Legends of Black Salmon Falls (Series Preview)

Loved by a Bear (Book 1)

Prologue

The man took a seat at the counter of the roadside diner. It was late, there was a chill in the air, and it had been drizzling on and off all day long. In other words, just another typical day in the Pacific Northwest. But he was used to it. As a truck driver, he'd made the run up and down through Washington, Oregon, and California more times than he could count.

But in all his trips up and down the West Coast, he hadn't ever passed through Black Salmon Falls before. He was on his way to Olympia and this popped up as a shortcut that would save him a few hours. So, the man, always looking to do less work than necessary, decided to give it a shot.

“What can I get you?”

The man looked up from the menu at the cute, perky little waitress who was husting over to where he was sitting.

“They got you workin' late,” he said.

She shrugged. “It's quiet,” she said. “Gives me time to do some homework.”

The man nodded and looked the girl up and down. She was pretty – had a wholesome look to her, with her long blonde hair and milky white skin. She probably wasn't more than nineteen or twenty. Fresh faced and with a girl next door appeal.

And the man was suddenly in the mood for something – it just wasn't for food.

But the man was subtle. Sly. He'd had more than enough practice over the years and all of his trips up and down the left side of the country to know that he needed to bide his time and wait for the opportune moment. He was patient and he was deliberate – skills he'd spent years honing.

“Homework, huh?” he asked. “What are you studying?”

She smiled and he thought it made her even prettier. “Nursing,” she said. “I want to be a nurse.”

The man nodded. “A nurse, huh?” he said. “I bet you'll make a good one too.”

The girl smiled and her cheeks colored. She had a sweet, quiet way about her. Definitely the girl next door type. Definitely his type. The man felt that familiar surge of energy in his body he got whenever he was on a hunt – whenever he found his quarry.

And he had definitely found his quarry.

“So, what can I get you?” she asked.

He sighed and looked at his menu. “I'll take some coffee. And give me the chicken fried steak special. Fries instead of mashed potatoes, and wheat toast, please.”

“Sounds good,” she said. “I'll go get your coffee right away.”

“Thank you –” he squinted and looked at her name tag, “Aubrey.”

She smiled at him. “Of course.”

The girl turned and punched his order into her computer. She was a good-looking girl and the man smiled to himself. He hadn't intended to stumble upon this little treasure trove, but he thanked his good fortune for it. He hadn't had a woman in a few weeks and he'd been feeling a little restless. Aubrey had come along at just the right time.

The man smiled to himself again – apparently, the gods were rewarding him. He wasn't sure what he was being rewarded for, but he'd take it.

She came back and set his mug of coffee down in front of him. “So, you just passing through?”

He nodded. “Yup, got a run up north a ways yet,” he replied. “Thought I'd stop in for a little fuel for the last push.”

“Good idea,” she said. “The last thing you want is to fall asleep on the road.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

She flashed him another smile and then turned and walked off. She checked on two guys at a table in the corner. He felt a surge of anger rush through him as she laughed and flirted with the two guys. The girl belonged to him. And he didn't like the way she was throwing herself at those two guys.

A few minutes later, she returned and set his plate down in front of him with a smile. “One chicken fried steak special.”

“Thanks,” he said and then looked over at the men in the corner booth. “You know those guys over there?”

“Yeah, they're regulars,' she said. “Local guys. They usually come in for pie and coffee a few nights a week.”

The man nodded and couldn't completely stuff down that surge of dark anger inside of him. “Yeah? So, which one you screwin'?” he asked. “Both of 'em?”

The girl froze in place and looked at him, eyes wide, her mouth agape. “Excuse me?”

“Just a question,” he said. “You seem pretty friendly with 'em. Pretty familiar.”

The girl let out a sound of disgust and turned away from him, storming off to the other end of the counter. It wasn't his smoothest move, but the man didn't care. She belonged to him. She was his property. And he didn't like the thought of his property being handled by anybody but him.

The man dug into his meal, keeping on eye on the girl, who was trying to concentrate on her books. But judging by the look on her face, she was having trouble doing it. He'd obviously rattled her. Which wasn't a bad thing. It was part of his routine – he usually just set it up a little bit better. But he relied on his quarry being rattled and upset. It clouded their thinking and kept them off balance.

And that was exactly how he wanted them. Needed them.

He drained the last of his coffee and raised his cup, indicating he wanted a refill. Still looking angry and upset, Aubrey closed her book, grabbed the coffee pot, and walked down to his place at the counter. She didn't smile, make eye contact, or speak to him as she refilled his mug.

“Listen,” he said. “I'm sorry about before. I just –”

“It's fine,” she said, her tone telling him it was anything but fine.

She turned to go, but he grabbed her by the wrist. She cried out in pain as he forced her to turn around and look at him.

“I'm trying to apologize,” he hissed. “The least you could do was have a little respect.”

“Please,” she said, struggling to break free of his grasp. “You're hurting me.”

“I said I was –”

The man stopped talking when a hand fell onto his shoulder, gripping him tightly. He turned and looked at the man whose hand was on him. Standing behind him were the two guys from the corner booth – the local boys. The two guys his property was probably banging like drums.

“There a problem here?” the guy with his hand on the man's shoulder asked.

“No problem,” the man replied. “Just trying to make a point.”

“Yeah, you can probably make your point without manhandling her,” he said and then in a tone practically dripping with ice, added, “so take your goddamn hands off of her. Now.”

The man looked at him, fighting back the rage that was bubbling up inside of him. Now, was not the time to let it out. He'd be able to extract his pound of flesh later. On a field of his own choosing. He let go of Aubrey's wrist and she immediately held it close to her chest, rubbing it like it was sore.

“My apologies,” the man said. “It was a simple misunderstanding.”

“Yeah, well,” said the guy behind him, “I think it's time for you to go.”

“I haven't finished my meal yet,” he said.

“And you're not going to,” the guy said. “You can get another meal somewhere else down the road.”

The second man stepped in and took the plate off the counter, walking behind the counter and dropping it in a tub of dirty dishes with a loud clatter.

“Looks like you're done,” he said.

The man smirked and wiped his mouth off with his napkin. He didn't like the idea of being told he had to leave. But at the same time, he didn't want to make any more of a scene than he already had. He didn't want to be memorable. He'd let his temper get the best of him and now, discretion being the better part of valor, he knew he needed to retreat and regroup a little bit. Standing up, he reached into his pocket for his wallet.

“Don't worry about it,” the first guy said. “Your meal's on us. Just go.”

He looked over at Aubrey, who refused to look at him. She simply leaned against the counter, clutching her wrist, tears rolling down her face. The man sighed and turned to the two men who were looming over him. They were both big men. Thick through the shoulders and chest. Typical jock types. He may have been able to take one of them. But two? The man was smarter than that.

He cleared his throat and pulled his hat lower. Without another word, he walked out of the diner and into the chill of the night air. Discretion was the better part of valor. He'd already screwed up once, he wasn't going to make another mistake. Instead, he would get his head back on straight and move forward from there.

He climbed into his truck and looked back at the diner. The two jocks were still standing in the front windows, watching him. The rage within him swelled as he fired up the truck and he imagined himself driving straight through the front of the diner, crushing both of the jocks beneath the wheels. It would have been grisly, but satisfying.

Instead of doing that though, he pulled out of the lot and headed off down the highway a bit. He recalled seeing a sign for a rest stop half a mile down the road and when he found it, he pulled in and shut down.

Taking a few moments to collect himself, the man closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. He concentrated, trying to slow his heart rate and clear his mind. He'd let the two jocks get under his skin. He'd let his control slip. But the girl was his. His property.

And he was going to have her. Nobody was going to stop him. Least of all, a couple of jock frat boys.

Feeling more grounded and centered, the man grabbed his bag out of the sleeping compartment and climbed out of his truck. He surveyed the lot and saw only two other trucks parked at the far end. The night was dark and the lights in the rest stop were dim – the bulbs in the lights were obviously on their way out. There was more shadow than pools of light, making visibility difficult – something that worked in his favor.

The man took it as another sign of divine approval.

Knowing he had about a half mile hike back to the diner, he pulled the dark knit cap over his head, slung his pack on his shoulders, and started the trek back to claim his property.

~ooo000ooo~

The man hunkered down in the bushes along the treeline that separated the forest from the diner's parking lot. From his vantage point, he could see straight through the front windows of the place. The jocks were gone, but the girl was still in there. And it looked like she was getting ready to get off her shift.

Yet another sign of the divine approval he seemed to be enjoying.

The night air was growing colder and his breath came out in plumes of steam. The man slipped on his pair of gloves and flexed his fingers, feeling the rush of excitement that always came before he claimed his prize.

He watched her through the windows as she looked to be finishing up all of her side work. About fifteen minutes after he'd arrived, the girl pulled on her sweater as she walked toward the front door. He smiled and felt the adrenaline surging through him as she walked through the darkened and mostly deserted parking lot.

And as luck would have it, she was heading straight for him. He hadn't known it at the time, but the car in the lot in front of him was hers. His smile stretched across his face. It was fortuitous. It was divine. How else could he explain the run of signs pointing to the inescapable conclusion that the gods approved of this?

His mission, came directly from the gods themselves. He never touched an innocent. Never. All of the women he'd claimed had been bad people. Had done bad things. Drug addicts. Child abusers. Whores. They all had some secret they were hiding – something the gods didn't approve of. Something dark, something terrible. And he was their salvation.

Obviously, this girl, as wholesome and sweet as she appeared to be, had some dark skeletons in her closet. Otherwise, the gods wouldn't have led him to her.

Step by step, she drew closer to him and his excitement grew. When she stopped at her car and started to unlock it, her back was to him and the man stepped out of the bushes. He was on her before she realized what was happening. His hand clamped over her mouth tightly, his other arm around her waist, he dragged her back into the bushes with him where he had his kit set up and waiting.

With a well practiced skill, the man got a plastic zip-tie around her wrists and cinched it up good and tight. He pushed her to the ground and straddled her. She struggled and fought, but he was too heavy for the petite girl to move – and he had the duct tape over her mouth in a heartbeat.

The girl’s eyes were comically wide, tears streaming down her face. The man just smiled down at her.

“I told you that you should have had a little more respect,” he said.

The man hauled the girl to her feet by her hair. Slipping a long knife out of the sheath on his belt, he showed it to her and then pressed the flat of the blade against her throat. The girl stopped struggling immediately and stood there sniffling, too terrified to move a muscle.

“You shouldn't fight this,” he said. “The gods brought me to you for salvation. I don't know what you did in your past, but you can call me your karmic retribution. Now, we're going to walk back to my truck. If you try to scream or try to run off – well – you won't like what happens to you. Or what happens to your pretty little face.”

The girl stared at him in absolute terror and he smiled. He ran a hand long her smooth thigh, slipping it up underneath her skirt and patted her butt, giving it a rough squeeze.

“Firm. Nice,” he said. “I like it.”

The girl's body shook with sobs and the man delivered a vicious backhand that knocked her off her feet. She landed on her backside with a grunt.

“Stop crying,” he hissed. “I don't like it when girls cry. Makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. But I'm not. I'm saving you.”

She looked at him, her eyes still flooded with tears. He held the knife up again, pointing the blade straight at her.

“I said, stop crying,” his voice was smooth, low. “Or as that old saying goes, I'm going to give you something to cry about.”

The girl's body shook, but she was choking back her sobs. Or at least, she was trying to. When he felt that she'd gotten herself sufficiently under control, he got her back to her feet again.

“Now, you and me are gonna take a little walk through the woods,” he said. “I'm taking you back to my truck and we're gonna go for a little ride. If you're good and accept my salvation, I'll let you go home. But, if you're bad – well, let's just not think about that. You look like a good girl. You're gonna be good, right?”

The girl nodded her head eagerly and the man smiled at her.

“Promise?” he asked. “Cross your heart, hope to die, and all that?”

The girl nodded again and muttered something beneath the tape over her mouth.

“Excellent,” he said and pointed the way he wanted her to walk with her knife. “Now, go. Walk.”

The girl hesitated and looked back toward the diner as if hoping that somebody would come rushing in to save her. The man gave her a disapproving frown.

“Nobody's coming for you,” he said. “And you promised that you were gonna be good. Don't forget your promise, now.”

She turned and walked into the darkness of the forest with the man right behind her. The clouds had cleared slightly, casting the world in a silvery light. But deep in the forest, with a thick canopy overhead, only spears of that ghostly light filtered through.

Still, it was enough for the man to get a decent view of the girl's backside and he really liked what he saw. He admired the way it swished back and forth beneath her skirt. Liked the way those shapely legs of hers moved. The girl was gorgeous and the man felt himself growing aroused as he watched her walking.

That fire of need burned brightly in him as he watched the girl and he knew that he had to have her – and he didn't think it would wait until he got back to his truck.

“Stop,” he said.

The girl stopped but didn't turn around. She stared straight ahead into the darkness, obviously not even wanting to meet his eyes. The man grabbed her and roughly spun her around to face him. He planted a soft line of kisses up her neck and he felt her body tensing beneath his touch.

“Do you want the salvation I'm offering?” he asked softly. “Do you want to be saved?”

The girl didn't move, didn't give him an answer, one way or the other, to his questions. She simply stood there, rooted to her spot, her body tense, frozen in fear. And to him, that was very arousing.

He pushed her back toward a fallen tree. Kept her walking back until she bumped into it. Fresh tears sprung from her eyes, so the man turned her around, not wanting to see it. He bent her over the fallen log and ran his hands down her back, sliding them up her skirt, fondling and squeezing her from behind. With a savage growl, the man tore her panties right off of her and rubbed them all over his face, moaning low as he did.

The girl's body was spasming and the man knew she was crying. But he didn't care. He started to unbuckle his belt when he heard a twig snapping some where out in the darkness of the woods. He stopped and held his breath, waiting and watching. But he saw nothing out there.

“Probably an animal,” he muttered.

The sound of a choked sob escaped the girl he had bent over the fallen tree. He stepped forward and continued with his pants when the sound of another twig snapping caught his attention. But his blood really ran cold when the sound of whistling drifted out of the darkness.

“Who's there?” he called. “Show yourself.”

He waited. Nothing.

The man drew the knife from his sheath again and turned in a slow circle, looking for the source of the sound. It could have been an animal, he reasoned with himself. But deep down, he knew that what he had heard – and was hearing – was the work of man.

The man turned and turned, growing frustrated as the whistling continued. “Come out and face me, coward,” he called.

The girl started to stand, but he quickly and roughly forced her back down over the log again. Looking at her for a moment, he stepped closer to her and put the tip of his blade down on the back of her neck. He had no idea if whoever was out there was trying to save her or not, but he didn't have many options, so he rolled the dice.

“Come out or she dies.”

The whistling stopped abruptly and the silence that followed lent a far more sinister and ominous feeling to the atmosphere in the forest. The man opened his mouth to call out the person walking around in the darkness, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was an agonized scream.

A hand had clamped down around his wrist from behind and turned it roughly. The man screamed as his attacker bent his wrist back at an unnatural angle – and kept bending it until the man felt and heard the bones in his wrist snapping at it shattered.

He dropped the knife and clutched his wounded hand to his chest. Spinning around, the man found himself face-to-face with one of the two guys from earlier in the diner. There was a vicious, predatory grin on his face.

“Hi,” the guy said. “Remember us?”

Emerging from a dark pool of shadow was the second guy from the diner and the man had to look twice. Somehow, the guy's eyes seemed to be glowing in the darkness. The man shook his head and the other guy's eyes were normal again. He attributed the fact that he was seeing things to the agony he was currently in.

“Y – you broke my damn wrist,” the man howled.

“You're lucky that's all I did,” he said. “Considering what you were about to do there.”

The second guy helped the waitress to her feet and put a comforting arm around her shoulder. He walked her a small way off, speaking in quiet tones. The man watched as the girl scampered away into the darkness, the sound of her sobs seeming to fill the woods all around him.

“I wasn't doin' anything,” he said.

The second man scoffed and the first man just shook his head before he spoke. “You know,” he said. “We love this town. We love it very much, in fact. This is our home. Where good, decent people raise families –”

“Look,” the man said. “I was just passing through town. That waitress and I – what we were doing was just having a little fun, y'know? Totally consensual fun.”

“Not what it looked like to me,” the second guy said.

“Me either,” said the first guy.

“Yeah, well, that's what it was.”

The first man sighed and shook his head again. Then, both guys began circling the man. His heart raced, his wrist throbbed, and sweat dotted his brow. He wasn't used to feeling nervous – he was always the one in control. But he realized that in this situation, he was very much, not in control. And he knew, by the look in their eyes, that things were about to get really bad for him.

“Look guys,” he said, licking his lips nervously, “we can work this out. This is all a misunderstanding.”

“Like I was saying,” the guy said, “this is our home. And we don't appreciate trash like you coming in and making a mess of things. We work hard to make sure our peaceful little town stays that way.”

“I'll leave,” the man said quickly. “I'll leave and never come back. You'll never see –”

“Oh, I think we've passed that point,” the second guy said.

“A long time ago.”

“It doesn't have to go this way,” the man stammered. “Let's just part ways –”

The two men stopped circling suddenly – one in front and one behind him. They were silent for a long, tense moment and the knot in the man's stomach constricted painfully. His body was tense and his eyes surveyed the forest around him, looking for an escape route.

The first guy clapped his hands, the crack echoing around the woods. “Tell you what,” he said, a broad smile on his face. “Just to prove to you that we're not bad guys and can actually be pretty reasonable, we're going to give you a chance.”

“A – a chance?”

The guy nodded. “Yup. A chance,” he said. “In life, a chance is all we can really expect, right? It's what we do with that chance that matters.”

The man shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

They two guys shared a look. The man watched as slow smiles spread across their faces and thought it was like they were communicating telepathically or something.

“Here's what we're going to do,” the first guy said. “We're going to give you a head start. If you can make it back to your truck, it's all good, bro. If we catch you though – that's when things are going to get fun.”

“At least, for us,” said the second guy.

“Wha – I don't know what –”

The guy looked pointedly at his watch. “If I were you, I'd start running, bro.”

“But, wait –”

“Tick tock,” the second guy said and laughed. “You're burning up that head start we're giving you.”

“Seriously,” the first guy said, his tone turning icy cold. “Run. Run now.”

The man stared at him for a long moment and watched as the guys eyes seemed to light up – from the inside. It wasn't the moonlight reflecting off of them. It wasn't some other trick of light and shadow – the guy's eyes glowed.

With a jolt of adrenaline coursing through him, the man turned and ran into the darkness of the forest. Clutching his busted wrist to his chest, the man ran as fast as he could, doing his best to avoid getting tangled in the brush or tripping over anything. It wasn't easy, but he wanted to live, so he gritted his teeth and ran.

The sound of laughter echoed around the forest. He hated to admit it – even if only to himself – but, hearing the disembodied laughter of the two guys chasing him, trying to kill him, was terrifying. His heart was beating a staccato rhythm in his chest and the current of fear washing through him was so thick that he wet his pants as he ran.

But he didn't care. He just wanted to get back to his truck and get the hell away from that town. He wanted nothing more than to put it in his rear-view and never darken the doorstep of Black Salmon Falls ever again.

The man came to a screeching halt on the path. Standing in front of him, about fifty yards off was one of the guys. He could only see his silhouette, but the man knew it was one of them. But how had he gotten so far ahead of him?

The sound of footsteps in the brush behind him sent a wave of fear through the man. He was cut off from the most direct route to his truck, so he turned and plunged deeper into the forest. He hoped that he'd be able to lose them among the trees and then circle back around to the rest area where he'd parked.

His breathing was labored and his legs burned. He wasn't in very good shape to begin with and wasn't used to that kind of exertion. But given the fact that it truly was a matter of life or death, the man had no choice but to keep running.

When he entered the clearing, he tripped over a rock hidden in the tall grass and was sent sprawling. Acting on instinct, the man threw his hands out to break his fall – and instantly regretted the decision. The shockwave of pain that radiated through his entire body from his busted wrist was enormous. Unlike any pain he'd ever experienced before. The man screamed, his voice echoing out into the night.

The pain was so intense that tears streaked down the man's face as he got to his feet. And when he raised his head, he couldn't immediately process what he was seeing. Six men in dark robes, their hoods pulled low over their faces, stood in the clearing facing him. A couple of them held torches, casting the field in an odd, flickering light.

The man didn't know who they were, but he didn't think they were there to help him. The sound of footsteps behind him made him turn and when he saw the two guys who'd been chasing him, his heart dropped into his stomach. His legs turned to jelly and he fell to his knees.

“Looks like we caught you,” one of the guys behind him said.

“Yeah, what a shame,” said the other.

A long moment of silence spun out and the man knew he was in trouble. Knew he was going to die. He didn't know how it had all gone so wrong, so quickly. Not that it mattered anymore. It had gone wrong and he knew that he was going to pay the price.

“Well, it looks like it's time to take out the trash, huh?” said the guy behind him with an enthusiastic clap of his hands. “DJ, would you do the honors?”

One of the men in front of him stepped forward. He dropped his robe to the ground, revealing his naked body. DJ was enormous. Easily six foot three and a very solid, muscular, two hundred and sixty pounds. It was obvious the man worked out and took good care of himself.

As DJ advanced on him, the man wondered if he was going to be beaten to death. It sounded painful and he hoped it wouldn't last too long. But as he watched the man coming, he saw something that he could not comprehend – the man started to change.

His skin bulged and rippled, bursting open in places as DJ dropped to his hands and knees. He let out a noise that sounded like a deep, booming growl as his body continued to transform into – something else. Something not human.

The man's eyes widened and the knot in his stomach was twisting so hard, he thought he might be sick. He did not know what he was seeing. Couldn't understand it. And yet, in a matter of moments, the large, muscular, naked man was gone. And in his place was one of the biggest bears the man had ever seen.

The roar of the bear was so loud that it felt like the ground beneath him was shaking. It stood up on its hind legs, its eyes boring into him. And as it stared him down, for the second time, the man wet himself. He cried and shook his head, trying to deny what he was seeing. Deny what was happening.

But with the bear standing mere feet from him, its breath blowing in his face, the man knew that denial was impossible at that point.

The man stared into the eyes of the bear as the creature opened its mouth and roared. All he could see was the creature's gaping maw, filled with teeth he knew would slice through his soft flesh.

It's mouth still wide open, the bear closed the distance between them and the man knew no more.

Chapter One

Rose

It had been years since I'd been to my aunt's home. Not for any particular reason, and it wasn't that I didn't want to, it was just that as I'd grown and took on adult responsibilities, it became harder to find the time to make the trip. I loved my aunt and missed her – and now regretted not having made the time to see her.

I had a boatload of fond memories of visiting her as a child. I'd just never gotten around to building on those memories as an adult. Which was a shame. Actually, it was something I was ashamed of, if I were being honest. The drive from Seattle to Black Salmon Falls was a long one, but it gave me plenty of time to reflect on my life as well as everything I was leaving behind.

As I pulled into her driveway, I couldn't help but smile. It was so different out there in a small town like that – so different than the big city I'd grown accustomed to. Black Salmon Falls was quaint. Charming. It was everything the city wasn't. The trees, the fresh air, the clear sky – all of it would be good for my soul. My wounds were many and they were deep. And my hope was that being in a place that had nothing but positive memories and associations for me, would allow me to heal.

As soon as I pulled up, I saw my aunt sitting on her front porch, lemonade in hand. It could have been fifteen years ago, it was such a familiar scene. When she saw me, she stood up and walked, slowly, over to my car.

“Don't get up on account of me,” I said, rushing over to her.

She looked fragile and I could see that she wasn't walking very well. I cringed as I watched her, afraid she might fall trying to get over to me.

“It's been years since I've seen you, Rose, don't you tell me to stay put,” she said, her face lighting up. “Now, get over here.”

She looked older – much older – than the last time I'd seen her. What hurt my heart though was knowing that the reason she looked so much older had very little to do with her actual age. It was mostly, the cancer eating away at her body.

“Sassy as always,” I joked. “I guess not much has changed.”

“I've gotten older and weaker, but my mind is still intact,” she said and then winked at me. “For the most part, anyway.”

She pulled me in for a hug, and in that moment, everything was peaceful. Everything was right in the world again. Paula was like a mother to me. Had been ever since my own mom had died when I was a little girl. And hugging her was like hugging a parent, it made me feel like everything would be okay again. Even though I knew that to be a lie. But it was a lie I was willing to believe in that moment.

“Glad to hear it, Paula,” I said. “I'm so glad to be back here.”

“You must be tired from the trip,” she said, ushering me toward the house. “Let's get you settled in so you can rest up for a while before dinner. They say that naps do wonders for the soul.”

I had to admit, a nap sounded absolutely delightful.

We walked into Paula's rustic cabin and the smell of pine took me straight back to my childhood. I closed my eyes and inhaled the sweet scent, remembering some of the best days of my life had been spent there in that very cabin. I'd never been unhappy there and when I was with Paula, I remember being happy. I remember feeling a lot more – alive. Things were far simpler. And she had a way of making things just make sense. Helped me to see things from a different perspective – one that usually gave me a ton of clarity. Clarity I often needed. She didn't ever coddle me. Paula always gave it to me straight. But she just knew how to do that with that spoonful of sugar that made everything go down much easier.

Why, oh why, had it taken me so long to get myself back there?

“Your room is the same one you used to stay in,” she said. “Decorated just the way you liked it. Though, we might need to update it a bit now that you're a grown, adult woman and all.”

I smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. In other words, the room was decorated just how I left it – with my Jonas Brothers posters still on the wall, stuck there with scotch tape, and my favorite blanket – a thick rainbow-colored comforter with a big unicorn on it – tossed over the twin sized bed.

“I figure we'll get you a bigger bed and more updated furnishings. Make the room a little more suitable for you,” she said. “I would have taken care of it myself, I just didn't know what you wanted.”

“It's okay, Paula,” I said. “I don't know what I want these days either. Don't you worry about it, I'll just go and find some things that appeal to me.”

She gave me a small smile. Paula was doing me an incredible favor by letting me stay with her to begin with. The last thing I wanted was to put her out any more than I already was. Plus, I knew she had no way to go shopping for things to update the room. Not in her condition.

“It's perfect,” I said with a smile. “Takes me back in time, actually. Reminds me of a simpler, happier time.”

I walked over and picked up the piggy bank on my dresser and smiled. I shook it and found that it still had a few pennies rattling around inside of it. Left there by a child who'd planned to come back to claim her prize – someday.

“God – how long has it been?” I asked.

“Too long,” she said with a sigh. “Come on, let's catch up. You can unpack the car later.”

I didn't argue with her. I was tired and part of me wanted that nap, but the bigger part of me wanted to spend some time with Paula more than anything. I'd have plenty of time to sleep – I only had so much time to catch up with my aunt.

I followed Paula out of the bedroom and into her kitchen, the rich aroma of fresh brewed coffee saturating the air – yet another familiar and fond memory. No matter what time of day or night, my aunt was always drinking coffee. She'd been the first person to let me drink the stuff. Which was why I held her partially responsible for my coffee addiction to that very day.

She poured two cups and put one in front of me, preparing it just the way I liked it, too. A little cream, a little sugar, but mostly black. The same way Paula drank hers. I didn't even think about it until that moment, but as I stared down at my cup, looking into the dark brew, I realized how many of my habits and preferences had been shaped by the woman sitting across from me. Though, it made sense, given the fact that I'd lost my own mother so young and had kind of clung to Paula like a life preserver in the stormy sea of my life.

“I hear you had a rough time back in the city,” she said, taking a sip from her cup. “I'm sorry to hear about your ex.”

“Yeah, me too,” I said. “Never saw that coming.”

“You never do,” she said. “Why do you think I've been single ever since your uncle passed?”

“Well, Raymond was a good man,” I said, speaking of my uncle. “A very good man. Men like that are hard to find these days.”

“You can say that again,” she said with a sigh. “Speaking of which. I know you're single now, but don't get any ideas about the local men here. Or at least, be very careful around them. Especially, the big, tall, good-looking ones? All bad. Not a single good one in the lot. Trust me on that.”

I laughed. “Trust me, after Jason, I'm not interested in dating again,” I said. “Not for a long while at least.”

“Good,” Paula said. “Because as tempting as it might be, these local men are nothing but trouble.”

“Aren't they all?” I said with a laugh.

“I'd like to think not all men are terrible,” Paula said. “I had a good one, once. Maybe you can find one too. They're definitely out there, sweetheart. You just have to open your heart and be patient.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I said with a shrug. “But I'm really pessimistic about it all. I don't know if I'll ever be able to trust another man again. What Jason did to me was bad. Really, really bad, Paula. He ruined my whole life, pretty much. He destroyed my career, everything. All gone. All because I wanted to leave him.”

Paula reached across and took my hand in her tiny, frail ones, giving me a soft smile and a gentle squeeze.

“I heard about all that, and I never believed it for a second, Rose,” she said with absolute conviction in her voice. “You're a good woman and you were a damn good teacher. I don't care what Jason said, you would never do – what he suggested you did. Never in a million years. And anybody who knows the first thing about you knows that.”

“Thank you, Paula,” I said with a heavy sigh, the bad memories surfacing in my mind. “I finally cleared my name, but there was no way I could go back to the district ever again. My name was dragged through the mud, parents hated me. I'm not sure I can ever teach again. Even though I was proven innocent, that kind of thing stays with you. No matter what. There are some people who will never believe me. Never believe that I'm actually innocent.”

She patted my hand before getting up to refill her cup, wheezing a little bit as she stood up.

“It'll all work out, Rose,” she said. “And in the meantime, I appreciate you staying here with me. God knows, I hate to ask for help, but I need it.”

“No, thank you for having me, aunt Paula,” I said. “I really appreciate it.”

I knew she hated asking for help – and knew she did need it -- and I was more than happy to help her. She was the one person in my entire family who'd never abused my kindness, or who'd never taken me for granted. And for that, I was thankful. More than thankful, really.

So, to see her in such poor shape, to see her declining, and to know she was dying, tore me up inside. I might not be able to go back in time and make up for all the years with her I'd missed, but at the very least, I could be with her now.

And while I was there, I could give myself a fresh start. Considering everything I'd been through in the last few months, I needed that. I needed that more than I'd ever needed anything in my entire life.

Chapter Two

Asher

The sheriff pushed a photo of man across the table, a look of expectation on his face.

“Look familiar to you?” he asked.

I didn't even look at the photo. Didn't need to. I already knew who he was.

“Should he look familiar to me?” I asked.

Sheriff Dean Richards stared back at me, and I could see the hate in his eyes. But I knew my eyes looked exactly the same staring back at him. We never did get along very well, not even back in school. And now that he was in a position of power, well, he thought he could lord that over me. Thought he could intimidate me. Right. Like a shiny tin badge and a gun could intimidate me. Dean was a moron. Always had been, always would be. And for some reason, he'd always had a hard on for me.

“His name is Leonard Peters,” Dean said. “He's a long-haul trucker from Eureka, California and was last seen in Black Salmon Falls. His truck was found in town, but he's nowhere to be found.”

“Interesting story, but I'm a little confused here,” I said, arms folded over my chest. “What does this have to do with me?”

Sheriff Richards scowled at me from across the table. Even though we were the same age, you wouldn't have guessed it. The stress of the job had apparently done a number on him. Premature balding, a beer belly and two ex-wives who hated his very existence. Given all that, it was probably no wonder he hated me so much – I was living the life he thought he should have had. The very thought of it made me chuckle.

“What's so funny, Asher?” he asked me.

“Nothing,” I said, leaning forward across the table. “I was just thinking about how you were a miserable twat in high school and that not much has changed. About the only difference is that you have less hair.”

Dean slammed his fist down on the table with a growl, doing his best to intimidate me – but it wouldn't work. It only made me laugh at him.

“Listen, I know what you are,” he growled. “And I know what you do. I know what all of you do. I'm the law in this town, not you. Me.”

“I have no idea what you're talking about, sheriff. Was this guy a criminal or something? Did he do something wrong? Or is he just a missing person? And if so, what do you want from me? As you said, you're the law in this town.”

“He's a rapist, actually,” Dean said. “With multiple alleged victims, up and down the coast. By all accounts, he was a bad, evil man. But that doesn't give you and your guys the right to kill him.”

I let out a low whistle. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up there a minute, Dean. Who said anything about killing anybody?” I asked. “Are you actually accusing me and my family of being murderers? Personally, I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time or money on finding a serial rapist, but that's just me.”

“You're not the law here, Asher. I am.”

“Obviously,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I'm well aware of that. So, now that we have that all cleared up, are you done with your little power trip? Can I go now? Because, correct me if I'm wrong – and given that I'm not the law, I could be mistaken – but I don't believe you have anything to hold me on.”

“No, not right now I don't. But trust me, Asher – the Feds would be really interested in hearing all about the curiously high number of people who go missing in Black Salmon Falls. It's really strange how many people go missing for such a small town, isn't it? But I know the Feds would be interested. Although, personally speaking, I'd hate to get them involved.”

“Oh yeah? The Feds, huh?” I asked, the tone of my voice one of amusement. “And I'm sure the Feds would really give a damn about a bunch of missing drifters, rapists and child molesters.”

I chuckled, rolled my eyes, and shook my head. As far as threats went, that one was pretty weak. He had absolutely zero evidence that tied me and my guys to any disappearances, let alone murders.

“We are going to nail you and your guys, Asher. It's only a matter of time,” he said in a tone that was supposed to sound confident of his statement – which actually sounded like anything but confidence.

With one last menacing glare at me, Dean took the picture of the man back and placed it in the file folder. A moment later, he stood up to walk out. But I stopped him before he hit the door.

“I wouldn't count on it, Sheriff,” I said nonchalantly. “And you better be careful out there. As you know, the woods are pretty thick outside of town and apparently, people go missing all the damn time around here. It's dangerous.”

Richards stopped, turned to me and sneered. “Are you threatening an officer of the law, Asher?”

I shrugged. “Not at all, Sheriff. No reason to threaten you. No need for this to get all hostile,” I said. “I was just saying. Making an observation, that's all. But if I were you, I'd be careful about which side you're on – defending the rapists and pedophiles won't make you particularly popular around these parts.”

~ooo000ooo~

“Asher!” a voice called out to me as I exited the police station.

I knew that voice well and I cringed inwardly – even though I suppose I should have been happy to hear the voice of my betrothed.

“Asher!” she called. “What was that all about? Are you okay?”

I turned to face her, and she didn't look happy to see me. At least not there, at the police station. She grabbed my arm, digging her perfectly manicured nails into my skin to stop me from walking away from her.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, running a hand through my hair.

“I heard you were called into the Sheriff's office,” she said. “And given that I'm your future wife, I thought I should find out what's going on. Does this have anything to do with that man that went missing the other day? I heard some people mentioning it, but I wasn't sure what it was all about. Was it about that guy?”

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?” She shot me a look of death.

“Yeah, fine, they wanted to know if I knew anything,” I said.

“And do you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I shrugged.

“Answer me, Asher.”

“No, I don't. Why would I?” I snapped. “Listen, I just spent the last few hours getting harassed by our wonderfully uptight, angry sheriff – I don't need to hear it from you too.”

Mariana looked hurt, but I knew it was just an act. She wasn't nearly as sensitive as all that and me snapping at her a little wasn’t likely to hurt her feelings. No one in her position would survive if she was a weak, emotional little thing. Which she was little – petite and thin with long brown hair and bigger than average hazel eyes – but I knew better than to let her looks deceive me.

I knew what she was deep down. I knew her better than anyone, besides her own parents perhaps. What she was, was a master at playing a role. At manipulation. About using people's underestimation of her as a weapon she could then turn around and kill them with. Mariana was a lot of things, but weak, emotional, and easily hurt were not among them.

She grabbed hold of my arm again and tried to get me to stop, but I yanked free from her grasp.

“Asher, please – can we go somewhere and talk?”

I sighed and looked off into the distance. All she wanted was a conversation. I owed her at least that much – I knew I did. Not by my choice, but she was to be my wife. I needed to talk to her, to let her into my world. My thoughts. I may not have picked her, but I was going to have to learn to accept her for who she was. But that was hard, considering who she was.

“If you're in trouble with the law, it's going to have an impact not just on your clan, but mine as well,” she said. “Since we're supposed to be married and our clans tied together, what you do impacts me, just as what I do impacts you. And I need to know how to proceed.”

Again, she was right. Didn't mean I trusted her or her clan, but she was right. Our clans had been bitter rivals for as long as I could remember. But technically, we were supposed to be united together with our marriage. And given that fact, deep down, I knew that I should trust her. I should probably also learn to love her – but that was something that would either come in time or it wouldn't. I couldn't control the way I felt about her, even if we were married.

“Fine, let's talk,” I said.

She took my hand in hers and led the way. I wasn't sure where she was taking me, but we ended up at her car – a candy apple red BMW bought for her by her daddy, of course.

“Climb inside,” she said, looking up at me with her big, doe eyes. “We can talk in here.”

Mariana often used her looks to get what she wanted out of life. Being beautiful and part of one of the most powerful clans in the world came with a lot of privileges. And she used that to her advantage every chance she got.

I climbed into the passenger seat, half expecting her to sit in the driver's seat.

Wrong.

She climbed into the passenger seat along with me, straddling me in the car.

“I thought we were going to talk?” I said.

“We are,” she said, grinding her tiny little body against me. “But I thought maybe we'd screw first, talk later. You just got out of prison and all and I figured you could use a woman's touch.”

“Dirty little mouth on you,” I growled.

She knew I loved it when she talked that way and was a little aggressive. It was to my detriment, but she knew exactly how to drive me crazy.

She kissed my neck, sliding her tongue from my collarbone, up to my ear. At the same time, she was moving her hips up and down on top of me, rubbing against the erection growing in my jeans – I was, after all, a warm-blooded male and truth be told, she was sexy as hell. But honestly, I knew it was all an act. I wasn't even sure if Mariana truly enjoyed the sex with me or if this was just another way to try and control me. Either way, it usually didn't matter. I was usually up for anything.

Except this time, I really wasn't in the mood. Yeah, it surprised me too.

“Can we maybe postpone the screwing?” I asked. “At least until we're not sitting in front of the police station?”

She pouted again. “But Asher,” she said, playing with the buttons on my shirt. “I want you. Don't you want me?”

It was all a game to her. Everything was. And everything she did was aimed at getting something she wanted. Nothing ever came free or easy with Mariana, and everything came with strings attached. I could see through her charms – had seen through them long ago, actually – and I'd had enough.

“I don't want to get arrested,” I said. “And right now, the Sheriff is looking for any reason to throw me in the can, so I'd rather not –”

She reached for my belt anyway, a lascivious grin on her face.

“Mariana, are you even listening to me?”

“I'm listening to what your mouth is saying,” she said and ground herself down on me again, a low moan coming from her throat. “But your body is telling me another story entirely.”

She winked at me. She thought this was cute. Normally, I'd probably think it was sexy too and give it a go. But I was tired of being manipulated, tired of her giving me sex as a way to get what she wanted. I wanted to be with a woman who wanted to be with me – not just because of the power that would come with it, but because they wanted me. Wanted to be with me for the right reasons.

Half the time, Mariana would initiate, get me turned on and then lie there like a dead fish. Like she was just counting the minutes until I got my rocks off and she could be done with it. I'd do all the work, make her orgasm over and over again and she'd take it as a win – and then ask me for a favor afterward.

I was done. Especially because this time, I knew her favor would include getting information out of me. Information I wasn't ready to give her just yet. Information I didn't think she should ever have, to be honest.

“Mariana, stop,” I said, my tone firm. “Just stop, okay?”

The look on her face wasn't a happy one. Actually, she looked downright pissed. But she climbed off me and sat down behind the wheel instead – pouting the entire time.

“We're going to be married, Asher,” she said. “And I love you. I've always loved you. Why do you keep doing this to me?”

I sighed. There we go again. The guilt trips. When she didn't get what she wanted, it somehow became my fault. She was a pro at being able to turn things around on me and it was really wearing my patience thin.

“I'm marrying you, Mariana, because it's the right thing to do. For both of our clans,” I said. “But it doesn't mean I have to allow myself to be used and abused in the process. If you want intel, find someone else to get it from. Because if we're going to be married, we're going to have to work together, not against each other. And that means, stopping with the games and manipulation.”

“I don't know what –”

“Yes, you do,” I said. “Don't even give me that crap.”

She sulked for a moment, staring out the window in front of us with her arms across her chest. If this were a cartoon, I'd be able to see smoke coming out of her ears and fire from her nostrils. In fact, I could almost see it as it was.

“I just want you to love me, that's all, Asher,” she said. “That's all I ever wanted.”

“Well, you're not going about this the right way then,” I said. “Not at all.”

“What am I supposed to do? You won't let me in. You always keep me at an arm's length from you. So, tell me, how am I supposed to go about things when it's obvious that you don't trust me? Hell, for all I know, you don't even really care about me.”

This time when she looked at me, there were tears in her eyes. Real tears. Damn. Maybe I was being an ass. Maybe I was coming down on her a little too hard.

“Come here,” I said, motioning for her to lean her head on my shoulder. “I'm sorry, okay? It's just hard. We're from rival clans and I've been trained my entire life not to trust your people. And now, I'm expected to throw out all those years of programming and marry you. It's not your fault, Mariana. It's just life. It's one of those things that's going to take a little time.”

“You're never going to love me, are you?” she asked.

Honestly, I couldn't answer that question in that moment. I couldn't see into the future and had no idea what my life was going to be like a year from now. But, I knew that's not what she wanted to hear at that moment.

“We will grow to love one another, I'm sure,” I said. “. My parents' marriage was arranged and they're very happy together.”

“They weren't from different clans though,” she noted.

She had a point. “We'll work it out,” I said, not knowing whether it was actually true or not.

She looked up at me, the tears were gone. They never did fall and I wondered if it had been another carefully crafted, perfectly executed manipulation.

“We need to talk to one another, Asher. We need to trust each other. We're in this together, you know” she said. “Do you know anything about the man the Sheriff was asking you about? I need to know; my clan's reputation is at stake as well –”

“Your clan? I thought we were in this together,” I looked at her, feeling a rage, dark and abiding bubbling up within me. “Could we possibly go five minutes without you interrogating me or working some angle? Christ, Mariana.”

Had those tears in her eyes earlier even been real? Or was it just another tactic to get me to talk. If she wasn't so pushy and manipulative about it, I might open up to her a little more easily. I might even trust her. But the more time I spent with Mariana, the more I realized she was a narcissist. And was completely untrustworthy. She was a woman who looked out for number one, above all else.

I opened the car door and hopped out. Mariana wasn't far behind.

“Asher, wait.”

“No, Mariana,” I said, shaking my head. “I'm done here. We can talk later. But right now, I really need to get home to my family.”

“I am your family,” she said softly.

“Not yet you aren't.” I said. “And until that day – until our clans are officially united – I'm not saying a damn word about clan business. That's been the agreement all along and you know it.”

Part of me felt bad for talking to her the way I had, but I also knew her well enough to know better than to let myself feel too bad. She wasn't hurt. She was pissed off for not getting her way. That's all the scowl on her face was. Mariana cursed and climbed back into her red BMW, speeding past me in a screech of tires. She flipped me the finger as she did so, which I didn't bother to acknowledge.

No need to.

This was my new normal these days, and if our clans had their way, I'd be spending the rest of my life with her. For better or worse, right?

Chapter Three

John

“What could I do, man? I had nothing to hold him on,” Dean said, shaking his head. “I swear, I'm sick and tired of these goddamn bears walking all over the rest of us.”

“Question is, what are you going to do about it?” I asked, drinking the last of my beer. “Because trust me, brother, you're not the only one. Others are tired of it too, but they're scared to talk, let alone act. The bears are powerful. Scary. People don’t know how to deal with the threat they pose.”

“And I'm the sheriff,” he said, shaking his head in defeat. “I'm supposed to be protecting those people. But I can't do my job with these clans running the show here. They run the town. Have since before I was even born. They're just like, a piece of the fabric of the town. People accept them.”

“You know things are only going to get worse once Q'lapa and N'gasso are united,” I said. “They're two powerhouses, intent on controlling the entire Pacific Northwest. And with them working together – ain't no one going to stop them, brother.”

“I know, man. I know,” Dean said, taking a long pull from his beer. “You said you wanted to talk to me about something? A plan? You got some ideas how we can curb the power of the clans?”

“Yeah,” I said, leaning closer and looking around, as if someone might overhear us.

Dean lived alone, we were on his back patio, and there wasn't a neighbor for miles. So, unless some bears were hiding in the woods with electronic listening gear, we were good. But you could never be too careful, which was why I lowered my voice anyway. I didn't get to be where I was by being reckless. Everything I did was carefully planned out.

“We need to ignite some tension between the Q'lapa and N'gasso. Just a little,” I said. “Enough that this damn wedding doesn't happen and we have them at each others’ throats. If we keep the two separate and weaken them both while we're at it, we can break their hold. Maybe wipe them out altogether.”

Dean nodded. “I can get behind that idea – but what do you have in mind?”

“Just leave it to me,” I said. “I'll do the dirty work. Just make sure that you and your guys stay out of my way and let me operate as I see fit. I'll take care of your problem for you. Sound good?”

Dean, for the most part, was a good man. A man with a solid moral compass. One who didn't condone murder or violence, which is why he became a cop in the first place. As I looked at him, I saw the toll the job was taking on him. He just didn't look well and I had to wonder if these bears had gotten under his skin that deeply. Wondered if they'd pushed his buttons and if he'd allowed his rivalry with Asher Blackwood to be the thing that sent him over the edge. I wondered if it was that frustration with having his hands tied, that was going to allow me to work my magic and do my thing. To solve all of his problems once and for all.

“We stay out of your way?” Dean asked, giving me an uncertain look. “What's that supposed to mean?”

“You trust me, right?” I asked. “You know I stand with you on this deal with the bears, and that I only want what's best for Black Salmon Falls?”

“I do,” he said. “But I also can't ignore trouble when I see it. What kind of sheriff would I be if I just looked the other way when crimes were being committed?”

“What kind of sheriff would you be if you continue to let these goddamn bears run this town, huh?” I asked, arching an eyebrow. “Listen, once I'm done here, you will be back in charge, man. You will be the law – the undisputed law – and things will be good here in town. I promise you that.”

After a moment's pause, Dean nodded, albeit slowly. “Alright,” he said. “I'll look the other way. On one condition.”

“What's that?”

“Cover your tracks” he said. “And be careful. No innocent person gets hurt or killed – not on my watch. So, you make sure that you and your boys are being extra cautious with the lives of the people in town.”

Innocent person? Because of how he phrased it, I could agree to that. These creatures weren't innocent, not by any stretch of the imagination. And they were most certainly not people either.

“That works for me, brother,” I said with a smile. I reached out and shook his hand. “That works for me.”

Chapter Four

Rose

“I found a job in town today,” I told my aunt over dinner.

“Oh yeah? Doing what?” She pushed her pasta around on the plate, but I noticed that she barely ate a bite.

“I'll be working at the bookstore in town. Nothing glamorous, just helping customers and whatnot, but it shouldn't be too stressful.”

“Good. I'm glad to hear that, dear,” she said, smiling back at me. “Did you go by the school?”

I cringed inwardly at her question. “Uhh no. Not yet,” I stammered. “I'm thinking about taking some time off from teaching. At least for now.”

Not only was I not ready to go back to teaching thanks to the traumatic experience at my last job, I was also concerned about working too much. My aunt clearly needed me to care for her, and working part-time would give me that flexibility.

Not that I wanted her to know that. It wasn't the only reason, and hell, it might even be an excuse since I was still not over being accused of sleeping with a student. But either way, this was for the best. At least, for the moment.

“Whatever makes you happy, Rose,” she said. “The nice thing about living out here opposed to Seattle is you don't have to work a stressful, soul crushing job just to get by.”

She was right about that. My teacher's salary barely afforded us a place an hour away from the city. Jason's job paid decently well, a little better than mine since he worked in the tech field, but he never moved up within the company before he was fired. Alcoholism will do that to a person.

“When do you start?” she asked.

“Tomorrow morning actually,” I said. “They needed someone right away. Which is good for me.”

“Very good, dear,” my aunt said.

I looked down at the plate in front of her. She'd taken two bites of the spaghetti and that was it. Instead, she merely pushed the food around on her plate as we sat there.

“You need to eat, Paula,” I said, giving her a serious look. “Are you not feeling well?”

She shrugged. “The chemo makes me sick at times,” she said. “It's to be expected. I just need to rest for a little bit.”

I hated that my once healthy, vibrant, and lively aunt was withering away before my eyes. She'd lost so much weight since I was a teen – and it hurt my heart to see her looking so frail. She couldn't have weighed more than ninety pounds as it was – and not eating would only make things worse.

“Is there something else I can make for you?” I asked. “Or maybe we can have some ice cream for dessert?”

Anything to keep the weight on her. I wasn't a nurse, but even I knew she needed to eat to continue to survive.

“Ice cream sounds nice, dear,” she said.

I almost told her to eat a few more bites of her dinner first before we had ice cream, but I stopped myself just in time. I wasn't her mother – even though, having to take care of her made it feel like it sometimes. It hurt me to see her like that. To talk to her like a child.

As we sat there, a memory drifted up from the bottom of my mind. I remembered a time so long ago where she'd had to badger me into eating my spaghetti in order to have ice cream for dessert. And I'd by no means been a malnourished child. Back then, I'd been a little chunky, actually.

“Alright, auntie,” I said, standing up and taking my plate to the sink. I kissed her on the top of the head as I walked by. “Anything you want.”

Some days were certainly better than others. Most of the time she seemed cognizant and like her normal, healthy self. And other times, usually after she got a round of chemo, she seemed a little out of it and sick to her stomach.

A little ice cream never hurt anyone, right? I piled some in a bowl for her, making sure to give her a few extra scoops just to get her calorie intake up.

“Mint chocolate chip,” I said with a smile. “Your favorite.”

“It's yours too,” she said, a twinkle in her eye.

“It's your fault,” I laughed, thinking once again about how so many of my likes and preferences mirrored my aunt's. “My dad always thought it was gross. He wouldn't buy it for me. But you always made sure to have some on hand.”

“Your dad is an idiot,” she said flatly. “Always was. Probably always will be.”

There she was. There was my Aunt Paula with the mischievous glint in her eye.

“You can say that again,” I said.

~ooo000ooo~

“Welcome to One More Chapter,” my boss said as I walked in the door, settling the little bells chiming.

As soon as she turned around and saw it was just me, she smiled and greeted me with a handshake.

“Ahh, sorry, I was facing the bookshelves, didn't see it was you, Rose.”

“That's fine, Mrs. Hawthorne,” I said.

“Please, call me Mary,” she said. “Everyone in town does.”

Mary Hawthorne was an older woman with graying hair and glasses, yet she never seemed to actually age. She looked almost exactly the same as she did when I'd come to her shop as a kid. When I visited my aunt back then, she'd treat me with a visit to the bookstore. I remember that I would look around in wonder, reading anything I could get my hands on. Books were little pieces of magic to me and it was one more influence in my life I had to thank Paula for.

It was so long ago that I'd been surprised she remembered me when I first came in. But as soon as she saw my face when I applied for the job the day before, she rushed over to me and greeted me with her normal, friendly smile, and a warm hug. She was like the town's communal grandmother, she loved everyone. And everyone loved her.

And being able to work with her, in this quaint little bookstore that I loved, was a dream come true for my younger self. I had to admit, though I was older and a little more cynical and jaded, stepping foot through that door and into the bookstore made me feel a bit better. Like maybe everything wasn't all bad and that there was still magic in the world – all you had to do was open yourself up to it.

It was one reason I was looking forward to working at Mary's store – I wanted to recapture that feeling of magic and wonder the world had burned out of me. I wanted to believe in magic and happily ever afters again.

“I'm so glad you were able to start right away,” Mary said, handing me a name tag. “It's been a madhouse since Irma left a month ago. Poor thing, she never did recover from that fall.”

Irma Swanson was also a familiar face around these parts. If it wasn't Mary working the counter at One More Chapter, it was Irma. Had been seemingly forever. Until recently, that was. Paula told me that Irma fell during an ice storm the previous winter and wasn't going to be able to come back to work – hence, the job opening.

“I'm so sorry to hear about her hip,” I said, shaking my head. “She always had a kind word for anyone who walked through that door. She's a lovely, lovely woman.”

“She's going to be missed, that's for sure,” Mary said with a deep sigh. “But we all grow old at some point. It's just a fact of life. Nobody ever escapes Father Time.”

“I'm afraid so,” I said.

“Anyway, not to ruin the good mood, so let's get you trained on the cash register, shall we?” she started, seeming to perk up a bit. “It's simple, a bit old-fashioned really, but pretty easy to figure out. If I can do it, surely a whip smart young woman like yourself can, right?”

“I'm a fast learner, Mary,” I said.

Being there just made me happy. I couldn't explain it, especially since I loved teaching so much. But being inside this familiar bookstore with a friendly face, breathing in the aroma of books that saturated the air, and getting that small, faint, yet undeniable spark of magic inside of me again – it's just what I needed after everything that had gone down in my life.

My first day at the bookstore felt like a new beginning for me – a new chapter. As Mary showed me around and trained me on the store operations, I realized that I could be happy there. I didn't need a man. I didn't need a fancy career or an apartment in the city to be happy. Simply working at a tiny little bookstore in a small coastal town was enough for me. At least for the moment.

~ooo000ooo~

“I'm just going to run and grab some lunch,” Mary said. “Are you okay on your own, Rose? Can I bring something back for you?”

“No, I'm good. But thank you,” I said with a chuckle. “And I'll do my very best to not burn the place down while you're gone.”

I heard the bell on the door jingle as Mary left, teasing me back with a, “Better not!” before she left.

A new shipment of books had come in that morning and needed to be received in and shelved. I held one of the books to my nose and inhaled deeply, feeling a smile crossing my face. I loved the smell of books, and as I opened another box, I couldn't help but close my eyes and take in the scent. Some might find it strange, but I found it to be one of the many perks of working in a bookstore. There was just something about the smell of a book that was indescribably wonderful to me.

The bell over the door jingled again, letting me someone had come inside. I laughed as I turned, expecting to see Mary rushing back in for her keys or something else she'd forgotten. The woman had a million things running through her brain every minute of every day and was sometimes a little scatterbrained because of it.

“Didn't trust me after all, did you –”

I stopped speaking immediately when I saw that it hadn't been Mary who entered the store after all. It was a man. A tall man, built like a football player. He had long, dark hair that fell to his shoulders, tan skin, and eyes that were darker than the sky at midnight. He wasn't the kind of man I would have expected to see wandering the bookstore. A sports bar or strip club maybe, but not a bookstore. And yet, there he was. And he stared back at me, equally as surprised by my presence apparently.

“Hello, I'm sorry, I thought you were Mary,” I said, unable to meet his gaze without blushing. “Welcome to One More Chapter. Let me know if I can help you find anything today.”

“Where's Mary?” he asked, running a hand through his hair. “Or Irma?”

“Mary went out to grab something for lunch,” I said. “And Irma had to take medical leave, unfortunately, and likely won't be back. Not anytime soon, anyway.”

He walked closer to me, staring me down and I watched as his eyes slid down to my name tag. Instead of letting his eyes roam the rest of my body though – something I thought men were unable to stop themselves from doing because of some genetic predisposition – his eyes moved back up to mine, his gaze holding me in place. As he stared into my eyes, I felt my heart stutter slightly and a breath catch in my throat. His gaze was so direct. So intense. So penetrating. I got the idea that, as he stared at me, he was seeing right through me. Was staring into the depths of my soul.

“Rose. You must be new around here,” he said. “I haven't seen you in town before.”

“Uhh, yeah,” I said. “Just moved here actually.”

“Oh? And what brings you to Black Salmon Falls?”

He loomed over me, his presence large and intimidating. He caused me to back up against the bookshelf just to give myself some breathing room. Once upon a time, I might not have minded a tall, dark and handsome man cornering me in an empty bookstore. But things were different now. Everything had changed. And I didn't want to give off the wrong idea, especially to one of those so-called dangerous men, as my aunt liked to call them.

She loved the town and most of the people who lived there, but she'd never had anything nice to say about “those guys.” I got the distinct impression from what she'd said in her many diatribes about them, that her words were mainly rooted in fear. For some reason, she feared some of the men in town. And though I didn't know any of them by name, I had no doubt in my mind that this was one of those guys she spoke of. Something instinctive within me just told me it was.

“My aunt, actually,” I said. “Paula. Paula Simmons.”

“Ah, right, Paula,” he said, taking a step back and giving me a half smile. “She's your aunt? Nice woman. Don't know her very well, but she's always been very pleasant. Sad to hear about your Uncle Raymond though. He was a good man.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling uneasy that he seemed to know so much about me. Small towns. It was eerie that everyone knew so much about everybody else's life. “He was.”

The man reached out his hand, and I shook it, marveling at the way his enormous paw enveloped mine entirely. He gripped my hand tightly, almost too tight, causing me a little bit of discomfort. But I could tell by the look on his face that it wasn't intentional – he apparently, just didn't know his own strength.

“Asher. Asher Blackwood,” he said. “My family owns one of the canneries in town.”

Blackwood. Yes, I knew that name. Heard it a time or two when I was younger and bouncing around town with my aunt. They were a prominent family, a wealthy family. In fact, they were one of the wealthiest and most prominent in town, truth be told. And yes, my aunt still warned me to stay away from them for reasons she'd never fully delve into. I was curious, but didn't want to press. The subject of people like the Blackwoods seemed to unnerve her a bit. And in her condition, I didn't want to add to her stress.

“It's nice to meet you, Asher,” I said.

I couldn't help but stare into his dark chocolate colored eyes. His face was almost too beautiful to be real. It was as if someone had carved it from stone and it was perfectly chiseled – right down to the perfect cheekbones and strong jaw. He was a beautiful man, there was no question about that.

Stop it, Rose. Stop staring, I chided himself. I feared that if I kept staring at him like that and blushing the way I was – the burning in my cheeks told me I was most definitely blushing – he was going to think I was interested in him. And I wasn't. Okay, maybe I was – a little bit. But it was only because he was so beautiful to look at. What normal, warm-blooded woman wouldn't be into him – even if only a little?

But I knew that I shouldn't be interested in him. Not in any way, shape, or form. And not just because of what my aunt said – because I wasn't anywhere near ready to venture down that path again. Not with any man. No matter how gorgeous he was to look at. It took some effort, but I managed to pry my eyes away from him, focusing on the floor beneath my feet instead.

“Uhh well, I better get back to work,” I said, turning back to my box of books. “But let me know if you need help finding anything, okay?”

Asher stepped closer to me – a little too close, honestly. He was most definitely well inside that invisible boundary that marked my comfort zone. But I could smell him and he smelled lovely – like pine trees and musk. No cologne smelled that delicious because it smelled natural, not like some perfumed imitation. No, that was the natural scent of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors.

He reached down into the box of books I was shelving and picked up a copy. “This is what I came in for, actually,” he said. “I'd asked Mary to order it for me.”

I stared at him like he'd suddenly sprouted a second head or something. The book in his hands was Welcome to the Universe, a book on astrophysics. While it looked interesting to me – as someone who was fascinated with the stars and space in general – I found it hard to believe someone like Asher would seriously be interested in reading about astronomy and physics. He looked like the kind of guy who'd read Sports Illustrated or some girly magazine. But a hardcore science book? It just didn't fit the mental picture in my head and it was tripping me out.

“Really?” I asked, hoping I kept the sound of skepticism out of my voice. “You're a Neil DeGrasse Tyson fan?”

“What? I don't look like the type who would be? You really should check your assumptions and not judge a book by its cover, Rose,” he said with a knowing smirk as he flipped through the book. “I saw him speak not that long ago actually. Really fascinating presentation. I'll read anything and everything he writes. I only wish I was half as smart as him.”

I shook my head, surprised but also impressed. And yeah, a little embarrassed for making the assumptions I had based on nothing more than the way he looked. I always thought it was wrong when others did it. And yet, there I was doing the exact same thing I'd called many people out for over the years.

“You a fan too?” he asked.

“I've read that book cover-to-cover more times than I can count,” I said.

“That good, eh?”

“I thought so,” I said. “Then again, my interests are considered kind of strange and out there. Most of my friends would rather read something like Fifty Shades or something like that. And they probably wouldn't be caught dead reading some nonfiction book about the universe.”

“Sorry to break it to you, but your friends are dumb, in that case,” he said, holding the book up. “Because this is good reading right here.”

I couldn't help but smile, but I turned away so he wouldn't see the heat in my face that made me think my cheeks were some shade of red not normally found in nature. I walked quickly over to the counter with Asher following behind. He paid for the book, and I tried not to stare too intently at the gorgeous man in front of me. The man who had a mind for astrophysics like I did and was making me feel guilty as hell for making the sort of assumptions about him – based simply on how he looked – that I had.

“Thanks for stopping by, Asher. It was nice to meet you,” I said, slipping his book into a bag and handing it over to him. “Let me know what you think of the book.”

“Will do,” he said with a wink.

He turned to leave, and yes, I stared at his ass as he walked to the door. Sue me. But he had a tight ass and a body that would make Chris Hemsworth jealous – how could a woman not stare?

He turned around suddenly, very likely catching me ogling him as he walked away. I blushed some more and tried to look like I was really concentrating on something other than his backside. I was doing my best to recover some of my dignity – and was failing pretty hard at it.

“Rose?” he said, making my name sound prettier and more exotic than it actually was. “It's been a pleasure to meet you. I hope you enjoy your stay in Black Salmon Falls, and I hope to run into you again sometime.”

The bell jingled as he left the store and I stood there grinning like a fool, hoping he would stop by again. Not just because I wanted to hear his thoughts on the book, but just because I'd enjoyed our conversation – brief as it was. And yes, because I'd enjoyed the view too, and wouldn't mind another peek.

A few minutes later, Mary came inside, sandwich from the deli a few doors down in hand, and gave me an odd look.

“What's that look on your face for?” she asked me.

“Oh nothing,” I said. “Just happy to be working here.”

Chapter Five

Asher

“Dad, you home?” I called out.

A slight tingle of nervousness rolled through me when I saw the front door had been left open. My father was usually at the cannery this time of day, I often had the place to myself. I walked in, cautiously, my body tensed and prepared to fight if it came to that.

“Yes, I'm here,” my father answered.

I breathed a sigh of relief and put my book down on the coffee table. His voice had come from the kitchen, but as I walked down the hallway, that sense of concern flared up within me once more. It looked like a raging bull had run down the hallway, knocking down everything thing in its path.

“Dad, everything okay?” I asked as I rounded the corner into the kitchen.

I found my dear old dad – Marshall Blackwood – sitting at the kitchen table, a bottle of whisky in front of him. I noted with a twinge of concern that there was no glass – just the bottle. My dad didn't drink much these days, and when he did, there was often a reason for it. He sat there, like an older version of me, with his fists clenched on the top of the table, a murderous gleam in his eye.

“No,” he said. “Everything is not okay.”

I joined him at the table. “What's going on?”

“You didn't hear yet?” he asked. “God almighty, Asher, this is bad. Real bad.”

“I figured that out by the amount of whisky missing from that bottle,” I said.

I reached for the bottle to put it away – he'd had more than enough. My dad stopped me by grabbing my hand. We stared at one another in a tense silence for a moment before I relented and let go of the bottle. He nodded to himself and let go of me, sitting back in his seat again – picking up the bottle and taking a long pull of it as if just to prove a point – he was still the man in charge. The top of the Blackwood food chain.

“What's going on?” I asked. “Trouble at work?”

“Nah, I wish it was something that mundane,” he scoffed, scratching a beard that had more gray than black in it these days. “It's much worse than that, son. Luke was found dead this morning.”

Luke was my cousin. We were close, having grown up together, though he was a bit older than me. I looked up to Luke and he'd taught me a lot of things about our family, culture, and of course, about women. He was more like a brother than a cousin.

And now he was dead. The news hit me like a solid punch to the gut – nearly taking the wind out of me and putting a lump into my throat.

“What happened?” I asked, feeling like someone had stabbed me in the heart.

“He was murdered,” my dad said. “Found dead in the woods not far from the N'gasso compound.”

“Whoa,” I said, leaning back in my chair, absorbing it all. This was huge. “Any idea who did it?”

“Of course,” my father said. “We know. It was the goddamn N'gasso. People are afraid just to trespass on N'gasso land, much less kill somebody else on it. I don't see how it could have been anybody but N'gasso.”

My mind shot back to Mariana, my betrothed. Everything was set for me to marry her and the ceremony was supposed to happen within the year. She had already started planning the wedding, and this marriage formed an alliance between the two clans. Why would the N'gasso risk everything by doing something stupid like that? It didn't add up in my head.

“Why would they do something like that?” I asked, still stunned by the revelation. “It doesn't make sense.”

“It makes plenty of sense,” my father said. “They hate us. They always have. They feel like we impede on their territory with our business and –”

“But I'm marrying Mariana in less than a year,” I said. “We are combining our clans, uniting as one. Why would they risk that? We are going to be the most powerful clan in the nation, if not the world, once Mariana and I wed. Killing one of our people – and letting him be found on their land – it doesn't make sense to me.”

My dad sighed and stared down at his hands. They were bleeding – likely from putting them through a glass window somewhere, which he was apt to do. My father had a wicked temper – one of the less charming qualities that I inherited from him. But I'd been learning to temper my emotions. Control them a little better than he did. If I was to be the clan Chief one day, I wanted to be sure I ruled by reason and logic, rather than emotion and passion.

I didn't blame him for being so upset. I was pissed. Luke was my cousin, my blood, my friend. I just didn't want to start something with the N'gasso without all the facts. I didn't want to start throwing accusations without having the truth of the situation on my side.

“I don't want us going after the wrong people, that's all,” I said. “This could cause a war between the two clans, dad. If we went to war with the N'gasso and they weren't behind this, everything we worked for would be over. Gone. We'd lose more of our men. Resources. We could even conceivably be wiped out as a clan. And for what? Let's make sure they're truly guilty before we go after them. It just doesn't make sense.”

“You're right,” my dad said, rubbing his temples like his head was throbbing – which, given the amount of drinking he'd done, it very well might have been. At first, I wasn't sure if I'd heard him right, but he repeated himself, “You're right, son. Leave it to you and your logic. You're the reason this clan is going to go places, Asher. You think before you act and can always see the entire board, while the rest of us are locked into our own narrow little view of the game. I agree with you thought – it doesn't make sense. I want somebody to pay for this. I'm just so mad –”

“As am I, dad,” I said, reaching for his bloodied hands. “As am I.”

My poor father was showing his age. His mind wasn't as sharp as it once had been. His emotions ran a little more freely and sometimes he jumped to conclusions without thinking them through. His mind was slipping and as much as it pained me to see, being his son, it worried me in regard to the clan. I worried that the decisions he made on behalf of the clan wouldn't be made during his more lucid periods. It could have a seriously detrimental impact on the clan.

“We'll get the people who did this,” I said. “I promise you that. We'll get them.”

“You're going to make a damn fine leader, son,” my dad said, staring at me, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

His praise meant the world to me, but it was also a bittersweet thought. Me being a leader meant that he wouldn't be. And the only way he wouldn't be leading the Q'lapa was –

“Yeah, well, you're not Walking anytime soon, dad,” I said. “So, let's not rush things, okay? Can't lose you and Luke at the same time now. The clan needs you. I need you. So, no, you're not Walking anytime soon. Get that thought right out of your head.”

My dad nodded. As much as I loved the idea of leading the clan and the family business, the idea of my father leaving my life killed me. It was tradition, of course, and one that was supposed to be celebrated rather than mourned. My father had led the clan for a lot of years. Had made us prosperous. Vital. Had done more good things for the clan – and the town of Black Salmon Falls – than I could count. He deserved the rest and the freedom the Walk would give him. But selfishly, I wasn't ready to let go of him just yet.

My father would have the opportunity to live out the rest of his life in the woods, where he belonged. Where he could be happy and wild and free in his bear form until his final days. He would be happy. At peace.

Still, knowing that didn't make him leaving any easier for me though.

Chapter Six

With the death of my cousin and everything else that seemed to be going wrong lately, I needed something to smile about. Something to take my mind off of everything happening. Maybe it was wrong of me, but I stopped back in at the bookstore with a coffee and scone in hand, hoping to find Rose working.

It was early, right after the store had opened, and she was alone, putting some books up onto the shelves. When I walked in, she smiled at me and I felt my pulse race a little. Many would probably think I was crazy for letting myself feel a little bit infatuated with someone else when I had a fiancé like Mariana. But Rose was different. Yes, she had more curves to her than Mariana, a little more roundness to her hips. Her auburn hair fell in natural waves over her shoulders, and she wore very little – if any – makeup. She was a natural beauty. And I hadn't been able to stop thinking about her since that first day I'd met her.

Her blue eyes looked startled when I stepped into the bookstore. But she still smiled brightly showing off the dimples in both her cheeks. She was a beautiful woman. Not in the made-up, almost artificial way Mariana looked sometimes. There was something wholesome about Rose. Something natural. She definitely had that girl-next-door vibe about her and it was something that was incredibly appealing to me.

“Well, welcome back,” she said as she put some books on the shelf nearby. “Finished with the book already? Looking for something else?”

“Actually, I've had a lot going on lately and not nearly as much time to read as I would have liked,” I said, putting the coffee down on the counter. “But I was in the neighborhood and thought I might stop by to say hello and bring you a little something to thank you for your help the other day.”

She looked down at the coffee, her smile fading slightly. I could see the discomfort in her as her body tensed, as if she was afraid of something. Afraid of me? Of course, it wouldn't be the first time, I tended to have that affect on women, especially more timid women like Rose seemed to be. Which was why I'd approached with caution.

“Let me guess, you're more of a tea drinker?”

“No, it's not that,” she said, taking the cup from me. “Thank you. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all. I love coffee actually. That was very thoughtful, so thank you.”

“Smart girl,” I said with a wink and handed her the scone. “The place down the street makes the best pastries. You absolutely have to stop by if you get a chance. Donna is an absolute wizard. And pro tip, they're even better first thing in the morning – fresh out of the oven.”

“I probably shouldn't wait to try it then, huh?”

“Probably not,” I said.

Rose took the pastry and the coffee and motioned for me to follow her to a small table in the corner of the bookstore. We sat down as she took dainty, delicate little bites from the scone. Her eyes widened slightly and she nodded, a smile spreading across her face.

“Wow, that is really good. Thank you,” she said.

“You're very welcome,” I said. “Thank you for helping me find my book the other day.”

“I didn't really help with anything. It was just sitting right there –”

“Don't sell yourself short Rose,” I said. “You helped me, and you made my day on top of that. It's not too often that I can talk astrophysics with someone. Most people have no idea I'm even interested in the subject. Most of them wouldn't be interested or able to actually speak intelligently about it. So, it was nice to find a fellow nerd.”

“Yeah, I understand,” she said. “It happens to me a lot too. Since I'm a woman, they assume I couldn't possibly want to read about science. Or even worse, understand science. Even though I was a science teacher –”

“You were a science teacher?” I asked. “Where at?”

She looked down at her hands on the table. “Uhh – in Seattle,” she said.

“Very cool,” he said. “Why did you leave?”

“I didn't really have a choice,” she said, a bitter, haunted look in her eyes. “But I really don't want to talk about it, if that's okay?”

She still didn't look me in the eye and I could hear the emotion choking her voice. Whatever happened to her had to have been bad.

“I'm sorry,” I said. “I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories. You're here now though. And you seem happy, so that's good. That's a step in the right direction.”

“Yeah,” she said, smiling a little for me as she glanced up and blushed. “I guess I am.”

My phone buzzed – Mariana's ring tone. I reached down and silenced it.

“I can let you go if you –”

“No, it's fine. Probably just a telemarketer.” I said, meeting her gaze and giving her a gentle smile.

Her eyes were so clear and blue, I couldn't help but stare into them. She was so sweet, gentle and modest. After months of being with Mariana, it was nice to be with someone who seemed down-to-earth and so – real.

“So, ask me anything,” I said. “I feel like I've pried into your life enough. At least for now. So, ask me something. I promise to answer.”

Her smile brightened a bit, and I could tell she had questions swimming in her brain. There were so many things she could ask that might get me in trouble if I were honest, so I knew that I had to tread a bit carefully.

I half expected her to ask about my family, our business or about what we were. Most people in town knew we weren't fully human, though they tended to look the other way. No one really talked about it, but it was the elephant in the room during most conversations.

The bottom line was that the clans had basically founded the town a long time ago. The clans were what kept the town prosperous. Kept the town safe. We wanted Black Salmon Falls to be an idyllic place to live and raise a family – for human and bear alike. And we bent over backwards – sometimes even did things I couldn't be proud of – to ensure that our town remained that way.

And because of that, the people of Black Salmon Falls didn't pry too deeply into our lives or our businesses. They accepted us as just another part of the town's charm and mystique. In other words, they didn't poke the bears with spoons. It was a beautifully symbiotic relationship.

But instead of asking me what I'd thought she was going to, she asked me something simple. “Why didn't you go into astrophysics if it interests you so much?”

Her question took me by surprise. Few women seemed to care about that. About what I was interested in or what I wanted out of life. Most of the women who put themselves in my path were pretty much focused on my money and family name. It was just another reason I liked Rose.

“To be honest? I had no choice in the matter. I was always slated to run the family business. I probably would have made the choice to do it anyway, it's a point of pride for my family,” I said. “But science is fascinating. I absolutely love it, but part of me thinks it would lose some of its magic if I studied it for a living, you know?”

“I know exactly what you mean,” she said.

My phone buzzed again, and instead of simply declining the call, I put it on silent. I knew Mariana would be pissed, but I didn't care. For the first time in a long time, I was having a conversation with someone who actually seemed to understand me. Someone who wanted to listen to my thoughts and opinions, who didn't automatically want something from me. Somebody who was interested in me as a person, rather than in what I could do for them.

I sat in the bookstore for several hours, talking to Rose on and off in between customers. I lost track of time, honestly, because for the first time in days, I felt happy again. We laughed, joked around and had some deep conversations about everything from astrophysics, to religion, to current events.

We moved so easily from topic to topic and the conversation never lagged. There was never one point where I found myself looking at my watch, wondering when I could check out. I found that the longer I sat there, the longer I wanted to sit there and talk to her. She was so smart, so witty – talking to her and bantering with her was something I genuinely enjoyed more than I'd enjoyed anything in what felt like forever.

In the back of my mind though, I reminded myself that we could only be friends. Not only was I to wed another, but even if Mariana and I weren't to be married, I could never be with Rose. Sure, maybe as a one-night stand or a fling – that was acceptable. We could have human lovers, but humans and my kind were not allowed to be together. Not officially, at least. We could never marry. We could never be a real couple. And she deserved more than what I could give her. She was not the kind of girl I wanted as my side piece – I already had way too much respect for her.

As I left the bookstore that day, I couldn't stop thinking about her and couldn't seem to get the smile off my face. I couldn't wait to come back in and talk with her some more. But at the same time, I knew I should stay away. Because she looked at me the way I looked at her – with a longing we were both doing our best to shut down within ourselves. And I couldn't hurt her. I couldn't let her down. Still, I was grinning like an idiot as I stepped out into the street, my head filled with thoughts of her eyes, her smile, the sound of her laughter. I was feeling great as I stepped back into the street.

That is, until I ran into Mariana.

Chapter Seven

She was pissed, I could see it on her face. Of course, to be fair, it didn't take much to piss Mariana off, but still. I would have almost thought she had tracking on my phone or was somehow stalking me, but Mariana was holding onto some bags – she'd obviously been in town shopping for the wedding.

“Did you lose your phone or something?” she asked me, arms crossed in front of her as she glared at me. “You better hope you lost your phone, because God knows, if you're ignoring my calls –”

She stopped and looked past me into the store. Her eyes widened, her face darkened with anger, and then she looked at me again.

“You just came out of there,” she said, pointing at the bookstore.

“Yeah, so?” I said. “I wanted to pick up a book. Didn't know reading was a crime. If we're going to get married, you're going to have to get used to seeing me reading.”

“Uh huh,” she said. “So, what book did you buy?”

Too late, I realized that I had nothing in my hands, and she could see that. “They didn't have what I was looking for,” I said with a shrug.

“So, you weren't actually in there talking to her all this time?” Mariana pointed at Rose through the windows.

“Sure, we talked, but –”

“Is that why you didn't answer my calls, Asher?” she huffed. She shook her head and held her hands up in the air. “You know what? We'll deal with that later. I was calling for a reason, Asher. It's really important and there is some bad stuff going down.”

“What's going on?” I asked.

“My father. He's been shot,” she said.

My heart dropped. “Is he okay?”

“He's fine, the shooter didn't actually kill him,” she said. “Missed his heart and got his shoulder instead. He's currently at the hospital, but they're going to release him here soon. The wound was pretty superficial and with his healing powers, he'll be fine in no time. They have the shooter in custody now.”

“So, they know who it was?” I asked.

“Yes, they do,” she said, glaring at me. “Asher, it's Cameron. Cameron tried to kill my father.”

“Wait, what?” I asked her, my heart dropping into my stomach. “No, you have something all wrong –”

“No, Asher, he's been arrested. It was him. It was your best friend,” she said. “And now my clan is demanding answers. Answers I don't have, which is why I've been trying to call you all morning, to try and head off a disaster between our clans. And instead, I find out that you're in there flirting with – with – her. That plain, ordinary – human. So glad to know I can count on you when clan business needs to be handled d –”

“Mariana, stop,” I said. “I'll handle this. It wasn't Cameron. There's no reason he'd do something like that. Something is going on here.”

“Oh yeah?” she shoved me hard in the chest. “Then handle it. Because right now, it looks like a war is brewing. And you're too busy cheating on me to care.”

“You're next in line, after your father,” I said, trying my best to remain calm. “Call a meeting. Tell them we are not responsible for this. If Cameron did shoot him, there must have been something going on and it was an isolated incident. I'll handle it.”

“You'll handle it? Meaning you'll punish one of your own for trying to kill one of us?” She seemed doubtful.

“Yes, if that's what needs to be done,” I replied. “But I'm also going to get the facts of the case before I do anything. I'm not going to go off half-cocked. That's not how I do things.”

“Well, don't be surprised if my people don't believe you, Asher,” she said. “I mean, Cameron is your best friend after all. Your right hand man.”

She turned and walked away, leaving me alone on the street with my thoughts. And my thoughts turned progressively darker.

First, Luke had been killed and made to look like it was N'gasso. Now Mariana's father was shot, and it appeared to come from us. Sure, it could be retaliation for what happened to Luke, but if so, it didn't come from the top of the chain. Cameron would have acted on his own, and I knew my best friend. I knew he wasn't the type to act without permission from either me or my father.

Things were not lining up.

I needed to speak to Cameron, get some answers from him. Maybe then I could get to the bottom of this.

Something was definitely going on. Something was brewing, she was right about that. But it wasn't a war that was brewing. From where I was standing, it almost looked like somebody was intentionally trying to put us at odds. But who? And why?

~ooo000ooo~

“Where's he at?” I asked the moment I stepped into the police station. “I need to speak to him.”

The officer at the desk just stared at me, eyes wide. She was new, and I felt bad for her. She looked at her computer and then back at me, her eyes wide and filled with terror.

“A - are you asking about Cameron Hudson?” she stammered, her voice wavering and reflecting the fear I saw in her eyes.

“Of course I am,” I said. “I need to speak to him. Now.”

Sheriff Richards stepped out of his office and waved the other officer away. “I'll handle this, Sheila,” he said, looking at me with pure disdain in his eyes. “We're in the middle of questioning Mr. Hudson right now. No one but his attorney is allowed to speak with him at this time.”

I slammed my fists down on the counter. “I need to talk to him. Something is going down, Sheriff. Maybe something big. A storm is brewing, and I'm afraid he's caught in the middle of it. If you don't let me get some answers – and believe me, I'm going to get answers you won't – there are going to be more dead bodies in this town, you hear me?”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Blackwood?” he asked, smirking as he asked.

“No, I'm warning you. Someone is behind this, and it's not Cameron,” I said, my voice low and cold. “And I need to find out who it is.”

“Okay, so you're just trying to do my job. Gotcha,” he said, turning to walk away. “Thanks, but like I said, no one can speak to the suspect at this time. Unless you have information that would aid in our investigation, I'd appreciate it if you saw yourself out.”

“So, you're just going to walk away?” I asked. “Not listen to anything I have to say?”

“Do you have information on why Cameron Hudson would try to kill Mr. Rockford?”

“No, because he wouldn't –”

“Then we have no reason to talk, Asher,” he said, shutting his office door in my face.

With my hands clenched at my sides, I fought the urge to drive my fist straight through the glass on the door. I didn't want to end up arrested alongside Cameron, and I was smart and aware enough to know that the Sheriff was looking for any reason to put me behind bars. And I knew I couldn't give him one.

Sometimes, being level-headed sucked.

I left the police station and called my father, who answered on the first ring.

“I heard what happened,” I said.

“Which incident?” my dad responded.

“What do you mean –” I almost didn't want the answer to that. “You mean there's more than one?”

“Yep,” he said, his voice sounding defeated. “I think it might be best if you came home, son. We need to talk. It's serious.”

I hung up and rushed home, afraid of what else might have gone down while I was in the bookstore for the afternoon. As I drove past One More Chapter again and couldn't help but glance inside. I saw Rose talking to a customer, a little girl, and they both had smiles on their faces. Seeing her made me smile too. It almost made me forget about the faint drumbeats of war that were sounding all around me.

Almost.

Chapter Eight

My dad and other members of the clan were already at the cabin when I arrived. I could hear the distant roaring of the bears, they were riled up and ready to go to war already. I knew I was walking into an argument before I even stepped foot on the property. When the clan had their blood up, it was almost impossible to get them to throttle it back down.

But that was what I had to do to prevent an all-out war.

I didn't even bother going inside, the action was outside, in the woods behind the cabin. I walked down the trail leading to our meeting grounds and found my father perched high on the throne that had been carved from a fallen Redwood tree and had been a symbol of the Chief's power for only God knows how long. He had his hands raised and was trying to calm down the others, but was having no luck. The shouts of anger drowned out his voice.

Several of our men had already shifted into bear form, their roars echoing around the forest, ready to fight. I surveyed the scene and knew it was not good. Not good at all.

“Listen, we expected retaliation after what happened to Clay Rockford,” my father said.

“What about retaliation for what happened to Luke?” one of the men in the crowd growled. “What happened to an eye-for-an-eye? Are we really going to let this slide by?”

“We are still looking into Luke's murder,” I said, stepping up beside my father. I took my seat on the smaller throne that had been built for the Chief's heir. “We have reason to believe the N'gasso aren't actually behind what happened.”

“Of course, you'd say that. You're screwing Clay's daughter, you're whipped already and aren't seeing straight, boy,” the man called.

My fists were balled up at my side. “Are you questioning my loyalty, Shane?” I asked him, narrowing my gaze. “I'm marrying Mariana for this clan – not because I love her. Because it's the best thing for us. Let's not get this twisted. I'd never put my clan in danger for a woman. Never. So, if you are questioning my allegiance, we can get into the pit and settle this.”

Shane settled down, but only a bit. I knew he wasn't up for a challenge. I was stronger than him, I'd easily tear his throat out if it came to that. He knew that, I knew that – hell, everybody gathered there knew that. And unless he wanted to challenge me, he'd need to calm the hell down. I didn't want to fight Shane – had no desire to hurt anybody in my clan. But I was not going to sit there and have my loyalty questioned.

Shane's wife, Ramona, put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear – likely reminding him of their two children. Two children who would grow up without a father if he dared challenge me to battle.

“I'm sorry, Asher,” Shane said, gritting his teeth. “I didn't mean to question your loyalty. I'm just not sure why you're giving the N'gasso the benefit of the doubt – a benefit they don't deserve.”

“Because they'd be stupid to murder one of our own – my very own cousin at that – and not even try to cover it up. To murder him on their land, when we have an active peace agreement in place, would be dumb. The N'gasso are many things, but their Chief is not a stupid man,” I replied. “And besides, I don't believe they'd sabotage our peace accord. Not like that. Nothing about this makes any sense.”

“You're right. None of it makes sense,” Shane growled. Others joined in with him, “Why are we uniting with them anyway? What do we have to gain from it.”

“We've been through this,” my father argued. “Because it makes us both stronger. The fighting amongst us will stop, fewer people will die, and it'll lead to more prosperity for all of us. We have a lot to gain from this agreement. Perhaps, more than the N'gasso.”

I nodded. “Exactly,” I said. “Believe me, I wouldn't be marrying into that family if I didn't think it wasn't going to benefit the Q'lapa.”

Slowly, the shouting stopped and I could feel the dark, angry energy that had infused the crowd begin to dissipate. I waited for a few long moments, looking at my father, who looked back at me with a grateful look in his eyes. He looked weak. Fragile. And it broke my heart. After the crowd calmed down, I decided to ask the question that had been racing around through the back of my mind.

“Had anyone talked to Cameron prior to the incident with Clay Rockford?” I asked them all. “If anybody knows anything, now is the time.”

A low buzzing mumble hovered over the crowd as they spoke to one another, some were shaking their heads and though there was a lot of conversation, I wasn't getting the feeling that anybody actually knew anything.

A woman – Annie, I thought her name was – shouted from near the back. “I spoke to him last night. He didn't mention anything, didn't seem upset,” she called. “We talked about Luke, but I didn't get the feeling that he was upset enough to go do something as crazy as that. He said that you and your father would handle it.”

“My thoughts too,” I said.

“Do you think someone set him up?” Shane asked.

“I'm thinking it's a possibility,” I replied. “Something we need to consider, at any rate.”

More silence. I turned to my father. “What else has happened this morning?”

“Several of our members were attacked by the N'gasso. Reprisals for the attack on Clay,” he said. “Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, but a fight broke out in town. No one was arrested, but they promised revenge.”

“Has anyone talked to Clay today?” I asked.

“He's not taking my calls,” my father said. “But he was also in with his doctors most of the morning, so I'm not jumping to any conclusions. Have you spoke to Mariana?”

“I have. I told her we knew nothing about this and that we'd handle it. She's going to do her best to calm down the N'gasso so we can solve this together. Peacefully.”