Bears VS Wolves

by Sophie Stern

  I bite my lip. Private. I guess that’s a good way to describe the moment, but it doesn’t seem like it.

  Why not?

  Maybe it was just...so much more than that.

  “But I went over there and I talked to him. Meredith, the two of you need to have a serious talk about what you want. Don’t just reject him based on emotion.”

  So that’s what she thinks this is. She thinks I’m being ridiculous and emotional and that’s so completely wrong.

  She didn’t see his face after.

  She didn’t have to see his disappointment.

  “Is he still at my house?” I ask.

  “He went to work.”

  “Thanks for letting me hang out,” I say. I reach for my own coat and push past Foxy to leave. Irritation slices through me. I don’t like that she’s bossing me around even though there’s a little part of me that wonders if she’s right.

  Am I just being finicky?

  Am I being too picky?

  “Hey,” she reaches for me and puts her hand on my shoulder. Turning around, I look at her. Foxy looks upset with me, and I don’t blame her. I’m being super bitchy because I just can’t seem to get my emotions under control. “I know it’s hard to love someone new.”

  I bite my lip.

  “But give him a chance, Meredith. You never know what could happen. Besides, you don’t want to end up like me.”

  “Foxy, if I ended up half as wonderful as you, I’d be the luckiest girl alive.”

  I hug my friend, pulling her close, and kiss her on the cheek. She really is a wonderful person in every way. Besides, most people wouldn’t have been half as willing to go out of their way for me.

  But she was.

  Pushing open the door to her house, I take off back toward my own. The crisp morning air feels great against my skin. No, it feels great against my mark. I reach for my neck and touch the claiming mark. It feels soft: not hard the way I thought it would. It’s a nice feeling, actually. It’s not something I’ve spent too much time thinking about.

  This type of mark is so special that it’s almost sacred. It’s one of the most beautiful parts about being a shifter and I suppose I never really thought I’d be lucky enough to have one. Who would ever want to mark a girl like me? I guess that’s what I thought. Who would ever want to touch me like this?

  Robert isn’t really what I expected. I mean, when he walked into the bar, he was just so confident and playful and handsome. His over-tipping and his happiness was just really enticing. I still can’t believe that we matched on Team Shifter or that he’s interested in me. He claimed me.

  I realize that if I’m going to make it through all of the dumb stuff I have to do today, I’m going to need to get some coffee, so I make a little detour on the walk home and head to the local coffee shop.

  Beans is more than just a coffee shop. It’s kind of a local legend. It’s the perfect place to grab a biscuit or a muffin or a cookie after a long day. I welcome anyone into my bar whether or not they drink, but there’s something really homey and wonderful about Beans. At the end of the day, a bar is still a bar, but a coffee shop...Well, I’m a fan.

  I push open the door and head inside. Instantly, I’m overwhelmed with the scents of baking and freshly brewed beans.

  “Welcome to Beans,” a man behind the counter says.

  “Thanks.”

  I join two other people in line and wait for my turn. I order my coffee and as soon as it’s in my hands, I instantly feel more relaxed. I find a little seat in the corner, sit down, and start drinking. I haven’t showered since yesterday, so I’m feeling gross despite the fact that I did brush my hair and put on clean clothing before going out. I’m more than happy to lurk in the corner of this coffee shop and not talk to anyone, but there are a couple of women next to me chatting, and it’s hard not to eavesdrop.

  The first one is older, taller, and has the loveliest silvery hair I’ve ever seen. It’s piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and she’s laughing with her friend. The second woman is younger and shorter. She’s curvy with short blonde hair, and she also has a ready smile.

  “And the bridesmaids dresses are perfect,” the younger girl, whom I instantly think of as Goldilocks, is gushing. Her friend, whom I mentally name Silver, smiles.

  “That’s wonderful. What color did you choose?”

  “Blue.”

  “Interesting choice,” Silver nods in approval.

  “Plus,” Goldilocks continues. “This way, each of my bridesmaids can choose a dress or suit they feel most comfortable in.”

  “Suit?”

  “One of my girlfriends feels most comfortable in a suit,” she says. “And one of my bridesmaids is a gentleman.”

  “That’s kind of you to be so flexible.”

  “Well, it’s not all about me, right?”

  “That’s a good attitude,” Silver agrees. “A lot of new couples get that wrong.”

  “I’m not going to say we have a perfect relationship, but Hank is a good guy. He makes me happy. The wedding...well, we don’t need it. We’re already mated.”

  From where I’m sitting, I see Goldilocks push over the top of her shirt to reveal a mating mark. It’s beautiful. While mine is a straight line, hers is almost curved. It looks like an “s” shaped mark.

  “Beautiful. May I?”

  “Of course.”

  Silver reaches out and touches the mark. Goldilocks just smiles.

  “The wedding will be wonderful, but the ceremony is just for our non-shifter relatives and friends,” she says.

  “Non-shifter?”

  “I’m adopted,” Goldilocks says. “So pretty much everyone in my family is human. This will be a good time for them to visit Claw Valley and to have a chance to see what my new life is like.”

  “That’s very sweet.”

  “What about you? What was your mating ceremony like? Did you have one?”

  “Nope,” Silver laughs. She tugs her shirt to the side and once more, I find myself peeking. I shouldn’t because it’s weird and rude and a little bit awkward, but I’m just so damn curious. They’re so proud of these marks. They’re showing them off and getting excited with one another and I...well, I want to show mine off, too.

  I know I need to get it removed. I know that this thing between Robert and I can’t possibly work, but when he claimed me, before he opened his mouth, I felt...

  Powerful.

  That’s how Goldilocks and Silver seem to feel.

  Strong.

  Brave.

  At peace.

  “We couldn’t wait,” Silver continues. “Jeremy and I have been together a very long time now.”

  “How long?”

  “More years than I feel like counting at this moment,” she laughs. “At least twenty.”

  “And you’re just as in love now as you were then.”

  “Probably more, to be honest.”

  “More in love now?”

  Silver nods. How could that even be possible? Isn’t dating supposed to be the highlight of your romantic life? Isn’t it all downhill from here?

  “We know each other so much better,” she says. “We’re closer than we’ve ever been.”

  “And you have kids.”

  “True, but that brings its own problems. The thing about raising kids is that if you and your partner aren’t in unison, and you aren’t in agreement, then it’s going to be hard.”

  “Well, for what it’s worth,” Goldilocks reaches for her drink and brings it to her lips. She sips it and sighs with contentment. “I think you’re a wonderful couple.”

  “It wasn’t always easy.”

  “Did you fight a lot? You know, when you first got together?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “I think that’s normal, though, right?”

  “It’s normal, but you still have to work through it. The mating bond is strong, but it’s not perfect. Wouldn’t you agree, my newly-mated friend?”

  The two wom
en turn and look at me. With a little gasp, I reach for my chest in surprise. So I’ve been caught eavesdropping. Apparently, I’m not nearly as sneaky as I think I am.

  “I’m sorry,” I murmur quickly. “I didn’t mean to listen in.”

  “It’s fine,” Silver smiles. “Who’s the lucky man?”

  “Um, someone I just met, actually. We didn’t plan for it to happen.”

  Goldilocks grins and nods.

  “Me too!” She tells me. “We used an app. It was love at first bite, I guess.”

  “An app?”

  “Team Shifter,” she nods. “It really works.”

  “Yeah,” I swallow hard. Really? She met through the same app? I look around for just a second. Part of me wonders if I’m on some sort of prank show, but there’s nobody here who seems unfamiliar or out of place. “That’s what we used, too.”

  “Wow,” Silver says with a smile. “That’s lovely. Are you going to have a wedding?”

  How could I have a wedding if I get his mark removed? How are we going to have any time together at all if I rush him to the dragon and beg to have this gone?

  When I think about the look on Robert’s face when I left last night, I feel sick. My stomach hurts when I think about the words I threw at him. I didn’t even listen to him. I didn’t give him a chance to explain. Maybe Foxy is right and I really should have listened to what he had to say.

  Maybe it’s too late for us now.

  Instead of being honest or truthful though, I suddenly stand up awkwardly.

  “Maybe!” I say a little too cheerfully. “But I actually have to go. I’m running behind,” I shrug. “Good luck,” I say to Goldilocks, and then I hurry out of the coffee shop and start moving down the road before I have to hear another word.

  I am such a coward, I realize, as I scurry away. I was a coward when it came to talking with Robert and I’m being a coward now. I’m being super fake because I’m doing what I think we need to do instead of what I actually want to do.

  And that’s a problem.

  Shit.

  I realize that I don’t know where Robert lives. It probably won’t take too much asking around to find out.

  Or I could do something better.

  I could go talk to him at work. I know he’s at the clinic today. He probably went home, showered, and changed before he went to work. I can’t show up looking like a hot mess, so I go back to my own home. I’ll clean myself up and go find him. Yep. That’s exactly what I’ll do. Maybe he’ll listen to me. There’s a part of me that’s worried he’ll be closed off and hurt. I was a total bitch, after all.

  But maybe, just maybe, this mating mark is stronger than I give it credit for. I reach up and touch it, thinking about how it felt to be his.

  That’s what I felt when we were making love.

  Oh, it was fucking, but it was so much more than that.

  It was everything.

  It was absolutely everything.

  I make it back to my place, hurry upstairs, and move into my bedroom. Instantly, I realize it was a mistake because I smell him. All of him. I grab my phone, which I had abandoned on my dresser last night, and check for messages. I’m not surprised that there aren’t any from him. I pull open the Team Shifter app, but there’s just nothing.

  Should I send him something?

  Maybe I should send him something.

  “Don’t chicken out,” I tell myself. To me, sending a message instead of just going in person is a cop-out. He deserves more than a casually typed message that could be misinterpreted or received at a bad time. No, I’ll just go.

  I can do this.

  I shower, style my hair, throw on a dash of mascara, and get dressed. I don’t look amazing by any means, but I’m me, and that’s enough. That’s what he likes. He likes me for me.

  I only hope I haven’t lost him.

  I go outside, hop in my car, and drive across town. The clinic isn’t far and I honestly could have walked. I don’t want to be sweaty when I arrive, though. I hurry inside and when I get to the reception desk, I smile.

  “Hello,” the woman says. “Do you have an appointment?”

  “No, I don’t. I’m here to see Doctor...”

  Shit.

  I don’t even know this guy’s last name.

  Fuck.

  Me.

  Leave it to me to become claimed by a guy whose last name I don’t know.

  The receptionist raises an eyebrow.

  “Doctor?”

  “Doctor Rob,” I squeak out. It comes out like a question though, and her brow furrows. She looks at a piece of paper in front of her.

  “Was your appointment for this morning?” She says. “Unfortunately, Doctor Rob had to cancel all of his appointments. I thought I called everyone to let them know...” Her voice trails off as she shuffles through a few different pieces of paper, and I slink out of the office unnoticed.

  Well, shit.

  So much for making up.

  I pull out my phone and open Team Shifter. I’ll go ahead and send him a message, I guess. I go to the messaging portion of the app, but the place where our messages were is gone.

  Deleted.

  “What?” I whisper, and suddenly, my entire chest hurts. He unmatched me. He unmatched me because of what I did, and now I don’t have a way to tell him that I’m sorry, that this isn’t what I want.

  I don’t have a way to move forward.

  What do I do?

  Flicking to my contacts list, I call Foxy. She answers on the first ring.

  “Meredith? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” I say.

  “It has to be something. You’ve never called me on the phone before.”

  “I’ve called you.”

  “Never.”

  “He’s not at work,” I blurt out. “What do I do?”

  “Who’s not at work? Robert?”

  “Yeah, I went to go see him. To apologize.”

  She sighs.

  “I mean, good for you, but you really did a number on him, kid. I’m not surprised he didn’t go in.”

  “He unmatched me on the app. Now I have no way to reach him.”

  “Well, shit.”

  “Yeah,” I say. We’re silent for a minute, and then I try again. “Do you have any idea where he lives?”

  “Where he lives? Are you going to go full-stalker on him?”

  “No.”

  “Meredith...” Her voice holds a warning.

  “Okay, maybe,” I say.

  “Don’t do it,” she says.

  Fuck.

  “Foxy, I can’t...I can’t let it end like this.”

  “I told him about the dragon,” she says. “He’s going to be there tomorrow.”

  “Nope. That’s not happening anymore. There’s been a change of plans.”

  “Meredith, what are you saying?”

  “Foxy, I’ve got to save this. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m not going to quit on him.”

  She laughs.

  “Okay, I think I know how we can figure out where he lives.”

  That’s what I’m talking about.

  Chapter 14

  Robert

  I’ve never called in sick to work.

  Ever.

  In all of my years as a doctor, I’ve never had a need to. Even when I got divorced, I kept going to work as usual. Today, though, I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t go treat people and take care of people and pretend that everything’s fine when my entire world feels like it’s falling apart because it is.

  She doesn’t want me.

  She doesn’t want me or need me and giving her my mark was a horrible, terrible decision. I loiter around my house for awhile, but I finally realize that I’m wallowing in self-pity, and that’s really a terrible look on me.

  Finally, I decide to go to the coffee shop. Beans is a cute little shop where I can grab a mocha and just sit back and relax. Good. That’s what I really need right now. I need to relax. A
s soon as I’m in the shop, though, I can smell her.

  Okay.

  Am I going crazy, or was she here?

  I look around the little coffee shop for a second as I try to discreetly scent the air. She was definitely here. I turn toward one corner where two women are sitting chatting.

  “Excuse me,” I say, moving over to them. It’s going to sound crazy, but I ask anyway. “Was there a young woman here a few minutes ago?”

  The older woman has long silver hair piled on top of her head. She’s lovely. If I had to ask, she’s a crow or hawk shifter: some sort of bird. She looks me up and down, and then a smile spreads on her lips.

  “Ah, you’re newly mated, are you?” She raises an eyebrow.

  “Um, yes?”

  “Your mate was here,” the younger woman says. “But she left in a rush about ten minutes ago.”

  “I guess that explains it,” I mutter.

  “Did you scent her?” The older woman has a twinkle in her eye. “Is that why you came over?”

  “Something like that.”

  “You’re very lucky,” the younger woman tells me.

  “I agree,” I murmur, even though it’s not true. I’d be lucky if she wanted me. I’d be lucky if she wanted to be close to me. There are a million reasons why I’m almost lucky and very few that I actually am.

  “She’s a beautiful girl,” Silver Hair says.

  “Thank you. I’m sorry to bother you,” I say, and I turn to get in line so I can place my order. I don’t think I’m going to stay here very long. I definitely won’t stay to finish my drink. This place...it smells like her, and that’s just too much to handle right now.

  The older woman reaches for my arm and grabs it. Surprised, I raise an eyebrow, but don’t say anything. Her gesture is weird, but not scary.

  “Sometimes love finds us when we least expect it, but sometimes, we have to fight for that love.”

  I don’t say anything at first.

  “Thank you,” I finally tell her. I don’t know what made her think I needed to hear this, but it’s actually kind of a nice thought. She’s right, too. I mean, I wasn’t exactly looking for Meredith. She was just...there.

  But fighting for her?

  Is that something I need?

  Meredith made it clear where I stand with her. Sending Foxy to deliver the message that she doesn’t want me was an extra rough blow, but that’s what I have to deal with. She doesn’t want me.