When Layla Moss checked out cute guys in her department store, they weren’t usually in the pantyhose section.
This one was as fine as they come, barely twenty with a boyish dimple in the corner of his thoughtful mouth. His hair was dark and a little overgrown, eyes hooded by a low, concerned brow. He was studying the varieties of pantyhose with deep intent, his massive torso hunched a little to inspect the rows and rows of boxes. Layla was supposed to be taking new stock to fill the display next to the registers, but she’d stopped in her tracks when she saw him. Now, she was helpless to her own will.
“Just a guess, but I don’t think we stock your size,” she quipped.
The hunk started, as if he hadn’t even realized she was there. When he looked up, his wide gaze of shock flashed with pure gold. Layla jumped too at that. She knew what golden eyes meant, everyone who lived Crenshaw-adjacent did. The guy was a shifter. And yet, he wasn’t anything like the animalistic thugs she’d seen on her streets late at night. He wasn’t foaming at the mouth or searching for a fight. He was genuinely embarrassed to be holding a pack of pantyhose, his cheeks flushing red beneath a dusting of stubble.
“My Gram sent me over here,” the shifter explained, his voice low and apologetic. “I have no idea which of these she wants, but she’s all the way at the other end of the store. Could you-?”
He trailed off, but Layla saw his eyes flash to her name tag. A rush of something totally chemical hit her in the chest, spreading warmth from all angles. She was pretty sure her face was turning pink too, and she thanked her luck that she’d got a little of that cocoa-brown skin tone from her father. Being mixed race covered a multitude of sins. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop her breath hitching like a teenager’s when she next tried to speak.
“She’ll, uh, she’ll want breathable in the summer,” Layla began. She came to stand beside the tall guy, gently taking the box from his hands. “You’ll bake her with those.”
“Ah,” he replied, “I so don’t want that. She’s a real beast when she’s angry.”
Layla looked into the stranger’s golden eyes with fascination.
“I can believe it,” she said.
She might have said more, even teased that secret smile from the cutie’s perfect mouth, but footsteps alerted her. She was relieved to see that the person approaching was not her boss, but this second stranger filled her with nerves all the same. He had golden eyes too, though his seemed to burn with a flame that wasn’t present in the cute guy’s eyes. The new man was a little shorter and more lithe, his lean frame clad in bike leathers. He had bright silver hair, which must have been fake, for he was far too young to be turning grey, and there was a look of deep threat all over his face.
He was looking at the guy beside Layla. But, when she turned to her handsome new friend, she found that he was gone.
* * *
One month later.
In the life of a twenty-three year old shop girl, cuties come and go. Layla had pretty much forgotten her strange encounter with the two shifters in the ladies’ underwear section, and she’d taken her much-needed vacation time to go out to the wilds of Fairhaven. She’d been to the park once before, when she was a kid and Dad was still around, but her memory had not been able to fully capture the place’s stunning beauty. It felt so much safer than the concrete jungle at home, and the air was peaceful and still.
“Woo! This place is hotter than hell, girl,” Brent exclaimed for the world to hear.
Brent Masters was Layla’s gay best friend, an up-and-coming stylist who’d just moved out to West Hollywood. He was also the bankroll for her vacation, which included the luxury suite in the Old Spring Lodge at the very south tip of the park. Layla wouldn’t dare complain about Brent spoiling the peace, or about the lurid lime green sweat-suit he’d put on to take a run. She was just grateful to be out in the fresh air, away from the city and her sadness. Or somewhere to distract her from the sadness, at least.
“Let’s get going,” Layla said with a stretch of her arms. “I wanna do the whole south circuit before lunch.”
Brent nodded with great enthusiasm, but Layla was pretty sure her skinny friend would duck out and claim an emergency Mojito break before they’d even got half-way. Still, Brent was fun to run with, and he always had fabulous gossip about the drag queens and minor celebrities that came to his salon. As they began their run at a steady pace, Layla started to question him for the latest juice.
“Sorry honey, that’ll have to wait,” Brent said, a mysterious glint already forming in his blue eyes. “This vay-cay is about you, and I’ve got serious news.”
Layla pushed her dark curls back, tucking them into her sweatband as she picked up the pace.
“News about me?” she pressed.
“You remember my homegirl Karina Vasquez?” Brent began.
“The one with the dating agency,” Layla replied, nodding as she ran.
“Well, she’s got clients all the way out here in Fairhaven,” Brent continued, his voice ever-more enthused. “None for me, unfortunately, but one for you. I’ve booked you on a blind dinner date tonight! Go get yourself a hunky outdoorsman, girlfriend.”
A laugh escaped Layla, so merry that it caught her breath and she had to slow down a little. She clutched at her chest with one hand, the other waving a warning finger at her mischievous friend.
“He’d better be cute,” Layla warned. “If he’s not cute, I’m gonna set you up with Larry from accounts.”
Brent’s sneer was priceless, and Layla laughed again. They were chuckling so hard that neither of them spotted the Land Rover coming down the path ahead. The screech of brakes alerted them when it was almost too late, and Layla leaped out of the way as the vehicle came to a sudden halt.
“Runners have to keep right on the roadway, ma’am,” said a low, polite voice from inside the shiny white car.
Something sparked in Layla’s chest, though she couldn’t place what it was. She approached the tinted windows, and the driver’s side window rolled down with a buzzing sound. Inside, there was a face framed by dark hair and stubble, with a thoughtful little dimple hiding in the corner of a perfect mouth.
“No way,” Layla murmured in amazement. “You’re Pantyhose Guy.”
Brent passed a quizzical eye over the stranger.
“Maybe there’s someone for me here after all,” he mused.
“No,” Layla chuckled, slapping his arm. “I mean, this... uh, gentleman, was in my store a couple weeks back. He had to buy hose for his grandmother.”
“That’s what they all say, darling,” Brent replied.
Layla looked into the golden gaze of the shifter, and those same warm feelings flushed into her chest. After a moment, she frowned a little.
“Ah, you don’t remember,” she said more quietly. “Nobody remembers the shop girl. It’s cool.”
“No, I remember,” the stranger said. His voice had a sudden panic, like he didn’t want her to leave. “You’re Layla.”
He’d read her name tag, she remembered that. When Layla grinned, the shifter did too, and they remained beaming at each other for a moment.
“This is the part where you give her your name, handsome,” Brent prompted.
“Right,” the stranger said. “Sorry. I’m Ben Best. I’m one of the park rangers here. You enjoying your vacation?”
Layla nodded. “It’s literally just begun,” she told him, “but yeah. I like it here.”
She wanted to ask about him running out of the store. The memory of their first meeting had slowly surfaced in Layla’s mind, and she’d recalled the silver-haired shifter who had stared him down. Ben had disappeared without even making an excuse. Layla opened her mouth to voice a question, but there was a honking sound from behind the car that made her jump. Ben craned his head, checking the mirror, and Layla looked out to see a string of tourists with RVs lining up behind him.
“Ah, I’m supposed to be leading this convoy up to the trailer park,” he explained. “Maybe I’ll see you around, Layla?”
There was something hopeful in his tone, and Layla gave him her best smile. The RVs honked again in unison, and Ben revved his engine. In moments, the convoy had passed, and Layla and Brent were alone again on the pathway. Layla watched the vehicles disappearing up a hillside road.
“Hey, don’t you go crushing,” Brent warned in a wicked tone. “I got you a super-hot date tonight.”
“A girl can’t have a back-up?” Layla asked.
The friends resumed their run, and Ben was all that Layla could talk about for the rest of the circuit.
* * *
Brent was utterly magical when it came to hair and clothes. Even Layla’s dark curly hair – another gift from her father’s side – had been tamed into a sleek curtain that fell over her shoulders. She loved to get glammed up, and there was hardly ever an excuse to do it at home. Layla spent so much time in her department store uniform that she sometimes forgot how good a pretty dress made her feel. She stared at herself in the mirror, a ruby red number clinging to her figure.
“Dayum,” Brent commented, and that was high praise.
“You think it’s good?” Layla checked. “I feel good. I feel like I can flirt with the pros tonight.”
“Give him both barrels, and he’ll be begging you to marry him by the end of the week,” Brent replied. “You’re going to the Lakeside Grill, just down the path from here. The table’s under Karina’s name.”
“Got it,” Layla said, grabbing her purse.
Brent tried a few more words of encouragement, but Layla shushed him and set off for her evening of romance. There was still a warm summer glow in the air as the sunset made its final peek over the ridge of the mountains. The air was so silent that Layla could hear her heels clicking against the wooden boards of the pathway that led visitors down to the grill. It was a pretty busy place, decorated with paper lanterns and candles, but when Layla gave Karina’s name to the maître-d’, he led her to a secluded sub-section down by the waterside itself.
Here, there was only one table, with only one man sitting at it.
“Well, hello beautiful,” he crooned.
“You?” Layla asked in amazement.
She’d stopped a few feet short of reaching the table. Sitting there, with a wide flashing grin, was the second stranger from the store. His silver hair reflected the candlelight, and his bright golden eyes travelled all over Layla’s form. She shivered at that. He wasn’t bad looking, but there was something about him that she just couldn’t place. He reclined in his seat, letting out a little laugh at Layla’s hesitance.
“You’re not who I was expecting,” he said. “I’m Si, by the way.”
“How could you know what to expect?” Layla challenged. She still hadn’t taken her seat. “We’re on a blind date, after all.”
Si’s dark brow rose.
“Are we?” he asked. “That’s interesting.”
Layla’s confusion grew, and her stomach made an uneasy motion.
“This is Karina Vasquez’s table,” she stated.
Si leaned forward, one fist clenched as he cracked his knuckles.
“This is Ben Best’s table,” he revealed, “and I’m keen to see him.”
Layla’s heart gave a jump at the ranger’s name. He was her date? If so, then he was late, and she was alone with a guy that clearly had prior beef to settle. Si got up from the table and Layla took one weary step backwards.
“What’s the matter, honey?” he asked all too sweetly. “Do predators put you on edge?”
His golden eyes were brighter, and he was stepping around the table. The maître-d’ had vanished long ago, and suddenly the secluded table by the lake wasn’t so romantic a notion. Layla’s mind flashed back to the streets of LA. She was a woman who knew more than a little about danger. She wondered how quickly she could kick off her heels if she had to run.
“Silas Reed, as I live and breathe,” said a gentle voice nearby.
When Layla looked behind her, she was amazed to see a tiny old woman coming around the bend. She was hunched over a little and she wore spectacles that held a thoughtful amber gaze behind them. Flanking her on all sides were five huge guys in park ranger uniforms. And there, at the very center of the group, was Ben. When he met Layla’s eyes, there was something new in his gaze. It smoldered, deep and dark, swirling within the gold.
“Come on now, Si,” said one of the rangers, one with shaggy blonde hair. “There’s six of us and one of you. You don’t need those odds explained to you, right?”
“You’re a bad gambler, Kurt,” Si replied. “You just remember that.”
His voice had become hoarse and deep. There was something of a growl hanging in his words, and Layla began to realize that she was the only true human at the scene. From her bedroom window at home, she had sometimes seen gangs – shifter and human alike – squaring off on the streets. She had always looked away, not wanting to witness the violence that followed. Her urge to run was back, and it was only Ben that made her stay. He was watching her intently, as if her every move was vital to him.
“How did you find us, Si?” the guy called Kurt asked, his teeth gritted.
“Dietrich’s all over the papers with that new skank of his,” Si replied.
“Take that back!” barked a tall, dark-haired guy. Layla had to presume that he was Dietrich, and she watched as Ben put one hand on his shoulder. His gaze came back to Layla, golden eyes meeting brown.
“Layla, come here,” Ben said. He offered her his other hand. “I’d like you to meet my family. This is Clan Best. And we’re the Bests for good reason.”
Si gave a heartless laugh, and shook his head.
“You think you’re so big and strong,” the wicked shifter mused. “Just ‘cause you’ve got numbers on your side. I’ve got numbers too, Ben. Or have you forgotten?”
As Layla moved towards Ben and his family, Si gave a sudden snarl. Faster than any of them could witness it, the silver-haired shifter turned and dived off the shore. He disappeared into the blackness of the lake, and Layla gazed out into the shadows with worry. She felt a warm hand slip into her own, and she gripped it tightly. When she looked back to Ben, he was wearing that apologetic look again, but now it was far more serious than before.
“I hate to say it, but I think this date’s just put you in danger,” he confessed. “I need to offer you my protection, just until we get that jumped up little werecat off the park.”
Layla’s head was filled with questions and her heart was thumping hard from the tension of what had just happened. Yet Ben’s hand was steady and strong, and when she held onto him, the idea of seeing more of him was far from alarming.
* * *
That evening, Layla learned the names of Ben’s clan. His grandmother was Anina, and her sole purpose that night was in trying to get Ben and Layla to resume their date at the restaurant. Dietrich was the voice of reason who finally made her stop pressing, and he turned out to be Ben’s older brother. The other three men were Ben’s cousins, each as broad and strong as he was, and they were named Kurt, Hart and Reinicke. Reinicke had a fury about him that Layla didn’t much like, but it was all directed at Si Reed, and the prospect of him returning with his so-called ‘numbers’.
“I thought I’d escaped gang warfare for a little while, getting out of the city,” Layla revealed.
It was later that same evening that she and Ben walked back towards the Old Spring Lodge. Ben strode close beside her, so near that she could smell his aftershave. Their forearms brushed occasionally, sending shivers up Layla’s spine.
“Shifter clans are generally peaceful these days,” Ben explained, “but we’ve had a lot of history with Clan Reed. The family’s English originally, and they were old enemies of ours back in Europe.”
“Did you call him a werecat before?” Layla asked. Ben gave a nod. “I don’t really get how that works.”
“Well, he’s not a sweet little kitten, that’s for sure,” Ben surmised. “When I say cat, I mean wild cat, like the kind who make off with small children for their dinner. When Clan Reed transform as a hunting party, they’re sleek and full of claws. It’s not pretty.”
“So what are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” Layla said.
“We’re bears,” Ben told her. “Hence living out here. It’d be a little conspicuous for a grizzly to pop up in LA.”
“I’ve only ever seen wolves in LA,” Layla explained. “There’s a shifter gang called the Crenshaw Wolves. They shut down whole neighborhoods when they’re out for a run.”
Ben nodded. “I’ve heard of them.”
“Bears don’t scare me as much,” Layla added quickly. “I mean, bears only attack if they’re provoked, right?”
“That’s right,” Ben replied. “But, well…”
He let the sentence die on his lips. The pair had walked into the lavish setting of the lodge, with its portraits of famous explorers and hikers on the walls. Layla and Brent’s suite was on the first floor, and she led Ben to the door with a tingle in her tummy. Though they hadn’t actually had their dinner date, this part was familiar. This was the part where there was supposed to be a sweet little kiss at the door. But Ben was coming in. He was staying the night to watch over her, in case Si decided to track her down.
She hadn’t even considered how Brent would react to that idea.
“Girl, why didn’t you say something?” he whispered, no sooner than she was through the door. “I would have hi-tailed it outta here, you know? Given the two of you some private time.”
“It’s not like that,” she snapped back at once. She turned to Ben, who was approaching the couch in the central living space. “You want a drink or something?”
Ben grinned, though his tension was still present. “Thanks,” he replied. “Couple of sodas out of the minibar’ll do it. On Fairhaven’s bill, of course.”
Layla pushed Brent over to the minibar, and quickly told him everything about Si Reed and Clan Best as they fumbled to get the drinks. Brent gasped and threw his hand over his mouth at every dramatic revelation, then he chanced a peek at Ben, who was settled on the couch.
“So he’s your protector now,” Brent surmised. That calculating look was back on his face. “This is perfect. A strong, sexy shifter protecting you from danger.”
Layla almost grinned, but it faltered.
“It’s nice to get a chance to know him better,” she replied, “but… the clans. They’re like gangs, right?”
Something cracked in her voice. Brent put both his hands on her shoulders, and she looked into his eyes.
“This is about your dad, isn’t it?” he asked. Layla forced herself to nod. “Baby girl, that’s not going to happen here. Ben’s strong. He’s a bear for pity’s sake. You are not doomed to repeat your past.”
Layla sucked in the tears that were threatening, hoping that Brent was right.
“Now, I’m gonna leave you two to enjoy some… uh… television, I guess,” Brent said, wiggling his brow suggestively.
He took a soda, told Ben it was nice to meet him, and vanished into his bedroom. That left Layla looking at the back of Ben’s head, a hard lump forming in her throat. On the walk, they’d had Si and his fellow shifters to discuss, but now there were no questions left to ask, no gaps to fill in. There was only Layla and a guy she hardly knew, but one who did strange things to her insides every time he spoke.
“You wanna put the TV on?” Layla asked as she approached the couch. “I’m almost certain there’s some manly kind of sport on that you’re missing.”
Ben took a soda from her and shook his head. That gorgeous wave of dark hair fell into all sorts of shapes, framing his handsome, serious face.
“I prefer to actually play than watch,” he confessed.
Layla was grateful for a conversation starter, for her mind was already filling with all sorts of wild ideas. One minute he was her date, the next he was guarding her, and she hadn’t managed to separate those roles yet.
“What do you play?” she asked.
“Football, tennis, a little water polo,” Ben began, then in the same breath he added: “And please don’t make the joke about horses in the water.” Layla giggled at that. “But I love to run too. I saw that you-”
“Oh yeah,” Layla cut in. “Usually I have to do all my running at the gym. My neighborhood’s not exactly jogger friendly.”
“It must be nice to run out here in the park then,” Ben mused.
Layla nodded. “It puts me in the zone, you know? Helps me forget.”
Ben’s face lost a little of its seriousness, his brow raised.
“What have you got to forget, Layla?”
And the conversation was dead, straight out of the gate. Layla could feel the hurt stinging in her chest. It was an old hurt now, but she’d had it so long that she knew it was never going to go away completely. Like a tiny shard of glass that’d always be stuck in her heart. She felt uneasy telling Ben everything about herself, even though part of her wanted to. There were other things they could talk about, surely. Layla tried to think what she might have said if they’d ever got to their dinner date.
“It’s a shame our blind date got cancelled,” she said, a smile creeping into her lips. “You look really nice in that suit.”
Ben looked down at himself, straightening his shirt. Then, suddenly, his head snapped up, those golden eyes studying Layla.
“Wait, you were my date?” he asked. “That’s why you were down there?”
“You think I dress like this to eat dinner alone?” Layla challenged in reply.
And Ben’s eyes wandered then, over her sleek red dress, all the way down to her feet and all the way back up. Layla felt a twinge in her stomach, and she saw the way Ben’s breath began to hitch in his throat.
“Wow,” he murmured, “Now I really hate Si Reed.”
They looked at each other then. Ben’s face had almost completely relaxed, giving way to a boyish grin. Layla bit her lip, tempted beyond all reason to keep their flirting going.
“Well, Si’s not here now,” she claimed proudly. “Come on, Ben Best. Give me your best date talk.”
And that was how it begun. The conversation got easier and easier as night drew in, and the sunrise was creeping into the windows by the time Layla put her head down to sleep.
* * *
When Layla woke, late the next morning, Ben was no longer on her couch. She emerged into the shared living room of the suite, eyes drawn hopefully to the spot where a Ben-shaped imprint still lay on the cushions. The door to the minibar gave a click, and Layla’s gaze snapped toward it. Brent was popping open two mini bottles of orange juice. He put one on the breakfast bar and slid it in her direction, then he pointed at the couch and pulled a face.
“I am very disappointed by this,” he confessed. “You let the poor guy sleep there all night. All alone.”
“Down boy,” Layla answered, giving her friend a warning look. “We were talking for hours. It was, like, four-thirty or something, and I went to the bathroom. When I got back he was out cold, so I threw a blanket over him and went to bed.”
“You talked for hours?” Brent asked.
Layla nodded. True to form, Brent changed tack and melted at once. Where before he’d been disappointed that Layla hadn’t had a night of passion with her new shifter bodyguard, now Brent clutched his hands together in the sweetest way.
“Oh Lay, he’s one of those gentlemen types!” he exclaimed. “You think it’s the fresh air makes ‘em that way?”
“I think it’s more a case of ‘his grandma would beat him to a pulp if he treated a girl badly’,” she answered with a chuckle. “He was raised right. Strict German family. He told me all the history.”
Brent rested his chin in his hands and gave a little sigh. He could be such a middle schooler when he wanted to, full of hope and romance.
“So today you need to go find him out in the park,” Brent suggested.
And that might have been the plan, if not for the siren which suddenly sounded. A crackling speaker burst into life somewhere nearby, and Layla was surprised to hear a voice coming from the ceiling. It appeared that the lodge’s rooms had a PA system, one which didn’t seem to have been used in a while. Layla and Brent shielded their ears against the whining and whistling of the speakers, until the static died and a voice came on the air.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is a park safety announcement,” the voice began. Layla recognized the frail quality to the tone, and she pictured Anina’s lined face, mirroring the same concern she heard in the words. “We regret that we have to ask you to remain in the Old Spring Lodge for the duration of the morning and lunch hour. This section of Fairhaven Park is experiencing some animal control issues.”
Layla and Brent glanced at one another, their eyes brimming with concern.
“We expect to have the issues resolved within a few hours, but for your own safety, please enjoy the spa, café and other indoor facilities of the Old Spring building for now. We’re very sorry to limit your experience at this time, but this is a nature reserve and nature does happen. Thank you for your time.”
Layla was already up and moving. Brent followed her, asking questions with every step.
“Does this mean those werecats are here? The numbers that Si talked about? Layla? Layla, will you talk to me?”
But Layla could hear nothing. All she knew was that danger was lurking right outside her window, like it did so often at home. And here she was, helpless and useless, watching the bad things of the world happen from her room. She felt the old sting of regret and loss burning in her belly, and she shook her head. In her bedroom, she ransacked the closet and found her running gear, the darkest sweat-suit that she owned. Regardless of Brent and his panicked questions, she began to change her clothes.
“Oh no,” he chided at once. “You cannot be thinking of going out there. Girl, are you crazy? This isn’t pest control, or a freaking raccoon problem!” He still achieved no reply. “You’re insane. You’ve gone totally insane.”
When Layla was dressed and ready to leave the room, she found Brent blocking the door.
“Sorry honey,” he told her, “crazy people don’t get to leave this room.”
“I can’t leave Ben out there alone,” she insisted.
“He is not alone,” Brent shot back. “There’s whole team of rangers, right?”
“You don’t know that,” Layla pleaded. “They could be outnumbered, or separated from each other.”
“Plus he’s a bear,” Brent pressed. “Have you thought about that? I mean, what are a few cats gonna do to a huge grizzly bear?”
Layla could see the reasoning in his words, but her mind flashed back to Ben’s tense seriousness the night before. When he’d spoken of Si’s clan working as a hunting pack, it didn’t sound like he felt capable of taking them on alone. She couldn’t quell the fear in her heart, and she put her hands on Brent’s skinny chest, gripping his t-shirt tight.
“Get out of my way,” she demanded.
“No!” Brent insisted. “What do you think you’re gonna do? What is a Crenshaw-adjacent shop-girl gonna do against a pack of wild cats bent on violence?”
“I just have to go,” Layla urged. She felt the tears burning against her eyes, and she let Brent’s shirt go. “When Dad was out there alone… I didn’t go. If I’d gone, maybe…”
Sobs burst from her chest, and soon the water flowed in silver lines down her cocoa-colored skin. Brent broke, his mood switching as it so often did.
“Oh honey,” he said, reaching out to hold her.
It was a huge mistake. The second he took a step forward, Layla smashed him to one side and bolted out of the door. She ran down the hallway, tears still stinging her face. She had no idea what she was doing, it really was totally crazy to think that she could help. But she wouldn’t stand by and see Ben face Clan Reed alone. She had to find him and know that he was safe.
“Where are you going?” Brent screamed after her.
It was a very good question, one which Layla had no answer to.
* * *
Layla took the south circuit of the park, the one on which she and Ben had been reunited. The whole thing usually took a couple hours to complete, but with her mind blazing in panic and worry, she was running at double the usual pace. Breathless and terrified, Layla streaked past the trees, hills and springs in search of the guy who’d sworn to protect her. He’d been there for her when Si made his creepy little approach at the grill, and he’d stayed all night to calm her nerves. She couldn’t let him down.
It was after two full circuits that she began to lose hope. That section of the park was totally void of tourists, all of them heeding Anina’s warning to stay safe and out of the wilds for a while. Layla was fraught as she reached a bend in the path, screeching to a halt and panting with short, sharp breaths. There was dense forest off the path to her right. The trees were so thick here that sunlight barely pushed through their canopy, and the darkness of the thicket drew Layla in.
She walked for a few tentative minutes, listening to the rustling in the trees all around. Nerves and exhaustion had turned her spine to Jell-O, and she was beginning to heed all of Brent’s warnings from earlier in the day. What was she doing out here? She had let the past get her all mixed up, her emotions putting her into danger. Now, she was deep in a forest filled with vengeful men, or vengeful beasts, depending on whether they had transformed or not. Perhaps it was a sensible idea to turn back now, and see if there was any news of Ben at the lodge.
The cry of an animal stopped her in her tracks. Somewhere not far off, a long mournful call was coming from a growling beast. It hit a place deep in Layla’s heart, setting her off with tears again. The animal didn’t sound fierce or furious. It was wailing, crying even. Another long call echoed off the trees, and Layla felt every inch of the creature’s pain. She followed the sound of the cry, treading softly through the trees.
What she found was a bear lying by the side of a stream. To her horror, there was a trail of blood beside the animal. It was only a very thin trail, but it was trickling into the stream and coloring it with a pinkish glow. In the semi-dark of the dense forest, Layla observed the huge, heaving body of the grizzly. He had dark fur in a shade of brown that she recognized, and his eyes were wide and golden. His massive jaw opened, displaying a full set of large, sharp teeth as he wailed again.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Layla said gently. “I’m here, I’m gonna help you.”
How she was going to help, she wasn’t clear on. Department store first aid didn’t exactly prepare a girl to dress the wounds of a grizzly bear. She approached the animal and put one gentle hand on the side of its head. She could feel the heave of his breath and she tried to soothe him a little, stroking the soft fur. The wound was further down, matting some hair on the right side of his abdomen. Layla inspected it carefully, finding that it was smaller than she’d first thought. Perhaps it wasn’t as bad as it looked.
And then, something incredible began to happen. The bear felt as though he was buzzing, just for a moment, with a kind of energy that Layla couldn’t describe. It made her take her hand away from him, and she stood back as she realized that he was starting to shrink. Fur receded into flesh, which was appearing all over the body of the being on the ground. Layla was amazed by the way the head changed shape, the long snout and jaw of the grizzly twisting into a more square form, before it settled back into an almost-human face. Moments later, there was a naked man, who lay bleeding beside the stream. Layla looked at him carefully, studying his wave of dark hair and the shape of his face.
“Oh,” she exclaimed, “you’re Dietrich, aren’t you? Ben’s brother?”
Dietrich nodded, but as he did the jerk of the motion made him clutch his stomach in agony. There, Layla realized that what had looked like a small wound on a bear was much larger on the abdomen of a man.
“Can you get me to the clan?” Dietrich pleaded. “I can’t stay here. I’ll bleed out.”
Layla helped the injured shifter to his feet, and she felt his considerable weight leaning on her for support. She gave him the jacket of her black sweat-suit, and he tied it at his waist to try and stem his bleeding. With his massive arm over her slim shoulders, Layla did her best to guide Dietrich to safety. He was panting and unsure of himself, talking downright nonsense by the time they were on the path that approached Old Spring Lodge. And all that Layla could do was keep him calm and keep him going, that fierce determination back in her chest.
Ben was there when they arrived at the lodge, along with Anina and a woman that Layla had never seen before. It was immediately apparent that the pretty blonde was Dietrich’s girlfriend. From the moment she glanced Layla hefting him up the path, she burst into tears and rushed to help. Ben dashed in and took over on Layla’s side, which gave her a chance to heave out an exhausted sigh. Dietrich had been getting heavier and heavier with every step of the circuit, and now the blood from his wound was coating his bare legs and making Layla’s jacket sag with its weight.
“Get him inside, Hart’s waiting with first aid,” Anina urged.
At the door to the Old Spring, tourists peered from behind a makeshift blockade. To them, it must have looked as though poor Dietrich had been savaged by the animals in Anina’s warning. It was true, if you left out the other details of the situation. Kurt and Reinicke were at the door, and they lifted Dietrich clean into the air when he reached them. Soon he had vanished down the corridor of the luxury hotel, a dripping trail of blood in his wake.
“There, there, Elise,” Anina said, gathering the blonde girl into her arms. “Hart’s trained for this. He did three years at med school before he quit. It’s a decent wound, but not too deep. It’ll be all right.”
Anina’s pained look suggested that she might not believe her own words, but she cradled Dietrich’s girlfriend all the same. The two women slowly re-entered the lodge, and Layla found that she was clutching her aching heart from all the strain. She looked at Ben, who was staring at her in amazement.
“I came here to see if you were okay,” he explained, “but I sounded the alarm as soon as your friend told me you’d gone out. If we hadn’t all been here getting a search party together, Dietrich might’ve…”
Ben stopped himself, his voice verging on breaking. Then, without warning, he stepped up to Layla and kissed her. He held her shoulders, strong hands gripping her tightly, and his kiss was warm and firm where it pressed on her lips. The contact sent tingles rushing down her arms and straight through her body, like a bolt of lightning passing into the ground. But no sooner than she’d been struck, the moment was over. She’d barely had time to enjoy it before Ben broke it off.
“Thank you,” he said. Then, his gaze widened, as if he realized what he’d just done. “Oh God, I’m sorry. I’m just so grateful, I-”
Layla took her chance before he could make any excuses. She cupped Ben’s handsome face with her palms and kissed him back, more gently than he had kissed her. Her lips lingered on his hungrily, ghosting against them for a few extra seconds when the kiss had technically already ended. Ben’s hands had found her waist in the exchange, and he held her afterwards, looking at her in amazement.
“I panicked, and I went looking for you,” Layla confessed, “and now I guess it was lucky that I did.”
“So lucky,” Ben agreed with a relieved grin.
“Did you find them?” Layla urged as her fears came back to her. “Was it Clan Reed running wild out there?”
Ben gave a nod, but his expression soon turned grave. He let Layla go, and she felt the lack of contact painfully. She was exhausted and afraid, and she wanted nothing more than to fall into those powerful arms of his, but there was too much left to worry about.
“It was Si and his beasts all right,” Ben confirmed, “but we didn’t get ‘em. Dietrich chased them off into the deeper woods and we lost him. I know he put up a good fight, else he wouldn’t be here now.”
Ben cast a worried look to the lodge, and Layla understood that he wanted to be there for his big brother. She put a hand on his forearm gently.
“We should go in and see if Hart needs help,” she suggested. “I’m not much of a nurse, but I’ll bet he could use some spare hands if-”
“No,” Ben cut in. There was a pause, and Layla let her hand slide away from contact once again. “Dietrich was the eldest of us, the Alpha of the clan. Now the Reeds have put him out of action. Don’t you see what that means?”
Layla shook her head a little, engulfed by the fear and fury that had overtaken Ben’s face.
“I’m the Alpha’s only brother,” he explained. “It means I’m next to be taken out.”
* * *
When the beauty and peace of Fairhaven settled into a balmy summer evening, all was not calm at Old Spring Lodge. Dietrich’s wound had been attended to, stitched and dressed, but he was spiking a huge fever from the shock and the blood loss. For want of a better place, the Best family had taken him into Layla’s suite, not daring to move him any further than that. Elise was by his side in Layla’s bedroom, the door closed, but everyone in the living area could still hear the Alpha’s delirious cries of pain and confusion. The clan was impossibly tense, and Ben would not come away from the window.
Layla watched his perfect face, distorted by worry. His shining eyes were trained on the far horizon, where dirt roads vanished into the dark, wooded hills. Anina was on his left and Layla stood to his right, but the comforts of neither woman could shake his unwavering gaze. Ben’s grandmother had hooked her frail arm over the crook of his elbow. She looked so delicate, hanging onto such a massive, muscular limb. Layla wanted to hold him too, but now wasn’t the time. When there did come a time for comfort, though, she knew she’d be waiting eagerly.
“They shouldn’t be out there patrolling alone,” Ben said in a low voice. “Look what happened to Dietrich.”
“Your cousins are on wheels,” Anina soothed gently. “Even a cat pack can’t do much damage to a Land Rover.”
“I just wish we knew where they were,” Ben replied.
Moments later, it seemed as though that wish had been granted. Ben’s cellphone began to buzz in his back pocket, and Layla watched as he hurriedly answered it. The voice on the other end of the line was muted and somber, and the more Ben listened, the more his brow furrowed with concern. By the time he hung up, he’d barely spoken, but grave news had sunk in and weighed him down with guilt.
“They’ve taken a few kids from the camp grounds,” Ben revealed. “That was Reinicke on the line. He said they’ve gone deep into the trees with hostages, so the cars can’t follow. They want to draw us all out into the open. Reinicke’s ready to go in, he’s raving. I told him to stay put, but I don’t think he’ll listen for long.”
“He can’t take them alone,” Anina said, her voice laden with fear. “You’ll have to go, Ben. If there’s four of you, and you stay together, it’ll be all right.”
And Ben simply nodded. He was already heading for the door, and Layla couldn’t contain the wild panic that exploded in her chest. She rushed to him at once.
“No!” she pleaded. “This is what they want. Gang versus gang. There has to be another way.”
Ben spun on his heel, and he was firm as he met Layla’s frightened gaze.
“I was prepared to wait it out and get some strategy together,” he began, “but now there’s hostages involved. Kids, Layla. Si Reed’s not messing around. He’ll kill them. Families will lose their children if I don’t get out there now.”
Brent had emerged from the bedroom during Ben’s speech, holding a bowl of warm water and a cloth. The door through which he’d come was still ajar, and Dietrich’s heaving, feverish breaths filled the air for a long moment. Layla grabbed Ben’s biceps, tears burning in her dark eyes.
“This is just how it happened with my dad,” she confessed. “He went out one night to try and stop the violence. He met a gang. Not shifters, just ordinary humans. They didn’t even have a reason to stab him. He bled out. He died alone on the street.”
“And you saved my brother from the very same fate,” Ben said. He reached up to stroke Layla’s cheek, and she felt the dampness of her tears as they streaked down her skin. “And now I’ve got to save those kids.”
He let her go, and walked straight out the door. Layla gulped, desperate to get her breath back, and when she looked to Brent for help, his face was more serious than she’d ever seen it.
“Those kids are going to be even more terrified if a group of bears turn up,” he reasoned. “They won’t understand that they’re going to rescue them. Someone human needs to be there to get them to safety.”
Slowly, Layla began to nod. She was still in her running gear. She hadn’t even taken her shoes off in the long day of worry and commotion. She kissed Brent on the cheek, and he nodded at her.
“Go. I’ll get the car and follow, as near as I can get.”
* * *
She found Ben running across a wide field of grass. Darkness had set in, and the world was lit only by the light of the moon. Layla could hear his sprinting footsteps ahead, but she knew his pace was no match for hers. Soon, she was streaking through the night, gaining inch by inch on the form in front of her. He was powerful, the way his arms and legs thundered forward, but Layla was light and lithe. She pushed herself to the limit, rocketing up to meet Ben and match his stride.
“Go back!” he demanded, not slowing for even a minute.
“Someone needs to get those kids away safe,” she told him. “Brent’s following in his car.”
Ben had no breath left to argue. Soon, the dark line of trees that was once the horizon had come into full focus. Layla’s fear and determination kept her strong as the forest grew closer. Beside her, however, she could hear the strain in Ben’s breathing. At first, she thought it was exhaustion setting in, but the moonlight soon revealed exactly what was happening.
As he ran, Ben was hunching down to the ground. By the time his hands hit the grass, his hind legs were gone, replaced by massive haunches covered in dark fur. Layla heard the rip of his clothes as they came away in scraps, and with every glance she managed, she saw more of the beast emerging from within the man. Soon he was growing in size, his weight shaking the ground beside her with every thump of his paws. Ben was as tall as Layla, even running on all fours, and his proud, strong form was faster than she was.
Soon, Ben’s bear form left her in the darkness, and all she could do was follow the sound of broken branches ahead. He was smashing a path through the forest for her to follow, and she knew she couldn’t let him down. She had a chance to be part of something good, to not turn away from the violence at her window. To do what her dad had never quite managed. And though she was afraid, Layla knew that she had to keep running.
By the time she reached the clearing where Ben’s path of broken branches ended, the battle between Clan Best and Clan Reed was already in full swing. She saw the werecats for what they really were then, sleek beasts about half the size of lions. They were spotted and striped in varying patterns, gold and silver hues mixing with black fur. There was one, however, that was pure silver, right in the center of the pack. He had to be Si Reed, and he was the snarling creature who guarded three small children behind him. The children had not yet come to harm, but they were huddled and crying as they witnessed the battle before them.
Four huge bears growled and snapped at the wild cats. The cats outnumbered them almost three to one, but the size of the Best bears helped them to fend off the felines’ calculated attacks. Huge paws swept out to smack the cats down, and one had even been knocked out cold by the force of the blow. Layla felt her stomach shiver as she scanned the bears, looking for Ben. She thought he had to be the darkest one, with the fur that was almost black, and there was a moment among his defensive snapping when he looked up and found her eyes. She knew then that she was right.
Layla nodded towards the silver cat guarding the kids. Ben couldn’t not express any kind of agreement, but Layla saw him starting to push forward against the cats who were keeping him back. She was busy watching him, and that was her biggest mistake. No sooner than she had taken her eyes off Si Reed, the werecat had begun to prowl towards her. He screeched and howled, suddenly only six feet away, and Layla tried to retreat back into the trees at once.
But Si could leap. He leaped like he’d leaped from that restaurant straight into the lake, all grace and precision. Layla felt the deep sting of a claw stabbing into her shoulder, and a moment later his weight pushed her down to the ground. She looked into the cat’s eyes, into that predatory stare Si had given her when they met at the dinner table. He was present. He knew exactly what he was about to do.
As his claws retracted and then pushed in for another stab, there was a sickening crunch of bone and flesh. Layla’s eyes shut in shock, and she only opened them again when she felt the weight of the cat lifting off her body. As she lay on the ground, she looked up to the awesome sight of Ben on his hind legs. In his massive jaw, he held Si by the neck. Blood was running into his silver fur, and Ben ragged on him and suddenly flung him against a nearby tree. The silver cat’s body hit the trunk with a sickly thump, and there it was perfectly still.
Layla struggled to her feet, clutching her bleeding shoulder. She saw the children watching her, amazed and terrified, and she knew what she had to do. Ben had already surged back into the fight, teaching the rest of Clan Reed a great and terrible lesson. Layla rushed for the children, hoping that Brent was already nearing the forest’s edge with his car.
* * *
Two weeks later.
“Well, we finally had that date,” Ben said cheerily.
His warm grip clasped Layla’s hand as they entered her suite at the Old Spring Lodge. It was a sunny afternoon, and they had just been for lunch at the Lakeside Grill. Warm air filled the living room and there was a crisp azure sky outside the window. Layla walked to it at once, looking out into the forest. A moment later, she felt Ben’s breath on her neck. He kissed her ear very gently.
“Mmm,” Layla moaned. “It feels like the date’s not over.”
She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, toying with the hairs at his nape. His golden eyes were shining with desire as Layla leaned in for a kiss. As always, she had to tease his lips with her tongue to get him to open them. Ben groaned as their tongues connected, his hands slipping down to caress the small of Layla’s back. She could feel the wave of heat and excitement coming off him, and this time, she wouldn’t let him go.
“Come on,” she urged in a whisper. “You’ve been a gentlemen for long enough. Stay now. My shoulder’s healed, and so are your bruises. Let’s be closer.”
Ben’s grin surfaced. He was wonderful when he grinned, and seeing it made Layla feel as though she had broken through the seriousness that he put up against the world.
“It’s the middle of the afternoon,” he protested, but not with any great persuasion.
He wanted her, and she knew that he was going to stay.
“Natural sunlight,” she mused with a silky voice. “I can’t think of a better way to see your gorgeous body.”
She began to undress him. Ben was nervous at first, but when Layla began to kiss every inch of his chest as she exposed it, he relaxed into her control. He twisted away from the window to lean against the wall, letting Layla remove his shirt and then his belt. When she crouched to begin unzipping his pants, Ben’s breathing hitched. She felt his powerful legs shaking as she pulled his trouser legs down, revealing a pair of black boxers that were already straining to contain the erection inside.
Layla teased his hard-on with a feather-light touch, stroking him through the cotton. Ben gave a groan that was deep and echoing. He looked down at Layla, his dimple glowing as his grin pushed it into full view. He reached out and stroked her cheek.
“God, I’m so glad we met,” he murmured, “even if it was through all this… you know.”
His boxers came away with a tug, and Ben gasped. Layla watched his cock spring out, proud and ready. She let her hand slide along it, feeling the thick, throbbing shaft.
“Don’t you dare talk about the past now,” she demanded. “Everyone’s healed up fine. I’ve been hanging onto my past for years, and you’ve helped me to move on. This is us now, Ben. This is our future.”
She kissed the very tip of his erection, and Ben shuddered. To Layla’s surprise, however, he began to step forward, kicking his discarded clothes away. He offered Layla his hands and she got up, pulled at once into a deep and delving kiss. She reached down to stroke and tease Ben again as they made out, but soon she realized he was trying to get her out of her dress. Layla stepped back from their passionate embrace, and unzipped her bright summery dress from the back. It fell to the ground, leaving her standing in her white bra and panties.
“Show me,” Ben asked.
She took the bra off first, feeling the warm summer air caress her breasts. When her panties came down, she could already feel how wet and warm she’d grown from Ben’s touch and his kiss. They stood for a moment, watching each other’s bodies, then a wicked grin grew on Layla’s face.
“Catch me, slowpoke,” she teased.
And then she was gone, heading for the bedroom with a giggle. Ben chased her through the living room and swung round the bedroom door just as Layla launched herself onto her soft, huge bed. She wriggled onto her back, breathless with excitement, and in seconds Ben was on top of her and showering her with kisses. She felt his hard-on rubbing against her thighs and the base of her stomach. Her body arched up to rub against Ben’s muscles, craving him desperately.
“You’re never gonna let me forget that you’re a better runner, are you?” Ben asked.
“Nope,” Layla giggled back. “You’ll just have to find something else to be good at.”
Ben gazed down at Layla’s body, then he readjusted his position. He slid into her with one smooth push, and Layla felt her nerves go haywire. He was everything she’d ever wanted in a man, protective and just and sexy as hell. Ben began to thrust with a steady rhythm, his lips finding Layla’s ear again.
“What about this?” he said, half-growling. “Am I good at this?”
“Oh God yes,” Layla told him. Then, after a thoughtful pause, she added: “But I’m still better.”
She took hold of Ben’s hips and rocked him deeper into her body. Her clitoris was burning for contact, and the full penetration helped her to rub herself against him. She guided him through a few thrusts, filled with thrills as he cried out in pleasure. He was pushing deeper, bringing their bodies closer together, until Layla’s legs were wrapped around his back. Her thighs and calves were strong from all that running, and she gave him an extra push every time he went deep.
Soon, the ache inside her grew more desperate, and Layla moaned and cried out for release. Ben’s speed was increasing with every second, his stamina unending. He’d get her there, she knew, and that only made the build-up more glorious. When she reached the edge of her climax, her body gave a sudden shudder. The move caused Ben to let out a hard gasp, and he thrust so fast that he was only a blur in Layla’s vision.
They lost control together, a pair of bodies moving as one.
When he collapsed beside her moments later, Ben’s massive chest rose and fell with the exertion. Layla reached out and put her arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder. She heard his heart as it gradually slowed back to normal, and by the time it was a steady tick-tock, they were both fast asleep. Neither of them woke when Brent returned from a well-deserved Mojito break and stifled his gasp at discovering them. He covered them with a spare blanket though, just so they’d know he’d been suitably creeped out.
* * *
Four months later.
“Hey look! Pantyhose!” Ben exclaimed.
“You need to not be so excited every time you see pantyhose,” Layla replied with a chuckle.
She was behind the counter of the Fairhaven General Store, which supplied tourists and campers with anything they’d forgotten to bring from home. Ben was browsing the shelves, and he’d picked up the hose and rattled the box with glee. He brought them over to Layla’s counter, and leaned over the register to kiss her.
“But it’s us,” he said brightly. “It’s how we met. I can’t not buy them.”
“What will you do with them?” Layla challenged wryly. “You only know three women, and Anina, Elise and I have got a plentiful supply already.”
Ben’s grin turned to a mock pout. Layla kissed him again, grateful that there weren’t any customers around to spoil her fun. Ben wandered back to the shelf where the hose was and replaced the box.
“What should I buy then?” he asked. “I ought to buy something. I come in here ten times a day and I never leave with anything but the shop-girl’s lipstick on my neck.”
“That’s no bad thing,” Layla replied.
Something had shifted in her voice, and she left the counter to walk along the shelves of the little store. It was time to have the conversation. Layla looked down at her own cocoa-colored hand, where a bright silver band held a shining diamond on her third finger. She toyed with the ring for a moment, then looked up to find Ben watching her with interest. His thoughtful dimple was firmly in place.
“You know we said we’d get married at Christmas?” she began.
Ben nodded enthusiastically. “Big Christmas wedding, super romantic,” he agreed.
“Well, I’m thinking we ought to bring it forward a little,” Layla explained, “just a month or so.”
“How come, baby?” Ben questioned.
“Well, I’m gonna put on a little weight,” Layla said. She knew she was messing things up, but the actual words that she wanted to say wouldn’t come out. Ben started to laugh.
“You’re intentionally planning to gain weight?” he chuckled. “What, are you gonna weight train or something? ‘Cause, you know I love your muscles, but that might be a bit much.”
Layla groaned, balling her fists. She marched to Ben and took him by the sleeve of his ranger’s uniform, dragging him to the clothing section of the store. Here, on a corner display, there were various shirts, socks and other garments emblazoned with the same slogan: I came to Fairhaven, and now I’m in love.
“You wanna buy something?” Layla said. “This is what you should buy.”
She took a garment from the rack and put it in Ben’s hands. He held the small item in his muscular grip, the soft cotton shifting against his fingers. The garment was a baby gown, newborn size.
“First Dietrich and now me,” Ben mused. “Gram’s gonna have a heart attack.”
“I’m freaking out, babe,” Layla admitted. “Are we gonna be okay as parents?”
He reached out for Layla, pulling her into his arms. The baby gown was still firmly in his grip.
“So long as we love each other, I reckon we’ll do just fine,” Ben replied with a smile.