by Jules Tyler
Jesse nodded at what she was saying. “She’s right.”
“About which part?” Liz asked.
“All of it. I should’ve told you about my secret from the get go but I didn’t want to scare you away. Not like that worked in my favor, because you still ran away from me,” Jesse frowned as he picked at the label on his beer.
“I didn’t go back to Boise because I was afraid of you, Jesse. I went back to Boise because I was angry with you. I shared things about myself that I didn’t share with many people, and it felt like you didn’t trust me enough to tell me about who you are,” Liz explained to him.
“It had nothing to do with trust, beautiful. I was just trying to find the right way to explain all of this. This isn’t exactly the kind of information one is used to sharing about themselves. What was I supposed to do? Walk up to you and say ‘hey babe, you wanna know something cool? I can turn into a bear’? I don’t think that would’ve played out right at all. But you are right. I should have figured out a way to tell you sooner, and that’s my fault,” Jesse admitted to her.
Liz reached across the table to place her hand in his and said, “It’s okay, I understand now. I can’t say I blame you, and yeah, I’m still kind of irritated you didn’t tell me but I’ll get over it. I had the whole drive back to think about everything and decide what I want to do and how I was going to handle this conversation.”
Jesse looked up and locked eyes with her. Her eyes looked determined.
“What did you decide?” Jesse asked.
“That I’m willing to try this again, but only if you promise me to always tell the truth. No more secrets between us,” Liz said, eyeing him to make sure he understood what she was saying.
“You… You want to try this?” Jesse asked, leaning forward to get closer to her and make sure he wasn’t imagining this.
Liz nodded, “Yes, I want to try this again. I won’t lie; I’m not too thrilled about the way that the bond is sealed and I’m not exactly ready for something like that just yet. But if you’ll give me time, I’m sure I’ll come around to the idea.”
Certain that he was really hearing what she was saying to him, Jesse hopped out of his chair and was to her side in an instant. Scooping her up in his arms, he kissed her all over excitedly, causing her to burst out in a fit of giggles.
“Please don’t do this to me ever again. I was so worried about you today. It’s my job to protect you and make you happy, and if you run away from me, I can’t fix things,” Jesse pleaded with her.
“I promise,” Liz smiled as he lowered her back to the ground.
“Did you guys kiss and make up yet?” Tyson called from the upper level of the lodge.
“Yeah, come on, I’ve gotta know!” Mama Ally shouted.
Shaking their heads at their friends’ antics, Jesse and Liz burst out in laughter together. So this is what it felt like to be home.
Epilogue
“I need to find a good midwife in the shifter community, and there’s only one that I can think of. Does anyone know how to get ahold of Kaylene Simmons?” Brady asked as he set a log on the fire.
Kaylene. Mate. Mine. Mate. Mate. Landon’s panther complained inside of his head. It had been entirely too long since he had heard that name. Their whirlwind romance had come to an end unexpectedly between them almost two years ago. They had gone down separate paths, and it was driving Landon’s panther insane. He knew Brady or Jesse would need to put him down soon.
“Why don’t you just search her on the internet?” Tyson teased from his perch on the log stool across the fire from Landon.
“Because I highly doubt she’s got some website set up on the internet, asshole,” Brady grumbled.
“I have her number,” Landon murmured, almost so silent that if it weren’t for their heightened senses, the guys would’ve missed it.
“You what?” Brady asked, trying to decide if he had heard his friend correctly.
“I have Kaylene’s number,” Landon repeated.
“Can I have it? She’s one of the best in the business, Landon. Stella deserves the best,” Brady pleaded with his friend.
“I’ll get it for you. It’s on my phone,” Landon resigned, pushing himself up to go get his phone.
He wasn’t sure if he was ready to see Kaylene again in person, but his crew came first in his book. Especially the girls. Stella and Liz were important. They would carry the next generation of shifters. They would help raise them. Women were revered where he was from; they were an essential part of life. Without women, there was no way to continue life.
Grabbing his phone from the counter in his cabin, his screen lit up with the picture he cherished. It was from the day he had taken Kaylene to the coast. Their hair was windblown and crazy, and they both were laughing at something Kaylene had said.
Mate. Mate. Mate. His panther chanted over and over again. Would there ever be a moment when he wouldn’t have to listen to this insanity?
“She left us, you dumb fuck. She didn’t want us anymore,” Landon growled to himself before pushing the door to his cabin back open and stalking back across the lawn to where his crew was sitting. “Her number is two-seven-zero-five-three-five-six-six-three-two,” Landon said to Brady, never making eye contact with his friend.
“Thanks, man. I’ll give her a call,” Brady said, punching the number into his phone before heading back to the lodge to use the landline, the lack of cell phone service rendering his cell phone useless up here.
Ignoring the stares he was getting from Jesse and Tyson, Landon headed back to his cabin. He needed to clear his mind, and the best way to find inner peace was giving his panther some air. If Kaylene was coming here, he needed to find a long term way to find control.
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.
Laurie, holy heck girl. Your pre-workout fueled plotting sessions with me help so much. You catch my plot holes when I don’t see them coming, and without you, these books would not be what they have been slowly becoming. Thank you for being there when I need you.
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!
Joshua Burdick, this project has been so much fun having you involved. You’ve been able to answer my crazy questions so I could give Jesse some of you personality and I so appreciate that. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with you.
Reggie Deanching from RplusMPhotography.com, thank you for taking the gorgeous cover image of Joshua and working with me to let me make it mine. I’m so blessed to have you as part of Team Jules now. Long live the panda!
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 the learning curve, the heartache, the missed deadlines, and 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
Did you miss the first book of the Silver Creek Shifters? Be sure to check out Finding Sanctuary!
Stella Bailey is a fierce, independent woman on the run from her crazy ex-boyfriend turned stalker. Bitter about having to leave her life in the city behind, she heads to the snowy mountains of Idaho for solitude. Without technology available to keep her mind busy, she finds her thoughts lingering on her past more and more, until she meets the owner of the cabin where she resides, and then her entire world changes.
But with the new distraction comes thoughts and plans about the future, possibly one with him... Even if it means being willing to accept the secrets he keeps beneath the surface.
Brady Eastern grew up in a small cabin just above the hot springs in the Silver Creek Campground area. After inheriting the property once his grandfather passed away, Brady had enjoyed keeping to himself and letting the bear he had kept tucked away inside of him wander the woods freely. Life couldn't have been more perfect, until she showed up, and nothing was ever the same again.
Brady and Stella will join together to free her from a past that was getting too close for comfort and help her find the ultimate goal: sanctuary.
Summary: 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 keeps 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?
Summary: 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 was 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.