Paige and I barely made it to school on time. We were up talking most of the night. She took it better than I did when Rion first shifted in front of me. Except for the fainting part. Maybe it was because she knew I wouldn't lie to her. Plus, it wasn't like me to make stuff up. Whatever the case may be, she's now in the know, and I have someone I can confide in about all things paranormal.

By the time our final class of the day is over, Paige and I are nothing more than walking zombies. Huh, I wonder if they’re real, too. I'll have to ask Rion. If they are, that's a whole other ball game. Zombies are no joke.

Rion is waiting outside the school next to his Jag when I exit the building. Paige doesn't go to her car. Instead, she's right by my side, walking up to my wolf.

“So,” she says quietly when she stops in front of him with her hand on her hip. “You're a wolf.”

He looks good—really good—but there's more. He's tired, too. It’s in the way he stands. The average person might not notice it, but I do. I never saw him again last night after he ran past me, so I'm not sure what happened with him and Wake or if he ever caught up to him.

“Good afternoon, Paige,” he greets with a forced smile.

“Yeah, yeah, no need for pleasantries.” She steps closer. “I'm warning you. I don't care who or what you are. You hurt my best friend and I will rain hell down on you as you've never seen before.”

He laughs a humorless laugh. “Hell?” He straightens to his full height, his gaze turning serious. “You have no idea what I've been through or what I will go through for Ari. I would die for her. So, before you lecture me on taking care of her, remember who your audience is. She's my mate.”

Paige doesn't bat an eye at his tone. “It's good to see you're not just a pretty boy who thinks the world owes you everything.” She pats his chest. “You'll be good for Ari. You better remember she was my best friend first, though. I refuse to be pushed aside because you're demanding all of her attention.”

“Just know that where she goes, I follow. You won't see me or hear me, but I won’t leave her unprotected, especially after what happened last night.”

A crowd starts to gather around us. Not that it's surprising anymore. It seems whenever Rion or Ford show up, everyone from the school comes out to either drool over them or hate on them. Thankfully, every word Rion and Paige say to one another is kept low so no one outside the three of us can hear it.

Paige doesn't speak another word to him. She spins on her heel and faces me. “Ari, I'm coming by tonight for dinner again and staying over. We have more talking to do.” Her tone is hard, but she winks before leaving. I'm guessing now that I've covered all aspects of shifters and other paranormals, she wants the kind of dirt only a best friend can give. Like how great of a kisser Rion is, or if he has any single wolf friends.

Once she's gone, Rion takes my hands in his, igniting our connection. He dips his head down to kiss me. I think it's going to be a quick brush of the lips, since we're standing outside the school for all to see, but it's not. He pushes his body closer, his hands find my hips to hold me in place as his tongue goes in search of mine.

Sparks fly in earnest as my body melts into his. Everything about him makes me fall harder for him daily. It's nothing I'd admit to yet. I've barely been able to come to terms with it myself. But I can't deny the way every part of me comes alive in his presence.

I fist his shirt, not wanting to let him go, even though his lips are pulling away.

He rests his forehead against mine. “I've missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” Not being able to see him last night bothered me more than it should have. All night while I was talking to Paige, I kept hoping I'd hear his howl calling me to the back of my house. As the hours ticked by, my worry increased. There was no point in voicing it to Paige. If I did, she probably would have suggested we leave and look for him. She's always up for an adventure.

“Will you come home with me for a bit?” he asks. “I know the drive isn't short, but I want to show you my room at Aries' house. This way you can teleport there if you ever need to.” I nod.

Rion opens the door to his car for me. Once we're both inside, we start the trip to his home.

Nothing is said by either of us until we hit the highway. I can't take the quiet anymore. My curiosity is getting the better of me.

“What happened with Wake last night?”

“Why don't you tell me what he said to you?” So we’re back to answering a question with another question. I don’t think so.

“That's not how this is going to work today. I ask a question, you answer. Then, and only then, can you do the same. You're going first.”

He smiles a truly genuine smile, which makes me feel lighter that he’s relaxed a little since I came out of the school. “I chased him for a while until I finally caught up to him. Wake's fast, but I've spent years running with him, so I know his moves when he turns, which is what he does when he feels trapped. I was close to the Diaminsey Pack border when I finally reached him.” I have so many questions. Screw the rules I just put in place.

“How far away is their pack from here?”

“About four hours west.”

“Isn't that near the Avynwood Forest?”

“They are close to one another.”

“Why isn't your pack located there? Where they got their name from?” I'm jumping subjects, but my mind is racing with questions. I'll come back to Wake.

“Have you heard about the forest and the tales that come from it?”

“Yes.” It's well known to anyone in the state about what happened in the Avynwood Forest. Charles Avyn was the name of the man who lived in a cabin in the forest. It was only him. His family owned the forest’s land going back many, many years. He was the last surviving member of his family.

One night, a bear attacked and killed him. He was found the next day by someone hiking through the area. It was common to have people passing through the land. I heard he never minded others there, so long as they respected the animals who roamed it, the trees, and the vegetation. Ever since then, the forest is said to be haunted by his ghost. Many people have gone into those woods and come out with stories of how they were chased through its dense foliage by a spirit. I’m not sure how much truth there is to it or if it’s just people who want to say they saw something.

Locals used to call it the Avyn Woods while Charles was still alive, but he gave it the official name of the Avynwood Forest. I remember someone telling me he made the sign that still sits at the border of the land with the forest’s name on it.

“Charles was Lealla's husband.”

“No!” I shout. “I never heard Charles was married.”

“No one outside of the paranormals did. Before she started publishing, she was married to him. Their lives were very private. Even his burial was only attended to by her and a priest. He was buried behind the cabin they once shared.”

“Did a bear really kill him?”

“Yes, but it wasn't an ordinary bear. It was a shifter who attacked him. She didn't know it at the time. She was asleep when it happened. Their home was heated with a fireplace and the flames had gone out late one night. Charles presumably woke up to a cold house and went outside to get more firewood when he was killed. When Lealla rose the next morning, she was freezing. Charles wasn’t in bed and the front door was open. She found his remains behind the cabin. There wasn't much of him left.”

My hand flies to cover my mouth as I gasp. Poor Lealla. I can't even imagine. My heart breaks for her loss. To lose someone in such a vicious way is terrible.

Rion continues, “She didn't know anything of shifters then. A wolf, who appeared at her door one day not long after Charles died and changed into a man, told her. That was her introduction into our world. The man was very kind to her. He was a lone wolf, who’d been running through the forest when he heard the bear. He ran toward the sound, but Charles was already gone. He attacked the bear, driving him off after shredding his shoulder and hind leg.”

“That's awful. Why would someone want to hurt Charles? Did he do something to provoke the attack?”

“A week before his death, a bear was spotted near their cabin. Charles and Lealla always left the animals alone, but this bear, it threw its body at their door. It smashed one of the home’s windows, intent on getting inside. Lealla never found out why. To protect his wife, Charles shot the bear dead. That bear who killed Charles was the brother of the bear Charles shot. He was exacting revenge for his death.”

“Wow. Who was the wolf?” I ask.

“You don't know? There's only one it could be. Although, nothing of this was stated in his book. Then again, why would it? Lealla's personal life with Charles was always kept private.”

I sit and think for a moment, going through the story Rion just told me. The answer hits me. He’s right. There’s only one it could be.

“Aries.”

He nods. “That's how he and Lealla met. She was alone and understandably very upset about losing her husband. Aries was a lone wolf at the time. The two quickly formed a friendship.”

“Is the cabin still there today?”

“It is. Lealla moved out shortly after she met Aries. Charles built the cabin from his own two hands and she couldn't bear to tear it down. It held too many memories. Charles had a lot of money but lived a simple life. He had sold off some inventions he created and had a small fortune stocked away. Lealla used it to build the mansion. She wanted to provide a safe haven for wolves, who didn't have anywhere to go. It was the first of her shifter homes.”

“Wow. She took a tragedy and turned it into something amazing. I give her a lot of credit. I probably would have wanted to kill every shifter I saw if they took away the love of my life.”

“Lealla is a gentle soul. While she was very upset over the loss of her husband, she didn't want the bear who took his life to be killed. She found out years later, when she met another group of bear shifters, the bear who killed Charles moved far west with his family. They wanted to get away from the land where they lost one of theirs.”

“And Lealla has a clan of bears in one of her homes, doesn’t she?”

“Yes. She loves them like family. Like the wolves, foxes, and big cats. Charles always loved the wildlife in the forest. He only killed that bear out of self-defense and protection of his wife. He wouldn't have hurt it otherwise. Lealla continues his legacy of love for all creatures with the homes she provides them and the stories she tells.”

“Fascinating. I really do learn something new every day. It's amazing to me how deep this shifter world goes with her.” Lealla is truly a wonderful woman. She’s been through so much yet found a way to give back.

“The love she has for us is in her very being. We’re like children to her. All family. She and Charles never had a child of their own.” After hearing all of this, I have no doubt Lealla would have made an amazing mother.

“Do shifters still reside in the forest?”

“A clan of bears does, but no one else. Lealla uses the land as a neutral ground for paranormals. If they’re seeking refuge or looking for a place to sleep while passing through, they go to the Avynwood Forest. They can rest easy knowing no one will hurt them.”

“Do the bears watch over it to keep everyone in line who visits?”

“Yes, they keep the peace.”

So Lealla named the wolf pack after her husband and the forest. I figured it came from there. But what about… “The forest is haunted, though. Right?” I ask.

Rion chuckles. “It's not haunted. When the fae visit the land, they like to have a little fun with any tourists who might be there.” As the tales of the forest being haunted grew, more and more ventured there so they could search for the spirit.

“Does the public know there are bears and other creatures in the woods?” I haven’t heard any stories of wild animals bothering humans.

“Some have seen them. If a tourist gets off the trail, or gets dangerously close to a shifter, one of the bears will shift into human form and pose as a forest ranger to get them to leave safely. Not once since the bears started running things for Lealla has there been an issue, and we all hope there never will be. Charles would have wanted a peaceful forest.”