On the Edge of Forever

by Amanda Perry

  “Hello, Bruce. Please call me Clive. This is my daughter Remy,” he nodded his head in her direction, “and my son Todd.” Another nod.

  “Welcome.” Bruce stepped outside, closing the door behind him. “I know the Alpha was supposed to meet with you and give you a tour, but he was called away on urgent business. The emissaries from the Fae and Vampire territories arrived earlier this week and the Alpha has been busy making preparations. He would like to reschedule the meeting with you for in the morning, Clive, if that works for you? In the meantime, I’ll show you to your cabin so that you can settle in.”

  “Of course, that’s fine,” her dad stated, stepping aside for the big man to proceed them down the steps, the toes of his boots overhanging the wooden planks as he walked down them.

  “Your cabin is a three bedroom and has two ATVs for your use. It’s about a five-minute walk from here.” Bruce bypassed the parking lot, leading them down a path on the right side of the pack house.

  The flat terrain of the trail allowed for easy passage. The tire tracks embedded in the earth of the well-worn path gave evidence of heavy usage. They passed other cabins as they walked, but Remy couldn’t tell if they were inhabited. The forest around them remained silent and they encountered no one on the short walk.

  A single-story cabin came into view, tucked away at the end of the path by itself. It sat nestled between tall redwoods with a large porch in front, extending down one side. Pausing to appreciate the view, Remy noted the quietness of the area around their new home. Tranquility and peace reverberated from deep within her as Remy stood, inhaling the fresh air. A feeling of home encased her like a warm hug. Unfortunately, it was quickly shattered as Remy’s brother ran for the front door, breaking her moment of bliss. “First one through the door gets their pick of the rooms!”

  “Asshat! Touch my room and you will be wearing your undies up your crack for a week!” Remy yelled, darting forward. No way was her snot of a brother getting the better room.

  The sound of her name being yelled stalled her in her tracks. “Remy! That is not how a young lady should speak.”

  Turning toward her father, she replied snarkily, “When you see a lady, let me know.”

  Her dad heaved a heavy sigh, muttering under his breath about the dangers of raising a smartass for a daughter. Deciding to give him a break, she smiled demurely, “May I go inside now, Father?” The look of horror on the poor man’s face was enough to make her laugh out loud. “What’s wrong now, old man? You said you wanted me to have better manners.”

  “I thought for a moment you were possessed. Scared the shit out of me.” Her dad’s face was rather white, now that she took a closer look.

  Shaking her head sagely, she started moving backward toward the house, talking as she went. "There are no such things as demons, Dad. Ghouls, ghosts, and goblins, yes, but not demons. At least none have come out of the veil yet.”

  Bruce, who had been quiet up until this point, moving his head back and forth between them like he watched a live tennis match, spoke up. “There’s no such thing as ghouls.”

  “You sure about that, Goldilocks?” Remy smirked mischievously.

  Growls erupted from the giant man’s chest. “Do I look like a fucking fairy tale, little girl?”

  Even though she’d been the first one to make a smart comment, Remy’s temper flared. She’d spent most of her childhood being bullied for her lack of height. It had become a sore spot for her. She may be a tad on the short side, but she’d be damned before she would let anyone make fun of her height again. “Who the hell you callin’ little, Goldie? Take that back before I knee you in your jiggling berries!”

  As she yelled, she marched straight up to the gargantuan bear shifter, and stood in front of him, hands placed on her hips. Lip curled in indignation, she sputtered, “Decide, Goldilocks. Are you going to apologize or am I gonna leave you lying in the dirt?”

  The bear stared at her opened mouthed. Shaking his head, he looked over her shoulder at her dad. “Is she for real? Or am I being punked by the damned fanger again?”

  Her dad, always the smart one, was quick to defend her. “Oh, she’s for real. She may look small and innocent, but she can take down a man twice her size.” Pride shown in her dad’s eyes along with a warning as he turned to his daughter, “Play nice, Remy. This is our new home and we need to respect the Beta and his authority.”

  She growled in anger but stepped back slightly from the Beta.

  Clive nodded his approval before addressing Bruce. “I was a SEAL during my time in the military. She’s been training with my regiment since she could crawl.”

  “But she’s so tiny.”

  “Oh, fuck!” her dad exclaimed, reaching for her. He missed, and she let loose. The next sound Bruce uttered was a high-pitched scream and then a loud groan as he laid on the ground cupping himself.

  “I warned you. I’m a woman of my word.” Remy turned around, leaving her dad to deal with the crying man.

  Dismissing the bear from her mind, she walked into the cabin. Remy gaped at the modern interior. She’d expected something a little more hunteresque. The living room invited her right in, a brick fireplace on the left wall adding additional warmth to the room. A spacious eat-in kitchen sat to the right of the entryway. The fresh scent of baked cookies made Remy’s stomach growl with hunger.

  A hallway to the right caught her eye and she decided to explore on her own before giving in to temptation. Opening the first door she came to, she found a large master bedroom with private bath. Knowing it would be her dad’s room, Remy backed out and closed the door behind her. She continued down the hall, finding another bathroom and at the very end, two additional bedrooms. Todd stood in the room on the left, duffel bag on the bed, claiming it as his. His choice suited Remy fine, she preferred the room to the right behind the kitchen. It would get less sunlight in the morning and the smell of coffee coming through the walls would perk her up nicely.

  Deciding to check on the overgrown oaf and her dad, Remy strolled back the way she came. She walked into the kitchen, finding the Beta sitting with an ice pack on his lap and her father hiding a smile behind his hand.

  “Feeling okay, Goldie?” she asked with faux innocence.

  His only answer was a deadly glare that didn’t scare Remy in the least. She was beginning to like Bruce.

  Clive caught Remy’s eye and his reproachful gaze promised retribution for her if she didn’t fix things with Bruce. Sighing heavily, she swallowed her pride, offering an olive branch. “I’m terribly sorry for my actions, Beta. I don’t know what came over me.” Fluttering her eyes as she spoke might have been overkill because the big, angry bear just scoffed.

  Clearing his throat, Remy’s dad changed the subject quickly. “Bruce was just talking business with me, Remy. Could you give us a few minutes?”

  “Sure.” Remy left the kitchen without complaint, only to hide around the corner and eavesdrop. Her dad probably knew she would be listening, but if she remained quiet, the Beta shouldn’t realize she still stood there, which meant Remy might get all the details she was curious about.

  “So, as you were saying?” her dad urged Bruce on as Remy held her breathe.

  "Right, Alpha Reid was unexpectedly called away to meet with the delegations from the Fae and Vampire nations. There have been whispers of unrest among the witches’ council. Apparently, they aren’t too keen on the prophecy of a joint ruling house coming to pass. The Alpha, along with his bond mates, are meeting to discuss security concerns. As Beta of the North American pack, security rests in my hands. The only reason I'm not in the meeting at the moment is that the Alpha trusted me to convey his concerns to you. He doesn't want you to worry. Even if you don't see them, our security forces are on high alert for any and all possible threats. That includes any threats to you and yours. You'll be well protected within the community. However, if you stray from the borders of Cedarsmill, we insist that you take a security detail with you.”

 
There was a pause before her dad spoke. “How serious do you think these threats are?”

  “Right now, the threats are low risk. We’ve found no evidence of an active plot to harm. We’re just taking precautions.”

  “Alright. That makes sense. Please keep me informed if there’s an increase of risk in the threat assessment.”

  “I will. You have my word. Now, are there any more questions I can answer before I go?” The bear must have felt better because his voice returned to normal and held no signs of pain.

  “I wasn’t told the whole story about the prophecy since the phone lines weren’t able to be secured properly. Can you fill me in on the missing pieces? The impression I was given was that some type of bond existed between a Fae, a Vampire, and your Alpha?”

  Remy covered her mouth to hold in a gasp. To her knowledge, the species' did not intermingle. Bonds were only formed with one of their own kind. She'd never heard of a bond made between species, let alone a triad bond between all three. She wanted to ask a million questions but bit her lip, remaining silent.

  “Correct.” Bruce continued, lowering his tone slightly. Remy wondered if he could sense her listening in and he was trying to keep her from hearing him. “Many years ago, a prophecy was foretold. A triad bond would form amongst the three ruling houses, uniting them with a common purpose: turning the North American compound into neutral ground for all species. This same prophet also foretold another monumental change. Humans, for the first time in history, would need to be brought onto the compound. Most believed the foretellings to be wrong. Most of us, I included, thought the old bat had finally lost it and we sure as hell didn't think bringing humans to the compound could ever be a good idea." Another pregnant pause. "No offense."

  “None taken.” Remy knew her father was sincere. Humans and supernaturals alike had agreed to remain separated long ago. Merging the species now seemed odd and it could spark another war if they weren’t careful. “If nobody believed in the prophecy, then why am I here?”

  “Because we were wrong to doubt her. A few months ago, during the annual meeting of the ruling houses, the Alpha met Elijah Thornhill, the Fae prince, and Noah LeRoi, the Vampire prince. Reid formed an instantaneous and undeniable connection with them. Overnight, they became closer than brothers from the same womb. Since then, the three men have worked tirelessly to ensure that war did not break out amongst the species due to fear of change.

  As predicted by the prophet, the newly formed joint council needed a human emissary to become a council member. The Alpha and his bond mates have not figured out why humans play such an important role but the Alpha refuses to tempt fate. The prophet said to bring you here, so he did.”

  “She named me specifically?”

  "No, no name passed from her lips. You were chosen because of your service record to your people and for your more recent diplomatic efforts working with both sides in the territorial dispute between the humans and Fae."

  “Fair enough.” Remy’s dad sounded distracted, no doubt, like Remy, running a hundred different scenarios through his head. Analyzing all the possible reasons why humans and supernaturals would need to come together. Did the fates envision all species merging again into one nation? Most humans demanded segregation. They hated the idea of mingling with supernaturals and considered her father a traitor for even accepting this new job.

  Remy hated being forced to move halfway across the country. She hated losing her friends when they learned of her dad's new job, and she was still pissed as hell about losing her scholarship. Despite all that, she was proud of her dad for being offered such an honorable position. She would stand by him no matter what was thrown at them. He was doing the right thing and she agreed with everything he stood for. Even Todd wasn’t too upset over the idea. He acted like a total dweeb, but deep down, Remy knew he didn’t hold any malicious intent toward supernaturals.

  The chairs Bruce and her dad occupied scraped against the tile floor, signaling to Remy they’d gotten up and it was time to make herself scarce. As she tiptoed away, she heard Bruce make one last statement. “Alpha Reid will explain your responsibilities further when he meets with you. He’ll send you a text with a meeting time for tomorrow.”

  Remy wished she could be in on the meeting with her dad and the Alpha. She wanted to know more about the new world she now lived in.

  3

  Remy

  The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted around the room, pulling Remy from her sleep. Groggily, she slid out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom for a quick pit stop. Finished, her eyes still remained at half-mast. She lacked the energy to try to force them wider. Holding onto the wall for support, she allowed her hands to guide her down the long hallway towards the kitchen and her morning salvation. Coffee, the true nectar of the gods. The silky scent teasing her senses was the only motivation she needed in the morning to get out of bed.

  “Morning, sunshine.” Her dad’s voice, bright and cheery, rang loudly through the house. The volume almost had Remy retreating to her bed, wanting to tuck her head back under her covers. She might get up at the crack of dawn, but those that knew her knew not to attempt any sort of rational conversation until she was at least two cups into her morning routine. Freshly brewed coffee was Remy’s one vice. Well, the only vice she would admit to.

  Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she mumbled, "Mornin'." Spotting their coffee pot set up on the counter next to the stove, Remy dove for one of the empty cups her dad had also sat out.

  “I’ve cleaned them already, so no need to wash them again.” Her dad stood at the island, sipping from his own cup and reading a newspaper. “There’s creamer in the fridge and a box of sugar packets next to the pot.”

  “Where’d the coffee supplies come from? Did you make a store run already?” Too early for the regular grocery store to be open, Remy wondered if she missed the items yesterday when she scoped out their new home.

  "Corner store. The selection was limited but there are donuts and a few other breakfast options in the pantry. Do you mind hitting the grocery store while I meet with the Alpha? I'll leave cash for you."

  “No, I don’t mind. How much food should I get?”

  “At least a few days’ worth. I can go again once the meetings settle down but right now, I’m guessing I’ll be pretty busy the next few days trying to get settled in.”

  Pouring herself a cup of coffee, Remy doctored it until it resembled a light caramel color. She loved coffee, but she could only handle it fully loaded. Taking a heavenly sip, she groaned out loud when the warm liquid ran down her throat. Waking up to coffee and donuts, nothing could ruin her day.

  “Oh, take your brother with you.”

  Well, fuck!

  Remy reluctantly dragged Todd along to the store. She debated leaving the brat home alone, but who knew what sort of trouble he’d get in if she tried. Her dad pointed out the location of the grocery store on a large map that hung in the kitchen before he left. His meeting with the Alpha was scheduled for ten that morning.

  “Can I drive?” Todd glanced hopefully at the ATV key in Remy’s hand.

  Remy snorted. “Not a chance, dude. Last time I saw you drive anything it was a dirt bike and you took it through a swing set. Those poor kids nearly lost their limbs.”

  “That was a year ago,” Todd glared indignantly. “I’m way better now.”

  “How would you know? You haven’t had any practice since you refused to get your learners permit.”

  Todd’s eyes widened slightly. “Uhm, video games.”

  “Right,” Remy rolled her eyes. “Just don’t let Dad catch you practicing or he’ll murder you and no one will ever find your body.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do.”

  Remy ignored her brother’s defiance and focused on the GPS telling her where to turn to get them to the store. Five minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of the only grocery store on the compound. Her dad mentioned there was a larger one in Cedarsmill, but she hadn’
t wanted to venture that far yet. It would also mean she’d need to take her car instead of the ATV. “Let’s get this over with,” she grumbled, gathering her bag.

  They didn’t talk as they strolled through the first few aisles of the store, filling the cart with staple items. Remy had a list, but other stuff seemed to magically find its way into their basket. “Oh, I need honey.” No midnight snack was complete without a peanut butter and honey sandwich.

  Leaving her brother looking at cereal, Remy rushed to the end of the aisle, her gaze laser-focused on her target. In her haste to reach her precious treat, she nearly knocked into a man who stood looking at the selections. She edged by him, reaching for the last jar of her favorite brand, giving him the side-eye in case he tried to stop her.

  “Hey!” The large man growled down at her. “That was the last jar and I was about to grab it.”

  “There are plenty of other brands. Pick one of those.” Remy held the jar close to her chest and turned to walk away from the angry man.

  He rushed up to her side, stopping her progression. “I want that brand. It’s the best. I was here first. You stole that from me. That’s my jar!”

  “Have you already paid for it?” Remy met his glare with one of her own.

  He faltered slightly. “Not yet.”

  “Did you have it in your hand?”

  No answer.

  “It looked to me like you were just standing there staring into space,” she challenged again.

  “That’s not the damn point!” he yelled, throwing his arms up in frustration.

  Remy smirked. “It’s exactly the point. I had it first. It’s now in my possession. You’re out of luck.”

  Without waiting for the man to respond further, Remy strolled away. When she was once again beside her brother, his incredulous expression had her pausing. “What?”

  He snorted. “You call me bad? I can’t take you anywhere!”

  “I got to it first,” she reasoned, setting her treasured honey in the cart.