fatherless. He could relate to Jake and it made him feel such an affinity to the kid, he wished there were a way he could tell him that it would all be all right.

“Does he understand… what’s happened?” he asked.

Piper shook her head sadly.

“I don’t think so…” she whispered. “There are times he says things like when I see daddy again I’ll tell him this… you know… and I have to say, your daddy went to heaven, he’s watching over you, but you won’t be with him again… and it breaks my heart.”

She started to well up and Alexander’s own heart started to break for her. She was so incredibly strong, and it was making him fall back in love with her even more.

“You’re amazing,” he said as he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it. “An amazing woman, an amazing mom. Jake is so lucky he got you.”

She smiled warmly.

“I’m so lucky I got him,” she nodded. “I feel blessed every day that he is my son.”

Alexander was in awe of Piper. When she had left Lone Reach, they had felt so grown up, but looking back now it was as if they were kids. She had left when she was twenty-four, and now coming back with a child of her own, seeing her at twenty-nine and having her shit completely together was one of the best feelings he had known. He wondered if she looked at him at thirty and thought the same. He had always been that year ahead of her, but she had always been so much more mature, and now they were sat back together again, and it felt completely insane to imagine that they had ever been apart.

“He liked you,” Piper smiled. “Jake. I haven’t seen him take to someone like that… ever.”

Alexander’s heart swelled. He hadn’t expected to have been charmed by a kid, but Jake was intelligent and a total firecracker, just like Piper had told him.

“He’s a good kid,” Alexander admitted. “And I meant what I said about him coming and helping me mess on at the garage washing cars some time. It’ll be good for him.”

“Thank you,” she smiled.

The waiter came back to the table with the huge sharing platter of specially selected meats, chutneys and cheese, and Alexander saw how Piper’s eyes lit up. It was all laid out on a wooden board and looked so good, it was going to be impossible for them to leave any of it.

“Now I see why you chose this,” she grinned. “Good choice.”

“I told you,” he said. “Challenge accepted.”

She laughed and he saw her mood had lifted. He was glad that he knew all about what had happened to her, because now, he was determined to make sure she was safe and well looked after.

She deserved it more than anyone.

Chapter 8

Piper rolled over and stretched her arms high over her head and sighed. She loved waking up on a lazy morning after a little sleep in, recovering from the hectic week she had had, and also the incredible date with Alexander the night before.

From downstairs, the noise of Jake and her mother came drifting up to meet her and she could smell the scent of freshly made pancakes. She slowly turned onto her side and reached for her cellphone. She still couldn’t believe what a great night her and Alexander had had together and telling him all about her time away from Lone Reach had made her feel so much better. She had been dreading saying it all out loud, but he had listened to her and been so supportive, it had made her feel so much lighter and as if she was ready to move forward and start truly living again.

She tapped her phone to life and saw she had a text. She smiled and opened it and her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was from Alexander, sent at seven am.

A: Good morning beautiful… Just wanted to say last night was amazing, and so very good to spend time with you again. I hope you won’t take as much convincing next time 😉 You really are an incredible woman Piper, thank you for trusting me and telling me your history. Yours, A xx

She smiled so wide that she didn’t think she would ever be able to stop. To have Alexander back in her life, to be waking up to texts like these… she felt on top of the world. She pressed reply and hastily started to type.

P: You have no idea how much last night meant to me. It felt so good to be able to tell you everything about what has been happening with Jake and I. Thank you for being so understanding, for lifting me up when I truly needed it. I can’t believe we’ve ever been apart… and I certainly won’t need any convincing next time! Xx

It only seemed like a couple of seconds and she had a further reply.

A: Good because I’m cooking dinner for you and Jake tonight. Pick you up at 4pm. I can show him the house, get him started on some car washing, and give you a night off. I hope you still like BBQ :P

She laughed and jumped out of bed, clutching the phone to her chest, and reaching for her silk robe. She pulled it on and tied it at her waist and then looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes seemed brighter and her skin rosier. She didn’t have the grey circles that had seemed to be permanently living under her eyes anymore, and for the first time in a long while, she felt properly awake.

She practically skipped down the hallway and then the stairs, along to the kitchen and kissed Jake on the head before she grabbed her mom and hugged her too.

“Oh wow,” Fiona laughed. “Looks like someone is in a very good mood. I take it you had a fun night with Alexander?”

Piper sat down at the table, feeling dreamy, but also wanting to be cautious of what she said in front of Jake.

“We had a blast,” she smiled. “And guess what,” she turned to Jake. “He’s just offered to cook dinner for me and you tonight at his place and said you can get started on helping him wash some cars.”

“Yay!” Jake jumped up and started to bounce around the room. “Oh, really mom! I can’t wait!”

Fiona smiled and looked to Piper.

“Be careful,” she mouthed, but with a smile.

“I know,” Piper agreed. “But he isn’t just some stranger mom…”

“I know, I know,” her mother held up her hands in surrender. “I just worry you’ll get hurt.”

“I was the one who left him,” she whispered so Jake couldn’t hear, he was too busy running and jumping around the living area talking to himself and having fun. “It’s so amazing being able to spend time with him again.”

“You deserve to be happy.”

“You know, I haven’t dated since Jake’s father,” she whispered. “I never forgot Alexander… and I always regretted how it all ended.”

Her mom nodded with understanding.

“This feels right…” she said. “I need to explore it.”

Fiona wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tight.

“I know,” she whispered into her ear. “I sometimes forget that for you the relationship with Jake’s father ended so long ago. You have to do what’s best for you.”

“And for him,” Piper looked over her shoulder at Jake. “And seeing how he took to Alexander last night, I don’t think there’s any question that this isn’t a good move.”

Fiona nodded.

“I think you’re right,” she smiled. “I’m happy for you.”

“Me too,” Piper held her hands to her chest and sighed.

She felt like a teenager all over again. And now she had another date to prepare for. It was going to be a fun day of planning.

As it started to creep closer to the middle of the afternoon, Piper and Jake packed away all the crafts they had been doing over the course of the day, they lined up all their new paintings to let them dry on the counter in the kitchen, and Jake had already earmarked one that he wanted to give to Alexander. It was a big red car with a little mini Jake and a stickman Alexander standing next to it with a very sloppy looking bucket of water.

Piper had felt emotional when he had shown it to her, and she loved the fact that Jake wanted to give it to Alexander, and she knew it would mean a lot to him.

She washed Jake’s face and combed his dark hair, before she changed his grubby t-shirt that was covered in his lunch and paint and put on a brand new one that had dinosaurs on the front, before pulling on an open red flannel shirt over the top. His jeans were still completely clean from that morning and she put him in a little pair of Timberlands to complete the look. He was like a seasoned Lone Reacher, and she couldn’t help but smile.

She set him up with some books and dinosaur toys and in her own room she changed into some casual jeans, a pair of sneakers and a tight little t-shirt, before she ran a brush through her hair and swept it into a high ponytail. After a spritz of perfume she felt refreshed and new, and she was getting more and more excited by the minute for Alexander’s imminent arrival.

She went downstairs with Jake and they went and sat on the front lawn outside, Piper watched as the world of her little neighborhood flashed by, and how in their street it all felt exactly the same as it had done before she had left. It was crazy to think that the town was in crisis and that strange happenings had begun taking place. She shuddered at the thought of the missing man and the curfew. She and Alexander had left The Reach in good time the night before, making sure that he had dropped Piper at home before the curfew came into effect at 11pm.

After only around five minutes, Alexander’s truck turned into the end of the street and Jake jumped up and started to bounce up and down again with excitement. He was clapping his hands and shouting “Here he is! Here he is!”

And when Alexander pulled up in front of them and stopped, Jake ran straight to him and looked up at him through the window with adoring eyes.

“Hey Alexander!” he said with excitement.

“Well, hello there!” he smiled. “It looks like my little helper is ready to go!”

“Oh, he certainly is,” Piper laughed. “He’s been jumping up and down like this for most of the day, haven’t you, kiddo?”

Jake laughed and wrapped his arms around Piper’s legs as if he were feeling shy.

“Well, come on then,” Alexander grinned as he reached over and opened the door from inside. “Climb on up.”

The front seat of his truck was long and all together, so Piper lifted Jake into the middle space, and climbed in beside him.

“Woah, do I get to sit up here?” Jake asked with wide eyes.

“Just for today,” Alexander winked.

Piper laughed and closed the door behind her before she clipped in Jake’s belt and then her own. Jake sat forward, taking it all in, and she could tell that his little mind was blown, as if being in the front and up so high was the most exciting thing that had ever happened.

When Alexander began to pull away from the house and move slowly out onto the road, Piper could tell that he was being cautious with his driving and she was thankful for that. The whole way along the roads past Main Street, out the other side and toward the mountains, Jake was sitting up and trying to grip onto the dashboard, his mouth gaping open and the look of sheer amazement etched across his face.

“This is awesome,” Jake said. “You’re so cool Alexander.”

Alexander and Piper glanced at each other and smiled.

When he began to slow and turned off the mountain road and headed into a forest trail that suddenly came into the clearing, she saw the log cabin that Alexander must now call home. Outside there were two further trucks, one completely rusted and broken down, and another that looked like it had been worked on and put back together. It was a lovely little spot in the middle of the forest, completely secluded and private, and with plenty of space around for Jake to play safely, far from the road.

They all climbed out of the truck, and Jake nudged Piper and she knew immediately what he wanted her to do. She reached into her handbag and pulled out the painting that Jake had done earlier in the day.

“Go on then,” she whispered.

Jake took the painting from her and walked to Alexander. She could see that Jake was on the verge of retreating into his shyness, but Alexander kneeled down on the floor and waited for him to work up the courage to give it to him.

“Are you going to tell Alexander what it is?” Piper encouraged him.

“I painted it today,” Jake said proudly.

He pulled his hand out from behind his back and passed it quickly to Alexander before he moved back closer to Piper and wrapped his arm around her leg again.

She watched as Alexander’s face took it all in and realized what he was looking at.

“Wow,” he said, a falter in his voice. Piper could see that he was becoming taken aback and was a little emotional, and it struck her too. “This is awesome, buddy, thank you,” he said as he moved closer to Jake and held out his hand to high-five him. “And you know what… I’m going to put this up in my garage so I can see it every time I’m working out here, do you want to come and see?”

Jake nodded his head enthusiastically and went with Alexander toward the garage building that had its doors thrown open and car parks spilling out onto the ground around it. They walked between the two trucks Alexander was clearly working on and went inside. Piper watched how they were together, and she loved the fact that after Jake had been nervous and shy to give him the picture, Alexander had responded in just the right way. It was crazy to think that he didn’t have kids of his own, he knew just what he was doing, and it was so encouraging for her to see.

“Where do you think is a good spot?” Alexander asked as he hummed and harred over which section of wall would provide the best view.

Jake shrugged and began to look at all the cool tools and gadgets Alexander had lying around.

“I know,” Piper said as she walked in to join them. “Why don’t you put it right over here…” she walked over to the desk workstation that Alexander had set up. He had a stack of books, pens, an old computer, and an ancient looking telephone with a big curly wire, all smattered with paint. “That way, when you’re making calls, or doing your paperwork… it’ll be looking right over you?”

Alexander smiled.

“Your mom is smart,” he said with a wry smile to Jake. “Did you know that?”

“I did,” Jake agreed. “In fact, she is the smartest person ever.” He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.

All three of them laughed, and Alexander opened a drawer on his desk, found a couple of tacks and pinned the picture up onto the wall above his workstation.

“There,” he smiled. “Just perfect.”

They went into the house and Piper’s eyes scanned every inch of the place as discreetly as possible. It felt fascinating to be stepping back into Alexander’s world, and to be able to see how he lived and how much he had changed was remarkable.

The cabin was much bigger than it appeared from the outside and had been built to a very high standard. Alexander walked them down the hallway and toward the back of the cabin, where the whole of the place opened up into one large room, with big doors and windows looking out over the woodland that stretched out behind the house.

“Wow,” Piper gasped. “This room is amazing.”

“It’s certainly the hub of the home,” Alexander admitted. “The rest of the place is pretty compact to be honest, but this room is where I spend most of my time.”

It was a kitchen, dining and living area all in one, and the views were so beautiful out the back, it was easy to see why he would choose to be in here while he was at home.

“The cabin is all on one floor,” he continued. “So apart from this room that stretches right across the back, I have two bedrooms at the front, both with adjoining bathrooms, and that’s it.”

“It’s great,” she smiled.

“It suits me just fine. I’ve been here about three years now, and the best part for me is being able to have my garage and workshop out there. I can work at any time of the day or night and not have to worry about disturbing anyone.”

She smiled. She didn’t know why, but the thought of him shirtless and sweaty, in the height of summer, working on car parks and covered in oil, out in his garage late at night turned her one. She had to look away from him, worried that he would be able to read her mind and know that she was thinking naughty thoughts.

“I love it,” Jake said as he jumped down onto the couch and looked up and around. “It’s so cool. Look at those trees.”

He pointed out of the windows and toward the forest beyond. Out the back of the cabin, there was a small patch of grass and a seating area and Piper could see that the barbeque was already positioned and waiting to be lit.

“Okay,” Alexander said. “I’ve got a plan.” He slapped his hands together and looked across at Jake.

“What’s your plan?” Jake asked, sounding much older than his years, it made Piper laugh.

“I say we get on out the front there with some buckets of soapy water, just like in your picture, give the truck a good wash so when I come to give you both a lift home later it is sparkling clean, and then we will have worked hard enough for some good food.”

“Yes!” Jake said as he jumped to his feet. “Let’s wash the truck!”

Piper smiled as she watched them bustle outside, and Alexander turned and looked over his shoulder at her.

“Relax,” he said. “Put your feet up, watch some TV, make yourself at home. We won’t be long.”

She nodded, she didn’t want to argue.

It felt so good to have a man taking care of them.

Chapter 9

After they had washed the truck and had a mini water and soap bubble fight, Alexander and Jake headed back inside to find Piper. When he entered the big living space at the back of his cabin and saw her sitting there on his couch, with her shoes kicked off, feet tucked under her and a cup of coffee in her hand, he felt like he had had the wind knocked out of him. It was so good to see her sitting there.

For the first time in his whole life, this felt like he had a family. He knew he had always had his own mom, but after he had grown up without a father, now he had Piper and Jake in his life, it was giving him so much hope for the future. He felt positive and proud, and extremely lucky that he had a bond with them.

If someone had said to him a month before that Piper would be back in his life, bringing with her an awesome kid who he felt a real affinity to, he would have told them they were crazy. But the world worked in crazy ways, and they were taking each day at a time and finding out that maybe, just maybe this could actually work. And having them there together in his home was only cementing that fact. Things were going oh so very well.

Jake was bright, fun, and had a strong head on his shoulders. It was clear that he had been through a tough time from a couple of things he had said, but overall, he was so well rounded and Alexander didn’t want him to suffer or go off down the wrong path after losing his dad. He knew how easy that could happen, it had nearly happened to him. But it had been Piper who saved him, and now he felt the overwhelming urge and need to return the favor and make sure her and her boy were safe too.

He fired up the barbeque, and Piper and Jake came outside and sat and watched him. Jake was playing with his cars, zooming them up and down the garden steps and around the seating. Piper was smiling and she looked so effortlessly and naturally beautiful. She really was something else.

When Jake was fully preoccupied messing on with his cars and half watching cartoons through the doorway on the TV inside the house, Piper rose and came over to him. He watched her approaching, with her slender neck, accentuated by the fact she had her hair scooped up in a demure ponytail. Her skin was glowing in the sun, and she looked so stunning, his heart almost stopped dead.

She was killing him with her beauty.

“Hey,” she whispered. She came up close to him and breathed him in, but she didn’t touch him.

“Hey, you,” he said back, looking at her at the side.

“I wish I could wrap my arms around you,” she said. “And thank you properly with a kiss for how amazing you’re being with Jake.”

He rested the tongs down he was using to turn the meat and turned to face her.

“I see myself in him you know,” Alexander said. “He reminds myself of me a lot… young… an absent father… I relate to how he must be feeling.”

Piper looked deeply into his eyes and nodded.

“You were affected badly by your dad leaving,” she said. “I remember… you told me all about it.”

“You were partly the only reason I got my shit together,” he admitted. “I easily could have gone off the rails when I first started coming out into the real world. We lived in a bubble in this town for so long, and then suddenly I was thrust into the powerful position of alpha with my pack. It was a lot to take on and I could have easily gone down the wrong path. But I had you… and you always kept me right.”

Piper smiled.

“And then I walked away,” she whispered. “I never forgave myself for that… but I didn’t see any other option.”

“Why?” he asked sternly. He felt as if he had to get to the bottom of why she ran. He always wondered if he had pushed her away. If he had done something to hurt her, but he had never dared ask.

“You were so different to me,” she said sadly. “We were younger, I always thought that I had all these feelings for you and that one day you would be done with me and move on with someone from your own kind. I never felt good enough… I’m not magic like you.”

He was floored by the statement, and he had to blink to make sure he had heard her correctly.

“You felt like you weren’t good enough for me?” he asked, his jaw sagging open.

She nodded and bit her bottom lip nervously.

“I was in awe of you,” she said bravely. “I didn’t understand what you saw in me, and I always thought you were going to break my heart. In the end, when you started getting more and more responsibility, I feared it was only a matter of time before you realized I would never live up to another shifter… and you would want to marry someone like that instead.”

She had tears in her eyes, and it killed him to hear her speak this way. If only she knew how he had felt once she had gone, how he had pined for her and missed her so very much.

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this,” he whispered. “I’m stunned.”

Piper wiped a tear away discreetly and took a deep breath and smiled.

“Like I say, I never forgave myself… I should have told you how I was feeling back then, but I was just too mixed up. It’s an awful feeling, thinking that the man you love will one day discard you. I don’t know why I got in my head, but I did. And I knew walking away then and saving myself the pain in the future was the only way to make it through. I felt sure you would be married off to a perfect little lady shifter wolf in no time and you would have forgotten all about me.”

“I never forgot you,” he said sternly as he reached out and took hold of her hand. “In fact, I’ve wanted no one else since.”

He stared deeply into her eyes and he could hear her heart racing. His wolf senses were on overdrive and he took a step closer. Piper looked nervously to make sure that Jake wasn’t watching and that he was still occupied with his cartoons and his toys, and she stepped closer to Alexander. The heat between them was electric, he could feel and hear her pulse, the blood whooshing through her veins and it made him lick his lips. He wanted so badly to show her how much she meant to him, how much he had longed for her.

“You know I never dated anyone seriously after you…” he said lowly. “And when I heard you’d had a baby with someone else, I imagined you married off and in love and happy with another man and it killed me.”

He remembered it all very well, the night he had found out. One of his pack members had heard from a very excited Fiona in one of the taverns on Main Street. She had been there with a couple of her girl friends celebrating becoming a grandmother for the first time, and the pack had gone back to the clubhouse and told Alexander and he had felt crushed by it.

“It was always you,” she whispered. “You know that now.”

Alexander smiled. To hear her speak her truth was the most amazing moment. He had longed for this woman since the moment he had lost her, and now she was back and had brought with her the most amazing gift, a boy who he saw so much of himself in.

It really was fate working at it’s very best.

The food spat and sizzled on the grill and it made them both jump and laugh.

“We can continue this later,” Alexander told her with a look of pure want and longing.

Piper smiled and blushed, and he knew she knew what he was thinking. He didn’t just mean their conversation, he meant something much, much more…

He went back to flipping the meat and she tore herself away from him and sat down on the outdoor couch and watched Jake playing happily. When the time came for him to serve them their food, they all sat together at the table outside and drank soda, watched the sun go down over the top of the forest and laughed as they told each other stories.

Alexander’s heart was full and felt whole.

He had found something truly spectacular.

Chapter 10

Jake had been so excited after their late afternoon and early evening at Alexander’s house and he had talked about it none stop for the rest of the weekend and into the following week. Piper had been so pleased it had gone well, and when she and Alexander had said goodbye at the end of the driveway when he had dropped them at home, she had managed to get sneaky little kiss while Jake was busy dashing up the drive to Fiona.

It had been torture saying goodbye to Alexander, but they both knew they had to be strong. Piper had a big week ahead, and it was time for the salon to open properly. She was going to be putting all her time into finalizing the details for the opening night, making sure her marketing materials were all going out around town in good time, and of course ensuring the place looked as good as it possibly could.

Alexander had been there on hand to help, but an emergency with his own work had meant he hadn’t been able to be there as much as he said he wanted to be, and now she was worried about him too. She hoped the pressures of being in position among his pack weren’t building up too much.

She looked around the salon and at all she had managed to achieve in the past few weeks. She had taken a completely dull and empty white space and turned it into something funky and fresh. The back wall was an electric pink with a big, blue neon sign reading Piper’s Paradise, one of the adjoining walls was covered in deep blue and emerald green tropical wallpaper, and the lush, potted ferns and other lighting really made the place pop. It was like somewhere you would find in the city, and Alexander assured her it was definitely going to overtake all the smaller salons that mainly catered for the older ladies of Lone Reach.

“You’ve brought something here for the people our age,” he had told her. “And some of the younger girls, it’s going to be great.”

Piper had also decided to host pamper parties for both women and children, wanting to seize on something she had seen happening around places back in the city where girls from the ages of five and up had their birthday parties in a salon, having their nails done, sipping on mocktails and munching on candy and listening to some fun music. Lone Reach definitely didn’t have anything like that, and she had already managed to advertise it around Jake’s pre-school and had plenty of positive feedback.

She stood and leaned back against the main desk, looking out over the salon, and smiling.

“Piper’s Paradise,” she said aloud. “You look wonderful.”

She checked the time and saw that it was approaching 1pm, and she knew Alexander was coming to see how she had pulled everything together at the last moment. She smiled as she saw him jogging across the street with two take out coffees in his hand and a brown paper bag.

“Hello Miss Business,” Alexander grinned as stepped inside the salon and looked up and around, taking in the full view of the finished space. “It looks incredible.”

“Thanks Babe,” she smiled as she stepped over to him and he leaned in to kiss her.

His lips were warm and inviting, and she could tell that he hadn’t shaved that morning, his stubble grazed against her and it made her weak at the knees.

He passed her the coffee and as he sat on the edge of one the manicure tables, balancing and not putting his full weight, he opened the paper bag and motioned for her to look inside. She peered in and saw two fluffy and fresh blueberry muffins.

“Just when I thought you couldn’t get any more perfect,” she laughed.

They sat and ate, gearing themselves up for the onslaught of activity which was heading their way in only a couple of hours’ time.

“Is Fiona bringing Jake along to see what an amazing job his mom has done?” Alexander asked before he took a bit bite out of his muffin. Crumbs tumbled down his t-shirt and Piper smirked and flicked them away for him.

“Yes, she is,” she smiled. “I’m looking forward to them both seeing it all finished, I have a feeling my mom thought I would come back to town and just spend it moping around.”

“And instead you’ve got straight out there and done something,” he smiled warmly. “You should be proud of yourself Piper, you are a wonder woman.”

“I couldn’t have done it without your help,” she said as she turned and nuzzled into him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I really couldn’t have… I want you to know how much I appreciate you.”

Alexander kissed her on the top of the head, and she reached for his free hand and wrapped hers up in his. They sat there like that for a while, and she knew that as long as she had Alexander by her side, then she was going to be a better person. He made her want to rise to the challenges that lay ahead, and he sparked inspiration within her. Without him, Piper’s Paradise would not have been possible, and she would be eternally grateful for that.

The rest of the afternoon passed by quickly as Piper continued preening the store. She lit scented candles, lay out canapes and champagne flutes, chilled some sparkling wine and dimmed the lights in all the right places so that the atmosphere was just right. Alexander watched her and was on hand to help with anything she wanted him to do, must mostly she just liked the fact that he was there with her and supporting her. They made a good team and she felt so much stronger when he was around.

As it approached 5pm, the traffic out on Main Street started to pick up with the rush hour surge of people leaving stores and offices. Piper stood at the back of the store with a glass of sparkling wine and waited with bated breath.

“You should relax,” Alexander reassured her. “People are going to come. You’ve done an amazing job and marketed the shit out of this place. People have been talking about it and looking forward to it opening for weeks.”

She breathed deeply and nodded her head, heading her advice. She was about to turn and take herself out to the back for a moment to calm herself down when she caught sight of her mom and Jake parking up outside and she clasped her hands together and smiled. She was so glad they had arrived.

“Mommy!” Jake shouted as he ran through the door and flung himself into her arms. He smelled of freshly washed hair and coconut body wash, and his skin was so soft and new she never wanted to let him go. Jake wriggled free and bounced over to Alexander jumping up into his arms as Alexander balanced him high up on his hip and looked at his little friend.

“Hey buddy,” Alexander grinned. “Have you seen how cool this place is? Your mom is a real-life superhero.”

Jake’s eyes were wide and excited as he looked around at all the intense colors and he held out his arm in front of him as if he was flying as Alexander started to zoom him around the room.

“Well done my love,” Fiona hugged Piper and kissed her on the cheek. “He’s right, you really are a superhero.”

“Thanks Mom,” she blushed.

Just as Alexander rested Jake down on the ground, the door opened with a ting and the first set of people attending the opening began to arrive. Piper grinned and walked to meet them.

This was it. It was show time.

Chapter 11

“That couldn’t have gone any better,” Alexander said as he sunk down into the soft couch next to Piper and held his glass up to meet hers.

Piper smiled and looked across at him. Her man. She chinked her glass against his and smiled, happy that the event had gone so well, and also that they were finally alone.

The opening night had been a complete success, and they had had almost a hundred people through the door across the entire evening, looking at the services that would be on offer, taking treatment menus and learning all about the parties and events that Piper would be offering over the coming months. Her mother had watched her, and she could tell that she had been proud. It was such a good feeling to be doing something for herself and for Jake. To be truly setting her roots back down and to be taking charge of her life. For so long she had been working dead end jobs. She may have trained and been doing something she loved, but she was always working for someone else, and it had been her dream to open her own salon. Now her dream had come true.

As the sun had started to set, Fiona had given Piper the nod and she had gone over.

“I’m going to get the little man home,” Fiona had said. “But I want you to know how very proud of you. You have overcome all the odds, when you could have just shrunk away and let all the bad take you over.”

Piper had felt tears in her eyes. She was so happy she had done her mom proud.

“I’m going to take Jake home and get him to bed,” Fiona had said. “But I want you to stay and enjoy your special night, and don’t worry about coming home…” her eyes drifted across to Alexander on the other side of the room and she gave Piper a wry smile. “You deserve to have fun and let your hair down a bit.”

“Mom!” Piper slapped her playfully on the arm. She had to laugh, but she also loved the fact her and her mother had such a close bond and could talk to each other like this.

“I’ll get him to pre-school in the morning,” Fiona continued. “Just make sure you don’t miss this place opening at 10…” Fiona winked, and Piper gave her a hug before she watched her scoop up Jake.

“Be good for Grandma,” she said before she leaned in and kissed Jake on the cheek. “I love you little man.”

“Love you too Mommy,” he said as he stifled a yawn.

Piper had watched them leave and she blew them a kiss before she got back to hosting her grand opening. It had been so much fun.

And now, she was snuggled up with Alexander on his couch at the cabin, taking her mother’s advice and finally letting herself relax after a stressful and hectic couple of weeks. She couldn’t think of anyone who she would rather spend the time with.

Alexander wrapped his arm around her shoulder and sighed. For a moment it could almost be like they had gone back in time all over again and be sat in Alexander’s old house, cuddled up on his couch and watching horror movies.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered into her ear and she turned her head and looked up at him.

His eyes were so deep and intense, she felt as if she could fall into them and never resurface.

“Me too,” she smiled.

He set his glass down on the coffee table in front of them and took hers from her hands and did the same. He held her hands in his and turned to look at her fully.

“I never told anyone this but there was always a part of me that imagined this… this, right now… happening.”

“Really?” she smiled.

“Yes, I thought about it a lot,” he laughed. “A. Lot.”

“Me too,” she admitted, and she knew she was blushing slightly. “I always had this kind of fantasy that one day I would come back home, to Lone Reach, and you would be here and somehow… we would rekindle what we had.”

“It’s been almost impossible keeping my hands to myself for these past few weeks,” he said as he reached up and stroked the side of her face. “Every time I see you, I want to kiss you so hard… I want to show you how much you mean to me.”

She felt her breath catch in her throat and she looked from the deep intensity of his eyes to his lips. He looked at her so hungrily, it was such a turn on. Her pussy began to twinge, and her nipples were hard and sensitive, aching for his touch.

She leaned into him and pressed her lips against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed herself into him. She felt as hungry as he did, and she couldn’t hold on any longer either. Alexander grunted as his hands gripped her waist and pulled her up and onto his lap. She straddled him and wrapped her legs around him, pressing her pussy down onto his groin and grinding against him.

His breathing was hot and heavy, and he was taking her breath away with each kiss, opening her mouth wide with his, searching her with his tongue and exploring her. Making her his.

He reached up and cupped her breasts and she gasped, throwing back her head and moaning. It felt so good to have his hands on her, to have his fingers slipping into her bra and pulling her free, massaging her and making her moan as her pussy started to become wet and slick without him even touching her there.

“God, you drive me wild,” he said as he held onto her neck and pulled her face back so he could look at her deep in the eyes. In that second, she could see the wolf there, resting beneath the surface. She could feel its power and it made her knees tremble.

Alexander rose to his feet, keeping hold of her tightly, still wrapped around his waist as he walked with her to the kitchen counter and sat her down on it gently before he kissed her neck and moved down to her collar bone. His lips felt so good against her skin, the rough of his stubble and the pureness of her soft and supple skin.

She opened her legs wide and hooked her fingers into the pockets of his jeans and pulled him in closer. She could already feel that he was rock hard, and she reached down and stroked his length over the top of his jeans. He moaned slightly and she squeezed it, feeling it inside and wanting so very badly to let him free.

He kissed her again and slipped his hands under the hem of her top, pulling it off over her head before snapping her bra free at the back. He looked down at her and breathed out deeply, before he leaned in and took her breast in his mouth, sucking on her nipple and making her gasp with pleasure.

She let her head roll back and he trailed kisses from her nipple up her chest and then her neck, each touch was making her skin tingle and her pussy ache even harder.

She reached for the belt of his jeans and unbuckled him quickly and in one fluid movement before she reached for his buttons and began to undo them one by one. Alexander reached for his t-shirt and pulled it off over his head and threw it down onto the floor behind him, and he stood back and watched as she pulled his jeans down and reached into his underwear and took hold of his manhood. She watched him as he closed his eyes and moaned, and she bit her lip as she felt the enormity of him. He was everything she had remembered, and yet he felt so much more as well, he was so hard and thick, so impressive. And she worked at him slowly, moving her first up and down and making him moan and groan.

She was so wet that she couldn’t stand him not being inside of her any longer and she moved her hand away from him and leaned back against the counter. He reached up her skirt, his fingertips brushing past her knees and hooking his hands into her panties as he began to slide them down and off, throwing them onto the floor behind him. He hitched up her skirt and came closer to her, his bare cock hard and throbbing, ready to take her, and her pussy so engorged and slick she didn’t dare breathe as she wrapped her legs around him and waited for him to push himself inside of her.

When he penetrated her, it was like she was being claimed by him all over again. He was so big and powerful, it was as if she were being split in two, but in the best possible way. She gasped and moaned with pleasure as his heat powered into her, making her feel so good it was impossible for her not to scream. He thrust deep and hard, and he grunted and gasped as his cock slid in and out of her, tensing his legs and getting in so deep it was clear he was going to make her come and wouldn’t stop until he had.

Piper threw back her head and gripped onto his hair. He held her hips and fucked her so hard and slow, it was deliciously good, and she knew it wouldn’t be long before she would be unravelling around him. She felt her body begin to buck, her pussy contracted and held him tighter, and as her orgasm rocketed through her she screamed up at the ceiling and collapsed down onto the counter behind her, as Alexander moved in closer and held onto her hips, opening her legs wider and lifting them more so he could deeper and into her harder.

She screamed and the world began to spin, it felt so good she never wanted it to end. Her orgasm was so intense and so powerful, she could barely breathe and as if began to subside and her legs began to shake, Alexander was still hitting her in just the right place to make her start to unravel again.

He thrust into her hard, and just as she started to climax again, she felt his thighs tense and his body quickly followed. She dug her heels into his butt to hold him deep inside of her and as he spilled his seed, he held his head up the ceiling and howled like a wolf.

He collapsed down on top of her, panting and gasping, and she rubbed her forehead against his, feeling his sweat against her skin and wrapping her arms around him.

What had just happened between them was more than making love. He had come back for her, Alexander the man and Alexander the wolf. They had come back and claimed Piper and now she knew… they really were soul mates, fated mates… he was her protector.

“My God Piper,” he panted as he eased himself up and looked down at her, running his hands down her face and rubbing away his sweat. “You… are everything.”

She smiled at him, before she kissed him again and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“And so are you…” she whispered.

Chapter 12

He was waking up with Piper in his arms… and he could hardly believe it. He looked at her soft features as she slept soundly and took her all in. She looked like an angel sleeping there, a gift from another world.

He had had the most amazing night with her, and when they had made love, he had felt their connection forge into something stronger. He had always known she had been the one he had imprinted on when he was younger. She had been the only woman he had ever loved, and now they had re-consummated their passion, it was clear that they were meant to be together. She was the one he had been waiting for, and it was clear that the wolf inside of him agreed. He had felt like a sheer animal when he had been inside of her, he had been more powerful than he had ever been, and he had had to fight his animalistic energy to stop himself from letting the wolf side overcome him.

Piper began to stir, and he wrapped his arm over the curve of her waist and held her. When her eyes began to flutter open, she instantly smiled when she saw his features and he pressed his forehead up against hers.

“Good morning,” she yawned.

“Good morning,” he said as he planted a soft kiss on her cheek.

She rolled into him and breathed softly, she felt so tiny in his arms and all he wanted to do was make sure she was safe. He could think of no greater honor of looking after her, of being her man again, and now he had to make sure she knew that.

“I’m falling for you again Piper,” he whispered.

She looked up at him, her eyes boring into his and a look of shock on her face, as if she hadn’t been expecting him to be so forthcoming.

“I just wanted you to know,” he said.

She smiled and kissed him, her soft lips waking him up all over again and making the wolf within him stir.

“I don’t think I ever stopped,” she said, before she smiled.

He rolled her onto her back and climbed on top of her before he kissed her passionately again. She ran her hands through his hair and opened her legs for him, and as he went to pull the covers up over their heads and seal them into their own little cave of passion, she quickly shot a glance over his shoulder and at the clock on the wall.

He laughed and looked back at it too. It was only seven-thirty.

“Thank god for that,” she smirked. “We’ve got plenty of time.”

Alexander turned back to her and pulled the covers over them, kissing her hard again and falling into the most amazing bubble of their love and passion.

When he had dropped Piper at the salon, he had felt a psychical ache at her being away from him. He didn’t want to say goodbye to her, but he knew he couldn’t hold on to her forever.

“Have an amazing first day,” he said as he kissed her goodbye. “I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

“I have back to back appointments all day,” she grinned. “Not bad for the first day of business…”

“It’s fucking fantastic,” he smiled. “I’m so proud of you.”

She leaned in for another kiss before she opened her door and climbed out, slammed it behind her and then walked around to his window.

“I’m going to have to spend some quality time with Jake tonight,” she said. “He needs me.”

“Of course,” he agreed. “Maybe I could cook you both some dinner again tomorrow, get him working on another truck to keep him in check.” He winked and Piped laughed, he could tell it meant a lot to her to have them together as a three, and he loved spending time with Jake also. It was refreshing and fun to see an alternative take on the world.

“Have a good day,” she smiled as she stepped backwards and held his gaze as she made it to the salon door.

He smiled and gave her a quick wave before he put the car in drive and pulled away.

It sucked saying goodbye to her, but he knew it meant he could spend all day working up to seeing her again. He could relish in the memory of the night before, remembering how hot and passionate their love making had been, how she had felt so incredible in his arms, how sexy she had looked that morning, make-up free and only just awake as he rolled her over and climbed on top of her, ready to ravish her again.

He drove to the clubhouse with the memories fresh in his mind, his cock getting hard again at the thought of it all. But before he pulled up properly, he cleared his head and took a deep breath. It was time to calm down. It was time to get down to business.

A lot had been happening over the past few days, and he had held it together for Piper, he had wanted to be there for her fully and not mentally elsewhere, but now he had to give some attention to his pack, to the dragon and bear clans, and to find out what the fuck was going on in Lone Reach… because if what he had heard was even remotely true… then they were all in a whole heap of trouble.

He opened the front door of the clubhouse and stepped inside. It was early and was still pretty quiet, for the wolves who had stayed there the night before, they would no doubt have been up late smoking, drinking, acting like deviants, and he didn’t expect them to wake any time soon.

He checked each downstairs room with a quick glance, and then he headed down toward the office, keeping his mind sharp and focused.

When he stepped into the office, he could tell that there had been some activity in there since he had last been in the previous day. No doubt Oz had been working on some of the accounts, and maybe even chatted to some of the other senior members of the pack, but Alexander always liked to be kept well in the loop.

He sat down at one of the seats and surveyed the room. He didn’t want to waste any time. He wanted to talk to some of his confidants and fast. He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and tapped it to life, opening his recently dialed numbers and scrolling to Oz’s name. He pressed dial and waited for the rings to come before Oz answered.

“It’s me,” Alexander said. “I’m in the office at the clubhouse… are you close by?”

“I’m on the third floor,” Oz said with a croak in his voice. “Give me ten minutes, I’ll be there.”

“Thanks brother,” Alexander said before he ended the call.

It didn’t take Oz ten minutes, he was pushing open the door to the office and looking fresh as a daisy within only five. He sat down opposite Alexander and spread his palms flat along the table.

“Things are getting weird,” Oz said, keeping his voice low as if he were afraid someone would hear them.

“What’s going on?” Alexander asked. “Get me up to speed.”

He had only been absent for one night from the rest of his pack, but that was clearly all it could take for things to spiral out of control.

“Last night another person went missing,” Oz said. He leaned in closer over the table and kept his voice hushed. “It hasn’t been reported yet publicly. But I know it happened because it was another worker from the brewery and when he was leaving his shift late last night someone supposedly witnessed him being… taken…”

“Taken?” Alexander raised his voice and his eyebrows. “A grown ass man was… taken?”

Oz shrugged.

“I got a call from Mason at around two am. By that time, they had checked the CCTV footage and although there isn’t another person visible on the tape… it’s clear that someone is attacking him.”

“What do you mean no one is visible? Like they were behind a car, or a wall or something?”

Oz’s expression grew graver.

“No,” he said, and he blinked rapidly, as if he couldn’t believe that he was even about to say this. “The shot is clear… no visual obstructions… but whatever attacks him, it can’t be seen. He’s being thrown around like mad and is badly injured, and then it looks like he is being dragged away, out of sight and into the shadows before it goes out of shot.”

Alexander crinkled up his face, like he had tasted something bad. What the hell was all of this? And what did it mean?

“What did Mason make of it?” he asked. “Have you seen the tape, or do you just have his word for it?”

“I got a grainy secondhand recording… it looked like someone had been filming the footage from inside an office at the brewery on a cellphone. You can hear Mason and some of the other bears speaking in the background, they sound genuinely scared and puzzled. None of it seems to make any sense.”

“I’ll need to see the video,” Alexander said. “I want to know what the fuck is going on…”

“We all do,” Oz sighed. “It feels as if our town in under attack from an unknown force.”

“I think it’s those bikers,” Alexander said with a snarl. “Everything was relatively peaceful around here until they came along.”

“I’ve met some of them,” Oz said shaking his head. “I don’t know, they seemed pretty ok to me.”

“Do you really think it’s just a coincidence that two people have gone missing while leaving work at the brewery?” Alexander asked with irritation. “Come on Oz, you’ve got more brains than that. Something is going on… something to do with that place, and the bikers are right at the center of it.”

“Maybe it has something to do with some of the new workers that have been coming into town to start there,” he offered with a shrug.

“…Maybe…” Alexander said as he sat back and steepled his fingers under his chin.

“And the dragons?” as he said the word it felt like a bitter taste in his mouth. Those fucking dragons had done nothing but cause his pack trouble, even if they were adamant that they had nothing to do with the fire that had caused the destruction of their habitat all those years before.

“They’re keen to get into talks with us about everything, about what we are all going to do.”

“All of us?”

“Well yes, us wolves, then them and the bears… if the town is under some kind of threat then we need to come together properly rather than just skirting around the idea. We will be stronger as a whole.”

“And Carter,” Alexander began. “The dragon who was attacked at The Dragon Pit last month?”

“From what Mason relayed to me, it sounds like he thinks whatever is on the video taking the man at the brewery is the same thing that came after him.”

“Strange apparitions, coming out of the shadows… kidnapping fully grown men and attacking dragon shifters… this doesn’t sound good at all.” Alexander felt a pit of dread forming in his stomach.

The idea of all this happening around town was bad enough, but to add Piper and Jake into the mix, and to think of them being vulnerable and at risk, it was enough to make him want to pack up his entire life, bundle them into a car and get them the hell out of there. He couldn’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to them.

He would not let anything bad happen to them. He was their alpha now too, their protector. But he also had a loyalty to his pack, and he would never abandon them either.

“We can arrange a meeting,” Oz said. “A proper meeting. One where all of us are involved.”

“No,” Alexander said. “If we meet with them again, then this time I want it to be just me and you, Mason… and Carter…”

“Okay,” Oz agreed.

“Our relations with them have to be kept calm, and the likes of some of the members of the pack could have the opposite effect. I don’t want Rick messing on or joking around. Plus, it means I can explain properly what we have done with the salon business, how we are keeping the building occupied for the dragons and bringing in more revenue to the town.”

Oz smiled and nodded.

Alexander turned slightly in his chair and rested his chin in his hand. He had gone from the high of being with Piper, of waking up with her in his arms and feeling the love he had lost all those years before… to being dropped down into a pit of worry and torment.

Whatever was happening in Lone Reach, he had the feeling it was about to get a whole lot worse. And now he had the weight of the responsibility of his pack, and the woman he loved and her son.

He ground his teeth together and clenched his fist.

It was time to rage hell to make sure the people he loved stayed safe.

Chapter 13

Piper had enjoyed her first few days of being a fully-fledged businesswoman in the middle of Lone Reach. She had spent her hours inside the salon doing what she loved, and meeting lots of new and exciting people from around the town. She had met a few girls who all seemed genuinely lovely and were so appreciative of her opening her salon and bringing something fresh and much needed to the women of Lone Reach. She had chatted and laughed with girls her own age for the first time in a long time, and had even been invited to one of the bars on Main Street over the weekend to enjoy drinks with a group who she could see developing into true friends. It was as if she had hit the reset button on her life when she had returned home. She had given her son a ton of happiness with his new pre-school, she had her man back with her, and she now had a thriving business and a new set of friends on the horizon. Things were good, and she felt as if she had Alexander to thank for a lot of it. He truly had come through for her when she had needed it most.

Jake and her walked hand in hand through the forest on their way to Alexander’s cabin, they looked up at the amazing trees and breathed in the heady scent of pine. She always felt so at home in nature and being there with her son felt magical in a lot of ways, she loved seeing his wide eyes taking it all in, exploring the world around him.

When they came to the clearing and Alexander’s cabin appeared ahead of them, Piper smiled when she saw he was already outside tinkering with his truck. The buckets of soapy water were already filled and waiting, and Jake cheered and started to run on ahead when he realized so too.

“Hey buddy!” Alexander said as he rose to his feet as Jake powered into him and wrapped his arms around his legs, giving him the biggest hug.

“Hey Alexander,” Jake smiled. “I’m here to work.”

Piper laughed as she finally made it up to them.

“He’s been prepping all day,” she smiled. “He is eager to serve.”

She winked and Alexander laughed, before he picked up the smaller of the two buckets and handed it to Jake. His little arms could barely take the weight and he slopped it down onto the floor, as some of the water cascaded over the side and onto the dusty ground.

“Oops,” he laughed.

Piper ruffled his hair, and then as Jake picked up his sponge and started to slap the water and soap onto the side of the truck, she sneaked next to Alexander and managed to give him a quick secret kiss.

“Hey, you,” she smiled, looking into his deep blue eyes.

“Hey,” he smiled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her tight. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” she breathed. “It’s been a hectic few days.”

“You’re telling me,” he half-laughed.

She watched as Alexander moved over to help Jake with the car and she sat down on the front step to the cabin and watched her boys working away. It was so much fun for her to see them engaged in a healthy activity, and she loved the fact that Jake was eager to work hard, it only gave her more hope for his future and that he was going to end up doing something good with his life.

Once they had finished, Jake was tired. He had been to pre-school and worked hard there all day, played like a boss at recess with his friends, and then walked all the way through the forest to reach Alexander’s cabin, it was a wonder he had had any energy left at all to clean the car. He yawned and wrapped his arms around her neck.

“I’m tired mom,” he whispered.

“It’s okay sweetheart,” she smiled. “Let’s have something to eat, then we can think about heading home.”

Jake nodded and she carried him into the house, down the hallway and through to the back where the living area was bright and fresh with the evening sun.

She popped him down on the sofa, and when he saw the view out the back doors, he seemed to perk up and got straight to his feet.

“Are we eating outside again?” he asked Alexander with a big grin.

“We can if you want buddy,” Alexander smiled.

Piper watched Alexander as he went out to the back of the house and into the garden, he already had the barbeque smoking away, and he had fresh cuts of chicken and beef threaded onto skewers and marinated, ready to go onto the grill.

He seemed distracted, and she walked out and wrapped her arms around him.

“Are you okay?” she asked as she pushed her forehead into his back lovingly, her arms tight around his waist.

“I’m tired,” he said. “It’s been a weird few days.”

She undid her arms and stepped to the side, he was manning the grill and staring into the flames.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

Alexander looked across at her and smiled.

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” he sighed. “Plus…” he looked over at Jake and then back to Piper. “I don’t think it’s anything he should hear.”

Piper looked over at Jake and could see he was busy playing with his toys and was far enough away for them to have a hushed conversation.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “He won’t be able to hear.”

Alexander closed the hood of the barbeque and looked at her.

“Things have been getting stranger around here and I’m worried,” he said. “But it’s my problem, and I don’t want to load it onto you.” He smiled, but she felt like he was dismissing her concern.

“You can talk to me about anything,” she said. “I don’t want you to worry about loading stuff onto me… I’m your girlfriend, you can tell me anything and we can work through it together.”

Alexander sighed and cocked his head to the side.

“Come on babe,” he said soothingly. “Let’s leave it tonight. It’s for me and the pack to handle.”

“Oh okay,” she said with a wry smile. “Official shifter business?”

She didn’t mean it to sound harsh, but she knew how it was making her feel and it was like a stab in the gut. Once again, she was being made to feel as if she wasn’t part of him… wasn’t part of something so big and massive, half of who he was and she was being told she wouldn’t understand.

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, but as she walked back to the table to sit with Jake, she felt tears welling up behind her eyes. She never was going to be good enough to be told all about the shifters. Her old fears were coming right back to her and it was making her skin itch.

When the food was ready, Alexander bounded over with the plates and set them down in front of her and Jake. He poured her a glass of water and Jake had some OJ, and the three of them tucked into their dinner and chatted and caught up on their days, but at the back of her mind, Piper was feeling doubtful, as if she had somehow done something wrong and he was closing her off.

“And then we watched a movie, it was awesome, the teacher put it on for us and said we had all worked so hard we deserved to have a rest for the afternoon,” Jake grinned. “And it was really cool, it was all about a dragon and a castle.”

Dragon. Piper felt herself prickle again. Alexander had told her there were dragon shifter’s in Lone Reach. She knew all about the wolves and their past with them. She easily could have let it start to snowball in her head, the fact that he wouldn’t tell her what was bothering him, but she subdued it and smiled.

“That sounds great,” she said. “It’s good to have balance when it comes to education, especially at your age. It can’t be all spellings and math.”

“And what about you?” Alexander asked Piper with a smile. “How’s it all going at the salon? Have you still had back to back appointments?”

“Not today,” she said sadly. “It’s been great though, I’ve been so busy. All the girls that have come in and I’ve met so far have all been awesome, I’ve even been invited on a night out.”

“Great,” he smiled. “Shame about the slow of appointments though… I’m sure it’ll pick up in no time.”

He smiled and took a sip of his drink and she smiled back. She knew deep down he was just being interested and invested in the business, but it felt as if he was keeping tabs on her, and being coupled with him not telling her what was bothering, it was as if he was questioning her worth.

Was she good enough to be told about the shifter politics and secrets?

Was she good enough to run her own salon?

She sat back in her seat and looked at him. She hated her mind for turning on her like this, but she couldn’t help it. Her wounds were clearly still there… she had thought they had healed, but what if they hadn’t?

She rested down her knife and fork and stood up, collecting her and Jake’s plate. She looked to Alexander, but he was still picking at bits on his plate after devouring most of the beef, and he smiled at her and said, “Hey, it’s okay, don’t worry I can clear them.”

“No,” she said before she kissed him on the top of the head and moved back toward the house with her and Jake’s plate. “You cooked us a wonderful meal, I insist I tidy up.”

Alexander sat back and put his hands behind his head, and as she walked into the kitchen, she had a feeling of doubt, as if she didn’t know what the hell she was doing. Maybe she was just tired and sensitive, it had been a crazy week and she had so much going on, and it was clear Alexander did too. But she knew she had to go home and put Jake to bed.

When she had washed up she went back outside and watched Alexander and Jake sitting on the grass watching the sun go down, Alexander was telling him a story about when he was younger and of all the time he spent out in the forest, fishing and hunting.

“If you like and your mom says it’s okay, I’ll take you fishing one weekend.”

“Oh wow, I would love that,” Jake beamed.

She watched them chatting from the sidelines, and she still felt warm and whole inside, but as she collected their things and started to say goodbye for the night, she knew it didn’t feel the same as it had done a few days before. Something seemed to have changed… maybe it was just the way she was seeing things, but it was bothering her.

Alexander drove them home, insistent that they couldn’t walk, even though the sun was only just still setting, and the sky wasn’t dark. The light was grey, and they could have easily found their way, but he was agitated and sure he should be taking them. When he pulled up at the bottom of the drive, Jake was already asleep in the back and so Alexander wrapped his arm around Piper and pulled her close to him. He kissed her deeply and she smiled when their lips broke apart.

God he was everything. She was going to have to pull her shit together.

“Goodnight babe,” Alexander said before he kissed her again and she clicked the door open.

“Goodnight,” she smiled. “Thank you for another wonderful dinner and spending time with Jake.”

“It was my pleasure,” he said. “Truly.”

She opened the back door and scooped Jake up into her arms. He was practically snoring, and she knew she was going to have no problem quickly changing him into his PJ’s and tucking him into bed. She knew he was out for the count.

She smiled and waved as Alexander pulled off the drive and moved out of sight. She really did hate saying goodbye.

Chapter 14

Alexander woke the next morning to ten missed calls and a bunch of panicked voicemails from Oz. He lay in bed with bleary eyes and re-dialed his number, waiting with bated breath for him to answer.

“Thank fuck,” Oz said, his breathing sharp and shallow. “I’ve been trying to get you since…”

“Yeah, since 4am, I can see on my missed calls. Are you okay? What’s going on?”

“Personally, I’m fine,” he said. “But… something else has happened.”

Alexander felt his stomach drop and his mouth started to go dry, he sat up fully and rested back against the headboard, rubbing his eyes to try and wake himself up more and pulled his knees up closer to his chest.

“What’s happened?” he asked when he had braced himself. “Come on, hit me with it.”

“Well,” Oz sighed. “Last night apparently a field full of cattle was slaughtered close to the brewery. At least thirty of them. There’s blood, guts and heads everywhere.”

“What… the… fuck…” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Oz said. “It’s a total mess… Mason and the rest of the bears are going wild. Saying this is a direct attack against them, and the dragons are weighing in saying that it isn’t just against them, that someone has it in for them too.

Alexander put his head in his hand and groaned.

“I can see where this is going,” he said.

“Yeah,” Oz snorted. “Of course, they are questioning us. But surely, they must know this is nothing the wolves would do… it’s just this cattle attack. It’s as if an animal has done it.”

“What about their stellar CCTV system?” Alexander asked. “Didn’t that capture anything?”

“It was too far out of shot, behind the forest line that separates the brewery from the farmland.”

“Fuck,” Alexander said. “So, I guess we are public enemy number one now?”

“I don’t know,” Oz said. “The dragons actually have our back on this one, they know something evil, something other worldly, attacked Carter back at The Dragon Pit… and then we have the CCTV footage of the second man being taken at the brewery… it’s clear whatever is doing that isn’t one of us.”

“Good,” he sighed. “At least one thing is going our way… the last thing we want at the moment is any further tension, we were just getting over it all, and we need to stick together in a time like this, not be driven further apart.”

“And that’s not all…” Oz said ominously.

Alexander crunched his yes together, dreading to hear what was coming next.

“Go on…” he urged him to continue.

“And also, up on the mountain… last night…” he stopped and took a breath, as if he weren’t sure he could even bring himself to say it. “The dragons were alerted to something, their alarms went off in the surrounding lands, something tripped their security system. When they went out… they said there were shadows of men, just standing there in the middle of an open field. Watching them.”

A shiver ran down Alexander’s spine. This did not sound good.

“Did they charge at them?” he asked.

“No,” Oz sighed. “And this is where it gets even weirder… these shadows… these men… they were long and tall, not human, they said they looked like black ghosts almost, and when the dragons began to shift, to turn into their powerful selves, they disappeared into thin air. Faded into the darkness of the night as if they had never even been there.”

Alexander rubbed his forehead.

“What the fuck is going on?” he asked, his heart heavy. “What are these things and what are they doing here?”

“I don’t know brother,” Oz said. “But one thing is certain… they’ll be coming for us next. If they know about the dragons and the bears, then they’ll know about us too… and I don’t fancy our chances against them either, until we know what they are, all of us are in danger.”

“What are the bears and dragons going to do?” he asked.

“For now, I think the bears are temporarily suspending production at the brewery, and they are going to speak to the mayor about bringing the curfew forward, to begin at 9pm each night, all of these things seem to have happened either at the brewery directly or in the dead of night.”

“Okay,” Alexander sighed. “Seems like the only way.”

“We can have a meeting,” Oz said. “Tell the rest of the pack, make sure they know to be extra vigilant.”

“Yes,” Alexander said as he ripped back the bed covers and got to his feet. “Summon them all to the clubhouse, I’m getting ready now and I’ll be down there as soon as I can.”

He ended the call and threw the phone down on the bed. When he looked up, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror and he realized he had gone pale. Never before had anything like this happened to his pack, or to Lone Reach. Just when their town was beginning to be put on the map, something strange and sinister, something they couldn’t figure out or control had come knocking on their door, and now they were all in trouble.

It was time for Alexander and the rest of the wolves to form a plan. While he was in charge, he wasn’t about to let his town be taken over. It was his time to step up and kick some ass.

Alexander dropped by to see Piper after his meeting. He took her a slice of cake from Monroe’s and sat on one of the comfy armchairs at the front of the store, staring into space while she worked between appointments. The pressure was mounting, and he was starting to feel as if the weight was crushing him. As Alexander sat across from Piper in the salon, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was doing a good enough job of being there for her and Jake. What if he was failing in his role of father figure? He had been so up to the challenge, but now, with the extra stress of the weird happenings in Lone Reach, and the fact that he didn’t know if tensions with the other shifter packs could blow up at any moment, he couldn’t help but question his ability. What if he wasn’t as up to the challenge as he had thought he was…?

“Are you okay?” Piper broke his train of thought and he looked over to her, his mouth dropping open.

“Yeah,” he said, trying to smile. “I’m fine.”

She watched him for a moment, and then she sighed.

“I wish you would just confide in me and tell me what is going on,” she said as she set down her pen. She had been working on her accounts, totaling up her opening week figures, and he could see that she had scribbled them out several times, as if she were growing frustrated too.

“There isn’t anything to tell really,” he tried to reassure her.

She scowled at him, a clear indication that she knew he was keeping something from her.

“I think the sheriff and the mayor might bring the curfew forward a few hours,” he said tentatively. “I was just thinking about that, that’s all.”

“Why?” she asked with a furrowed brow. “Has something else happened?”

He could see the fear in her eyes, and he thought of her coming back here to Lone Reach looking for a safe haven, for solace, and to find a town on the brink of collapse… but he couldn’t tell her that. He couldn’t strike more worry and turmoil into her heart. She didn’t deserve it and he loved her too much to hurt her, to worry her, to make her afraid for her and Jake’s future. This was part of his role of protector. He had to keep her safe, and if she were panicked, she wouldn’t be safe, she would be even more vulnerable.

He bit his bottom lip and looked away. He didn’t want to lie to her. But he didn’t want to tell her either. He had a code he had to keep to with the shifters, and he knew that the news about the cattle and the sightings up by the dragon’s homestead had been kept secret.

“I’m just trying to look after you Piper,” he said, trying to change the subject. “I’m trying to protect you and Jake.”

“Why?” she said as she rose to her feet. “Do you not believe I can look after myself?”

The words flew out of nowhere and caught him off guard. She looked angry, as if he had insulted her seriously and he rose to his feet too, opening his palms in surrender.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

He saw the upset in her eyes, and he thought again of how she had left him all those years before. She had said she hadn’t felt good enough for him… but what if he wasn’t good enough for her? What if he was going to end up hurting her and Jake the same way his father had hurt him?

A sharp piercing pain seemed to penetrate his brain and he clamped his eyes closed and winced.

“You’ve been cold and distant for days,” she said. “And I can tell you don’t believe in me…” her lip wobbled, and his heart began to sink.

“Don’t say that babe,” he whispered. “I haven’t… I’ve just…”

“No, it’s okay, I know… you won’t tell me, there’s nothing to tell.”

She turned her back on him and he could see her shoulder shaking as if she were crying.

“Piper…” he said, and he wanted to move closer, to be near her, but her shields were up and the tension between them was so thick and heavy it was like a brick wall.

“I’d like you to leave,” she said, her voice breaking.

He looked at the back of her head, and at the way her shoulders were shaking, and he wanted to reach out and say something to her. He wanted to reassure her, but his head was a mess and he was feeling like he was failing too. He was failing her and Jake. How could he think he could ever be a father? His own father had left him… he didn’t even know what fatherhood looked like.

He stepped backwards and reached for the door. Piper still stood looking at the back wall of the salon, at the neon sign she had put up there so lovingly… hugging her arms tightly around herself.

And he left her there, just like she had asked. With no idea of how he could ever put things right.

Chapter 15

Piper rolled over and stared into the darkness of her bedroom. She had no idea what time it was, but she knew it was late. She rubbed her eyes and felt them ache beneath her fingers. She had done nothing but cry for three days straight. And she still didn’t feel as if she was done. She easily had another week of tears left in her, if not more. Her whole body ached, her mind was weary, and she couldn’t bring herself to eat, never mind go into the salon. It had been closed up with its lights off since Alexander had left.

She may have told him to go, but it didn’t make things any easier. Her heart was broken all over again and she just wanted to bury her head. She knew she didn’t deserve to be happy. She didn’t deserve all the good that had come her way since she had arrived back in Lone Reach. She simply wasn’t good enough.

She pulled the covers over her head and thought of Jake. He was such a good kid, and even though he didn’t have a clue that she and Alexander had had broken up, he was still miserable. He missed Alexander, she could tell. He kept asking when they would be able to go over for dinner again, when Alexander was going to take him fishing, and Piper had to keep her smile bright and her voice sweet and calm. She told him Alexander had important work and so had to go away for a few days to finish it, maybe he would be away a week, but she was sure that as soon as he could he would be in touch.

It seemed to pacify Jake for now, but she could still sense his misery. And that was heartbreaking for her too.

When she finally managed to force herself up and out of bed, she walked slowly down the stairs into the kitchen and sat next to her mom at the breakfast counter.

“How are you today?” Fiona asked.

Piper shrugged. Even speaking felt like a massive challenge that she wasn’t ready to take on.

“You know you can’t just drop Jake at pre-school and then slope back to bed and sleep the day away,” Fiona said as she wrapped her arm around Piper’s shoulder. “You’re too young and full of life. And you’ve just opened that fantastic business. Surely you don’t want to throw in the towel so soon! You put in so much hard work and were doing so well.”

“I’ll just fail in the end Mom,” Piper said as she balled up her fist and rested her chin on it. “Just like I fail at everything.”

Fiona rolled her eyes and rose to her feet. She put the kettle on to boil and turned to look back at Piper with her arms crossed over her chest.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever known you fail at anything,” she said. “You seem to have this innate fear, and it’s ridiculous. You’re a strong, wonderful woman, a great mother, and you can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Except love and be loved,” Piper said, tears starting to pool and cloud her vision.

“You love just fine,” Fiona said. “But yes, maybe you do need to work on letting people love you… stop being so worried about things that don’t even apply.”

“I never felt good enough for him,” she said, choking back the tears. “He’s such an amazing man.”

Fiona poured Piper a cup of coffee, stirred it twice and carried it over to her, placing it in her hands before sitting back down and smiling kindly.

“You’re amazing,” Fiona said. “I see it. Jake sees it. Alexander sees it. Stop pushing him away.”

Her mother had never spoken to her so bluntly before, and for the first time, Piper thought she may actually be able to take it all on board.

“Drink your coffee and go and get a shower,” Fiona said with a smile. “It’s only just past noon, you’ve got a good couple of hours before Jake is out of pre-school. Go and pick him up and take him for ice cream. Make a plan to open the salon up again tomorrow and get that butt of yours in gear.”

Piper laughed and kissed her mom on the cheek. She was lucky to have her, even if she did still feel miserable.

Jake held her hand tightly as they wandered along Main Street and headed toward the ice cream parlor. He was already talking excitedly of all the flavors he wanted in a big bowl with whipped cream and sprinkles and cherry on top. Piper grinned and laughed, keeping as jolly as she could for him, and as she passed by a lamp post, she saw that there was another MISSING poster tacked to it, a different face staring out from under the words.

She shuddered. What the hell was going on in this town?

She opened the door to the diner and stepped inside, Jake was all wide eyed and excited, already jumping up onto his favorite seat by the counter and chatting away to the woman who worked there, telling her exactly what he had just told Piper out on the street.

When their ice creams arrived, she leaned over and caught the attention of the woman serving. She was called Jan and had red hair and kind eyes.

“Have you heard anything about this other missing man?” Piper whispered.

Jan leaned onto the counter and came closer, as if she were really ready to spread the gossip.

“Oh, I hear everything in here sweetheart,” she chuckled. “Apparently he worked at the brewery too… and not only that but the same night he went missing a herd of cattle was slaughtered close by.”

A chill rolled over Piper.

A herd of cattle had been slaughtered?

“Jesus,” she gasped. “That’s awful.”

“Umm hmm,” Jan agreed. “Things really are taking a strange turn in this town. I’d keep yourself and that little one safe.”

She winked and smiled, and then she turned and went to serve another customer a little further down the counter.

Piper looked down at Jake, and her heart was pounding.

Maybe Alexander hadn’t been cold and distant with her… maybe he was genuinely worried about something dark and sinister, something he couldn’t tell her.

She instinctively pulled Jake’s stool a little closer to hers and wrapped a protective arm around him. Suddenly… the whole world felt very dark and alone.

Chapter 16

Alexander and the rest of the wolves lounged around the clubhouse sinking beers and playing pool. The warehouse was cold and draughty, even after all the work they had done to it, but it felt like there was an extra chill in the air, as if winter was coming for them rather than saying goodbye for another year.

Alexander kicked his boots up onto the table in front of him and took a swig of Lone Reach Ale. He wasn’t finding it as easy as the others to get into the spirit of finally relaxing after another shitty week. They had been out roaming around the forests and woodland, letting their inner wolves burn off their energy. But he had stayed behind, licking his wounds, unable to ignore how miserable he felt. Alexander was so worked up he feared what would happen if he shifted, but at the same time, he knew he couldn’t muzzle his beast for much longer.

Oz and Rick were in the middle of a serious battle, both of them head to head in their game of pool, and the other pack members were watching with looks of intense suspense.

When Oz potted his final shot, sinking the last stripe on the table, they all cheered and even Rick patted him on the back before they embraced for a hug. There was never any true competition between them. They saved that for the dealings with other shifters… or now the bikers who had weaseled their way into town.

Rick and Oz handed over the queues to Jo, and Zeke, one of their wolf brothers who was visiting from Bridge Hollow. With all the tensions that had been swarming around them, it had felt sensible and safe to speak with another pack member, to reach out to another brotherhood and see how they would deal with the situation, especially when Bridge Hollow had been through something similar not too long ago. A strange force had descended on their town, and they had to fight to survive. Now Alexander felt as if they were in a similar predicament… but he wasn’t just fighting for survival of his town… he was fighting for survival of his heart too.

“Jeez, you look miserable,” Oz said as he said down and pulled the cap from a fresh bottle of beer.

Alexander gave a half smile and shrugged.

“I know you’re a man of few works,” Rick began as he sat down too. “But I think all three of us here know, you’re not just worried about the strange happenings in town.”

Alexander looked from one of them to the other. They were both sitting near him, looking on with stern faces, as if they were about to give him some kind of intervention.

“Bravo,” he said with a wry smile. “Where would you like me to pin your medals?” he raised a brow and the other two laughed.

“Why did you break it off with Piper?” Rick asked with genuine concern, cutting past the bull shit, and getting straight to the point.

Alexander looked down at the floor and shrugged.

“I didn’t,” he said. “She broke it off with me.”

Oz and Rick looked at each other.

“And now it’s all fucked with the dragons and the deal we had with the store and it being occupied with her salon…” Alexander raised his bottle to his lips and took a long, deep sip.

“Nothing is fucked,” Oz said. “They’re happy with what’s been done there.”

“Well she’s closed it so I can’t imagine they’re going to be happy for too much longer…” he said.

“They just wanted it to look done out,” Rick laughed. “We spoke to Carter this morning and things between us are better than ever. They’re happy that they have our support with the attack on the town, and they are hoping to move forward with keeping our relations positive and fruitful.”

Alexander closed his mouth into a tight line. He hadn’t been expecting to hear that. He had just been waiting for the fall out.

“I heard she’s been seen around town looking pretty low too,” Oz continued. “And her son… is it Jake?”

Alexander sat up and forward, wanting to listen harder.

“He’s not being doing so good either,” Oz finished.

Alexander had to look away from them. He hated to think of either of them being upset. He took a swig of his beer and then set the empty down on the table in front of him.

“You know,” Rick began. “When I saw Piper that day, when she had first come back to town, the first thing I thought of was wow… Alexander and Piper, they were meant to be… I can’t believe it ever ended.”

Alexander looked toward him and caught his eye. Rick was always such a joker, but he was being serious and genuine, and Alexander could tell he meant every word.

“And you got a second chance… you got to explore that love again… I can’t believe you’re just sitting here and not chasing after it. You and she clicked all over again and it was pure fire. It’s clear you love each other and yet you’re fighting it, throwing in the towel over nothing and letting her and that awesome kid walk out of your life? I have to ask… are you insane?”

Alexander knew he needed to hear it, but that didn’t mean he liked it.

“I have to do what’s best for her… I wasn’t cut out to be a dad.”

Oz and Rick looked at each other with bemused expressions, and then turned back to Alexander and shook their heads.

“You were made for it,” Oz said. “You and Jake clicked so well, there was no need for you to ever doubt your ability.”

Alexander rose to his feet and sighed. He didn’t know why but it felt like he was being attacked, and he needed to think.

“Thanks for the pep talk guys,” he said.

He walked away, out of the games room and into the cavernous hallways, his head pounding and his heart longing for something he feared he had lost.

“How the fuck am I going to win her back?” he said to himself as he leaned back against the cold wall and buried his head in his hands.

His wolf was raging away inside of him, powerful and strong, aching to burst free and run all the way out of clubhouse, down the roads of Main Street and over to the Piper’s part of town. He knew it was dangerous, but he didn’t care. The curfew was in place, lockdown was in force… the streets would be empty, and surely for him he would be safer that way if there was anything sinister lurking.

He felt his shoulders begin to rise and fall, his breathing becoming rapid and his adrenaline coursing through his veins. He growled and howled up to the ceiling as his features began to distort and change, his face elongated, his skin ripping open and fur springing up in its place. As he turned into the incredible alpha wolf that he was, the only thing he could visualize in his mind was Piper and Jake. He had to go to them, he had to tell them how he felt. That he loved them both and he wanted to make sure the town was safe to make it a better place for them. That he wanted to love and support them and keep them safe no matter what.

The power raged through him, and as he turned to run and dart out of the clubhouse he crashed through the doorways and nearly brought them off their hinges.

The town was deadly silent and he passed through it without incident, there was nothing lurking in the shadows, no people looking out of their windows and doors, just him and the night, the light of the moon shining above him brightly and leading the way toward Piper. To the love of his life and the woman he knew he now couldn’t live without.

As he turned into her street, he sniffed the air and moved around the back of her house, into the woodland that it backed onto and hid out there, lurking in the shadows, just like the creature he had been fearing. His eyes were so piercing blue they seemed to glow, and he rose onto his back legs and howled up into the night.

He saw the light flicker on in the kitchen and Piper came walking through, clutching a black silk robe around herself and looking disheveled, as if she had just woken up. She paused and looked out of the back glass doors, her hand hovering over the handle as if she didn’t know whether to open it or not.

He had come for her many times like this when they were young, and as he stepped forward slightly, so the light of the moon caught his eyes, she saw her stop still and a little smile flicker across her lips.

She opened the door and stepped out into the night, her feet bare and her heart racing. He could hear it pounding, and he could smell her fear, but there was something else mixed into it too… arousal. She was glad he was there for her.

She took a step closer and she looked nervous, but her eyes were wide, and her pupils dilated.

“Alexander…” she whispered.

She smiled and stepped closer, joining him under the canopy of trees and slowly reaching out to the touch him. Her hands moved through his fur, she stroked him, breathing him in as he nuzzled into her. Her hands felt good, and she had tears in her eyes and the looks of awe she always had when she saw him as this incredible being. The huge, dangerous wolf who had her heart.

She stepped back and he felt the need to be with her properly. His body began to shake, and he moved back into the trees, so he was out of view. His fur and skin began to tear and his human skin returned, his features slowly morphed back to normal, and as he stood up straight and stood there naked in front of her, walking forward and coming closer to her, he saw the way her eyes were alight with passion.

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

She didn’t speak, her heart was racing so hard, he could still feel and hear it. She took a step closer to him.

“I love you Piper,” he said with a smile. “I always have, and I always will. I don’t want to lose you, or Jake.”

She blinked and he could see she had tears in her eyes.

“You make me want to be a better man… I’ve been lost without you.”

She finally smiled back, and her shoulder seemed to drop, as if she had been holding her breath and she had finally let herself exhale.

“Let me be with you… let me be your man now and always. Let me be a father to Jake. Let me be the one.”

“You have always been the one,” she said. “I was just so afraid.”

“Me too,” he said.

She moved closer and they took hold of each other’s hands. Standing there in the forest at the back of her home, naked and half naked in the moonlight. And Alexander knew then that they would never be apart again.

True love had found them, and they were never going to let it go.

Chapter 17

Holding onto his hands and seeing him there in the woods at the back of her family home was intense and glorious. It had been years since she had felt things like she was feeling in this moment. She remembered so well how exciting it had been when the wolf had come for her when they were younger, how special she felt and how in awe of him she was.

Now Alexander had come to her that way again, and she knew that she had his heart. Now and forever.

He was breathing heavily, his muscular chest heaving, glistening with sweat in the moonlight. She reached up and ran her fingers down the center of his abs, her own heart thumping as she rested her palm over where his would lie beneath.

She looked into his eyes and he took hold of her at the waist with his big, strong hands. He was already hard and ready for her, he was so big and powerful, and she knew that he had wolf energy coursing through his veins. His skin was red hot to the touch, and when she looked into his eyes and touched him, she felt him leaving parts of himself inside of her.

He wanted to be with her forever, he wanted her to be his.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her robe fall open and showing that she too was naked apart from a lacy pair of panties. He grunted and took hold of her harder. Pulling her close to him and bringing his head close to hers. He kissed her and he was so passionate it was taking her breath away. Since they had been parted, she had longed to feel him again, to be close to him like this and feel his love for her. Now they had come back together, the hurt forgotten, she knew they had both spent the past week being completely torn apart, and she knew they both didn’t want to ever go through that again.

He was her soul mate. Her protector. The man she had been meant to be with since she first laid eyes on him when she was sixteen. And now here he was… in her arms again and all the love they had been trying to deny spilling out to the surface, engorging them both and spurring them forward.

She ran her hands through this hair and looked deep into his intense blue eyes. Her nipples were rock hard, sensitive and aching for his touch. When he reached up and slipped his big hand into her robe and touched her there, she gasped and pressed herself against him.

He pulled her deeper into the forest, away from any possible prying eyes, and he pushed her gently up against a tree, the bark scraping lightly against her back as he pulled the robe down from over her shoulders, and let it fall to the ground.

She felt so liberated to be there in the open air, with her wolf man, naked, in the moonlight. He took her hand and led her to the ground, lying her on top of the dropped robe and tracing his hands along her soft, naked body. His hand dipped between her legs as he lay beside her, and found her clit, stroking it gently and making a heat rise inside of her which was so delicious she bit her lip and moaned. When he found her opening and slipped a finger inside of her and felt how wet she was for him, he smiled and pulled her legs gently apart before he climbed between them and took hold of his massive manhood and positioned himself, ready to push inside of her. She looked up at him, at his intensely blue eyes and at the full moon shining down on them from overhead. He rubbed the tip of his cock up and down on her, working her into a frenzy before he went for her cunt and thrust inside of her, filling her up with his intensity and claiming her for the rest of time.

The energy between them was electric. His thighs were so tense and muscular, and as he thrust in and out of her harder and faster, she dug her nails into his back and dragged them down, scratching him and leaving her own mark as he growled up at the moon, the sounds of the wolf powering out of him as he worked up to his release.

Piper could barely hold on, she had been so ready to have him inside of her, and he turned her on so much, that with each stroke and thrust she was seeing stars. She wrapped her legs tightly around him, and her hips began to buck, he pushed into her again and this time there was no controlling it, her orgasm tore through her, as she held her head back and stared up to the night sky. Her whole body quivered, the heat and pleasure that was rocketing through her was like nothing she had ever experienced before, and she gasped and moaned as Alexander pumped into her one more time, his own body tensing and his seed exploding inside of her. He came hot and hard, pushing her down into the soft earth as he howled up at the moon, his muscles glistening and his breath racing.

He collapsed down on top of her and she wrapped her around him. Holding him in place as he smiled at her and kissed her longingly on the lips, unable to tear himself away from her.

He was so out of breath he couldn’t speak, and Piper held onto his face and looked into his eyes. She could see and sense the wolf in him. The animal that had just claimed her. She smiled and felt something change inside of her, her heart was so full, and now there was a satisfied feeling in her belly too. As if she were finally whole.

The wolf had claimed her. Forever.

Him and her were now bound by an unbreakable bond, one that would stand the test of time. Being together like this, vulnerable and alone, after they had laid there feelings bare and made love under the light of the full moon… they had done something significant. Something more than they ever thought possible.

She nuzzled her head into him, and he kissed her forehead. She had everything she needed and more… and she had never felt so lucky.

The next morning, Piper and Alexander awoke in each other’s arms. She had written a note for her mom and pushed it under her door in the early hours, asking her to please take Jake to pre-school so that she could sleep late. She didn’t want to tell her mom the real reason, that she had her wolf lover secretly hiding in her bedroom… but there would be plenty of time for an explanation when the time was right. She had made Jake’s lunch in the kitchen at midnight, when she and Alexander whispered and tiptoed around as if they were back to being in high school. She had written Jake a note, saying she loved him and would collect him from pre-school as normal, and then she had checked on him and given him a kiss while he was fast asleep, before going back downstairs and getting Alexander. Sneaking him up to her room before anyone could see.

It felt so silly, so naughty… but it was also fun.

“Are you sure your mom won’t come in and check on you?” he asked once they had closed the door.

“I’m nearly thirty years old,” she laughed. “And we take it in turns sorting Jake in the morning anyway. I’m sure she can manage.”

She turned the key in the lock, just to be certain and then she looked back at Alexander, who was looking around her room as if it were a museum.

“I can’t believe you’re back here,” he laughed. “It still feels the same.”

“A lot has changed, all my stuff has gone… but yeah, I guess the essence will never leave.”

“Your essence is one that is hard to shake,” he smiled.

They climbed into bed and cuddled up together. The cool breeze from outside drifting in through the window and the light from the moon shining across them in the bed.

“I am sorry,” Alexander said again. “I should have told you what I was worried about.”

“I heard things were going bad,” she whispered. “People were talking about it in town. I understand why you couldn’t and I’m sorry for being so paranoid. I just… I know we are different, and I worry that I’m not good enough.”

“You are good enough,” he said as he took hold of her chin and stared deeply into her eyes. “You are all the good in this world and you’re all I want. I’m going to love you for the rest of my life, and I’m going to protect and take care of you and Jake no matter what.”

She saw his sincerity and it made her heart swell with love.

How had she ever got so lucky to meet a man like Alexander? He was incredible… he truly was everything to her.

“I’m going to love you forever,” she reassured him. “I never stopped.”

“I never stopped either,” he smiled.

She closed her eyes and felt so safe in his arms. He had come for her, shown her how much he loved her. He had fought for her and was promising he could continue to fight. And she knew she could trust him. Her mother had been right… she had to let herself be loved and stop pushing people away.

“What about the town?” she asked, opening her eyes halfway and looking into his. She was so tired, the emotions of the past week and the lovemaking in the forest had taken its toll… but she still wanted to speak to him, she wanted to see him, she didn’t want to fall asleep and miss anything.

“Well,” he said as he stroked her face softly. “We have a lot going on that’s for sure… but we have the backing of the dragons and the bears… and I think if we all stand strong and proud together then there is nothing we can’t face.”

“Are we all in trouble?” she asked, her eyes getting heavier.

“At the moment we don’t know…” he said. “But whatever is here and whatever is acting out… they seem to be focusing their attention on the bears and their businesses for now. The wolves haven’t had any trouble.”

“And the curfew?” she asked.

“That will keep the people of the town safe,” he said. “If no one is outside, then no one is in any danger.”

“And Jake… pre-school?” she asked.

“I’m going to be keeping a strong eye,” he said. “Jake will never be on his own. Another wolf or I from my pack will be guarding the pair of you, no matter when or where you are.”

“Even when I’m at work and he’s at pre-school?” she asked.

Alexander nodded.

She smiled and rolled into him closer, wanting to be covered by his strength and heat.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she closed her eyes again. “For loving me. For loving Jake. And for taking care of us…”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. His own eyes falling closed.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms, the worries and trials of the past long behind them. It may have been a bumpy road to find themselves here… but they had done it. They had overcome it all and now they had fallen so very deeply in love, and Piper knew she had her soul mate for life.

The moon shone high in the sky above them, spilling light into her old bedroom and illuminating a new beginning for them all as a family. From this moment on… nothing was ever going to be the same.

Chapter 18

One Month Later

Piper and Alexander walked hand in hand down Main Street in the warm, welcoming rays of the afternoon sun. They had spent so much time together at night, under the moonlight, that it felt good for them to both be taking a day off, wandering through town and browsing the windows, looking for some new pieces to decorate the cabin, now that Piper was taking it from a bachelor pad to a cozy family home.

She and Jake had moved in not long after Alexander had come for her as the wolf. The night they had made love in the forest had been one of the most amazing of her entire life, and when Alexander had come to her in the salon the following day and told her he didn’t want to be without her again, when he had asked them to go and live with him she hadn’t let herself hesitate.

When things were right, they were right. And she wasn’t going to fight them anymore. She was letting herself be loved. And she owed it to Jake too. He had been so happy and excited when she had asked him how he felt about it. He had jumped up and down on the couch, punching the air, whooping, and cheering. For Jake, Alexander was the most amazing person on the planet, and he loved him unconditionally.

They had spent the past four weeks turning the cabin into a wonderful home. Alexander had painted Jake’s room a deep navy blue which had complimented the richness of the wood perfectly. He had hung pictures of bears, wolves, and the forest, he had festoon lights around the walls and his toys all stored away easily in big fabric toy bins. Jake had settled in in no time, and having his own adjoining bathroom was more than a novelty for him. It made him feel oh so very grown up.

Alexander and Piper had curled up in bed on their first night and just held each other. So happy to finally be together as a family unit. She knew that for Alexander to be able to take on the role of a father to her son was not only a great honor, but one that meant even more to him because of how his own life had started with his father. He had been abandoned, and now he was stepping into the role himself, looking out for a kid who had lost his dad, and Piper knew it meant so much to him. As if he had found his calling.

They walked along Main Street and took a left, approaching Jake’s pre-school and smiling at each other briefly, knowing that they had a secret of their own that they couldn’t wait to share.

They stood with the other parents at the gates, and Piper realized when she saw Alexander chatting to some of them, that they were people they had gone to school with, now parents themselves just like they were.

She smiled and waved to them, still finding it in some ways unbelievable that she had found her way back to her hometown after years away. To see other people that she had known when she was younger felt so good, and it was a different feeling to be back there. Like coming full circle, and she had her wonderful Alexander back by her side.

The bell rang out and Piper bit her bottom lip with a smile as she scanned the doorways for Jake. Alexander was the one who raised his hands first, before he put his arm around Piper’s shoulder.

“Here he comes,” Alexander said as Jake came bounding down the pre-school steps, clutching his rucksack and waving his arms back and forth frantically, clearly so happy that he had his mom and Alexander both there together.

“Hey buddy!” Alexander beamed as he ruffled Jake’s hair when he flew into him and Piper and wrapped his arms around both their legs. “How was your day?”

“It was awesome!” Jake grinned. “Today we got to play soccer and paint pictures of dragons!”

Alexander and Piper exchanged a knowing look, and Piper couldn’t help but laugh. If only they could let Jake know what was right on his doorstep. It would blow his tiny little mind.

Alexander scooped Jake up and put him onto his shoulders as they left the school yard and started walking back toward Main Street and make their way to the ice cream parlor. It seemed like the only place where they could go and do what they were about to do. It was the first place that Piper had taken Jake when they had come to Lone Reach, and she knew he loved it there so very much. Now they were just going to have another special memory to add to it.

They went inside and the bell tinged above their heads. Jake ran to his favorite seat and tapped his fingers on the counter, before he started pressing the buttons on the countertop jukebox, choosing his best song. The song started to play out around the room before Alexander and Piper had even sat down on either side of him, and as they did, Jan the waitress was already coming over to them and squinting her eyes, pretending to guess what they might order.

“Hmm…” she said as she stroked her chin. “Let me guess… strawberry sundae with chocolate sauce, sprinkles and a cherry on top?”

Jake leaned forward and gave her a double high-five.

“Yes! That one’s for me!” he grinned.

Jan winked and turned to Piper, “And for you Piper?” she asked.

“I’ll just take a vanilla,” she smiled.

Alexander put his thumb down to show is disapproval.

“I’ll have what Jake’s having,” he laughed.

When the ice creams arrived, and Jan was further down the counter serving another family, Piper and Alexander looked at each other over the top of Jake’s head and smiled. This was it… the perfect time to tell him something that was going to change his life forever, but in the best possible way.

“Jake…,” Piper said.

He looked at her with wide, open eyes and with chocolate sauce dribbling down his chin… and he was so perfect, she knew that the baby in her belly had a lot to live up to.

“We’ve got something to tell you…” Alexander said with a warm smile.

Piper had come to Lone Reach for a fresh beginning for her and her son… she had fallen back into the arms of the only man she had ever truly loved, and now they were going to be welcoming a child of their own. She had found her fate, her great love… and Alexander had awoken a part of her heart that she had thought was long lost.

She had been looking for a new beginning, and she had found that and so much more. She had found that a place called home could sometimes be a person and a feeling.

Her life was now complete.

The End

Damaged Daddy Bear’s Nanny

Lone Reach Shifters 4

Damaged Daddy Bear’s Nanny

Copyright ©2020 by Samantha Leal

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author’s permission.

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Chapter 1

Mia trotted down Main Street with her bag slung over her shoulder and her sunglasses covering her eyes. It may have been approaching dusk, and the sun was low in the sky, but she still wanted to feel and look as if she meant business. She was in no mood for taking anyone’s shit today; not after the few months she had been through.

She marched along the sidewalk and felt better knowing she couldn’t catch anyone’s gaze. She had to be at work soon and she didn’t want to get trapped talking to one of Ryan’s friends, and she knew they would be out loitering around Main Street, no doubt looking for trouble, which she had long washed her hands of.

Boyfriends… who needed them? Especially the kind who cheat on absolute queens like Mia and end up ruining a good summer.

She looked up as she crossed the street and saw The Dragon Pit rising up out of the rest of the blur of buildings and cars that were in front of her. She breathed a sigh of relief. She had made it unscathed. The town may have been pretty much held hostage by a strange supernatural threat, but to Mia, the real danger was running into her ex and falling back into a pattern of doom. She had loved the guy, but he had cheated and broken her heart. Now that she was feeling stronger, it would be typical for him to try and claw his way back into her life. And she just couldn’t have it.

She pushed open the door to The Dragon Pit and stepped inside.

It was time for another back-busting shift. She sighed and pulled the sunglasses away from her eyes. She’d better hop to it.

Summer in Lone Reach had been strange so far. Mia had high hopes for it when it had begun, but now, especially after the whole year had been under a cloud of uncertainty, it had only been made worse when Ryan had cheated on her and she had broken it off for good. She had spent her days crying, she had called him worse than anything to her best friend, Aubrey, and she had made promises to herself that she was going to change her life once and for all. But things were tough in a small town. Not only did she not have endless work options, but she felt like she had to dodge Ryan every time she left the house.

She had thought long and hard over how she could overhaul her life, and going back to school was one of the things she had been determined to do. She had enrolled in the community college and started taking classes, but working at The Dragon Pit also consumed a lot of her time. Shitty relationships and shitty jobs were taking their toll. She was beginning to feel exhausted and she knew something had to give.

“Mia!” Victor’s voice pierced the air from the ground up, and she found herself wincing.

“Yes?” she called back tentatively.

“This whole downstairs bar needs restocking, and we open in an hour, what the fuck is going on?”

“Okay,” she said as she heaved the last crate of clean glasses onto the top of the VIP bar counter. “I’ll be right on it. I’m just finishing up here.”

She heard a door slam and she knew she was in trouble. It didn’t seem to matter how hard she worked in this place, she was always falling short somewhere. The dragons who owned the club were becoming tetchier by the day, and even though she knew they had issues going on outside of work, it didn’t help her morale with the way she was already feeling.

She sighed and rubbed her head. She had a lot going on, and she didn’t think she could cope with Victor blowing up at her again, especially before the doors to the club had even opened for the long night ahead. She looked at her watch. It was only 9pm. She would be there until 4 in the morning, and then she would go home, try to get what sleep she could, be up at 9am to then go to college and pick up her assignments, take a two-hour seminar before going home to get ready and come back to do it all over again on Friday night.

“You’re heading toward burnout,” she whispered to herself.

She headed downstairs and saw the crates and crates of booze and glasses stacked up around the bar, spilling out onto the dance floor and she closed her eyes. To do this all by herself was going to take hours. There was no way she was going to get it done in time. Victor had known it, and he had stormed off, not offering to help. And he had recently fired the girl who worked the shift with Mia, so she was trying to do two roles in one.

“Victor?” she called. “I mean, come on, you know I can’t do all of this alone…” She waited with baited breath, and when she saw the door to the back corridor crack open and Victor emerge with fire in his eyes, she was prepared for the showdown.

“Get it done, Mia,” he said sternly. “Do whatever it takes.”

She glared at him, not afraid of the dragon she knew was festering away beneath his skin. He may have been her boss and half supernatural beast, but he didn’t intimidate her. Not anymore.

“You’ve had weeks to hire a replacement to help me on weekends,” she said. “Tonight is Thursday, our busiest night of the week… And you expect me to set up an entire club by myself?”

Victor crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.

“I’m not doing it anymore,” she sighed as she began to untie the apron at her waist. “I quit.”

As she turned her back on him, she caught a quick glimpse of Victor’s jaw sagging open, and it felt damned good.

Shitty relationship, done. Shitty job, done.

Now, it was time for her to have some fun.

Chapter 2

It may have been late on a Thursday, but the brewery was still very much alive with activity. Hudson stood on the balcony, peering over the metal railings at the vats of beer that were being made below. He loved this place, it had been his grand vision, along with the other bears of Lone Reach, to make something of this town, and now, he felt as if it were all dangerously close to tumbling down.

He sighed and stepped back, before he turned and headed into the office, a huge, modern, board room, with a long, oak table set for at least twelve people, but he knew it could easily hold closer to twenty. He closed the door behind him, and Mason stared back.

“Things don’t feel right, do they?” Mason asked.

Hudson shook his head and turned his eyes toward the ceiling.

Over the past few weeks, the strange happenings in their town had escalated. The dragon pack had seen strange things out on the mountains, figures that looked like the shadows of men had evaporated before their very eyes, a field of cattle had been slaughtered, and another man, one of their own workers from the brewery, had been attacked in their parking lot and gone missing. Hudson knew something terrible was coming, and yet, he still felt so alone and in the dark. None of the bears could make sense of it all, but now, he and Mason had a theory, and it wasn’t a good one.

“How should we handle it with the bikers?” Mason asked, looking up to Hudson for guidance.

Hudson had been dreading this question; he knew exactly what he wanted to say and do… He wanted to rip their fucking heads off. But something didn’t sit right. He knew the leaders of the bike gang well, and he just couldn’t believe that they would do something to jeopardize their own investment and their relationship with the shifter packs of Lone Reach.

The Forsaken Riders had come to their town, and they had made them allies, but now, since they had agreed to go into business and have them invest in the brewery, trouble had not been far behind. Hudson knew what was out there in the world, places close and dear to him had not long been under attack from supernatural forces, and now, it appeared that Lone Reach may be about to suffer a similar fate. The thought terrified him, not just because his home, livelihood, and brotherhood were at stake, but because he had two adorable little girls waiting for him at home.

Sophie and Grace, his daughters, were his one true reason for living. He did everything for them, and loved them beyond measure. And since his ex, their mother, had walked out on them all and left town to carry on her wild and debauched lifestyle, he had sworn that he would do whatever it took to give them the structure and support they needed to thrive. It was tough as a single dad, and there were times when he feared he was failing them, by working too much, or by not being a maternal figure too, but he woke up every day determined to make sure that they were strong, loved, and happy. His ex had always complained that he was angry, and it had played on his mind ever since. He knew people around town were intimidated by him… but he couldn’t help being a strong shifter bear, with an anger that runs deep because of his need to protect. He just hoped his anger would never screw up his kids, not that he ever let them see that side. It was just a cross he was always going to have to bear.

He looked back at Mason who was now pacing the board room. They both had a lot of trouble coming their way, and the stress was beginning to rise between them. They were going to have to address the rest of their pack, and somehow, they were going to have to approach the bikers… even though, at this moment in time, it felt as if it were impossible.

“We risk throwing away a good relationship,” Hudson said lowly. “We can’t go in there accusing… Maybe it would be a better course of action if we speak with our brothers, let them know of our concerns and then figure out a plan to watch what the Forsaken Riders are up to. Maybe we could tail them.”

Mason nodded, but Hudson could see the doubt etched on his face.

“If they found out we were tailing them, though, it could have worse consequences,” Mason added.

“True,” Hudson tucked his fingers into his belt loops. “But if we don’t do something, we risk losing everything. I think the best thing we can do right now is tread lightly. What is that saying? Slowly, slowly catch a monkey… Well, the bikers are our monkey. We don’t want to scare them off; we need to take baby steps. We need to investigate things fully, maybe tail a few of them who are on separate jobs and discover who else they’re dealing with.”

“What if we don’t like what we find?”

“Well, then we know what needs to be done,” Hudson said with a wry smile. “And those fuckers will regret the day they ever messed with us.”

He reached out his hand, and Mason clasped it in his. They pulled themselves together and slapped each other on the back in a show of solidarity. Hudson knew he had a tough few weeks ahead, which was likely going to mean he was at home even less, but he had to protect the brewery and the town in order to protect his daughters.

“Jeez,” he said as he sighed and ran his hand down his face. “If only we could have seen this coming.”

Mason laughed and then, so did he. There was always something going on that made things tough for them, but they were shifter bears, and they would handle it.

“I need a drink,” Hudson said as he headed toward the door and reached for the handle. “You want to come?”

Mason shook his head.

“I’ll be over in a little while,” he smiled sadly. “I want to make sure the last shift gets out of here without a problem. Have you noticed how nervous the late workers are now?”

Hudson nodded his head; he had seen the change in the people who he employed. It was sad and it was cruel. But they were grown men, and it also annoyed him that they couldn’t take responsibility for themselves.

There goes that anger, he thought, before he pushed it back down. He had to be more compassionate, not everyone was as strong as he was, he knew that.

“I’ll be at the bar,” he said before he tipped his head and made his way out onto the viewing floor. He walked around the metal balcony and pushed his way out the swinging doors and toward the elevator.

For the first time since the brewery had opened, he couldn’t wait to see the back of it. As he climbed into his truck and turned on the engine, he looked back at the place he had helped create and felt a pang of sadness. He loved this place, and he had done it all for the good of the town and for his kids, but man, was it stressful.

He cranked up the stereo and headed toward the barriers. It was time to finally check out from work and address his latest problem… if he was going to be out of the house and working more, then he was going to need some help with Sophie and Grace.

He rubbed his temples before grasping the wheel and driving on into the night.

Chapter 3

Mia stood outside The Bear Brewhouse and smiled. After her terrible start to the night, this was exactly what she needed.

She pushed open the door and stepped inside. She breathed in the scent of the pine, the beer, the smoke drifting in from outdoors, mixed in with the ribs cooking away in the kitchen, and she couldn’t help feeling as if she were finally back where she belonged.

It had been a while since she had come into a place like this to relax; all of her nights for the past few months had been spent working late at The Dragon Pit, or at home recouping and studying. She remembered what it was like when she and her best friend, Aubrey, used to hit the town for a wild night, and even though she didn’t really miss her wild and carefree days, it certainly felt good to be unencumbered for once.

She walked toward the long, pine bar and pulled out a stool. She climbed up on it and pulled the menu toward her before she flipped it open and scanned down the drinks and food. She had barely eaten anything before she had headed to the club; her stomach had been a twisted knot of anxiety at the prospect of bumping into Ryan or one of his idiot friends. But now, she felt as if she could take on the world. The adrenaline was coursing through her after telling Victor to shove his job, and now that she was out having a night to herself, she felt like superwoman.

The bartender came over to her, and Mia smiled.

“Hi, Emma,” she said.

“How’s it going, Mia?”

Emma had worked the bar for as long as she could remember, and it felt good to see a familiar face.

“All good, I guess,” she said.

“Haven’t seen you in here for a while…” Emma reached for a glass and began to fill it with water before taking a sip. “How’s it going over at The Dragon Pit?”

Mia felt herself cringing.

“Well, to be honest,” she said in a hushed tone, “I’ve actually just quit.”

Emma’s eyes widened a little and she leaned in closer.

“Oh, really?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Mia smiled. “Victor fired the girl I worked the shifts with and was turning into a bit of a slave driver. I had to get out, it was a toxic environment.”

“Well, good for you.” Emma grinned as she reached up and gave her a high five. “I’m all for women standing up for themselves, especially in this male dominated town.”

Mia smiled and nodded; Emma was right on that one. Lone Reach was run by some seriously powerful men, and it didn’t hurt for one of the women around there to give them a shake-up every once in a while.

“But now, I have the hassle of trying to find another job,” she sighed as she put her head in her hand. “I don’t suppose there’s anything going here with you, is there?”

The panic was already beginning to kick in. She had a home to run, bills to pay, and she had school to afford while she got her qualifications. She couldn’t just live on fresh air. She needed cold hard cash.

“I’m afraid not,” Emma said sadly. “But I’ll keep a listen out for you around town.”

“Thanks, Emma,” she smiled.

“Can I get you a drink?”

“Sure, please, could I get a vodka and soda, lots of ice?”

“No problem,” Emma winked, and she turned back to collect a glass and a big scoop of ice.

Mia’s excitement was already starting to wane. Maybe she had made a terrible mistake walking out on Victor… She knew in her heart that she hadn’t enjoyed it there in some time, but the reality of not having any income was creeping up on her fast. She bit her bottom lip and reached for her cell phone.

M: You’re going to kill me… but I quit The Dragon Pit… just before Carter tells you x

She sent the text to Aubrey and then shoved the cellphone to the bottom of her handbag. Aubrey was dating, and very serious with, the co-owner of the nightclub, Carter. A powerful shifter dragon. Emma returned with her drink, and Mia thanked her.

“Why don’t you try that new bookstore in town?” Emma suggested. “I’m sure they were looking for staff not so long ago.”

“I actually was in there yesterday and the woman who runs it told me she had hired everyone,” Mia sighed. “But it would have been perfect, you’re right. Especially while I’m studying.”

“I’m sure something will turn up,” Emma said sympathetically. “It must have been really tough working those long night hours while being up early studying too.”

“It was becoming impossible,” she admitted, her resolve returning. “But I guess I’m going to learn the hard way here…”

She flipped back to the menu and looked at the food. The smell in the air was amazing and all she could think about was sinking her teeth into something and forgetting all her troubles.

She ordered some nachos with chili and relaxed back onto the stool before she heard the door swing open behind her and the sound of heavy footsteps getting closer. There was a part of her that was afraid it may have been Victor, but in no time, a set of heavy hands landed on the counter just a little further along and she snuck a peak out of the corner of her eye.

The hands were big and masculine, rough looking and well worn, as if they were used to working outdoors. She knew instantly this most certainly wasn’t Victor, and it gave her a flutter of excitement. She had always loved a rough and ready man. She let her eyes travel further, working her way to his sleeve and beyond.

She saw the plaid shirt and the tan, the muscles bulging away on his forearm, and her whole body seemed alight with something, some kind of electricity. And as she let herself turn fully and stare at the man standing beside her, her heart seemed to dip into her stomach.

He was tall and rugged, his stubble on his chin and cheeks dark and menacing. His eyebrows were heavy on his head, and he had a look of trouble about him that she couldn’t help being intrigued by.

He turned and his eyes fixed on hers. They were deep brown, dark and engulfing, and it made her swallow nervously. He stared at her for a moment, as if he was unsure of what he was looking at, and then he turned back to the bar and called for Emma.

Mia’s heart was racing away in her chest, her skin was prickling with heat and energy, and it was as if something had been zinged into her, waking her up and lulling her into security all at once.

She didn’t know what the hell had just happened. Her skin felt on fire and her heart was only gaining more pace. She leaned back and scowled, bringing her palm to her chest and breathing in deep to try and stop herself from being overcome. It felt as if he had just wandered in there and taken over the room. She felt his eyes on her again and she turned back to catch his gaze. A smile flickered across his lips, as if she had just told him something funny, but then he turned his shoulder so that his view of her was blocked and Mia found herself feeling as if he had done it on purpose.

Her heart began to return to normal and she breathed out, the feeling that her head was about to spin off slowly vanishing, but her skin still raged with heat and she hoped her cheeks weren’t flushed.

She sat up straight and tossed her hair over her shoulder, before she took a sip of her drink and then snuck a quick look at him again. He looked vaguely familiar, as if she had seen him around town over the years, perhaps when she had been younger, and then never again. But there was something about him that was seriously pulling at her. He leaned back slightly, and she watched him reach for a barstool, pull it out and climb up on it. He was no more than two meters away, but she could feel his heat and smell his cologne. He smelled incredible, and he didn’t look too shabby either… In fact, considering that a man was the last thing on Mia’s mind, he was pretty much perfect in the looks department and she couldn’t help wanting to stare more.

“How’s it going, Hudson?” Emma said as she stopped in front of him and brought with her a fresh, large glass of Lone Reach’s finest ale.

“Oh, you know, a fucking mess as usual,” he said with a half laugh.

Mia laughed too, she certainly could relate to him on that one.

He looked across at her as he raised the glass to his lips and cocked his head to the side and smiled. She felt herself sink back in the stool slightly. Emma smiled at both of them and then she handed him a menu.

“I’ve just asked the kitchen to stay open for Mia here, want anything before they shut off?”

Hudson looked over at Mia with a quizzical expression, and she felt as if her whole body was on fire. His eyes were so stunning, the heat radiating from him was like nothing she had ever felt before, and it was almost magical. Moreover, the way he was looking at her… was sheer hunger.

She smiled nervously and found herself twirling the little straw that came with her drink. He opened the menu and looked down it.

“Sure,” he said. “Why not, I’ll take some chili nachos.”

Mia’s heart skipped a beat again, and Emma laughed.

“Well, I think you two are going to get on like a house on fire,” she grinned. “Great minds think alike and all that…”

She moved away to serve another customer, and Mia felt as if she and Hudson were the only two people in the room. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and tried not to act too coy and shy, even though she was beginning to feel exactly that.

Hudson looked at her, his eyes drinking her in and his expression still one of both bemusement and curiosity. He sipped his beer before he slammed it down on the counter, and even though it wasn’t in any way menacing, it made her jump a little. He gave her a wry smile.

“Why’ve you had such a shitty day then?” she asked, feeling brave.

Hudson leaned back and laughed.

“I’m a busy man,” he said. “It comes with the territory.”

She could see a glint in his eye, and it was familiar to one she had seen before. She let her eyes rove over him, and she knew now why her heart was alight and her skin was burning to be close to him. He was a shifter. She could sense it.

She laughed a little to herself and sipped her own drink.

He watched her for a moment and then he looked back across the bar toward the TV mounted on the wall.

Another shifter… she thought. This town really is crawling with them. He doesn’t have the same vibe as Carter and Victor though, this guy is something else. Something more rugged and raw.

“Don’t be so rude, Hudson,” Emma teased as she caught wind of their conversation. “Maybe you’re not the only one who’s had a bad day, ever thought of that?”

He held his hands up in surrender, and Mia could tell his demeanor was softening slightly. He seemed to be the kind of guy who would make even the most streetwise and tough shake in their boots, but there was also something to him that she could feel was not as tough as he made out. As if, somewhere deep inside, he was a kindhearted soul, he just had to fight to hide it from the outside world.

He looked across at Mia again, and she could feel the heat. Definitely a shifter. He was definitely caging an animal beneath his skin. She smiled and sipped her drink, wanting to speak to him but also completely unsure of what to say.

“Mia?” he asked. “How come I’ve not seen you in here before?”

She smiled, relieved that he was the one to truly start the conversation.

“I was working in The Dragon Pit,” she said. “But tonight, I decided I was going to change that.”

“The Dragon Pit, huh?” he asked with amusement. “Carter and Victor must be fun bosses?” He said it with mischief, and Mia laughed and rolled her eyes.

“You clearly know them then?” she smiled.

“I certainly do,” he said. He turned his body slightly so he was facing her, and she could fully see the enormity of him. He was so tall, and his thighs were so wide and muscular. Everything about him was bigger than average, and it made her pussy twinge between her legs. She couldn’t take her eyes off the size of his hands, and she could easily imagine them all over her, touching her, slipping between her legs and putting her out of her misery. She cleared her throat and tried to snap out of it. He stared back at her, as if he could see inside her mind, and she felt him looking back at her too, as if he was thinking exactly the same thing.

He took a sip of ale and some foam caught in the stubble on his top lip before he licked it away.

Emma came back and placed two plates of nachos down in front of them and seemed to break the moment between them. Mia had to turn her gaze to the floor, and she blinked, trying to bring herself back to the here and now.

What the fuck was this guy doing to her? It felt insane.

“Enjoy,” she smiled.

Mia thanked her, but suddenly, she didn’t feel very hungry for food. All she could think about was sex, about this man next to her, about his incredible hands, and the fact that she was drawn to him in a way she had never felt before.

This could only mean one thing… he was absolute trouble.

She sighed and reached for a chip, and she knew he was still staring at her, but she wasn’t going to look back this time. She had to be strong. He was surely going to be nothing but bad news if he was this hot and giving her those eyes seconds into meeting.

“How are the girls?” she heard Emma ask Hudson as she passed him a serviette and some hot sauce.

“Oh, they’re great,” he smiled.

Mia heard the warmth in his voice, and she wondered what they were talking about.

“Grace is full of sass, and Sophie is my little scholar, she’s going to go places, I’m telling you.”

“She is smart,” Emma said. “I see the things she’s reading sometimes when you bring her here after school, and I don’t even know what the hell it’s all about.”

“She’s certainly intelligent,” he smiled. “I don’t know where she got it from.” He laughed, and so did Emma.

Did he have kids? It sounded as if he was talking about his daughters.

“And The Brewery? How is everything with that?”

He seemed to wince slightly and then he shook his head. Mia was now turned and fully listening to their conversation as if she were a part of it, her attention fully on him, enchanted on hearing him speak.

“Well, I’m going to have to put a lot more hours in,” he said. “And the girls are going to need someone to look after them, so I’m kind of in a bind. I don’t want to just hand them off to someone in a strange environment for the best part of the day, I want them to keep their routine and be at home, you know?”

“You should get a nanny or a babysitter,” Emma said. “It’s the perfect solution.”

He cocked his head to the side and seemed to be thinking on it.

“You know, that hadn’t even occurred to me,” he said as he rubbed his hand down his face. “I’ve been so caught up with all the trouble around town, and trying to keep my workforce at The Brewery safe, I’d only really thought about them being in daycare.”

Emma’s eyes flickered across at Mia and then back to Hudson.

“Mia is looking for a job,” she said with a grin.

Mia felt her heart judder in her chest, and her mouth sag open… she looked up and saw Hudson and Emma staring right at her, and she could see the look on his face too. As if he had been caught off guard but was also intrigued. Surely, there was no way she could work for this guy? Even though she needed a job and she loved the sound of working with kids, he was another shifter and he had trouble written all over him. She had to be smart and look out for herself, but at the same time, money was money…

She smiled meekly and wanted the ground to open and swallow her up. How the hell had she gotten herself into this one?

Chapter 4

Mia, that girl was going to be too hot to handle, he could see it all over her. Now, they were sitting opposite each other, and Emma was basically brokering an employment contract.

Hudson couldn’t take his eyes off Mia, she was so petite and innocent-looking, but she had a fire inside her also, which he knew would never be shaken. It must have come from spending so much time around the dragons because he knew she wasn’t a shifter. She was human and she was ballsy.

Could she be a perfect babysitter for his two girls?

“What do you think?” he asked her with curiosity. He could see that she seemed unsure, but he didn’t know if it was because she didn’t want the gig or because their chemistry was firing off the charts.

He grasped his drink in his hands before raising it to his lips, and he was sure he could hear her heart beating. She was nervous and it made his heat rise even further. Maybe this wouldn’t be a good idea? It had been a long time since a woman had gotten his attention this way.

“I love kids,” she smiled. “How old are they?”

Her perfectly manicured hands twisted the straw in her glass, and he couldn’t understand how someone so lovely had worked alongside such brutal dragons. She didn’t seem the kind of girl to be around their kind; she was definitely more of a bear woman. She needed someone homely and rugged, someone to hold her tight and keep her safe, not burn the world around them.

“Four and six,” he smiled, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. He opened his photos and flicked across to the most recent shot he had of them, their arms wrapped around each other’s necks as they smiled to the camera.

“They are absolutely beautiful,” she smiled warmly.

“They’re my whole world,” he said.

He knew she was looking up at him with wide eyes, and he let his own meet hers.

“I do need someone,” he said. “I’m going to be out of the house much earlier every morning and returning late. I have work to do here and at The Brewery…

Have you heard of The Brewery?”

“Sure,” she smiled. “It’s been great for Lone Reach since it’s opened, brought a lot of jobs and people to the town.”

He nodded.

“Well, I want the girls to have as much of a normal life as possible,” he said. “At the moment, I’m collecting them from school and preschool and bringing them here to do their homework and eat their dinner. It’s not ideal. They need to be home, having proper food, having an early bath and settling down in their PJ’s, you know what I mean?”

She smiled and nodded.

“We could start out with some babysitting? How would you feel about that?”

Mia took a moment to think about it, and for a second, he was worried she might actually say no.

“Okay,” she said. “I’d love to give it a go. It would help me because I can fit it in around my studies, and it would help you focus on your work and keep the girls in a more normal life.”

Hudson felt a wave of relief wash over him. He didn’t know a whole lot about this girl, but he could smell that she was genuine. His bear instincts were never wrong, and he had Emma to vouch for her. He had a good feeling about her for the girls… he just wasn’t so sure what it would mean for him.

She was cute… and she had stirred his bear. However, the last thing he wanted was the complication of a woman in his life. Not after the last time. The girls’ mother had been bad news, and even though he knew they needed a maternal figure in their lives, he also knew that they were genuinely better off without her. She was a wild party girl, someone who had put her own entertainment above all else ─ she hadn’t even been able to care properly for her kids. A serious drinker and someone who disappeared for days at a time, chasing a party, her love had never fully been there for them. It was as if she saw them as the reason she could no longer have as much fun. When she had walked out, Grace had only been six months old and Sophie was only two. She hasn’t been in contact since and Hudson had no clue what ever became of her. Now, he didn’t want to know. His girls were growing up and they were thriving, his main focus was on keeping them healthy and safe, and bringing them into the middle of town on an evening was the last place they should be now that the whole of Lone Reach was in uproar and uncertainty, and there was a potential war with some bikers on the horizon.

Now, Mia. This little surprise. Coming to help him out… He couldn’t have hoped for anything better really. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders and she was studying too…

“What are you studying?” he asked her.

“Psychology,” she said, and she seemed to blush a little. “I know I’m a bit late, but I didn’t want to wait tables or work long nights in clubs my whole life. I figured I could spend my time studying around my other commitments, then, hopefully, once I’ve got my Associates degree, I can continue studying and eventually, do a Masters online. When I’m qualified and have some experience, I want to set up here in town on my own. It’s a long way off, but a girl’s got to dream.”

“Well, I’m sure there’s plenty of people around here that could do with a shrink,” Hudson said seriously, but it made her laugh and then he saw the funny side too.

“Most small towns are the same,” she shrugged. “Everyone is too involved in each other’s business. It’s no wonder people need to vent!”

He nodded. He certainly knew he could do with venting every once in a while.

“Well, it seems like a good plan to me, Mia,” he smiled.

She looked up at him, and each time he caught her eye, he felt as if he was learning more about her. She had ambition and high hopes, she had just left an unfulfilling job in a hectic hedonistic environment, and she was looking for a simpler way of life, he could tell. She shifted in her seat and he could smell the sweetness of her perfume, he could see the vein in her neck throbbing, and he could hear the beating of her heart. His bear senses were working overtime, and he had to take a minute to steady himself, not wanting to let his mind run away with him.

“Thank you,” she smiled. “It’s going to take a lot to get where I want to be but I had to start somewhere.”

“Damn right,” he laughed and picked up his glass and held it toward her.

She held hers up to meet his and they chinked them together, and then she demurely took a sip, her eyes fixed on his as she did.

“So, how about tomorrow?” he asked her. “I collect the girls around 3pm; we could be back at the house before half past.”

“Perfect,” she smiled. “Where do you live?”

He handed her his phone. “Put your number in there and I’ll text you the address,” he said.

He watched as her fingers slid across the keypad and she bit her bottom lip as she was concentrating. She was quirky and cute, and exactly the kind of good influence he needed around Sophie and Grace at a time when he was going to have to be more absent.

She handed the cell back to him and he pressed dial.

“There you go,” he said after he hung up after one ring. “Now you’ve got me too.”

She smiled, and he was sure he caught a blush creeping up her throat as she nodded and placed her phone back in her bag.

“Well, it was good to meet you,” she said as she slid down from the stool and reached for her purse.

Hudson instinctively reached for his own wallet and covered the tab with his hand.

“I’ll get it,” he said. He may have part owned the place, but he, Mason and the other bears never ran up their own tabs.

She stared at him as if she truly hadn’t been expecting him to offer.

“Really?” she asked.

He nodded and pulled some notes from his wallet and put them down. “Of course,” he said. “I owe you big time if this works.”

She hesitated for a moment and then she smiled and graciously accepted.

“Thank you,” she said. “That’s very kind.”

She smiled meekly at him as she hitched her bag onto her shoulder and stepped away from the bar. He turned and watched her over his shoulder as she left, and his heart pounded the entire time.

He had come into the bar that night full of anxiety and stress, and now, after meeting Mia, he was feeling as if the world was beginning to feel some kind of normal again. He had hope that she could be just what he needed to give the girls some normality and make sure they were safe at home while he had to head out and embark on this uncertain time.

The future of the town may have been hanging in the balance, but his home life suddenly felt much more secure. And it was a good feeling.

Chapter 5

Emma woke to the sound of her radio blaring and to the sun streaming through the crack in her curtains and she knew it was going to be a good day. She had gone to sleep the night before with her mind moving at a mile a minute. It had certainly been a crazy day and evening… she had quit her job, met a ridiculously hot guy, and now, she was going to go work for him by looking after his daughters. There was so much she wanted to know, and her heart was doing summersaults, but she had to hold it together.

She had seen a couple sides to Hudson when she had met him at The Bear Brewhouse; he had seemed stern and angry, intimidating and strong… but then he had been gentle and chivalrous, and when he spoke about his daughters, it was clear that he had a good heart.

He had sent her his address before she had gone to sleep and she had instantly Googled where it was in town. It was further toward the mountain and she thought it could be one of the large, modern log cabins that had been built up there a few years before. She knew there were shifter packs in Lone Reach, and for that reason, she had her reservations. Nevertheless, she knew what it was like to be a little girl with no mother, and her heart was calling for her to help. Mia had been lucky that she had her grandmother to step in and be the guidance she needed, but it must have been hard for Hudson, trying to raise two girls without a woman beside him. There were some things that little girls just needed to speak to a mom-figure for… and her heart ached for them all. She had no idea what had happened, but she had the feeling it couldn’t have been good. He hadn’t specifically said that their mom was even out of the picture, but Mia was pretty good at reading people, especially with her calling in psychology, and she just knew there was a backstory to be told, and it was one that probably involved the mother being absent.

She got out of bed and padded slowly to the bathroom where she turned on the shower and began to get ready to start her day. She had college until noon, and then she was going to have to cram in as much study as possible before heading up to the house to meet Hudson, Sophie and Grace.

Some nerves fluttered around in her belly, but she quickly calmed them. This was going to be a positive day, she was sure of it.

The house took her breath away, and she hadn’t even yet been inside. As she walked up the driveway, through the trees, she could tell she wasn’t coming to any ordinary cabin. This place was more like a wood and glass mansion in the forest; one that had been uniquely designed and built out of love for architecture and the beauty of buildings. She stopped and took it all in. The house looked as if it were raised up high, jutting out over a lake that was crystal blue and opening out behind it. It had stilts and a veranda that ran the whole length of the back of the house, and as she walked around and saw the front in all its glory, she smiled as she saw the stone statue of a bear and two cubs standing beside the doorway.

He’s a bear, she thought to herself. I’m going to work for a goddam sexy bear.

A black, shiny truck was parked on the driveway, and not far away from it were two pink bicycles, one still had training wheels attached and one with them removed. She smiled. She remembered how it had felt to finally have them taken off and the freedom that came with it. When she was a kid, learning to ride her bike properly had felt like learning to drive. It was a fantastic experience to be able to zip around the parks in town and feel as if she were flying.

The front door opened and she looked back toward it to see Hudson standing there with a dishcloth slung over his shoulder. He was dressed in some ripped jeans, a chunky belt and a grey t-shirt, and she could make out the definition of his muscles ever better and it made her swallow hard.

God, he looked good. Even better than she had remembered.

“Mia,” he smiled as he stepped out and waited for her to make her way over.

“Wow, this is quite a place you’ve got here,” she said.

“Some friends and I decided to build on the land a couple of years back,” he offered. “Decided to finally set down some proper roots in this town and build from scratch.”

“These are some pretty impressive roots,” she laughed. “It looks like someone designed it all for you.”

He nodded and laughed.

“Yes, a friend who is an architect,” he smiled warmly. “He also worked on The Brewery with us. We like the modern yet rustic look.”

“I can see,” she said.

His eyes were drinking her in much like they had done the night before, and she couldn’t help but find herself falling into them all over again. She was so drawn to him, and yet she was trying to resist. Her history with Ryan was still screaming at her and her knowledge that he was a shifter was just another red flag, and yet she couldn’t help but want to be there with him. She wanted to get to know him and not just on a level with him as an employer… she felt as if there was something between them. Something so big that it could become everything.

“The girls are inside,” he said, his eyes not leaving hers. “Would you like to come in?”

She smiled and nodded. Hudson stepped inside the house and Mia followed him. The hallway was large and had an amazing oak floor that ran down the center toward a huge open area, which she could already see, looked out over the lake. To the immediate right, as she stepped inside, there was an immaculate formal living area. And to the left, there was a guest bathroom. As they moved down the hall, she saw a study and a laundry room, and then, as they entered the main living space, her breath was genuinely taken away. The kitchen, dining and living area were all together and in the most incredible space she had ever seen. The ceiling was high and vaulted with beams, with a balcony that ran around the outside and led off to the bedrooms upstairs. The staircase was in the center of the room, but it was so thin and modern that it was barely visible and didn’t spoil the view out the back of the house, which was completely made out of glass and wooden beams and had the most stunning view of a crystal blue lake and the pine forest.

“Wow,” she mouthed.

Hudson smiled and moved further inside as she looked across at the granite countertops and the evidence strewn about the home that this place was most definitely overrun with little girls. Barbie dolls and coloring books, an array of princess costumes discarded on the floor, tiaras and wands.

“Sophie, Grace!” he called. “I want you to come down and meet Mia.”

From upstairs, the thundering of footsteps came from off in what must have been the bedrooms, and before long, two little heads peered over the balcony and she saw a glistening of blonde hair.

“Hi there,” she smiled as she waved toward them.

The girls looked a little shy at first, but after some coaxing from Hudson, they slowly started to come down. Sophie, the eldest, seemed a little more reserved, but Mia could tell that Grace certainly did have the sass that her father had spoken of the previous evening. She sat straight down next to Mia and started to flip through a notebook full of drawings she had done and began to tell her about each one.

Sophie sat on the other couch and watched them, a little smile on her lips, but a bit of hesitation behind her eyes.

“Are you here to babysit us?” Sophie asked.

“She sure is,” Hudson answered. “That is, if you behave yourselves…” He wandered over and roughed his hand on the top of Sophie’s head affectionately. “It’ll be good to spend some more time at home while Dad works, won’t it?”

Sophie smiled widely and nodded.

“I like the bar,” she said thoughtfully, “but I like it here better.”

“Me too,” Grace grinned.

“We like eating at home and wearing pajamas,” Sophie continued. “We can’t do that in The Bear Brewhouse.”

“Well then, it’s a good job I’m here,” Mia winked. “And I promise we can do lots of wearing pajamas.”

“Yay!” Grace said as she got to her feet and started to jump up and down on the couch.

Hudson laughed and caught Mia’s eye. She felt warm inside, they were such a lovely family. Something terrible must have happened to the mother, because she couldn’t think of any other reason why she wouldn’t be here.

“Well,” Hudson said as he rose to his feet. “I think I’ll leave you guys to get to know each other a little better.”

Mia got to her feet too and walked with him toward the kitchen.

“There’s nothing you can’t use or help yourself to,” he said. “I usually give them their dinner around four-thirty, and we have a refrigerator full of stuff. If you ask them, they’ll always say pizza, and I don’t mind them having that at all.” He laughed.

“Sure,” she said. “I’ll follow your lead.”

“Keep it easy tonight,” he said. “Pizza and then fruit for dessert is fine, the stove and oven work like any other, if you need any help with it just give me a call and I’ll talk you through it.”

“Okay,” she smiled.

“Up to bed I guess no later than 7pm, they tend to unwind and read for a while before lights out.”

“No problem,” Mia tucked her hands into her back pockets. He was so efficient, and she loved seeing him take charge of his home.

“I won’t be late tonight,” he continued. “I’ll be back no later than nine. I don’t want to scare you off on your first day.” He winked.

Mia laughed.

“Well, they look like they’re going to be no trouble,” she said. “And if I need anything I won’t hesitate to call.”

“I really appreciate this, Mia,” he said, and he put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her.

When she felt his skin connect with hers, it was as if a jolt of electricity passed between them. She gasped a little and she saw a flash of color move across his eyes. His pupils widened and she felt like putty, being held there by this powerful man… a man who she knew had a bear lurking beneath his skin. She smiled, and her breath faltered. She could tell that he felt it too, this thing between them. She had been so determined to resist it, but being here with him in his home and now that she had his hands on her… she knew she was screwed.

He smiled and then his hands slowly fell away, but the heat remained on her skin. His heat. The heat from his bear and it was as if she had been marked by him. He had put himself on her, so that no one else could touch her.

“I hope work goes okay…” she managed to croak out.

He stepped back, his dark eyes pinning her to the spot and her heart thumping away. She felt his loss, he being away from her was like a physical ache, and she wanted him close to her again, but she had to keep a level head.

“See you nine,” he said, as he reluctantly stepped away.

He said goodbye to the girls and the three of them watched from the front door as he climbed into his truck and started the ignition.

She had no idea how she had found herself here… but suddenly, her life was shaping up to be much more like how she had always wanted it to be.

She barely dared hold out hope… but something about this felt so right.

Chapter 6

Hudson slammed the door of the truck and started the engine. It had been a killer night at The Brewery and his head felt like it was going to explode. He and Mason, and Mr. Moore, the man who they had hired right at the beginning to help them run the place, had been sat in a conference for the best part of three hours.

He pulled out of the parking lot and knew he was going to do nothing but get wound up on the way home, but it was better to do it now than when he arrived back at the cabin. The Brewery was in a total mess, none of the employees wanted to be there on the late shift and none of the bear pack seemed able to find any answers that he had been hoping could be found quickly. Now it appeared as if he was going to have to tail some of the bikers himself and he knew it was going to be dangerous. And not only that, there had been sightings again of something strange close to The Brewery site. A strange tall shadowy figure was lurking on the edge of the woods at the back of the parking lot. He knew it was only a matter of time before someone either went missing or was found dead, and he didn’t like having it on his conscience, it made him all kinds of mad.

And now, Mia. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. She had crept into his mind all night and he was itching to see her again. Just knowing that she was back at the house, waiting for him, was beginning to drive him wild. He had been good so far, he had played it safe, but he knew it wasn’t going to be long before he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back. He had found something with her, they had chemistry and they had a connection. He had hoped for something like this secretly for so long, and yet had forgotten that he was even looking for it. Now, she had walked into his life and she had turned it upside down. Now, his focus was off work and the troubles of the town and firmly on her. He kept thinking of how great she had been with Sophie and Grace from the very first moment, and now, he was heading back to see her again and he just knew that he was going to walk in to something he had pined for. A woman at home, his daughters safe in bed, and the feeling that maybe there was still love left for him in this world.

He pulled around the corner out of Main Street and looked back in the rearview mirror as it disappeared behind him, and then he slammed his hands on the wheel in frustration as he pulled the truck over to the side of the street and parked. He was so angry with himself. What did he think he was doing getting all his hopes up like this? He had seen something different in Mia sure, but he knew his past with women had never worked out. He had been burned, and now, just thinking about going back and seeing her again was unleashing something in him that scared him. He had so much happening in town, his anger over it was threatening to overcome him. Surely, he couldn’t expect himself to be any good in a relationship if he was constantly mad and distracted. He slammed his hand on the wheel again. He was always plaguing himself with doubts. He had to do better than that. He wasn’t the one who had ripped apart his family, and he had to start believing in himself when it came to his pack and the fact that he had it all under control. A woman by his side would only make him stronger, not take away from the fact that he was a strong shifter bear. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. He was nearly home.

When he pulled up outside the cabin, his reservations were instantly wiped away… just seeing the warmth of lights shining out from inside made his heart feel full. He had spent every night for years coming home to a dark and cold house, with the girls half asleep in the backseat, and he had hated not being able to spend more time at home with them. They had grown up being taken from venue to venue until his working day was done, and although they had taken it in stride, he had always just wanted them to have more stability.

His ex had a lot to answer for. However, this was not the time to think about her.

He had to forget about her, for his and Mia’s sake. If he wanted anything with Mia, which he was sure now he did, then he was going to have to let go of his past.

He slid his key into the door, opened it and stepped inside. He could hear the TV playing quietly in the main living space, and just seeing and feeling as if the house was alive made his heat rise. He kicked off his boots and stepped quietly along the hallway, before he caught sight of Mia sitting on the couch in the half-light with her legs tucked up underneath her.

“Hi,” she smiled as she heard his footsteps and turned to face him. She looked so at ease in his home, and he couldn’t help noticing how naturally beautiful she was.

“Hi,” he said as he leaned against the kitchen island and sighed.

“You look beat,” she said as she got to her feet.

“It’s been a rough few days,” he admitted but then he rolled out his shoulders and smiled. “But I’m not going to bore you with that,” he laughed. “Tell me, how did it go?”

She grinned and nodded.

“The girls are amazing, Hudson,” she beamed. “I’ve never met kids quite like them before. You’re doing a fantastic job of raising them.”

She faltered slightly as if she wondered if she had overstepped, but he returned her smile and nodded.

“Thank you,” he said. He reached for the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of beer. “What can I get you?”

Mia bit her bottom lip and he could tell she was nervous.

“Just one of those I guess,” she said.

He handed her a bottle and she thanked him, and then they crossed back toward the couch and sat down.

“What do you think then, is this something you’re interested in doing?” When he asked the question, her eyes widened, and he realized how that had sounded. He laughed and shook his head, and then Mia laughed too. “I meant the nanny job…,” he added.

“Sorry, I know,” she mused. “And yes… I’d be very interested.”

He felt as if a weight had been lifted. Now that he had seen Mia with the girls, he couldn’t imagine leaving them with anyone else. It had been so easy and meant to be… Now, he had her there, only a couple of feet away, and he knew she was thinking the same thing he was…

When were they both going to give in to the chemistry that was rocketing between them? Would it even be appropriate if she was working for him?

He thought on it for a moment, but then he shoved it to the back of his mind. Even if she was working for him… the nature of the job was exactly the fact that she was there when he wasn’t… what complication could it possibly cause?

He noticed that she was looking up at him and her eyes were wide, her pupils large and engorged.

“You know…,” she whispered. “There’s something about you that I just can’t place.”

He took a sip of his beer and then he leaned forward and set it down on the coffee table in front of him. He knew she was moving closer to him, it was as if there was a chord pulling them together, and when he looked back toward her, she was right there, and he reached up and cupped the side of her face and part of her neck with his hand. A rush of air escaped from her lips as if his touch had frozen her ─ but he knew it was the opposite, she could feel the heat inside of him. The bear heat. The animal that was lurking under his skin. He looked deep into her eyes and their lips were coming closer together. He could hear the thump of her heart and he could feel the nerves radiating from her, but one kiss and she would know how genuine he was, how she didn’t need to be afraid anymore. A man like him didn’t mess around. To even get to this point with a woman meant something important.

He pulled her gently toward him and their lips met. He felt her ease into him, and as his mouth explored hers, he felt something he had never felt. He was sure he had experienced sparks before, but there with Mia was a completely different story altogether. Their energy mixed together and he felt her becoming his. He couldn’t hold himself back, and with each kiss, he felt himself becoming as one with her, more and more, as if they were never supposed to be apart again.

She was so soft, and when their lips finally broke apart and he looked onto her eyes, he could see his bear reflected back in them. Her nerves had subsided, he couldn’t sense them anymore, and he saw in her something more open and true. She wanted him as much as he wanted her… and even though they had only just met, he knew she was going to be someone important to him.

“Mia,” he whispered as he stroked the side of her face.

“I’ve been wishing you would do that since the moment you walked into the bar last night,” she said, breathlessly.

He smiled and she leaned in to kiss him again.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body up against him, and he had to subdue his inner beast from bursting forward. Their lips were locked, their bodies close, and the fire between them was beginning to burn so hard he didn’t know how he would ever survive it. She tasted delicious, she was everything he had ever dared dream of, and as he wrapped his hands up in her hair he lowered her back slightly and climbed on top of her. She moaned as he pressed himself down on her, his cock rock hard and needing her so badly. And as he ran his hands up her side she smiled, she liked the way it felt, he could tell. He laughed and they looked into each other’s eyes, before he leaned back slightly and had to control himself. She kissed him again, but she lifted herself up and gasped as their lips parted slightly. He could sense her arousal, she was hot for him, she wanted him badly and he wanted her too… but this girl was different, and he wanted things to be right. When their lips broke apart and she looked into his eyes, he saw something reflected back, it wasn’t just pure lust and hunger, but an innocence that he wanted to nurture. She smiled coyly and then he was sure he could see her blushing.

“We… better stop…” she said, but she could barely keep the grin from her face.

She smiled at him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her close to him as they looked out at the lake and the amazing view beyond.

“Yes. But, I’ve been wanting to do it too,” he admitted. “I guess we’ve made things a little complicated.”

She looked up at him and grinned, and then they both began to laugh.

He may have been looking for a nanny, but it appeared he had already found so much more.

He could see himself falling in love with this girl…

Chapter 7

Mia had spent the whole night tossing and turning, unable to get Hudson out of her mind. He was an incredible man, and she felt the shifter heat and energy inside of him. It was exciting to be so close to it, but it was also a little unnerving. Her night with the girls had been amazing too… she had always loved children, but she had never considered ever having any of her own. But being with Grace and Sophie made things feel so different. She could imagine being their mom, even after just spending one evening with them. They were so much fun and had the best little personalities, it made her even more in awe of Hudson and all he had done for them.

He had said he would take them to school that morning, and then it would be down to Mia to take over from then on. She had already planned her day, and she was looking forward to starting her new job, even if she was a little nervous about the fact, she seemed to now be dating her boss. The kiss between her and Hudson had been electric. The sparks had fired between them since the moment they had set eyes on each other, and she knew that he was going to be someone different for her, but once they had kissed on his couch, it felt as if they had been forged together in some way.

She had heard stories about shifters and what it was like when they chose a mate. She had never even considered that it could be her going through something like that one day… she had seen her best friend, Aubrey, fall in love with Carter, a dragon, but it seemed Mia was going to have a completely different experience with her bear.

She wondered if he knew that she knew…

She hadn’t asked him and she hadn’t let on that she had been thinking it… but she knew she wouldn’t be able to go much longer before asking him about his secret life and what it meant to him to be a shifter bear in a town like Lone Reach.

She smiled as she flipped open her psychology books and started to read. She had a few hours before the school day would be done and she had to go collect Sophie and Grace. It was time she got her head out of the clouds and got cracking.

By the time the girls were in bed and Mia flopped down on the couch, she was confident she had had a great proper first day. Straight from school and preschool, they had headed back to the cabin and set up painting outside. Sophie and Grace had done pictures of rainbows and dolls and Mia had tried her hand at a view of the lake. When they had finished, they had hung the pictures up to dry and gone back inside to cook dinner, and the girls had loved being involved. They had laughed and smiled as they tossed the spaghetti into the sauce and said it was the most fun they had ever had. It made Mia’s heart burst, and she couldn’t help but feel so much affection for them. It was clear that they had desperately needed to be at home more and do things that are more normal for kids their age. After dinner, she had popped them both in the tub and let them have as many bubbles as they wanted before it was time to get dried and into their fresh PJ’s, which she had already known was their favorite part of the day.

They had finished off with story time, with Mia reading to Grace, and Sophie reading to herself before they both began to yawn and drift off to sleep. It felt so good to be nurturing like this, and it was quite a bizarre experience after not having much of a relationship with her own mom. She wanted to ask them so badly what had happened to their mother, but she knew it wasn’t fair. If she was going to be privy to that information, then it was going to have to come from Hudson himself.

Mia had lit the fire as there was a chill in the air, and the logs crackled and snapped in the hearth. She rested her book on her knee and she continued reading, so grateful that she had found this opportunity, but also this wonderful little family. It was crazy to think that just a week before; she had been busting her ass on long night shifts over at The Dragon Pit. It gave her confidence that she truly could achieve anything she set her mind to, all it took, sometimes, was one little step in the right direction.

She heard the rumble of an engine and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling and she ran her hands through her hair quickly to tidy it up before he came through the front door.

When she heard the key go in the lock, she rested her book on the couch next to her and rose to her feet. She crossed over to the kitchen and turned on the stove to heat up the left over spaghetti and meatballs that she had made for the girls.

Hudson came down the hallway and into the main living area and he looked like a different man. She noticed that he seemed lighter and his smile and eyes lit up the room.

“Good evening,” she beamed as his eyes fixed on her and she saw the look of appreciation.

“Good evening, indeed,” he said. “Wow, something smells good.”

“Take a seat, I’m heating it up for you… if you want it, that is?”

“I’m starving,” he grinned.

Mia felt herself blush from the tips of her toes right up to the top of her head. She hadn’t expected him to be so grateful, but she could tell it had probably been a long time since he had come home to something like this, and she felt good to be able to give it to him.

“The girls are flat out,” she smiled across at him, and she noticed that he was leaning against the island with his arms crossed over his huge, hulking chest and smiling back at her with adoring eyes.

“You’ll never know how much I appreciate this,” he said. “Honestly, you really won’t.”

“It’s my job,” she winked, as the contents of the pan began to steam and she gave them stir. “You don’t need to thank me.”

He nodded his head and then he took a step closer and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. It took her by surprise but it was the best kind, and she turned in his arms to face him.

“I’ve been thinking about getting back here to see you too,” he said as he looked down at her, and she could feel the intense heat of him, it made her nipples ache and her pussy throb.

“I like that,” she whispered.

He leaned forward and kissed her longingly on the lips and she felt herself go weak at the knees. She hadn’t known if he would want to keep things professional while she was officially on the clock, but she guessed now that he was home her shift had ended. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, allowing her tongue to massage against his as he pushed her back slightly.

The pan began to hiss, and their lips broke apart and they laughed. Hudson moved back slightly and she reached for it, turning off the stove and giving the spaghetti a stir.

“This looks incredible,” he said. “You didn’t have to…”

“Well, it wasn’t just me,” she smiled. “Sophie and Grace helped me, and you know what, I think they really enjoyed it. They said it was the most fun they have ever had. Go figure!” She shrugged, and Hudson laughed.

“You being here is such a positive influence for them,” he said. “I’m lucky I found you.”

He winked and she bit her bottom lip.

They went over to the island and sat on the bar stools. Mia watched as Hudson ate and he moaned and groaned to show his appreciation.

“Now, this, this is real food,” he said.

“My grandmother’s recipe,” she said. “They’re always the best, right?”

Hudson nodded enthusiastically and smacked his lips.

“Anyway,” she smiled. “I better get going and let you enjoy it… I don’t want to impose.”

“Are you kidding me?” he asked with wide eyes. “I’ve been waiting to see you all day… There’s no way you’re bailing on me just yet.”

He winked, and she felt herself sink back against the rest on the stool. It was the second time they had sat at a counter and it felt as if a million years had passed since the first night when they had met in the bar. It was strange to think that she had known then… their attraction had been instantaneous… and yet, the girls united them. It was funny the way the world worked.

“So, tell me more about Mia…,” he said as he looked up at her longingly. “I still find it hard to believe our paths have never crossed in this small town before.”

“There’s not a whole lot to tell,” she began. “I grew up here, worked the bars and clubs, but never The Brewhouse, obviously. I got out of a shitty relationship around five months ago and I’ve been doing a bit of a life reset ever since. I went back to college, decided to shake up my working arrangement… And that pretty much brings me to here.”

He smiled and set down his cutlery, the plate not completely empty.

“That’s kind of my story too,” he said. “Except, I also have the girls. They’re my reason for everything.”

Hearing him speak like that made her heart pulse with longing. He was such a good man, even if he did have a bit of trouble hiding his angry side at times. She thought of how he had looked at her when he had first come into the bar; it was amusement and intrigue, but she could see something else there too… as if he had been angered before he had come inside and it was spilling over, threatening to ruin his night.

She wanted to ask about their mother… but she faltered and decided against it. It was too soon and she didn’t want to overstep. They were just getting to know each other, and she was looking after his daughters; she didn’t want to put him in an awkward position if it was something he didn’t want the girls to know.

“And how are things going with The Brewery?” she asked. “I heard it’s taken off pretty well?”

He sighed, and she saw that something seemed to darken his face.

“Work is a stress for me, right now,” he said. “It’s not been easy for a while now… and I don’t know how much you know… but I wanted to talk to you about it anyway seeing as you’re going to be in charge of Sophie and Grace.”

She felt her stomach dip a little. He seemed very serious and it was unnerving.

“Okay,” she smiled, wanting him to trust her.

“There’s been some weird stuff going on, as I’m sure you’re aware…” he began.

Mia nodded her head.

“And I guess, with you working over at The Dragon Pit, you may have heard more than most….” he trailed off and waited for her to respond but she had to be honest with him, she hadn’t heard a whole lot.

“Carter and Victor and the others, they weren’t always very forthcoming with information…,” she began. “But my close friend, Aubrey, is dating Carter, and she did tell me about a few things. She seemed very afraid, something to do with a creature breaking into the nightclub. She wanted me to be careful.”

Hudson nodded.

“They seemed to go after the dragons at one point, but what ‘they’ are, we’re not exactly sure.”

She felt her heart pick up its pace.

Mia had seen the posters around town about the missing people, and she had been warned by Aubrey to be careful in The Dragon Pit, but she didn’t know a whole lot more. She had assumed that it was a problem just to do with the dragons… but now, it appeared as if it could go much deeper than that.

“I know you’re a shifter,” she found herself blurting out. It came out so fast she moved her hand to her mouth as if she was trying to slap it back in.

Hudson smiled and cocked his head to the side.

“I don’t know what for sure, but I would hazard a guess at a bear…,” she tested the water.

Hudson smiled warmly. She had been afraid he would blow up at her, but he instantly softened.

“And that doesn’t bother you?” he asked tentatively.

She shook her head. She had spent the best part of the year surrounded by dragons, by comparison, a bear didn’t scare her at all.

“I wanted to ask on the night we met… but… I don’t know, I lost my nerve.”

“What gave it away?” he seemed genuinely interested.

“You shifters have an intense energy about you,” she said. “I don’t know how to explain it… but you’re different to any of the ones I’ve met here in town before. You seem more… honest. I don’t know if that’s the right word… there’s just something more of substance about you.”

He reached for her hand and placed his over the top of it. Just feeling his skin against hers sent the wave of warmth rolling through her again, as if he had injected something into her veins and it was dispersing through her.

“I am a bear,” he said softly. “And I want you to know that, whatever happens between you and me, I’ll always be honest, true and virtuous with you.”

He just seemed to be getting more perfect by the second. She smiled and looked down at the countertop. He had a way of making her feel shy, even when she wanted to be her usual fiery self; he seemed to say something or look at her in a certain way and it would make her turn to jelly.

“And me to you,” she said finally, looking back up into his eyes.

“We don’t know what is happening here in Lone Reach,” he continued. “But we think, now that the focus is on The Brewery, either someone working there, or someone with ties to it, is bringing trouble to our door. Now, we just need to find out who and what.”

She felt a chill roll down her spine. None of this sounded very good at all.

“I couldn’t have the girls out around town anymore. I want them here, where I know they’re safe. Even safer now that I know they’re with you. I know you’ll protect them and do whatever you can to look out for them. I’ve seen how you are with them both, you’re a total natural.”

She nodded; she had to admit things had clicked perfectly into place with them.

“I have a security system,” he said. “I wanted to show it to you but I didn’t want you to freak out.”

“A security system?” she asked with wide eyes. “That sounds pretty exciting.”

“It’s new,” he laughed. “And probably totally unnecessary. But yeah, when you’ve got two kids who you sometimes have to be apart from, nothing is too over the top when it comes to their safety. And yours.”

When he said the last two words, he gave her hand a little squeeze. He was already thinking of her as part of his little unit and it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter even harder.

He stood up slowly and pulled her with him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. This was all moving so fast, but it felt so natural and right, and she knew that he felt the same way too. She could see it in his eyes, and in the way he held her hand. He had found a bond with her, one that just like her, he probably hadn’t known with anyone else before. She wrapped her wrists around his neck and stretched up on her toes. He was so tall, when she did this, it felt like she was wrapping her arms around a mountain.

He kissed her again and she felt her feet leave the ground as he held her up, she was so weightless and he did it so easily, it was like magic. When he set her back down and wrapped his hand up in hers, he began to walk with her to the corner of the room, where she could see a huge, oak door with an old-fashioned lock.

He pulled a long, metal key from his pocket and opened it wide, where she saw tons of tiny flashing lights and security monitors.

“Wow,” she said. “Again, this is totally impressive.” She laughed and shook her head.

He shrugged and laughed too.

“You see this,” he pointed to a big silver button on the side panel?”

She nodded and moved in closer. Her body was pressed right up against his and she barely dared breathe. It was making her skin tingle and her whole being want him even more.

“If you press this, then the whole of the house will be shuttered and locked down,” he paused. “This one button turns this place into an impenetrable fortress.”

“Wow,” she whispered. “That’s some serious shit…”

“It sure is,” he laughed. “The shutters are steel and they cover everything, even the whole back of this room, the glass, the beams, everything.”

She let her eyes wander to the huge wall of glass… it really was impressive. And he clearly thought it was necessary.

“With the shutters down and the doors locked behind them, there’s no way anyone or anything could get inside. If you ever feel in any way intimidated, or just unsure, press the button. It will alert me to my cell and I’ll be here within five minutes. Along with the rest of my pack.”

Her heart skipped again. A bear pack running to her rescue. Holy fucking shit.

“This is all quite overwhelming,” she whispered. “But I’m glad you’ve got it here… You obviously feel like it’s needed.”

“I hope it never needs to be used,” he said as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “But I needed you to have full disclosure… These are strange times we’re living in.”

She smiled and saw the twinkle in his eyes. The bear energy flickering away beneath the surface.

“I better be getting home,” she breathed.

She could tell that he wanted her to stay, but she had to be up early in the morning to be back for the girls to run them to school and then she was heading straight to college for her lectures before having a few study hours. Then it would be straight back to collect Sophie and Grace and for them to have their quality time together. She wanted to make sure she had plenty of activities planned, and something fun they could make for dinner.

“Okay,” he smiled. “How about we do something properly one evening. You name the day and time…”

“Okay,” she smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

She winked, and he playfully slapped her butt as she went to walk away.

“Text me then,” he said as he walked with her toward the front door.

“Oh, I will,” she smiled. “See you in the morning.”

“See you in the morning, Mia,” he said.

As she walked out of the cabin and to her car, she looked back at the house and tried to see where exactly the shutters were hiding and tried to imagine them closing down around the house, sealing them in safely.

She closed the door to her car and started the engine, and as she pulled away, she saw he was still standing in the doorway watching her until she was out of sight.

He truly was an amazing man, and she had no idea how she had ended up there… but she was grateful, nonetheless. Now. It was time for her to think about letting him take her out somewhere exciting for a real date.

She smiled and sighed. She never could have seen this coming.

Chapter 8

Hudson and his pack looked down from the top of the mountain, beyond the thick forest of trees and back at Lone Reach. The night was crisp and the air was cold for summer; the chill in the air made him even more nervous. What was happening to their town? What was all this strange phenomena that was occurring?

The bears were playing, growling and fighting, snapping at each other as they moved back into the trees and away from the wandering gazes of the dragons. They had yet to see them up there, but they knew they were always watching. Luckily, for Hudson, he and the bears had always had a good relationship with the dragons, not like the wolves.

He ran as fast as he could, and he felt the air whip through his fur as Mason gained up on him from behind. The two bears were so big, so massive, that their paws and growls seemed to shake the earth. He wondered if, somewhere below, Mia knew he was doing this, that he had to let his beast free to thrash around in the great outdoors and to let his instincts thrive.

He turned and saw the other bears come cascading down the mountain and he knew it had been a good night’s hunt. They had burned off their energy and made sure they were on top of their game. Now, they would be able to focus properly when it came to tackling the increasing problem of The Forsaken Riders. Hudson was just glad that he had Mia by his side to rely on; he knew he could trust her and between her and the girls, it gave him even more purpose to ensure that Lone Reach was safe.

At the base of the mountain, but still underneath the canopy of trees, the bears came to a standstill and Hudson felt the heat rage through him. His body began to contort, and he let out a deafening roar as he began to change back to his human form. As his fur began to split and make way for his smooth, tanned skin, he juddered and growled again, before he collapsed down onto his knees and looked back at the night sky.

He felt alive and free, and it was truly incredible, but he had to get home to the girls. His grandmother had come to help him out for the evening, she knew his need to run with his pack, and it was something he couldn’t yet expect Mia to fully understand, she was doing so much to help him already, and he wanted to show her slowly what it meant to be a bear.

“As of the beginning of next week, we start the proper tail on the majority of The Forsaken Riders,” Hudson said to the pack. “Mason and I are in agreement that we all do our fair share. We didn’t find the answers we need right here, then we may have to travel further afield. Let’s see what the next few days bring, and we can assign missions to everyone.”

The pack all nodded and agreed, and then, before they had a chance to say anything more, Hudson turned and was heading off into the thick trees toward home.

“It certainly looks like you’ve got a woman’s touch in this house,” his grandmother said when he walked through the door.

He laughed and set his keys down on the counter before she hobbled over to him and kissed him on the cheek.

“The girls have been telling me all about her… Mia, is it?”

“That’s right,” Hudson smiled, and he knew he was going to give himself away.

His grandmother cocked her head to the side, the same habit he had picked up and still did to this day, and he saw her figuring him out.

“The girls said she was the nanny… and their friend… but your eyes just told me something different…” She took hold of his shoulders and pulled him so he was facing her, and she could look at him square in the face. “You like her,” she said knowingly. “You really like her… like her more than anyone who’s come before…”

Hudson looked back into his grandmother’s eyes, and he knew there was no point trying to resist the truth. He wasn’t going to fool her, so he may as well be honest. Plus, he could do with the advice.

“I do,” he said. “I don’t even know how to handle the feelings sometimes. Is it always this intense when a shifter finds someone he’s supposed to be with? I didn’t feel it with the girls’ mother.”

“No, it isn’t,” she said. “It only feels like this when you find the only one.”

She smiled and let go of his shoulders and leaned back against the counter. She looked smug and happy for him at the same time.

“Do you think she could be?” he asked her.

“How the hell should I know?” she waved her hand away. “I’ve never met the girl… but I know you, and I know that look. I’ve only ever seen it with one other man. Your grandfather… and it was about me.”

Hudson laughed.

“Well, yes, I guess the apple wouldn’t fall far from the tree.”

His grandfather had been the head of the bear pack once, many, many years ago. His grandmother had been mortal and his one true love, his fated mate.

“You deserve the happiness, Hudson,” she told him as she started to collect her things. “Don’t go letting that anger of yours overrule you. A good woman is hard to find… A fated mate, well, that’s even harder.”

She kissed him on the cheek and headed toward the hallway. Hudson followed behind her and when she stepped outside, he called out.

“Will you watch the girls for me one night then, so I can take her out properly?” he grinned, and he could see the glint of his eyes reflected in hers.

“Of course, I will,” she smiled. “Now, get yourself a shower, you stink to high heaven of the forest and that bear smell.”

She slipped behind the wheel of her car and turned on the lights before she started the ignition and headed up the driveway.

Hudson leaned against the doorframe and watched her until she was out of sight, and then he went back inside, turning his cellphone over in his hand.

He checked on Sophie and Grace and tucked them in a little tighter before he jumped in the shower and washed away the night’s activity. He knew exactly the smell his grandmother was speaking of. He had smelled it on his father and his grandfather many times when he was a kid, but it was one that called to him now in such a profound way.

When he was clean, he slipped on some lounge pants and jumped into his bed, before he opened his messages and began to write to Mia.

H: I’ve been thinking about you a lot tonight… Did you decide on a day and time yet? 😉

He pressed send, and within a few moments, he saw that she was writing her reply.

M: You’re keen, I like it 😉 Sure, how about Friday night?

H: Sounds like a date to me. I’ll pick you up at 7pm?

M: Perfect. What about the girls?

H: I have it covered…

M: Okay babe, looking forward to seeing you.

H: Well, luckily, we only have to wait until the morning. I’ll make breakfast?

M: I thought I was the one supposed to be working for you? :P

H: Forever at your service, Madam…

M: Goodnight, Hudson xx

H: Goodnight, beautiful xx

He smiled and held his phone as he looked up at the ceiling, while his grandmother’s words turned over in his mind. He had known the second he saw Mia that he felt something different for her, and the moment he had touched her skin, it had sealed it even further. It was such a strange sensation, one of being physically joined to another person, but he knew that she felt it too. It was too powerful to ignore or be overcome.

He turned out the light and closed his eyes. His body and mind were both exhausted, and he wanted to be up before dawn to make sure he was set for the day before Mia arrived at 7am. He couldn’t wait to see her… For the first time in a long time, his anger had been put into submission.

Chapter 9

The week had gone by in a flash, and Mia and Hudson’s relationship was progressing at a wonderful pace. Every time they were together, it felt more and more natural and as if they had been doing it for their entire lives. She enjoyed waiting for him to come home on an evening, and although he had never asked her to do it, or expected it, she always made sure she had some food waiting for him. He was always so grateful, and she loved looking after him. She could tell that he had struggled for a long time raising the girls, and although he had done an amazing job, it must have felt good for him to have someone look after him for a change.

Friday night had finally arrived, and she was dashing around her house getting ready as quickly as she could. She may have given herself plenty of time and knew exactly what she was wearing already, but somehow, she had still ended up falling behind. She pinned her wet hair on top of her head and started to do her make-up, her music thumping on the floor around her. When she dried her hair, she did it fast and was using the curling iron while it was still partly wet, she grabbed her skinny jeans, her cute camisole and her little black jacket and heels, and threw them on as quick as she could before she gave a spritz of perfume.

“There,” she whispered as she looked back in the mirror and checked out the final look. She looked well dressed and classy, and her make-up was flawless. “Not bad for a rush job.”

She looked up at the clock and saw that it was only 6:50pm and she had a whole ten minutes to kill before he arrived. She sat down on her couch and breathed out a sigh of relief. The psychology textbooks were looking back at her from the coffee table and she smiled, knowing that she didn’t have to worry about those for the next few hours.

When it hit seven, she heard the sound of a truck rumbling down her little street and she grinned from ear to ear. She stood from the couch and went to grab her keys, before she heard the ignition shut off and the sound of a door slamming. He was coming right to the door to get her, she smiled. She loved how old-fashioned he was in certain ways.

He knocked, and she adjusted her hair before she reached for the handle. When she opened it and saw him standing there, she honestly couldn’t believe that this was her life. He stood there in the doorway, all six foot four of him, and he looked so damned good that it was going to be hard not to drool. He was wearing smart dark jeans, a black shirt open at the neck, and a leather jacket.

Her inner voice was screaming… wowwwww.

“Good evening,” he said, and then he moved his arm around in front, and she saw he had brought for her a single red rose.

“Hudson,” she smiled as she reached and took it. “Thank you, that’s so romantic.”

He leaned in and kissed her, and she breathed him in. He didn’t just look incredible, but he smelled good too, it was as if he was intoxicating, bewitching her.

She waved for him to come in, and she dashed through to the kitchen to find a glass and filled it with water, before she placed the rose inside and set it on the windowsill. When she turned back to smile at him, she couldn’t help noticing how surreal it was to have him there in her home, but she loved it.

Ready to leave, she locked the front door and then he slipped his hand in hers and walked with her to the truck. When they reached the passenger side, he opened it for her and when she climbed inside, he closed the door and smiled at her through the window. She had no clue how this man had stayed single for so long. Two amazing daughters or not, he was fucking perfect in every way and she felt like the luckiest woman alive.

They drove down toward Main Street and she loved watching him drive; it felt good to let him have this control, to be the one taking the lead and for her to just let it all happen.

“I booked us a table at one of the old-school restaurants in town… I thought it might be a nice change to all of those hipster places that have started springing up now that Lone Reach is on the map a little.”

“Don’t you own some of those hipster places?” she teased.

Hudson laughed and winked.

“Guilty,” he said. “Don’t tell anyone but I’m not really into it. Can’t you tell I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy?”

“I’m starting to see it, yes,” she beamed, and she reached for his hand.

He pulled over and parked the truck and they began to walk along to the cutest little place in Lone Reach. It had been there for as long as Mia could remember; it was the kind of place her grandmother would take her to when she was a kid. It had real candles lighting the tables, pure white linens, and the waiters all wore waistcoats. It had been a long time since she had paid it a visit, but when they went inside, she was pleasantly surprised. It certainly hadn’t been allowed to fade, and it looked as if had recently been given an upgrade. The wood of the bar was rich and dark, ivy vines ran up the walls and the smell of the food was so good she could already feel her mouth water.

“Now, this is a restaurant,” she smiled, and Hudson squeezed her hand.

They were seated at a table near the window that had a great view of Main Street, and the candlelight around them made them feel as if they could have been in Italy itself. Crooners singing in Italian filled the air around them and they stared into each other’s eyes as they soaked up the ambience. It couldn’t have been any more perfect, and she knew exactly why he had chosen to bring her here. This was definitely more ‘them’ than other place in town.

“Who has the girls tonight?” she asked after the waiter had poured them each a glass of red wine and left them to ponder the menu.

“My grandmother,” he smiled. “I don’t like putting her out too much, but she loves spending time with the girls. She’s pretty much the only family I have left here now, except for the pack.” He lowered his voice when he said the end of the sentence, as if he didn’t know who could be listening in.

“I’m really close to my grandmother too,” she smiled. “In fact, she raised me.”

“Really?” he asked her with intrigue. “That’s fascinating, I wonder if they know each other.”

“I would guess that in a town like this it was pretty much a certainty,” she laughed. “I’ll have to do some digging the next time I see her…”

Hudson smiled. It was nice to talk to him about family and learn even more about each other.

“I don’t know what I would have done without my grandmother,” he said honestly. “After the girls’ mother….” he faltered and then he paused.

Mia put her hand over his and smiled warmly.

“You can tell me what happened,” she said. “But I won’t pry if you don’t want to talk about it…”

“No, I want you to know,” he said and took a breath as if he was gearing up. “When I met her, I thought I was in love. I was much younger, coming into my power, and she was high off the danger and the mystery surrounding what it meant to be with a guy like me. She seemed to lap it up, she boasted about it to her friends, and she nearly spilled our whole pack secrets to the rest of the town.”

Mia’s eyes widened and she could see how concerned he was.

“Which, for men like me, it just can’t happen. I mean, it really can’t. We take our privacy very seriously and she just seemed to love the drama and the thrill of it all. She was barely ever home, all she did was go off to the clubs in this town or into the city. There were occasions where she wouldn’t come back for days at a time… and when she unexpectedly became pregnant with Sophie, I thought it would be the making of us. I thought she would finally see what life is all about. And I guess it did for a while. Then Grace came along, and for a couple more months after her birth, everything seemed okay. But before long… she just seemed bored. She started getting together with friends again, staying out late and coming home so drunk, she would pass out. She was in no fit state to care for two children, especially a baby. Then, one night, she just took off. She said she was going to a party in the city and would be back by the morning, but when I checked her closet, most of her things were gone. And I’ve never seen or heard from her since.”

Mia’s jaw was practically on the floor. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had expected to hear a harrowing tale of how their mother had died young, not that she had been too selfish to care about their existence. How could this woman have done this to them?

“Hudson…,” she whispered, completely shocked. “My God, that must have been so hard on you.”

“It was,” he agreed. “But I’m a tough guy. I’m strong enough to handle it, and I did. I’ve done my very best with raising the girls, and I know, now, we are much better off without her. She would have dragged them down and no doubt, eventually, torn us all apart.”

His eyes seemed sad, but he quickly blinked it away.

“And my grandmother, she was our rock, she helped us a lot over the years and I’ll forever be in her debt.”

Mia could barely believe it, she had more in common with the two little girls than she ever could have realized. It made tears prick her eyes and she had to force them down deep inside of her.

“Wow,” she whispered. “That got me…”

Hudson squeezed her hand.

“My mom wasn’t around either. If it wasn’t for my grandmother, I don’t know what my dad would have done. And when he passed away, she was and still is the person I turn to.”

He nodded sympathetically.

“What happened to your mom?” he asked.

She thought for a moment, but she didn’t know how to word it. It hadn’t been too dissimilar to Hudson’s ex, but she didn’t want to take away from what had happened to him and the girls. Mia had long healed over her own mom walking out on her… but it definitely made her feel an affinity to Hudson, Sophie, and Grace, more than she had with anyone else she had ever met. It was clear they had all come into each other’s lives for a reason.

“She doesn’t sound too different to your ex,” she said finally. “But I’m okay… and I’ve come to terms with it long ago.”

She nodded and sighed and then she had to break his gaze and looked off out of the window and at Main Street. The lights in all the restaurants and little bars had switched on, and over in the park, she could see the top of the amazing bear statue that had stood there for decades. Now, she was sitting there with her own bear, and she was falling in deep.

“I’m always here,” he said. “If you want to talk.”

“And me too,” she smiled.

The waiter came to the table and stood poised with his notebook and pen.

“Okay folks, what can I get for you?”

Mia and Hudson looked at each other and smiled.

After the most wonderful night, Mia was slightly nervous to go back to the cabin with Hudson… not because of what might happen when she was there with him, but because she was worried about meeting his grandmother. Suddenly, she felt the pressure of having to be good enough in her eyes, and it was making her palms sweat.

“Will she not think it’s inappropriate… me coming home with you?” she asked nervously.

“Of course she won’t,” Hudson laughed. “It’s not as if you’re not in the house every day anyway. Plus, I have a spare room set up…” He looked across at her and gave her a cheeky grin.

“Well, then, I suppose I’ll be sleeping in there… if I stay, that is…” She smiled too as she looked out at the night sky. She could feel his eyes on her, and she loved the feeling. It was amazing to know a man with so much power throbbing away under his skin was lusting after her, and she couldn’t help but lust for him too. He was far too sexy for his own good.

When they opened the door back at the cabin, Mia gave herself a little internal pep talk.

Come on, there is nothing to be nervous about. His grandmother is probably happy he’s met someone…

They stepped into the main living area and a little old lady with a shock of grey hair came hobbling over to her and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tight.

“Mia!” she said as she stood back and smiled up at her. “It is so lovely to finally meet you.”

“And you,” she smiled, unable to believe she had actually been nervous at all.

“The girls and Hudson have told me so much about you, and you sound like a lovely young lady. You’ve made quite the impression on my great granddaughters, I know they certainly love having you around and look up to you.”

“They are both amazing,” Mia said genuinely. “We’ve become fast friends.”

She leaned in and gave Mia another big hug and then she kissed Hudson on the cheek.

“I’m not going to linger,” she said as she was already heading for the main door. “I have a late night bingo game with some of the girls.”

Hudson laughed, she certainly seemed like quite the character.

“The girls are fast asleep and have been a joy,” she said. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.” She smiled knowingly at Hudson, and he laughed and went with her to make sure she was safely in her car.

Mia couldn’t help but laugh too. It felt like being a teenager all over again, even though she could tell that Hudson’s grandmother was doing her best not to quiz them and to get out of their hair as quickly as possible.

When he came back inside, she was waiting for him, leaning against the island, with a glass of red wine in her hand and one poured for him.

He came straight for her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pushing himself up against her and kissing her long and hard on the mouth. She ran her hands up his torso and felt his incredible muscles, and when their lips broke apart, she was hungry for more.

He took her by the hand and opened the doors to the veranda, where they stepped outside and sat together under a blanket looking up at the amazing stars. She felt his heat radiating toward her, and every time his eyes caught hers, she felt a pulse of longing for him, growing stronger and harder by the second. She had writhed around in her own bed, dreaming of what it would be like to give herself to this man, and now, they were there together, in the most incredible setting, and she knew she wasn’t going to be able to hold off for much longer.

She had to have him.

She turned to face him and looked into his eyes, he took her glass from her and placed it on the ground beside them, and then he cupped her face with his hand. She leaned into him, her lips grazing his and her heart beginning to pound. Up out in the mountains she could hear the howling of wolves, and the low growls of other animals and her skin began to tingle with heat. She kissed him hard and he pulled her up onto him so she straddled him and could hold onto his neck. Feeling him between her legs made her moan, and she pushed herself down on him harder as he moved his hips up and gripped her at the waist. She was so full of lust for him, and with each kiss and touch, she felt herself opening more and more, yearning for him and eager to explore each and every part of his amazing body.

She leaned back and got to her feet, holding out her hand and pulling him slightly, a smile playing on her lips. She didn’t want to wait any longer. She wanted him to take her to his bedroom and do all of the things she had been thinking about since the moment they had met. He rose and stood in front of her, looking down at her hungrily as he gripped her hand tightly and pulled her with him. They fell through the doorway back into the house and he kicked it closed behind him, making sure it was locked, before he kissed her again and led her to the staircase. Her nerves were mounting, but so was her desire, she had never wanted to be with someone as much as she had in this moment; her nipples were rock hard and her pussy aching. When Hudson opened the door to his room and pulled her inside, she gasped as his big hands gripped her at the hips and lifted her up onto him. He wrapped her legs around him and kissed her while he walked with her across the room to the bed and threw her down, before slowly climbing on top of her.

As they kissed, they began to undress, she helped peel away his shirt and expose his muscular torso, she ran her hands up his rock-hard abs and moaned as she felt how strong and powerful he was. His arms were thick and so strong she knew that he could do whatever he wanted with her and it turned her on so much, she found herself grinding against him, unable to wait for him to unleash his full force on her.

She reached for his belt and unclasped it, as he ran his big, strong hands up her ribs and pulled her camisole off over her head. He cupped her breasts, squeezing them and popping them out of her bra before he took her nipples in his mouth and sucked on them gently, grazing them with his teeth and sending her into a frenzy.

She threw her head back, putting her arms above her, and let him work down her body with kisses, all the while hooking his fingers into her jeans and unbuttoning them slowly. When he began to pull them down, she arched her back to help ease them away, and then he moved for his own buttons and pulled down his jeans, kicking them off the end of the bed. He pressed down on top of her and she could feel how hard he was through their underwear. He rubbed against her and the friction from him and her silk panties made her pussy so wet she had to bite her bottom lip and beg him to stop. She wanted to come with him, she wanted him inside of her. He slipped his fingers into her panties and pulled them down, and then she eased down his boxers and let his incredible length spring free. He was so big, so thick and hard, and as she wrapped her hand around it and pumped it once, then twice he grunted and groaned before he eased her legs apart.

She lay there open for him, her heart racing and her head spinning. Her whole body was on fire and each nerve ending felt as if it were being zinged with electricity. He took hold of her ankle and placed her foot on his shoulder, before he kissed her ankle bone and moved himself closer to her… closer to her pussy. She held her breath as he pushed himself against her, his cock slowly and exquisitely penetrating her as he held her open and slid inside of her so deep and hard that it made her quiver and gasp with delight.

Hudson leaned forward, balancing his hands on either side of her, looking into her eyes while bending her leg, keeping it propped on his shoulder. He was so deep inside of her and with each thrust, he seemed to be finding new depths, opening her further and hitting her sweetest spots so perfectly that she couldn’t hold on. He was like a mountain on top of her, so big and strong, and when she reached up to run her hands through his hair and look into his eyes, she saw the ferociousness of the bear that was inside of him. With each thrust and as his own pleasure grew, she felt his demeanor change. He was becoming more animalistic, gruffer, and his moans were bordering on growls. She lay there and felt like putty in his arms, he was so powerful, and his cock was so big, he was sending her over the edge and she could no longer hold on. She gasped as he pushed deep inside of her again and she gripped his butt, digging her nails in. A warm wave rushed over her, her body began to shake, and from deep within herself, the most intense orgasm of her entire life rocketed through her whole being. She screamed, throwing back her head as Hudson continued to thrust, and as she was still riding the wave of ecstasy, she felt him begin to tremor and shake, a roar escaped from his lips as he spilled his seed inside of her and collapsed down, letting her leg fall from his shoulder as he nuzzled into her neck.

They lay, wrapped up in one another, panting and drunk with each other, Hudson kissed her lovingly on the mouth and smiled, his eyes so full of affection.

“That felt like something else,” she breathed.

“It was,” he said before he kissed her again. “You’ve just been claimed by my bear…”

She smiled as she looked into his eyes. She truly had, she could sense it. He had wanted her so badly, he hadn’t been able to control it… They were joined now. She was his mate.

She closed her eyes and basked in his magical love.

She had never known bliss like it.

Chapter 10

Waking up with Mia in his arms was a life-changing experience. He breathed her in deeply, pulling her close to him and relishing the softness of her skin. He knew something within him had changed. He was not the same person or bear he had been before. He had found love, he had found someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with… And now he had made love to her and he had claimed her. He couldn’t believe how much had changed in such a short space of time.

They had been discreet when they had woken up; Mia had dressed and headed downstairs before the girls had risen and was making breakfast as if she had just walked through the door early. Hudson had woken them himself, helping them get dressed, their teeth brushed and then their hair groomed, before the three of them had gone down and Mia and he had smirked at each other with knowing.

He didn’t think it would be a big deal for the girls to know that Mia had stayed the night, but he didn’t want to confuse them just yet. He thought a couple more weeks of Mia being there with them each day, and it would feel to them like she had been there forever.

He found it hard to keep his hands to himself though as he watched Mia move around the kitchen. He thought of the night before, how he had come down to a glass of wine poured and her waiting for him by the island, her doe eyes fixed on him and his inner bear raging away.

It had been a magical night, one that would be running through his mind all day… even if he did have a killer one ahead.

He kissed Sophie and Grace goodbye and motioned for Mia to come with him down the hall. They snuck a kiss by the doorway, and he smiled at her.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he breathed. “I wish I didn’t have to work.”

“Me too,” she smiled. “I would be more than tempted to skip college for a day in bed with you…”

He bit his bottom lip and moaned.

“God, don’t, I can’t take it…,” he said.

She laughed and kissed him again before he waved and went to his truck. As he pulled away, he looked back in the rearview mirror and wished, with all his heart, that he didn’t have to go. But this was the beginning of what would hopefully be the end.

He and the other bears were on their way to tail the bikers. And he had the feeling he was going to find something that could help the town recover from whatever threat was looming.

The Forsaken Riders had been good allies to the bears when they had arrived in Lone Reach… and it seemed crazy to Hudson that they could have done something to jeopardize their relationship… but after so many strange things had happened around town, and the focus of it seemed to be around The Brewery, they could think of no other reason. Something to do with the bikers must be attracting trouble to their door. And now, they were going to find out why.

Mason, Hudson, and the rest of their pack all had their orders and knew whom they were to follow. Now it was time for them to split up and remain discreet. Hudson’s truck was regularly at The Brewery, so there was no chance he could risk carrying out the day’s task in something so recognizable. Luckily, for him, he had managed to borrow his grandmother’s old Cadillac, and he was now driving out of town on his way to see what he could find. He had caught wind that some of the bikers regularly stopped at a motel about sixty miles south of Lone Reach, and because he had to make sure he was home for the girls later that evening, he had been lucky enough to not have to go any further. Some of the pack had traveled to Slate Springs, a desert town in a different state, where the bikers all hailed from, and they wouldn’t be back for a few days.

As he drove along the highway, he couldn’t help think of all the good he had in his life. Sure, his work and pack may have been a mess, but he had met an incredible woman and he had two amazing daughters. He truly was blessed.

As he approached the area where he knew to find the motel, he turned down the stereo and slowed his pace. Before long, he saw an old whitewashed building with a peeling red roof and a neon sign at the roadside that said MOTEL, and he knew he had arrived. He could see a couple of bikes parked out front, but none of them looked like ones he had seen with The Forsaken Riders. Still, he had to be careful. He pulled quickly into the parking lot out the back and shut off the engine, before he climbed out and pulled a cap on over his head and put on his sunglasses. It was barely a disguise, but all he needed was to get into the office, pay for a room, get a key and then hole himself up in there for the rest of the day.

When he opened the door to the office, the heat from inside hit him. It was a breezy day, but inside the office, the air was stagnant and the old man sitting there looked as if he wasn’t long for this world.

“Hi there,” Hudson said. “Can I get a room, all day and over night?”

The man nodded and pointed to a sign on the counter in front of him. It appeared he couldn’t talk… or didn’t want to.

The sign quoted the price, that all rooms were nonsmoking, all rooms to be vacated by 10am, and that the vending machine only took exact change.

“Thanks,” he said.

The man working there didn’t even look up at him. He slid the key across the counter and then turned around and went into the back room.

Hudson had a weird feeling. There was something off about this place. The man almost looked as if he were possessed, or under some kind of trance.

He shook it off and peered out the office door to make sure no one was coming in either direction. The empty bikes were still lined up out the front, but there was no one around. He slipped out and made his way quickly to door number 6, before he unlocked it, dipped inside and closed it behind him. Once it was locked and all the lights were off, he peered out of the lace curtain and waited.

He had the feeling he was going to be there a while in this grim little room with its fading wallpaper and damp smell… But it had to be done. Hopefully, he would see something that could lead them in the right direction.

As the day wore on, he found himself drifting away from the window slightly and looking around the room. It really was awful. There was something about the whole building that seemed rotten with decay, and he had the weird feeling that not only was this the kind of place where illicit things occurred, but also maybe it could hold more answers than he had initially thought.

He sat and wracked his brains about what the sightings around town had been… There had been strange shadowy figures appearing on the mountains, and the dragons had said that something reeking of death had stormed the club one night. Whatever it was, it was powerful. It had taken grown men and made them disappear and slaughtered whole fields of cattle.

It made him shiver. Was he in over his head? Had he wandered into something he was going to find hard to get out of?

The clock hit 5 pm, and as the traffic starting to get heavier on the highway, he noticed that some of the bikes had slowly trickled away. All but one.

He hadn’t recognized the men who had gotten on the others, but this bike was nagging at him. Had he seen it before? He squinted and peered through the lace curtain, making sure he was still completely out of sight.

Within a split second, a black car swerved across the road and hurtled into the parking lot. He instinctively ducked down and held his breath, but he still didn’t stop staring. He heard footsteps from somewhere else in the building, and then a creaking door opened and closed. He heard a man coughing and his bear senses picked up the stale smell of smoke.

Before long, a figure passed by his room and headed out toward the parked bike, and to Hudson’s surprise, he saw a strange-looking figure waiting by it as if it had just suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

He kept low, but his eyes were wide, and his senses were on overtime. He listened intently, the walls of the motel thin and easy to make out a few snippets of conversation if the traffic wasn’t too crazy blustering past behind them.

But his attention was firmly fixed on the two men ─ if one of them was even a man at all. He looked like something else entirely. He looked like death. He saw the hostility between them, and when the person who had come from inside the motel turned his head, Hudson realized he was familiar indeed. He was one of The Forsaken Riders… but he wasn’t a well-known member of the gang, in fact, if Hudson remembered correctly, he was relatively new to their charter. Someone who blended into the background and did as he was told.

So, what was he doing here? And who was he meeting with?

Hudson kept staring and he sniffed the air, trying to use his bear senses to catch what he could from the two figures out the front of the motel. A shiver ran over him. The strange figure who had appeared next to the bike out of nowhere was so pale, his skin almost white, his hair jet black, and his eyes looked as if they had a tinge of red. He swallowed. This was not a man. He looked like the undead.

He watched as the biker and what Hudson could only assume was a vampire argued by the side of the road. The vampire was thin and menacing; his teeth bright white and sharp. He could barely believe his eyes. He had heard there was a possibility that vampires were around these parts, but his kind had never encountered them, they had lived simply and relatively peacefully in Lone Reach, with no real trouble from the outside. Now, he was looking at one ─ a dangerous undead creature who was clearly part of what was happening in his town ─ and he was having some sort of hostile meeting with one of Hudson’s business associates. He couldn’t believe this was happening.

Out of nowhere, the biker stepped back and held his hands in the air, and the vampire reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a gun. It was big in his grip, and glistened with the lights from the cars as they flashed by. He pointed it straight at the bikers head, as if he didn’t even care if anyone passing could see and he clicked off the safety.

A truck thundered by and Hudson couldn’t make out a word that was being said between them, but the vampire eventually lowered his weapon and he approached the biker and grasped him by the throat. He whispered something to him, and Hudson could almost smell his breath as if it was on his own face. When the vampire dropped the biker and stepped back, he spat on the ground and then walked away. The biker grabbed the bike, jumped onto it and flew out of there within seconds. A few moments later, the car that had screeched into the parking lot pulled out slowly and disappeared too, but this time, Hudson could see that it was the vampire behind the wheel.

When the motel was quiet again, he sat down on the edge of the bed and breathed out deeply. He didn’t know what the hell he had just witnessed, but it frightened him. Something much bigger was happening than any of them realized, and it was time they confronted The Forsaken Riders.

Hudson left the motel as fast as he could, throwing the key down onto the office desk as the old man still sat in a trance behind the counter. When Hudson listened, he couldn’t hear a heartbeat. Maybe he had been dead all along… undead, like the vampire.

This place was dangerous.

He got in his grandmother’s Cadillac and drove back to Lone Reach as fast as he could. He had to get back to Mia and the girls. He had to make sure they were safe.

Chapter 11

Sophie and Grace were lying in bed and Mia was reading them a bedtime story when Hudson came bursting through the door and started hollering up the stairs. Mia had almost jumped out of her skin, and she ran out to the balcony to see him opening the door of the security room and slamming the button to bring down the shutters.

“What the hell?” she whispered in a hiss to him. “Is everything okay?”

Hudson looked up at her and she could see he was panting and glistening with sweat. He looked shaken up, but he also looked mad.

“This fucking town,” he said as he slammed around the kitchen.

She could see the anger boiling over that she had so easily managed to subdue before. She frowned and shook her head, not wanting to let him blow even more. She moved slowly back into the girls’ room and assured them everything was fine.

“You two just close your eyes and go to sleep,” she soothed. “I’m going to get your dad something to eat.”

She kissed them both on the head and slipped out of the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Downstairs, Hudson was like a man possessed. He stood watching the shutters come down and she could sense that he was in a terrible mood.

“What happened?” she asked carefully.

He didn’t answer, and as the shutters finally clicked into place, when they reached the bottom of the glass side of the house, he turned to her and she saw the rage in his eyes.

“What’s happened is that we are all fucked,” he seemed to spit the words and it made her take a step back.

“I need to go back to The Brewery,” he said sternly. “I don’t want to leave you or the girls… but there’s something I have to do.”

Mia nodded her head. She didn’t want to ask him any more… he seemed so troubled and so angry. It was as if a switch had been flipped and he was losing control. She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at him. She wasn’t afraid of him, she knew he used this kind of attitude around town and it had some people terrified, but she knew the real him, and she wasn’t going to be fooled.

He sighed and smiled. He took a step toward her and took her head in his hands and held her so he could look into her eyes. She searched for answers, but he just smiled sadly.

“I can’t tell you right now what is happening,” he said. “But I want you to know my main priority is to keep you and my daughters safe.”

She nodded. And then she reached out and wrapped her arms around him.

“Hudson…,” she whispered.

He kissed her on the top of the head and then he pulled away. She felt his heat leave her and it was like a physical ache.

“When will you be back?” she asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said, and she could tell he didn’t want to give her that answer. “I could be gone until late tomorrow.”

She felt panic race through her. He had come home and brought down the shutters, and now he was leaving and didn’t know when he would return…

“But…,” she whispered.

“I need you, Mia,” he said. “I need you to be strong.”

She nodded. She could be strong. She knew she could. But now he was scaring her. She could tell that this was serious.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said with a weak smile.

“Keep the shutters down,” he said. “I’ll be disabling the front door to leave, but I’ll wait until it’s secure again before I head off.”

She nodded, trying to take it all in.

“You can call me anytime, and I’ll be back here in five minutes,” he said. “I know everything will be fine, I just want to be absolutely sure.”

“Okay,” she said.

“I’m not going far… but I have the feeling I’m going to be sucked into some pretty heavy discussions.”

He stopped and his shoulders sagged. Mia was blinking back tears, she was trying not to show that she was worried, but his whole persona was so different. He was angry and on high alert, and it was unnerving.

“I’m sorry,” he said, as he smiled at her weakly and came to her side. He wrapped his arms around her. “You must think I’m acting crazy.”

“No,” she said. “I know there’s a lot going on for you.”

“I’ll know more by morning,” he said before he kissed her on the lips and smiled. “I just wanted to dash back here and make sure you were all safe. Try not to worry.”

He softened slightly and it shortly put her at ease. Maybe he had just been in a fluster and come in all guns blazing, rushing around trying to get sorted before heading back out to handle something difficult. He had a lot on his plate. A Brewery, a bar, a handful of restaurants and who even knew how many properties. Plus, their town was in a weird way… and it seemed as if Hudson was trying to get to the bottom of it.

“I’ll call you in a couple of hours and check in,” he said as he walked to the door. “I would go up and kiss the girls, but I don’t want to disturb them.”

“They were on the verge of sleep,” Mia smiled.

He nodded.

“Be safe out there,” she said as she reached for his hand.

He turned back to her and smiled and winked, and then he pressed a button inside the security panel before he began to run down the hallway.

“When I’m out and the door is closed, push it again,” he called back to her.

She nodded but she didn’t call back.

She felt as if she had just experienced her first Hudson whirlwind. And her head was spinning.

When Hudson had been gone a good while and she was sure the house was secure again, Mia went upstairs and checked on the girls. They were sleeping soundly in their beds, but she felt as if she didn’t want to be far from them, and she sat on the landing for a while, just staring into space.

She had always known that Hudson would be a difficult man, but after seeing the trouble that could come with it too, her head was in a little bit of a mess. It seemed crazy to her that there had been a woman in his life before that had thrived off this kind of drama; to her, it was something that should be avoided at all costs. She just wanted them to live a simple life, not have danger around every turn. And even though he was clearly just trying to make sure they were safe, it had unnerved her. He had reminded her of her ex… the anger, and the way he had come in and offered her little explanation. Ryan had been the same when he had been hiding something and now all she could think of was that Hudson was a man, and that one day he could have it in him to cheat on her too.

She tried to push the thoughts away, but they plagued her, and she found herself curling up in a ball on the balcony and wondering if she was cut out for a relationship with any man at all, never mind one like him.

She knew she was being irrational, but she was alone and all she had were her thoughts.

As it got closer to midnight, she took herself to bed, completely exhausted, a little calmer, but a whole lot more confused.

She didn’t want to feel this way, and she knew she had to snap out of it. She couldn’t let her mind play tricks and sabotage something so good.

Chapter 12

She woke with a start and checked the clock on the nightstand to see that it was just past 5am. She went to the window and could see that the shutters had been put back up. The light outside was beginning to change, it was grey and misty, and not the usual low sun that would come on a summer morning. She waited and listened, and she could hear footsteps downstairs. It had been a long night of tossing and turning, and chewing over what Hudson had said, and now she was fearing the worst. Still, she knew it was him down there. There was no chance anyone else could have gotten into his fortress.

She opened the bedroom door, peered in on the girls and noticed their door had been left open slightly, she smiled as she knew that Hudson must have already checked on them. And she padded along the hallway with her bare feet and went downstairs.

He was sitting at the kitchen island drinking coffee, and his hair was mussed up, the bags under his eyes heavy and dark.

“Hey,” she whispered, as she crossed the room and got closer to him.

“Hi,” he looked up and smiled.

He looked exhausted.

“How did it go?” she asked tentatively. Unsure if he would even answer.

“We’re a bit further along,” he said, stifling a yawn. “But still not where we need to be.”

She sat next to him and put her hand on his, but he moved it away slightly and cracked his knuckles. It jarred her for a moment, but then he moved back and gripped her hand again.

“Thank you for being here,” he said. “I wouldn’t have felt right leaving the girls with anyone else.”

She nodded and smiled.

“What is going on, Hudson?” she asked suddenly. “You were all over the place last night, and then you dash out of here telling me to be careful, leaving me scared half to death. I was terrified for those kids… Do you really think any of this is good for them?”

She saw his eyebrows rise and he turned to look at her, his mouth was in a straight line, as if she had just said something that had hurt him deeply.

She found herself frowning, unable to see why he looked so mad.

“I always put them first,” he said.

“I know you do… but not so much when you’re running out of here in the middle of the night when there seems to be imminent danger. Don’t you think they need their dad rather than a house made out of steel?”

He dropped her hand gently and rose to his feet. She was feeling irritated with him and wanted answers. She had fallen hard for this man, and she loved his kids too, after having such an uncertain childhood herself where her mom had abandoned her, the last thing she wanted was to see Sophie and Grace dragged into this huge shifter mess. They had been through too much already, and it was far too dangerous for them.

“Listen,” he said. “I’ve had a rough night and I really appreciate the fact you stayed, but I’m here now and if you want to go home and rest, I understand.”

Mia took a step back and glared at him. It seemed he was putting up his shield and not talking through with her what needed to be discussed. She deserved to know what was going on, how could she help protect the girls if she was in the dark?

“Hudson…,” she said. “I’m here for all of you.”

“I know,” he smiled, and he turned back to her and cupped her face. “I don’t want to come across like a jerk, but I’m exhausted and just need to clear my head.”

“Okay,” she said as she took another step back.

“I’m going to get the girls to school and then I’ll sleep it off,” he smiled.

She nodded. He came closer to her and kissed her on the lips, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him in the eye. She was feeling too hurt.

“I’ll collect them as normal then,” she said.

“It’s okay,” Hudson smiled. “I’ll be home today, but why not come over for dinner, say five?”

She nodded and then grabbed her coat from the back of the bar stool and slipped on her shoes.

She walked to the door and left without saying goodbye.

She had no idea what had just happened between them, but she knew it wasn’t good. She felt flat and defeated and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed herself.

She spent the day pacing her apartment, wanting to call Hudson and shout down the phone at him and ask him why he had been so cold when she had been trying to help him. All she could think about was the way Ryan had turned once he had met someone else. Maybe Hudson hadn’t been out working all night at all… maybe he had been with another woman. The thought kept spiraling, and before she knew it, she was full of anger and upset herself.

She opened the cupboard and pulled out the biggest bar of chocolate she could find, before she snapped off a chunk and flopped down on the couch. She knew she hadn’t been cut out for a relationship. Her head was hurting and she just wanted to scream, but instead she sobbed into the cushion and ate the chocolate while she flicked through day time movies.

When it started to get close to five, she couldn’t bring herself to get out of there and head back over to Hudson’s. She wanted to see the girls, but she wasn’t so sure she had it in her to go and pretend everything was normal when he had scared her so much and now wouldn’t even tell her what was going on.

She pulled out her cellphone and text him.

M: Hey Babe… I’m deep in my books and exhausted myself. I’ll let you and the girls have a quiet night, but I’ll be over as normal first thing xx

She pressed send and then threw the phone down on the couch. It was a few minutes before she had a reply, but when she read it, her heart sank a little.

H: Okay. And just so you know… I would never put my kids in danger. I didn’t walk out on them last night, I had to work… if you had any idea what was going on then you wouldn’t be so hard on me… x

She scowled and picked up the phone. She wasn’t arguing with him over text messages.

He answered on the second ring.

“You know what,” she barked. “You’re right… if I had any idea what was going on, maybe I would be a little more understanding. But all you seem to do is run out on me and not offer any kind of explanations. It makes me wonder if you’re even telling the truth at all.”

“Are you serious?” he said under his breath, and she could hear that he was moving into another room and closing a door behind him. “I have a serious ton of shit on top of me right now, the last thing I need is to be accused of being a shitty boyfriend and a shitty father.”

“I never accused you of being a shitty father,” she said. Exasperated. “I said they need you, that’s all.”

“And do you know how that makes me feel?” he shouted.

She sat back and rubbed her head.

“I can’t do this,” she said. “I don’t know how this happened, or even what this is all about, but I can’t do it…”

He stayed silent.

“I’ll be over tomorrow as normal to sort the girls; I’ll collect them from school and take them to their dance lessons. Put them to bed and then I’ll leave as soon as you’re back.”

“Mia…,” he said sadly.

“Goodbye, Hudson,” she said sternly, and then she ended the call before he had a chance to say anything more.

She threw the phone onto the floor, rolled over and sobbed into the couch cushions. Her whole body ached with the pain in her heart, and she didn’t feel as if anything would ever be right again.

Chapter 13

It had been a shitty week, which just kept getting worse. Hudson had found out about the vampires and the bikers, and now, he and his pack had managed to find out a bit more. He knew this was a tense and crucial time for his pack and for Lone Reach, but his heart was also breaking… and the person who was dominating the majority of his thoughts was Mia.

He hadn’t been able to get her out of his head, and he was feeling all kinds of miserable.

He couldn’t believe how badly things had gone in such a short space of time. He knew he had been a jerk, and he wished he could take it back. But she had barely spoken to him since their phone call, and now a whole week had passed. She had still been arriving at the house to take care of the girls, but his work had meant that he had been absent for the majority of her time there and his grandmother had been filling in the gaps. He felt as if, surely, by now, she must be even madder at him. And he couldn’t get past the fact that he was feeling inadequate about his care for his daughters. It was as if she had pushed his only button by saying she thought they needed more of him and it had tipped him over the edge right into his worst fears.

Being a single dad had been rough, and he had always tried to do the right thing. But maybe this time he had gotten it wrong? Maybe he should have let the pack figure things out by themselves while he was spending more time at home. He was torn and was just trying to do the right thing, and it had ended up costing him dearly. Now he felt as if he had let his girls down, and lost the most important person in his life too… Mia.

He sighed and put his head in his hands. It had been another long day fraught with discussions, but at least the shifters seemed to be getting somewhere and now, there appeared to be a break.

They had spent the day in meetings with the dragons and wolves, and it appeared that the biker that Hudson had seen at the motel had been identified. He was new to the charter, and after a little investigation, they had discovered he wasn’t settling in as well as it had been hoped.

Ax, one of The Forsaken Riders, had joined the meeting with the shifters, and they had told him what Hudson had seen. He had seemed genuinely shocked and concerned. He said they had noticed his shifty behavior, and he disappeared occasionally for weeks at a time, always coming home looking rough and beat up.

“He’s clearly gotten into some trouble,” Ax had said. “And now, we need to get to the bottom of it.”

The shifters had been put at ease, as they knew that the whole of The Forsaken Riders charter weren’t screwing them over, they could sense Ax’s genuine nature and his shock for what he had heard. Now, they could put their faith in him that he would dig a little deeper. It turned out he hadn’t had to dig far… after a tense sit down, they had got the rogue biker to spill the beans… and it wasn’t good. He had stolen money from vampire mobsters and invested it in The Brewery as a way of hiding it. Now, the vampires knew and wanted it back. But they didn’t just want the money… they wanted The Brewery too… they wanted Lone Reach.

“What a fucking mess,” Hudson whispered to himself, as he cradled his head.

It hadn’t been the outcome he had been expecting, but at least she knew where things stood. His business and town were under threat and the force coming after them was a supernatural one. And not just supernatural… but fucking mobsters too. Vampire mobsters… things didn’t get much more dangerous than that.

He went to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer, before he leaned against the counter and sunk half of it in one.

He heard footsteps coming toward him, and when he turned around, he saw his grandmother standing with her hand on her hip and a judge-y expression on her face.

“You can’t drink your problems away,” she said sternly. “You need to stop avoiding the truth and call that girl.”

He breathed out and then looked back at her.

“You don’t know anything about it, Grandma,” he said, clamming up again.

“I know enough,” she said. “And I know you. Whatever happened between you isn’t worth throwing away what you had. Don’t you think it’s best to be with someone who has concern and cares for your children rather than punishing her for it?”

She was a wise old woman, and he looked up at her and nodded slowly. He hadn’t thought of it that way before. He had just been seeing things from his side… the fact that she had questioned him. He hadn’t thought of it from the angle that she had genuine care and concern for his two girls. She had cared more for Sophie and Grace in a month than their own mother had in their entire lifetimes.

“She is a bright spark in this house,” his grandmother continued. “The girls love her and so do you… I see the way you’ve changed since you’ve met her, and I can see how miserable you are now that you’ve lost her.”

“But what if I can’t protect them all and I push her away?” he whispered. He didn’t even know where it had come from, but it was clearly twisting at his gut.

“These are all natural fears for a man like you,” she said. “You have more protective instinct than most. But what you don’t realize is that makes you even more qualified as a protector, and your two girls and that wonderful woman are safer here with you than they would be anywhere else.”

He bowed his head. He knew deep down that she was right, and he couldn’t believe he had been so stupid as to let his fears rule him in such an explosive way.

“Nothing is worth losing a great love over,” she continued. “And when it’s your one true love, well that is even more important. You have to fight for it, never let it go, nurture it. You won’t feel whole without her…”

He knew what she was saying. Since he and Mia had fought, he had a big gaping hole right at his core. It ached all day and night, and made him lie awake pining for her.

How could he have been so foolish?

He groaned and put his head on the countertop. His grandmother came and wrapped an arm over him and patted his back.

“There’s time to make it right, Hudson,” she said soothingly. “You’re an intelligent man, you can figure it out.”

He nodded and sat up, before he wrapped his arms around the frail old woman and hugged her.

“I don’t know what I would have done without you,” he said.

“Well, now you’re going to feel like that and more about Mia. Don’t let too much time pass… if you’ve been sitting here miserable, I bet she’s been doing exactly the same.”

He rose to his feet and clapped his hands together.

She was right, he had to get moving. He didn’t want to spend another moment without her.

Chapter 14

The Miss Langley’s Dance Studio in Lone Reach was right behind Main Street, and it had quickly become one of Mia’s favorite places to be during the week.

She sat on the benches at the side of the room and beamed as she watched Sophie and Grace do their ballet lesson, both dressed in the most adorable pink leotards and tutus as they daintily danced around the room.

She had never been a dancer when she was a kid, and it was something she had always wished she had been able to do. Without her mom in the picture, she had never had that influence and encouragement to explore her passions, and most of them had gone unfulfilled and forgotten. By the time her grandmother had come into her life properly, she was too old to start dancing from scratch, and it had always been something she had regretted not just going for. Therefore, for her to be able to see that Hudson had started his daughters with their ballet lessons while they were still so little was an absolute joy to her. And it made her miss him.

It had been over a week and they had barely spoken a word to each other. It felt like the longest week in the history of mankind, but she had remained strong. She didn’t know if there was a genuine reason why he hadn’t been at the house when she had gone to pick the girls up to take them to school, or when she had returned with them on an evening, but Hudson’s grandma had been there and had been so lovely to her.

She had told her Hudson was a complicated man but that he had really changed since he had met Mia. All Mia could think of was that he had shut down like that and hadn’t spoken to her since. She had to stay strong, even if all she wanted to do was, call him.

The girls finished their lesson and Mia rose to her feet and hugged them both.

“You were absolutely amazing,” she grinned. “I think dancing that good deserves ice cream, don’t you?”

The girls both clapped and jumped up and down with excitement.

It had become a bit of a ritual after their lesson that they went out for a treat somewhere around town, and it was such a lovely day outside, she knew exactly the place.

A new outdoor ice cream parlor had opened up next to the park in the center of town, and it was so lovely, it was hard to not want to be there every day after school. It was only there for the summer, but a whole area had been cordoned off with little white tables with cloths, parasols in pastel colors, and comfy seating that didn’t make you want to get up and go after ten minutes. The flowers were all in bloom and the park felt like it was straight out of a movie, the bandstand in the center was covered in fairy lights in the evening, and at various times throughout the week, they let people get up there and do their own music.

As they walked along to the parlor, the girls held onto Mia’s hands and she smiled, feeling the heat on the back of her neck. It had been such a strange, dark and cold time, this was the first that was kind of bringing her back to normality. It was hard to imagine that so much drama had happened in their small little town since the beginning of the year.

The girls ran ahead when they reached the grass and approached the counter where Mia could see the menu of what could have been a thousand different flavors.

“Wow,” she smiled as she joined them. “This all looks amazing, doesn’t it?”

Sophie pressed her nose against the glass and Mia laughed as her eyes settled on a bright pink candy floss flavor, while Grace went for chocolate brownie.

She paid for the ice creams and they walked to a dainty little table and sat down, the girls already licking and munching on theirs before their butts had even hit the seat.

Mia smiled and looked down at them both. She really had bonded so well with these girls, it was as if she could see herself in them both and she loved them so much. They deserved time like this. To be happy and content in the sunshine after twirling around like ballerinas. It was every little girl’s dream.

She saw some kids buying bubbles from a vendor and she had some change ready to give to the girls for once they had finished their ice cream. Just as she turned to look over her shoulder and see what the time was on the town hall clock, she felt her heart almost stop as saw him walking toward her.

He looked tanned and perfect in the afternoon sun, his shirt sleeves rolled up, his jeans slung low on his hips, and in his hand a big bunch of the most incredible red roses she had ever seen.

She felt her mouth sag and she knew she must have looked stunned.

Was this truly happening?

“Daddy!” Sophie called out as she followed Mia’s gaze and saw Hudson coming closer.

“Hey, princess,” he said as he reached down and kissed Sophie on the head, and then Grace straight after.

“Look at our ice creams,” Grace said.

“They look unreal,” he laughed.

Mia smiled. It felt good to have him by her side again… but her mind was racing… the flowers? What was going on?

“Why don’t the two of you go and finish them by the swings, and here, here’s some money to buy some bubbles too.”

He passed them some change, and the girls were straight on their feet and dashing off in the direction of the play park, laughing and chatting as they went.

Mia felt herself stiffen up. She hadn’t seen or spoken to him since their break-up over the phone, and she didn’t know what he thought turning up here unannounced with a big bunch of roses was going to do… She was still hurt.

“Hi,” he said as he turned to face her.

She could see he was nervous, and it was so unlike him, it got her attention.

She had never seen him in anyway nervous before. He was always so angry and strong… Now, here he was, looking as if he was afraid of her and what she may say to him.

“These are for you,” he said as he held the roses up and smiled at her over the top of them. He was being careful, his movements were measured and he seemed unsure if she would even take them. But Mia reluctantly reached up and took them from him.

She let her eyes travel up to meet his, and in that moment, everything felt right in the world again.

“Thank you,” she smiled.

“I’ve been a real jerk,” he said, opening his arms and body language so she could see how sincere he was being.

“I know you have,” she sighed. She rested the flowers down on the table next to her and then gave him her full attention.

“The truth is, I’ve been afraid,” he said. “I was afraid of everything going on around here and the impact it might have on Sophie and Grace, I was afraid of pushing you away, I was afraid of getting involved with someone again… and I was afraid of letting you all down, of not being able to protect you. For falling short when you all needed me the most.”

Mia was stunned, she didn’t know what he was going to say to her, but she certainly hadn’t been expecting this. He was truly laying his heart on the line, and it was endearing to see.

“When you said I should have been there for the girls more, it basically intensified all the inadequacies I had been feeling. But the fact is, I’m a better man when I’m with you Mia, you make me want to do so much more each day. I’m a better father, a better leader, you’ve inspired me and since you’ve been gone from my life over the past week, I’ve been more miserable than I ever have.”

He dropped his head and his shoulders sagged.

He really was an amazing man. Not only was he strong and protective, but he could get in touch with his feelings. She reached out and put her hand on his knee.

He looked up slowly and their eyes met.

“I’m sorry too,” she smiled. “I’ve been lost without you… and I know I’ve had my own issues too, which I’ve realized and dealt with. I know you’re not my ex-boyfriend. You’re so much more of a man than he could ever be… And you continue to amaze me.”

Hudson smiled and he shifted closer to her, wrapping his arm around the base of her back and pulling her to him. She smiled and looked into his deep bear eyes.

He was magic and he had chosen her. They had laid eyes on each other in a bar in the middle of Lone Reach, sparks had flown, and they had committed to each other. Now that they were joined, he was her protector bear and she was his mate for life. The one true person he had been waiting for.

His eyes flashed with passion and he smiled.

“I love you, Mia,” he said. “And I have since the moment I first saw you.”

“I love you too,” she beamed as she felt tears welling up behind her eyes.

He cupped her face with his big hands, and she leaned into him so their lips met. His kiss was hot and tender, and it felt like home. When they broke apart, they looked into each other’s eyes, and Mia knew she was never going to let him go again.

Hudson was her man. Her bear.

The one she had been waiting for.

Once the girls were sound asleep and the moon was shining bright in the sky, Hudson and Mia lay outside under the stars, wrapped in each other’s arms. They had lit candles and turned on the fairy lights, making the veranda look and feel like something out of a real-life fairytale. They had floor cushions and blankets, and it felt as if they were both lying on a soft marshmallow as they looked up at the heavens.

They sipped red wine, kissed and basked in each other and what it meant for them to be together again. Hudson pointed to the constellations overhead and began to teach her all about them and how his kind used them to track their movements when they were out on the hunt. She loved hearing about him being a bear. It was all still so fascinating to her, and to know that he was such a different being to her was all the more awe-inspiring.

“I wish you could feel it as strongly as I do,” he whispered as he stroked her hair.

“Me too,” she smiled. “But I do feel it now… I feel you running through my veins. The power and the hunger… you’ve passed it to me.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

“It’s because you’re mine,” he breathed. “And we are joined for life. There will never be a moment when I don’t feel you… when I don’t know if you’re okay. If anything were to happen to you, or if you were in danger, I would know it.”

She reached up and let her hand rest gently on the side of his face, her fingers just grazing his stubble.

“That makes me feel so loved,” she said. And she meant it. She had never felt so wanted and needed by another person. She felt as if she had finally found her family.

She rose up and looked at him lying there next to her, and she leaned down and kissed him. Hudson ran his hands through her hair and held onto her, as their kiss became more passionate and before long, he was rolling her over and pressing himself down on top of her. The sky was alive with stars overhead, and as they began to peel away each other’s clothes, Mia couldn’t help but be aware of how truly magical her life had become.

She arched her back as Hudson pulled down her panties and slipped his hand up to her sweet spot. When he found her opening, he slowly tickled her, massaging her, before he slid a thick finger inside of her and made her moan. When he started to work his way down, kissing his way down her belly and thighs, he opened her legs wide and kissed her pussy, lapping at her juices and sending her whole body into a hot wave of pleasure. She held onto his head, running her fingers through his hair, as he flickered his tongue in and out of her and around her clit as he brought her to the most intense orgasm of her life. As it crashed through her, she arched her back and her whole body bucked as she came. Hudson grunted and sucked on her some more, wanting to taste the sweetest part of her, before he rose over her, naked and fully hard ready to take her and make her his all over again. She was still in pure bliss from her own release, but as he opened her legs wide and guided himself into her with one powerful thrust, she felt herself unravel again. She was like jelly, sinking back into the floor cushions, as her incredible man fucked her hard and slow, his own pleasure rising by each passing second as the sweat formed on his brow.

She gasped as he held onto her hips and bore down on her; she felt his power and heard his moans turning into growls. She could see the animal behind his eyes. She felt the beast awaken in him as he took her there under the moonlight. As his thrusts became quicker and deeper, she felt herself open even more as he reached her in the most exquisite way. Her whole body opened, and she rode the wave again as her orgasm tore through her, at the exact same time as Hudson growled up at the moon and roared into the night. He came hot and hard, and when he collapsed down on top of her, his chest heaving and his breathing fast, he looked into her eyes and she saw what true love meant.

It was this. Two bodies coming together and worshipping each other. And no one or anything could ever take it away from them. No one but them knew what this felt like.

They lay together under the stars and basked in each other’s love.

She was the luckiest girl in the world… and was so glad to be back with him where she belonged.

Chapter 15

Waking up with Mia in his arms felt like he had been reborn. He had been given a second chance and he knew now that he would never risk losing her again. He had learned his lesson. She had changed his life for the better and had come to him when he needed her the most.

He rolled over and smiled for a moment before he saw the darkening skies. It gave him a bad feeling. It was the middle of summer, and it should have been a sunny morning, full of heat and promise. Instead, there seemed to be a perpetual cloud hanging over Lone Reach, and now that he knew what was happening, it only made him more concerned for his loves.

Mia woke and rolled over to smile at him. She looked so beautiful in the morning and she tipped her head back so he could kiss her on the forehead. He wrapped his arm around her again and pulled her close to him, so her butt was over his groin and he breathed her delicious scent in from the back of her neck.

“I’m a lucky man,” he whispered.

Mia kissed his forearm and closed her eyes.

It was going to be another busy day. It was Friday and the girls were finishing school for the summer, he had another meeting over at The Bear Brewhouse, and this time, he was debating taking Mia with him, so she could finally understand what they were dealing with.

He didn’t want to scare her or give her too much information. But the truth was, she already knew the dragons, and if she had spent time with them, then she was fully aware of how crazy life could get.

“I have to work,” he whispered. “But will you meet me at The Bear Brewhouse around noon?”

Mia nodded her head sleepily and he kissed her on the shoulder before he climbed out of bed and walked to his adjoining bathroom and turned on the shower. The steam filled the room quickly and he stepped under the hot water, letting it wash away his past and all the angst that came with it. This was his chance to start again. He, Mia and the two girls had a bright future ahead of them. He just had to make sure that Lone Reach was still standing for them to continue their perfect life.

The bar was still closed when he arrived, and he spent some time turning the chairs over from the top of the tables and setting them down on the floor. He signed for the morning deliveries, checked the books and the previous night’s takings, and turned on the grills in the kitchen, pulled the biggest steak he could find from the refrigerator and started to cook it for himself. He felt the need to get as much fuel into him as possible. He had the feeling it was going to be a testing day.

At around 10am, Mason arrived and they both paced the floor, talking over what they already knew and what they thought may be the best course of action.

“When the dragons arrive today, I think we need to make it clear we’re not just going to roll over and agree to every idea they throw out there,” Mason said.

“Yes,” Hudson agreed. “And that’s one of the reasons I want to bring Mia here. She knows Carter and Victor, she will be able to gauge their moods and advise me if we need it.”

Mason nodded.

“She worked with them for almost a year, and it’s a hectic environment in that club. She can hold her own with them. Hell, the night I met her, she had just walked out on Victor in the middle of her shift and told him to go and stick his job.”

He laughed. He loved his ballsy woman with all his heart.

“What do you think they’re going to suggest?” Mason asked.

Hudson thought on it for a moment and then he shook his head.

“I don’t know, but something we need to remember is we have a lot more on the line than they do… they may have been caught up in this mess up on the mountain, but we are the ones with the bad investment. We are the ones with the business at risk.”

“Why do you think they bothered with the dragons then?” Mason looked confused.

“To send a message,” Hudson said slowly. “They may have figured out there was some serious power behind them. They are fucking dragons after all. And what better way to infiltrate and take over a town than by going after the most powerful entity in it.”

“But they didn’t actually do anything,” Mason said.

“Which is good for all of us,” Hudson smiled. “Because it means they’re worried… that they didn’t dare make a move. But who knows how long that will last.”

They both looked at each other and Hudson raised his eyebrows.

“It’s all going to be fine,” he said. “We’re on top of it now.”

Mason nodded.

Hudson sighed as he turned around and looked at the clock. It was still just creeping close to the 11am, which meant he had another hour before the meeting began and Mia arrived.

He could feel her all over his skin, and with each night they spent together, he felt her becoming more forged deep within his blood. He sniffed the air and he could still smell her, maybe she wasn’t so far away after all.

He smiled and took comfort in the fact that he knew she was safe.

Right now, that meant so much.

As the clock ticked closer to noon, Hudson caught Mia’s scent and when he turned around, he knew she was about to walk through the door. To see her walk into the bar looking so beautiful, fresh and full of life made him want to sweep her up into his arms and kiss her hard. He did, and he didn’t care who saw. She wrapped her arms around him and he couldn’t believe how good it felt to have her there, by his side again.

“So, this is Mia?” Mason asked with a wide smile.

“This is the woman who has changed my life,” Hudson beamed as Mia held out her hand and shook with Mason.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said.

“Well, I hope it was all good,” Mason winked.

They all laughed and sat up at the bar, right where they had been the night they met, and Hudson couldn’t help himself, he grabbed Mia’s barstool and pulled her close to him so they were facing each other and she was resting between his legs.

“Wow,” Mason laughed. “You two are in deep.”

“We sure are,” Hudson grinned. “And I have to say, it’s the best place to be.”

“I hear you,” Mason nodded. “It’s a hell of a feeling.”

Mia looked into his eyes and wrapped her hand up in his, and just when Hudson felt as if nothing could ruin the moment, the door to The Bear Brewhouse opened and he saw Mia’s eyes widen.

“Mia…,” the voice said, as they all turned to face the doorway.

Carter, Victor, and Sawyer, the three head dragons, were all standing, staring back at them. They all looked immaculate and flash in their black suits, their hair pristine and their skin glistening and dewy with what could only be attributed to the fire and heat that must be burning away beneath their perfect exterior.

“Hi, guys,” Mia said. “Long time, no see…”

She laughed a little and Victor seemed to soften slightly. He sighed and stepped in, holding out his hand as a peace offering. Mia shook it and they gave each other a brief hug.

“So, I see you’ve decided to hang with the bears now,” Victor began. “Are you working here?”

Mia looked at Hudson who quickly rose to his feet and wrapped his arm around her.

“No,” he said. “She’s with me.”

Victor rose his eyebrow and then nodded.

“I see,” he said. “Well, I wish you both all the best.”

Mia looked at Hudson and smiled, but Hudson could sense there was an air of hostility to Victor. As if he was in some way put out that he had lost Mia from the club and she had fallen in love with a rival pack member. She must have been a good asset to The Dragon Pit, and Hudson wasn’t surprised. But this wasn’t the time to be arguing over that. It was time to get down to business and save their fucking town.

“We have what we think is a solution to our problem,” Sawyer said, breaking into the stern stare off between Hudson and Victor.

“Do tell,” Hudson snarled.

It wasn’t like the bears and the dragons to have tension between them, but it was clear that everything happening around Lone Reach was making everyone act a little crazy and territorial.

“We have found one of the creatures, and we think we know of some further business associates that they rely on quite heavily.”

Hudson’s attention was officially captured. This could be a good plan after all. He had been expecting the dragons to want to battle this out with fire, but it seemed as if they had done some research and were going for another angle. Using other avenues of the vampire’s business model was certainly something that could work.

“We think we might have found a weakness with one of their associates… and we could use it for leverage.”

“And what’s the weakness?” Hudson asked, intrigued.

“A person,” Sawyer mused.

“A person?” Hudson and Mason looked at each other with confusion.

“We take the person, we put the pressure on… the vampires are forced to retreat to save their other business ventures.”

Hudson could sense that Mia had stiffened up next to him. She was far too innocent for all of this, but at the same time, she had wanted to know why he had been so stressed… and now, she would understand.

“It could work,” Hudson said. “But we will play no part in harming anyone.”

Mia squeezed his hand.

“Agreed,” said Mason. “They may be their associates, but in this battle, they’re innocent.”

The dragons all smiled wryly and nodded.

“Forever virtuous, you bears,” Carter smiled. “And don’t worry, we may have an unfair reputation of being nothing but danger, fire and destruction, but we can actually be pretty compassionate ourselves.”

Hudson felt himself relax. At least he knew they weren’t out to raise hell.

“Okay,” he said. “I think this could work. And if not… well, the only other option will be to go to war.”

The men all looked at each other and nodded. Mia squeezed Hudson’s hand again and he gently returned the squeeze to reassure her.

The dragons shook everyone’s hands and then they made for the door. Mia seemed to relax once the meeting was over, but he saw how Victor was looking at her… as if he still couldn’t believe she’d had the nerve to go and leave the dragons life behind.

“Good luck, Mia,” he said.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’ve always been a bright spark, I’m sure you two will be very happy together.”

Hudson smiled and thanked him, and then the dragons were gone. It hadn’t been anywhere near as tense as he had feared, and he was glad they had all seen each other. Now, he just had to fill in the wolves on the plan and hopefully, they could set the wheels in motion and get things done.

“That was so weird,” Mia laughed once she was sure the coast was clear. “I’ve never seen those guys like that… They were like total strangers.”

“When it comes to inter pack meetings, things tend to always be a bit different. Everyone has their guard up… and no one really knows how things will go.”

Mia raised her eyebrows and leaned into him. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

“Well I’m glad you all seem to be on the same page,” she smiled.

“Me too,” Hudson said with a sigh. “Me too…”

They walked along Main Street hand in hand in hand, and were both waiting outside the preschool when Grace came bounding out with a beaming smile. She ran to Mia first and wrapped her arms around her, before she turned to her dad and did the same. It felt good to have someone by his side, someone to walk with him, someone to share his life with… and now, as they both went and collected his children from school, he could see how much he had needed this in his world.

When the bell rang and Sophie came running down the steps and saw the three of them waiting for her, Hudson was sure he saw some emotion come over her. She looked so happy, so full of love, and so ready to be with them as a family. Mia had come and brought them all even closer together.

“So, how was your day?” Mia asked as she wrapped her arm around Sophie’s shoulder and Sophie looked up at her with adoring eyes.

“It was awesome,” she said. “We had to write all about our families. And I wrote about you and Daddy, Grace and Grandma…”

Hudson felt his heart swell, and he knew that things would never get better than this.

His girls, his family… It was all a bear could ask for.

Chapter 16

Several Weeks Later…

The barbeque was sizzling, the autumn sun was finally shining, and Sophie and Grace were paddling on the edges of the lake. Hudson was manning the grill, flipping burgers and steaks, and as Mia watched him from inside the house, she couldn’t help but feel a rush of gratitude for all she had. It was funny how life worked out sometimes… she had been determined to live a better life, and one small step had led her to all of this. She had found her one great love, and her family. She truly was blessed.

After the meeting with the dragons, she knew that things were going to be moving soon, and she and Hudson had been enjoying being away from the drama. It was time for the dragons to step up and take over the battle, and the bears and wolves were watching from the sidelines. She knew there were plans to take someone, but Hudson had reassured her, whatever that meant, they wouldn’t be harmed.

“It’s something that has to be done,” he had said. “I like it no more than you do. But we need to save our town. We have to make sure our family is safe.”

And she did understand that, now more than ever…

She turned and looked back toward the bathroom and a pang of nerves hit her. It had definitely been over three minutes… and she wanted to go in and look, but there was part of her that couldn’t believe it may actually be real.

She took a deep breath and checked her watch. It had been four minutes. She would have to go and look soon, or the result might not be accurate.

She took one step at time, bracing herself, even though deep inside, she already knew the answer. There was no way it couldn’t be. She had known it from the very beginning; she had felt the change in her like a lightning bolt. Her body was changing and she knew she had Hudson’s baby in her belly.

As she reached the door, she glanced at the vanity and could see the little plastic white stick. She smiled as she got nearer and closed her eyes as she picked it up.

A smile flickered across her lips as she opened them slowly, and she exhaled and beamed from ear to ear as she saw the two very visible blue lines. One in each window.

She was definitely pregnant.

Confirmed.

She held the stick against her heart and a tear of happiness rolled down her cheek. She had never thought she would ever be here… but after finding everything she didn’t know she had been looking for, she couldn’t wait to carry her child and bring it into the world. Expanding their family would be the most magical thing she and Hudson could do. And somewhere inside of her, Mia already knew it was going to be a little girl. A third little blonde princess for them to all dote on.

She slipped the test into the drawer of the vanity and headed to the back of the house. She looked out at the perfect little setting. The deckchairs down by the water’s edge, the parasols and the girls in their swimsuits twirling in the sunshine, kicking up the water as they went. Hudson looked up from the grill and back to the house, he knew she was there… he could sense her. She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled at him knowingly, and she saw the light in his eyes.

He knew.

He could read her like a book.

He threw down his tongs and jogged up the steps to the house, sweeping her up in his arms and kissing her lovingly.

She looked into his eyes, and he smiled.

“You’re incredible,” he said as he reached down and put his palm flat on her belly and her small but growing bump. The magic inside of her would be here before they knew it.

“I love you, Mia,” he breathed, before he kissed her again.

They had met by chance one fateful night… they had become a family, and now, they were going to welcome another baby into the world.

The five of them were all meant for each other, one big happy family in the magical town of Lone Reach.

They had overcome their troubles and fears and now, the future was bright again.

They really did have it all.

The End

Taken by the Dragon Shifter

Lone Reach Shifters 5

Taken by the Dragon Shifter

Copyright ©2020 by Samantha Leal

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author’s permission.

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Chapter 1

Molly looked out at the twinkling lights of the city as she twisted the new, solid-gold bracelet around her wrist. It would be seen as an extravagant indulgence for most, with its heavy weight and even heftier price tag, but to her, it was just another pretty thing to add to her collection.

It didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate it, but coming from a life like hers, sometimes, these gifts and statements began to lose their luster.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead before she turned and cast her glance back at the immaculate penthouse apartment. It had been another gift; that time, for her twenty-first birthday some years before. Her father had surprised her with it, with the condition that she had the finest security system and personnel that money could buy.

Money, money, money.

That’s what it always came down to with him. And although she knew she was lucky to have lived such a well-heeled life, she had started to wonder when she would finally be able to do something for herself and not just live in the shadow of her father and her family name.

The city was theirs, and it always had been. Thomas Torres, her father, was one of the most well-known and connected men in the entire state, and they had experienced their fair share of attention when it came to how they lived their lives. Molly could even remember the time she had been filmed for her Sweet Sixteen for some awful reality show. It had been the biggest party the city had ever seen, and her dad had even arranged for the most popular pop star of the time to perform for her and the guests. She remembered the glitter bombs exploding, the flashing disco lights, the ice sculptures and ice-white SUV tied up with a red bow. It had all been for her, and at the time, she had thought there was nothing better than that. But when she thought back to it now, it made her cringe. Teenage naivety didn’t age well, and a lot had changed. She knew her father loved her ─ she was his only child ─ and she knew he would do anything for her. But she had never wanted a life in the public eye. She had decided that kind of life wasn’t for her.

And luckily for Molly, since then, she had managed to stay relatively off the radar. Her father was regularly in the news, but thanks to her shunning of social media, she wasn’t often commented on, and she rarely stepped out with him in public. After the death of her mom, they had both decided maybe it was better that Molly was kept out of the spotlight. One of her father’s greatest fears was losing her, and it suited Molly just fine. She didn’t want the attention; all she craved was a quiet life.

She couldn’t complain though, she had been very lucky. Her father’s success had meant that she could live a life of luxury, she never had to worry about money, and her penthouse was one that would make most people’s jaws drop. It was in the tallest residential building in the city, owned by her father, of course, and it spread out across the entire top floor, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. From the outside, the glass was tinted to keep her privacy, but from inside, the views were simply magnificent. She felt on top of the world there, especially at night, when the city truly came alive and it felt as if she were looking down at a billion stars. Each light made her feel like a giant among men. She smiled and hugged her arms around herself before she crossed the marble floors toward the kitchen, her heels clicking as she went. As she stepped close to the island, she spoke to the security system.

“Show me outside the front door,” she said.

A screen, much like an iPad, sprang to life on the wall and a clear black and white video image came into focus. As usual, her two security guards were sitting along the hallway, drinking coffee and reading the newspapers. She shook her head slowly. God, they must think her so terribly spoiled. It was kind of embarrassing. It’s not like there was any real need for her to be protected in such an over the top manner, other than that her dad loved her and didn’t want to lose her.

When her mom had died, it had changed them both. It had been an awful car accident, and something in her dad had died that day too, and Molly saw his fear. A normal day had turned to tragedy for them, and now, he wasn’t taking any chances, especially when he was one of the wealthiest men in the state. He just wanted to keep his only family safe.

Molly watched the security for a moment longer, her gaze turning hazy as she began to lose focus. She was getting tired, even if it had been another simple day. A day spent pacing around her apartment, hitting the gym on the second floor of the building to do weights and cardio before finishing off with a quick swim. She had then come back upstairs, watched TV and daydreamed of what she would do if she wasn’t trapped in her gilded cage.

Part of her wanted to go to college and study, part of her wanted to open her own business. But she wasn’t sure she had the confidence of trying… What if she failed? Her father always told her she didn’t need to worry about that kind of thing, her future was secure, but she always had the fear that she would never amount to anything. That all people would see was a pampered princess who had been handed everything and never had to work for anything. And what chance did she ever have of meeting a man who would challenge her? The only guys she had ever dated were ones introduced to her from her father’s social circle, entitled society boys who had treated her like shit, who had thought keeping her topped up with presents and shopping sprees would make her happy. None of them truly ever listened to her or her dreams; they had just seen her as the little woman with no brain. They made her skin crawl.

She rubbed her temples again. She hated the negative thoughts. She shouldn’t do it to herself, especially when she was tired and should be unwinding.

“Turn off kitchen lights,” she spoke aloud to her home security system and walked into the hallway and along to the master bedroom.

From the outside, Molly’s life looked pretty perfect indeed. But what she really craved was normality, a challenge, and she vowed, as she climbed into bed, that she was about to shake things up.

Chapter 2

The huge, heavy doors of The Dragon Pit swung closed behind him with a deafening clang as Sawyer entered the building.

He turned and looked back over his shoulder, half expecting to see one of his pack members waiting in the shadows, but it appeared that, for now at least, he was on his own.

He walked across the dancefloor that spread out over most of the ground floor and made his way to the bar. He flicked on the lights so the refrigerators were more illuminated and he could see the different colored bottles waiting to tempt him. It had been a rough week, and he knew that things were only about to get even more wild.

For a dragon shifter in a town like Lone Reach, Sawyer was used to his fair share of responsibility and crazy antics, but for a while now, his town had been under threat, and he knew he and his pack were on the verge of war.

He opened a refrigerator and reached for a bottle of beer, twisting off the cap with his bare hands and took a long, satisfying swig before he sat back on one of the bar stools and looked around the nightclub. It had been run by his pack for the past few years and they had made it a success. Now, he felt as if it’s very foundations could sink into the ground. No one knew what the hell was going to happen next.

He had only known fear like this once before … and it had been when he was a young dragon coming into his power. The memory had haunted him for over a decade, and he had always let it weigh down on him like a ton of bricks. He may have looked like he had it all; he was handsome, well built, lived in a mountain-top estate fit for a king, and had a strong brotherhood around him in the shape of his dragon pack, but deep down, he had never felt good enough for it all. He had always looked back to that fateful night when he was a young dragon coming into his power and it made him shudder with fear and guilt… He had lost control. He hadn’t known how to control it. And he had always carried the burden for the consequences.

Lone Reach had been a town divided for over ten years; the three packs that ran the town had only just started to come together to fight a common threat, but he knew their resolution was far from certain and sealed. He took another swig of his beer and felt his nerves mounting. For years, he had hung back in his pack for fear that he would screw up again or not be good enough. And now, it had all culminated in this…

His next mission. One that he didn’t want to be a part of but knew he was going to have to undergo so that he could, in his eyes, redeem himself within his pack. Even if everyone always told him he had done nothing wrong.

He heard a door swing open behind him and he turned to see Carter and Victor stepping inside, his dragon pack brothers, two of the most powerful men he had ever met.

“Someone’s eager,” Victor mused as he stepped up to the bar and brought Sawyer in for a hug as he slapped his back affectionately.

“You know me,” Sawyer winked. “I’ve been itching to get started.”

“I’ll bet,” Carter said as he climbed behind the bar, opening the refrigerators and pulling out two more beers.

Sawyer loved these men more than anything; they had been born around the same time, they had grown up side by side, and they had come into their power within the same year … all of them learning how to shift into dragons during that same winter when things had changed for Lone Reach. He found himself on the verge of the memory again. Of how he blamed himself for being the reason why the town had fallen apart and become divided. But this was not the time; he was strong, and had learned, and now, he was ready to step up and show the rest of his pack and the packs of bears and wolves who he really was.

It was his time to shine.

“Who else is coming?” Sawyer asked as he took a swig of beer, and then the three men all chinked their bottles together in celebration.

“Eric and Dom,” Carter smiled. “We thought it might be best to keep this meeting to a minimum… The bears and wolves know what our vague plans are. But maybe, just in case they have any weak points in their pack, it would be best if we kept our exact movements and details as hush-hush as possible.”

“Agreed,” Sawyer nodded. The last thing he wanted was anything to disturb this mission. He had a job to do, and he didn’t want or need any interference.

The doors to The Dragon Pit creaked opened and slammed closed again, and the three of them turned to see Eric and Dom stepping into the club.

“Bolt the door,” Sawyer called across to them, and Dom nodded in agreement.

No one knew they were there, but some of the bar girls had keys to the building and sometimes they found themselves in there on their nights off, catching up on stocktaking and the books from a very hectic weekend. Lately, Lone Reach had been quiet with a nighttime curfew in place, but that didn’t mean people were necessarily following the rules. There seemed to be a lot of risk-takers in town, and most of the mortals had absolutely no idea of the trouble coming their way. They may have seen the news about the missing people and the slaughtering of cattle, but it didn’t seem to scare any of them. They seemed determined to show each other how brave they were by stepping out at night, by going to house parties and illegal raves, all so they could continue chasing highs and trying to live a normal life, even if, without them knowing, that could all soon be a thing of the past.

Eric and Dom joined Carter, Sawyer, and Victor at the bar, and they all got themselves another drink before heading up to the second floor where their office was hidden away in one of the cavernous corridors. Inside, it was plush black leather and glass tables, and the men all got comfortable before their meeting began.

Sawyer knew he was going to be center stage, and he was ready for the challenge. His nerves may have been jingling away beneath his skin, but it felt good. The adrenaline was making him feel alive and even more powerful than he already was.

“Okay,” he spoke first as he rose to his feet and turned to look at his pack. “We all know why we’re here…”

Carter and Dom nodded ominously.

“We’ve found a weakness in our enemies, and we are taking action to try and save this town.”

The dragons all had grave looks on their faces, all of them knowing that this was rather unethical, but something they were going to have to do to ensure that their town survived.

“We need to hit the vampires where it hurts,” Sawyer continued. “They’re mobsters … mobsters who only truly care about power and money…” he paused for a moment. “We have become aware ─ from the rogue Forsaken Rider ─ that the vampires who are looking to attack our town have serious business investments with Thomas Torres… and yes that is the Tomas Torres. The one and only.”

Sawyer sighed. He couldn’t believe he was about to fuck with one of the most infamous businessmen for miles around, one who had ties to some very shady characters. A man who, no doubt, was used to doing bad things in order to get his own way. After the dragons started this one, there really was no going back.

“Torres is pretty unreadable from our position, but from what we do know about him, it isn’t going to be buildings or investments that are going to rile him up against the vampires, it’s going to be something closer to home. Something more personal. He has one living relative, a daughter, and from what we know, he is very protective of her.”

Sawyer felt himself become uncomfortable, but he had to continue.

“And so, it has been agreed that, to try and put pressure on the vampires to drop their campaign of war against us, we need to cause friction and tension between them and Mr. Torres… namely, by taking something that means the world to him. Something he can’t live without or ignore … We’re going to take his daughter.”

The dragons all looked to each other, all of them knowing how serious this was. To take a woman from her life and imprison her ─ even without malicious intent on her life or with intent to harm her ─ was a big deal. They were going in hard, and this was a risky move.

“We have all the measures in place,” Carter said as he rose to his feet. “And we know how we are going to move. Sawyer is leading the mission, and Dom is going to be his backup. When we make the move on Molly Torres, we need to make sure it’s quick, inconspicuous and as gentle as possible. We all know this is not in our nature, but it’s for the greater good, and she will not be harmed in any way. In fact, she’ll be looked after better than anyone we know. Understood?”

All the dragons nodded, and Sawyer felt a small wave of relief wash over him. Saying things out loud and knowing that everyone was on the same page gave him some comfort. They were only doing this to protect their town… to stop the vampires from killing people and tearing Lone Reach apart. To save their families, their businesses, their homes… to save countless innocent lives. Molly Torres was going to be well looked after, and no harm was going to come her way, he would make sure of it. He may have been going to take her, but he was also going to protect her.

“Okay,” Sawyer smiled. “I guess it’s time to get this show on the road.”

Dom rose to his feet and nodded, and the pack came together to pat each other on the back and hug. This was a huge turning point for the future of Lone Reach and for the lives of thousands of people.

It was time to save each and every one of them.

Chapter 3

Molly looked back at her reflection and felt the nerves flutter away in her belly. She had spent the best part of the past two hours preening herself, doing her hair and make-up and choosing an outfit that suited her mood perfectly. And now, the time had come to really shake up her life in the way she had promised.

She was going to sneak out past her security, hit the town and paint it the brightest shade of red anyone had ever seen.

It had been a long time since she had ventured out on an evening, and she had never done it alone. Most of her friends had started to settle down, slowly slip into domestic bliss and some of them even had children of their own. The others, well, they had moved on without her. They were used to her declining their invitations to society parties or wild vacations in the Caribbean. She may have had an unlimited supply of funds from her father’s bank account, but she had never put it to any use. The gilded cage was still going strong.

She tapped the security system screen and could see that the security guards were at the end of the hall, as always, near the doors to the elevator. She had thought the plan through, knowing that the emergency fire stairs were closer to her apartment, and if she could somehow distract them and get them looking elsewhere, she could be able to sneak out, down, and into the night.

She grabbed her purse and cell phone, her shoes already on and her jacket slung around her shoulders. She watched the security screen as she dialed the number for the concierge at the front of the building and cleared her throat.

“Hi there,” she said as the concierge answered on the other line. “I have a delivery waiting outside for the penthouse security, would you be able to give them a call and get them to come down. It’s courtesy of Molly, she was going to cook them some dinner but instead is having an early night.”

She laughed and covered the base of the phone so the other end couldn’t hear.

When she hung up, she watched as one of the security guards answered his phone and then chatted to the other. They stepped toward Molly’s apartment and buzzed the door before she answered it without letting them see her fully, just peering through the crack.

“Hi guys, has your food arrived?” she asked.

“It has, we just wanted to check all was well before we headed down for it.”

“All is fine,” she smiled. “I’m going to bed. Enjoy.”

She closed the door and then watched as they wandered slowly down the corridor toward the elevator. When they disappeared inside, she grinned and slipped out into the hallway and down the back stairs.

She felt a little bit guilty, but they wouldn’t miss her. After they had collected their food and headed back up, they would assume she was asleep and see that nothing had been disturbed in the hallway; plus, they would know the elevator hadn’t been used.

As long as her dad never found out, then no harm was done. And she was sick of living her life under a watchful eye. As she made it to the base of the staircase and went out through the service doors and into the back alley, she had to laugh. She felt like a teenager all over again.

* * *

The bar was packed, and the music thumped so loud it was impossible for her to not want to dance. She swayed in her seat, sipping her drink and feeling so damned good to finally be out of the apartment and not feel the watchful eyes of security on her back. When she returned home, she would apologize and tell them she wouldn’t do it again… But this was her one chance to have some fun, and hell, did she need it. It didn’t even bother her that she was alone. She was too busy soaking up the atmosphere and pretending like she wasn’t the daughter of the city’s most infamous businessman.

Molly scanned the cocktail menu and settled on an elderflower gin concoction that she was sure would knock her socks off. She ordered one from the cute bartender and after she had tapped her credit card and paid, she leaned back on the stool and scanned the room. There were so many people in there ─ groups of friends, colleagues who had clearly just finished work ─ and all of them were relaxed and having fun. She momentarily got annoyed with herself for selling herself so short. There was no real reason why she shouldn’t be out every weekend, like the rest of them, having a good time, even if her father’s paranoia was at an all-time high.

The bartender gave her her drink. She took a sip, and was just about to pick up her purse and head to the bathroom to touch up her make-up when fabric grazed against her arm as a man slid into the space next to her and tried to get the bartender’s attention. She didn’t notice him fully at first, as she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts, but after a few moments, she found her eyes wandering to him, and as they traveled up the full length of his body, she felt her jaw sag and her heart come alive.

Holy hell, this guy was hot.

He was tall, with broad shoulders, a perfect tan, dark hair and the deepest brown eyes she had ever seen. He was pristinely smart, decked out in a perfectly tailored suit ─ one she could already tell must have cost him close to a thousand dollars, if not more. It wasn’t just any old suit, it had been made for him. One of a kind, and as he turned and caught her eye, she felt a click somewhere deep inside of her. Something fiery, something hot and ferocious, and something that made her tremble with excitement.

She smiled and looked down at the floor, her heart hammering away in her chest and, no doubt, a rosy blush creeping across her cheeks.

What was happening to her? She had never had this kind of reaction simply by staring at someone for the first time.

She managed to keep her eyes away from him for a few seconds, but then, she couldn’t help looking back up, and he was smiling right back at her. She had caught his attention too. She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and reached for her drink. He leaned in, his elbow propping him up and his gaze fixed firmly on her. The energy between them was so electric she could feel it like a physical thing. Her skin was prickling hot and she had to catch her breath; she felt as if she had just done a sprint and was trying to pull herself back together.

He cocked his head slightly to the side and she saw a glint in his eyes, one she recognized as attraction. It wasn’t just her lusting over him… He was into her too. She definitely had caught his attention. She swallowed nervously and looked away. She was sitting alone, with no way of pretending otherwise, and he was right there next to her, in a crowded bar. She didn’t know how but she just knew he was alone too. Now, they were both up at the bar, close to each other, while hundreds of others buzzed around them, chatting away, sipping their drinks and dancing to the music. It was a typical Friday night in her city. And he looked like he could have been any of the guys she had dated in the past, except he wasn’t. This guy was different, she could feel it in her bones, and when their eyes locked in on each other, it only intensified.

She hoped to god she wasn’t blushing. She had never had such an insane physical reaction to a person before… It was as if he was looking directly into her soul and could read her completely. Without them even having ever spoken a word.

He leaned in a little further over the bar and ordered his drink, and when the bartender came back with it, he also had one that looked exactly the same as what Molly was drinking. He placed it down in front of her and she looked up and went to say that she hadn’t ordered one, but she quickly stopped herself and laughed.

The guy sitting next to her ─ the one that had practically floored her without them ever even speaking ─ had clearly gotten it for her, and now, he was watching her with amusement.

“Is this from you?” she asked knowingly as she turned toward him.

He nodded his head. God, his eyes were intense and dark, and so engulfing it felt as if she could fall into them and never look back.

“It looked as if you were running low,” he smirked, before he held out his hand.

Molly hesitated for a moment; did she really want to do this? He may have been the cutest guy she had seen in a long time. Hell, he might have been the hottest guy she had ever seen in her life. But she had come out to let her hair down and unwind, not necessarily meet someone. She bit her lip and slowly held out her hand. There was no point in fighting it… What did she have to lose?

“Sawyer,” he smiled as their fingers intertwined and a heat seemed to pulse through their palms.

The feeling that rocketed through them was something out of this world. It was a heat that seemed to fire through her and seep through her veins, warming her from the inside out as it reached her heart. Molly found herself gasping; the sensation shocked her, and it also seemed to shock him. But after a moment of looking startled, he quickly regained his composure.

“Molly,” she said breathlessly, as he slowly let go of her hand.

He looked perturbed for a moment, as if he had suddenly snapped out of a trance, and then, he smiled and cleared his throat.

“Cute name,” he said, and then he held his glass up between them.

She watched him for a second before she realized he wanted her to do the same thing, and when they clinked their drinks together and looked deep into each other’s eyes, she had the overwhelming feeling that she could go home with this man and do bad things all night.

She took a sip and licked her lips. It tasted good. She had a mild buzz running through her along with the heat she had felt from him.

“What do you do?” he asked her, his eyes becoming even more hypnotic.

“Is this how you approach all girls?” she teased. “Sidle up next to them at a bar, buy them a drink and then work your magic?”

He held his head back and laughed, his shoulders shrugging slightly. It was clear he hadn’t expected her to be so to the point and cutting. Maybe he had thought he could turn on the charm and she would just fall at his feet… I mean, she certainly was temped.

“I don’t make a habit out of this, actually,” he said with a wry smile. “But I came in here, and I saw you sitting all alone up at the bar, and I wondered, What’s her story? and so, I came over.”

“So it wasn’t just a coincidence that you caught my eye?” she asked as she cocked her head to the side and grinned.

“There’s no such thing as coincidence,” he said and smiled at her warmly.

She laughed and nodded. She guessed he had that one right.

“At the moment, I’m between projects,” she said finally, to answer his question. She may have wondered about his motives, but he was entertaining at least, and they definitely had a connection, there was no way either of them could deny that. The chemistry between them was still on fire, and each time she looked into his eyes, she felt herself becoming more and more fused to him.

Before long, their chairs had gotten closer together and her knee occasionally knocked against his. It turned out that Sawyer wasn’t from the city at all, and she had gotten him completely wrong. He wasn’t like the kind of guys she had dated in the past. He didn’t live off a trust fund; he had his own set of businesses and lived out in the mountains. She sat and listened to him with wide eyes as he told her all about ski season, about the wild winters he had seen out on the harsh terrain, and how he had come to the city for work, something to do with signing a new trade deal, but had felt the need to unwind after a few days of hell.

“Me too,” she said. “I felt the need to unwind tonight too.”

“Well, maybe we have more in common than we thought,” he said.

She looked into his eyes and could feel that he wanted to kiss her. He was looking at her, his eyes fixed on hers and his body so close to her, their heads coming even closer. Her heart was racing and she knew that it was now or never. She leaned forward, her hand brushing against his leg, and in that moment, something passed between them, something so powerful that it frightened her.

Her lips grazed his and his hand moved up to her face, he cupped her cheek with his big strong hand and he kissed her, hard and passionately, on the mouth. A power seemed to pass between them, and yet, quickly, as she started to fall into him, he broke away from her and quickly got to his feet.

She watched him, stunned, but she realized that he looked more unnerved than she did.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he looked down at her, his brow furrowed and his whole persona changed. “I’m so sorry, Molly.”

He picked up his wallet, turned and dashed out of there, moving quickly between the crowd. She knew she must have looked as if he had just slapped her in the face, and she kind of felt as if he had.

“What the hell just happened?” she whispered to herself.

She felt a physical ache… as if his leaving her side had taken a part of her with him. It was so strange… it was almost… unnatural. Supernatural. She reached up and touched her palm over her chest. She could feel a heat inside of her, and she could feel her heart beating, but it seemed to be stronger and with more purpose.

Sawyer. Sawyer, the stranger.

A man who had walked into this bar and bought her a drink, he had swept her off her feet without even trying, and then he had run away into the night.

She was so confused.

She reached up and rubbed her forehead. Suddenly, she didn’t much feel like sitting there alone any longer. She looked up at the clock and realized it was close to midnight. They had sat and talked for over two hours and it had flashed by so fast. How was it even possible?

She grabbed her handbag and slid down from the stool before she made for the exit. If she had been even slightly merry before, she was now completely sober.

Sobered up by what had just happened and also by the fact she should have really been home an hour ago.

As she stepped out of the bar and looked up and down the busy city streets, she sighed as she wondered if Sawyer might have been out there, watching her. She had no idea what he was or what he was doing, but he had left a yearning inside of her. He had awakened something quickly that she had never known was even missing.

She reached for her cell phone and tried to track a car on a taxi app, but it looked as if she was out of luck. It was the busiest time on a Friday night in the most crowded part of town. She sighed and pouted, and then, she stepped back toward the edge of the outer wall of the bar and selected to wait. A car would be with her within fifteen minutes.

The bricks were cool on the wall behind her and she closed her eyes for a moment. She wished she hadn’t bothered trying to let her hair down. Now, she wished she had just stayed at home.

She opened her eyes and watched the world go by. The groups of friends heading from bar to bar, the flashes of the car lights going up and down the busy streets and the sounds of horns, of people singing, of the life of the city that she had grown to love and also hate. This city had become her prison, and all she wanted now was to escape. She thought about Sawyer and the mountains, of how peaceful it must be… And as she started to slip into a daydream, she was taken by surprise as, suddenly, a hand gripped her wrist and pulled her backward. It all happened so quickly she didn’t really register what was happening…

The hand was strong and it pulled her away from the wall and into an alley where she was bundled backward and into what could only be a van. It was dark, the doors slammed, and after a door closed up ahead, an engine started.

Her eyes were wide, and her heart raced away in her chest.

What the hell was happening?

Chapter 4

Sawyer paced the floors of his home and ran his hands through his hair. None of this felt right. None of this was what was supposed to happen.

He had gone into the city as planned, and he and Dom had started their mission. As luck would have it, the girl had been seen going into a bar, and they hadn’t had to try and break into her apartment ─ something they had prepared for. But it was all so fucked up. He had gone in there and had sat with her, and something strange and unexpected had happened…

He had felt something.

He stopped and strode over to his bar, grabbed a crystal decanter and poured himself a large glass of whiskey. He downed it in one and sighed.

He had gone to the bar with the pretense of chatting to her, to make it easier for him to maybe coax her in the direction of the van they had waiting in the alley. But the second he had spoken to her and seen the real her, it had become impossible. She had knocked him off his feet. Her amazing blue eyes, the way they were so wide and innocent. The picture he had built of her from what he had seen from old show reels and clips online, the vague mentions of her in the news and the fact that her father was Thomas Torres… He had expected something else entirely. But there she was, on a Friday night, sitting alone in a big city, and she had almost looked sad. He had been taken back by her. She had been intelligent and kind, and when they had chatted, he had found himself falling in deep, becoming entranced by her eyes and her soft voice. She was something else. He had even been attracted to her in a way he had never known before… And then, the unthinkable happened ─ they had kissed.

It had spooked him. Not only because of what he knew was going to happen with the mission, but also because of what he had felt when their lips met. It had been intense, and it had been real… And he feared it could be something he had been told about from all the people he knew who had found their great loves.

It was all so fucked.

Fucked.

He poured another drink and drank it slowly, sipping it as he slumped down in his office chair and cradled his head.

He had walked out on the mission. He had got out of that bar as fast as his legs would take him, and Dom had had to grab her and get her into the van. And now, she was locked in one of his spare bedrooms.

Molly.

She was in his house, and he didn’t know what the fuck he was going to do.

He really had messed this one up. Of all the things he had been expecting to happen when he and the dragons set out to do this, he hadn’t bargained for the fact that he might potentially imprint on the target. On a mobster’s daughter who could hold the key to saving their town.

A girl he now had locked away upstairs.

He laughed. How could he not? This was just his luck.

He had seen this as his redemption. He had hoped that he could put the past behind him and finally forget and move on. He was a powerful dragon, a key member of his pack, and now, he had stepped back at a key moment in a huge mission for them.

What were they going to think of him now?

And he had done it all for a girl.

Molly.

He wanted to kick himself.

There was no way she would fall for him, not once she knew what was happening here. They may have had chemistry in the bar, and he may have thought he felt something, but could he truly be sure? What if the heightened emotions of the moment and what he was about to do had tricked him into thinking he had felt those things? What if he hadn’t imprinted on her at all?

He was trying to convince himself that it hadn’t happened, even if his heart knew that it had. But he was going to be strong regardless. Even if she was the person he had been waiting for his whole life… Even if the second he saw her, suddenly, things made sense. None of it mattered. He had to focus on the pack and on the future of Lone Reach.

He had to forget Molly; he had to push her out of his mind.

He had to stick to his guns, to his mission…

And, anyway, once she knew he had brought her there, he was pretty sure she was going to hate him.

What a goddamn mess.

Chapter 5

“Hello?” Molly called as she banged her fists against the huge wooden door. “Is anyone out there?”

She held her head against it and tried to listen. But whatever was out there, it was silent. She couldn’t even hear the sound of footsteps or anyone talking. She felt as if she were alone. She had no idea where she was, all she knew was that it looked like a house and she had been shut away in a bedroom. A very nice bedroom no less.

She turned and looked at the scene in front of her. It was a room in what had to be an old house or building, with dark wooden floors, a plush maroon rug which spread out across the floor and underneath a large fourposter bed. There was a huge, stone fireplace on one wall, which was lit and casting out some lovely heat into the room, but the rest of the room was dark. No lights were on and she didn’t much feel like seeing any more. It kind of felt safer in the dark.

To one side of the room was a door and she could tell it was an adjoining bathroom, but she had yet to go inside. She had only been there for minutes, at the most, half an hour, and she was still trying to get her head around what was happening.

She had been taken. Someone had grabbed her while she was out on the street and she had been shoved into the back of a van. They had driven for at least two hours, and once they had stopped, a man with gloves and a mask opened the van doors. He had covered her head with a cotton bag and brought her out. Out into this building, to where she was now.

At no point had he spoken to her and at no point had he been rough or used violence. In fact, he hadn’t done anything to make her think he was hostile. None of it made sense.

She had asked him over and over who he was and what he wanted but the man had ignored her. She didn’t know if it was just him or if there were more of them. All she knew was that she had been whisked away from one prison to another. And now, her resolve was starting to falter.

Could this be her father’s way of punishing her because she snuck out? The thought clicked into place like an epiphany.

It had to be her dad, as fucked up as it sounded.

He had spent so much time drilling into her the importance of safety, and then she had gone and broken his rules. She had snuck out late at night and gone to a bar. She had ditched her own security guards and played a childish game. Maybe this was his way of getting his own back? Of showing her what could happen if she went against his wishes?

She scowled and then moved away from the door and sat down on the bed. She crossed her arms over her chest and breathed out deeply through her nose.

Whatever this was, she was determined she wouldn’t show any fear. And she wouldn’t feel it either. Each decision she had ever made in her life had led her to this moment, she was a big believer in that. And she had to remain calm.

She lay back and looked up at the ceiling. This was just the kind of stunt her dad would pull if he really wanted to make a point. An elaborate scare tactic to make sure his only child didn’t go against his wishes again.

Either that, or this was exactly what he had been warning her about…

She swallowed and closed her eyes.

She wouldn’t feel any fear.

She was strong; she could handle this. Until whoever was behind this showed her reason to truly be afraid … then she was going to dig in her heels and challenge them back.

She was a Torres, after all.

* * *

She woke with the morning light coming in through the small gap in the windows. She hugged her arms around herself and rolled onto her side. For someone who had been kidnapped, she had slept exceptionally well. There hadn’t been a noise around her all night and she still hadn’t heard anything anywhere in this place.

She got to her feet and went over to the window, peering outside … but there was nothing she could really see. The glass had been misted and nothing was clear. On the other side, she thought she could make out some blurred green, so she could have been in the countryside, but she couldn’t be sure.

She sighed and made her way to the adjoining bathroom, suddenly feeling the overwhelming urge to pee.

She got a pleasant surprise when she saw that the bathroom had been filled with a new, boxed toothbrush, some toothpaste, and some other toiletries ─ shower gel, shampoo, conditioner. It was all there ─ brand new and sealed ─ with some fresh, fluffy towels.

“What the hell is going on…,” she whispered.

It was like she had been locked away in a country hotel.

It was weird not being able to reach for her cell phone, and she had no clue whether she had dropped her purse on the street or if the man had taken it from her, but she started to feel antsy when she had been awake for around an hour.

She went back to the door and began to bang on it again and again, until she heard a creak from somewhere along the hallway and a set of footsteps started to come closer. Her heart skipped a beat and she found herself instinctively moving away from the door. She was nervous and her palms tingled with anticipation. What was going to happen?

She heard the footsteps slow and then they stopped. They sounded close, and she was sure they had to be right outside the door.

“Hello?” she said, her breath catching in her throat. “Who’s out there?”

Whoever was on the other side cleared their throat. They were masculine and sounded as if they had a deep voice.

“Molly Torres?” the voice said with authority.

“Yes?” She furrowed her brow and started to feel herself becoming impatient. The other person, her captor, didn’t speak back and it was making her annoyed. But now she knew that they knew her full name. It made her all the more convinced that it had to have something to do with her dad and this might be a set up.

“Listen,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but if this is some kind of twisted punishment because I snuck out for the night, then tell my father he’s an ass!”

She kicked the back of the door and scowled.

“I have some breakfast here for you,” the voice spoke back. “I’d like you to take a step back from the door, as far as the back wall with the window, and wait there, please.”

There was something about the person’s voice that she thought might have sounded familiar, but she couldn’t be sure. Her mind was going at a mile a minute and she had so much to process that she wasn’t getting anywhere fast. But she knew the best thing for her to do was exactly what he was asking of her. Kicking up a fuss and making a ton of noise was only going to make him angry. She had seen enough movies and read enough true crime cases to know that. So she sighed and stepped to the back of the room, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. She wanted to make sure that when the door opened, she wasn’t looking like a frightened little lamb but a badass bitch who would take them on and maybe teach them a thing or two in the process.

“Okay,” she said when she got there. “I’m waiting.”

She heard a key go in the lock and noticed the old brass circular knob begin to swivel. She felt a little jolt of nerves as the door began to open, and from the darkened hallway on the other side, a tall, muscular frame came into view. It wasn’t lit in the bedroom, apart from the sunlight shining on her, and so it took a few seconds for her eyes to focus. But once they did, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

The man coming into the room with a silver tray covered in food… he wasn’t a stranger at all…

It was Sawyer.

She felt her jaw sag open a little and she stepped back, knocking against the wall behind her. Her hands were shaking slightly but she didn’t feel as if it was from nerves, more because of adrenaline.

“Sawyer?” she asked him, her eyes squinting into angry slits.

He didn’t speak but he closed the door behind him and turned the key in the lock and then slipped it into his pocket. She popped her hip to the side and scowled at him, unable to believe what the hell was happening. Had he been sent by her father to chat her up and then make a fool out of her? This was all becoming more insane by the second.

He put the tray down on the coffee table by the fireplace, and she cast her eyes down to see that he had brought her fresh orange juice, a pot of coffee, some toast and preserves, along with some fresh fruit, and it all looked so well put together it felt unimaginable that he had done it under these circumstances.

“Molly,” he said as he looked up at her. Their eyes met, and she felt the sensation roll through her again … the one of fire and hope, the one of passion and fate. She felt him connect with her, just like he had back at the bar the night before, and it was so intense that it was unnerving. She looked away from him, completely unable to speak and not knowing what the hell to do next.

“I know you probably have a lot of questions,” he said tentatively. “And I’ll answer them. But I just want to know that you’re okay?”

“You’re damned right I have a ton of questions,” she said as she looked back at him and felt her rage return. “Who the hell are you? And what are you playing at? Why am I here?” Her eyes burned into him, and she saw him harden his resolve.

“You know who I am, I told you that last night,” he snapped back at her. “But I know this situation is fucked up, so I need you to hear me out when the time is right.”

“When the time is right?” she scoffed. “How about right now?”

He shook his head slowly and breathed out deeply.

“I didn’t want to do this, I want you to know that,” he said. “And I want you to know you have nothing to be afraid of. You’re not in any danger.”

For all he had taken her from the street, she didn’t feel intimidated or afraid of him. She felt as if he was being sincere and she knew him already. She knew they had only chatted for a few hours, but it had felt deep, and they had a connection… Plus, they had the kiss…

“Being from your family, I think, maybe, you always knew something like this would happen one day,” he said. “I’m just sorry it had to be me.”

She frowned. What did he mean?

“Did my dad set this up?” she asked. “If he did, I want to know right now.”

“No,” Sawyer shook his head. “But I’m afraid it’s because of what your dad is caught up in that has caused my pack to have to do this. But I’m assuring you now, Molly, you’re safe, okay?”

Pack? What on Earth was that supposed to mean. She was so confused. She watched as he ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He looked tired, as if this had taken a lot out of him, but he wasn’t giving her any answers, he was just making her even more confused.

“Are you all right?” he asked her, genuinely.

“Yes,” she snapped. “I’m fine.”

And then, she crossed her arms and looked out the window. She had no clue what to say to him. All she wanted was answers, but now, he had made her a little afraid of what he could possibly tell her.

“Where am I?” she asked finally, as she looked up and their eyes met again. His were so deep, and they seemed alive with fire; they burned for her, and she felt it so strongly. She believed that he was telling the truth when he said she was safe. She knew he was being genuine.

“You’re in the mountains, at the town I told you about…” he trailed off.

“So that wasn’t a lie then…” she laughed.

“None of it was a lie,” he told her. “Everything we spoke about last night was real.”

She nodded slowly.

“And why am I here?” she asked, her gaze fixed firmly on him, determined to get an answer. “If you cared about me at all and last night wasn’t just part of this elaborate plan, then you would tell me.”

He put his hands in his pockets and squeezed his arms close to his side, Molly could see how his muscles bulged and it made her heart flutter. He was so strong, and she remembered what his hand had felt like as it had cupped her cheek, holding her while they had kissed. It made butterflies swirl in her belly, and she felt herself smile.

He pulled out a chair from beside the fireplace and sat down, rubbing his temples. He looked stressed, but he was stern with what he was doing and saying, and she could tell he wasn’t going to let her walk all over him.

“Your father,” he said finally as he brought his head forward and looked at her dead in the eye. “He has some questionable business associates. They’ve done something to my friends and me, and to get them to back off and leave our town alone, we have to hit them where it hurts. Namely, in their business, business with your father.”

The gravity of the situation started to sink in, and Molly’s eyes widened.

“So, my dad doesn’t even know anything about this?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Sawyer said. “And I’m sorry if this is a shock to you, but I need you to trust me on this. You’re not in any danger. I’m here to look after you, and I want you to speak to your dad and tell him that, okay?”

Her head was spinning, but she managed to nod and clear her throat.

“Who is it he’s working with?” she asked, finally. “And why me?”

Sawyer looked sad for a moment, and then he smiled.

“I was asking myself the same question last night the second I met you… why her?” he laughed and shook his head. “Trust me, I didn’t want for this to happen, and that’s why I’m reassuring you. I don’t want you to feel afraid.”

“I don’t,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’m not afraid of anyone.”

He smiled, and then, so did she. His eyes seemed to glisten at her and it made her blush. But damn, was she pissed at him.

“Is there anyone else here?” she asked. “Or is it just you?”

“Just me,” he said. “I have family around, but I’ve asked them to leave us be. I know this must seem pretty overwhelming.”

Molly shrugged. She wasn’t going to give him too much, she wanted him to be worried about her, to wonder how she was feeling and if she was doing okay. It was about time someone actually asked and cared rather than being paid to do so.

“This is insane,” she said, with a laugh of disbelief. “I need time to process it all.”

Sawyer nodded.

He rose to his feet and motioned toward the food he had brought in.

“I’m only locking the door now,” he said. “I’ll open it later and it can stay open. I don’t want you to feel as if you’re shut in.”

She frowned, and then nodded.

“Okay…,” she said with uncertainty.

Sawyer opened the door and disappeared out it before she heard the key go in the lock again. Once she heard his footsteps disappear down the hallway, she sank down into the chair he had been sitting in and breathed in deeply.

This situation was getting more complicated by the minute.

She was really going to have to be on her guard.

She liked Sawyer, she had fallen for him the second she had laid eyes on him… But now, here she was with him, and not only had he imprisoned her, but it had something to do with her father’s business and none of it was sounding good. She rubbed her head and sighed before she pulled the tray of food closer to her and reached for a slice of toast.

This certainly hadn’t been what she was expecting when she had snuck out of her apartment the night before… And now she knew she was going to be in a whole world of trouble.

Chapter 6

As time passed, she found herself becoming more and more full of questions. Sawyer. She couldn’t comprehend how he had walked into the bar the night before and made her feel the way he had, and then this. They had a connection, that much was obvious, but now she was so confused, and she didn’t know what she could do about it.

She had fallen for him within a matter of minutes, but now everything had changed. How could she continue to develop feelings for someone who was doing this to her? Even if he had reassured her that he didn’t want to be involved in whatever this plan was. She didn’t feel afraid or threatened, and he had even said he was going to leave the doors open once she had gotten her head around it all… But it was all still so confusing. She needed more answers, specifically, what would be so important that it would drive a man like Sawyer to do this? He was going to have to open up to her, and fast.

Living in the world she had, she knew things like this happened. It was why her dad had been so protective over her, but she also didn’t know a whole lot. She had been led to believe that she could be a target for money, that some criminal who knew Thomas Torres was a multimillionaire may try to use her for ransom and extortion, but Sawyer hadn’t mentioned that, so she didn’t understand what else she could be of use for.

He had mentioned business, but he hadn’t elaborated. Something to do with an associate that her father had dealings with had done Sawyer and his friends wrong… And he had mentioned leaving his town alone. It all sounded very complicated.

She rubbed her temples, laid back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Everything was so quiet, and all she could hear was the rage of her thoughts. The moment she had met Sawyer in the bar, she had thought she could see herself throwing caution to the wind and going home with him for a night of wicked, sexy fun… but this hadn’t been quite what she had in mind.

“Jeez,” she half-laughed. “You sure know how to pick them.”

He had seemed so different to the guys she had dated in the past and she had fallen for his love of his hometown. Now, she was there, and she was doubting him. She was worried he wasn’t who he said he was, and with good reason. And yet, she couldn’t help feeling as if she knew he were telling the truth.

She pushed the thoughts out of her mind. This was madness. She would be friendly and good to Sawyer and try to get to the bottom of what was going on here so that she could get home. But there was no way she could consider him romantically. Even if he did make her bones tremble with excitement and her heart race. Even if he had kissed her and she had felt something powerful and magical. Even if she couldn’t stop thinking about him and the way his skin seemed on fire. The way he looked at her. The way he had made her feel alive again.

“Stop,” she whispered to herself. “You know it can’t happen.”

But even as she said the words out loud, she knew she didn’t fully believe in them.

Something was pulling at her, it was eating her up. And she knew, once she saw him again, she was going to find it hard not to let herself fall even deeper.

Chapter 7

“How is everything with Molly Torres?” Carter asked, his voice coming down the other end of the line with piercing clarity.

“All good so far,” Sawyer replied as he paced the ground floor hall of his home.

The dragons were scattered all over town and out into the rest of the state. None of them were gathering together for when the inevitable onslaught happened, or when the vampires and Thomas Torres found out that they had Molly.

“When are you going to make the call?” Carter asked.

“Soon,” Sawyer said as he stopped by one of the huge windows that looked out across the woods and the mountains. “I’ve told her a bit about why she’s here, I just wanted her to process it.”

“And how does she seem? How’s her mood?” Carter asked with caution.

“She’s doing okay as far as I can tell,” Sawyer smiled. “She’s quite feisty. I don’t think she’s afraid, but I have been reassuring her there isn’t anything to worry about. I’ll fill her in properly when I head back upstairs, and I’ll give her the option of leaving.”

“Be careful,” Carter warned. “We don’t want this all to be for nothing.”

“I know,” Sawyer said. “But I have the feeling that as soon as she knows what’s at stake, she’ll want to help us. She’s a good woman… I can sense it.”

Carter stayed silent for a moment, and so Sawyer broke in…

“I chatted with her for a while at the bar we found her in,” he continued. “She’s got her head screwed on and isn’t like the old outdated pictures painted of her in the media. If she knows our town and hundreds of lives are at risk, I think she’ll want to help.”

“I’ll leave it up to you,” Carter said. “I trust your judgement, it’s your call.”

Sawyer nodded. It felt good to hear that, especially after everything that had happened in the past.

“I’ll keep you informed,” he said, and then he ended the call and slipped his cell phone into his back pocket.

He wandered down the cavernous hallways toward the large, open-plan kitchen and approached the central island. On the top of the counter was some information that the dragons had collected about the threat to their town, along with newspaper articles about the strange happenings and the missing people. He hoped that once he showed them to Molly that her good nature would come through and he could forget worrying that she would think of herself as held there. He wanted her to be on their side and to understand what was at stake. He looked at the clock and saw that it was approaching five pm. Almost a whole day had passed and since the morning when he had taken her a large breakfast, he hadn’t heard a peep out of her. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out some food he’d had delivered. Some potato salad, sliced beef, pasta and fresh greens, along with a bottle of mineral water. He arranged them all on a tray and then grabbed a bottle of red wine. He didn’t know if she would feel like drinking anything, but he wanted her to have the option. It may help her relax if she was feeling anxious.

He put the papers on the tray too, and then he headed back up the stairs. He strode up them, his nerves peaking slightly, as he wondered if she would try to fight him or if she was sitting peacefully. This was all such an unknown to him, but he had to try to make her understand. The last thing he wanted was for her to hate him. He had taken a massive risk by having her at his home, by speaking to her first and getting to know her… And now, he was pretty sure he had imprinted on her too.

“Fucking typical,” he whispered to himself as he started along the hallway. “You sure do know how to complicate your life, Sawyer.”

When he reached her doorway, he couldn’t hear anything and for a moment, he thought she may be asleep. He reached up and knocked on the door lightly, and immediately, he heard a rustling as if she were sitting up on the bed.

“Hello?” she called. “Is that you, Sawyer?”

“Yes, Molly,” he said. “I’ve got you some dinner, can I come in?”

She stayed silent for what seemed like forever, but finally, she said, “Sure.”

He held the tray in one hand, balancing it like a pro as he reached into his back pocket and pulled the key free. When he slipped it into the lock and opened it, he braced himself for her to push against it or try to run at him. But he opened the door and stepped inside to find her sitting up on the edge of the bed and looking at him with the scowl that he was starting to become familiar with.

“Hi,” he said as he stepped further into the room, leaving the door behind him open.

He watched her eyes glance toward it, as if she was wondering if he had known he had done it and she was contemplating making a run for it, but he could almost hear the cogs in her brain turning. He could tell she was too smart to do something like that. She was sizing him up too.

“That looks nice,” she said, deadpan, her eyes now fixed on the food.

He looked back at her and half-laughed, shrugging.

“I’m not particularly used to having house guests.”

“Oh, is that what I am?” she said with a raised brow.

Sawyer leaned back against the fireplace and looked toward the door, open wide. He crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged.

“I told you, the door would open, and I want you to know it’s up to you if you stay. But first, I wanted to show you this.”

He motioned to the set of papers on the edge of the tray and watched as her eyes scanned them.

Man, she was beautiful. And so sassy. When he had first met her back in the bar, he hadn’t been expecting her to be anything like she had been. He had been prepared for an airhead, someone who would flick her hair and giggle at his jokes. Instead, she had given him sarcasm and wit, and it had felt good to speak with someone who didn’t know him. Someone who wasn’t afraid of him and his power. Hell, she didn’t even seem afraid now.

“What is it?” she asked as she rose to her feet.

Sawyer sat down and reached for them, and then he pointed at the chair opposite him. She crossed toward him with caution, and sat down gently, as if she was second-guessing his every move. He saw her eyes gloss over the food between them.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

She nodded.

“I had it delivered earlier, help yourself.”

“Delivered?” she asked with a raised brow. “I didn’t hear a car.”

“I have a service door at the back of the house,” he said.

“Oh, really?” she smirked, looking amused. “What is this place? Is it a hotel?”

“No,” he smiled. “Just my home.”

“Must be pretty big,” she said. “If you have a service entrance I can’t hear from here.”

She watched him for a moment and his eyes found hers. Each time he looked into them, he felt himself getting sucked in. He felt the fire inside him rising, he felt his power coming to the surface and he had to look away.

“It’s not a small property, I suppose,” he said.

He watched a smile flicker across her lips as if she found him funny, and then she reached for the food and grabbed some of the beef and pasta. She ate it slowly, taking her time over each bite, but she didn’t let her eyes leave him. He reached for the water, opening it and pouring himself a glass, and then offering her some. She nodded.

He passed it to her and she thanked him quietly, and then she nodded her head toward the bottle of wine.

“I wouldn’t mind a glass of that too,” she said.

Sawyer uncorked it and poured her a glass and then left it on the tray. She finished her food quickly and then reached straight for the wine, taking a few quick sips.

Sawyer took hold of the papers, flicking through them so he had the news articles on top. He saw her eyes flick to them, her pupils widening slightly as she took in the headline.

He was ready. He wanted to explain to her what the hell was going on.

“What are those?” she asked cautiously.

“News articles from both local and national newspapers,” he said as he handed them to her. She took them gently and brought them onto her lap, focusing on the words and the photographs. He could see her mind churning. She was reading about the missing men from the brewery, of how cattle had been slaughtered around Lone Reach, about conspiracy theories and frightening stories, of how the town had been placed under a curfew and life there was fraught with anxiety and panic. No one knew who was next, or why.

“This is awful,” she said. “And Lone Reach… I take it that’s where I am then?” She looked up and caught his eye.

“Yes,” he said.

“This is all very vague,” she said. “No one seems to know what is happening.”

“That’s because no one could ever comprehend it,” he said. “But I wanted you to see this, to know that it’s real. And to know that you being here could help stop it all. You could help us save this town, and all of the people in it.”

Her eyes widened as if she had no idea what he was possibly going on about, but then she cocked her head slightly to the side and smiled.

“Tell me, Sawyer,” she said. “What exactly does this have to do with me and my father?”

He steepled his fingers under his chin. He had wanted her to take a moment to process it all, but it seemed as if she didn’t need it. And now, he was going to have to tell her the truth. He was going to have to lower the boom that her dad wasn’t the man he seemed. He didn’t know whether she suspected or not, but he had the feeling she couldn’t be fully aware of how deep and dangerous his connections ran; otherwise, she would have clicked by now.

“The people responsible for what is happening in our town are a close business connection of your father’s,” he said bluntly. “They are dangerous, can’t be trusted and are a big threat to society everywhere… We have to stop them as fast as possible, and we believe the only way to do this is to hit them where it hurts. That is, with their income and business. Your father is a very powerful man, Molly, and you appear to be the only thing he cares about. If we put the pressure on from this side, our enemies, the ones who threaten this town, will have no choice but to retreat.”

She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

“What kind of men are these?” she asked. “Gangsters?”

Sawyer didn’t want to overload her with too much, and he knew there was no way he could tell her about the fact they were vampires, so dangerous that his clan had no idea how to handle them, and also that this whole thing could potentially backfire.

“Yes,” he said simply. “The worst kind. Dangerous, ruthless, murderous… You name it.”

She seemed stunned and sat back in her chair, staring into space.

“And my father works with these people?” she asked, finally looking up to meet Sawyer’s eye again.

“I’m afraid so,” he said. “I know that can’t be easy to hear, but it’s a fact.”

She nodded slowly, and then she looked upset. Her eyes seemed to glaze over, and she blinked.

“I always knew there had to be a reason…,” she whispered, “why he was so afraid for my safety.”

Sawyer watched her reach up and brush a tear away from her eye, and he felt a wave of affection for her. She genuinely hadn’t known.

“It sounds so stupid saying it out loud, but I thought that he was worried because of what happened to my mom and because he always thought someone would try to take me for ransom. To extort money.”

“Well, I can assure you this has nothing to do with anything like that. We simply want him to pull the plug on all dealings with these connections and we want them to know why. That unless they leave Lone Reach alone, then it’s all over.”

She nodded slowly.

“He isn’t a good man, is he?” she asked, and her eyes met Sawyer’s again. He could see the tears in them, and he felt awful having to be the one to tell her this. To shatter the vision of her perfect life. Her father had been celebrated in her city, in national news, and now, he was being exposed to his only living relative as a fraud.

“I can’t answer that,” Sawyer said, to spare her feelings. “He’s still your father… But maybe he has done some questionable things.”

She nodded and took a deep breath before reaching for the wine and sipping it again.

“I’ll call him,” she said suddenly. “I want him to know I’m okay, but that he has to do something. This place doesn’t deserve what is happening in the papers.”

“Thank you,” Sawyer said. “And I can assure you, if these people don’t back down soon, it’s going to be a lot worse than what has already been reported. A lot of people will die.”

She was shaking, but she nodded and took another sip of wine.

“And only my dad can stop this?” she asked.

“At the moment, he’s our only hope,” Sawyer said sternly. “And you.”

His eyes locked in on hers, and he felt their connection firing between them. The tension in the room was palpable, and his heart was beating hard. The blood and fire coursing through his veins was arousing, and he felt the urges rising between both of them.

“Okay,” she said breathlessly as she rose to her feet and held out her hand. “I’m in. I’ll do it.”

Chapter 8

She tossed and turned for the entire night, playing over and over in her mind the conversation she’d had with Sawyer, and also the following one with her father.

She had video called him and seen the panic in his eyes when he had answered. He had known she had been missing from home. That she must have either snuck out from her apartment and not come home, or she had been taken. He hadn’t banked on the fact that it could have been both. She had begged him to spare the security guards and told him it wasn’t their fault; that she had been crafty and now, she was paying the price. But that she was fine, she was being looked after, that she was safe.

When she had told him the reason she had been taken, she saw the color drain from her father’s face, and she saw the anger rise. Her father, Thomas Torres, the man who had ruled a city and had wealth beyond dreams, had gotten into bed in business with the wrong people. And now, his family had become a target.

“Who has you?” he had barked down the camera.

Molly had looked at Sawyer out of the corner of her eye and she had shaken her head.

“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is there is a town full of people who are relying on you to do the right thing, Dad. Women, children, whole families… They need you to step up and pull the plug on this business deal so that they can live. I won’t be coming home until this town has been left alone. Do you understand?”

“Have they hurt you?” her father asked.

She could easily have said that they hadn’t, and Sawyer hadn’t asked her to say otherwise, but she felt the need to express the urgency of the situation for the sake of the town, not herself. And so, she didn’t answer.

“I’m going to sort this out,” her father had said. “I want you to stay safe and sit tight,” he said.

“I have to go now, Dad,” she had replied. “Please do the right thing and then I can come home.”

She had ended the call and sighed.

Sawyer had thanked her profusely. He told her that she didn’t have to be so vague, but she had insisted.

“He needs to think I’m in danger,” she said with a wry smile. “Otherwise, he’ll walk all over you.”

Afterward, when Sawyer had left her alone, she had gotten into bed and curled up under the covers. She had the key to the room now. Sawyer had left it with her so she could lock the door from the inside, but she hadn’t. She had closed it but left it unlocked. She wasn’t so sure why. She didn’t feel threatened, but she had still had not left the bedroom to look around the rest of the house. She had told him she would in the morning, and he had smiled.

It was all so crazy that she had met someone like him, and that this was how they were getting to know each other, but she couldn’t deny the attraction and connection she felt with him. It was confusing but also exciting.

As the sun began to rise, she still lay awake and she felt exhausted. She wanted to sleep, but also, she was thinking about getting a shower, and the fact that she was still wearing the clothes she had gone out in a couple of nights before. She rose to her feet and went into the bathroom, where she quickly undressed and started the water running. She would freshen up fast, and then she would explore the house. And she hoped, with all her might, that Sawyer would be around waiting for her.

* * *

When she stepped into the hallway and looked around, at first, she was completely taken aback by how wide it was. The house was clearly a mega mansion, and it looked old to the point of almost ancient. It had dark wooden paneling running along the walls, large stone statues and a rich red carpet. The lighting was low, but the windows were big, but again, the glass was misted over, so she couldn’t see what was outside and beyond. She wondered why they were like that, and if Sawyer was a man who demanded his privacy.

One thing was for certain, if he lived there alone, he had enough of that. He would be rolling in privacy. Molly doubted if anyone would be able to find him in the house, never mind spy on him.

She walked down the hall until she found the main staircase, and as she took the stairs one step at a time, she saw a grand entranceway open out ahead of her.

“Wow,” she whispered.

This place was a total palace.

“Morning,” the voice seemed to echo around the walls and up into the eaves above, and it made her jump.

She stopped and looked up to see that Sawyer was leaning over a balcony on a floor above her. He looked so fucking sexy; his hair was disheveled, his eyes still a bit sleepy, and he was wearing low-cut sweatpants and a tight-fitting t-shirt that showed off all of his incredible muscles.

“Hi,” she smiled, hoping he hadn’t heard how impressed she was.

“I’ll be right down,” he called to her, and then he stepped back from the railing and disappeared.

Molly wondered whether she should wait, but then she took another couple of steps, descending to the ground floor. The stone tiles were cold under her feet. She shuffled along, looking at all the artwork and sculptures that were placed perfectly around the entrance. The main doors were huge and wooden, and looked like they could easily be a hundred years old.

“This is some house,” she said as Sawyer jogged down the stairs to meet her.

She felt his heat brush past her, and it made her heart race; she felt a twinge deep in her belly of both excitement and lust combined.

“I like it,” he said with a wry smile. “Family home, passed down… I’m sure you know the drill.”

She raised her brows and laughed.

“Sounds somewhat familiar,” she said.

She followed him as they walked down another long hallway toward a massive kitchen, which must have been as big as her entire apartment. She wandered about and gazed up at the ceiling, marveling at how old and grand the place was, and trying not to let her jaw sag too much in the process.

“You live here alone?” she asked, wide-eyed.

Sawyer nodded.

“Don’t you ever get lonely?” she asked.

He filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove to boil.

“Not really,” he said with a shrug. “It’s all I’ve known for a long time… and I have family close by.”

She took a seat at the island in the middle of the room and watched him. She saw the way he moved around the place with ease. and she could tell he wasn’t the type of guy who was waited on. He didn’t have a ton of staff hidden away to help him cook or clean. It appeared that he must have done a lot of things himself.

“Do you like it?” she asked.

Sawyer turned, and their eyes connected, a jolt of excitement rushed through her and pulsed through her skin.

“I do,” he said. “What about you? What’s it like being the queen of the city? Don’t you live in some sky-high pad?”

“It’s a penthouse,” she admitted, feeling ashamed. “And I can’t say I like it a whole lot.”

“How come?” he asked as the kettle began to whistle. He took it off the open flame, holding it up, and she nodded, and then he moved to collect two mugs and some instant coffee.

“Well, it was given to me, for starters,” she said. “And second, I don’t know… I kind of feel like I can’t be myself there. It’s big, I’m alone, it’s constantly guarded… It’s not exactly a home.”

“It doesn’t sound like a whole lot of fun when you put it like that,” Sawyer said as he passed her a steaming-hot mug of coffee.

“It’s not,” she said. “And I just want to live, you know?”

He smiled at her, and it caught her off guard. She looked down and, not for the first time, hoped she wasn’t blushing.

“It’s nice to hear,” he said as he sat down on one of the stools opposite her. “I haven’t met a lot of women who would see things like that as a burden. Most would feel entitled and take it for granted.”

“Not me,” Molly said. “I don’t feel like I deserve any of it… And to be honest, I don’t even want it.”

“It’s refreshing,” Sawyer said, genuinely. “Like I said, you seem different than most women.”

She smiled and took a sip of her coffee. It wasn’t often she could talk to someone so openly about her life, and it felt good.

“And what about you? You inherited this place? Don’t you feel the same?”

Sawyer looked thoughtful for a moment, but then, he finally shook his head.

“My family built this place from the ground up. It would never be sold… And I work hard to maintain it, to keep it, to make sure I am worthy of it,” he said. “It’s a piece of history, not just for my family, but I guess for the town too. Not many people know the legacy of Lone Reach, not many would want to know. But myself and my family, my brotherhood, we keep it safe and look after it. The houses we have up here, they are a testament to that.”

“Houses?” she asked, her ears pricking up.

Sawyer smiled then laughed, his eyes twinkling.

“Not a whole lot gets past you, does it?” he asked.

Molly shook her head and smiled.

“This is a private estate,” he said. “There are five dwellings in total, all similar to this one. The estate spans several miles, and we are very private and secluded.”

“Are we in Lone Reach?” she asked.

“We are, but in a place not many people get to see.”

She smiled and felt goosebumps raise up on her skin. She wanted to know it all, everything he had to tell her, but it was such a lot to take in. Something told her it would be better to take it one step at a time; to let him reveal things in his own time, and not let her own mind become overloaded with information.

“Will I get to go outside?” she asked, as one last question.

“If you’d like to,” he said. “As long as we’re careful.”

She nodded.

“I’m not just saying this,” he continued. “There is danger here. And I want to ensure your safety.”

She could see his sincerity. There was something strange happening around the town; the papers and the news confirmed it. And she was beginning to wonder whether the men her father were involved with weren’t just dangerous but something more. Something darker.

“The rest of my pack are in the other houses,” he said. “And later today, they will be coming here for a meeting. I’d like to introduce you to them, if you don’t mind?”

Pack? She thought. What on Earth does that mean?

“Sure,” she said. “When you say pack…?”

He smiled and then scratched the side of his neck.

“I mean, my brothers,” he said confidently. “We’re like a pack.”

He cleared his throat and turned to face the stove where he reached for some eggs and began to crack them into a pan. He hadn’t been fazed by the question, but she had the feeling he was hiding something.

“I’ll make us something to eat,” he said. “And then, if you’d like, I’ll give you a ride, show you where you are.”

Molly was surprised that he was being so open and kind to her. She was sure that, when people were kidnapped, they were supposed to be total prisoners, but she had more freedom here, and was having more fun, than she did in her own home. She didn’t feel as if she were being kept against her will; in fact, she knew she could leave at any time. And she didn’t want to.

“Okay,” she said. “But on one condition…”

Sawyer looked over his shoulder at her and waited for her to continue.

“You let me cook dinner later?” She bit her lip and grinned.

“Well, I can’t say no to that,” he smiled.

Chapter 9

Sawyer knew he was taking a risk being so honest and open with Molly, but there really was no other way. He felt it deep within him. He saw something in this woman; he saw his future. And even though they had met and were getting to know each other under the strangest of circumstances, he was determined not to force her to be there. He and the rest of the dragons had already agreed to that when they had come to plan this particular mission. They may have been powerful entities deep inside, but they weren’t criminals, and they didn’t want to harm anyone. That wasn’t what they were about. They were there to do good, and he wanted Molly to truly understand that and be on this journey with them. Luckily for him, she was a smart girl, she wasn’t flighty, and she knew her own mind. He could feel her reading him like a book and it was refreshing. It was also challenging, but in the best kind of way.

As they drove into town, he watched her eyes take in each little part of what was happening. She could see that the stores were closed and boarded up, and how empty the streets were. Normally, Main Street would be a buzzing hive of activity ─ kids playing out near the park, old folks chatting outside the bistro ─ but today, there was barely anyone outside, and no one was looking at ease as they walked between the few stores that were open.

“Wow,” she said. “It’s like a ghost town.”

“I know,” Sawyer agreed. “People have been afraid, and for their safety, we’ve told them they’re better off indoors. But it’s so sad for me to see it this way. Even last week we still had plenty of people coming into our nightclub, The Dragon Pit, and the bars were still bustling with activity. It’s like they can all sense the change in the air.”

“I think I feel it too,” she said, rubbing her arms as if she was cold. “It’s so cold here,” she whispered. “Unnaturally cold.”

Sawyer nodded.

He pulled the car to the side of the road. Molly reached for the handle and went to step outside, but her eyes caught on a missing persons poster and she faltered. She could see the faces of the missing people staring back at her ─ a different one on each lamppost ─ and she shuddered.

“Do you know what happened to them?” she asked.

Sawyer shook his head sadly.

“No,” he whispered. “But I’m determined to find out. And you being here can really help us. I want you to know how much I appreciate that.”

He instinctively reached down and put his hand over the top of hers, and their intense connection vibrated through their skin. She gasped almost silently, and her eyes traveled up to meet his. When he focused in on her like that, it was nearly impossible to control how he was feeling. Each and every part of him wanted to possess her. To take her in his arms, kiss her, make love to her. To be bonded to her for the rest of time.

“I feel something different about you, Sawyer,” she whispered. “I don’t know what it is… But there’s something lurking beneath the surface. You have depth… A secret… I can tell.”

He wanted so badly to tell her. To explain it all, to confess he was a dragon; that he had imprinted on her … that that was why they were feeling the way they were. That he had been waiting for her and they were meant to be. But he thought it was all too much, it would blow her mind. And he didn’t want to scare her.

“I am different,” he said. “And so are you.”

She smiled.

“Molly, what happened in the bar between us…,” he began. He had been wanting to have this conversation with her since that night, but so much had happened and the time hadn’t been right. Now, she knew that he wasn’t a danger to her, he had given her the chance to leave and she had chosen to stay. She understood the importance of what they were doing and why it all had to happen.

“Yes?” she asked, searching for answers in his eyes.

“It was real,” he said, and he realized he was still holding onto her hand. “I wanted to kiss you… And the reason I got up and left was because I wasn’t expecting to feel that way. I knew what we were doing there that night … I was there to bring you back to Lone Reach, to hopefully ask you to help us and understand our plight. And then, there I was, talking with you, knowing something you didn’t… and I was so attracted to you, and I felt terrible about it.”

She smiled softly.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Trust me, I can sense your honesty. I’ve met some pretty shady people in my time, and I’m good with my intuition. You’re different. I know you’re not trying to pull the wool over my eyes. I believe you. And trust me, I feel it too.”

She turned so her body was facing his and she rolled her hand so that her palm was in his. They slowly interlinked their fingers and Sawyer felt his dragon stir. God, this woman was everything. And now, they were extremely close together, in his car, and he could breathe her in ─ the delicate scent of her washed hair, the way her aura pulsed through the air. He wanted her, he was certain of it. He had to have her. All of his animal instincts were bursting to the fore, and as she leaned in closer to him and he reached up with his free hand and took hold of her neck gently, he couldn’t fight it any longer.

As their lips met, he felt her heat bond with his. He opened his mouth, his lips meeting hers, and their tongues slipped against each other’s, as their kiss became deeper and their souls became more forged. Sawyer had never felt this way with another woman before. Of all the girls he had dated over the years, none of them had spoken to his dragon like Molly had, and although it scared him, it was also the most amazing experience. He was finally feeling what he had learned about from his pack, from his ancestors and his brothers. This was the continuation of his family line, of his legacy, and Molly was his woman. She was the one he had been destined to meet.

When their lips broke apart and he looked into her eyes, he saw her dilated pupils, he could hear her heart racing, and he saw his fire in her. Part of him had transferred over, and he knew she could feel it.

“What are you doing to me, Sawyer?” she whispered. “Why do I feel like I’ve known you my whole life? Why am I not afraid?”

“I think we were always meant to meet, Molly,” he said, breathlessly. “But, trust me, it’s as confusing for me as it is for you. Do you think I could have predicted anything like this?”

He looked at her and they both smiled. He pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently, and then she rolled her head onto his shoulder and wrapped her arm across his toned stomach.

“Let’s go back to the house,” she said. “I don’t want to see any more of this town… It’s sad…”

“I know,” he said as he started the engine. “If only you could see it in all its glory. It’s a wonderful place to live.”

“I can imagine,” she said with a sigh.

As he drove back toward the mountain, Molly kept hold of him, and he knew that something important was happening between them. It may not have been expected, but it was happening, and it was real.

He wasn’t sure if his pack would berate him for it; it wasn’t exactly what they were going to be expecting of him with this mission… But they knew the way a shifter’s heart worked. And they knew that once a dragon had imprinted on their fated mate, there was no turning back.

He just hoped he hadn’t jeopardized his redemption. After all those years of never feeling good enough, he just wanted to prove to them that he was the strong, powerful member of the pack that he knew himself to be. It didn’t matter that they had never doubted him in anyway. It was written deep in his veins. And he couldn’t shake it. Not after all of those years before and the night in the woods that had changed everything for their town.

The young dragon coming into his power… the fire… the woods. The wolves running and their habitat burning.

How could Sawyer ever forget it?

And more importantly, how was he ever going to believe that he wasn’t responsible?

Chapter 10

Molly looked in the mirror nervously and straightened her hair. What a weird day it had been, and one that was about to become even more bizarre and intense. The sun had set an hour ago and the darkness was now engulfing the outside. Now that she knew that she was at the top of a mountain, it wasn’t exactly surprising that it was so dark around them. There were no lights to penetrate the night from neighboring houses or from the town. Lone Reach lay deep below.

It had been emotional to see the town the way it was. The people who lived there and who owned the businesses were clearly nervous and afraid. They were all hiding away, terrified of being the next victim of a threat so big none of them truly knew what it was.

But Sawyer knew. And he had yet to tell Molly.

She wondered about him, about who and what he was. She knew there was something different about him, that was for certain. But as she was getting to know him more and more, she was beginning to feel as if it didn’t matter. What could he possibly throw at her that would frighten her away now? She had been taken from her life and brought to a strange place. Locked in a room and then had her mind opened to a plight so big she never could have dreamed it up at home. Now, she was determined to help them. She was beginning to feel a real affinity with Lone Reach, and Sawyer… Well, he had stolen her heart.

She felt so silly thinking it, but he truly had.

Since they had met in the bar, he had dominated her thoughts, and that was even before she knew it was him who had brought her there to that strange house at the top of a mountain. She wasn’t afraid of him; in fact, she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. And now, after their kiss in the car earlier in the day, she knew there was no turning back. He was a good man. He had a strong set of values, and he clearly held family in high regard. And now, she was about to meet them.

She blinked, reached into her purse to retrieve her lipstick, and added a tiny bit to her lips. She noticed her shut-off cell phone lying on the bed. Sawyer had given all her things back to her earlier in the day, but she had decided to leave the phone turned off so that she wasn’t tempted to look at anything online. She had the feeling her father would have kept their predicament out of the spotlight, but she couldn’t be too sure. After all, she was his only daughter, and for all he knew, she was in danger.

She took a deep breath and rolled out her shoulders, and then she headed for the door of the bedroom and made her way into the hall. It was time to meet the rest of Sawyer’s family. His brothers. His pack. Her nerves were mounting, but she knew that after all that had been thrown at her, she was more than capable of handling it.

* * *

When she descended down the stairs and found herself in the grand hallway, she could already hear the sound of men’s voices drifting through from one of the large living rooms. She loitered for a moment, unsure of whether she should just walk in, but luckily for her, it was as if Sawyer had sensed her, and he came into the hall and smiled. When she saw him again, she felt her pulse quicken. Just knowing that he could feel her and sensing that he was protective made her knees tremble.

“I’m sure you know when I’m close,” she said with a wry smile.

“You’d be surprised,” he laughed.

He took her by the hand and led her toward the room. From the hallway, she could see that a huge fire was roaring in an even more impressive stone fireplace than the one in her room, and low lights and candles had been lit around the room. There were three large brown leather Chesterfield couches and matching tub chairs, and the smell of smoke and whiskey filled the air. She felt as if she had just stepped inside a private gentlemen’s club; the vibe was opulent, and a huge crystal chandelier hung above all of their heads.

They all turned, and Molly found herself stopping in her tracks. Sawyer had said his brothers were coming by to thank her for helping them and to meet her, but there had to be at least fifteen people in the room. Surely, not all of them could be Sawyer’s flesh and blood?

“Molly…” one of them said as they rose to their feet and bowed slightly, as if he was meeting someone of royalty.

“Hello,” she said with a nervous smile.

The others all nodded and raised their hands, and Sawyer held his arm around her shoulder tightly, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. She leaned into him, enjoying the closeness and also the fact he was being so protective. She looked up at him and felt a twinge in her belly of excitement.

She sat on the edge of one of the couches that had been left clear and free; it was closest to the fire, but she was glad because the chill she had felt in the air back in town earlier that day seemed to have followed them all the way to the top of the mountain and seeped into the house.

“We want to thank you,” the man who had bowed when he had greeted her said as he took his seat again. “Sawyer tells us of how understanding and cooperative you’ve been, helping us try to regain control of our town.”

She nodded and smiled meekly. This was the first time she had felt truly intimidated since she had been there, and she was just so glad that she had Sawyer right there by her side.

“This is Carter,” Sawyer said as he interjected to introduce her to the man she was speaking with.

“Hello, Carter,” she said politely. “There sure are a lot of you… How can you all be brothers?”

They all laughed lowly, and glances were passed between them.

“We are brothers in arms,” Sawyer confirmed. “And they just wanted to meet you, to give thanks for how helpful you’ve been. They know that this can’t have been easy.”

“Yes,” Carter said as he nursed his glass of whiskey. “And we also wanted to apologize. I’m sorry you got caught in the crossfire.”

She hadn’t truly thought of it like that, but she guessed Carter was right. She was a bit of a casualty when it came to this fight. She had been caught up in something she hadn’t even known about… But how could she complain when it had led her to Sawyer?

“I understand,” she said as she looked up to Sawyer and smiled. “It doesn’t sound as if anything has been easy around here. I just want to help in any way I can.”

They all nodded and smiled, and then the group of men rose to their feet. She could see, when they were all standing, how tall and muscular they all were, well-dressed just as Sawyer had been the night she had met him in the bar, and she was aghast at how similar they all looked to him. If they weren’t true brothers, they certainly had something going on. They all had the same kind of aura, the same feeling about them, and they all radiated heat into the cold house. They were all powerful, she could tell. And as she watched Sawyer move with them she couldn’t believe how sexy he looked. She swallowed hard and thought about ripping his clothes off, before she had to stop herself and look away with a hidden smile.

Sawyer walked with them out into the hallway, and she heard him say goodbye at the main doors. A whip of icy-cold air came inside with him as he closed the door. She heard him rub his hands together as he came back to the grand living room.

“It’s so cold out there,” he said as he breathed into his hands to warm them through. “An unnatural cold… This doesn’t look good.”

He sat back down with her and the flames from the fire warmed them both. She saw the orange flickers across his face and arms, and when she saw the fire and flames reflected in his eyes, she felt something. It was as if she was on the verge of understanding, before it slowly faded away.

“They all seem very courteous,” she said.

Sawyer nodded. “They’re good men.”

“I can tell.”

“And they’re all very appreciative of you taking the time to understand what is going on here and what we are trying to do rather than running the first chance you got.”

“How could I run from something this big?” she asked. “There are people’s lives at stake here.”

Sawyer smiled and reached for her hand. When he squeezed it, she felt the heat again, and she wanted to be even closer to him. Her heart raced at his touch and she felt herself becoming more alert to his body and the way he moved. The living room was so grand and opulent, and it was dark, moody and lit by candles, making it feel so romantic. She could sit there with him on that couch forever and happily grow old.

“I promised you dinner,” she said with a wry smile. “Let me go make it.”

Sawyer raised his eyebrows and grinned before they both got to their feet and headed toward the kitchen.

* * *

She could tell that Sawyer was a man who liked his meat. He was so muscular, it was clear that he worked out for at least a couple of hours a day, and he must have had the diet to match. She cooked them two big steaks, and he requested his bloody. He was such a man. A real man. And it made her heart dance with excitement and her skin buzz with electricity. She was so attracted to him, and the way he looked at her made her bones shake. She could only imagine what it would be like to feel his hands all over her, to feel him caressing her skin and laying her down on the bed. She felt hot just thinking about it. When they went back to the living room with the steaks and bottle of red wine, they sat together in front of the fire and ate. She was so comfortable with him, feeling like she had already known him for a lifetime. Even with them only truly meeting a few days before, they had been together constantly ever since. Even if he hadn’t been right there in the room with her, she had been in his home, and she knew now that, in some way, she had been able to feel him. Since their first kiss back at the bar, it was as if a cord was joining them together, linking them and their hearts as one.

“I feel very at ease with you,” she said as she looked up, before taking a sip of her wine. “I feel as if I’ve known you a very long time.”

Sawyer paused for a moment and held her gaze. She could tell he was on the verge of telling her something, as if he was going to confess why he was different to her … why she felt that way. But he faltered and then looked back into the flames of the fire. When she saw them reflected in his eyes, she felt something again … as if she was on the cusp of it clicking into place. But it kept slipping from her grasp.

“I think, when you meet someone who is meant to be in your life, it’s very easy to have your souls connect on a deeper level,” he said. “I truly feel like that has happened with us.”

She was taken aback by how open and honest he was; he wasn’t a man who was afraid of his feelings, and he seemed so comfortable expressing them to her.

“I like that,” she smiled coyly.

They had finished their steaks and they were sitting together in front of the fire sipping wine, on top of a luxurious white fur rug. Molly had been to some impressive homes in her time, and hung out at some pretty amazing locations, but there was something about Sawyer’s house that spoke to her on another level. It felt like her home already, as if it had been the place she had been waiting for, along with him in it. She felt as if this was the place she was meant to be. As if her future was there, in Lone Reach, with Sawyer by her side.

She placed her glass of wine on the floor by the fire and felt his arm creep around her back, lightly touching her waist. When she leaned into him, he pulled her close, and she felt his immense strength. He really was a powerful man; his muscles were thick and bulging, and when she looked into his eyes, she saw his lust rising. She had been wishing for a moment like this since the second they had met. She had thought about what it would be like to be alone with him finally, just the two of them in a setting like this. Romance was in the air, and she wanted him to explore her. She wanted to feel his hands all over her naked body, to know how powerful he could truly be.

Sawyer took hold of her with his other hand too and lifted her at the waist in one swift movement and brought her onto his knee so that her legs were wrapped around him. Feeling the pressure of him against her pussy made her gasp and she bit her lip as he gripped her hips and urged her forward so he could kiss her neck. The sensation of his lips on her pulse points sent a heat rising up inside of her, and she rocked forward on him, rubbing herself against his groin as she felt him growing hard within his jeans. Sawyer took hold of her throat and his kiss moved lower, down over her collarbone and to the top of her chest. When his other hand cupped her breast and eased it out of her top, she moaned and gasped as he brought her nipple to his mouth and sucked on it gently. He was an expert in pleasuring women, that much was clear, and as she let him mold her body to become his, she felt herself unraveling in the most delicious of ways.

He lifted her from his knee and laid her down on the rug where he reached for her jeans and slowly unbuttoned them, looking her deep in the eyes as he went. She barely dared move and she felt completely at his mercy, and as he eased her hips free and pulled her jeans slowly down her legs and off the ends of her feet, she felt exposed but so erotic that she never wanted it to stop. Next, he ripped his t-shirt off over his head and exposed his incredible torso. She saw his perfectly-tanned skin, his incredible muscles, his six-pack was lit by the light of the fire and the shadows made him even more defined. He smiled and hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties, pulling them down slowly and watching her squirm as he went. She was so turned on that she knew that the moment he touched her, she could easily lose herself, but she tried to desperately hold on. She bit her lip as he leaned forward and kissed her hip bones, before moving down to her thighs. When he took hold of them and spread her legs, she held her breath and arched her back, unable to believe this was actually going to happen like this. So perfectly, in front of a roaring fire in Sawyer’s mountain-top ancient mansion. When he licked her pussy, she moaned, unable to hold in the noise as the pleasure fired through her. He was so hot and his tongue was so powerful. As he worked her with it, she felt her heart race, her pulse rocket, her whole body melt into the luxurious fur of the rug beneath and the fire warm her. She had heat entering her from every angle, and as Sawyer ate her pussy, his hungry tongue massaging her clit, she couldn’t help bucking her hips and wrapping her legs around him as she came hot, hard and heavy, and screamed up to the ceiling. Her whole body vibrated with pleasure; she felt like jelly in his arms, and she gasped and panted as he held her there, trailing kisses across her pussy, onto her thighs and then up to her belly.

She had never been taken care of like that before in her life, and when he joined her to lay by her side, she truly knew she had found her soulmate. She looked into his eyes and he smiled, taking hold of her neck and looking at her, worshipping her, while her body still recovered from all he had done and given to her.

She reached down for his jeans, but he took hold of her hand and paused.

“First,” he said as he looked deep into her eyes and ached to be inside of her. “There’s something you need to know…”

Chapter 11

She sat up, her body still a quivering mess of pleasure and lust, and looked at him laying there. This perfect man, with his perfect body, and his perfect ways. She faltered, unsure if she dared ask him what he was about to tell her. She wanted to pleasure him, she wanted to taste him and feel him, but now, he was telling her, after the most incredible orgasm of her life, that there was something she needed to know…

Was this the secret she had feared was coming?

“Okay…,” she said, her heart rate slowing slightly.

Sawyer leaned up on his elbow and looked into the fire. He seemed lost in the flames, as if they were calling to him, as if he felt at home when he was close to them. She felt the stirring of understanding within her again. He didn’t seem like a tragic soul, but she could sense that something had happened to him, and that something had to do with why he had been keeping a secret.

“I’m not like other men, Molly,” Sawyer finally said. The words seemed powerful, as if they carried a weight he had been burdened with his entire life.

“Tell me why…,” she whispered.

He still stared into the flames, and she saw his chest rise. There was something animal about him, and she had felt it when he had pulled her onto him. His need to dominate and claim her.

“This town is full of mystery,” he began, “and my family was the beginning of that.”

He looked back to her, and even though he was no longer facing the fire, the flames were still raging in his eyes. It shocked her slightly, but she was entranced by them, and it also made her feel safe.

“This town has had legends attached to it for years, decades… likely even centuries,” he said. “Legends of bears and wolves… and dragons.”

At the mention of the word dragon, she felt a chill roll over her. She looked at him, and everything began to make sense. It was the click she had been waiting and searching for.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever heard about the shifters that dominate the mountains in these parts…”

Molly shook her head. She hadn’t. But that didn’t mean she had never heard of shifters. She had been fascinated with the tales she had heard in her childhood but hadn’t thought of them for years. It was almost like an urban legend passed down through families, like the abominable snowman and the Loch Ness monsters, that somewhere out there in the wilds of America, werewolves and werebears roamed. But she had never heard of a weredragon.

“I can feel you understanding me,” Sawyer said. “I’m a dragon shifter, Molly. I know that may seem like a lot to take in, but I need you to know my truth before we go any further and consummate this relationship… My kind only get one true mate. A fated mate. And when I met you, I knew you were the one. It’s why we feel so connected, it’s why we feel as if we have known each other for years, why we are so comfortable with each other, and why I can sense you when you’re near. I hadn’t been expecting this to happen the night I came to the bar, especially knowing what we had to do and knowing I was going to have to bring you with me, against your will, but hopefully, this can now explain a few things. I love you, Molly. I have since that very first second, the moment my arm brushed against yours. I knew the second I looked into your eyes and when we kissed… Well, it was against my control, but I imprinted on you. I marked you as mine for the rest of time.”

She was stunned, but she continued to listen and look into Sawyer’s eyes. She had never dreamed, in her wildest fantasies, that shifters were truly real… And now, here she was, with a dragon, a man who could change into a fiery beast at will. The power within him was real. Their love was real. It was all making sense to her, and it was mind blowing.

“Wow,” she gasped. “So, you … can change into a dragon?” She was almost breathless again.

He nodded slowly.

“I hope that doesn’t frighten you…,” he said tentatively. “You’re still safe with me…”

“It doesn’t frighten me,” she said. “But I think I may need some time to process it.”

He nodded, then looked down at the floor. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Hell, she was in love with the guy and she wasn’t going anywhere. But it was a lot to take in, especially on top of everything else.

“Before we make love,” he continued, “I need you to know that will be sealing us together for the rest of time. We would be joined, fated mates, man and wife. To be with each other like that, I would claim you as mine.”

Her nipples ached with excitement. It was a big deal, but it was also very exciting.

“This only happens with the person my kind are supposed to be with… I’ve never imprinted on anyone before… And I never will again. You are it for me, Molly. You’re the one I’ve been waiting for.”

She held her hand up to her heart and then reached out to stroke his face. She felt so strongly for him and knew their connection was so real and powerful. Every word was true, and being there with him, their bodies intertwined, she felt the enormity of what it would mean for her to give herself to him fully. It would seal them together for the rest of time.

He slowly rose to his feet and held out his hand. She took it and he lifted her up and into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let her head fall against him. Suddenly, she was exhausted and needed to rest. She had a lot to process.

Sawyer walked with her out of the living room and into the grand entryway before he carried her up the huge staircase, to the third floor where she had seen him leaning over his balcony earlier that morning. When he opened the door to his bedroom and she saw the huge mahogany four-poster bed, she felt herself roll with heat again. Another fire was smoldering away in the corner of the room, and he laid her down on the bed before climbing in beside her.

As she was churning it all over, suddenly something came to her mind.

“So, are these men my father has dealings with … are they like you? Are they shifters?”

Sawyer looked into her eyes and stroked the side of her face.

“No,” he said. “They’re very dangerous, and they don’t have good hearts or values. They are the undead.”

When he said the word, she felt the chill in the air rise within the room. It was as if the cold from the outside whipped down the chimney, and she was sure she heard a howl of wind whistle around the side of the enormous house.

“Undead?” she whispered. “Like a vampire?”

Sawyer nodded ominously.

She felt cold, her whole body seemed to freeze.

“I can’t believe my dad would have anything to do with anyone like that,” she said. “I can’t believe all I’m learning about him.”

“They’re mobsters,” Sawyer continued. “And they have been abducting and, no doubt, killing members of our community for the past year.”

Molly felt sick. How could her dad do business with these creatures?

She felt tears prick her eyes.

“Have they ever hurt you?” she asked.

“They’ve attacked some of my brothers, yes,” he said sadly. “And this is why we had to take such drastic action.”

“I know,” she said. “I see that know. And I want you to know, I support you. I am glad to be here, to help this town. I feel as if this place is already home,” she paused. “And you.”

He raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised that she had said it, but then he smiled and pulled her to him. He kissed her hard on the mouth and she melted into him again. There was so much sexual tension between them, and she couldn’t wait to give herself to him properly, but she knew they had to wait until the time was right and she had gotten her head around all he had told her.

“You mentioned some things about when you were younger…,” she began. “That you felt like you had something to prove… Does that have anything to do with you being a dragon?”

Sawyer wrapped his big muscly arm around her and held her at the base of her back.

“I’ve waited a long time to talk to someone about this,” he admitted with a sad smile. “I’ve never discussed it with my pack. It’s not something even on their radar. But yes, when I was a young dragon and coming into my power, one winter when my brothers and I were learning how to shift and control ourselves, something terrible happened, and I have always blamed myself.”

She saw the pain behind his eyes, and she smiled sympathetically, urging him to continue.

“We were further down the mountain, and somehow, a fire started. My brothers say it wasn’t any of us… But I know I had just managed to raise fire for the first time, and I was sure it must have been my fault. Dragon fire is different than the regular fire you have seen, like the fire over there in the hearth. It is near impossible to put 0ut… And, somehow, this fire was so strong and powerful, it destroyed a huge part of the forestland above Lone Reach, and it wiped out the wolves’ habitat. Some of the wolf shifters died, and all of their homes were destroyed. I was told the fire wasn’t dragon fire but something else. But I have always felt responsible. For that reason, I have always hung back in my pack. And I’ve always felt the need to prove myself to them, even if none of them know it.”

He looked so sad that it broke Molly’s heart.

“But it wasn’t you,” she said as she reached up and ran her hand through his hair. “It wasn’t dragon fire. It was something else.”

He nodded, but she could tell it still haunted him, as if he didn’t want to believe it.

“It started a huge rift between the packs of Lone Reach,” Sawyer continued. “The wolves, bears and dragons haven’t lived in harmony together since. And I have always felt responsible for that…”

“But you can’t…,” she said seriously.

“Easier said than done,” he shrugged. “It scared me. Breathing fire for the first time and then half of the forest burning to the ground with an impossible force. Where else could it have come from?”

“I don’t know,” said Molly. “But I think you need to stop blaming yourself, especially when no one else ever has. If anyone had thought it was dragon fire, then surely, you and your brothers who were out there at that time learning how to use it would have been the first port of call when it came to getting answers?”

Sawyer nodded slowly, as if he knew she was right but was reluctant to admit it.

“It’s a cross I’ve borne my whole life,” he said sadly. “But I know I need to move on.”

She leaned in and kissed him. His pain was so real that she was feeling it too. She held him and saw him close his eyes, as if finally unloading all the pain he had been carrying around was giving him peace. She felt his breathing slow, and before long, he was fast asleep.

She was exhausted too; so much had happened. She had been catapulted into another life. A life so strange and colorful, it was hard to believe she had ever lived without it. She cuddled up next to him and sighed before she closed her eyes. She was warm and safe with him, and as she began to drift off to sleep too, she couldn’t help letting her mind wander to everything she had learned…

Dragon shifters, vampire mobsters, a powerful fire that had divided a town, a man who had carried the burden of feeling responsible for it, for over ten years… and now, the fact that she had been imprinted on. She was going to be claimed by a dragon.

A war was coming, and they were all going to have to be ready. Now, all Molly could do was have faith that her father had done the right thing and was putting the measures in place to help save Lone Reach.

For now, he was the only hope they had.

Chapter 12

Before the dawn broke, Sawyer crept from the safety of his bed, and from beside Molly who was sleeping soundly, and headed out into the cold and dark. As he stepped out into the open air, he sniffed it and could sense trouble. This wasn’t a normal morning in Lone Reach. He knew something had changed.

He crossed the courtyard away from his property and ducked into the woods. The pines were still lush and heavy above him, shielding him from view of the outside world and any wandering eyes that may have been lurking. He didn’t know why, but he had the feeling he was being watched. With every step he took, he felt the ground below him becoming colder and colder still, and when he emerged in front of Carter’s mansion, he looked up and saw the thick grey clouds overhead. It felt like snow. But not just any kind of snow. Sawyer felt as if a blizzard were coming.

He stood and waited, knowing that, at any moment, the rest of the dragons from his pack would emerge from the woods and they would all shift together and patrol the skies before the sun would rise. If it were still to rise. It all felt so ominous up there, so he couldn’t be sure.

One by one, the other dragons came to the same clearing he was in, and Sawyer bowed his head. The energy among them was charged and as he began to breathe in and out deeply, he felt the familiar sensation of his skin rumbling with heat, the power from deep within him surge, and his bones begin to elongate and change.

When his skin split and scales covered him instead and his whole body shuddered into something else, he roared up to the sky and felt the fire rising in him. He loved nothing more than letting the animal take him over, and as he pushed off from the ground and launched himself into the sky, he truly felt the magnitude of what he had become. He was a powerful dragon. A creature that could rule and dominate the world. It was the best feeling, and he loved knowing that he had this within him. When he and his pack were together, they knew they were unstoppable.

He soared up through the sky, careering through the thick and heavy clouds, looking for a break up above. But as Sawyer moved, the wind whipping past him and the sensation that, surely, this fog was about to clear, he only seemed to get further and further into the thick of it. It became impossible for him to see.

He breathed fire, and it momentarily lit up a path ahead of him, but it was still cloud and dense fog.

This wasn’t good. He had never seen anything like it before. Victor whooshed past him, and he followed him back toward the base of the clouds, going as fast as they could to get out of the density. When they broke through and could see the earth again, Sawyer was amazed to see the white snow falling from all around and beneath him. It had already coated the pine trees like a thick, white veil, and he was feeling the coming onslaught of the blizzard he had feared. He and Victor looked at each other, and then they both breathed fire, aiming it up high above them to try and part the clouds but to no avail.

When he crashed back down onto the earth, he felt his feet crack it beneath him. The ground had frozen solid and his huge, incredible frame and weight had broken it, a split in the earth running for at least six meters on either side of him.

He waited for the others to return to Earth, and as each dragon landed, they, too, seemed to cause cracks in the frozen ground. They all roared. They knew they were in trouble; something had clearly gone wrong.

Sawyer roared once more before his human energy started to warp, change and become stronger than ever. As he thrashed and his scales split, revealing his skin beneath, and his bones began to morph back to their human shape. He was panting as he collapsed to the ground, naked. The steam rose from him, his intense dragon heat still powering out of him as he laid down on the icy ground. The snow fell heavily above him, and he looked up at it, getting lost in how disorientating it was.

“Something isn’t right,” Carter said as he rose to his feet, once he had shifted back to his human form. “I don’t think our plan is working.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Sawyer agreed.

“Will the girl speak to her father?” Carter asked. “To ensure he’s done as we asked.”

Sawyer nodded.

The last thing he wanted was to push Molly when they had just shared the most incredible night together, when Sawyer had confessed to her his deepest and darkest secret, and also told her his truth about being a dragon shifter… But for the good of the town, and his pack, he had to come through for them all.

“I’ll go home,” he said. “I’ll speak to her.”

“Thank you,” Carter said, his face grave and sullen.

Sawyer walked back through the forest naked, the snow still falling from the sky and sizzling on his skin as it landed on him. This was not how they had expected the plan to go. He had thought the vampire mob would back off the moment Thomas Torres had put on the pressure, but now, Sawyer wasn’t so sure. It seemed as if they were just getting stronger and using more devastating tricks to try to win this battle.

Now it looked as if they were going to bury Lone Reach under a mile of snow… And if Sawyer, Molly and the dragons didn’t act fast, there would be nothing they could do.

He emerged from the forest, his mind swimming with uncertainty and fear. But there was one thing that he knew he wouldn’t waiver or bend on… Molly.

He loved that woman, and he was going to do everything in his power to keep her safe. To keep her with him. The thought of losing her among all this madness was just too much to bear. And his dragon would do anything to anyone who tried to take her from him.

When he opened the door to his home and stepped into the grand entrance hall, he went to the cupboard hidden behind one of his favorite sculptures, reached inside and pulled out a black, monogrammed, silk robe. He kept them there for when he came back from shifting, meaning he was instantly covered and not parading around the house naked. He tied it at the waist and then headed for the stairs.

He couldn’t wait to climb into bed with Molly. To wake up with her, cradle her in his arms and adore her.

There may have been a lot of bad around him, but she was his light, shining the way out of the darkness.

She was his one true love.

Chapter 13

Molly stretched as she started to wake. She raised her arms above her and yawned, before she felt the reassuring muscular arm wrap around her and pull her close. Sawyer was breathing into her neck and he kissed her lightly, rousing her even more from her disappearing sleep.

It felt so good to be in his bed. To wake up with him. To feel him cocooning her and keeping her safe. She smiled and rolled over, twisting under his arm so that she could face him.

“Good morning,” she smiled.

“Good morning,” Sawyer said before he kissed her and pulled her even closer.

She melted in against him, loving the sensation of her man being right there beside her, adoring her and running his big hands up her thigh to her hip. She wanted him so badly; she needed him. But the stakes were high and she was still trying to wrap her head around what he had told her the previous evening.

Sawyer wasn’t just any man. He was a dragon.

To give her body to him would mean she had given herself to him for the rest of time. And even knowing that she wanted to, she had to be sure.

Their lips broke apart and they smiled at each other, before Sawyer wrapped her hand up in his and held her there. She felt so safe and protected, but there was something about the air in the house that felt strange, as if it had changed. It seemed colder, sharper, more severe.

“It’s freezing,” she gasped, and then she noticed that her breath was fogging up in front of her against the cold.

“Yes,” he said sullenly. “I was out on the mountain earlier this morning, before dawn, and things are strange out there.”

“How so?” She felt a wave of nerves wash over her and she gripped his hand tighter.

“A dense cloud above us; thick, unbreakable. It’s more than just fog… You can feel it. It’s weighing down. And then, there’s the snow… It’s everywhere, and already covering the whole of the roads out here. One of my brothers has had to get a plow and start clearing the way down to town and beyond.”

Molly felt her face fall.

“Do you think it’s the vampires?” she asked nervously.

“I don’t think it could be anything else,” he admitted. She could see the concern and worry etched all over his face.

“Oh God,” she said as she sat up and put her head in her hands. “I thought, by now, something would be starting to show from the pressure my father had put on.”

She looked across at Sawyer and could see his doubt. He didn’t say a word, he just smiled and squeezed her hand again.

“I’ll call him,” she said. “Let’s make it look like I’m in real danger. We can video call him and I’ll ask him if he’s doing as I asked him to.”

She looked deep into his eyes, but Sawyer didn’t say a word. She was beginning to feel as if she had failed, as if her part in trying to save Lone Reach hadn’t done anything but make things worse.

She reached for her cell phone and turned it on. Immediately, a flurry of beeps and notifications came streaming through, but she muted the sound and went straight to video call. She looked sleepy and a little mussed up with bed head, so when her image appeared on the screen, she didn’t look as good as she normally did.

Sawyer moved out of sight and she waited for her father to answer, which he did on the second ring.

“Molly?” he panted as he came into view. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, Dad,” she said. “But I need you to listen to me, I don’t have much time. I need you to do as I asked. If you don’t, I don’t know what is going to happen. Please. Do the right thing.”

She hung up and immediately turned off the phone and threw it across the room. She hadn’t wanted to stay on it for too long in case her father had someone trying to trace the call. As far as she knew, the police weren’t involved in looking for her and she hadn’t been reported missing, so anyone he had tracing her cell would be a private investigator.

“Thank you,” Sawyer said as he sat down on the bed next to her and kissed her softly on the lips.

She smiled, but she felt an inkling of doubt. She loved this man, but she truly hoped she wasn’t being duped and he wasn’t just with her because she was Thomas Torres’s daughter. Her whole life, that was all she had ever been, and only now that she was breaking free from the confines of her security-clad home and notoriety was she starting to see what life could be like.

She thought longingly about Main Street in Lone Reach, of how she had seen the stores boarded up. It had made her yearn for something. Made her want to give something back to this town once it had recovered … if it ever recovered. It was sparking off business ideas within her, but she wanted to do it all on her own. She was worried that Sawyer just saw her as a girl who was given everything. She wanted him to know that she was more than that. She could handle things and make something of herself on her own. She didn’t need her father to make it in the world, she would be able to do just fine on her own.

“Come on,” Sawyer said as he climbed off the bed and stretched. “I want to make you some breakfast.”

She smiled and took his hand and let him lead her from the bedroom, down the stairs, and to the kitchen. The further into the house they got, the more the cold was biting at her. Sawyer found her a robe and wrapped it around her shoulders and tied it at her waist. He kissed her again, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, taking him all in.

She felt so safe with him, and she had truly started to fall for the town too. Even just seeing it for a short time made her want to help this place more than she had ever thought possible. She just hoped her dad would come through and that she had scared him.

She crossed over to the window and looked out at the fallen snow. Sawyer hadn’t been exaggerating when he said it had been heavy. The entire world outside was white and it made her gasp.

She clutched the robe to her neck and closed her eyes. How was this possible? Surely, things should be getting better, not worse?

They sat down together for breakfast. Sawyer had made them bacon, pancakes, toast, and fresh orange juice. There was also fruit and preserves, a pot of coffee and a can of whipped cream. She looked at it and wanted to laugh, thinking of where she would really like to put it and imagined herself licking it off.

Once they had finished, she helped him clear away the dishes and was surprised at how well she already knew his kitchen. It felt like her own; she moved around it with ease.

“I’m more than just my father’s name, you know,” she said suddenly. Not even really sure where it had come from.

“I know that,” Sawyer said as he looked up at her, a little stunned.

“I don’t want to just be looked after my whole life, I’ve got a lot I want to do.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and waited, as if he were expecting her to say more.

“I mean, I’m not happy just living off an inheritance.”

He cocked his head to the side.

“Are you saying that I am?” he asked, almost bemused.

“No… I mean, well, I don’t know… I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about me.”

He nodded slowly.

“I want to do a lot with my life, and I feel like I’m just getting started, I don’t want you to think I’m happy just coasting, that’s all.”

“I haven’t ever said that. You told me all about your dreams and aspirations the night we met… And I loved that about you.” Sawyer looked really confused now, and she felt bad. She shook her head and went to him and let him wrap his arm around her.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t know where that came from. I felt like I just had to say it.”

He nodded and kissed the top of her head, and she listened to the beating of his heart as she laid her head on his chest.

She knew, deep down, he would support and encourage her in anything she wanted to dream of. But there was always something inside of her nagging at her, making her wonder if all men were like the ones she had dated back in the city. Just wanting the notoriety of her family name and having a little woman at home, one who was used to being taken care of and didn’t have a real mind of her own.

But that wasn’t Molly, and she was determined she wouldn’t be seen that way.

As she wandered back through the house and to the room where her things were, she tried to shake her feelings of doubt. She had a lot to be grateful for and look forward to. She just hoped that this town survived so that she and Sawyer could see it.

Chapter 14

For Sawyer, spending a day at home with Molly was the stuff dreams were made of. He lit the fires throughout the house and tried to get some heat back in the place, banishing the unnatural cold to the far corners of the mountain and hoping that the vampires were retreating.

Molly looked so at home there with him, and he loved having her around. It felt so good to finally be sharing his life with someone, to be able to open up to someone properly and feel the way they could merge their lives and make them work. He wasn’t sure what had happened back in the kitchen earlier over breakfast, but she had clearly needed to say it. He had tried to convey that he had never thought that about her. Before he had met her, he had had his assumptions, but she had destroyed them the second she opened her mouth, and he could see how witty and intelligent she was. He just hoped he had done enough to reassure her.

They sat in front of the fire in the main living room, the one where, the night before, he had explored her body and taken her to intense heights of pleasure. Just thinking about it was making him hard, and he longed to possess her fully. But claiming his mate for life was an important step, one that could not be done lightly. She wasn’t just some girl he was dating, one he could screw and then pick up with again later. Molly was different. She was everything to him now, and he had to do right by her.

The pressures of the town were weighing heavily on him, and he had spent most of the morning in turmoil since he and the other dragons had been out on the mountain. He was grateful that Molly had called her father again and asked for his help, but now, he was worried that it wouldn’t be enough. The snow outside was still falling and he could sense the danger.

When his cell phone started to buzz and he looked down to see a message from Carter, he knew it wasn’t going to be good.

C: We need an emergency meeting. Come to my house tonight at nine.

Sawyer wasn’t surprised, but he dreaded what was coming. He rubbed his hand up and down his face and felt the nerves clutch at his insides. He felt the familiar pang of insecurity when it came to his place in the pack. Had he done the right thing by bringing Molly here? Had he gotten too involved and let his heart rule his head?

He rose to his feet and began to pace, and he saw her eyes travel up to meet him. She was watching him intently, and he knew she could sense his frustration.

His mind was churning, and he didn’t want to concern her… But everything that had happened from the minute he had set foot in that bar seemed to have thrown him off course. He had even failed when it had come to taking her… He had felt such an affinity to her, and then he had imprinted on her. He couldn’t then go and drag her into a van. He had made Dom do it… And now he knew the other dragons were going to call him out on it. He feared they would think he had failed. That he had fallen for someone at the worst possible time and jeopardized their entire mission and future.

The feelings reminded him of what he had always feared about the fire a decade before. What if he had been responsible for that then? And what if he was responsible for the fall of Lone Reach now? At two pivotal moments in the town’s history, could Sawyer really be the reason that it all went catastrophically wrong?

“You look agitated?” Molly’s voice cut through his thoughts and he turned to look at her.

He smiled and tried to switch it off, tried to relax and not let her see his pain. But he could tell she was smarter than that. There was no way she wasn’t going to know he was in turmoil.

“What’s going on?” she asked him as she got to her feet too.

The fire was lighting her from behind and it made her hair glow. She looked so incredible in the half-light, her skin was luminous, and she was so naturally beautiful. How had he been so lucky to find her?

“It’s okay,” he said as he crossed his huge arms over his chest.

He didn’t want her to see his true feelings, he had never been one to truly share them and he had told her so much already. It had been a big deal for him to open up that way, and he had exposed his wounds. For her to hear, now, that he thought he may have potentially sabotaged the mission of saving Lone Reach by loving her was sure to drive her away.

“I just think I’ve fucked up,” he said.

She waited for him to continue.

“In what way?” she asked tentatively.

“Nothing seems to be getting any better around here. The snow, the town… The feeling in the air.”

He couldn’t help it, it all started to come spilling out in the wrong way.

She seemed to stiffen, and she crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking his body language.

“I shouldn’t have brought you here,” he said, almost in a panic. “It’s dangerous, and now, you’re stuck in the middle. I didn’t do what I was supposed to do with regards to my pack and now, I’m afraid I’ve fucked it all up.”

As soon as he had said the words, he knew that he had made a mistake. She looked so angry, so enraged and hurt.

“Molly, I…”

“What you mean is, now that you’ve used me for what you needed and it hasn’t worked, you don’t need me anymore,” she said, the fire he had put inside of her now raging in her eyes.

“No…” he started to say, but it was too late.

“I didn’t have to help you,” she said sternly. “And yet, I did, even considering all you had done. Hell, you even brought me here. You kidnapped me, for fuck’s sake! And I still fell for you and helped you in any way that I could!”

“Molly, don’t,” he said angrily. “You know that’s not the way it is. I’m just trying to express that I worry I haven’t done my bit. I haven’t succeeded in the way I wanted to, to redeem myself for the past.”

“You had nothing to redeem yourself for,” she said as she shook her head and then looked down at the ground. “This is bullshit.”

She dropped her arms to her side in defeat and then turned and walked out of the room. She was angry, and he could feel the rage directed at him. He reached up and ran his hands through his hair, unable to believe he’d managed to express himself so wrong, but angry himself and determined he wasn’t going to continue with anymore.

He was right. He shouldn’t have brought her to his home. He had fucked it all up now. The mission. His relationship with her. Their future.

He punched the wall behind him in frustration and then sat down and sighed.

Upstairs, he heard the sound of her heels, as if she had collected the shoes she had come to the house in and when she appeared in the doorway, he saw she was fully dressed, her jacket buttoned up tight and her purse in her hand.

“I’m leaving,” she said bluntly.

He looked at her with his mouth gaping open, unsure of what he could say to make this whole thing better. But his head was a mess and he was angry too. He was angry about a lot of things.

“What do you mean?” he said. “It’s a blizzard out there.”

“I’ve called a cab,” she said angrily. “You said the path to town was clear, and it appears Lone Reach’s only taxi firm knows this place pretty well. And you...”

He stared at her, and within no time at all, headlights flashed through the windows as the cab pulled into the drive.

“I don’t want you to leave,” he said seriously. “I want us to talk.”

“I don’t feel like it,” she said as she marched straight for the front door and opened it before slamming it behind her with a rush of snow and ice.

Sawyer stood and stared at it as he heard the taxi pull away.

He didn’t know what had just happened or how it had all got so out of control. How had he managed to cause a fight? To push away the woman of his dreams and let his head overrule him again?

He sighed and closed his eyes.

He felt as if he were lost in the blizzard too, with no idea how to find his way out.

Chapter 15

The Lone Reach Hotel seemed to be the only thing lighting up the darkness of the sullen night as the cab pulled through town and stopped in front. Molly looked up at it, at its big glass doors and the empty lobby beyond.

“Can I help you with anything?” the taxi driver asked as he looked over his shoulder.

Molly shook her head, paid him, and then reached for the handle. As she stepped out into the cold air, it whipped against her and made her feel as if she were freezing from the inside out. The cold was so intense down there too, just as barbaric as it had been up on the mountain. She pulled her jacket close to her body to try and retain the heat, and then moved as quickly as she could toward the lobby doors.

It appeared that the hotel was pretty empty compared to normal. The old man at the reception desk had told her that a lot of people had left a week earlier. That they were usually full with workers who were just getting started in town and coming in to take up employment at The Brewery, but that since the strange happenings, a lot had quit or not arrived in the first place. Molly shuddered when she heard the story, and she couldn’t help letting her eyes be drawn to the missing persons poster on the notice board behind the check-in desk.

She just hoped that those people that had never arrived in Lone Reach hadn’t met with a similar fate as those who had disappeared.

Her room was bland and unremarkable. Compared to Sawyer’s home, she didn’t think anything would ever feel cozy and opulent again. It had been so different and magical, and now, she was in a generic room, which was clean and comfortable, but that felt as if it had no soul. She sat on the bed and reached for the remote control. It had been almost a week since she had seen any news, and her curiosity was starting to climb. When she turned on the TV and flicked through the channels, she stopped when she came to a local station with a reporter standing outside what had to be The Brewery. She turned the volume up high and listened.

“Tumultuous times here in Lone Reach, where this once quiet mountain town has now been gaining attention as a supernatural hotspot.”

As the reporter spoke, it made Molly’s skin prickle.

“After missing people, strange phenomena involving the animals and wildlife, a coming blizzard and a whole lot of unrest, the majority of workers here at the flagship Lone Reach Brewery have now shut up shop and headed out of town.”

The screen cut from the reporter to an obviously earlier recording of a man standing in the same spot, speaking into a microphone. He looked weathered and was wearing a blue boiler suit, as if he had just finished a long, hard shift.

“The problem is, no one feels safe,” he said, looking concerned. “Some of our coworkers have vanished into thin air, and now, with everything else happening close by, people just don’t want to be here. They’re leaving town in droves, getting the hell out of here.”

The screen cut back to the reporter, who finished her broadcast.

“For now, it appears that trade in Lone Reach has stopped, and for the locals, it spells a period of unrest for some time to come…”

Molly couldn’t bear to listen to anymore and she hit mute and looked away from the TV. She hated this. None of it felt right.

She thought of the way she had left Sawyer. She could see that he had been pained, but she had too. She had never felt as if anyone wanted to know her for her. She always worried it was because of her father and what he could do for them. She knew, deep down, that Sawyer meant well, but she didn’t understand how they had managed to get into such a big fight, and he had started to ramble on about wishing he hadn’t brought her there.

It had annoyed her and she had snapped. And now, she was sitting in a hotel room in Lone Reach, wishing she was back there with him. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. So much was happening, and she was beginning to feel exhausted.

She went into the bathroom and started to fill the tub. She looked through the little complimentary bottles and was surprised to see some bath foam. She added it to the water and watched as the bubbles started to froth and form, and then she slowly undressed, peeling her clothes away and tossing them to the floor.

She had been wearing the same jeans for days now, mixed in with some of Sawyer’s t-shirts that she had been able to tie at her waist or tuck in and have slung off one shoulder. She picked it up and smelled the fabric; it still smelled of him.

She felt a tear prick her eye and she blinked it away before she turned off the tap and started to climb into the hot water.

She sank down into the bubbles and closed her eyes, letting the water envelope her and make her feel cocooned and safe. Being apart from Sawyer was hell, but she had to be strong. Even though he was nowhere physically near her, it was strange, she could still feel him. She reached up and laid her palm flat against her heart. She knew he was thinking about her too.

She felt so miserable to be there alone. To think of him up there in that cavernous house, in the midst of a blizzard, no doubt pacing the floors and trying to figure out what to do next.

She shook her head and tried to banish the thoughts. She had to think of herself, not him. He could have stopped her from leaving but he didn’t. He was also the one who had started the conversation that had to lead to all of this in the first place.

Once she was pink and rosy and ready to flop into bed, she took out the plug, climbed out of the tub and wrapped herself in a big fluffy hotel robe. It felt amazing against her skin, and she slowly turned off the lights, leaving one very dim one on, on the desk, and then climbed underneath the covers. She felt warm, but she could hear the wind and snow whipping against the side of the hotel, and she wondered what on Earth she was going to do next. How long could she leave it before she called her father and asked him to come get her?

She wanted to hold on for as long as possible, for Sawyer and for Lone Reach. But she was beginning to waiver.

For Molly, it felt as if she was beginning to reach her limit. And she didn’t know how she was going to pull herself back from the brink.

Chapter 16

The walk through the woods at the top of the mountains to reach Carter’s home was going to be near impossible enough without shifting into his dragon form, so Sawyer decided to make use of his jeep. As he crossed the roads and navigated through the blizzard, he felt angry. Angry because of how wrong he had gotten it all. And angry because he now didn’t have Molly by his side.

He had done nothing but think about her since the second she had left. He had paced the halls of his home in frustration, and he had longed to see her again. He sensed she was okay, he could feel that she was safe and not in any danger, but he didn’t like to think of her out there in Lone Reach, without him to protect her.

He had no idea if the vampires were there in town, but he had the feeling that he was about to learn a lot more when he spoke to his brothers. Now, he just had to confess to them how he had fucked up this whole mission and he hoped that they would forgive him.

Carter’s mansion was similar to Sawyer’s in size. A massive ancient structure, one full of antiquities and family history. When Sawyer pulled into the drive and killed the engine, he could see that a couple of other cars were there, but not the whole pack. He breathed in deep. He wanted to speak to Carter on his own before they delved into another meeting.

“Hello?” he called when he stepped through the doorway and over the threshold. He looked up and saw that the candles were lit in their holders and the house felt warm and lived in. It was amazing what a good woman could do. Seeing Carter so happy with his was heartwarming, but also made his heart ache. He longed for Molly, and he missed her in that moment more than ever.

“Hey, Sawyer,” Carter said as he descended his own grand staircase.

They came together for a hug and Carter patted Sawyer affectionately on the back.

“I know I’m a little early, but do we have time for a chat before the others arrive?” he asked.

Carter nodded and started to walk down the long hallway on the right that led to some of the drawing rooms, and ended in his office. He opened the door and they stepped into the old study, full of rare books and old mahogany and leather.

Carter poured Sawyer a drink and then leaned against his desk. Sawyer held his glass to Carter’s, and they said cheers before Sawyer began.

“I thought Molly would have been with you?” Carter asked as he cast his eyes toward the fire blazing in the corner of the room.

“Well… that’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about,” Sawyer said ominously. Now, he had Carter’s full attention, and Carter moved away from the desk and sat on the couch that ran along the side of the room. Sawyer chose a chair opposite him and worked himself up for the conversation he had been dreading.

“Carter, I feel like I’ve fucked up,” he said, releasing his breath as he said it.

“In what way?” Carter asked with his head cocked slightly to the side.

“With everything,” Sawyer continued. “With this mission, with the saving of the town and defeating the vampires, with Molly… Everything.”

Carter had sad eyes, but Sawyer knew he could talk to him and tell him anything.

“When we went to the city that night to take her,” he continued, “I spoke to her first before we made a move… and I… I imprinted on her.”

Carter raised his eyebrows slightly, but he didn’t look surprised. It was more just in acknowledgement of the statement.

“I… I couldn’t do it, obviously. When it came to making the actual move and taking her. It didn’t feel right after that had happened between us. I had to ask Dom to step in and pull her into the van. In the moment, I know it was the right call, a call I had to make. But I’m worried about the repercussions, how it’s going to affect me with the pack going forward.”

“Have you done everything you said you have?” Carter asked. “Have you called Thomas Torres with her? Has she put the pressure on him? Have you kept her safe and out of harm’s way?”

Sawyer nodded. He had done all of those things. He had excelled in them, in fact.

“Yes, of course,” he said.

“Well then, why do you think you’ve fucked up?” Carter looked as if he didn’t understand what the problem was. And now, Sawyer was starting to feel the same way.

“I imprinted on a target,” Sawyer said. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“Do you think any of us can control when it does?” Carter asked.

Sawyer was silent for a moment. He didn’t know how to respond.

“When I met Aubrey, I felt as if I had been struck by lightning,” Carter said with a knowing smile. “You can’t control affairs of the heart when it comes to our kind and their fated mates, brother. You haven’t done anything different than any one of us. Look at me and Aubrey … when I met her, everything else went out the window. I had tunnel vision. The only thing I could focus on was her.”

Sawyer felt his shoulders sag and he remembered back to the time Carter had met his great love. It had been back at the beginning of all of this mess with the town and the vampires, and he was right, he had only concentrated on her for what felt like forever.

Sawyer straightened and felt as if the weight had been lifted. He had been so consumed with panic over the fact that he could have failed his pack and his old worries and hurts would come to the surface again that he had let it come between him and Molly.

He had been a fool.

“Man, I really have fucked up,” he said as he put his head in his hands. “She left today… She stormed out of the house, left in a cab, and I haven’t seen her since.”

Carter looked sullen, as if he could tell how much this would be affecting his brother in arms.

“Do you know where she is?” he asked sympathetically.

Sawyer shook his head.

“No, but obviously, I can sense her… She’s still close by. I think she’s likely staying at the hotel or one of the B&B’s off Main Street.”

Carter reached out and rubbed Sawyer’s shoulder.

“We have a lot of pressures on us,” he said. “This town, the mess it has gotten itself into, the old feud with the wolves and bears, which is hopefully coming to a close… And now, you’ve found the woman you’re supposed to be with, in the midst of all of that. I think you need to give yourself a break. You’re a hell of a good man, Sawyer. And you’re an essential member of our pack, one of the strongest and bravest shifters I’ve ever known… I’m honored to call you my brother.”

Sawyer looked up and stared into Carter’s eyes. He felt so grateful to his friend and brother for setting him straight. He had to let the past go… He hadn’t caused the fire a decade earlier, and he hadn’t ruined this mission. Whatever was happening with the vampires and Thomas Torres was out of his control. He had done all he could, and Carter was right… He was a strong dragon, an absolute asset to his pack, and one of the top shifters in the whole of Lone Reach.

“You have to go and win her back,” Carter said sternly. “You love her, and you know she’s the one.”

Sawyer nodded and rose to his feet.

“You’re right,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m still doing here.”

Carter smiled knowingly and then nodded toward the door.

“You go, I’ll cover for you with the others. I’ll say you’ve gone into town to look around and check for any suspicious activity.”

Sawyer agreed.

“What about the vampires?” Sawyer asked.

“Do you think they’re here?” Carter looked at him, worried.

“I don’t know for certain,” he said. “But I have to go get Molly, and keep her safe. I have a feeling something is going to go down tonight.”

Sawyer pulled Carter to him for a hug and then he lurched toward the door before running as fast as he could down the hallway and toward the main doors of the house.

In that moment, he could feel that Molly was safe, but he still had to find her… And not only that, but his senses were working on overdrive. He could tell something terrible was about to happen.

Now, he just had to make sure he got to Molly and rescued her before the vampires found her.

Chapter 17

Molly woke with a start and sat up in bed, looking around the hotel room and taking a moment for it to sink in where she was.

She shivered. There was an intense chill in the air, one just like the cold she had felt out on the mountain when she had left Sawyer behind. She curled her knees up to her chest and blinked away a tear. She didn’t think she had ever felt this miserable before in her whole life.

She looked at the clock on the nightstand and could see it was just past ten pm. She had fallen asleep early and now she was wide awake. She got to her feet and went to the window to peer outside. While she had been sleeping, more snow had fallen. She gasped as she saw the way it had drifted against the buildings and was gathering, and the ice that had frozen to the lampposts.

None of this was good. She had such a bad feeling.

She stepped back from the window and took off the robe, quickly getting dressed and tying up her hair, splashing water on her face to wake herself up properly and then taking a drink from the minibar.

She didn’t know why but she felt nervous.

She went back to the window and looked out again, and she nearly dropped the bottle of ginger ale when she saw the figure standing outside beneath the streetlight.

She had to squint to be sure she was seeing it for real, but when she looked, it were still standing there. A ghoulish figure, tall and long and completely black. It was thin and could have been a man, but it was wearing a huge black cloak, covering its head as it stared at her dead ahead. The only feature she could make out on it was its eyes. Red eyes. Ones so fierce they struck fear into her heart.

“Oh my God…,” she whispered to herself as she stepped back into her room and whipped the curtains closed. She quickly turned off the little lamp and the muted TV and she instinctively crouched down.

She didn’t know how she knew, but she just did.

It was a vampire.

And it had arrived in Lone Reach.

Her hands trembled as she tried to open her purse and pull out her cell phone. It was still turned off, but she tried to bring it to life, but when it did this time, it wouldn’t find any signal.

“Come on,” she said anxiously.

When she still couldn’t connect and the signal stayed flat, she reached for the hotel phone. When she picked up the receiver and held it to her ear, her blood ran cold.

The line was dead.

“Shit,” she hissed through gritted teeth as she tapped at the buttons, but nothing would do any good. The line had been cut, it was dead, and now, she was stuck up there with no way of contacting Sawyer.

She moved cautiously back to the window and peered outside. The figure had vanished, but in the distance, through the haze of snow and fog, she was sure she could see more coming closer. Walking slowly, almost like they were floating on air.

She felt the panic rise in her throat.

She rushed back to the bed and grabbed her things, before she moved to the door of the hotel room and looked through the peephole. The hallway, of what she could see, was clear. She looked back into the room and sighed. Her heart was almost pounding out of her chest and she felt the cold getting more intense, as if it was starting to seep into her blood and freeze her veins.

She was about to reach for the handle to open the door, but she quickly checked the peephole again and, this time, she jumped back with shock and fear.

Right there, on the other side of the door, looking right into the hole and smiling was the most ghastly creature she had ever seen.

It was so pale its skin looked grey and mottled, its eyes were a fierce red, like blood, and the smell filtering in under the door was so acrid that she gagged.

She sobbed and moved back toward the window. She was trapped, she had nowhere to go. This vampire had come for her… And she didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly, she heard scraping on the outside of the door, and slowly, the handle began to turn. It automatically locked from the inside the moment it was closed, but she knew it wouldn’t be of any use. Even the chain wasn’t going to stop this.

The vampire started to slam against the door, and within a matter of seconds, it seemed to come flying off its hinges, sending a shatter of wood and splinters into the room. Molly covered her eyes and screamed, but her voice appeared to catch in her throat. When she dared look up, she saw the vampire standing there, floating into the room a couple of inches above the ground, staring her down.

He was so menacing, and his presence made her blood ice over in her veins. She could barely breathe, and as she tried to call out for help, she noticed that she felt herself fading away.

“Stupid girl,” the vampire said. “You honestly thought you could help them… That there wouldn’t be any repercussions…”

His eyes were burning into her, and she felt as if he had an icy grip on her heart.

“Did you really think your father would cut ties with us? We’re his most profitable allies…”

Molly couldn’t move, but she heard every word, and the tears stung her eyes. Surely, she couldn’t be hearing this. They knew she had asked her father to stop… but he hadn’t meant it?

“He’s very angry with you,” the vampire said. “And so he sent us to bring you home.”

“N…N…No…” she managed to croak.

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing… Her father hadn’t listened to her. He had sided with the vampire mob and not cared what had happened to her? He had ignored her wishes and decided to come blazing into town and let it all be destroyed? She couldn’t believe what she was hearing… She couldn’t believe any of it.

She felt as if the world was crumbling away beneath her feet. She felt the blood turn in her veins, her heart slow… She felt the life beginning to leave her body…

But then…

She heard an almighty roar… A crash and smash from behind her, the vampire’s curdled screams and the roars and howls of animals all around her. She didn’t know where it was coming from, but she felt something scoop her up and suddenly, she was lying flat and she had the sensation of being carried, of being flown. She felt heat, she heard the whoosh and roar of fire, and when she dared to open her eyes, it was as if she were dreaming.

She was high up, looking down over Main Street. The side of the hotel had been ripped clean off and her room was there, half hanging out and exposed. Huge bears, wolves and dragons were parading the streets of Lone Reach and the ghostly black figures of the vampires were being beaten into retreat.

There must have been thirty vampires, all of them baring their fangs and shooting their guns, but they were no match for the animals, and certainly not match for dragon fire.

Molly knew she was lying on Sawyer’s back and he was in his dragon form, she tried to stroke him, but before she had the chance, he laid her down on the roof of the building opposite the hotel and out of harm’s way.

She managed to open her eyes to see the dragon moving away, and she saw the enormity of him. Of how big and powerful he was… He was a creature unlike anything she had ever seen or could have imagined before in her life. The dragon moved swiftly, and she heard the thunder of two others coming to his aid. They swooped in the air above her head, and she watched them turning and rounding, there to back up Sawyer should he need it.

When Sawyer the dragon rose up on his back legs and belted out a plume of fire, she knew it would be the end of the vampires. They had gotten the whole crew of them there together. The bears and the wolves had rounded all the vamps up into one area in front of the hotel and now, Sawyer was about to blast them all to hell.

She closed her eyes as she heard the screaming as the vampires perished, and the cold began to fade. She felt her heart begin to beat normally again and the cold leave her veins. She could breathe, and she gasped as she sat up, looking out at the scene below. The huge bears, the massive wolves, and the dragon she had fallen in love with, ending the war of Lone Reach for good.

She smiled and held her hand to her heart.

Before she collapsed back and closed her eyes.

They had won.

The packs had come together and they had fought the vampire mob… and now, they were all dead.

When she opened her eyes again, Sawyer the man was standing over her. He was naked and his skin was charred with soot. He cupped her face and pulled her to him, holding her tight.

She laid her head against his chest and breathed him in. She had no idea how much time had passed since she had seen him blast the vampires with dragon fire, but she was coming back, she was feeling more alive, and the snow had stopped falling.

“We did it,” Sawyer said as he kissed her on the forehead. “We defeated them.”

Molly smiled and held him close.

Lone Reach was saved.

Chapter 18

He stroked her head and looked down at her sleeping softly. He knew he would never take for granted being safe in his home again. And having Molly back with him, well, that was the most amazing part of this whole ordeal.

What a night it had been. He had known something terrible was going to happen, but he never could have predicted the epic battle that had followed.

He had been racing to Main Street with his senses on overdrive when he had felt deep within him that Molly was in danger. He had followed his instincts to the Lone Reach Hotel, and found her there, under attack. He had shifted as quickly as possible, and when he had torn the side of the hotel open so he could grab her and pull her to safety, he saw the vampire right there.

His instincts had told him that if he put that vampire in danger, then the others would soon follow to help. And sure enough, they had.

His roars had alerted Carter, Victor and the other dragons and they had rounded up the bears and wolves before they had all descended on the town and pulled the vampires out of their dark corners. Before long, they were all in the center of Main Street by the hotel and they had managed to round them all up into the same section in front of it before Sawyer had blasted them all with his dragon fire.

Thinking about it now made his bones shake, but it was also exciting. He had his redemption. He had made peace with the fears of his past, and now, he had saved his town, and the packs of Lone Reach had all united as one.

It truly was a magical night.

He had his suspicions of what had happened as to why Molly had been the vampires only target that night, but he would wait until she was awake to ask her. For now, she needed to rest, and he wanted to look after her.

Bringing her home with him back to the mansion on the mountain was the best part of the night. He had carried her in his human arms, laid her down lovingly on the bed and wrapped her up. And he knew he was never going to let her go again. She meant too much to him and the thought of almost losing her had cut him to his core.

The hotel being a casualty had not been what he and the other dragons had wanted, but luckily, there had been no people inside. He had managed to alert and evacuate the small number of people working on the ground floor and Molly had been the only guest. No one had been hurt… And now, the vampires were gone. Burned to death by dragon fire and never to be seen again.

It was a good feeling.

He laid down next to Molly and sighed. It had been the most intense night of his life, and he had felt his power surge through him like never before. Now, he needed to regain his strength and look after his woman.

As he drifted off to sleep, he rolled so he could lay his arm across her and breathe her in.

Carter had been right. This was what life was all about. And when it came to affairs of the heart for him and his kind, no one could control how it happened or how it would go.

Fate was a wonderful thing.

Chapter 19

The sun shone on her face, warming her cheeks and making her smile. When she opened her eyes slowly, she was surprised to see that she was in Sawyer’s bedroom, and as her eyes focused, even more surprised to discover that the snow wasn’t making patterns on the privacy glass. She imagined that the clouds had parted, the blizzard had ended and life had returned.

She felt Sawyer’s strong, protective arm wrapped around her and she moaned with pleasure as she stretched. She had never felt so safe and settled before, and it was all down to him.

Suddenly, the clarity began to come back to her … the hotel room, the shadowy figure watching her from outside on the street, and the attack that followed. It had been a terrifying experience, and to think that, if Sawyer hadn’t found her, she may not have made it.

She remembered the cold running through her veins … the sensation of the vampire pinning her to the spot with his wicked glare. And then … what he had told her.

Thomas Torres, Molly’s father, he had betrayed her.

She closed her eyes in frustration and tried not to cry. Knowing that her father had dismissed her pleas to help Lone Reach and had risked the chances of her returning home safely had been a step too far. Now, she knew she couldn’t trust him. She had learned a lot since she had left the city, taken by Sawyer and his dragon brothers and hidden away in the mountains. But they had been lessons she had needed. She had been living a lie, and not only that but her freedom had been taken from her back in the city and it had all been for nothing.

She remembered the sensation of Sawyer rescuing her as the dragon. The way his scales had felt against her skin and the enormity of him. How he had swooped into the sky with her and taken her to safety. He truly was an incredible man, and an incredible dragon.

He was hers, and she loved him in either form.

She didn’t have to think about it anymore… She knew what she wanted to do.

She waited for him to open his tired eyes, and when they locked in on hers and he smiled, she felt whole all over again.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice a little hoarse.

“Good morning,” she smiled as she ran her hand through his hair and held onto him. “You must be exhausted?”

“You’d be surprised at how fast we can recover after a good sleep,” he laughed. “It’s one of the perks of being a shifter… We’re superhuman, after all.”

He kissed her softly on the lips and then stared into her eyes. She could see the fire in him, waiting there, subdued and sated, but lurking, nonetheless, and she loved it.

“You don’t know how happy I am to have you back here with me,” he said. “I thought I’d lost you.”

She could sense his sadness, and she nodded sullenly too.

“I was afraid I had lost you too,” she said. “But I know where I want to be. And I want you to know I’m not going anywhere.”

Sawyer kissed her again and pulled her close, his taught muscles were pressing against her and it made her swoon.

“My father betrayed me, Sawyer,” she said softly. “The vampire told me when he came to attack me at the hotel. He said my father was angry with me and had sent them to get me. That he didn’t care about what happened to Lone Reach and that all he cared about was his business with them…”

Sawyer’s eyes flickered with something and she was sure it was rage.

“How the fuck could he do that?” he said with a snarl. “Put you at risk in that way?”

“I know…,” she said. “I can’t believe it either.”

“Did he say anything else, can you remember?”

Molly wracked her brains.

“No… just that I had been foolish to think he would care about this place,” she sighed. “I feel so let down. He thought I was in danger, but he risked it anyway,” she said. “It goes against everything he’s ever told me. I feel so duped.”

“He kept you a prisoner for selfish reasons,” Sawyer said. “And then, he put you in danger.”

She nodded. It was so hard to comprehend.

“I’m never going back there,” Molly said. “I had already thought it before I learned all of that… but now, I’m certain.”

Sawyer’s eyes widened, and she could see he was eager for her to continue.

“Since I arrived here, I’ve been so happy,” she said. “It may have been a strange way to get here, but I found you, and I’ve found happiness. I see something in Lone Reach that feels like home. I want to be here, and I want to open up a business on Main Street and help get the town back on its feet. I have so many ideas and plans for the future, and none of them feature my old city. They are all here with you… in Lone Reach. Up here on this mountain with my dragon man. My savior.”

Sawyer’s eyes glistened and his pupils widened. He kissed her again.

“You know I want that more than anything,” he breathed. “We have an unbreakable connection, you and me.”

She smiled.

“Yes,” she said. “And that leads me to the next thing…”

Sawyer waited for her to continue, his eyes fixed firmly on her.

“I’m giving myself to you, Sawyer, for the rest of time. I want you to claim me. I’m yours.”

She waited for him to speak, the fire in his eyes burning brightly. But instead, he gently stroked her face and kissed her lovingly on the lips. She pulled him close to her and wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to feel every part of him as she prepared herself to be taken by him for the first time.

She still had the sensation of his mouth on her pussy, the way he had given her the most incredible pleasure of her entire life, and now, she was ready to take all of him. To feel him, to experience him, to have him inside of her and make him feel all of those sensations too.

Sawyer leaned up and climbed on top of her, parting her legs with his knee and pushing himself down on her. She was already so wet and aching for him, and she felt how hard he was through his underwear. His huge, powerful cock already full and ready to take her.

She gasped as he kissed her throat and trailed down to the top of her breasts, easing them out of her bra and slipping a hand around her back so he could quickly unhook it and pull it free. He cupped her breasts and kissed her nipples, taking them in his mouth and sucking them slowly, making her moan with pleasure. She pushed her head back and looked up at the ceiling as she gripped him harder with her feet, driving him closer to her so his cock was rubbing against her panties and her pussy.

He grunted and moaned as he thrust against her, and she whimpered. It felt so good and she hadn’t even taken him yet. Sawyer trailed his hand up her thigh and hooked his hand into her underwear, pulling them down slowly and making her gasp again. When they slipped past her knees and she kicked them off her feet, she waited for him to bring his hand to her, to touch her warmth and her wetness.

His thick fingers massaged her, he dipped one inside of her and grunted when he felt how wet she was. And then, with his other hand, he pinned her arms back into the pillows above. She was completely at his mercy, and her whole body was quivering. She had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever, and now that it was about to happen, she almost couldn’t breathe.

Sawyer massaged her clit with her juices, before dipping a thick finger inside of her again and making her moan. It was all too much, and she was finding it hard not to lose control. When she gasped and panted, he smiled and then kissed her again before he reached for his boxers and pulled them down, exposing his huge length and pressing his weight down on her. She tried to wriggle her hands free so she could feel him, but he wouldn’t let her go. He kept her pinned with one hand while his other cupped her breasts and he kissed her neck. She could feel his cock pressed against her pussy and it was sending her into a frenzy. He was teasing her, and she had to have him; she couldn’t wait any longer. When he rolled over onto his back and took her with him, holding onto her hips and lifting her high, she gasped as she looked down and saw how big he was.

He was so thick, so long, so engorged, and it was all for her.

He gave her a wry smile, knowing that she was impressed and intimidated, and then, he parted her legs, lifted up his knees and slowly guided himself inside of her while he held her in position above him.

To be entered that way was almost too much for her to bear, it felt so good. She let him hold her hips and guide himself into her, pulling her down onto his cock and filling her up so good she had to throw her head back and moan.

He grunted too, and he bucked his hips to meet her as well as holding her and moving her up and down, taking her, claiming her, looking at her entire body and drinking her all in. He reached for her breasts and took one in his mouth as Molly threw her head back and screamed again. It was so good. Every part of him was worshipping every part of her, and when she almost couldn’t take it anymore, he quickly flipped her onto her side and entered her again, pushing her down into the mattress and moving her onto her back, pushing his entire weight down on her and fucking her so hard she was seeing stars.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed his throat. The fire inside of him was so strong and the heat was burning out of him. She felt it inside of her, his cock was working up to his release and she moaned and bit her lip as she too began to unravel. He thrust into her and she gasped as her orgasm rocketed through her, every part of her body bucked against him, a heat so strong and true rolling through her that she couldn’t breathe. She felt the animal in him take her over, and then, as he began to cum, she felt their souls become one.

He collapsed down on her, panting and gasping, and when they looked into each other’s eyes, Molly knew that both of them had changed.

They belonged to each other now. They were each other’s fated mates. Sawyer had imprinted on her the moment they had met, and now, they had finally consummated their union and he had claimed her for all time. It had been the single most incredible experience of her life… And now, she was the other half of a dragon shifter.

He was so powerful, and he had taken her in more ways than one. And she had never been more grateful.

She looked into Sawyer’s eyes and saw the flames still raging. He smiled and kissed her again, both of them still basking in their pleasure and the heat still pulsing through them.

“I love you, Molly,” he whispered.

“And I love you,” she smiled.

And in the end, that was all that mattered. It had not been how they had met, how they had gotten to know each other or all the bumps in the road they had to navigate along the way. They had fallen in love and now, they were bonded together for the rest of time.

Lone Reach may have been on the verge of collapse before they met and came to exist side by side… But now, it was about to be reborn.

The future was bright.

And their love had conquered all.

Chapter 20

Six Months Later

Spring in Lone Reach seemed to take a long time to arrive, the winter dragged on and on, even if the cold from the natural cycle of the Earth was nothing compared to what the town had already experienced.

When the first flowers began to pop up from the soil, Main Street was suddenly in bloom for the first time in over a year. For Molly, being able to see it in all its glory, just as Sawyer had predicted, was awe-inspiring.

She was totally in love with the way the town had come alive, the fresh colors of pink, baby blue, red and green, the swinging hanging baskets that adorned all the shops and the fact that everyone in town seemed more at ease and content. The stores were open again, trade was thriving, and the Brewery had been reopened a few months before. Men and women had even begun to apply for the jobs in town, and while the hotel was being rebuilt, the bears, wolves and dragons had all agreed to supply private properties for them to stay in.

The whole area was being born anew, and to see it all coming to fruition had been a wonderful experience for Molly. She had gotten her hands dirty and even helped paint new homes and shops that were due to be taken over for new leases. She had spent her days doing whatever she could to help make Lone Reach as glorious as it had been. The tourist trade had yet to fully return, but she and Sawyer, along with the rest of the locals, knew it would only be a matter of time, especially with the improvements that were being made.

She turned and looked behind her at her own store. She had thought long and hard of what she wanted to gain out of her life, of the business she had wanted to start and of what she could do to truly add to the already eclectic nature of Lone Reach and improve life there for the people who called it home.

It already had its fair share of beauticians, hair salons, cafes and restaurants, quirky little stores and clothes shops. But Molly wanted to do something different, something where she could harness the skills she had already acquired while being there, and hopefully, inspire some of the residents to enjoy their homes once more.

Interior Design seemed like the perfect solution. And she had opened her showroom and office within a few months of finding the perfect space. She had drafted plans, found unique suppliers, and even taken on a member of staff. She had never felt so focused and motivated, and to have Sawyer’s full support made her even more determined to make it work. She wanted to give back to the community and show that she was a hard worker with ideas of her own.

She would prove her father wrong.

It was getting close to midday, and she crossed to her desk and clicked on the answering service. She had let Mary, her junior, go earlier that morning as today was a big day and the whole town was expected to turn out and be involved.

She left on a couple of lamps, switched off her computer, grabbed her purse and gave herself a quick glance in the mirror before she headed out and locked up.

The sound of children playing together in the park made her smile, and it reminded her of the conversation she and Sawyer had had the week before. They were starting to think about having a family of their own, to add to the dragon legacy of Lone Reach and to continue on the strong family lineage of Sawyer’s bloodline.

Molly couldn’t wait. She knew they would make fantastic parents. She could easily see the pair of them cradling multiple babies and was eager to get started. It made her heart flutter with excitement.

She waited on the side of the street and it wasn’t long before she saw Sawyer’s truck pulling slowly along Main Street. She smiled and held up her hand to wave.

He parked outside the Interiors store and when he jumped out of the driver’s side and smiled at her, Molly got the overwhelming feeling of happiness. She couldn’t believe this was her life. She was truly so lucky. He pulled off his sunglasses and the sun caught the fire in his eyes, the dragon stirring beneath him. He scooped Molly up and held her tight, kissing her lovingly on the lips, and then, when he set her back down on the ground, he looked into her eyes and grinned.

“I’m so proud of you,” he said warmly. “Look at this place… you’ve made it a total success.”

She felt herself blushing a little. Even though she knew it was true, she was still a little shaky when it came to taking compliments on her hard work. It was a lot to get used to.

“Thanks, babe,” she smiled. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Yes, you could have,” he said as he dipped his head down and touched his forehead against hers. “You’re capable of more than you’ll ever know.”

He slipped his fingers into hers and grasped her hand before giving it a reassuring squeeze. And she leaned into him as they began to walk toward the park.

Since the tragedy had happened and the vampire mob had tried to take over Lone Reach, the area of the park had been expanded to provide a safer area for the children of the town to play. It had been a long time coming, and something Sawyer had told Molly they had all wanted to do long before trouble came knocking at their door.

The park was already full and bustling, a bandstand had been erected right in the middle, and there was a singer and jazz band playing. Tables had been set up all around the park with cakes, drinks, sandwiches and a whole host of other refreshments and things to buy. A line of barbeques had been set up and some of the men of the town were flipping burgers and hotdogs, wearing chef’s hats and matching aprons. Families were sitting on blankets, picnicking and drinking spritzers in the sun, and everyone looked so happy and relaxed. On the far side of the park, Molly could see there were games for the kids, face painters, and clowns juggling. It was the cutest Spring Fair she had ever been to, and she could see how much the town had needed it.

She and Sawyer crossed over the grass and toward a group of men and women, all of them standing together and drinking champagne in the sun. When they arrived at the group, all of them turned and cheered for them.

“Finally!” Carter said as he came and slapped Sawyer affectionately on the back before he leaned in and gave Molly a kiss on the cheek. “You’ve arrived! You know it’s impossible to tear these two away from their work.”

“I’ve got a lot to do,” Molly winked. “But we couldn’t miss this. No chance on this Earth!”

She said hello to everyone in turn, to Aubrey, Carter’s wife, to Mason and Chloe, a bear shifter and his fiancé. And then to Alexander a wolf, and his wife, Piper. It was so good to see them all. They had all bonded now and there were no divisions in Lone Reach when it came to shifter packs. The fight against the vampires had united them all and they were all fast friends. Molly loved the sisterhood she had found along with the other wives and girlfriends of the shifters of Lone Reach, and Sawyer loved seeing her mix with them and be so happy. It had been a long time coming after being confined to her old restricted life where her father had scared her into submission. Here in Lone Reach, she had friends again, and she could thrive.

She and the girls sat down and chinked glasses, just as Mia and her partner, Hudson, came to join them. They laughed and chatted together, catching up on the past week since they had last seen each other at a dinner party hosted by Sawyer and Molly at their home at the top of the mountain. Now, the whole crew was together, and she could see Hudson and Mason making moves to go start the official proceedings.

Sawyer reached for Molly’s hand and pulled her gently to her feet, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her on the lips lovingly.

“It’s time,” he said.

The group moved to the very center of the park, where a stage had been erected, and next to it, a huge wooden box had been placed with a cordon around it. She didn’t know why, but Molly felt nervous. It had been such a rough time for the people of Lone Reach, with over a year of anxiety, terror, loss and heartache. Curfews had been in force, people had been afraid, and now that it was all over, the shifters of the town wanted to give the people a symbol of hope, while also remembering what had happened and those they had lost.

Sawyer stood behind Molly and wrapped his arms around her waist, breathing in her scent and resting his chin on the top of her head.

She felt so safe and cared for, she truly was the luckiest woman on the planet.

As Mason took to the stage and grabbed the microphone, Molly and the others already knew there wasn’t a whole lot that he could say. But he wanted to offer hope, a way to look forward.

“Hi, everyone,” his voice rang out across the park and the whole town fell silent, the music stopped, the kids stopped playing, and everyone else began to gather.

“Thank you for being here with us today to celebrate the town getting back on its feet after a terrible year. I don’t want to dwell on the tragedies that unfolded but rather look forward to the brightness of the future while remembering our loved ones that we lost along the way.”

Sawyer directed Molly’s attention toward the box. It was so tall, maybe thirty feet, and she had no idea how they would open it, but the men on cherry pickers either side started to pry one side open, and slowly lower it to the ground. As each side fell, Molly felt her heart swell. It was a beautiful tribute. A statue of class and elegance, a sunbeam, big and bright and looking up to the sky. A reminder to always look for the light.

“Here, today, we remember our lost friends… Here’s to the new chapter of Lone Reach, and us rising from the ashes,” Mason concluded.

The whole town cheered, and Molly could see that along the base of the statue, all the people who had been lost or died in the tragedy of Lone Reach had been named and honored. It made her eyes prick with tears, and she was so glad to have Sawyer there to comfort her.

He spun her around in his arms, as the sounds of people clapping and cheering gave over to the sound of the party returning and she looked into his eyes.

This man.

Her dragon.

Someone who had taken her, saved her, and brought her back to life.

She would be forever in his debt.

She had fallen for him and discovered what it truly meant to live. But it hadn’t just saved her. Love had saved them all. It had triumphed over evil and saved a whole town.

Lone Reach was safe once more.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! If you loved this series I think you will LOVE the Bridge Hollow Shifters!

Grab the Complete Bridge Hollow Shifters series here on Amazon!

Trouble is coming to Bridge Hollow - a strange mountain town full of mystery...where nothing is as it seems…

With a six week break to fill and plenty to run from, timid teacher Amanda decides it’s time to break the mold and go on a random road trip with her best friend to the mysterious town of Bridge Hollow.

Bridge Hollow is famous for its strange happenings and shifter legends, but skeptic Amanda just wants to chill out for the summer and catch her breath after a particularly rough breakup.

But of course anything she gets involved in is bound to be “complicated”, and this town – and town alpha Dean - are no exception. From a wildlife die off to the volatile locals tempers flaring at the slightest provocation – there is definitely something strange going on in this paranormal tourist trap.

As Dean pulls his pack together to avert a firestorm, will Amanda be his 'ace in the hole' or a weakness he can't afford?

Get Bridge Hollow Shifters…

Ok, fine…you’re still not convinced! The Bridge Hollow story is probably my most involved…it might be my favorite plot ; ) …here is a brief preview of the first story…Alpha Daddy Bear

Bridge Hollow – Present Day

The woods were dark as the two men made their way across the bubbling stream. The rocks were slippery underfoot, the water flowing fast, and they steadied themselves against each other as to not to lose their footing.

“It’s cold out here,” David said as he stopped and exhaled. He couldn’t fully tell with there being so little light, but he thought he may have seen a wisp of icy air clinging to his breath as he spoke, and it sent a chill right down his spine.

“I’ve never seen it like this,” his companion, Ben, said as he stopped and hitched his gun up onto his broad shoulder. “Maybe that’s why we’re not getting much luck…” he clicked his teeth and sighed as he looked back down the stream, towards the folds of trees that were bending and dipping across them from overhead. The branches were thick and full of green, but even with that considered, these two hunters were used to this forest. They knew it like the back of their hands, and both could tell that there was something strange happening there around them.

This day, something was very, very different indeed.

“It’s the middle of summer,” David said. “This place should be crawling with deer.”

Ben shrugged and reached into his back pocket for a pack of smokes. He clamped one between his teeth and reached for a lighter.

“Oh, that’s a great idea,” David snorted with a wry smile. “That’ll really attract the animals.”

Ben rolled his eyes and lit up anyway. He sucked in deeply and exhaled before he turned and climbed up and over the rocks, onto the muddy side of the embankment and out of the chill of the water.

“Thing’s ain’t been right round here for a while,’ he said as he crouched down and ran his fingertips into the ground. The earth was threateningly cold, with a force he had never known before. It wasn’t just the cool soil in the shadows, this was something deep from within. Something menacing and raw.

“This fucking town,” he whispered. “If it’s not crazed tourists flooding the streets looking for Bigfoot or whatever the hell they believe, it’s the locals slowly going insane with the rumors and legends.”

“Well maybe it’s high time we stopped coming here then,” David said goadingly. “But I think we all know what brings you to these parts. You can mock the tourists all you want, but what you’re looking for is your own juicy piece of the pie.”

The men looked at each other knowingly and Ben took one last drag before he stubbed out his cigarette on the base of his boot, threw the butt into the gush and pull of the stream and started to laugh.

“May as well,” he winked as he let his rifle drop to the floor beside his feet and then he sat with his legs dangling over the ridge.

David climbed up beside him and the pair sat together looking around. For a summer’s day the forest was bleak and freezing. It was not long past noon, and they were right to be wary. It was clear to them both, as seasoned hunters, that something was amiss out there.

“Do you think it’s Bigfoot coming to get us?” David joked as he reached for his water bottle and took a long, deep sip.

“Don’t be foolish,” Ben replied. “It is something though, alright.”

The sun was nowhere to be seen, but there didn’t appear to be a cloud in the sky. The break in the trees above showed blue, but there was something strange about it. Something other-worldly. The air was still and chilly, like a veil had descended and trapped them there in their own little bubble.

“Come on,” David got to his feet and stretched before he reached down and scooped up his rifle and slung it back over his shoulder. “We may as well get out of here. It’s a lost cause. If we go fast we’ll get the best part of the afternoon over in the bar instead, the wives don’t need to know a thing.”

Ben laughed and nodded. David helped him up and they began to walk further into the forest.

The men crunched over the earth and when Ben looked down he was sure he saw a frost forming. As they got further into the trees and closer to the center which would allow them to cross back over to where they had parked on the outskirts, the woods got darker still and the air became prickly and vengeful.

Ben looked towards David and he could see his face darkening too. Neither of them spoke a word, but with each step forward they took, they were getting further and further away from the light, and further from the world they knew. They were descending into something unknown. Something dark and powerful. As they stepped through a thick section of trees and emerged into a clearing, Ben’s breath caught in his throat and his whole body was shocked with cold. It pierced him deep within his heart and kept him there, paralysed with fear.

David stopped too, and Ben was aware of the rifle falling again. Down to the ground, crunching onto the frost under their feet and turning icy and white as it connected with the earth.

“My God,” Ben gasped. His eyes widened as he took in the scene in front of him.

For a moment, he was sure that he must be dreaming. None of this could be real. He blinked and lifted his shaking hands towards his eyes where he tried to rub them, but the cold wouldn’t allow his fingers to move. They were frozen in place, quickly turning red and frost bite taking hold.

“Dav…id…” his voice cracked. The cold travelled through his mouth and right down to the pit of his stomach. It gripped him like nothing he had ever known before and within a second it was as if he were turning to stone.

Before them both, as they stood there freezing, the last things their eyes saw was the scene in the forest.

The trees above them were turned brown and black, their trunks and roots poisoned from the ground up. A fog was heavy in the air, something dank and sweet, trails of energy whisping up from the cracks in the earth below. The circle in the center of the clearing. The darkness and the death. Heaps and heaps of bodies. Animals of the woods that had gathered there, in that very spot and met their end, just like Ben and David themselves. The circle of bears, wolves, deer, rabbits, racoons and birds were all piled together, in a swirling pattern, all facing the central point of the clearing.

It was like something out of a horror movie. Something unnatural, dark and magical. But not the good kind of magical. Something utterly terrifying. Whatever had come to the woods of Bridge Hollow had managed to kill off at least a hundred animals. Either they had been led to their death, or they had been called.

Now Ben and David were a part of them. They would never make it to the bar on Main Street, and they would never get to tell their wives what they had seen that day. They would certainly never hunt again.

Some would have said that was a good thing.

Some would think it terrible luck.

But for the animals of Bridge Hollow, it was only just the beginning. They may not have had Bigfoot lurking around them, but they sure as hell had something. And now it was coming out to play in full force.

The cold slowly began to lift, and the animals sank into the ground like it was quicksand, taking David and Ben along with them. Like the saying often went, the ground opened and swallowed them whole. Slowly and silently, one by one. Any evidence of what had occurred there was completely destroyed, taken away as if it had never happened at all.

The darkness lifted, but the chill remained.

The sun broke through the trees and lit up the clearing, the fog cleared, but the energy there would be forever changed. There was something magical about this place. Something deep and meaningful. Something that the locals were either going to have to embrace or fight.

Bridge Hollow was never going to be the same again…

Join us in a new town with new mysteries ; )

…HERE on Amazon …

Come visit Bridge Hollow…