by V. Vaughn
"You'll live, Madison." Trent scowls and a low rumble I associate with his bear comes from his chest. "It's going to be hell for both of us when you change. I need you to know that. And if you—"
I put my fingers on his lips. "Shhh. I know I can change my mind, but I'm not going to. Women make it through childbirth all the time. If women have changed before, then I'm sure I can do it too."
Trent grabs my hand and kisses my palm. "You are amazing. How can you be so brave?"
I chuckle. "Brave? Oh no. I'm the biggest wimp going. I'm going to require drugs and any other assistance I can get."
He shakes his head. "No drugs, darling. But I'll make sure we talk to a few women who've done it so you can understand—so we both can understand—what really happens. You aren't going to do any of this without me by your side."
My heart stops for a second as if it's warning me to stay away, but it beats again before I can ask, "You don't know what happens?"
"It's been a while since a human woman has done it around here. Although the ones who have are kind of a big deal in my clan."
"Yeah?"
He nods. "One is an alpha. And she's pretty badass."
"Badass?" I laugh as I imagine telling my roommate what he said. "I can't wait tell Josie that."
Trent laughs with me. "That girl's kind of scary. Maybe that's why Max ran off."
His comment raises my hackles, and my nurturing genes kick into gear. "I know she comes off as a tough girl, but she's really great, Trent. You just have to get to know her."
"I'm sorry. I was joking… but noted. No making fun of Josie." He leans in and steals a quick kiss. "Because her badass roommate is the one I'll have to worry about."
A thought occurs to me. While I'm not having second thoughts, I wonder if the reason my mother didn't stay with my father was because she didn't want to change. "Trent, what if I decided to stay human? What would happen then?"
He frowns. "You don't have to change, Madison. The choice is yours, and I don't want you to do it because you think you have to."
"You're not answering my question." His brow knits even further, and I know the answer. "We can't be together forever if I don't. Right?"
He nods. "My world would be too dangerous for you if you remained human. And you wouldn't be the only weakness in the clan. I would be too because I'd do anything to protect you."
His answer explains a lot about my parents, but I think he's worried about my commitment to him, and I want to smooth the wrinkles from his forehead with my fingers. "I have every intention of changing, Trent." I reach out and tug him back to me by the collar of his shirt. "Don't you worry about a thing, darling. I'm all yours." It hits me I am his, the way he is mine, and it's a strange, crazy bond that is all-consuming. I think I know why I came here. It was for a man, but not my father the way I originally thought. I think fate sent me to find a true mate I didn't believe existed, because it's unbelievably easy for me to add, "I'm yours forever."
Three
Audrey
Now that I know my true mate is a werebear, I can barely contain my rage at the idea he'd kiss another woman after being with me. I nearly break my fingers with the strength I'm using to clench my fists shut and not attack the man—werebear—in my driveway.
"My name is Max and—"
I let out a roar that makes him hold up his hands. "I know. I'm sorry I cloaked who I was before. But—"
A tiny voice of reason in me wants to make sure my vision was correct, so I cut him off to ask, "Did you kiss her?"
"What? Kiss who?" His eyes widen with realization. "Oh. Yeah, but I can—" He holds up his hands and steps back. "Oh, shit."
My magic is sizzling around me like a live wire, and when I can no longer hold back, wind I send his way lifts him up into the air to knock him off his feet. He lands about twenty feet behind where he was standing, and I stomp toward him to do more damage.
Max says, "You don't want to—"
I lift him up off the ground with the intention of tossing him into the yard, but suddenly my power bounces off an invisible shield and into the air. Max falls to his feet, and his knees bend when he lands to soak up the impact easily. "Audrey! Stop."
Like his pleading's going to work. Rage is pulsing through my body, and I throw a fireball at him even though I know he can block it.
Max deftly sends it into the woods where it hits a tree, and a loud crack sounds before it falls. "Jesus, Audrey. Let me explain!"
"Why? Do you want to describe how it felt? How her lips are softer than mine and your dick was so hard you couldn't wait to—" My mouth freezes mid-word, and I can't make a sound or move. I'm paralyzed!
"I stopped her as soon as I got control of my bear," says Max. "And yes, it was a horrible thing to do after what happened between us. I'm sorry." He rakes his hand through his hair, and damn it, I'm spitting mad, yet I still I want to be the one combing my fingers through his silky strands. He says, "She's my true mate."
I don't know why he thinks that makes it better, because it only ratchets up my anger. I'm about to burst with my need to lash out at him.
"You're not doing yourself any favors here, boy," booms the alpha voice of my father.
Max lowers his head. "Mr. Le Roux. It's an honor, sir."
Dad communicates with me telepathically. "If he lets you go, do I have your word you won't attack?" When I don't answer right away Dad asks, "Audrey?"
Being frozen has tamped down my anger to a simmer, and I reluctantly reply, "Yes."
"Release Audrey."
"Yes, sir."
When I can move again, I rub my throat even though Max's magic didn't hurt me in the least.
"Let's take this inside where we can talk about things calmly," says Dad.
I shoot Max a death glare before moving toward the door. The faces of Donna, Kimi, and Elise are glued to the window, but they all scurry away as we approach the house. My father walks behind me, although I'm not sure Max is any safer with him between us. When we get to the kitchen, Kimi and Elise are holding containers of food my mother must have packed for them since our breakfast has been cut short. Elise says to me, "Nice use of your powers." A quick smile escapes before she darts her gaze to my father, who is growling low and deep. "We'll be in touch."
I nod at her and notice Grammy hunched down in her chair trying to look small, likely hoping she can stay for more fireworks. Mom says, "Donna, do you want me to pack your breakfast too?"
She sighs in resignation. "No. I'm fine."
My dad looks at my brother, who has excitement dancing in his eyes. He loves a good fight, and I bet he's dying to take on Max for me just to prove he can. Dad says, "Everett will drive you home, Donna."
Everett opens his mouth to object but wisely snaps it shut before saying a word. He sulks as he gets up. "C'mon Grammy, we'll stop for donuts on the way."
Mom asks, "Max, are you hungry? There's plenty of food."
"I'm fine thank you."
"How about a cup of coffee? How do you take it?"
"Mom!" I cry out. "He doesn't deserve your hospitality."
"He's in my kitchen, Audrey Le Roux. You better not forget it."
Dad speaks in my head. "Let your mother give him coffee. Maybe she'll poison it."
It's little comfort knowing my mother wouldn't do that without all the facts, but I take my Dad's attempt at peace and move to sit down.
Mom places Max's coffee cup in front of him with a forceful thud that is not hospitable at all. With a distinct alpha tone laced with saccharine sweetness, she asks, "What brings you to Maine, Max... I'm sorry, I didn't catch your last name."
He bows his head to her in respect. "I am Maximilien Alexander Lévesque, the son and alpha heir to Gabriel of the Lévesque Clan in British Colombia. I come in peace to offer myself to your clan." He lifts his head and looks at me. "Audrey is my true mate, and I believe you need me to fight an evil that is on its way."
"Really?" I snarl at him. "I thought the other girl was y
our true mate."
His brow knits. "Unfortunately, she is too."
I sit back and cross my arms. I realize that having two true mates at the same time can happen, which... I don't even want to consider that right now because I'm still skeptical that's what's going on here. "Why did you hide what you were from me?"
"I wasn't supposed to reveal myself to you yet. And when you were so persistent—"
I gasp. "What? I was— I did not—"
"Sorry. That's not what I meant. My bear wanted yours as badly as yours wanted mine, Audrey. But I still should have walked away."
I scoff. "That's the first thing you've gotten right."
"I saw you have a bit of magic in you too, Max," interjects my father. He's likely commenting on the fact Max kept me from breaking every bone in his body. He would have healed quickly, but it would have also given me immense satisfaction knowing the pain it would cause.
"Yes, sir. I'm one of the most powerful witches I know." Max smiles at me, and he has the nerve to do so with a look of pride. "Which is lucky for me, because so is Audrey." He reaches in his pocket and pulls out my keys, and they scrape across the table as he slides them toward me. "I also came to bring you this."
I let out a huff of irritation as I look down at my keys. "Am I supposed to thank you for that?" A horrible thought comes to me, and my bear ramps me up to shifting point. "Was she in my car?" My jaws ache, and my skin feels like it's too small for my body as I fight my need to shift.
"It wasn't like that, Audrey," Max says softly.
Mom reaches over to touch my arm and communicate with me telepathically. "Do you need to shift and run, honey?"
Her words make me feel like I did when I was thirteen years old and couldn't contain my bear, and everything in me bristles at the implication I don't have control. I swallow hard and find my shift-back-to-human place. It works, and my bear sulks off to her resting spot. I shake off my mother's hand and grab my keys as I glare at Max, wishing I could zap him with a bolt of magic that would make his penis shrivel up.
"Where is this other girl?" asks Dad.
"I think she goes to the University here. I met her at the Pancake Place."
"So she's from one of our clans?" Mom's tone makes me thinks she’s with me and ready to kick Max's ass too.
"No," Max looks right at me. "She's human."
"They just keep popping up." Dad blows out a long breath of air. "Damn, Kimi and Donna. Why didn't they use a kill switch?"
He's referring to a powerful spell the older women made about twenty-six years ago to get human women into our clan. A curse was placed on the Le Roux clan that left all the women of my father's generation barren, and the clan faced extinction until Kimi and Donna came up with a plan. At the time, werebear-human relationships were taboo, which of course made them attractive to natural, thrill-seeking werebear, and Kimi and Donna knew there had to be plenty of half-werebear children in the human population. It was their hope those women could bear children for the clan, so they put out a mystical signal to call them here. Mom and her best friend, Sierra, were two of the women who answered. And I'm living proof Donna and Kimi were right. A fact the two women like to bring up any chance they get. Apparently, the call is still active, even though we haven't had anyone answer it in over a decade.
Mom says, "Being human means the girl has a choice. So do you, Max."
Max has the good sense to scowl and let us see his discomfort over the situation. But it doesn't stop my father, who slaps his hand down on the table in a challenge and growls before he asks Max, "Who is it going to be, Maximilien Lévesque? My daughter or the human?"
Four
Josie
I send a text to Madison, desperate to find out if she found Max in her internet search. My ear buds clatter on my dresser where I toss them, and I lift up a dirty shirt from my laundry basket to wipe sweat off my face. I'm pretty sure my roommate didn't find Max on social media since I haven't heard from her.
I lift a foot up to the top of my dresser and bend over it to stretch my legs as I recall my steamy kiss with Max. My insides warm up as I wish I could go to him, like he's the love of my life who's been away for a long time. Damn. The true-mate connection is strong. Judging by the way I feel, I think the reason my roommate isn't here is because she wanted to see Trent before her self-imposed, twenty-four-hour waiting period ended. Even if they had a normal relationship, Madison would go to him. That girl is in deep. Heck, if it were me with Max I bet I'd never want to come back to my empty bed ever again either. Thoughts of his warm body beneath mine fill my head before I shake them off.
Because first I have to find him. I grab my phone and pull up my notes app. When Max rushed out of the restaurant I hurried over to the window to see what he was driving. I didn't want to creep Madison out, but I memorized the license plate number and recorded it later. It’s time for my weekly check-in with Link anyway, although I had hoped I wouldn't have to resort to using my contact within the Eradicators for help. But since I'm not willing to wait around for Max to come find me, I will.
Link is one of the biggest reasons I don't want to contact the Eradicators. The man was my trainer, and he’s had a hard-on for me since we met. At first it was sexual, but once he found out I was half werebear, that changed over to hate. No worries there—I hated him from our first encounter too. But both of us are able to set aside our personal feelings when it comes to the mission, so I text the license plate number and request for information to him with the intention of deleting our exchange once it's complete.
Thinking about Link again brings up strong memories and guilt. I drop to the floor to see how many pushups I can do. As I lower my body to where my nose almost touches the ground, I worry that my lazy attitude about my physical shape over the past week has set me back. Sure, I've been running, but I haven't done much in the strength department. My muscles begin to burn, and I welcome the pain. For a while it was my only friend. It was proof I was working toward a goal of getting out from under the Eradicators.
What the Eradicators failed to realize is that by insisting I become one of the enemy, I'll become stronger than every single one of them, groups of them too. I know they think no one ever leaves the group, and so did I at first. But over time, the stronger I got the more I knew I had no intention of devoting my life to them.
Spending time with Axe, a werebear whom I should have been disgusted by, made me realize they are very human. The animal side is well disguised, and if I didn't know what I was looking for, I'd have never noticed the subtle things he does that humans don't. The way his nostrils flare when he is using his sense of smell to learn more, the low rumble in his chest when he's annoyed, and the way he reacts to sounds other people can't hear are all things the average person wouldn't notice. My arms shake as I crank out more pushups, and my weakness makes me imagine having the power of a bear.
The amazing thing about the Eradicators stealing my life away, forcing me to hit a rock bottom I never would have known on my own and then building me back up again, is that I found out how powerful I really am. They awakened a side of me that can't be taught. I'm sure they believe that by taking away everything I identified with they'd beat me down to a point I'd latch onto them to save myself. That my loyalty would then lie with them.
My arms almost give out as my strength falters, but I let out a growl and force more pushups from my body by sheer will. Maybe it's the bear in my genes, or maybe it's because I'm a survivor, but there is no way in hell I'll forgive the Eradicators for what they did to me. Or my werebear father either. After all, if he’d claimed me, I’d have never had to know the Eradicators at all.
Sweat drips off my nose onto the floor, and I lower myself slowly one more time. I pant for a moment to catch my breath before I extend my arms again. When I try to do another pushup, my muscles finally give out. I collapse and roll to my back. I close my eyes to recover and relish the feeling of giving my all. The memory of Max pops into my head. The electricity of his
skin touching mine, the power of his kiss... I smile. I don't care what Madison says about me forcing it, Max definitely kissed me back.
I shake my head at myself. It will do me no good to let myself get carried away with my feelings for Max. Just because I'm not returning to the Eradicators doesn't mean I have any intention of going soft on werebear. I'll get into a werebear clan, do what I have to do, and then disappear. I will complete my mission. But it's going to be a struggle to remain vigilant after realizing my feelings for Max are driven by a bond that is primal. An instinctual desire necessary for a species that has to fight to remain in existence.
My phone buzzes with a call, and I roll over to grab it.
It's Link, and he says, "The car is registered to Carly Le Roux."
“Carly Le Roux? She's the one who set into motion everything that took the Eradicators down twenty-five years ago.” I can't help but gloat even if it was dumb luck. "Damn. I'm good."
"You're an Eradicator. You will stop at nothing, Josie."
A chill races down my spine, and I sit a little taller as I automatically repeat the phrase back before I realize I'm not in a training session. "I'm an Eradicator. I will stop at nothing."
The phone clicks as Link hangs up, and I frown at the screen for a moment. I lost my train of thought like when you go to a room searching for something and then can't remember what it was. But then the familiar burning hate for my trainer fills me. Hate for werebear. And girls like Madison. "Asshole."
I stand up and go over to our fridge to get a bottle of water. Ice cold liquid slides down my throat as I drink, and my annoyance fades quickly when I think about my good fortune in finding someone this close to Carly Le Roux. The intel we have on her doesn't mention Max, but he maybe he's a son we didn't know about. There are a handful of other reasons Max may have been driving her car that extend beyond him being her child, but excitement begins to build in me anyway as I think about the implications of becoming a Le Roux's mate.