Finding Sanctuary by Tyler, Jules (1)

 

Finding Sanctuary

 

Silver Creek Shifters

Book 1

 

Jules Tyler

Copyright © 2018 Jules Tyler

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical review and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

 

Dedication

 

For Amanda,

You'll always be

Mama Ally.

I love you.

 

 

 

 

 

Prologue

 

Stella bustled from one end of the bar top to the other, getting drink orders collected as fast as they were being shouted at her. She was in a rhythm tonight. Bartending to her was like a dance; you had to be light on your toes and quick but also give off the appearance that everything happened on purpose. Drop the bottle? Catch it and flip it over with a flair, and no one would be the wiser. This was her element.

 

She could feel her black tank top cling to the sweat beading up underneath her breasts and on her lower back. Friday nights were always her busiest shifts each week. Frat boys and business men came into her bar on the prowl for a sweet slice of heaven wrapped up in a single lady who needed some validation in her appearance. Not that she would complain. Friday nights were her bread and butter and the only reason why she could afford her rent in her tiny studio apartment across the street from the bar.

 

As the night grew to a close, Stella felt someone's eyes on her and turned to make eye contact with a man in a dark blue suit with a silver shirt beneath it. He was smiling at her, and Stella tried to ignore the blush that was creeping up her neck as she watched his eyes take in her curvy appearance in a hungry fashion. His bright green eyes were tinged with a gold color around the edges as he licked his lips. Stella was used to the casual bar patron hitting on her, but nothing like this before. Her hips were softer than what most men liked, but her booty could fill out a pair of jeans right up there with the best of them, and if you asked her, she thought her rack was better than some of the Victoria's Secret Angels had.

 

"You're gorgeous. Has anyone ever told you that?" the stranger crooned at her.

 

Stella fidgeted with her apron. She wasn't typically shy. In fact, she was quite the opposite. Her manager liked to compare her to Fireball actually, spicy and warm at the same time. But this stranger, there was something about him that both intrigued her and set her instincts ablaze just from looking at him. He seemed both safe and dangerous at the same time, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that kind of challenge.

 

Fighting to get her brain to focus, she cleared her throat and put her game face on before responding to the stranger.

 

"Only if they want something from me typically. What can I do ya for, sir?" Stella asked, wiping her hands on her apron before reaching for a wine glass, assuming like most of the businessmen she'd waited on, he'd want a glass of red wine.

 

"I'll take a double Grey Goose on the rocks please," he practically purred at her.

 

Man, what is this guy's deal, she wondered to herself. Usually guys would back off after she offered to fill their drink order, as though the only reason they had attempted flattery was to get what they came for and get out of her way. She made quick work of pouring the right amount of the spirit over the ice she had filled his glass with and slid it across the counter to him.

 

"Would you like me to open a tab for you, sir, or close out your check? Last call is creeping up on us within the hour," Stella said coolly to the stranger, thinking this might throw him off of his game and send him back to whatever woman he had followed into her little corner bar.

 

"Go ahead and open a tab. I think I'd rather sit here with you awhile longer. I've found something sweet that I've got my eye on for now. Once I find something I like, I've got to have it, and trust me you, I will have it," the man said, taking the cocktail straw from his glass and stirring the ice around, never taking his eyes off of her as he did so.

 

Alright, Stella thought, we'll play it his way, I guess. I mean, what's the harm in a little innocent flirting? It's been months since I got laid anyway, so no harm done, right? If we hook up, he'll be gone in the morning, and I can pretend this was all just a weird dream.

 

"My name is Stella. Do I get to know your name, sir?" Stella asked, taking a wet wash cloth from her bin under the bar and wringing it out slowly.

 

Raising his glass, he took a sip of his vodka and set his glass back down before locking his cool green eyes with her amber ones. He smiled at her as his name dripped off his lips like a dangerous but intoxicatingly delicious nectar.

 

"Nice to meet you, Stella. My name is Alaric."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter One

 

Stella leaned back against the armchair she was sitting in by the window of her cabin, watching the snowfall outside. The trees looked like something out of a Christmas decoration box with the way that the snow was perfectly dusting their branches. It’s the last week of November, and she was itching to get Christmas put up around here. Too bad she didn’t have any decorations with her. Maybe she could see if the lodge owner had some things that she could borrow. Pulling the warm cup of cocoa she'd just fixed closer to her chest, she pondered over her current situation.

 

Hiding out in the middle of nowhere in the Idaho wilderness with zero technology at her disposal was definitely not where she had originally planned spending her holidays. In fact, this was the exact opposite of where she thought her life had been headed when she had met Alaric almost three months ago. Thinking about him made the still healing wounds along her abdomen burn as though they had just been torn wide open again.

 

Of course, he had been charming and kind at first. His bright green eyes had stood out from his dark brown hair, and the way he talked to her had sent shivers up her spine. Sure, he seemed like he could be a bit much and came on strong, but what logical woman would say no to an attractive man that was built like an ox that was showing interest in her? Especially if he looked like he could show her a good time. Certainly not this girl.

 

At first, she had been flattered by his attention. After their first meeting while she was bartending, she'd let him take her out to a couple of fancy dinners in Seattle and she certainly wasn’t going to stop him when he would stop to buy her nice things. She was a struggling waitress. It wasn't completely terrible to let someone spoil her from time to time, right? Stella shook her head in frustration at her past self. She had been wrong, oh so very wrong. Guess that was the kind of karma you got when you let yourself act like a gold digger with someone who was obviously off of his rocker.

 

After the first month, things slowly started to change about Alaric. The previously well-behaved gentleman began to fade away and was replaced with someone much more terrifying and controlling. Sometimes when he would stay over, Stella would wake up in the middle of the night to him staring at her like he was going to eat her, and not in a good way. He grew possessive and predatory; he was the hunter and she was his prey. He would sit at the bar while she worked, practically growling at any male patron that approached her to order a beverage. It was easy to brush off at first, but then it began to affect her tips, and then eventually regulars stopped coming, one by one.

 

They would get into arguments after her shifts were over about his behavior, and he would promise to be better, but the next night he only grew worse. More growling, more predatory stares, more arguing when they would go back to her apartment. In her mind, there was no way that a business man could possibly behave this way and still run a business, so she continued to brush it off. But the more she brushed it off, the crazier he continued to get, until one night he finally snapped when she had decided she had had enough.

 

Stella sighed before taking a sip of the creamy, chocolatey goodness that was in her mug. That was the past though, it was time to push forward. She was stronger than that shit and she had the wounds to prove it. She had survived Alaric and his craziness, and now she was safely ensconced in her cabin in a place where he'd never think to look for her.

 

She hadn't been to the Silver Creek Campground since she was a child, but she had spent plenty of time here as a small child. Her Grandpa Buck had brought her here every summer from the time she was four until he passed away after her ninth birthday. He used to tell her that the waters that filled the hot springs at the campground had magic healing properties. While she was too old to still believe in fairy tales, it was enough to give her hope that it could heal her aching soul. With that in mind, she had run away from Seattle and Alaric and towards the only thing in her mind that could possibly give her troubled heart peace and her mind sanctuary.

 

With the roads being completely covered in snow, there was a slim to none possibility that she was going to be able to get up the mountain road without a different mode of transportation. She had sold her car to a teenager in Garden Valley before bribing a group of snowmobilers to let her hitch a ride up to Silver Creek with them. This time of year, people would snowmobile into the hot springs to rest their cold and weary bones and stay a few days before heading back to reality. It was the perfect plan. There was no way that Alaric would think to look for her here. Besides, the sweet older woman at the counter in the Lodge had been more than eager to rent her out a cabin for the foreseeable future. With the amount she had earned from the sale of her car, she should be able to finish out the rest of the winter up here before having to worry about something more permanent from there.

 

Stella set the now empty mug down on the side table next to her arm chair and pushed herself up so she was standing. Running a hand over her cropped short black hair, she resolved that it was time to pick up the pieces and start over. No more sitting around thinking about what Alaric had done to her. No more focusing on her life in Seattle. She had a life to live, and by damn it, she was going to do it.

 

Her stomach growled in protest at the idea of doing anything productive without food. Okay, so the goal setting and soul searching would have to be put on hold for the moment. First, she needed to make herself some food.

 

Chapter Two

 

Brady's bear lumbered through the woods on the outskirts of the camp, enjoying the snow that the winter had brought so far this year. It was the most snow they had seen up here in probably fifteen years, and it was well needed. The woods had been looking a little too dry as they had headed into this winter, so his bear felt reassured that there would be plenty of green in his territory come spring time. Brady chuffed a laugh as he thought about the irony of a polar bear, a beast that was bred for the cold, enjoying the thought of green in the springtime. He knew why though. These mountains were home to him and to his bear. Making sure that it stayed healthy during all seasons meant that they didn't have to worry about finding a new home because their current one had burned down. That's how his grandfather, William, had stumbled upon this place in the beginning.

Coming to the edge of the hillside, he sat back on his haunches. He watched as the sun set slowly over the mountains, covering the meadow below in a blanket of purples and blue before the stars could start decorating the sky. This was his favorite part of the day. Since he was a small cub, he and his grandfather would climb up the hill a few miles from their home and watch nightfall coat the campground. There wasn't much in life that could get better than this.

 

Well, there was one thing, but Brady had given up the search for his intended mate a long time ago. He had been so close to finding her. In fact, he had found her once, but they were too young to understand it. When Grandpa Will had explained intended mates to him, he was seven years old and not nearly old enough to comprehend what he had meant. So when he had met the girl with the raven colored hair and his bear stirred inside of him, he just thought that they were supposed to be best friends. Besides, he was seven and girls still had cooties. This girl though, she was special, and he had known it, even then.

 

He waited every Memorial Day by the window for her grandfather's old green pick-up to bump down the dirt road into the campground. Once the truck was parked outside of their cabin, he would bound down the steps and beg her to go play in the creek by the bridge with him. Every day, they would find new adventures together. She and her grandfather stayed all summer long, and every night she and Brady would sit around the campfire with each of their grandfathers while the old men told them stories about the miners that had found these mountains and the animals that were folded into their middles. Brady had known the stories were true, but she had not. She had assumed they were just more tall tales.

After Brady turned ten though, the visits from the girl and her grandfather stopped. His grandfather had found out through a mutual friend that the grandfather had passed away from a heart attack and the girl was in foster care. Brady remembered promising himself that when he turned twenty, he would go looking for her because she would be eighteen by then. He had counted down the days until his twentieth birthday that last year, then started searching the Boise area for her. He searched everywhere for her, every foster care system from here to California, but he couldn't find her.

 

One foster care director had told him that it was possible if she was adopted that her last name had been changed and urged him to give up. If she wanted to be found, she would find him. Brady waited two more years before finally giving up the search for good. The foster care lady had been right -- if the girl wanted to be found, she would have to come looking for him.

 

Making note of the position of the moon and stars, Brady realized it was getting late, and Mama was going to be waiting on him to serve supper. Falling forward on all fours, he made his way to the lodge still thinking about the girl with the raven hair, just like he had every night since he had stopped looking for her all those years ago.  

 

As he neared closer to the lodge, he willed his body to shift back into his human form. Feeling his bones shift and pop into place, Brady felt the fur fade away from his body. Standing up and stretching, he reached inside of the hollowed out tree trunk he kept his clothes in and made quick work of getting dressed. Picking his way down the rest of the hill, Brady focused on his foot placement so he didn’t slide down the hill on his ass. Reaching the bottom of the hill by the cabin, Brady could hear the phone ringing inside.

 

Hustling inside to grab the phone, Brady answered it, “Silver Creek Lodge, how can I help?”

 

A panicked woman’s voice came over the other line, “"Oh, thank God! Look, I was making dinner and the sink started leaking. I swear I didn't do anything to it but I need someone to come fix this for me. I wrapped a towel around the leak, but water is going to be everywhere soon. Can you send someone out to Cabin D, please? Before I drown?"

 

Brady’s bear perked up at the woman’s voice. Mate? Ignoring his bear, Brady shook his head. No, his mate was long gone and there was no way she’d show up here after all this time. His bear was losing his mind.

 

"I'll be right there," was all Brady could muster up before hanging up the phone so he could go find his tool box in the shed. Sometimes owning this place could be a major pain in the ass. He desperately needed to win the lottery so he could afford to renovate around here. Things kept breaking and, quite frankly, it was messing with his patience.

 

  Finding the blue toolbox that Grandpa Will had given to him shortly before he had passed away, Brady smiled. Yeah, sure, the place was falling apart, but Grandpa Will had had faith in him that he could keep this place running. That’s exactly what he would do.

Chapter Three

 

Stella rushed from the kitchen to grab the phone on the wall that would connect her to the desk at the lodge and dialed zero for the desk.

 

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," Stella begged for someone to pick up.

 

A gruff voice came over the phone line, "Silver Creek Lodge, how can I help?"

 

"Oh, thank God! Look, I was making dinner and the sink started leaking. I swear I didn't do anything to it but I need someone to come fix this for me. I wrapped a towel around the leak, but water is going to be everywhere soon. Can you send someone out to Cabin D, please? Before I drown?" Stella word vomited to the stranger.

"I'll be right there," the voice said, promptly hanging up.

 

"Right, well, that is exciting, I guess," Stella said before setting the phone back on the cradle and making fast work of pulling out a few more towels to trade out for the now sopping wet one she had wrapped around the pipe.

 

The sound of boots crunching through the snow could be heard from her awkward seated position on the floor next to the leaking pipe before there was a knock at the door.

 

"Come in and hurry," she exclaimed.

 

"Someone called in a leaking pipe?" the same gruff voice from the phone asked from the entryway.

"Yes, yes, yes, that was me. Now can you please come help me before this water gets all over the carpet?" Stella asked hurriedly, gripping the pipe even harder, as if the little pressure she was applying would keep the water inside of it.

 

A man carrying a blue tool box rounded the corner of the counter and humor filled his eyes. Stella's blood boiled as the stranger started chuckling at her position.

 

"Are you serious? I didn't ask you to come out here and laugh at me; I asked you to come fix the pipe!" Stella screamed at the man.

 

The man shook his head at her before setting his tool box on the counter and opening it up to search for the tools he needed. As soon as he had the items he required in hand, he stooped down and reached past her position on the floor and did something that caused the water flowing from beneath her hands to cease.

 

"Woah! How did you do that?" Stella asked in amazement as the maintenance man slipped out from under the sink and smiled at her.

 

"Easy, I turned the water shut off valve to the 'off'' position," the man grinned at her.

 

Stella's eyes went as round as saucers as she felt embarrassment fill her body. She knew to check for that due to too many times with the beer taps springing leaks in the bar. How could she be so stupid?

 

"Oh my God, seriously? I didn't even think to look for that. I just heard the pipe crack when I was straining the pasta and panicked. How could I be so stupid," Stella said, trying to avoid eye contact with the stranger as she leaned back against the cabinet next to the sink.

 

"Hey, don't stress yourself out over it, Miss. Not many people would know to look for it. I just thought it was funny seeing you trying to put pressure on the pipe like it was a bleeding artery or something," he chuckled again before sticking his head back under the sink to work on the broken pipe. "Would you mind getting me a hand towel so I can dry off the pipe? I'm going to seal it with epoxy until I can get you a new pipe ordered in, but with the way this winter has been going, that could be a few weeks."

 

"Sure thing. Can you wait for a minute though? I'd pretty sure my legs are chafing from how wet my leggings are. I'd like to change into something dry first," Stella said, using the counter to pull herself up.

"Yeah, take your time. Now that the water is shut off, I'm not in any hurry."

 

Stepping back from the sink, Stella took in the man's appearance. She had already made note of the dimple in his right cheek when he smiled and his gorgeous green eyes. His blonde hair was tousled on top and shaved on the sides. From this angle, his blue jeans hugged his thick thighs, and man, oh, man, did he have a nice ass. His green and black flannel shirt was loose around his middle, but his biceps were definitely filling out the sleeves. Damn, this man was a fine specimen of the male variety.

 

C'mon woman, pull yourself together. You barely survived the last jerk. Do you really want to go looking for trouble with some maintenance guy now too?

 

Determined to clear her thoughts, she turned and walked over to the edge of the living room where her bedroom door was. Slipping inside, she flicked on the light and stripped out of her wet clothing. She quickly donned a green tunic-like shirt, new panties, and black leggings. Feeling much more comfortable than she had moments before, she grabbed the requested hand towel and headed back for the kitchen.

 

"Alrighty then, let's get this party started," Stella smiled at him before handing over the towel.

 

Reaching out to take it from her, he returned her smile, "Thank you, miss."

 

"Thank you, but you can call me Stella," she blushed as he looked at her, his face filled confusion as though he was trying to figure something out.

There was a long silence between the two of them as Brady continued to look her over. Stella fidgeted under his gaze. Why did he look so familiar? It was just his eyes; those beautiful blue eyes reminded her of someone. But who?

 

The man finally broke the silence between them, “I’m sorry; I’m being rude. My name is Brady.”

 

Brady moved to work on the sink as Stella stood there, racking her brain. His name was even familiar.

 

Brady… Brady… Why does that name ring a bell?

 

The reason why she remembered that name dawned on her like someone had smacked her in the back of the head with an idea stick.

There's no way this is the same Brady though, is there? Damn, the boy has really grown. He's not the same Brady I knew all those years ago. Hmm, I doubt this is the real Brady. What was his last name again?

 

She pondered on his last name until he finished with fixing the cracked pipe. Once he was drying his hands off and putting his tools away, she pushed herself to ask.

 

"Your last name isn't Eastern, is it?" Stella raised a hopeful eyebrow at him.

 

Brady looked puzzled by her question and paused for a moment before responding, "Stella?"

 

Stella's face broke out in a smile a mile wide, "Yes, Brady, it's me! We used to play all summer up here when we were kids and my Grandpa Buck would bring me up here for our summer getaway trips!"

 

Brady beamed at her as he wrapped her up in a big bear hug, “I knew that it was you on the phone! There was something about your, uh, your tone. I can’t believe you’re here. I wondered what happened to you after all these years.”

 

As Brady set Stella down she felt a rush of relief run through her. She knew that Grandpa Buck must be watching out for her if Brady was here.

 

Feeling nostalgic, Stella moved her short black hair that was covering the small, jagged scar on her temple and pointed at it, "Remember when you gave me this scar when we were skipping rocks in the creek when I was six?"

 

“This is so weird, I was literally thinking about you just a little bit ago. Damn, Stella, it’s been awhile. Where’ve you been all these years?” Brady sighed, running a hand through his hair.

 

"Yeah, it has been awhile, huh? Grandpa Buck passed away in the spring right after my ninth birthday. Since he was the only one caring for me, I ended up in the foster care system in Boise, which sucked. He was the only family I had," Stella frowned. “After I aged out of the system I headed to Seattle for a new start. I’ve been there up until a week ago, when I headed up here to sort some things out.”

"Stella, you have to know that had Grandpa Will known that he had passed away sooner, he would've come to your rescue. We found out from Jack Richmond when it was too late, and you had already been put in the system," Brady brushed the tear that had escaped her right eye with his thumb before pulling her into a gentler hug.

 

Stella nodded into his chest and sniffed, "I know. Just sucks to lose the only family I ever had and then getting tossed into foster care with a whole bunch of strangers."

 

"Well, you're amongst friends now."

 

Chapter Four

 

Brady was struggling to maintain control of his emotions. His body and his bear were both buzzing with excitement. Stella was okay and she was here! She had come back to him after all. The foster care director had been right. He wanted to shout for joy, but didn't want to scare Stella away when he had finally gotten her back.

 

Stella breathed a sigh into his chest before looking up at him with a sad smile, "Yeah, I really am."

 

Stella's stomach rumbled between the two of them, reminding Brady that she had been in the middle of making herself dinner. Instinct immediately took over. He needed to feed her.

 

"Uh, Stella. Didn't you say you had been draining noodles or something before everything went crazy?" Brady asked, scanning the pot and pan on the stovetop. From the looks of it, she had been making spaghetti.

 

"Oh, uh, yeah, I had been, now that you mention it. I checked the expiration dates on the labels of the noodles and sauce I found in the cupboard and decided that it sounded good for dinner. I'm afraid since I came in on the back of someone else's snowmobile, I didn't get the chance to bring up many provisions. I got a thing of hamburger from the freezer in the lodge and put it on my tab. It's been awhile since I had anything other than fruit or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

 

Brady pulled Stella away from his embrace and looked down at her eyes, "Stella, why don't you have more provisions? Don't you know that people can die of starvation?"

 

Stella shrugged and looked down at the floor, "It's a long story. I figured at some point I'd be able to bum a ride down the mountain to get some groceries."

 

Rubbing his temples, Brady tried to ignore how frustrating the situation was and remember the positive -- Stella was here.

 

"Tomorrow, I'll take you down the mountain, and we'll buy enough food and water to fill these cupboards, you hear me?" Brady grumbled.

 

Stella nodded in agreement, "Sounds like a great plan. I didn't realize you had a snowmobile."

 

"I've got something better. Mama and I bought one of those fancier versions of a Gator, called a Razr, and had it outfitted with a track system like a snowmobile's. It's got a nice little area for groceries. We use it when we start getting low on necessities in the winter," Brady said with pride.

 

"Oh, that's handy. Had I known that before, maybe I would've called ahead and asked for a ride," Stella teased.

 

Brady rolled his eyes, "Hey, anytime you need a ride, you be sure to tell me."

 

"Deal. Now look, I'm starving and am not above stuffing my face in front of you. Do you want to stay for dinner?" Stella asked.

 

"Sounds great. Gives us a chance to catch up," Brady grinned at her.

 

"Perfect."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Five

 

Crawling into bed, Stella smiled to herself. Tonight had been perfect. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would find herself in this position, but now she had the chance to find a silver lining in her situation. Brady was the honest to God last person she ever imagined showing up to her rescue tonight. It was a wonderful surprise, one that she desperately needed. It would be nice having a somewhat familiar face around while she put back together the pieces of her currently destroyed soul.

 

It had been years since she had seen him, but he still knew just what to say to make her feel better. She wished she had come back up to Silver Creek sooner now because maybe they could have reconnected sooner. He had been her very best friend in the whole world when she was little. The trips with Grandpa Buck were perfect for three reasons. One, she'd get to play in the woods, running through trees and playing in the creek that ran through the campground. Two, she got to make memories with Grandpa Buck, memories that to this day she held near and dear to her heart. Three, she got to do all of it with Brady. He had been special to her then, and she had a feeling that he would be now too.

 

Staring up at the ceiling, Stella felt warm and safe for the first time in far too long. Brady was here, and she knew that just like when they were children, he would keep her safe from anything. Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift off to sleep with happier thoughts than she had had in awhile.

 

Grandpa Buck sat down on one of the overturned logs they had been using for a stool and smiled a tired smile at Stella and Brady as they huddled around the fire. They’d gone hiking with Brady’s Grandpa Will and Grandpa Buck up above Boiling Springs that day. It had been a long hike, probably closer to seven miles by the time they were done, but it was so satisfying. Getting to the top was Stella’s favorite part, because she always felt like they were on the top of the world. She could turn in every direction and see as far as the eye could see. She never wanted to come down.

 

“You look tired, Grandpa,” Stella observed, hopping up to go grab a blanket from their cabin.

 

“I am, sweet girl, but it’ll be okay,” Grandpa Buck yawned as she settled the blanket around his shoulders when she returned a moment later.

 

Canting her head about what that could possibly mean, Stella returned to her spot next to Brady. Shrugging, she plopped down on the ground and smiled at Brady. These trips were always her favorite part of the year. She would play with Brady all summer long; every day was an adventure.

 

Grandpa Will came out of the cabin with Brady’s mama, and they handed each of them a roasting stick with a marshmallow already on it. Settling down into their chairs, Grandpa Will looked at the two of them thoughtfully.

 

“Are the two of you feeling up to a story still, or would you rather eat your S’mores and get some sleep?” Grandpa Will asked.

 

Stella’s eyes filled with excitement and wonder as she exchanged glances with Brady. They both answered Grandpa Will in unison, “We’d like a story, please!”

 

Grandpa Buck laughed as he and Grandpa Will smiled knowingly at each other. They had a habit of doing that. Stella assumed it was because they had been lifelong friends.

 

“This one is going to be a little different than our usual bear-men stories. This one is going to be about adventure and fighting for what’s important. But it’s also about love,” Grandpa Will explained, looking up at the stars with a look of love in his eyes.

 

“Yuck, Grandpa, I don’t want a girly love story,” Brady complained around a mouthful of marshmallow.

 

Brady’s mama hushed him, “You need to listen close, son. This one is important. For both of you.”

 

“Fine,” Brady sighed. “Can I at least have another marshmallow?”

 

“That’s fine, I suppose,” she sighed, handing off the bag of marshmallows to him.

 

  Grandpa Will started the story, “Intended mates were something heavily sought after by the bear-men of old…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Six

 

Brady strapped the small red cooler down in the back of his Razr and turned the key to get it running. It didn't have a heater, but the way the engine warmed up in between the two seats, there was enough heat in there to ride comfortably for a few hours if you bundled up well. Zipping up his black Carhartt coat, he made a mental note to make sure that Stella had enough layers on for the day. He'd be sure to grab Mama's extra Carhartt, if she didn't. While his bear tended to keep him warm, since he was going to town, he needed to make sure he looked like everyone else did, which meant lots of layers.

 

Shifters were common knowledge these days, but it didn't go well if you were public about it. Either people had too many questions for you when they found out, or the government came looking for you to pull you into their task force or put you in prison. However, last he heard, there were some potential changes coming in that area after what had happened over at Snake River Prison Camp last year. It just wasn't a good decision to be public about being different, especially not around these parts. Small town folks liked to talk, a little too much if you asked him. He wouldn't have it any other way though. This was home.

 

Getting in the Razr, he drove over to Stella's cabin and got out to go knock on the door. He smiled down at her when she came out to meet him. She had a purple and silver parka on with white fur around the hood, matching ski pants, and snow boots, and he could see silver neck warmer peaking out over the top of the coat's collar. Yup, she would definitely be warm enough.

 

"You ready to go, sunshine?" Brady asked.

Stella nodded in affirmation, "Sure am! Let's go get some grub!"

 

"Did you get to eat breakfast this morning?" Brady eyed her suspiciously as he turned to watch her struggle with the Razr door.

 

"I had leftover spaghetti, but that's okay. I'm planning to splurge on some bagels today," Stella said, rubbing her mitten-clad hands together eagerly as Brady showed her how to work the door.

 

Rolling his eyes at her, he made his way back around to the other side of the Razr and got in. He reached over and helped her with her seatbelt, catching a whiff of her perfume. She smelled like vanilla mixed with the smell of the woods, and he found it delicious.

 

"Alright, let's do this," Brady said, taking the vehicle out of park and easing his foot down on the accelerator.

 

The hour and a half drive down the mountain was filled with companionable silence. Every so often, Stella would get excited about a bunny running across the snow-covered road or other various wildlife crossing their path. When they got to the base of the mountain where the majority of the lower campgrounds were, the smell of deer hung in the air, giving Brady an idea. Usually the deer in this area would graze down by the river. If they were quiet, Brady would bet his last dollar he could show Stella one of his favorite things about living up this way.

 

Slowing the Razr down to a creep, he eased it to the edge of the road and cut the engine. Scenting the air, he knew that they were close enough to the herd that they could walk from here.

 

As he opened the door, he watched Stella's eyes fill with confusion and he grinned. Holding a finger to his lips, he gestured for her to follow him.

 

Curiosity got the better of Stella, and she whispered behind him, "What are we doing?"

 

"Shhh, follow me. I want to show you something," Brady whispered back at her.

 

Together they tiptoed to the opening of the Snake Bite Campground, and Brady slowed to a halt at the gate, motioning for Stella to do the same. Down by the river, about twenty yards from them, was a herd of deer grazing. The sight of them was astounding. He could spot a few late season fawns in the center of the adults and pointed at them to show Stella where they were.

 

"Awe, they're so cute!" Stella whisper screamed, causing the biggest buck in the herd to jerk his head up and study them.

 

After a few moments, he must have deemed them not a threat because he went back to eating. Brady jerked his head back towards the road, signaling to Stella it was time to leave them be.

 

"That was so cool!" Stella quietly exclaimed as she climbed back into the Razr. "How did you know they were going to be there?"

 

Brady hadn't considered the fact that he'd have to explain that portion of the experience to her.

 

"Oh, uh, they always graze there this time of year. It was just a hunch," he stammered before turning the key and revving the Razr's engine to take off again.

 

"Well, that was an awesome experience, Mr. Eastern. Thank you for that," Stella smiled, tears of happiness welling up in her eyes.

 

"Hey now, don't you go cryin' on me," Brady teased her.

 

Stella dashed the tears away from her eyes quickly before giggling at her silliness, "Sorry, it's just been a long time since someone took the time to do something so thoughtful for me. Clearly, I made the right decision coming here."

 

Brady frowned at her, "You're telling me no one has bothered to stop and show you some simple deer on the side of the road before?"

 

"No, I mean that no one has bothered to do small, sentimental things for me. They've always tried to buy my love, and I'm just not a girl that can be bought. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind gifts or free food. What girl doesn't? I really only stayed in the dating game as long as I did because I was hoping I might have a genuine connection with someone someday," Stella explained as they passed a sign that read Garden Valley 10 miles.

 

"Well, that's just stupid. Any moron with half a brain knows that a true lady deserves to be courted the right way. Hell, even the girls I've hooked up with in town at least get some flowers or something the next day. Sentiment matters. Psh, idiots, all of them," Brady shook his head at the ignorance of some people.

 

Stella shrugged, "I guess it doesn't bother me as much as it should. Can't miss something you've never had."

 

Brady slammed on the brakes and turned to face Stella, his expression obviously a frustrated one.

 

"I'm going to make you want those things for yourself Stella. Why? Because you deserve those things. Flowers, chocolate, whatever your heart desires, you're going to get it. Why am I going to be the one to give it to you? You're my longest friend, that's why! Those other guys? They weren't men. I'm a real man. I'm going to make sure you know it. When you look back on these days, I want you to remember that I showed you what true men do to treat a woman like yourself right. Got it?" He growled out at her.

 

Stella struggled to breathe around the heavy air filling the cab before finally giving up and nodding her agreement.

 

"Good, I'm glad that's settled, then," Brady nodded to himself before continuing on down the road like the entire exchange hadn't taken place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seven

 

Stella walked alongside Brady, keeping track of how much money she was spending on the groceries they were purchasing to make sure she didn't overspend her budget. With the amount she had saved, if she rationed it out, she could live up at the cabin for four more months. That meant she couldn't spend more than about seventy-five dollars are groceries every two weeks. In theory that shouldn't be too hard, but it was definitely a struggle when it came down to which snack foods to prioritize for her current run with Brady.

 

"Hmmm," she murmured, chewing on her pen as she thought out loud. "The real question is do I want Nacho Cheese Doritos or Peanut Butter Oreos? Damn, why does this decision have to be so hard?"

 

"Why not just get both?" Brady asked earnestly as he pushed the cart down the canned food aisle.

 

Too prideful to admit the real reason out loud, Stella decided to play it off as no big deal, "Because I'm trying to watch my girlish figure, can't you tell?"

 

"Your girlish figure looks just fine to me. Besides, I know you're lying. It's okay, Stella, I know you obviously aren't working. It'd be impossible for you to have the cabin booked for the foreseeable future if you were. Just get both and toss in a thing of Dr. Pepper while you're at it. My treat," Brady grinned at her.

 

"What? Brady, no! I can't let you do that," Stella argued, placing herself in front of the cans of Dr. Pepper to keep Brady from picking up a twelve pack when they stopped next to them.

Brady rolled his eyes and shoved her over gently with one hand, "Best not fight it, Stell. There's no resisting me. Once I've made my mind up about something, I do it. Whether you're in the store, or sitting out in the truck, I'm buying you your snacks."

 

Stella folded her arms and glared at him as hard as she could, "I said no."

 

Obviously calling her bluff, Brady laughed, "Awe, look at how cute you are when you laugh. C'mon, Stell, we're losing daylight."

 

Heaving an overly dramatic sigh to show her displeasure, Stella finally relented, "Okay, fine, have it your way. I'll only agree if you promise to let me cook for you again tonight though."

 

"That's fine. What's on the menu?" Brady asked as he absent-mindedly rounded the corner into the snack aisle and added Stella's required provisions into the cart.

 

"Haven't quite decided yet. But I'm sure you won't complain either way," Stella smarted off. She'd never known him to be picky when they were kids, so she was certain he wasn't picky now.

 

"Okey dokey, whatever you say. How about when we're done here, I take you around the corner for a cup of hot chocolate and a homemade cinnamon roll? Three Bears Diner makes the best," Brady shrugged at her, pushing the cart towards the only check out register that the general store offered.

 

"That sounds…," Stella hesitated a moment before continuing. "That sounds delicious. I think I'll take you up on that offer."

 

"Good deal. Now let's hurry up and check out so we can book it over there," Brady beamed at her as they raced each other to the end of the line and laughed at their ridiculousness.

 

Laughing this much was making Stella's wounds ache, but it was a welcome pain. She hadn't laughed like this in ages and she sure as hell wasn't about to let the pain ruin it for her.

 

Once the groceries were paid for and loaded into the Razr, Brady took Stella by the hand, and they walked down the little wooden boardwalk that lined their side of the street. Normally she would yank her hand away but she trusted Brady. Plus his hand was warm compared to hers, so she couldn't complain much.

 

Coming to a stop in front of a sign that read Three Bears Diner, Brady opened the door so Stella could shuffle inside. She took in the old-style barn wood walls and cute cartoon pictures of bears and smiled up at Brady. This place was perfect. The tables and chairs appeared to be handcrafted from logs and also had little bears carved into the woodwork.

 

"Oh my God, Brady. This place is adorable," Stella exclaimed before walking over to the little wood stove in the corner of the restaurant and hanging her mittens and coat up to let them get nice and toasty warm from the fire burning inside.

 

"Brady! Is that you, son?" A grey-haired woman who appeared to be well into her seventies came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel as she looked at Brady with a smile a mile wide.

 

"Sure is, Ms. McCanless. I brought an old friend with me this time. Can we get two orders of the usual?" Brady asked as he stooped to hug the woman.

 

"For you, my dear? Anything you want, as always. But first introduce me to your friend," Ms. McCanless said, gesturing over at Stella.

 

Taking the hint, Stella strode away from the stove and stuck out a hand to introduce herself, "My name is Stella. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

 

Ms. McCanless gave Stella's arm a tug and pulled her into a hug, "We don't shake hands around here, sweetheart. That's for city-slickers. Don't be calling me ma'am again either, ya hear?"

 

Stella smiled down at the little old woman as she released her from their embrace, "Yes, Ms. McCanless."

 

"Good. Now go have a seat while I go find you a few cinnamon rolls. Brady, am I packing one up for your mama too?" Ms. McCanless called over her shoulder as she headed back to the kitchen.

 

"Always, Ms. McCanless," Brady chuckled as he guided Stella to a booth close by the fire.

 

"Well, she seemed… Friendly," Stella giggled, smoothing down her messy hair.

 

"Ha yeah, she has a way with people, doesn't she?" Brady asked, running a hand through his hair as well.

 

"I'll say. She'd be a force to be reckoned with behind the bar top, that's for sure," Stella shook her head at the image that her head was creating of Ms. McCanless flipping bottles or pouring waterfalls of shots.

 

"That would definitely be a sight," Brady said as he grinned in agreement.

 

There was a comfortable lull in the conversation as Ms. McCanless bustled back out of the kitchen with two heaping cinnamon rolls that looked as though they were as big as Stella's face and two steaming cups of cocoa piled high with whipped cream. That whipped cream made Stella happier than Ms. McCanless realized. She loved a lot of whipped cream on top of her hot cocoa. Taking a deep breath, the mixed fragrance of cream cheese, vanilla, and cinnamon filled Stella's nostrils. She could feel her mouth begin to water as she watched the cream cheese frosting drip down the side of the enormous pastry.

 

"Oh, wow! This looks fantastic, Ms. McCanless. Thank you!" Stella exclaimed before licking her lips in excitement.

 

"No problem, sugar. You two let me know if there's anything else you need. Brady, I'll bring out your mama's box when I bring the check," Ms. McCanless winked as she set down the food and strode back to the kitchen again.

 

"How am I supposed to eat all of this?" Stella whispered to Brady.

 

He smiled at her teasingly before saying, "I don't know. I think you might have to grow an extra stomach or something."

 

"Excuse me, but my curves are already ample enough as it is. I don't think I'll be needing an extra stomach. I'll just borrow yours," Stella said sarcastically. She was comfortable with who she was and her curves, so there was definitely no reason for her to be concerned about what Brady, or anyone else, might think of her size.

 

"I'm just saying, if you want to eat it all, you might need an extra stomach. If you want to borrow mine though, I won't complain. I have all the extra room in the world for Ms. McCanless' delicious cinnamon rolls," Brady said around a mouthful before swallowing.

 

"If you say so, but watch out. I might get greedy and decide to take the leftovers home with me instead," Stella winked at him playfully before scooping a bite of the fluffy goodness into her own maw. It was no surprise to Stella that the way the cinnamon roll tasted was just as good as the way it smelled. Ms. McCanless certainly had outdone herself with these. Everything blended so well together that Stella wished she had never tasted it so she could experience it all over again.

Chapter Eight

 

It had taken Stella a full thirty minutes, but she had managed to pack away the entire pastry and two cups of cocoa. Brady was definitely proud of her. As they bumped down the road back towards camp, Brady cast a sideway glance at Stella. She had fallen asleep as soon as they started their drive back up the mountain, and Brady couldn't say her blamed her. A full belly like that would require some extra sleep to burn it all off again.

 

Every time he looked at her, he felt like he had to memorize every detail about her all over again, as though he had missed an important detail or something had changed since the last time he looked at her. She wasn't wrong when she said that her curves were ample, but Brady only saw them as sexy as hell with the way that they filled out her figure. Her breasts were definitely more than a handful and they matched her ass. Her short hair framed her face and ears just so, making her ear full of piercings more noticeable. Brady wanted to nibble on those and then kiss her pert little nose with the little diamond stud in it. She was so beautiful, and he had a feeling she didn't realize it.

 

Sure, some might say that was awful girly of him, but he was a romantic. Growing up the only child of a single mother taught you how to look at women in a totally different way. It also taught you how to treat them right. If he ever mistreated a woman, there would be hell to pay with Mama, and boy did he know it.

 

Pulling up next to Stella's cabin, Brady cut the engine and got out. Walking around to Stella's side of the Razr, he opened the door and stooped over to scoop her up into his arms, careful not to jostle her head. He strode up the stairs and gently used the master key on his keyring to unlock the cabin. Slipping inside, he strode over to her bedroom door and nudged it open before setting her down gingerly on the bed. Stepping away from the bed, he looked down at her and smiled to himself. She looked so much more relaxed when she was asleep, like nothing bad could affect her. Deep down, Brady knew there was more to why Stella had come back to Silver Creek, but he wouldn't pressure her. She would tell him when she was ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Nine

 

"No, Alaric, I'm done with this. I'm done with you. Whatever weird shit you're wrapped up in? I want no part in it. Get your shit and get out of my place," Stella yelled, shoving him away from her.

 

Alaric's eyes flashed silver as he stalked her across the room, "Too bad, Stella. You're mine. You're just as good as a bought and paid for whore and you know it. You'll never be anyone else's. I told you, I always get what I want."

 

Stella tried to dive around him before his fist connected with her face, knocking her to the floor. She tried to scoot backwards on her hands and knees as she watched Alaric's face slowly morph into something far more terrifying that the man she had known. Fur filled his face, his nose and mouth elongated, and his teeth and nails grew sharp.

"Wake up, Stella. This is just a bad dream. Wake up, wake up, wake up," she begged herself, tears streaming down her face.

 

A terrifying, animalistic laugh filled the room as Alaric continued to change into a monster, "No, Stella, this isn't a dream. I told you, you're mine. I'm going to make you remember this moment for the rest of your life. Make you remember the night you tried to tell me no."

 

Stella cried out as she flung herself out of bed and up against the wall. Casting her eyes around in a panic as she tried to remember her surroundings, she gasped for air. Heavy footsteps coming towards the bedroom brought her attention to the doorway.

 

"Stella? Stella, are you okay?" Brady's voice asked from the other side of the closed door.

Heaving a sigh, Stella felt everything begin to drift back to her. She was at Silver Creek, Brady was here, and everything was going to be okay. She must've fallen asleep in the Razr on their way home from Garden Valley.

 

"Y-yeah, I'm okay, Brady. You can come in," Stella said before sitting down on the bed as she tried to finish gathering her bearings.

 

The door opened, and Brady paced the room, scanning it for any potential threats, "You're sure everything is okay?"

 

"I'm sure. I just had a bad dream is all," Stella said, rubbing her temples to relieve the stress from the dream.

 

"Do you want… Would you… Can I hold you? Would that be okay?" Brady hesitated as he sat down next to her on the bed.

 

Stella chewed her lip. That did sound nice. There couldn't be any harm in that, right? They were friends, and that's what friends did, didn't they? She nodded at him before laying down on one side of the bed and scooting over so that there would be enough room for Brady too. She felt her middle warm with relief and safety as Brady pulled her back close to his chest.

 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Brady whispered into her hair.

 

Stella closed her eyes and felt the tears drip down her face as she shook her head in protest. Someday she would tell him, but today wasn't going to be the day.

"That's okay, I understand. Mama says talking about your dreams can make them too real for some folks, and that's scary too. I say if you keep them tucked away inside of you that those bad dreams? They become toxic, churning inside of you like someone made you drink poison and it tried to kill you from the inside out. Talking about it is the only cure for it. I'll never, never pressure you to tell me anything, Stella, I promise. Just know that I'm here when you're ready, okay?" Brady said as he stroked her arm gently.

 

Stella nodded before whispering, "Thank you."

 

"Anytime, sunshine. Why don't you go grab your swimsuit? I think a dip in the hot springs could do you and your soul some good."

 

Stella chewed her lip and considered it. It could be good for her, but it also meant that Brady might see her scars. That meant more questions. Maybe she could pull it off if she wore a pair of comfy shorts and a tank top over the top of her swimsuit instead? Yeah, that could work.

 

"Okay, yeah. Let's go for a dip," she said as she slid out of Brady's arms. Part of her hesitated. She wasn't finished feeling the safety that his arms had promised.

 

C'mon Stella, get a grip. He's just a friend and you're trying to get better. Besides, Grandpa Buck always said don't shit where you eat. Sleeping with a friend? That was all sorts of shitting where you're eating.

 

Brady sat up and smiled, "Okay, then. Grab your stuff and we'll head over to the lodge so I can grab my trunks."

 

Stella watched him leave the room and waited for the front door to close before she began to undress. She needed to check the progress on the scars’ healing anyways. She had begun applying some scar cream to them when she got up here. So far the results weren't very promising, but she had only been at it for about a week so it was probably too soon to tell. Pulling her shirt gingerly over her head, she set it down on the bed and took a deep breath.

 

"Well, it can't be any worse than it was when I started this process, right?" Stella sighed, looking down that the claw marks on her abdomen.

 

The scars had gone from a dark and angry red color to a blush pink, causing Stella more confusion.

 

Odd, I swore when I checked these yesterday they were still really red. Maybe the scar cream is finally working?

 

Accepting that that must be the reason, Stella shrugged and crossed to the little dresser where she was keeping the rest of her clothes. Making quick work of the rest of her clothes, she opted to don her favorite red and black plaid bikini with a black pair of shorts and red tank top. Feeling much more secure having the scars concealed safely beneath her clothes, she pulled on her snow gear and headed out the door to meet Brady.

 

Chapter Ten

 

Brady was leaned up against the door of the lodge watching as Stella made her way from her little cabin towards him, resisting every urge within him that was telling him to go to her. He knew girls like Stella, the ones that were strong and independent but also were harboring some sort of traumatic past. Those were the girls that if you smothered them, they would bolt, and that was the last thing that he wanted her to do. He wanted her to trust him, and slowly, he knew she would. Intended mates worked like that. Deep down there was the pull, even with human mates, and eventually they gave themselves over to it. Brady would just need to be patient.

 

Stella stopped in front of Brady and beamed up at him, "Well hey there, stranger. Fancy meeting you here."

Brady chuckled at her as he found himself doing more and more with her quick wit and sarcastic remarks, "Hey there. You ready to go enjoy the water? It’s a comfortable one hundred and four degrees in there."

 

"Hell yeah, I am! That kind of heat is welcome for sure with how cold it is right now," Stella exclaimed, rushing past him into the lodge.

 

"Woah, woah, woah, where's the fire at, little darlin'?" A tall woman with silver hair asked as Stella bumped into her just inside the door.

 

Brady shook his head at the pair before telling the woman what they were doing, "Hey Mama, sorry. Stella tends to get a little over excited. You remember Stella right, the girl that I used to pal around with when Buck would bring her up when we were kids?"

Mama's eyes connected with his in a knowing glance as she held Stella at arm's length to inspect her, "You're Buck's girl? Holy smokies, little darlin', you sure did grow up. Last time I saw you, you were knee high to a grasshopper. Now look at ya. I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you when you checked in last week. You’ve just changed so much from the little girl you used to be."

 

"I sure did, Ms. Eastern. Thank you for helping me make arrangements to stay up here. I know it's probably an inconvenience having me up here for such an extended period of time," Stella said, her cheeks filling with a rosy pink blush.

 

"I'll have none of that Ms. Eastern crap around here, ya hear? Call me Mama or Mama Ally, whichever makes you most comfortable," the woman said as she pulled Stella in for a hug.

 

"Mama, you can't keep forcing your love on everyone. Some people in this day and age like to have some personal space," Brady teased as he pulled Stella along with him.

 

"Sure I can. It works on you, doesn't it," Mama winked at him before turning her attention back to Stella. "Don't you hesitate to give me a ring if you need anything. I'm always here in the lodge, doing something or other, and am happy to drop whatever I'm working on to come help or lend a listening ear. I'm a real good listener."

 

Brady rolled his eyes at his Mama's antics, "Mama, how can you be a good listener if you don't let the poor girl get a word in edgewise?"

 

Mama playfully smacked him on the back, "Don't you sass your mama, boy. I still know what's best. Just cuz you run this place don't mean you get to be too big for your britches. Now you two go for a swim. Mama's got some reading to catch up on."

 

"Bye, Mama," Brady called after her as they watched her head towards the comfy armchair she had situated for herself behind the front desk.

 

"I like her," Stella said, mischief filling her voice and her smile as she looked up at Brady with a gleam in her eye.

 

I'll be damned. It really does work. Guess I'd better not tell Mama though. It'll give her too big of a head. It might explode, he thought to himself.

 

"Don't you go encouraging her now. C'mon, we've got hot springs to enjoy," Brady said, wrapping his hand around hers before giving her a gentle tug.

Once they were officially outside, Brady quickly stripped off his jacket and t-shirt, kicked off his shoes, and smiled wickedly over his shoulder at Stella. He waited until her snow gear was safely stowed in a cubby hole under the awning and drank in her appearance. He could see the red and black plaid bikini peaking over the top of her red tank top. It was hard to pretend he wasn't paying attention to her delicious curves and the creamy skin of her legs. Oh, the things he could do to that body.

 

Pull yourself together. You can't keep treating her like a baby deer that might spook. Man up and go get her.

 

Throwing caution to the wind Brady, quickly strode towards Stella and scooped her up in his arms as he teasingly said, "You're taking too long."

 

"What? No, Brady! Put me down!" Stella squealed at him as he went running towards the deep in.

 

Brady pulled her close as he launched them both into the air and came crashing down into the hot spring. Pushing off of the bottom as he touched down, he pulled them back towards the surface. Both of them gasped for air as the crisp winter air touched their lips. Brady tried not to laugh when he caught Stella glaring at him.

 

"What?" Brady said innocently.

 

"Not fair," Stella pouted. "You picked me up like I weighed no more than a sack of flour."

 

"Well, you don't in my opinion, so there's that," Brady shrugged as he swam backwards with her still held close to him.

"Umm, Brady?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"We're, umm, in the pool now," Stella said nervously as his fingers skimmed her waistband of her shorts.

 

"Yeah, so?" Brady asked, smiling mischievously at her.

 

"So, you can let go of me now?" Stella said, sounding much more unsure of what she wanted with every word.

 

Brady could sense her hesitation about whether or not she actually wanted to be released from his embrace. Gliding through the warm water, he looked up into her eyes. She was slowly beginning to relax as he continued to paddle them around the pool. He smiled up at her.

 

"You're safe with me. You know that right?" Brady asked as he scooped up a handful of the water and poured it over her back.

 

Stella bit her lip and nodded, "Yes."

 

"Then you know that you can be honest with me always, right?"

 

Again, she nodded, "Yes."

 

"Okay, good. So trust me when I say if I make you uncomfortable, I want you to tell me. I'm never going to pressure you into something you aren't okay with. I promise you that with my life," Brady said, pausing to watch her reaction to the words he was saying to her.

"That was really… Intense, but oddly enough, I trust what you're saying to me about it. You're the only person in my life right now I could wholeheartedly say that I trust without a doubt. That's weird though, isn't it? You haven't been around since I was a kid, now I'm back around you for the first time in twenty years, and it's like I never left. Why?" Stella pondered out loud, furrowing her eyebrows as he set her down in the shallow end.

 

Tell her. Tell her what she is to you.

 

Brady ignored the thought and shrugged at her, "Maybe it's just that because I'm a familiar face? Someone that you knew while your Grandpa Buck was alive?"

 

"Yeah, that could be it," Stella considered, plunking down in the water so she was sitting in its warmth instead of standing in the cool winter air.

"You don't seem sure," Brady said as he sat down next to her.

 

"This is all too much to think about right now. Let's talk about something else," Stella suggested as she shifted uncomfortably next to him.

 

Brady frowned at her before turning his attention to the hillside that came down to the side of the hot spring. How many times had he climbed that hill thinking about how badly he wanted Stella to come back to him? How many times had he looked up at the stars and wondered if she could see the same stars or if she was thinking about him too? It took time for her to come back to him, but now he needed to find patience and give her the time she needed to heal from whatever she was hiding.                 
 

Chapter Eleven

 

Stella closed her eyes and leaned back in her favorite armchair by the window. She'd been up here for three weeks now and had been loving every minute of it. When she'd first came up here, she'd expected that she'd be homesick for Seattle and her friends there, especially since she didn't have a way to communicate with them with the lack of technology up here. Not that it mattered, as keeping Alaric unaware of her whereabouts meant not interacting with anyone from her previous life. She had to keep them in the dark to keep them safe and to keep herself safe. It really was for the best.

 

Brady and Mama Ally had been taking good care of her too. It was so nice to have them around to keep her mind busy with new and old memories. She honestly could not have picked a better place to go into hiding.

Stella absent-mindedly ran her hand over her scars, which had now faded to silver. They didn't hurt as much anymore. They were still tight from healing, which made stretching during her morning yoga sessions difficult, but she wasn't about to let that stop her. She had loved yoga when she'd lived in Seattle.

 

Stella had never been one for running. Her friends back in Seattle liked to crack jokes about it because they were all gym rats and marathon runners. Not Stella though. She didn't feel relaxed or energized from that kind of training. To her, there was nothing better than stretching out on a yoga mat and clearing your mind for thirty minutes a day.

 

A knock on the door brought her attention back to the present, and she smiled as she said, "Come in, Brady."

She could hear him stepping through the door before closing it and slipping off his boots.

 

Ever the one for manners, that one.

 

"You know, you don't have to knock. You can always let yourself in," Stella grinned, eyes still closed as she listened to him come around the corner of the little brown couch next to her armchair.

 

"It's polite to knock," Brady shrugged as he plunked down onto the couch and stretched out, legs hanging over the edge.

 

Stella let her eyes flutter open so she could look over at him, "Maybe amongst strangers, but amongst friends, it's just obnoxious."

 

"I like giving you your privacy. Who knows what kind of amorous activities you get into while I'm at work," Brady said cheekily.

 

Stella gave him a sly grin, "Like you wouldn't want to know, you pervy bird."

 

"Hey, I'm just sayin', for all I know you walk around naked all day when I'm not here. Out of respect, I choose to knock before entering so you can choose to put clothes on," Brady teased as he craned his head back to look at her.

 

"You and I both know that I wouldn't walk around naked in here. One, even with the woodstove going, it's too cold for that. Two, the lack of blinds makes it impossible to not be seen by some passerby or Peeping Tom. Three, who would walk around naked in the first place?" Stella asked, looking at Brady like he had grown a second head.

"You've never walked around naked?" Brady asked, sitting up to look her in the eyes.

 

"Uh, no? Once again, who would walk around naked in the first place?" Stella asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at him.

 

"Don't knock it 'till you try it," Brady chuckled.

 

"Whatever, pervy bird," Stella rolled her eyes at him before sitting back in her chair and grinning at her friend.

 

Things between them were simple and flowed easily. Stella had grown to appreciate Brady's laidback attitude and his willingness to support her independence while she figured out who she was on the inside. He never treated her with kid gloves, he simply treated her like a friend. She appreciated this dynamic between them, but she would be lying to herself if she pretended there wasn't a part of her that wanted to be with Brady as more than a friend. She cared about him and could feel this pull in her chest to be more with him, but she was hesitant to dive into anything. After everything that happened with Alaric, she doubted any guy would want to get themselves wrapped up with someone that was as damaged as she was.

 

 

Chapter Twelve

 

Brady frowned at Stella as he watched her zone out on him. He wasn't quite sure where in her head she went when she did this, but he knew that it wasn't anywhere good. He could feel the pain rolling off of her in waves and he wanted nothing more than to go to her and hold her to his chest. He wanted to stroke her hair and tell her it would be okay and whatever was bothering her would go away. He knew that it wasn't that simple though. It never would be. Whatever she had been through had messed her heart and head up real bad, and sometimes people didn't come back from stuff like that.

 

Wanting to get her mind off of whatever she was thinking about, Brady placed a hand on her shoulder gently and smiled at her.

 

"Come back to me," Brady whispered gingerly, waiting for Stella's eyes to meet his.

 

Stella gave him a sad smile, "Sorry about that. I don't know why I do that."

 

"It's okay, Stell. Whatever you went through before you came up here, it obviously rattled you. It's okay to think about it, but don't lose yourself in the past. I'm always going to be here to pull you back to the present, that much I can promise you. I just don't want to see you get stuck in a rut forever because you can't move past what happened. Your feelings are valid and whatever happened to you is probably scary, but my goal is to make you crave the future," Brady said as he worked his fingers down her shoulder to her hand.

 

Stella watched as he traced her palm before asking shyly, "What do you mean by 'crave the future'?"

 

Using his free hand, Brady reached up and stroked Stella's cheek before leaning in close, waiting for her to pull away from him. When she didn't pull away from him, he threaded his fingers in her hair and guided her lips to his. Gently he touched his lips to hers, giving her the option to pull away from him if she wasn't comfortable. He listened as her heartbeat quickened and her breath hitched in her throat from the surprise. Slowly he felt her lean into the kiss, and that was all the hope he needed from her.

 

Leaning back from their embrace, Brady smiled at the love drunk look that had washed over Stella's face before whispering into her ear, "I mean that this thing that's been budding between you and me? The unspoken bond between us? I'm going to make you need it more than you need your precious snacks. I'm going to make you fight whatever demon is lurking inside of you, and I'm going to help you win. It's you and me, however you'll take me."

 

Brady sat back in his chair, him and his bear both satisfied with the kiss that they had shared with Stella, and watched as she mulled over what he had just said.

 

"What if you can't handle the truth about the demon inside of me?" Stella asked, worrying her bottom lip like she did every time she was concerned about something.

 

"C'mon, darlin’, look at me. There is nothing in this world, nothing, that I can't handle. That is the truth. I will do whatever I need to do to make you blissfully happy, whether that's as your friend or something more. I'm here for you, always. You have my word," Brady said as he brushed his thumb over her lip to get her to stop chewing on it.

 

"What if I'm scared?" Stella admitted as she stood to walk over to the other side of the window and stared out at the falling snow.

 

Brady followed her and wrapped his arms around her middle, trying to ignore the way she flinched as he slid his hands across her abdomen.

 

"Then I'll be brave enough for both of us," he murmured before pressing a kiss into her hair.

 

"Promise me?" Stella asked, locking eyes with his in their reflection.

 

"Only if you promise me you'll give us a chance to see where this can go," Brady said, smiling at the fact that she was finding her bravery on her own again.

 

There was a pause in the conversation before Stella turned in Brady's arms and looked up at him. Holding up her right hand, she extended her pinky and smiled up at him.

 

"Pinky promise?"

 

Brady chuckled at her silliness before nodding and wrapping his pinky around hers, "Pinky promise."

 

 

 

 

Chapter Thirteen

 

Stella sat down on the couch, curled into Brady, and listened to him ramble on about his day at work. Well, half listened. Mostly she was freaking out about what was going on between the two of them.

 

How am I supposed to tell him about the demons inside of me? He's going to think I'm crazy when I try to explain these scars and then he's going to send me away. What about this thing between us? He was being very clear about pursuing a relationship with me, but am I really ready to trust someone like that again? Is it too soon? Fuck, fuck, fuck. It shouldn't be this hard. I should just tell him. No… I should wait. Maybe I should just see where things go?

 

"Earth to Stella," Brady said as he gently tapped on her forehead. "Are you still with me, or did you disappear on me again?"

 

Stella felt the blush crawling up her collar bone to her cheeks, "I was doing it again."

 

"Want to talk about it?" Brady asked, face filling with concern as he pulled Stella into his lap.

 

"Brady, I'm really too heavy to be sitting in your lap like this," Stella balked as she tried to scoot back to her spot on the couch.

 

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer to him, a small rumble sounding from his chest, "I promise you, you aren't too heavy. You'd have to weigh like two thousand pounds to be too heavy for me to hold you like this."

 

"Someone's confident in their strength," Stella smarted before accepting that Brady was much stronger than she was, and if he wanted to keep her in his lap, then resistance was futile.

 

"I'm confident in a lot of things," Brady winked at her before playfully kissing her cheek.

 

All of this was so weird to Stella, Brady's behavior. Stella was no stranger to relationships, but all of them had been with guys that were less than affectionate. It seemed she had always had taste for one sided relationships. She loved kissing and playing and teasing, yet had a knack for finding losers that just wanted to use her for a place to sink their dicks. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't quite sure why she had put up with it for so long. Brady had already been so much more loving and he wasn't even her boyfriend. Damn. She should've come back sooner. Maybe things would've been different.

 

Worrying her lip, Stella's eyes met Brady's, "I think I'm ready to talk about what happened to me now."

 

Brady squeezed her in a hug and leaned back to look at her with pride in his eyes, "Would it help if we went for a walk? There's a trail a little way down the road that I keep groomed for the people that want to snowshoe or just enjoy the snow without having to snowmobile through it."

 

Stella smiled at Brady's thoughtful gesture, "That would be great. I'll go get my coat and put on some extra layers."

 

Getting off the couch, Stella headed for her room to quickly don a pair of fleece leggings and her snow boots. Smoothing down the grey tunic she was wearing, she looked in the mirror and said a silent affirmation.

 

You are stronger than this. You've already beat Alaric at his game by getting away. You deserve happiness. Brady deserves honesty. Don't cower anymore. Don't be the sheep, be the dragon.

 

Stella grinned ear to ear at that final line. It was something that Grandpa Buck had told her all the time growing up when she was afraid of something. It was his own creative way of telling her to be brave. Oh, how she missed him. He had been the only true father figure in her life, and she had loved him so much.

 

"Right," Stella nodded at herself firmly before pulling on her coat and zipping it up. "Be the dragon, Stella. Be the dragon."

Walking out of her bedroom, she saw Brady perched on a barstool watching her every move. It wasn't like the way Alaric used to watch her. It wasn't predatory or possessive. It was kind and protective. The way that he watched her made her feel like he would always have her back. Like he would take a bullet for her. It was almost empowering. It was exactly what Stella needed to feel strong enough to tell him everything.

 

"Alright, that's enough staring for one day. Let's go check out this trail," Stella teased, pecking Brady on the cheek before sashaying to the door.  

 

Brady chuckled and rolled his eyes as he followed her out the door, "You're ridiculous sometimes. You know that, right?"

 

"Yeah, but that's okay. I get away with it because I'm cute," Stella winked over her shoulder as she marched through the snow to Brady's Razr.

 

"That you are, beautiful, that you are," Brady murmured, sliding into his seat in the Razr as he did so.

 

Stella watched her surroundings out the window of the Razr, her heart growing warmer and warmer with happy thoughts the further they drove. Brady rested his hand on her leg, gazing at her with a knowing gleam in his eyes. This is where she belonged. She just had to be willing to fight for it. After a few more minutes, Brady guided the machine to a parking spot in front of little bridge that crossed over the frozen creek and into the woods. As she unbuckled, Stella giggled. This was just like that song that talked about going over the river and through the woods to get to Grandmother's house.

 

"What's so funny?" Brady asked, coming around the front of the vehicle with a blanket under his arm to take Stella's hand in his own, warming her already cold fingers as he did so.

 

"Just thinking about an old kids song I remember from elementary school," Stella shrugged, making sure to keep her pace with Brady's so he didn't end up dragging her.

 

"The one that talks about going over the river and through the woods?" Brady asked, giving Stella a boyish grin.

 

"Yeah, that one," Stella laughed, wrapping her free arm around the Brady's arm. It amazed her how natural it was for her to just be there in this moment with him.

 

They walked in silence for about ten minutes or so, until they came around a bend in the trail. The trail opened up to a small area with a few large logs that you could sit on. Stella could see there was a cleared-out area down the hillside that the creek must flow through. Brady guided her to one of the logs and he dusted it off before placing the blanket over it to sit on.

 

"So that's what the blanket is for," Stella observed out loud before sitting down on the log next to Brady.

 

"Figured this would be a good spot to sit and chat for a while," Brady explained.

 

Stella let Brady fold her hand in his while she looked around at the little area. The snow-covered trees were sparkling in the light as the sun made its slow descent behind the mountain tops. If she focused, she could hear a trickle of water running down the hillside in the mostly frozen creek-bed. It was beautiful, and she never wanted to leave.

 

"It's so peaceful here, Brady. Thank you for bringing me here," Stella remarked, leaning against his chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him.

 

"Figured a peaceful place would help you clear your mind and calm your soul so telling me whatever you want to tell me won't seem so terrible," Brady said gingerly before placing a soft kiss against her forehead.

 

Stella's heart felt as though it was going to burst. He was so thoughtful to think of something to ease the pain she was feeling.

 

"You have no idea how much that means to me, Brady. You really don't," Stella murmured.

 

"I think I do," Brady whispered, placing a finger under her chin so she had to look him in the eyes.

 

Looking in Brady's eyes, Stella felt her pain begin to melt away. As cliché as she knew that sounded, it was true. Finding her childhood best friend again made her feel like she was coming home again. It felt so good to feel safe here in his arms, and now that she had a taste of it, she didn't plan on giving it up. It was time to come clean.

 

"Before I start, I need you to promise that no matter how crazy I might sound at some parts, you will at least hear me out, okay? I still can't seem to wrap my head around it all most days, but it happened, and every word I'm about to tell you is true," Stella pleaded.

 

"I've seen a lot in my lifetime, beautiful. I'm sure whatever you have to say, I will believe," Brady promised, rubbing slow circles on her back.

 

"Okay then. Well… Umm… I came up here to hide from my ex-boyfriend, Alaric. You see, he was more than just an asshole. He was, erm, different, so to speak. He owns a shipping company in Seattle that imports goods from Asia and at first, he seemed like your average businessman. Struggling as a single waitress in a big city, I didn't give it too much thought that he wanted to buy me nice clothes and trinkets or take me to fancy dinners. I couldn't do those things for myself, so why not let some guy do it that was interested in me, right?" Stella paused, trying to ignore the low growl that was coming from Brady's throat before continuing.

 

"He was the perfect gentleman at first, other than his habit of staring. I thought he might not notice he’s doing it, so I just brushed it off. After a few weeks, things started getting weird though. He would come in after work every night and sit at the bar and growl at the male patrons that would try to order drinks from me. He would invite himself over every night after work, take what he wanted from me, then usually let me drift to sleep. I'd wake up in the middle of the night and see him staring at me. Now, I'm not talking about the cute, 'you look so peaceful when you're asleep' kind of staring at me. I'm saying he would stare at me like he was the beast and I was the prey and he was just waiting to eat me.

"I tolerated everything for another week or two before I finally tried to get my bearings and put my foot down. Night after night, the fight was the same. I'd tell him to knock it off, he'd tell me to put up or shut up, we'd fight some more. He'd take me in the bedroom, force me to do as he pleased, then tell me things would be different and he could change. I should've seen the red flags when his eyes would go from green to gold. It was creepy when it would happen. Like there was this monster just beneath the surface and it was going to get out," Stella stopped, staring out at the empty forest in front of her before looking up at Brady with sadness in her eyes.

 

"Stella, I need you to tell me the rest," Brady gritted out between clenched teeth. He was getting angry. Stella couldn't blame him. She was angry at herself too.

 

"This went on for much longer than it should've. I should've sent him packing the first night when he was being a creeper in the bar. Maybe then none of it would've happened," Stella spat, looking down at the ground where she was kicking around the snow beneath her feet. "I finally tried to send him packing one night. He'd driven off half of the bar’s regulars, and I needed to be done or I was going to lose my job. That fight was the worst. I don't remember what I said that had pissed him off so bad, but I remember asking him to leave. He kept stalking me like a big cat stalks a bunny. I finally tried to warn him off by throwing an empty bottle at his head. But when it broke on his head, he didn't falter. His eyes glowed gold, and I watched as his face contorted and started growing hair. His teeth grew long, and I could hear bones popping and cracking. It was like some sick nightmare that I couldn't wake up from.

 

"Alaric went from being a crazy asshole to a full-grown grizzly in my living room. As he shifted, he told me that he wasn't going to kill me, but he was going to make sure everyone knew I was his," Stella's voice choked on the lump in her throat as tears filled her eyes.

 

She pushed herself off the log and turned to face Brady as she unzipped her coat and rolled her tunic up to reveal her mangled abdomen. Stella watched as Brady's face filled with anger, then faded to sadness as he reached for her. She stumbled forward and forced herself to not watch as he trailed his fingers along the scars that looked like vines up her rib cage. Slowly she felt his body shift as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to each of the scars that dipped below the top of her leggings. Her body started to shake with his shoulders, and she felt the tears dripping from Brady's eyes as well.

Steadying herself by setting her hands on his shoulders, she swallowed hard and resolved to finish telling him her story, "I had passed out from the pain he had caused and probably from the blood lost. He had done a good job of covering his tracks though. He had told the emergency room staff that we had been out walking on the pier and we were attacked by a stray dog. He had taken extra measure to make sure my scars were close together enough that it looked like the 'dog' had turned my body into hamburger. They bought it, even though he had no scars except for an odd bite mark on his hand. They kept me in the hospital for eight weeks before sending me home. They had to do several surgeries to try and clean up the damage. They did a couple of rounds with plastic surgery to try and graft my skin back to normal, per Alaric's request. Somethings can't be cleaned up though. The scars on my ribs and pelvis are the worst of them though and the most obvious to me that Alaric lied to the doctors. They were too stupid to question how a dog could have paws wide enough to make claw marks like that.

 

"They told me that there is a lot of scar tissue, and I'll likely never be able to bear children. Alaric could see the hatred filling my body and finally looked guilty for what he had done to me. He wasn't there the day that they discharged me from the hospital, thankfully. He had some big business meeting to attend that day that he couldn't miss. When I got home, I packed a suitcase and drove to the bank to withdraw all of my savings. Then I ran," Stella recalled, bitterness still filling her voice.

 

She didn't resist when Brady pulled her down into his lap. He cradled her in his arms, and they cried together as he rocked both of them back and forth.

"I'll kill him for what he did to you, Stella," Brady said after a while.

 

"No, you won't. I don't want you going to look for him. The only good thing that came out of this was that I found my way back here to you. I don't want his blood on your hands. He can't find me here so we're not going to borrow worry, got it?" Stella insisted, pressing her lips against the lump in his throat.

 

"He deserves to pay for what he did to you. It's not fair. You didn't do anything wrong," Brady ground out, wrapping his hands in her shirt.

 

"Brady," Stella said, leaning away from him so she could look into his eyes. "I have all I need right here. I don't need revenge and I don't need you going on some quest for vengeance. Please just respect that for me, okay?"

There was a beat of silence while Brady mulled over what she had said before he spoke again, "Alright, but only because you asked me not to. I still say the fucker deserves to die."

 

"I never said he doesn't deserve to die, but I have complete faith that he will get his," Stella reassured him.

 

They sat and watched the sky in silence together. Stella closed her eyes, leaned into Brady's chest, and gave silent thanks to the powers that be that she had found the strength to tell him what had happened to her and that he hadn't thought she was crazy. Now they could go forward and things could get better between them. She made a silent promise to herself that she would continue to be the dragon.

 

 

Chapter Fourteen

 

Brady stepped into the shower and let the hot water pour over his sore muscles. After he had taken Stella back to her cabin and tucked her into her bed, he finally let his bear have his body. The first thing he did once Brady relinquished control was wander deep into the woods and picked a fight against a tree. On his hind legs, he had slammed into a rather large pine tree over and over and over again until it finally came crashing to the forest floor and he roared out in sadness. His bear wanted blood just as bad as Brady did. He wanted to avenge his mate, but Stella's needs came before their own. Thank the fates for that, or Brady would be halfway to Seattle right now. The bastard was just lucky that he hadn’t bitten her or he would be toast. Brady took comfort in that fact.

 

Once he was fully scrubbed down, Brady stepped out of the shower and wrapped up in a towel so he could go search out a pair of sleep pants. Brady's stomach rumbled, another reminder that his bear had burned some major calories taking out his frustration on that tree.

 

"Looks like I need to go scope out the fridge for Mama's leftovers," Brady sighed, toweling off his hair before tossing the towel on the bed and pulling on his favorite black and red plaid pants.

 

Wandering out to the kitchen, Brady pulled open the fridge and set out a plate filled with steaks, a bowl of mashed potatoes, and a container of barbequed chicken breasts. Grabbing a plate from the cupboard, he made quick work of filling it and tossing it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. A sigh from the couch startled him, and he flipped around to face his mother.

"It's not nice to sneak up on people, Mama," Brady admonished as he walked over to plunk down on the couch next to her.

 

"It's not nice to intrude on your Mama's quiet reading sessions either, but you don't see me bitching about it, do you?" Mama Ally sassed as she pat him on the leg with her book. "Where've you been? I saw you come back with Stella hours ago. A poor mother worries."

 

"I let my bear out for a run. I needed to blow off some steam," Brady explained.

 

"Oh? Trouble in paradise already?" Mama pried.

 

"Not necessarily but sort of, I guess," Brady sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. He could feel his bear scratching at the surface again already.

 

"Not necessarily but sort of, you guess? What in the Sam Hill happened?" Mama asked, leaning forward in curiosity.

 

"Stella got hurt…," Brady started to explain.

 

"What did you do to that girl, Brady Michael Eastern?" Mama demanded.

 

"If you'd let me finish, Mama, you'd have answers. I'm not the one that hurt her. Someone else did. Another shifter hurt her," Brady frowned at her.

 

"Poor girl must be traumatized! No wonder she ended up here," Mama screeched as she stood and began to pace the floor. "Who hurt her? I want names. I will make sure our girl gets avenged."

 

"I already promised her that I wouldn't go after him, Mama. That's a promise I intend to keep," Brady sighed.

 

"You did what?" Mama stopped and stared at him, mouth gaping open and her eyes looking like they were about to bug out of her head.

 

"I promised I wouldn't go after the bastard. I want to with every fiber of my being, Mama, but she asked me not to. Her needs come before mine."

 

"She obviously doesn't know what's good for her. What's good for her is to have that mother fluffer ten feet under and for me to piss on his grave!" Mama exclaimed as she folded her arms and stomped her foot like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

 

"No, Mama, what's good for her is to be mated to me," Brady shook his head in exasperation as he stood to go pull his food out of the microwave.

 

"And for her to give me grandcubs!" Mama clapped her hands in excitement as she plopped back down on the couch as Brady sat back down with his food.

 

Brady shifted uncomfortably next to her and cleared his throat after swallowing a mouthful of potatoes, "Uh, yeah… About that Mama. Stella's wounds… They're pretty deep. She said that there's a lot of scar tissue. The doctors told her she most likely wouldn’t be able to have children."

 

Mama leaped on top of Brady, grabbed him by the shoulders, and began to shake him as she shouted, "And you're still expecting me not to go after him? He's robbing me of my grandcubs, Brady! He hurt your mate and is robbing me of grandcubs! HE NEEDS TO DIE!"

 

"I know, Mama, I know. But Stella doesn't want us getting involved. Just leave it be. She's safe now. If she wants to have cubs, we can look at getting a surrogate or something. I've heard there's ways to make it work with the mother and father's DNA so that the surrogate only carries the baby and doesn’t donate her own eggs. We could make this work. Only if Stella wants to though. Got it?" Brady said, pushing her back to her side of the couch.

 

"Oh, alright. I give up," Mama sighed, sinking back into the chair and picking up her book.

"Good. Now there's something I do want your help with, if you're feeling up to it," Brady grinned mischievously as he shoveled another mouthful of food into his maw.

 

"What did you have in mind?" she asked, perking up in excitement.

 

"We need to go get the Christmas decorations out of the storage room downstairs. I want to decorate Stella's cabin while she's asleep tonight. Then tomorrow all three of us are going to get her a tree for her cabin."

 

"I'll go get my boots on."

 

Chapter Fifteen

 

Stella awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon drifting in through her bedroom door. Smiling to herself, she realized Brady must've taken the morning off from the lodge. Stretching her arms up above her head, she let out a nice relaxing yawn. Sometimes you just needed a good stretch before you were ready to get out of bed in the morning. Sliding out of bed, she checked her complexion in the mirror. Just because she just rolled out of bed didn't mean she had to look like it. Quickly she ran a brush over her short hair and pulled on her sweater so she wouldn't be cold. Walking out of the bedroom, she smiled at Brady, who was perched on one of the barstools at the counter.

 

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Brady crooned at her as she slid onto the stool next to him.

Leaning towards him so he could kiss her cheek, Stella took notice that it wasn't Brady that had been cooking, but instead it had been Mama Ally.

 

"Oh, good morning, Mama," Stella chirped as she watched Mama flip over a pancake on the griddle she had placed on the stove top.

 

"Stella darlin', I think we need to move you into the lodge so I can cook you a proper meal on a proper stove. Not this nonsense that we put out here for short term guests," Mama Ally lectured, waving around her spatula for effect.

 

"It really isn't that bad. I could just come inside for meals if you'd like. I don't want to be a bother," Stella said.

 

"Darlin', are you a dog? No? Then why in the world would I let you just come in the lodge for meals like you are one? You wouldn't be a bother. Now are you gonna make me beg or will you just ease my mind and move into the lodge?" Mama asked, sticking out her lip in a pout.

 

"I'll think about it," Stella smiled. She didn't have the heart to tell Mama that she felt moving into the lodge was a big step that she wasn't quite ready to take yet.

 

"Alright, fine. I'll let you think on it," Mama sulked for a moment before dishing up two heaping platefuls of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage links.

 

"Dang, I can't remember the last time I had this much food for breakfast," Stella recalled as she leaned over her plate and inhaled the delicious scents that were wafting off of it. She did so love pancakes and bacon.

 

"I think the last time was last week on our grocery run when we stopped at the Three Bears Diner," Brady teased as he shoved a forkful of food in his mouth.

 

"True point. If we keep eating there every time we go to town, I'm going to have to custom order my leggings so I have something that fits," Stella giggled as she patted her belly.

 

"Oh whatever, honey. You can afford another twenty pounds or so," Mama Ally rolled her eyes at her.

 

"Whatever you say, Mama," Stella smiled as she stuffed hunk of pancake in her mouth.

 

"We have another surprise for you too," Brady murmured in her ear as she swiveled her chair around to face the living room.

 

Stella had to hurry and swallow before her mouth dropped open at what she was seeing. Her entire living room had been transformed into something from the Hallmark Channel. There was garland with lights woven into them draped all around the room. Tiny holly wreaths decorated the walls, and a little village sat on the television stand with small figurines creatively placed around the houses. She couldn't believe it.

 

"How did you guys do all of this while I was asleep?" Stella marveled.

 

"Oh honey, it was easy. You could sleep through a buffalo stampede with how hard you were sleeping when we got here. I'm surprised Brady's banging around with a hammer didn't wake you, to be honest. Sounded like a bull in a china shop, that one," Mama said as she came around the counter and wrapped Stella up in a hug. "I know your Grandpa Buck would just love this. I wish he was here for you, but I'll still claim you as mine, if that's okay? You've always been family, Stella, no matter what."

 

Stella felt the tears threatening to escape her eyes and she blinked them back. She had done plenty of crying since she got here, so there didn't need to be more.

 

"This was super sweet of you guys. I can't thank you enough for doing this," Stella sighed as she looked around at all the decorations again.

 

"I know what you can do to thank us," Mama piped up.

"Mama, just leave Stella alone. When she's ready to move into the lodge, she will, okay?" Brady admonished her.

 

"Excuse me, Son, but that's not what I was going to say. Thank you very much. I was actually going to suggest she go with us to get a tree today," Mama sassed back at him.

 

"Oh, I'd love to go get a tree with you. Let's go get a tree Brady, please?" Stella said excitedly as she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him with her best version of puppy dog eyes.

 

Brady chuckled, "Alright, alright, we'll go get a tree. But only if you eat all of your breakfast."

 

"Done deal," Stella squealed as she hopped back on her chair and shoveled food into her mouth.

"What am I gonna do with you?" Brady asked Mama as she settled down onto the couch with her own plate filled with food.

 

"Love me? Never leave me?" Mama suggested as she plopped a piece of sausage in her mouth.

 

Stella nodded in agreement at Brady.

 

Today was shaping up to be a good day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Sixteen

 

Brady smiled as he watched Mama and Stella wander the hillside they had picked to look for a tree. He was sure to have his hands full with these two in his life. They were both so sarcastic and bossy, but it made him feel better seeing that Stella looked as though the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Telling someone about what she had been through with Alaric had done wonders for her soul, he could feel it. Watching her interact with Mama, he could tell the difference in the way she was holding herself and how animated she was becoming. It was definitely a sight to behold.

 

"We've been out here an hour, and you two aren't any closer to picking a tree than when we got here. Why don't we pick a different spot to look?" Brady called out to them.

 

He had to try not to laugh when Stella turned to him with her hands on her hips and scolded, "Listen here, Brady Eastern. I picked this hill to find our tree and on this hill only will I be looking. Do not rush me."

 

Mama cast a wicked grin over her shoulder at Brady, "She's quite the little firecracker, Son. I wouldn't mess with her."

 

Brady brought his hand up and rested his forehead against it, squeezing his temples. Fates help him, he was going to have to find some patience to be able to handle both of them.

 

"Alright, but only because Stella asked so nicely," Brady teased as he leaned back against the Razr and watched them continue their search for the perfect tree.

 

A pair of yellow eyes peering through a tall pine at the top of the hill they were scouring brought his bear to attention inside of him. Scenting the air, he was able to confirm his suspicions.There was a cougar hiding in that tree, and Stella was headed right for it.

 

"Mama, Stella, get away from that tree," Brady warned, trying to keep his voice calm so it didn't alert the cat.

 

"What's wrong with it?" Stella asked, turning around to look at him with a confused look on his face.

 

"I'll tell you in a minute. Why don't you and Mama come back down from there for a few while I get things sorted up there?" Brady suggested, hoping that they would take the hint.

 

"But that's so far. Why can't you just tell me what's wrong with the tree?" Stella protested.

 

"I think we'd better listen to him sweetheart. If Brady thinks there's something wrong with that tree, he's probably right," Mama said gently as she scented the air as well and caught wind of the cougar's scent.

 

"Oh, alright," Stella resigned as she started to pick her way down the hill.

 

Stella took a few steps before losing her footing and sliding part way down the hill into a tree bowl.

 

"Well shit, that smarts," Stella muttered as she tried to push herself up.

 

Brady glanced up at the tree where the cougar had been and prayed it wasn't there anymore. There weren't any glowing eyes anymore, but he could still smell it. It was definitely still here somewhere.

 

"Are you alright, beautiful?" Brady called up to her, forcing himself not to go up after her. He knew if he went tromping up the hill it would only make things worse, and he needed the vantage point so he could see the cougar if it made an appearance again.

 

"Yeah, but I think we might need to go back to the lodge and clean me up. I'm covered in sap, and my hand is bleeding," Stella explained.

 

Brady and Mama locked eyes at that moment, "Mama, get her out of there."

 

As that last word fell off of Brady's lips, he found the cat again, crawling down the right side of the hill, towards where Stella had fallen.

 

"Shit," Brady muttered. "Fates forgive me. She's going to hate me after this."

 

Forcing himself to change, Brady felt his bones begin to pop and crack as they reshaped from man to bear. Willing the transition to move fast, he roared out in pain. Slamming down on all fours, he forced his muscles to cooperate with his mind. Training his eyes on the now startled cougar, he took off up the hill after it. As he ran past Stella, he could see the horror in her eyes. His heart broke, knowing she would likely never trust him after this. Her safety was his first priority though, so he pressed on up the hill after the cougar.

 

 

 

Chapter Seventeen

 

The ride back to the lodge had Stella fidgeting in her seat. Brady was a bear, a polar bear from the looks of the white fur that had covered his body when he had gone after that cougar. He was like Alaric, but that couldn't be right, could it? He was so different from Alaric. He didn't give her the creeps like he had. He didn't force her to do anything she didn't want to do either. He had been gentle, and kind. She'd known him for years. Had he always been this way? How did he get like this? Nothing made sense anymore.

 

Brady pulled the Razr up in front of her cabin and moved to get out to open Stella's door.

 

"I've got this, Brady," Stella said somberly as she let herself out of the Razr.

"Stella, it's not what you think," Brady called after her as she hurried inside and closed the cabin door.

 

I don't know what to think anymore.

 

Stella walked to the bathroom and stripped off her clothes as she started a hot shower.

 

"Why is it always the weird shit that happens to me?" Stella pondered out loud as she stepped into the shower and let the hot water pour over her.

 

The stories Grandpa Buck had told her as a kid weren't really stories after all. He and Brady’s Grandpa Will had told her so many times the stories of the bear-men and their mates. She always thought they were just stories of great protectors and the women that stole their hearts. But how could Alaric be like them and not be like Brady? Was it the bear they shared their bodies with that made them who they were?

 

Her heart felt like it was being torn in two. She was missing something; she was sure of that. Sinking down to the shower floor, Stella folded her legs to her chest and she stared at the drain as she tried to piece together everything in her head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Eighteen

 

Brady paced the space in front of the window that looked at Stella's cabin. He had royally screwed things up. He should've told her what he was when she told him about Alaric. Now she probably thought he was keeping secrets from her or trying to trick her into falling in love with him. He was losing her, he could feel it.

 

"Wearing a hole in that floor isn't gonna do you any good, Son. You did what was best and protected her the best way you knew how. Just give her some time to wrap her head around everything," Mama called over her shoulder from the stove where she was cooking.

 

"She's going to ask to leave now. After what that shit-sniffer did, I can't say I blame her either. She just needs to let me explain. Maybe I can convince her to stay if I tell her what she is to me," Brady insisted, continuing to pace the length of the window.

 

"How is doing that any better than what he did? Sure, he physically tried to force her to stay with him, but you going out there and baring your soul to her isn't much better. That's called forcing her hand, my love. I know I taught you better than that," Mama lectured.

 

"Yeah, you're probably right, Mama," Brady resigned, slumping down in an armchair that looked out the same window he had been pacing.

 

"Ain't no probably about it, Brady. Mama always knows best," Mama sassed, stirring the pot of chili she was working on.

 

"So how do I win her back? We were finally getting to a place where we could stop calling it a friendship and start calling it a relationship," Brady sulked, kicking his feet up on the coffee table.

 

"Well, if you'll stop acting like a kicked dog and start acting like a man, I'll tell you," Mama admonished him.

 

"I'm not acting like a kicked dog," Brady protested as he got up and crossed to sit at the counter.

 

"Uh huh, sure you aren't, sweetheart. Now listen here," Mama started as she set down a hot bowl of chili in front of him with a slice of cornbread. "You're gonna give that girl all the time in the world that she needs. You wanna know why? Because she is your mate. She's still healing from the trauma that asshat put her through before she came up here. You need to trust the Fates and your Mama. Everything will work itself out. She's just scared and confused right now is all. You need to be the man I raised you to be and learn to be patient with her. Great things take time, Son. If you try to force it, guess how it's going to turn out?""

 

"Like shit?" Brady rolled his eyes at his mother. This was something she said frequently to him growing up.

 

"Exactly, this old bear knows what's what. Just give her some space and let me take care of your girl for now, got it?" Mama encouraged as she turned to grab the Tupperware off the counter and fill it with chili for Stella.

 

"How do you know she'll talk to you?" Brady asked, stirring his bowl of chili around.

 

"It's like I said, this old bear knows what's what. Best way to help someone heal? Feed them. Food raises the spirits and warms the soul, Son. Don't you forget that. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a young woman out in that cabin that needs a Mama Ally hug and some food. Don't you dare come out there until she asks you to," Mama warned as she scooped up the pan of cornbread and the big container full of chili.

 

"Yes, ma'am," Brady sighed. It was going to be a long night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Nineteen

 

It had been ten days since the incident with the cougar, and Mama Ally had been at the cabin every day since with food and cards. Ten days since Stella had spoken to or seen Brady. She felt guilty and she knew she couldn't avoid him forever, but she still needed to sort through where she wanted to go from here. That first night Mama had come by, Stella was sure she was going to try and reassure her Brady was a good guy like any other mother would, but she didn't. Every night since then, she hadn't brought up any mention of Brady either. It was driving Stella mad not knowing how he was doing. She didn't hate him for what he was; hell, she didn't hate him period. She was just confused about everything.

 

Picking up a piece of fried fish and dunking it in tartar sauce, Stella looked at Mama Ally, "So if Brady is… A bear… Does that mean you're one too?"

 

Mama paused for a moment and nodded slowly at Stella, obviously trying to gauge where this conversation would be going from here.

 

"What about Brady's father?" Stella wondered.

 

"He was human, died in a wildlife fire when Brady was three. He was a good man. Why do you ask," Mama questioned, her voice laced with curiosity as she popped a French fry into her mouth.

 

"Well… I guess what I'm asking is… How do bear-people get their bears? I don't remember Brady having a bear inside of him when we were kids," Stella thought, trying to pick her words carefully so she wouldn't offend Mama.

 

"You want to know if he was born a shifter?" Mama clarified.

 

Stella shrugged, "Yeah, I guess that's what I mean."

 

"The short answer? Yes, Brady was born this way. It's not often that a shifter-human couple have an all-human baby."

 

"Why is that?" Stella inquired, leaning forward on her elbows to prop her chin on top of her folded hands on the table.

 

"Genetics, darlin'. Shifter genes are strong, so usually the baby ends up with whatever animal the shifter parent is," Mama explained as she took a bite of her piece of fish.

 

"So there's more than just bear shifters then?"

 

Mama nodded as she finished swallowing her food, "You think of an animal, and there's likely a shifter with that particular creature inside of them."

 

"Even a mouse?" Stella speculated.

 

Mama giggled, "I like where your head is at. While I've never met a mouse shifter, I'm sure they exist. I did meet an otter shifter once. Let me tell you, those guys are slick."

 

"Do I even want to know?" Stella asked sarcastically.

 

"Ummm, probably best that you don't, if I'm being completely honest,” Mama winked at her teasingly.

 

“Do you think that cougar that Brady chased off the other day was a shifter?” Stella questioned.

 

“Very doubtful. The air didn’t smell like a shifter. I’d bet my money it was just a big cat looking for a meal. Now where is all this headed, sweetheart? Tell Mama Ally what's on your mind," Mama urged, pulling one of Stella's hands free and smoothing her thumb over her knuckles.

 

"I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything. Like, I obviously know that you aren't blowing smoke up my butt about shifters existing. I'm just trying to understand how there's shifters like Alaric in the world and then there's shifters like you and Brady," Stella said, worrying her bottom lip as she waited for Mama's response.

 

"Well that's a silly question, sweetheart. Shifters still have human instincts and drives. That's just like asking why there are good men and bad men in the world. It's just the natural order of things. While most shifters have good hearts and the right intentions, sometimes if they lose their intended mate or never meet them, it can drive their animal crazy. It's been a long time since I met someone that let it happen, but I'd be willing to bet that's what happened to Alaric. His animal fixated on you, and the more you fought whatever connection he was trying to force on you, the crazier it drove him," Mama explained.

 

"So it's my fault that this happened?" Stella asked defensively as she withdrew her hand from Mama's.

"That's not what I'm saying at all, sweetheart. What I'm saying is that Alaric's bear is sick and was trying to force you into a mating. It got violent because it's desperate for a connection with someone. That's not how mates work. A mating is a consensual agreement between two beings. Both people have a say in it," Mama Ally explained, taking the empty plates and going to wash them in the sink.

 

Stella followed her and leaned up against the countertop, "You said there's intended mates. What does that mean?"

 

Mama turned off the water and turned to face Stella, "I think that's a good question for you to ask Brady when you're ready."

 

"But," Stella began to protest before Mama put a finger to Stella's lips.

"No buts about it, sweet cheeks. That is a conversation I feel like you need to have with Brady. Now listen here -- Christmas is tomorrow, and I'm expecting you two to be able to be in the same room as each other so I can spend the day with both of you. Everything with Alaric aside, you know deep down in your bones that you love my son. Probably always have. Fate is a fickle bitch, Stella. You ended up back here with us for a reason. Now are you a sheep or are you a dragon? Because last time I checked, your Grandpa Buck raised a damn dragon. Be the dragon, Stella. Fight for what you want," Mama said sternly as she turned back to the dishes.

 

"But how do I know if what I want is worth fighting for?" Stella asked, voice filled with uncertainty.

 

"That's a question only your heart can answer, honey. Now why don't you get your tush over here and help me with these dishes?"

 

Chapter Twenty

 

Brady awoke to a knock on his bedroom door as the sun started to rise through his window on Christmas morning.

 

Why the hell is Mama up this early?

 

"Mama, go back to bed. It's too damn early," Brady complained, pulling his pillow over his head.

 

"Get up, sleepy head. We're going for a walk," Stella whispered sweetly in his ear.

 

Brady sat up so fast it made his head spin, but he didn't care. It had been ten whole days since he had seen or spoken to Stella and dammit he was going to hug her. Pulling her into his lap, he gave her the biggest bear hug he'd ever given someone.

 

"Stella, I'm so sorry. I should've told you sooner. I'm so so so so so so sorry. Please forgive me," Brady begged as he squeezed his arms around her tightly.

 

Stella tapped on his chest, "Brady, I can't breathe."

 

"Oh, right, sorry about that. I'm just so excited to see you," Brady whispered excitedly.

 

"I'm sorry that it's taken so long for me to come see you. I just needed some time to think about everything and figure some things out first. Which is why I'm here now. Can you get dressed so we can go for a walk before your Mama gets up and wants to start Christmas?" Stella asked.

"Yeah, I'll do whatever you ask of me. Just give me a few to get dressed," Brady said, planting a quick kiss on her lips before setting her on the bed. "Crap, I hope that was okay."

 

He watched as Stella touched her lips and smiled at him, "Yeah, it was just fine."

 

Brady quickly grabbed a pair of jeans and a green and brown flannel shirt and tiptoed to the bathroom. He had been so convinced that she was going to disappear in the night that he had been staying up and listening to make sure she didn't try to leave. He just wanted to make sure she stayed safe and he wanted a chance to explain himself. He'd felt like a major asshole the past week and a half.

 

As soon as his last button on his shirt was fastened, he tiptoed back across the hall to his room. When he opened the door, he found Stella looking down at a picture frame in her hands with a smile on her face.

 

"What did you find there, beautiful?" Brady asked as he set his sleep pants on the bed and walked over to take a look.

 

He watched as she turned the frame towards him as he rested his chin on her shoulder. It only took Brady a moment to realize it was the picture they had taken together the last summer she had been here when they were kids. Her raven hair had been braided into two long pigtails and her clothes were covered in mud, just like Brady's were. Their arms were wrapped around the other's waist and they were mid-laugh. It had been so long, Brady couldn’t recall what had been so funny, but this was one of his most treasured pictures.

 

Brady slid the picture out of Stella's hands and set it back on the desk before turning her to face him. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her in for another hug and smiled when she leaned her head against his chest.

 

"I'm so sorry, Stella. I'm an idiot. I should've said something sooner," Brady apologized.

 

"Idiot isn't exactly the word I would use for it, but I understand that you were just trying to protect me. It's a lot to take in, and until the other day, you had no clue what or who Alaric was. I think if I had spoken up sooner, then maybe you would've told me sooner. It's mostly my fault. I was just so overwhelmed watching you go from man to bear and I started flashing back to when Alaric had attacked me. It was just too much to take in too soon," Stella said as she hugged him tighter.

 

"I know. We're not all twisted in the head like he is though," Brady assured her.

 

"That's what Mama Ally was saying," Stella murmured. "Let's go for that walk, shall we?"

 

"Are you always so bossy?" Brady teased as he took his hand in his and they tiptoed out the door into the hall.

 

Stella giggled as she slipped her snow boots back on, "Only with you because it's fun."

 

Brady rolled his eyes mockingly at her as he slid his own snow boots on, "Let's go, Bossy Pants."

 

"Is anyone staying in any of the other cabins right now?" Stella inquired as they well into stride with each other and headed towards the creek.

"Not currently. Why?" Brady asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at her.

 

"No reason. So, Mama Ally was talking to me about shifters last night, and she mentioned something to me about them, but I'm not sure what it means," Stella wondered out loud as they stopped to watch two birds hopping around in the snow.

 

"Oh? What did she say?"

 

"She mentioned something about intended mates, but she refused to tell me what that means or what it is. She told me that it was something I needed to ask you about," Stella said, looking at Brady for reassurance that it wasn't something Mama had made up in her head.

 

"Of course she said I needed to answer that question. She's such a sneak," Brady shook his head. His Mama was definitely good at getting what she wanted.

 

"So, what does it mean? I'm dying from curiosity here," Stella laughed.

 

"To explain what they are, I have to explain something else about me to you as well. This time, I'm sharing a secret with you and I need you to listen to everything I have to say about it before you judge me for anything, okay?" Brady instructed as he guided her over a boulder and dusted it off for her to sit on.

 

"So serious," Stella teased as she sat down.

 

"Just promise me you'll hear me out, okay?" Brady pleaded.

 

"Okay, I promise to hear you out," Stella nodded.

 

"In the shifter world, there's mates and there are intended mates. Mates are usually someone that you can meet and fall in love with like humans do. No big deal, right? Well, intended mates are determined by the Fates. When a shifter meets their intended mate, they know immediately. It's like love at first sight, but so much stronger. When it's two shifters, the connection is instant between them. There's nothing that the other wouldn't do for their intended. They'd move heaven and earth if it meant their intended would be happy. The Fates pick this person because they best match the person they pair them with, and their wants and needs will always be met. Of course, they can always decide to deny their connection, but more often than not, it doesn't happen that way," Brady paused and looked at Stella, who seemed to be deep in thought, before continuing.

 

"Intended mates aren't just limited to shifters though. It can be a shifter and a human pairing as well," Stella's eyes locked with Brady as he kept talking. "My parents were intended mates. They met when they were adults though. But it can happen sooner. I met my intended mate when I was just a little boy. I just didn't realize it until I didn't see her again for a long time. You see, when I was old enough to realize what was going on and why I was so attached to my memories of this girl, I thought it was too late. When I knew she would be old enough for me to go looking for her, I searched the entire state for her, hoping I could find her and convince her to come home. Turns out when you leave the foster care system, it's not hard to change your last name so previous foster families can't find you."

Stella's eyes grew wide as Brady walked over to her and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and he whispered, "I tried to find you, Stella. My grandfather did too when we found out about your Grandpa Buck. But we were too late, and they wouldn't release you to him when he found you because we weren't legally family. I'm so sorry we didn't come for you sooner."

 

Brady watched as Stella's face held many different expressions before tears started streaming down her face, "You have to stop making me cry. I never used to cry until I came up here."

 

Pulling her closer to him, Brady stooped and kissed each of the tears that were falling away before speaking again, "That's really all you have to say about this right now?"

 

"Brady, I've loved you since we were kids. I was just too stupid to see it until your Mama brought it up last night. It's been there all this time. I just had to be willing to open my eyes. I just wish I would've realized it sooner," Stella said somberly as she wiped at her eyes.

 

"Say it again," Brady grinned, a small rumble escaping his chest.

 

"I love you, Brady," Stella smiled up at him as he scooped her up in his arms and kissed her.

 

"I love you too, Stella. You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say those four simple words. Now will you please accept my apology?" Brady begged, his voice rasping in her ear.

 

"Only on one condition," Stella stated bravely as Brady set her back down on the boulder she'd been sitting on.

 

"Anything," Brady promised.

 

"I want to meet your bear again. This time for real," Stella murmured, locking her gaze with his.

 

Brady furrowed his brow, "Are you sure?"

 

"If I'm going to take time to give us a shot, I have to be willing to accept all of you. I've spent ten days thinking about it. Of course, I'm sure at this point. Now please hurry before I change my mind and run screaming," Stella demanded, folding her arms stubbornly.

 

"What am I going to do with you?" Brady shook his head, stripping his shirt off and handing it to Stella.

 

"Keep me happy?" Stella grinned mischievously at him before wagging her eyebrows as he took his pants and boxers off and handed those to her with his boots and socks.

 

Slowly Brady called his bear to the surface and was able to make the shift look painless. Falling forward on all fours, the bear grunted.

 

This is our last shot at this, so please don't screw it up.

 

"Oh my god, you're beautiful, Brady," Stella remarked taking in the sight of him. "Can I… Can I pet you?"

 

He chuffed in agreement and sat back on his haunches, allowing Stella to come to him at her own pace. Making sure to sit perfectly still while she began to run her hands over his body, Brady and his bear both reveled in her touch. She rubbed his snow-white fur in small, slow circles up his spine and then worked back down again.

 

"Oh my God, you have a tail! This is so weird," Stella exclaimed before sprawling her whole body across his back. "But you're so comfy. This is nice… Weird… But definitely nice."

 

This went on for a few more minutes before Stella finally came around the front of him and looked the bear in the eyes, "Okay Big Guy, can I have Brady back now please?"

 

The transition back to man was much smoother and seamless than the transition to bear. Taking his clothes from Stella, he quickly got dressed. While shifters tended to stay warmer than humans, it was still zero degrees outside and that was just too cold for anyone.

 

Once he was completely dressed, he smiled at Stella, "Thank you for giving me a chance."

 

"Thank you for being you," Stella smiled back.

 

"Stella! Brady! You bet your asses I can see you both way the hell out there. It's Christmas, let's celebrate," Mama Ally called from the stairs of the lodge.

 

"Crazy old bat," Brady chuckled.

 

 

Chapter Twenty-One

 

Christmas with Mama Ally and Brady was definitely one for the books. Mama had cooked for an army while Stella and Brady had sat curled up on the couch by the fire watching the Santa Clause movie. Things were easy between the two of them. Stella felt like this is where she was meant to be and she was definitely accepting that better now that she and Brady had sorted things out.

 

Now that they were on the same page, it was like a switch had been flipped on between the two of them and someone had cranked up the heat from simmer to slow burn. Stella found herself thinking about Brady's naked body out in the snow more and more throughout the day. The way that each muscle had moved as he had undressed for her, his cock standing partially erect, had definitely drawn her inner goddess upright. If that was partially erect, she could only imagine what he could do with it when it was standing fully at attention.

 

With that thought in mind, Stella felt pleasure pool between her legs as she licked her lips. It was going to be a chore to make it through today without doing something to relieve herself. How many times had she taken a cold shower to calm her needs since she had gotten here? Thinking about Brady's hands all over her body, his lips exploring every inch of her made her hot.

 

Fuuuuck, that would be delicious.

 

As though Brady had been reading her mind, he started tracing little circles from her knee where his hand had been resting up her thigh. Every movement was like heaven, a low whimper escaped Stella's lips.

Leaning over and nibbling her ear, Brady whispered in a husky voice, "Patience, love. I'll take care of both of us later, don't you worry. You're mine now, and your needs will always be taken care of."

 

Stella had to swallow down the moan that was stirring beneath the surface. This was not going to be easy at all if he kept saying things like that.

 

"You're not playing fair," Stella muttered under her breath as he slipped his hand between her thighs and rubbed it ever so gently over her tender mound before sliding his hand back down her thigh again.

 

"All is fair in love and pleasure, my love," Brady rasped as he reached down and pulled her legs onto his lap. "Just relax for now. We'll enjoy each other tonight when I take you back to the cabin."

 

"I don't know if I can wait that long," Stella whimpered. There was an itch, and she needed it scratched badly.

 

Mama Ally's voice from the kitchen startled them both, "Alright you two, let's get our grub on."

 

Tons of food, a pile of presents, and several hours later, Mama Ally had finally drifted off to sleep in her chair. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Stella gave Brady a come hither look and he was sold.

 

"Go grab your boots. I'll grab some extra clothes for later and some leftovers. We're going to need to keep our strength up. Good thing there's no one staying in any of the other cabins, or we'd be keeping them up all night," Brady growled sexily as Stella stood to grab her stuff.

 

"What about the gifts? Should I grab them now?" Stella asked, not wanting to be rude or seem dismissive of all the things Mama Ally and Brady had gotten her.

 

"Leave them. We can get them tomorrow," Brady suggested, his eyes blazing, asking questions that only Stella had the answers to.

 

Minutes later they were walking through the door of the cabin, and whatever bit of restraint they had been holding onto snapped. Brady tossed his stuff and the containers that held the leftovers on the floor by his boots and pulled Stella to him. Running his hands down her body, he gripped the backs of her thighs and lifted her with ease. Wrapping her legs around him, Stella relaxed into his body as he pushed her up against the wall. A small moan escaped her lips as he stooped to lave his tongue over her budding nipple. Stella could feel the pressure of his tongue even with her sweater and bra on.

 

"Brady, I need you inside of me," Stella begged as he switched breasts.

 

"I need to be inside of you, my love. I need to know first, before I lose myself completely in you, if you want me to claim you, though," Brady explained before nibbling at her.

 

"Claim me, as in fuck me into oblivion? Yes, please," Stella said excitedly as she tried to get his lips closer to hers.

 

"That's only part of it. To complete the claiming, I have to bite you. This shows others that you are mine. Not only will you smell like mine, and the mark I give you will let other shifters know that you have been claimed by me and to stay away. A bite is the equivalent to a wedding ring. Just like the story said from when we were kids. Once I bite you, Stella, there's no going back," Brady hesitated as he looked her in the eyes to make sure she understood what he was saying.

 

"That's a really big step," Stella frowned. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for that, Brady. All of this is still so new."

 

"I understand. That's what I needed to know so I don't lose control and bite you without your permission. I'll never do anything without your permission, Stella. You're in charge here," Brady promised, pressing his lips to hers again.

 

"Thank you for understanding," Stella whispered as he walked her over to the counter and set her down.

 

"Anything for you," Brady rumbled as he leaned down and kissed her sensitive mound before rubbing his hand over it.

 

"Fuck, Brady, I need these clothes off. Need to be closer to you," Stella panted.

 

Watching as the fire in Brady's eyes burned brighter, the rims of his eyes glowing an icy blue color, Stella felt adrenaline dump into her bloodstream. The desire was building within her, and she was going to find sweet release.

 

Taking a step back, he licked his lips as he looked at her, "Strip for me, love."

 

Now, normally Stella would protest and tell him to do it, but something about the way he said it drew her inner goddess to attention in a way that made her feel empowered. As she slowly peeled her sweater off and slipped out of her bra, she watched as Brady languidly raked his eyes over her now naked torso. The urge to cover herself wasn't there, so instead, she let her goddess have control of the moment. Lifting her hands, she let them trace from her jaw down to cup her breasts. Gently she tweaked her nipples and watched Brady's eyes begin to glow. She was beginning to feel the excitement coursing through her veins intensify, so she slid off the counter and turned away from him so her backside was facing him. Hooking her thumbs into the top of her leggings and panties, she slowly slid them down, bending over as she did so to make sure he got the full show.

 

"Fuck me, you're so fucking beautiful, Stella. I could look at you like this all day," Brady groaned, running his hand over the bulge in his jeans.

 

Taking advantage of her newfound bravery, Stella stood and crossed to him, licking her lips as her eyes watched his pants grow tighter. Kneeling down in front of him, she made quick work of the button and zipper. A shiver of excitement shot through her as she watched his now rock-solid cock spring free when she slid his jeans and boxers to the floor.

 

"Oh, the things you do to me, beautiful," Brady said, a low rumble sounding from his chest as he did so.

 

Reaching up, Stella wrapped her hand around his member and ran her tongue over the tip before sliding her mouth over it. She found a rhythm leaning forward as far as she could take him in her mouth then backwards to where her lips were just wrapped around the head of his cock. Building the pace faster then slower, she found pleasure in pleasing him.

 

"Fuck sweetheart, you keep that up and I'm not going to last much longer," Brady hissed between clenched teeth.

 

Trailing her tongue along the underside of his cock as she pulled him out of her mouth, she grinned at him, "Should I stop?"

 

Taking advantage of the moment, Brady stooped and pulled her to her feet, "It's my turn to please you."

 

"Mmm, and how do you intend to do that, my love?" Stella purred, sliding a finger over Brady's lips teasingly.

 

Brady lifted Stella's index finger back to his lips and ran his tongue over it slowly before sucking it into his mouth. Stella rolled her head back and moaned, enjoying the pleasure as it intensified inside of her like electricity. Pulling her closer, Brady released her finger and brought her lips back to his. Their kiss was different than the others, this one was full of a hunger that needed to fed. Every kiss, every touch, all of it was fodder for the fire burning inside of them.

 

Quickly Stella tugged Brady's shirt over his head before he picked her up again, this time pressing Stella up against the wall. Kissing his way down to her breasts, he laved at one of her nipples before covering it with his mouth, sending shivers down her spine. Stella felt his cock growing harder against her sensitive mound and began to roll her hips against it, the need to have him inside of her growing too great to wait much longer or she may explode.

 

"I never want to stop," Brady said, voice growing throaty with wanting.

 

Stella felt his weight shift slightly as he angled his cock to tease her folds, subtly lifting her and then lowering her, just enough so the tip was inside of her before withdrawing from her again. Her legs began to shake with pleasure. She was getting closer to climax but she didn't want to orgasm without him.

 

"Tell me what you want, Stella, tell me now," Brady growled in her ear.

 

"Take me, Brady," Stella gasped.

 

Brady lowered Stella onto his cock, and she arched her back in pleasure. Slowly he slid his cock into her, letting her feel every inch of him inside of her before sliding back out. Stella hissed in pleasure, pressing into him as she guided his mouth to hers again. Again, Brady guided his cock inside of her slowly and then back out. Feeling herself getting greedy, Stella rocked her hips against his cock in a rhythm of her own. Taking the hint, Brady picked up the pace, going harder with every thrust.

 

Stella felt herself getting closer and closer to ecstasy with each time Brady slammed inside of her. "Brady, fuck, this feels good."

 

Again and again Brady thrust into her until they both cried out in sweet relief. Wrapping his arms around her tightly, he took her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. Stella felt the pleasure pulse through her body in waves as her eyes drifted close in Brady's arms.

 

"Wow," Stella whispered.

 

"Yeah, wow," Brady smiled, kissing her head as he pulled her closer to his chest.

 

Stella felt a warm sensation fill her chest as she slipped off to sleep with one thought in mind.

 

So this is what it feels to really be in love.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Two

 

Brady leaned back against the pillows as he stared up the ceiling with a content smile. Everything was looking better with each passing day. Christmas Day had been a turning point for Stella. She started confiding in Brady more and the connection between them was growing stronger. For her sake, they were still taking it slow. As impatient as Brady's bear was being about it, Brady didn't want to push her too far, too fast. Just because she was ready to give this relationship a chance didn't mean she was quite ready to bond with him and let him seal the bond with his mark. The scars she had from Alaric were probably terrifying as it was. Brady didn't want to traumatize her more, so he kept it to himself that the only way to seal their bond forever was for him to bite the nape of her neck. Doing so would show other shifters that she was claimed by him and not to touch her.

 

Listening to Stella's breath, he could tell she was sound asleep. The worry of Alaric finding her was dwindling away day by day. Brady had already put a phone call in to his friend Jesse in Seattle to do some snooping for him and make sure that Alaric was staying put up there. Jesse had gladly put one of his MC brothers on the job. He had told Jesse he would have them keep tabs on Alaric from a distance and report back if there was anything he should know. That had been weeks ago. Now the snow was melting from the roads, and Stella had settled in to life up here. Brady would stop at nothing to protect her, but he was hoping it never came to that.

 

The sun was starting to peek through the curtains in the room, signaling it was time for him to get up and get some work done before Stella finally woke up. Slipping out of bed gently, he made sure to set Stella's head down on the pillow next to him so it wouldn't jar her awake. He stopped for a moment and watched her sleep. Her raven hair was falling down into her eyes. Now that it had grown out of the short pixie cut she'd had before, the color in her cheeks looked healthier now too. Mostly he just liked to watch her sleep because she looked so relaxed, her heart and head finally at ease from life's troubles, even if it was just for a moment. Brady sent up a silent prayer to the Fates, just as he did every morning, that someday she would always look like this.

 

Stooping down, he pressed a kiss to Stella's temple and breathed in her scent, making sure to memorize everything about it. As always, she smelled like a mixture of vanilla, woods, and now a hint of Brady's own scent. Heaving a small sigh, he tiptoed out of the room and into the cabin's living room. Sometimes it sucked being the only muscle around this place. He really needed to look into hiring some help.

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Three

 

Stella slipped on a pair of hiking boots that Brady had gotten her from their last trip into town and walked out onto the porch with her mug of hot cocoa to sit on the swinging bench Brady had installed for her. Inhaling a lung full of the fresh mountain morning air, Stella smiled to herself. This place was definitely home. Trailing her eyes across the campground's landscape, she thought about different ways that she could help pick up some extra income around here for them. Unfortunately, in today's age of continental breakfasts and soft sheets, there weren't enough people interested in camping out in the middle of nowhere to keep this place going steady. It seemed like every day that Brady came home from work he always had something to say about something else around here breaking. She knew he'd never tell her what the books looked like finance-wise because he didn't want her to worry, but she knew they couldn't look great.

 

She had made it her personal mission right after Christmas to start coming up with ways to spruce up the place while adding more clientele for the camp. Her end game? Stella wanted to make this place a simple retreat in the woods with four-star quality service. That meant she needed to help Brady get enough business this year that they could afford to invest some of the profits back into small renovations in the cabins and hiring a couple staff members to help Brady run the place. Eventually she wanted to build off of the lodge and put a small bar and a dining area in there. They'd need a cook, but she could run the bar no problem. It would also give her something to focus all of this extra energy into, because right now she could only watch so many movies. She could probably afford to pick up a couple of books the next time they were in town too so she could catch up on a few of her favorite authors.

 

Mama Ally wandered across the dirt road between the lodge and Stella's cabin and plunked down on the swing next to her.

 

"Good morning, Mama," Stella greeted her, resting her head over on Mama's shoulder as they swung.

 

"Well good morning to you too, sweetheart. You look deep in thought again. What's going on in your pretty little head?" Mama wondered as she pushed her foot against the deck to rock the swing.

 

"Oh, just thinking about some different ways that I can be of help other than working the desk in the lodge," Stella sighed, lifting the warm drink to her lips for a quick sip.

 

"Well, for starters, you could go to Boise with me today. This old mama bear needs to go get her toes done before sandal season is in full swing again," Mama giggled to herself.

 

Stella considered the offer for a minute. She'd been up here hiding since November and there had been zero hints of Alaric finding her. She really did need a trip to the city to get her out of this slump that she was in and she wouldn't mind getting her toes done and having someone trim up the hot mess that was her hair. Plus, with Mama Ally by her side, it could be a really fun afternoon.

 

"So...?" Mama nudged her playfully. "You gonna go with me, or am I gonna have to make a trip to Barnes and Noble by myself?"

"Alright, alright, I'll go with you. I think I have enough left from my cash stash that I can treat us to lunch too. Think we can stop by one of the cosmetology schools to get our toes done so that I can have one of their girls fix my hair for me?" Stella asked as they both stood to get ready.

 

"I think that will be just fine, darlin'. I'll go give Brady the heads up and see if he needs anything," Mama offered as she wandered off in the direction of the woodshed behind the lodge.

 

A few minutes later while Stella was getting ready to go Brady walked into the cabin. Stella turned to greet him, taking notice of the concern that was written all over his face.

 

Frowning, she asked, "What's wrong?"

 

"Just not sure how I feel about you going to Boise without me is all," Brady said, looking rather perturbed about the situation.

 

"It's not like I'm going alone. Mama's going with me," Stella pointed out, rubbing a dab of styling gel through her hair to give it some semblance of style.

 

"Yeah, I know that should make me feel better, but Mama has a tendency to be a little… Flighty in situations that she should be able to be in charge. It's why I run the books now. A few years back, Mama misplaced a couple thousand dollars. Just about gave our poor CPA a heart attack. Luckily, I was able to find the receipt that accounted for that money and prove that it was a tax write off because it was major maintenance on the hot springs, but ever since, I worry that her mind is slipping. I just worry she won't keep a good eye on you or won't be careful enough without me there to protect you," Brady explained, leaning up against the wall in the small bathroom as he watched Stella continue to get ready for the day.

 

"I mean, I get why you're worried hon, but I can't keep hiding up here forever and never venture into town once in a while. Don't get me wrong, this place is definitely sanctuary for me and this is our home, but sometimes a girl just needs to do some girly things to make her feel better. I'm sure it's going to be fine. If Alaric was going to come after me, I'm sure he would've done so by now," Stella countered as she tried to focus on applying her eyeliner without jabbing herself in the eye.

 

Brady sighed, running a hand through his hair before speaking again, "I'm not going to be able to talk you into staying home, am I?"

 

Stella set her eyeliner down and grinned at him in defiance, "Definitely not. This girl has a need that borders on the excessive to get her hair touched up and her toes done, and I definitely need to get into Barnes and Noble and pick up some books to keep me busy while you're at work."

 

"Stubborn little thing," Brady gruffed as Stella reached up to plant a playful kiss on his lips.

 

"Sure am. Take me as I am, my love, because I'm not planning on changing any time soon," Stella winked before turning back around to finish putting on her face.

 

"Alright," Brady resigned. "But please stick close to Mama while you're down there, okay? She may be a crazy old bear, but she'll still protect you better than anyone else can."

 

Stella rolled her eyes as she promised, "I'll never leave her sight. What's the worst can happen in somewhere as public Boise?"

 

"You're probably right. I just don't like that I'm not going to be there to protect you. Since we haven't sealed the bond with my mark, it's just hard to trust that other shifters will keep their hands to themselves," Brady said, trying to stress he was being patient.

 

Stella felt a twinge in her heart at the mention of the mating mark. Brady had been extremely understanding that she didn't want to move too fast in that department. She was still getting used to the idea that he was essentially the man she was destined to be with forever. Of course she loved Brady with everything in her soul, but she was so afraid that something could change in the blink of an eye on his side that she wasn't ready for him to put his mark on her yet. In her experience growing up in the foster system, men had a tendency not to stick around. While Brady definitely seemed different, it was just an adjustment that was taking an extended amount of time to make. She knew eventually she wanted to bear his mark and show the world that she was his, but she wanted to feel completely positive that they were both secure in their relationship first. She was damaged. Not many would stick around for that.

 

"You're doing it again," Brady chuckled, pressing his lips to hers in an effort to bring her back to the present.

"Huh? Oh… Yeah. Sorry. Have I ever told you thank you?" Stella asked as she pulled her brain from the mental fog she was in.

 

"For what, beautiful?" Brady asked, amusement tinging his voice as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear and pulled her close.

 

"For being patient with me. I know that it can't be easy — finally getting me back after all of this time, only to have to wait for me to feel okay with completing the mating," Stella explained.

 

Brady brought his lips to hers, sipping at them slowly for a moment before leaning back so he could look into her eyes, "All of this is new for you, and I understand that it's a lot to take in. I promised you before and I'll promise you again, I would wait a lifetime for you to be okay with my mark if it meant that you were happy here."

 

"I don't think I'll make you wait a lifetime," Stella stated. "I just need to sort through some personal stuff and make myself the best I can be emotionally before I step into that portion of this commitment."

 

A horn sounded outside of the cabin, causing both of them to burst out laughing. Mama Ally was obviously ready to go.

 

"Go have fun," Brady said, giving her a tight hug before patting her butt and pushing her towards the door.

 

Stella twisted around and leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek, then turned to run out the door. Over her shoulder she called, "I love you!"

 

She watched Brady wave from the porch as she hopped in the blue pick-up Mama Ally was driving. It was strange feeling like she was leaving him behind, but it would be nice to get of out the mountains for a few hours.

 

Chapter Twenty-Four

 

Brady tapped his pencil impatiently on the calendar in front of him, trying to force himself not to check the clock on the wall for the umpteenth time in the last four hours since Mama and Stella had left. He knew he needed to calm down because worrying only made it worse, but something in his gut said he needed to be concerned. It didn't help that the cell phone they kept for when Mama or he took trips to Boise just in case of emergency got left on the counter upstairs.

 

"Damn it, Mama, why'd you have to go and talk her into leaving today?" Brady growled before flinging his pencil across the room in frustration.

 

The landline rang and Brady reached to pick it up, pausing for a moment to let it ring three times just in case it was Mama so she didn't get on him for stressing while they were gone.

 

"Silvercreek Campground, this is Brady. How can I help you make Silvercreek part of your travel plans today?" Brady oozed charm as he answered the phone.

 

"Hey, brother, it's Jesse," Jesse's voice came over the other line, immediately put Brady on alert.

 

"What's going on?" Brady snapped before reminding himself he needed to calm down until Jesse could give him a heads up.

 

Another voice was saying something to Jesse on the other end, so Brady waited a moment before Jesse spoke, "He's on the move."

 

"When?"

"Since this morning. We think he knows that someone's been tailing him because he's made some pretty elaborate arrangements to try and throw us off of his trail," Jesse muttered.

 

"Why didn't you call sooner?" Brady ground out.

 

"We had to make sure he was actually headed your way. What're you so worried about? Stella is there with you, right?" Jesse asked.

 

"No, I let her go with Mama to Boise about four hours ago."

 

Jesse hissed, "God damn it, Brady. You'd better lock up the lodge and head to Boise."

 

"What're you trying to tell me, Jesse?" Brady demanded.

"I mean the asshole is probably already there. Tyson just got word from his friend at the airport's air traffic tower that a private jet owned by Grizzly Imports left about two hours ago for Boise. We're checking into our flight right now and are headed your way, but it's going to take some time for us to get to you," Jesse explained, trying to maintain a calm tone as he did so.

 

"You had one job, Jesse. You'd better pray to the Fates my mate is okay when I get to Boise, or I'm taking it out of your hide," Brady growled before slamming the phone down onto the counter and racing to lock up the lodge.

 

Running around locking doors, Brady sent up a silent prayer to the Fates himself. I will do anything. Please protect her and Mama until I can get to them. Please. Slamming the door to his own black truck, Brady cranked the key and revved the engine. He was going to get his girls back, and if that sick bastard touched one hair on either of their heads, he was going to rip him to shreds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Five

 

Stella and Mama Ally came walking out Barnes and Noble laughing hard with two big bags heaping with books.

 

"Did you see the look on that cashier's face when you whipped out enough cash to pay for all of these in full? I thought he was going to shit himself when he realized it was all ten's and one's!" Stella howled as she pulled open the truck door and slid inside.

 

"Making people uncomfortable by making them think you're a stripper is one of the perks to getting old," Mama laughed in agreement as she turned the key in the ignition.

 

The old pick-up truck whined as it tried to come to life then died. Mama's face screwed up tight in confusion as she tried several more times to crank the engine over again. Stella felt a small bit of panic slip into her mind before she shrugged it off. Just a dead battery, probably. They'd get someone to give them a jump and everything would be fine.

 

"That's so weird," Mama pondered as she leaned against the steering wheel. "I swore that Brady just put a new battery in this last week for me."

 

"Maybe he forgot? He's been pretty busy," Stella suggested, trying to keep her mind calm.

 

"Yeah, maybe. I'll go see if I can ask that gentleman over there to give us a jump," Mama gestured towards the man getting out of the black Escalade next to them as she slid out of the pick-up.

 

As Stella's eyes connected with the man, the panic that had been creeping into her veins was in full swing. Alaric was here.

 

"Sheyit," Stella swore under her breath as she tried to get Mama's attention. "Hey, Mama, I think I can figure this one out. Just get back in the truck, I'm sure this nice man has better things to do than help us."

 

Not taking Stella's hint, Mama continued to chat Alaric up. This was not good, this was not good at all. Stella started checking around the truck for something, anything, that she could use to try and get him away from Mama Ally so they could make a run for the store to hide from him.

 

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Why the hell isn't there anything in here? Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! This is so not good. What do I do? What do I do?

 

Taking a deep breath as Alaric walked towards the pick-up, Stella tried to figure out what she was going to do. Studying him, Stella was surprised to see nothing had changed about him except his eyes looked crazier. They were tinged with more gold than green, telling her that his bear was close to the surface. Maybe she could provoke him or something. She just needed to get Mama away from him so she could be safe. Be the dragon, Stella.

 

Opening her door and climbing out of the truck, Stella put on a polite smile and walked over to Mama, "Mama, why don't you go sit in the truck and rest? I can help this man hook up the jumper cables."

 

"Good idea, Stella. I'll go read while you figure this situation out. You're so good to me," Mama said, patting her on the shoulder as she walked away.

 

Stella turned to Alaric and glared, "What are you doing here, Alaric?"

 

"I've been worried sick about you, Princess. I've had people looking all over for you since the night you disappeared. Come home with me, and I'll forget all about the stress and worry you've put me through the past few months," Alaric said, making sure to lay it on thick in case someone was listening to their exchange. "I promise to be better."

 

"You're such a liar, Alaric. I ran away from you because you're nuts! I left Seattle and went into hiding to keep myself safe. Why the hell can't you take a hint?" Stella argued, trying to keep control of her temper.

 

"You're my soul mate, Stella. Come back to Seattle with me. You'll never have to lift a finger for the rest of your life. I'll keep you happy and pampered. I can provide for you," Alaric promised, his eyes glowing more gold with each word.

 

"Careful, Alaric. You wouldn't want the whole world to know that the owner of Grizzly Imports isn't just a bear to deal with figuratively, would you? Oh, I know, maybe I should go show the media what your furry friend did to me when you lost your temper," Stella taunted, tugging at the hem of her t-shirt to reveal just a fraction of the scarred flesh beneath.

 

"I didn't…. I didn't do that," Alaric snarled, shaking his head as he struggled to maintain control of the bear that was lurking just beneath the surface.

 

"Yes, you did. You're a toxic asshole, Alaric. Now go back to Seattle and leave me alone. My place is here. Not in your soulless apartment," Stella sneered, hoping to God he took her bluff and left her be.

 

Alaric sighed and muttered, "I was really hoping this was going to go so much better, Stella. Now it has to go the hard way."

 

Stella backed away from Alaric slowly as an arm wrapped around her middle and the assailant's hand covered her mouth with a funny smelling cloth. The world around her began to swirl as her body went limp and faded to dark. The last thing she could hear was Mama's scream.

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Six

 

Brady dialed Jesse's phone number his cell phone as he pulled into Boise, "C'mon, Jesse, answer the phone. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon."

 

"This is Jesse," Jesse answered.

 

"Where are you?" Brady demanded, trying to keep his bear at bay the best he could. Driving and trying not to shift was the worst kind of torture when you were pissed off and worried about people you cared about.

 

"Landon was able to ping Alaric's cell phone to Barnes and Noble over by the mall, we're working on trying to track his phone again from here. Tyson is on the phone with the rental car company by the airport trying to see if Alaric picked up a car. We're trying the best we can to find your girl," Jesse explained, Brady could tell there was something Jesse wasn't told him.

 

"I'm on my way there now, but Jesse, what aren't you telling me?" Brady asked.

 

"Your Mama's truck was on fire when we got here, Brady. There wasn't anyone in it luckily, but unless your Mama has some major bladder issues, she's not here," Jesse said somberly.

 

Brady slammed his hand against the dash of his truck, denting the stereo in slightly, "God damn it, Jesse, are you telling me that fucker has my mate and my Mama?"

 

There was hesitation before Jesse spoke again, "It's hard to say since there are no witnesses to say what happened to her, but my instincts say yes?"

Losing control of his bear, Brady pulled his truck in the parking lot of a gas station and roared at the windshield. After a minute or two, Brady took a steadying breath and pulled back out onto the main road. Brady's mind was made up; when he found Alaric, he was a dead man.

 

"Brady?" Jesse's confused voice came through the speaker on the phone.

 

"Yeah?" Brady asked, trying to focus his anger into driving as he picked the phone back up and put it on speaker phone.

 

"We found him. They're out at an abandoned house up towards Bogus Basin," Jesse explained.

 

"Good. Send me the address, then meet me there," Brady ordered as he hung up the phone.

 

The address popped up on the phone's screen, and Brady hit the navigation option. The bastard didn't know it, but Brady was coming for him and hell wasn't far behind him.

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Seven

 

Stella's head felt like she had been beat over the top with a brick as she slowly started to come to. The air wherever she was musty and smelled like mothballs, and she was freezing. Her coat had been removed, and whoever had removed it made sure to handcuff her hands together above her head to a pipe. Slowly opening her eyes, Stella had to squint to get her eyes to focus. The room was dark, the floorboards looked as though they were rotting through from what she could make out of them, and there was something that resembled a body slumped over in the corner.

 

As Stella struggled to recall what happened that caused her to end up in a place like this, and it all came flooding back to her. Alaric had found her, and someone had knocked her out. Mama's screams filled her ears as she remembered the final moments that led up to the point of her passing out.

 

"Shit, Mama, Mama are you okay? Mama, is that you?" Stella whispered, urgency tinging her voice.

 

A pain-filled groan came from the body in the corner before the voice responded, "Stella, is that you?"

 

Stella breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes, Mama, it's me. Thank God you're okay."

 

"W-where are we, Stella? Why do I feel like King Kong knocked my head in?" Mama Ally's tired voice inquired.

 

"I'm not sure Mama, but that man that you asked to help us? That was Alaric. He must've taken you when his helper, whoever that is, knocked me out," Stella explained.

 

As Stella finished, there was a creaking sound to her left. Casting a sideways glance, Stella could see a set of glowing silver eyes getting closer to her. In the dark room, she could barely make out what appeared to be Alaric's frame as he came to a stop in front of her. She could feel his breath on her wrists as he leaned forward and sniffed at her wrists before glaring down at her.

 

"You've been cheating on me, lover. You smell like another," Alaric rumbled angrily.

 

"Hard to cheat on someone if you aren't with them, don't you think?" Stella sassed, resolving that if she was going to die, she was going down in a blaze of glory.

 

The back of Alaric's hand connected with her cheek, causing Stella to feel the metallic fluid run across her tongue as her face burned with pain. "You've always been mine, Stella. The Fates brought you to me. You. Are. Mine. Then you betrayed me and ran away."

 

Glaring up at him she sneered, "I don't belong to you. I belong to Brady. He's my mate. He's my intended, not you, Alaric. Mates don't work the way you want it to, you sick fuck."

 

"You belong to me, you bear my mark," Alaric growled.

 

Mama coughed in the corner, "Clawing up a young woman's body so she'll never carry babies is not the way you seal a mating bond, and you know it."

 

Alaric strode across the room and kicked Mama hard. As his foot connected, it made a sickening sound.

 

"The scars she has are her own fault, but they will suffice in showing others that she is mine," Alaric roared before crossing back to stand in front of Stella again. "You are mine, Stella. The sooner you accept that, the sooner I'll let the old broad go. But not before I make her watch me make you mine again. She will be the one to tell this Brady who you belong to. If you refuse, I'll kill her and make you watch before taking you back to Seattle with me. Either way you're coming with me, so choose her fate, Stella."

 

Alaric turned and walked out the door on the far side of the room, letting in a brief stream of light as he left her with her ultimatum. Tears streamed down Stella's face in frustration. She hated him with every fiber of her being. He ruined her body. He almost killed her. Now he wanted to take her freedom away from her and threatened to take Mama's life as well. There had to be another way.

 

"Be the dragon, Stella," Mama coughed from her corner. "There's no reason for you to have to make a choice here. Be brave, Sweetheart. There's got to be another way."

 

"Are you okay? When he kicked you, it didn't sound pretty," Stella worried as she leaned her head back against the wall her hands were cuffed to.

 

Mama groaned as she sat up straight, "Yeah, I think I'll be okay. The older one gets the less they have to shift so the longer it takes to heal. I'm not young like I once was. This wound will likely take me a few days to heal since it feels like he might have cracked my ribs."

 

"I'm going to figure out how to get us out of here, Mama, I promise," Stella pledged.

 

Time ticked by slower in the dark. What felt like eons was likely only a few hours of sitting in silence until Alaric would come back to check on them for a moment, and then he'd disappear back out the door again. After the fifth or sixth time of him checking on them, Mama voice perked up when she spoke.

 

"Stella, do you hear that?" Mama whispered excitedly.

 

Stella strained her ears but couldn't hear anything outside or inside, "No, what do you hear, Mama?"

"The rumble of a diesel engine, I'd recognize that sound anywhere. I'd bet my last dollar that's our Brady. He straight piped his truck last spring and I just about beat him. That stupid truck is too damn loud for our little piece of paradise. He just rolled his eyes at me when I told him to put the muffler back on it," Mama prattled on with glee.

 

"We don't know if it's him though, Mama," Stella frowned. Neither of them had a cell phone, so how was Brady supposed to track them down?

 

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see," Mama said.

 

As they sat together in silence, Stella's heart began to race faster and faster when the roar of a diesel engine finally reached her ears. Maybe Mama was right after all. After a few more moments though that single engine was joined by more. Stella shook her head in dismay. There was no way that was Brady. It was probably some of Alaric's peons coming to help him take care of business. There was no way that either of them were coming out of this alive now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Eight

 

Brady checked his rear view mirror as he sped down the final stretch towards the address that Jesse had texted him. Behind him, he could see Jesse, Tyson, and Landon keeping pace with him on their motorcycles. As upset as he was that Jesse and the guys had lost track of Alaric today, he was glad to have them riding with him. There was no way he would come out of this without some major damage if it weren't for them having his back. He turned down the dirt road on his right and slowed down, rolling down his window so he could signal to Jesse to pull up next to him.

 

"I think if y'all don't want your bikes demolished during whatever is about to happen, you might want to park them here for now and hop in the bed of the truck," Brady suggested.

Jesse nodded in agreement before cutting the engine and kicking down the stand. The bikes would be fine here. Brady waited for them to get settled in the bed of the truck before accelerating down the road again. Several minutes later, they pulled up in front of the small gray house. The paint was worn and chipping around the sides, and the roof looked as though it was caving in. The windows were all boarded up too. Brady could see the glint off of the Escalade that was stowed out back, and he nodded to himself; this had to be the place.

 

As he exited the truck, Brady could see a man in an expensive-looking suit walking towards him. Scenting the air, he could tell something wasn't right with him. He smelled of fur, but he also smelled like death. This had to be Alaric.

 

"What can I help you boys with?" Alaric smiled, stuffing his hand into his pocket. As he sauntered up to him, Brady sensed immediately that he was being sized up. and sized him up.

 

"Where are they?" Brady demanded, skipping straight past the pleasantries of his bullshit act.

 

Alaric frowned, "I'm sorry. Did you lose something? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Would you mind filling me in here?"

 

Brady's hand clenched into a fist as he growled, "Tell me where they are. I have no patience for your sick games.”

 

A sick, twisted smile crept over Alaric's face as he said, "I recognize your scent now,” he said. “You're the one that's been sleeping with my mate. Killing you will be sweet justice."

"Listen here, fucker, Stella is mine. I’ll only ask you once to give her and my mother back," Brady growled, feeling his body shake as he fought his bear for control.

 

"Once you’re dead, she won't have another choice," Alaric snarled, his face starting to turn from man to bear.

 

As Brady kept his eyes trained on Alaric, he felt his bones crack and shift. “Go find them now! Get them out of here!” he ordered, as every part of his being shifted from man to beast. There was no holding back his bear now, and he didn’t even care. Alaric would fucking die to pay for what he had done.

 

Brady's bear exploded from within him, standing at a massive height on his hind legs, nearly eleven feet tall, and roared so loud it shook the trees. Alaric's dark brown grizzly was smaller, closer to eight feet tall, but surprisingly quick, and he crashed down onto all fours and rushed forward, knocking Brady in the chest with his blocky head, rolling him onto his back. Brady slapped a massive paw across Alaric's face, raking his claws deep through his skin. The pain from the impact caused Alaric to roar out in pain and lose focus, long enough for Brady to roll back over onto his feet. Taking notice of the fresh claw marks on Alaric's face, Brady chuffed in the small victory, but he knew the battle was just beginning.

 

Standing on their hind legs, they circled around, sizing each other up. The massive deadly beasts glared at one another, searching for weakness in the foe. Growing impatient, Alaric dove at Brady's neck. Anticipating him, Brady's claws connected with his face again, sending more fur flying and exposing more flesh. Taking advantage of Alaric's blind rage, Brady barreled into Alaric. Tackling Alaric to the ground, Brady dug his claws into Alaric's chest as he ripped and tore at his body. Brady could see Alaric slowly giving up, but he refused to let up until he seemed to concede to Brady’s advantageous grip on his neck.

 

Brady nodded, backing off of Alaric, but never letting him have his back. It was done, he had made his point. He could see a glimpse of Jesse and the boys carrying Mama and Stella to the truck. His eyes connected with Stella’s for just a moment, reminding him of the promise he had made to her. Turning his full attention back to Alaric, he could see the bear struggling to stand. He watched as he stood, shaking his head to clear his mind.

 

Alaric caught sight of Stella in Jesse’s arms and, before Brady could head him off, he was running right towards them. Brady willed his body to act quickly and turned to race after him. Gaining quickly on the injured bear, Brady was on him. Pushing off of the ground as hard as he could with his front paws, Brady lept onto Alaric’s back, sinking his claws into him as he wrestled him to the ground.

 

Alaric roared out in agony as he collapsed underneath Brady’s weight. Brady roared a warning at Jesse as he sunk his claws into Alaric’s body further. Brady’s bear was in a blind fury and failure wasn’t an option. Alaric struggled beneath Brady, pushing and shoving at Brady until he finally knocked to the ground. Both bears stood, huffing and chuffing, trying to gauge who would make the next move. Alaric charged Brady, head lowered, his intent clear to ram Brady to the ground; but Brady rushed forward, colliding with Alaric hard enough to send him sliding through the dirt on his back.

In an instant, Brady was on him, mighty claws slashing and ripping at Alaric, until finally, he felt the brown bear ease up on his attack. Brady wasted no time as he swiftly raised his paw and swiped it through the air once more, delivering the final killing blow to Alaric’s throat.

 

He watched as the life slowly faded from the eyes of the brown bear, seeing the light of recognition seep into the darkness of death. Brady shoved the lifeless body of Alaric forward, took in a deep and cleansing breath and roared victoriously. It was finally finished. Backing off of Alaric's lifeless body, Brady began to take stock of his now healing injuries, looking down at his own white coat.

 

He was covered in blood and would likely hurt for the next few days, but it was nothing compared to what the damage could've been. He thanked his lucky stars for his advanced healing, he’d rather be sore than have to wait weeks on end for these wounds to heal. Inspecting Alaric to triple check that he really was gone, Brady's bear agreed to give Brady back his body. He wouldn’t be bothering Stella again so both of them were satisfied.

 

It was time for him to take his mate home for good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Nine

 

Stella and Mama had slept, wrapped up in the backseat of Brady's truck, the whole way home and now Stella couldn't sleep. All of her senses were on overload from the day's events, and she couldn't clear her mind. She didn't know whether to cry, laugh, or celebrate over what had happened. Brady didn't seem too fazed by his battle with Alaric. In fact, he seemed more at ease knowing that he was no longer a threat to him. He was hovering over her though much like a mother would a youngling. She was fairly certain he was just waiting for her to crack, but for now she just felt numb. Lying in bed with her head on his chest, she let him run his hand up and down her back awhile while she sorted through her emotions.

 

"Are you going to be okay?" Brady whispered.

Stella took a deep breath, "I'll be okay. I'm just a little shaken up right now, to be honest. It's all kind of surreal to be honest. One minute, Mama and I were having a blast and laughing, the next we were being abducted. Being taken wasn't even the worst part; the worst part was Alaric telling me if I didn't come willingly that he'd kill Mama. She may be your mother, but I love her as much as I loved Grandpa Buck and I didn't want her to die. Especially not by his hand. I just hoped that you were coming for us because being handcuffed to a pipe after being knocked out with chloroform by my ex and whoever was helping him is definitely not something I plan on reliving again."

 

"Yeah, you're not exactly what I would call a damsel in distress, my love. You're stronger than you know and handled that whole situation way better than anyone else in your situation could've. I'm so proud to call you my mate," Brady smiled, kissing her deeply.

 

"Your mate," Stella purred as Brady slid a hand up her thigh, then up further to her breast.

 

"Yes, my mate," Brady rumbled in agreement, rolling over so he was laying with his legs between hers.

 

Stella smiled up at him with a mischievous look on her face.

 

"What are you thinking about?" Brady asked as he slid a hand under her shirt and tweaked one of her nipples with his fingers.

 

"Two things actually," Stella grinned. "One, that not wearing pants or panties to bed under one of your shirts is the best decision I've probably ever made next to eating peanut butter Oreos. And two, that I'm ready for you to claim me."

 

Brady paused what he was doing and looked up at her to make sure he wasn't making up what he was hearing in his head. "You… You're sure?"

 

Stella nodded, "You found me today when I didn't think you'd be able to. You fought Alaric to keep me safe and won. You're my mate, Brady, in all senses of the word. I'm ready for you to claim me."

 

Sliding up her body, Brady pressed his lips to hers again before whispering in her ear, "You have no idea how happy you make me, Stella. But I promise, every single day I will work to show you."

 

Grabbing the bottom of the shirt Stella was wearing, Brady pulled it up over her head and looked down at her now naked body. "Fuck, baby, you're just so damn beautiful."

 

Leaning forward, Brady kissed his way down Stella's body to the sensitive mound between her legs. Slowly running his tongue between her folds, he pressed his tongue against the tender bud. Teasing it gently with his tongue, he slid a finger inside of her, causing Stella moaned out with pleasure.

 

"Fuuuck yes," Stella cried out as she erupted around the finger inside of her.

 

"So wet for me," Brady murmured as he laved at her more. "Tell me, baby, are you ready for my cock?"

 

"Mmmhmm," Stella nodded eagerly as Brady angled himself between her legs so that his member was positioned in front of her now soaking wet folds.

 

"You're mine," Brady growled as he plunged inside of her.

 

"I'm yours," Stella moaned in agreement as he rocked into her again and again.

 

With each stroke of his cock inside of her, Stella felt the same warm sensation ignite inside of her chest as she had every time they had made love. This time it felt stronger than any time it had before. Wrapping an arm around Stella's waist, Brady lifted her up just enough that he could kiss her neck. Stella felt as though she might explode from the pleasure as it continued to build inside of her.

 

Kissing the nape of her neck, Brady whispered in Stella's ear, "Come with me, love. Do it."

 

As the final word dripped off of Brady's lips, Stella felt his teeth grow long and press against the tender portion of her neck. Stella felt ecstasy flow through her veins as she climaxed together with Brady as he sank his teeth into her neck, sealing her to him.

 

After a moment, Brady released his hold on her and kissed at the wound gently, "This will be healed mostly by morning. It will scar, but only to show others you are mine."

 

"Mmm, yes, I am yours," Stella smiled sleepily, feeling intoxicated from the pleasure that was still rocking through her body in waves.

 

"Yes, and I am yours, my love," Brady agreed, kissing her lips before rolling onto his side so he could hold pull her against him again.

 

"Brady?" Stella yawned as she scooted closer to him, making sure she was snuggled back up to his chest.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"I'm glad I found my way back to you. I found sanctuary when I found you again," Stella sighed sleepily.

 

"I'm glad you found your way back to me too, sweetheart. Now get some rest, your body is tired,” Brady smiled.

 

 

 

Chapter Thirty

 

Brady walked out and sat down on the swinging bench next to Stella, handing off her favorite mug filled to the brim with hot cocoa and marshmallows. "What're you thinking about, my love?"

 

"Just that I think it'd be nice if Jesse and the guys stayed. They've been super helpful the last couple of weeks while you've been keeping an eye on me and Mama. If they stayed, we could take a weekend off every once in a while," Stella pondered, sipping at the dark liquid she equivalated to gold.

 

"Yeah, I won't lie, it's been nice to have some help around here for once. Plus having the guys around makes things more fun. They like to roam though, so I doubt they'd stay even if we asked them too," Brady frowned, watching his old friends fill their saddle bags on their motorcycles with provisions.

 

Jesse looked up from his bags and made eye contact with Brady. Brady could tell he wanted to stay, but his bear was restless. He felt bad for Jesse and the other guys, all three of them had the desire to wander. They were the definition of nomads. They kept very little with them and traveled the country, playing music here and there to make ends meet while they were on the road.

 

Once their bags were packed up, the group wandered over to the cabin. Brady looked over his friends. They were all so different in the way they looked and acted, but somehow they made it work. He had appreciation for his friends. It was always the highlight of his year when they would roll through for a week or two and spend some time catching up with him. Then they would leave again, and he wouldn't see them for a year or so. Brady had accepted that was probably how their relationship would stay a long time ago.

 

Landon smiled politely and pat Brady on the back, "Tell your Mama thank you for the grub. I'm pretty sure I put on twenty pounds this trip thanks to her."

 

"I'll be sure to pass it on," Brady chuckled.

 

"Yeah, ya know, I honestly wish we could just stick around a little longer," Tyson sighed, running a hand through his black hair.

 

"You say that every time, Tyson. You know you'd be miserable staying put much longer," Brady rolled his eyes before looking at Stella, who had a sweet smile painted on.

Jesse stepped forward and looked between Brady and Stella, "We'll be back sooner than normal this time. Maybe a few months tops. We've got some things to straighten out back in Seattle first. You'll be sure to take care of this snowball, right?"

 

“Jesse, for the last time, I have a polar bear inside of me. That does not make me a snowball,” Brady grumbled, folding his arms over his chest like a toddler throwing a fit.

 

Stella grinned up at Jesse, "You know I will, but only if you promise to come back."

 

"We promise," the guys said in unison, all three giving Stella a boy scout salute.

 

Stella nodded, "Good. Now get your butts out of here so you can hurry and come back."

 

Brady watched his friends go get on their bikes and drive down the road before turning to Stella and smiling at her. "What do you want to do?"

 

"Stir up trouble," Stella giggled, pulling him to his feet.

 

"What kind of trouble?" Brady raised an eyebrow as he raked his eyes over her body as though this was the first time he was looking at her.

 

Stella winked, "I'm sure you'll figure it out."

 

"Count me in," Brady grinned, letting Stella guide him into the cabin.

 

This feels like the beginning of something amazing. I can't wait to see where we go from here.

 

 

  

Epilogue

 

Liz tied her curly brown hair up into a messy bun and plunked down into her computer chair with a steaming cup of coffee. She had finally had enough of her boss Shawn's sexual harassment last night at work and quit. She'd been telling herself for months that she needed to quit that soul sucking job and she'd finally done it! While her heart was celebrating and dancing around like a teenage girl drunk for the first time on Boone's Farm, her head was screaming her impending doom at her. Such was the life of a woman who had dreams and ambitions but also struggled with her anxiety.

 

Dammit Elizabeth, get a grip on yourself. You can't keep using your anxiety as an excuse to not live your life anymore. Where's your sense of adventure? Get your shit together.

Heaving a sigh, she logged into the online job boards to look for chef jobs. She was hoping maybe she could find someone that needed a private chef that she could travel with and finally see the world, but who knew if that was even a real thing. If the girl from Young and Hungry could land a boss like Josh, why couldn't she? She had the experience working in several fast paced, high end restaurants and could improvise better than any of the best chefs on Chopped or Iron Chef. There was no reason why she couldn't at least apply for jobs like that.

 

Scrolling through job after job flipping burgers somewhere, she finally found something promising. Clicking on the listing that read, Woodland Escape Seeks Luxury Chef, Liz read over the requirements with excitement. She met every single one of these and then some. At the bottom of the listing she found the email where she could forward her resume and several original recipes she had whipped up on a late-night binge of Hell's Kitchen. A few minutes after sending the email, there was an alert on Liz's inbox letting her know someone had responded.

 

It was a response from her resume she had just sent out. Wow, that was… Fast. They must be desperate. Opening the email, Liz read over the response, once, twice, then a third time for good measure before squealing with glee.

 

Hi Elizabeth,

 

Thank you for reaching out to Silver Creek Resort and Hot Springs in regard to our recent opening for a Luxury Chef.

 

Upon reviewing your resume, we have to say we are quite impressed with your experience. The owner's mother wants you to know that she is very interested in learning how to cook your personal recipes as well. We would like to invite you up to do a working interview with us next Monday, June 27th, for two weeks. If, at the end of that two weeks, either party decides to go their separate ways, we will still compensate you for your time.

 

If you are still interested in the job, please reply to this email with two character references and their details so that we can confirm your experience. Once these are confirmed, we will respond with a recommended packing list for you for your time with us.

 

Wishing you well,

 

Stella Eastern

Not wanting to give her anxiety a chance to talk her out of the opportunity, Liz quickly provided her references and clicked send. Everything was going to work out for the best after all.

The End

Acknowledgements

 

Where do I begin? There are so many people that I need to thank!

 

  First and foremost, I have to acknowledge my family. You never complain when I spend long hours at my desk instead of coming to bed or watching a movie with you. You’re the rock in the storm that is my life, and I appreciate you more than you will ever realize.

 

To Liz and Britt, the women that I always have when I need them the most. Here’s to many years of girls’ nights and cocktails. You helped me to become the woman I am today.

 

My Idaho girls: Kati, Amanda, Courtney, and Kater. Who knows where I would be without you? I am forever blessed to have you all in my life. Thank you for being my sounding boards when I need you to be and reminding me to stop writing to go get food when I’m head down in my books. I might die of starvation if it weren’t for you ladies.

 

Desiree, Jessica, Samantha, Grace, T, and Steph! We laugh together, cry together, and lift one another up. I love each of you. Thank you for being the voice of reason when I’m running on low and ready to quit. Without all of your guidance, I would not be where I am today in this industry. May we all see our own success in the years to come.

 

Moxie and PA, you guys probably put up with my crazy muse more than anyone else does these days. Thank you for being my cheerleaders and for forcing me to focus on the words even when I doubt myself. You ladies are my saving grace some days.

 

I also have a whole list of people that I need to thank for their hard work behind the scenes.

 

First, I’d like to thank Brandon Vance…Where do I begin with you? You went above and beyond for me on yet another cover, and I am so glad I get to call you a friend. Thank you for tolerating my insanity.

 

Summer of Red Pen Revolution, it’s like they’re my words butt better, right? I still get a giggle out of your puns when we start editing. Thank you for cleaning up my commas, even though I know they drive you nuts. Also, thank you for being a fantastic friend. You take good care of me. We’re going to the top this year, love. Here’s to our future success!

 

Last, but definitely not least, thank you to my readers! Wow, I cannot say thank you enough for your support and your reviews. This journey would not be nearly as satisfying or fun without you. You’ve stuck with me despite all of the typos, the heartache, the missed deadlines, just everything that life can throw at me. I would not be where I am today without all of you. Thank you for being the amazing people that you’ve been. I look forward to many more memories between Facebook chats and signing events. I love you all. Stay strong and love hard.

Also written by Jules Tyler

 

 

McKinzy Regan is a woman in hiding. Unsure who to trust in a world where the government decides which shifters are a danger to the public, she keeps to herself and keeping the monster inside of her locked away from the world. Things start to change quickly for McKinzy when she takes a job at the Snake River Prison Camp. As Warden in a strange place that seems to have more secrets than she does, she begins to unravel a secret that she isn’t sure if she is ready to know.

 

Sergeant Adrian Brenton is a beast of a man with one thing in mind when an enticing woman shows up to fill the open Warden position; don’t get too close to her. Everyone has skeletons in the closet, but Adrian has shut his heart off to the prospect of love. He doesn’t like to be challenged, but this woman might be the most delicious challenge he’s found in a very long time.

 

Together they will face something far more dangerous than they ever expected to unravel. Can they learn to trust each other with their secrets? Or will their secrets get them hurt?

 

Also written by Jules Tyler

 

Caylan, the fearless leader of the foxen rebels, is bound and determined to free his people from the blood bond they have to the demon, Khain. With his life dedicated to capturing and defeating foes, the one thing that continues to elude him is the only thing he wants the most: his One True Mate.

 

And it’s the one thing Caylan truly believes he’ll never have...

 

Raised to run and trust no one, Tansy has lived a lonely life. With the words of her cautious mother filling her mind, words that warned her to live like the devil was always on her heels, Tansy wants more, so much more than anything she has experienced before.

 

But will she slow down long enough for Caylan to capture her heart?

If Caylan and Tansy can learn to trust one another, maybe they’ll discover that there is so much more in store for their lives, more than either of them could even imagine...and, along the way, maybe they'll find the key to the secrets that will unlock their freedom.

About the Author

 

Jules is from a small town outside of Boise, Idaho. She grew up listening to her grandmother tell her stories and sing her whatever silly songs came to mind on their drives into town. As she continued to grow, she fell more and more in love with the written word. She knew this is where her heart belonged.

 

Now here she is years later, finally living her dream. The words call to her and she wouldn't be able to do it without the support of her grizzly bear husband and dragon girl daughter. They also have two huskies that keep her busy outside of writing as well.

 

She continues to write the words of her heart and is so thankful to you, the readers, for supporting her on this journey. She loves giving you strong male characters with even stronger female characters to give them a challenge. You are the reason why she continues to write. Thank you for your support.