Glory had left Carrie alone to mope in her room for two hours before she knocked on the door.

“Sun’s shining,” the shifter announced brightly. “Let me take you out for coffee. Sheriff would hate it if you got the wrong impression of this town. ‘S bad for tourism, or so I hear.”

Carrie couldn’t help but laugh despite herself. “And you’re the resident tourist expert?”

“Nah.” Glory gave her a lazy wink. “I make sure to stay away from them. Don’t want to scare them.”

Carrie straightened a little, tugging on her skirt as she gave herself a critical look in the mirror. It would do for coffee, she supposed. And it wasn’t as if she’d been in here crying.

“What about me? I’m a tourist,” she said.

“You? Oh, darling, you’re not a tourist. You’re a shifter. That makes you practically family. At least when compared to our usual crop of human tourists.” Glory grimaced. “I nearly ran into a family who got lost. My bear was distracted by the scent of wild honey nearby. There’s only so many legends about tame bears in the forest that a small town can believably have... And for all that these tourists can’t figure out where they’re going without their Google Maps, they are astonishingly good at going straight to where a bear wants to have a nice little run.”

Carrie giggled a little, thinking of her shock when Darrell had first turned into a bear. “I guess that’s the good thing about turning into a cat instead.”

“No one’s going to blink an eye to see you, dear,” Glory said with approval. “Has to be so useful! You can go for a run right here in the garden, and the most you’ve got to fear is that a tourist family will feed you treats.”

“I suppose...” Carrie said slowly. She hadn’t had time to think about it much, but at first, a cat had seemed so much less glamorous than a bear or wolf.

But on the other hand, if she’d been a bear shifter, she wouldn’t have been able to shift anywhere near her home without first driving for hours...

“Can I ask you something?” Carrie said then.

They’d made it to the little bakery owned by the sheriff’s wife. It was too early for the afternoon crowd, and they’d found a nice, secluded spot on the small, deserted patio at the back of the building. With a coffee and a cupcake before her, the world suddenly looked so much brighter.

“Bear cupcakes,” Glory said and nodded at the table. “Made with honey from the forest. The sheriff’s mate is human, you know. So if you need someone who had to figure out all of this stuff as well, I know she’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.”

Carrie made a thoughtful sound. “Actually, I think I’d like to ask you,” she said. “Because you’re a shifter too. Like me.”

It still felt weird to say it—but it was impossible to forget the sheer joy and the feeling of lightness that had spread through her when she had shifted. It really had been like coming home. Like finding a part of her that had been missing for way too long.

“The shifting... I’m not worried about that. At first I was terrified, because it felt like a nightmare after the accident. I think with the shock, my cat just took over, and most of the time I didn’t even know what was going on. But now—now I’m talking to my cat.”

Saying it out loud still made her feel like a weirdo, but all Glory did was give her an understanding nod.

Carrie took a deep breath. “From the moment I first shifted intentionally, it just felt right. It was completely natural. Like I was always meant to be this. I’m not scared by my cat. I’m just sorry that she was alone for so long, buried deep inside me.”

“But you are scared of something,” Glory said. “What is it? Did Darrell do something stupid? I like the guy—don’t tell him I said that, by the way—but he can be a dumb, lumbering brute of a bear like all the rest of them. Never stops to think. Well, to be fair, it's not like we were encouraged to when we were young.”

“You knew him when he was young?” Carrie was intrigued, her worries momentarily forgotten.

“Ha. Did I ever!” Glory leaned back with a smirk, licking a smudge of frosting from her lip. “We grew up together. Cubs of the same age. Both of us fighters. Both of us fierce, unwilling to ever back down. Got into a few fights, actually, before we realized we’d better focus our energy on other shifters if we wanted to survive and climb to the top.”

Carrie frowned. “That sounds...”

She hesitated for a moment, and Glory finished the sentence for her.

“Dangerous? Scary? Unhappy? I guess it was all of that. We didn’t know any better, you see, so we never realized it could be any different. He had a hard childhood. A hard life after that, too: lots of fighting, never a moment of peace, always distrusting the other fighters in your clan.”

Glory gestured to a scar that crossed her lower arm. “Werewolf. Always trouble with werewolf gangs. Our alpha was involved in lots of shady things. Anyway, we escaped that life. All of us. We might never have made it without Darrell, actually. He’s a good guy. A really good guy—the sort of guy who’s seen enough fighting to know that that’s not the life he wants. The sort of man who’d risk his own life to make sure his clan and his family never have to lead the life he did.”

“Oh,” Carrie breathed, looking at Glory with a new respect. “I... I didn’t know that.”

“It’s not an excuse,” Glory immediately said. “If he said something stupid to you, that’s all on him. But if he’s just being... weirdly protective, I guess, it’s because he knows what werewolf fangs can do.”

Slowly, Carrie shook her head. “No.... I thought his protectiveness was sweet. I’ve never had anyone care for me in that way. I never knew my parents, and...” She shrugged. “My foster family were good people, but it wasn’t like... It never felt like what life is like in this town.”

“Like home?” Glory said, her eyes attentive.

Silently, Carrie nodded.

“But that’s good, isn’t it?” Glory suddenly sat up straight once more. “Sorry, you said you had a question. And here I just keep talking...”

“That’s quite all right.” Carrie couldn’t help but smile at Glory.

She’d never known anyone like Glory before—the bear shifter was an intimidating woman, with the same air of command Darrell possessed, and the scars to prove that she wasn’t to be underestimated. Still, something about her set Carrie at ease.

Perhaps it was just that she genuinely seemed to care for Darrell and this town. To her, all the shifters here were family—her home.

What does it feel like to have this sort of community?

Carrie felt a sudden yearning so strong that it shocked her.

She’d always thought that she was happy with the life she’d found. She knew she was strong—it hadn’t been easy to build the life she had, and while she’d never had riches, having a job, a home and a car had seemed pretty good for an orphan girl to her.

“It's’ about... it’s about mates,” Carrie said hesitantly. “Darrell told me we were mates.”

Glory nodded, a rare smile on her face. “Never thought he’d find his mate—but I’m really happy for you two.”

“Wait,” Carrie said, her head starting to pound with a dull ache. “You too? You just accept this? That there’s a soulmate for you, and when you meet him it goes boom, and it’s all fate or biology or something?”

Now Glory frowned at her. “Is that why you’re upset? To be honest, I’m not much of a romantic myself, but you love him, right? There’s that look in your eyes when you talk about him. I know that look.”

“Ugh.” Carrie raised a hand to her head. This was all so much to take in that she’d probably end up with a migraine by evening. “You too. I don’t understand how you can just... accept these things.”

“Accept?” Glory shifted, crossing her legs. Then she pushed her cupcake towards Carrie. “Here. How about you just relax and tell me from the start what’s got you bothered. I’m sure we can unravel it together.”

“Accept,” Carrie mumbled resentfully, before she took hold of the cupcake and took a big bite out of it. Some of the frosting ended up on her nose, but she didn’t care. Right now she needed all the sugar she could get to work through this.

“So. I met Darrell and I felt drawn to him right away. Touching him is like—touching a bolt of lightning. Just sizzling electricity all over my skin.”

Glory made an encouraging sound.

“I thought it was because he’s gorgeous and—well, you’ve seen him. Fucking hot.” Carrie blushed a little, but it was true. Even now the thought of those hard pecs and his six pack and the arms strong enough to carry her made her mouth go dry.

“And he’s kind and generous and just—so much fun to be around. I’ve never really had a family, but if I’m with him, it’s like—being home. Being loved and accepted for who I am. And I thought it was just that: love. I’m in love, and it was perfect. But now you tell me that it’s a shifter thing. And I feel like I’ve run straight into a wall, because nothing I’m feeling is real. It’s—some drive of nature. Like a cat in heat, I guess. Or you can call it fate if you want. But in the end what matters is that none of it is my choice. And it never was!”

Carrie put her half-eaten cupcake back down, suddenly feeling sick as she stared at the frosting.

How could anyone make sense of all those emotions twisting and turning inside her now? It was like being torn in two.

A part of her wanted Darrell more than she’d ever wanted anything. And another part of her was terrified by how helpless she felt.

For as long as she could think, she had to stand up for herself. She’d fought her way through college, and she’d worked hard for the life she’d found. She was strong. She’d always been strong, because she had to be.

But now nature had come to play a trick on her, and all of a sudden she no longer seemed to have a choice in who she loved.

“Is that what you think?” Glory asked, quiet and intense. She leaned forward. “I had a mate once. He died. And I loved him. Never doubt that.”

Carrie froze, then instinctively reached out for Glory’s hand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay—it was a long time ago.” Glory gave her a serious look. “The love was real. Even now, with him gone, it’s still there. It’s all real.”

“But how can you know?” Carrie asked desperately. “This scares me. I don’t want to be helpless.”

“You’re not.” Glory tightened her fingers around Carrie’s hand. “I know it feels overwhelming—but you’re not helpless. You can walk away from him if you want. Some shifters do it, because their mate isn’t a good person. It happens sometimes. Others love someone who’s not their mate, and they still have a happy life together. But if you find your mate, and you love him, too, that’s not just nature forcing you to. See it as fate giving you a nudge. It’s still your choice to say yes or no to it.”

“He didn’t even tell me,” Carrie muttered morosely. “I thought it was all just—you know, love at first sight, and he’s so hot. I was afraid it might not last, but I wanted to try. And apparently he’s known from the first moment he saw me that he wanted to spend his entire life with me? That’s a lot. That’s...”

“Scary, I imagine,” Glory said, letting go of Carrie’s hand. “At first, we didn’t realize that you didn’t know you were a shifter. And then, he thought you’d lost your memory because of the shock. Though I admit this would have gone better if he’d sat you down right at the start and told you all about shifters and yourself.”

Carrie took a deep breath. Her head still hurt, but she no longer felt like she wanted to cry in frustration.

“So... I can say no?” she asked doubtfully. “I mean... I think I could. I know I could stand up right now and walk away, and never return. I just... don’t want to.”

“And you think that’s not your own choice?” Glory asked. “Come on, Carrie. You know yourself better than I know you. Trust yourself. Look inside yourself, and then tell me whether it’s you who wants to give him a chance, or if it’s just the drive of nature.”

Carrie pushed her plate back and then settled into her chair, closing her eyes.

He’s our mate, her cat said reproachfully, her voice no longer quite as soft as it had been before. And you’re being quite human about all of this.

That’s because I am human, Carrie replied. Now let me think in peace. On my own.

Her cat made an affronted little hiss, but then remained silent, only the image of a fluffy tail twitching in annoyance remaining in Carrie’s mind.

She loved Darrell. It was a bit scary to admit it even to herself, but it was true. He’d done a lot of things for her: he’d rescued her in the forest, and he’d proved a faithful bodyguard keeping watch over her.

But the thing that even now filled her heart with warmth was the hours they’d spent in the forest. She remembered how she’d closed her eyes, feeling nothing but Darrell’s warmth against her back. She hadn’t even really known what she was doing—but he’d talked her through all of it.

She’d trusted him. And she’d been rewarded for that trust by discovering her inner cat, and the overwhelming joy and freedom of finding this long-buried part of her.

Mates, she thought, still a little resentful at the thought that nature might have been forcing them together, ignoring all of her own feelings in the matter.

Maybe it hadn’t really been trust. Maybe it had just been pheromones or something, some sort of primitive animal drive...

I’ve got you, Darrell’s voice whispered in her head once more, and warmth rushed through all of her limbs.

There was nothing animalistic about him. The memory filled her heart with a simple happiness she’d never known before. It was the sort of completeness she’d longed for as a child, when she’d sometimes dared to dream of the family that had abandoned her.

With him, she was whole. And the sex had been good too, there was no denying that—but that wasn’t what had made her fall in love. He was incredibly hot—but she loved him for the way he’d set her at ease until she’d dared to take that step into the unknown and shift into her cat.

That’s all me. The trust and the love—that’s all mine. I could leave now if I want—Glory is right. I know I could. But I don’t want to...

Silly human, her cat purred with affection. Who says you have to?

Sorry, Carrie thought with relief. I’m still new to this. I don’t know what part of me is me, and what’s you.

Her cat stretched and yawned, and then began to meticulously groom her fur. All the silly anxiety is human. It’s as easy as that.

Surprised, Carrie bit back a snort of laughter, and then finally opened her eyes again.

“And?” Glory asked curiously.

“I feel better now.” Carrie gave Glory a smile of relief. “You’re right. The feelings are mine. And I could say no to them if I wanted. I’m not helpless. Sorry, I’m still figuring out this entire business—it’s not easy to talk to yourself when your entire life, you’ve heard people say that’s a sign of insanity.”

Glory leaned back and laughed. “You’ve come to the right town to learn.”

“Thanks,” Carrie said quietly, suddenly filled with gratitude. “Thanks for taking me out for coffee—and just talking me through this. I really appreciate it. It’s hard when—” She shrugged uncomfortably. “I suppose most shifters learn all these things in childhood. It’s a bit late to learn that everything you knew about yourself is wrong.”

“Not wrong,” Glory said affectionately. “Everything about you is right. And people learn new things about themselves all the time. You just got everything in one big swoop. Probably means you’ve got quiet, peaceful times ahead now.”

A smile tugged at Carrie’s lips. “In this town? I’m not so sure.”

“You’re staying then?”

Carrie was quiet for a moment. “I need to talk to Darrell first.” They really needed to talk now, with no more secrets between them. “But—I’d like to give this a chance. Who knows, it might not work out. There’s so many shifter things I don’t know. But I want to try. And that’s all my own decision, and if I fail, that’ll be all me, too.”

“Fierce and independent as a bear,” Glory said in approval. “You’ll fit right in. And if your big, growly alpha bear gets on your nerves, come back to me. I’ve known him since childhood, like I said.” She winked. “I’ve got all the embarrassing stories.”

Carrie laughed, and then they finished what was left of their selection of cupcakes.

“Wait here a moment,” Glory said when they were done. “I’ll grab a few more, and we can go by the sheriff’s office. Knowing Darrell, that’s where he’s gone. It doesn’t sit well with him that there was a werewolf in our territory.”

Carrie nodded, reaching into her purse for the tiny mirror she kept in it. She’d been so distraught earlier that she hadn’t bothered with makeup—now, at the prospect of meeting up with Darrell again, she gave her image a critical look.

At least I don’t look as if I’ve cried. Which I haven’t! I just had... a sort of existential crisis, or something.

She stuck her tongue out at herself.

And I don’t look too bad for that. No red eyes, at least.

With a sigh, she put the mirror away again.

It was then that she saw him.

There, coming around the side of the bakery, hidden in the shadows, a man was standing. He was staring at her from strangely intense eyes. He was in his fifties, with short hair that had gone gray, wearing khakis and a black shirt.

When he took a step forward, Carrie froze. She was feeling dizzy. She’d never seen the man before, but something inside her recognized him. Something about him was familiar.

What’s that scent? Like danger...

When he stepped out of the shadows, the light hit his eyes. They were a strange, pale gold, and recognition hit Carrie with an abrupt wave of dread.

The wolf.

Those were the golden eyes of a wolf shifter. The werewolf had found her at last.

Carrie stood so abruptly that she upset the table.

With a loud clatter, the tray that had held their plates and coffee cups fell to the floor. The porcelain burst on the tiles, splinters skidding into every direction.

“Please. Don’t be afraid,” the werewolf said.

His voice was husky—and those strange, golden eyes looked uncertain. Nevertheless, he took a step towards her, reaching out with his hand.

A second later, Glory had returned, her eyes ablaze with fury as she came to a stop right between Carrie and the werewolf.

“Leave,” Glory demanded, her voice full of anger. “We won’t have any of your kind causing trouble in Linden Creek. The sheriff is already on your trail. And if you take one further step towards her, I don’t care what the sheriff says. He won’t need a holding cell after my bear is through with you.”

“This doesn’t concern you,” the werewolf snapped. “Get out of my way. I’m here for her.”

He took another step forward, his eyes on Carrie instead of Glory. Something about him frightened Carrie.

Wolf, her cat hissed inside her head.

Carrie could smell it now: the scent of fur and forest, creating images of claws and fangs and blood in her mind.

She shivered, but still she held her ground. She wasn’t lost in the wilderness now. And as a cat, she felt right at home in the town. If he came for her, she could shift and be up on the roof in an instant. There were lots of ways for a cat to escape where the heavy, large body of a wolf couldn’t follow.

“You tried to kill her,” Glory said, bristling with anger.

The werewolf made a dismissive gesture. “That’s where you’re wrong.” He took another step towards her.

Instinctively, Carrie inched backwards, trying to remember where the door was without turning her head.

If she made it inside, she could lock the door and call for help. There were enough shifters in this town that she’d have reinforcements for Glory within minutes.

Then she nearly tripped over the tray that was still on the ground. It skidded away with a loud clatter. At the sound, the stranger stopped stalling and came forward with an impatient sound.

At the same time, Glory shifted. Even with the terror that had gripped her, Carrie couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly Glory transformed. It took less than a heartbeat for her to shift.

Where before, a curvy, broad-shouldered woman had stood, now a muscle-bound bear raised her head, showing her teeth as she rumbled a deep, final warning.

“Fuck,” the werewolf hissed. “If you run now, they’ll get you. I’m here to—”

The words were cut off when Glory came at him.

Carrie had never seen an angry bear before. She’d been terrified when she’d first seen Darrell’s bear up close—but Darrell had tried not to scare her.

Glory, on the other hand, was all muscle and fangs right now as she hurled herself at the man.

At the last moment, he quickly rolled out of the way. Glory just barely missed him as she batted at him with a paw.

She hadn’t used her claws, Carrie realized as she stared with wide, shocked eyes—but even so she was clearly trying to knock her opponent out.

There was a gasp behind Carrie, startling her. When she turned around, half expecting another attack, she found herself faced with Eve, the sheriff’s wife and owner of the bakery.

“It’s the werewolf,” Carrie said hastily while behind her, Glory made another low, threatening rumble. “Can you call—”

Unceremoniously, Eve took hold of her arm and yanked her inside. A second later, the door was firmly shut and locked.

It was a glass door. Carrie’s heart continued to pound in her chest as she found herself staring out at where the bear and the man were still facing off.

Could a glass door hold a werewolf?

Carrie’s eyes fell onto the small tables and chairs that stood on the patio outside. No, glass wouldn’t save her—not if the man had time to grab one of those wrought iron chairs.

Again Glory lunged at the man. He stumbled backwards.

Carrie’s heart continued to thud. He wouldn’t have time to grab a chair and bash in the door, not with Glory out there.

“Quick, he’s here at the bakery,” Eve hastily said into her phone. “The werewolf! Yes, she’s safe. She’s inside with me. Glory is keeping him busy outside—”

A moment later, Eve reached out to touch Carrie’s arm. “It’s all right. Darrell will be here in a minute. And that shifter won’t get past Glory. You’re safe here.”

Dizzy, Carrie continued to stare at the man. He was bleeding a little—but not from Glory’s claws and fangs. Those had to be scratches from when he’d been forced to roll across the gravel to escape her.

He was fast—he had the reflexes of a shifter, even in his human form. And despite his age, his arms were corded with muscle.

Even so, it was clear that he had no chance against Glory. Not if he didn’t shift.

Why doesn’t he shift, Carrie thought dimly. If he wants to kill me he could’ve attacked earlier, when she was inside. A wolf’s fangs would have dealt with me in seconds...

Again the werewolf tried to roll out of the way when Glory lunged at him. But this time, his reflexes didn’t save him. A bat of her powerful paw sent him skidding across the patio—right towards where Carrie was watching from behind the glass door.

Her breath caught in her throat when he wearily pushed himself up by his arms. One of his hands reached into his pocket, pulling something out.

A gun? What if he has a gun?

Her heart skipped a beat. Time seemed to stop when their eyes met. Glory came racing towards him, but it was too late—he was already raising his hand, pointing it straight at her.

Then he spoke.

“Carrie. You’re my daughter,” he said, the words soft and distant through the glass that separated them.

Glory crashed into him, just when Carrie realized that he wasn’t holding a gun in his hand.

It wasn’t a knife either, or some other weapon. It was a faded, wrinkled photo...

He went down instantly when the full weight of the bear hit him.