“There are times,” Cash continued. “When I feel like the bear is going to take me over for good. Like, if I don’t watch myself carefully, I’ll shift and never turn back.”
“Is that what you want to do?” Lani asked.
“No,” Cash answered quickly. “Of course not, but the instinct is always there. It lies just beneath the surface, hidden out of sight, but it is always there. When I’m with you, it doesn’t feel as strong. I feel more in control, more human. But I need you to know the truth. You need to know who I really am.”
“I know you are,” Lani said with a small smiled. She opened her mouth to continue, but soft footsteps stopped her. She and Cash turned around to see the guys hurrying back into the bar.
“We found him,” Asher said.
“In the trees,” Zander nodded. “He’s hurt, but he’ll be okay.”
“Did you try to help him?” Cash asked.
Zander and Asher exchanged a look with Jackson. They had something to tell Cash, but they were afraid of what his reaction would be. Cash narrowed his eyes and stepped away from Lani.
“What is it?” he asked. “What happened? Did he attack one of you?”
“No,” Zander said. “No, nothing like that.”
“Then, what?” Cash demanded. “What is it?”
“He just snapped at us,” Jackson said. “We asked if we could help him. We offered to mend his wounds, but he threatened to kill us all.”
“He said he could smell you on us,” Asher explained. “He knew we were from your clan. He didn’t want us near him.”
The guys watched Cash closely, apparently afraid that he would become angry again. They worried he might try to start another fight with Bryce, but they were wrong. Cash had everything he wanted right there in that bar. He glanced at Lani and smiled.
With a laugh, he said, “Relax guys, leave him be. If Bryce doesn’t want our help, that’s fine. Just forget about him.”
“That’s it?” Zander asked. “You just want to leave him out there.”
“Yeah,” Cash shrugged. “You said he'd be okay, right?”
“Yeah, he’s fine,” Asher shrugged. “He’s an ass, but he’s fine.”
“Then leave him,” Cash said. “Forget about him. He won’t be coming back here anytime soon.”
“Okay,” Jackson said.
The guys turned to leave and Cash focused his attention back on Lani. He reached out to her and pulled her to him again. As he held her, he breathed in her scent and let it fill him with joy. All his anger was gone and his irritation with Bryce was now nonexistent. He just wanted Lani.
“I didn’t think you would stay,” Cash admitted softly.
“What do you mean?” Lani asked.
“After everything you saw tonight,” Cash said. “I was afraid that I scared you too badly. I thought you would run away from me.”
“Why would I run away?” Lani asked.
“Because I’m a monster,” Cash said simply. “Everything I just said was true, Lani. My animal instincts are strong. What I did to Bryce, that’s part of who I am. I can’t change that about myself. I’ll never be able to. It’s my DNA now. It’s in me. Forever.”
“I know that,” Lani said. She looked up at Cash and smiled.
“That doesn’t scare you?” Cash asked nervously.
“I could never be afraid of you,” Lani said simply. “How could I be? You’re the only person who has ever made me feel safe.”
Cash grinned and exhaled slowly. Of all the things he expected Lani to say, that wasn’t one of them. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently. She was his true mate. She had brought him back from the edge just by the sound of her voice, and from that day forward he would never leave her side.
“I love you Lani,” Cash said.
“I love you too,” Lani replied.
As he held her body against his, he kissed her longingly, wishing they weren’t standing in the middle of a bar. He wanted to be alone with her so they could start the beginning of their life together.
Epilogue
Lani
The trees that surrounded the compound were unlike any Lani had ever seen. Before she moved with Cash, she’d never been to Colorado before and she’d certainly never spent time in the wilderness. She was a city dweller before she lived on Bear Ridge. She wasn’t sure how she would like living on a bear compound, but she fell into the life pretty quickly.
After the fight at Bear Ridge, Lani knew there was no way she could stay there. Bryce would be fired, but so would she. She’d broken a thousand of the resort’s rules and no explanation would have helped her keep her job. Plus, she wasn’t sure she even wanted to.
The morning after the fight, Lani watched Cash pack up his things and get the guys ready to leave. The resort management asked them to leave quietly so they wouldn’t cause any more drama than they already had. Lani saw the damage done to the bar and she knew it would be expensive to fix. She blamed herself, but she was more worried about Cash’s departure than anything else.
Lani dreaded their goodbye. She put it off as long as she could until finally, Cash was packed and ready to leave. He turned to her with sadness in his eyes and kissed her gently. Lani didn’t know what to say and neither did Cash. As he moved toward the door, Lani knew she couldn’t let him leave. She knew she could never be away from him.
“Wait,” she said. “I’m coming with you.”
“You are?” Cash asked. He was surprised but happy.
“I have to,” Lani said. “I can’t be away from you. I just can’t.”
“I was hoping you would say that,” Cash said. “Because I wasn’t going to actually leave this island without you. I would have left the resort because they asked me to go, but I would have stayed just so that I could be with you.” Lani threw her arms around Cash’s neck and kissed him deeply. She knew deep down that she was making the right choice.
Lani and Cash had packed Lani’s clothes quickly and hurried to the plane together. They bought Lani a last-minute ticket and boarded the plane. When they did, they saw that Lani wasn’t the only woman going back to the compound with them. Both Jackson’ and Asher’s mates were on board, too. The sight of them made Lani relax a little bit, but she was still nervous the entire plane ride back to Colorado.
When she arrived at the compound, Lani felt horribly out of place. She knew she was Cash’s true mate and that, more than anything, meant she belonged there with him. Still, she wasn’t sure how to act around everyone. Kurt, the Alpha, was more than accommodating. He seemed genuinely happy to see that so many of his clan members had found mates. But, he was the happiest to meet Lani. Lani could tell how worried Kurt had been when it came to Cash.
Lani’s life on the compound was a simple one. She helped with daily chores and made dinner for everyone occasionally. Scarlett, Kurt’s wife, helped her with the transition.
“It’s weird at first,” Scarlett had said. “I remember when I first got here. It can be hard.”
“Yeah,” Lani agreed. “I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do now…”
“Just be yourself,” Scarlett said. “Everything else will fall into place. We’re an easy bunch to get along with.”
“I can see that,” Lani smiled. “But I mean, what about my life? Can I leave the compound or…”?
“Of course,” Scarlett laughed. “Lani, you’re not a prisoner. You can go and travel the world if you want to. This is just home, you know? It’s where we all come back no matter what, where our family is.”
“That’s kind of nice,” Lani said and she meant it. The more time she spent with Scarlett, the more comfortable around the clan she felt. If Scarlett could adjust to this life, then so could Lani.
Quickly, the mates became best friends. All the women formed a sort of club where they supported each other and helped each other. Lani never had a lot of female friends, so it was nice that these women were going through the exact same thing she was.
After a fe
w months on the compound, Lani finally felt like she was at home. Her nerves and tension were gone and she had fallen into a perfect rhythm with the rest of the compound. Everyone had gotten to know and love her just like she knew and loved them. But most of all, Cash made everything worth it. Just being with him was enough for Lani to spend most of her days smiling.
“You ready?” Cash asked one afternoon as he stepped inside their cabin. He’d wanted to take Lani out for a picnic, but they hadn’t found the time. Finally, they had a free afternoon and Cash was taking advantage of it.
“I am,” Lani said with a smile. “Come on.”
Cash grabbed the picnic basket and led the way out of the cabin. As they walked, Lani reached out and took Cash’s hand in hers. Whenever she was near him, she needed to touch him. She couldn’t stand not feeling his skin against hers even in the most innocent of ways.
They walked in silence for what felt like hours. Lani’s feet were beginning to hurt. She’d spent a lot of time walking around the compound, but she’d never ventured into the woods this far before. Cash warned her that the woods were bear territory. Most of the men went there to shift and it could have been dangerous for her to go in alone. So, Lani avoided the trees unless Cash was with her.
“Where are we going?” Lani asked. “It’s taking forever to get there.”
“Just a little further,” Cash promised. “We’re almost there. Trust me; you’ll love it.”
Lani rolled her eyes, but she wasn’t at all annoyed. She was excited to see Cash’s secret place. She remembered showing him her spot-on Bear Ridge island and how happy they both were to just be together. Now, they got to spend every day side by side and nothing could have made Lani happier.
When they finally stepped off the path, Cash led Lani through a thicket that led to an open clearing. It was almost a perfect circle, surrounded by trees on all sides. Lani looked around in wonder. It was beautiful. The trees were huge and small wildflowers were growing in the grass all around them. Lani’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she took in the sight.
“It’s amazing,” she said breathlessly.
“I thought you would like it,” Cash laughed. “I’ve wanted to show you this place forever.”
“I’m glad you did,” Lani said. “It’s so beautiful.”
“You are beautiful,” Cash corrected. He kissed her lips softly before he moved to the center of the clearing. There, he laid out their blanket and motioned for her to sit down beside him. When she did, Cash pulled her against his chest. Lani laid back against him and together, they enjoyed the silence of each other’s company.
They didn’t need to speak. Just being together was enough for both of them. If it hadn’t been for Lani’s stomach, they could have laid there all day without moving.
“I’m hungry,” Lani admitted sadly. Her stomach grumbled to confirm her statement. “If I don’t eat soon, I may wither away to nothingness.”
Cash laughed and gestured toward the picnic basket. Lani slid across the blanket and opened the basket up quickly. She started to pull out Tupperware containers and sandwich bags, setting each one down on the blanket beside her. When the basket was almost empty, her eyes fell on a tiny black box sitting at the bottom.
Lani’s hands were trembling when she reached inside and pulled the box out. She held it in both hands while she turned around to face Cash. She moved slowly, barely able to breathe. When her eyes fell on Cash, he was kneeling in front of her with a broad smile on his face.
“Lani,” he began.
“Oh, my God,” Lani cried. Cash reached out and wrapped is hands around Lani’s.
“Lani,” he said again. “From the second I first saw you, I knew you were the only woman I could ever love. I spent so much time searching for someone who was right for me and it wasn’t until I met you that I realized I’d been looking in all the wrong places. Bear Ridge Resort meant nothing to me when I first arrived. I didn’t want to be there. I hated the idea, but when I met you, I realized just what it truly meant. It brought me to you.”
Cash pause and pulled the box out of Lani’s trembling hands. He opened it and showed the ring inside to Lani. There in the box was a beautiful diamond with a halo of diamonds surrounding the center stone. Every inch of it sparkled as the light hit it. Lani’s eyes widened even more and tears fell down her cheeks.
“I love you more than anything,” Cash continued. “And I’ll never stop loving you. Even after I die, I’ll still love you. Lani, will you marry me?”
Lani didn’t need time to think about her answer. The second she saw the box, she knew what she would say. Lani fell forward and kissed Cash passionately. When she pulled away, she was crying with earnest.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes. Of course. Yes.”
THE END
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Chapter 1
Blair
Blair Wilson was sitting in a comfortable chair in her upscale Brighton apartment, balancing her cell phone on her shoulder, as she wondered where it all went so terribly wrong. One of her best friends in the world, Scarlett Jones, chattered happily in her ear, but Blair was only half listening. Ever since Scarlett had met her mate, Kurt, at Bear Ridge Resort, they hadn’t been talking as often, or about the same things they used to. Blair felt like she’d lost her best friend. But on some level, Blair understood. Because if she’d been able to find a sexy, shifter like Kurt, she probably would shut out the rest of the world too.
“Blair? Where did you go?”
Blair brushed her wavy, jet-black hair away from her face with a sigh. “Sorry, honey. Lost in thought. What were you saying?”
Scarlett laughed. “When aren’t you lost in thought, B? Was it work or whatever disaster of a date you went on last?”
Blair winced. “Ouch. True. But still. Ouch.”
“I don’t mean to be harsh, Blair. But you really need to get your head out of work for a while and try to experience life. When was the last time you went out on a second date?”
Blair had to wrack her brain, and she genuinely couldn’t remember. It seemed like every date she went out on was a first date that ended badly, and then she would end up alone in her apartment, drinking wine and watching bad romance movies until she fell asleep. The only thing that kept her going was her work, and while Blair loved it, it started to feel less fulfilling. But damn, she was good at it.
“Earth to Blair! If you don’t want to talk to me, I can go find Kurt…” Scarlett shouted at Blair with a touch of playful annoyance in her voice.
“I’m sorry! Work e-mail,” Blair lied through her teeth.
Scarlett didn’t buy it. “Uh-huh. How are things at the firm?”
Blair sighed again. “The same as always. Busy. Amazing. I have ten cases going at the same time, and they are all focused on different pharmaceutical companies. But being on the partner track has completely taken over my life. I love my job, but sometimes…”
The thought lingered in the air, and they both knew how the sentence ended. Sometimes I wish I had picked a different sort of life. Blair really wanted to talk about work, but she could hear Kurt’s voice in the background, and Scarlett started giggling. There was no point.
“Speaking of, I should really get back to those work emails. Give Kurt a hug for me, and maybe we can get coffee soon?” Blair knew there was almost no chance she would see Scarlett, but she always liked to put the offer out there.
“Of course, love! Call me anytime.” And before Blair could answer, Scarlett had hung up the phone, leaving her all alone again in an apartment that was far too big for one person. Blair turned on the TV for comfort, and poured herself another glass of wine, before settling in to poke through another round of work emails. For the last five years, Blair had been working eighteen-hour days at the law firm of Marcus, Morgan, and Mora
n, one of the most elite practices in Boston. Her focus was working with the FDA on vetting medications that were looking for government approval, so her job had a fair bit of medicine involved, as well as law. But it also meant she was stressed all of the time, worrying that she was making a mistake, or suggesting approval on something she shouldn’t have been.
It wasn’t an easy job, but for some reason she loved it.
It also meant she had no life. She spent all of her time at work, and when she wasn’t at work, she was at an industry event. And when she wasn’t at an industry event, maybe she’d be sleeping. But absolutely nothing left time for a personal life. Blair hadn’t even seen her mother in months, let alone a friend, or a man. And with Scarlett now living with Kurt in Colorado, well, Blair was practically a shut-in.
She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d had a night off, so that particular night was a rare treat. Her immediate boss, Melanie Morgan, was at a conference in Palm Springs, so things had been relatively quiet at the office. Blair had decided to duck out early, and give Scarlett a call, hoping her best friend would suggest dinner or a movie or a girl’s night out to a bar. But instead, she’d spent thirty minutes talking about Kurt and her new life at the lodge before Blair finally got a word in edgewise.
Instead, Blair decided it would be a wine, rom-com, and work-from-home night. She flipped through the channels until she found something suitably cheesy, and cracked open another bottle of red so that she was prepared when her current bottle ran out. As the movie droned on in the background, and Blair flicked through e-mail after e-mail from work, Blair felt herself start to doze off. It wasn’t unusual for her to fall asleep in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn in her lap and a glass of wine in her hand, but it was still early, so she was annoyed. She jolted awake at the sound of a commercial.
Furever Always (Furever Series) Page 21