by Anya Nowlan
Now the house was empty, hollow echoes roaming through the once lively halls. Both the exterior and interior had been left unattended, causing it to be in different states of disrepair. There were no more servants and certainly no more fancy parties, not for a very long time.
Since members of the Grimpaw clan lived in cottages in the wilderness surrounding the town, free to roam the forest in their bear form whenever they pleased, they had no use for the large, lavish house. Evan was an exception when it came to his living arrangements. He felt somewhat disconnected from the clan, which prompted him to abandon his cabin and move into town.
Evan was greeted at the door by Jameson, a tall, sinewy man with clear blue eyes. Ethan valued his opinion greatly and so did Evan. Jameson patted him on the back.
“Good to see you. Ethan is waiting for us upstairs,” he said.
They made their way up the once grand stairway to a corner room on the second floor. It looked like it used to be a study. Bookcases lined the walls, the wood damp and starting to rot. Ethan was inspecting the floor, checking the structural integrity.
Noticing Evan, Ethan got to his feet and pulled his brother into a quick hug before holding him by the shoulders and examining his face.
“Is that a smile I see, Evan Grimpaw?” he said with mock incredulity. “Anything to do with a mysterious redhead Everett’s been telling us about?”
“Everett should learn to think before he speaks,” Evan remarked.
“I’ll leave you to teach him that, brother. Ain’t got the patience,” Ethan said, leaning against an old desk in the middle of the room. Evan crossed his arms, Jameson mirroring the gesture by his side.
“Why are we meeting here, anyway? This place is a mess.” Evan asked, sniffing the air. “And it smells bad,” he added.
“This property has been in our family for generations and we haven’t really done anything with it. I just thought it would be a great place for clan get-togethers.”
Ethan waived a hand around the room.
“Plus, fixing this place up would be quite a challenge,” he grinned.
Evan looked around, noting water damage, exposed beams and rotten floorboards.
“It sure would,” he remarked, cocking a brow.
“Okay, let’s get to why I called this meeting,” Ethan said, getting down to business.
“Isn’t much of a meeting with just the three of us,” Evan retorted.
“Yeah, rest of the higher ranks are all out calming things down in Arizona and I didn’t think anyone else needed to know.”
“Needed to know what?” Evan asked right as Jameson spoke up.
“You know we aren’t exactly on the best of terms with the Clearpond wolf pack,” he started.
“Yeah, kicking their asses probably didn’t help,” Evan snorted. Jameson grinned, probably remembering the battle with the wolves.
“Exactly, and I thought they would be licking their wounds, trying to recuperate. But it seems they’re up to something,” Ethan said, picking up where Jameson had left off.
Wolves and bears had never had the easiest of relationships. One would think that shifters might stick together, but that wasn’t the case. Most shifters were very territorial, and the Grimpaws had been steadily edging out the wolves in Sweetwater, buying up more land. Suffice to say, the mutts were not happy about that. They had even taken a shot at Jennifer, Ethan’s wife, when she first moved to Sweetwater and bought property there.
That was something they had grown to regret – never mess with a bear’s mate.
“Let me guess,” Evan said, fists clenching. “Jamie Clearpond is right in the middle of it.”
Some people just don’t learn.
“That’s what I’ve heard,” Jameson shrugged.
“Just thought you’d want a heads up,” Ethan interjected.
“Thanks. Is that all? I should be getting back into town,” Evan huffed, shifting impatiently. He had only been away from Karen for a few hours tops, but it felt like forever.
“All for now. I’ll keep you updated. We’re thinking about having a little barbeque at my place on Friday. The little ones would sure like to see their uncle. And you’re welcome to bring a date,” Ethan said, smirking like he knew too much.
Can’t keep anything to myself in this damn town.
“Real subtle,” Evan grinned. “I’ll let you know,” he added before making his way back towards the stairs.
“It was good seeing you,” Ethan called out after him.
Evan didn’t respond.
Ten
Karen
After a couple of hours, Joe shooed Karen out of his office.
“Go spend time with Evan, you’ve done enough already,” he beamed.
Karen made her way up to her room, humming all the way there.
God, what a cliché I have become, she thought. I might as well take up skipping.
She didn’t want to bother Evan while he was dealing with family matters – she had already taken up so much of his time. After she was done packing, she decided to go to the local grocery store that she had walked past a couple of times to get some supplies and cook Evan dinner.
She cut through the park, breathing in the sweet spring air, carrying promises of summer. After a while, an odd sensation made its way up her neck. She felt as if she were being watched. Karen perked up, straining her ears. Soft footfalls sounded behind her, growing faster as she sped up.
Karen scanned the park for locals, but only spotted a lady with a stroller exiting the far east side. Panic started to rise in her throat, even though logically, she had little reason to be afraid.
Just another person enjoying a stroll in the park, she told herself, unconvincingly.
Her instincts were telling her to run. She picked up her pace even more, and the steps behind her broke into a sprint. A cold hand reached out and grabbed her by the arm, dragging her into a more secluded thicket. She stumbled against one of the trees, the bark leaving scratches on her bare elbows. A tall man with a lean figure stood facing her, blocking her way. He pulled down his black hood.
Kyle! This is bad, Karen thought, quickly assessing her situation.
There hadn’t been any bystanders, and now they were not visible from the beaten paths of the park. Not only had Kyle not stopped stalking her, he had followed her hundreds of miles to Wyoming, waited until she was alone and dragged her out of sight. Karen decided pleading with this psycho was beneath her and opted for a show of strength.
“Get the hell away from me, Kyle. This is your last chance. I’m all out of good will,” she snarled.
Kyle didn’t even seem to hear what she was saying, going on a tangent of his own.
“Not only did you run away from me, you’re out canoodling with some meathead?! This is not you, I know you, you’re coming back home with me and that’s it!”
Panicky laughter bubbled up inside Karen.
“Are you serious right now? Kyle, you need help. We are over, I’m not going anywhere with you! Now get out of my way before I start screaming!”
Kyle leapt at her, a frenzied look on his face, grabbing her by the throat and pushing her against the tree behind her. Karen’s head filled with ringing as her skull was knocked against the sycamore.
Kyle’s grip around her larynx tightened. He kept rambling on, but Karen’s head felt like cotton and she was unable to distinguish any words. She clawed at his hands, but they were unrelenting. In a last ditch effort, Karen smashed the heel of her boot into Kyle’s foot.
The man yelped and his clasp around Karen’s neck loosened just enough for her to draw breath. She pushed herself off the tree, barreling all her bodyweight towards Kyle. She wasn’t able to knock him down, but he was disoriented for a second, giving Karen an opportunity to slip past him.
She ran, faster than she had ever run before. She didn’t stop or look back until she made it out of the park, back into the street where people were strolling by, unaware of what she had just escaped. She looke
d back towards the park but saw no sign of Kyle.
She kept running until she made it back to Bluejay’s, up the stairs and into her room. She locked the door behind her and fell to the ground, sobbing.
Karen lost track of how long she lay there, but after a while, someone started jangling the handle. She froze.
“Hey, it’s me. You were supposed to call when you were done helping Joe. Are you still packing?” Evan said from the other side of the door and Karen ran to open it, falling into his arms.
“Whoa, what’s…” Evan started, before Karen’s blubbering drowned him out.
Evan sat her down on the edge of the bed without ever letting go of her. Squeezing her tight, he whispered soothingly in her ear until she calmed down enough to stop weeping. Then he knelt down beside her, taking stock.
He ran his fingers down her arms, noting the bloody scratches. As he picked pieces of bark out of her hair, Karen could tell he felt the bump on the back of her head.
“I am trying very hard to remain calm, but you need to tell me what happened,” he finally said through gritted teeth, barely contained steel in his voice. Karen took a deep breath.
“Remember that ex I was telling you about? Well, he seems to have followed me here…” Karen stopped, fearing she would start crying again.
“He put his hands on you?” Evan asked, standing up.
Karen nodded, wiping tears from her cheeks. A roar ripped through the room – probably through the entire building. Karen looked up to see Evan’s hazel eyes turn black, his fists shaking and rippling, long brown nails erupting from his fingers.
“What’s his name? What does he look like?” he growled.
“Stop,” Karen pleaded, standing up and scooting to his side.
She took his clawed hands in hers, unafraid.
“You are better than him,” she choked.
The snarl left Evan’s lips, his eyes slowly turning hazel again and his hands back to normal.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Please start at the beginning. Tell me everything.”
She did.
From meeting Kyle to the break-up, to the calls and texts, to showing up at her apartment and now at Sweetwater. Evan was visibly seething but remained in control.
“We are going to the sheriff’s department and you are making a statement. You have given this piece of shit too many chances to get it together,” he finally said.
Karen looked back on all that had transpired between her and Kyle and had to agree. She had seen herself as the bad guy for too long. Yes, she had broken up with him, but that was her right. However painful that had been for Kyle, it didn’t give him the right to up-end her life and make her feel unsafe.
As the incident in the park showed, he obviously had some unresolved mental issues he needed help with. Maybe it would be a wake-up call.
“You’re right,” Karen agreed.
Eleven
Evan
After filing a report at the sheriff’s office, Evan dropped Karen off at his place and went to get her suitcase from Joe’s. He quickly filled Joe in on what had happened and told him that she wouldn’t be by for a while. He rushed back to his apartment, not wanting to leave her alone for more than was absolutely necessary.
Karen couldn’t stop shivering, so he wrapped her up in blankets and sat her down on the couch, turning on the TV.
“I’ll make you some tea,” Evan said. “Then maybe I’ll head down to Maisy’s and pick up some dinner.”
“That sounds good,” Karen whispered with a strained smile.
After a couple of minutes, Evan sat down next to her with two steaming mugs in his hands. Karen sipped hers slowly, her eyes glued to the TV, probably trying to get her mind off things by focusing on something else.
After a while, she started nodding off, her head resting on Evan’s shoulder. He gently pried the cup from her hands and lay her down on the couch.
Coming down from all the adrenaline, he thought.
He scrawled a little note on a piece of paper and left it on the coffee table in case Karen woke up while he was out getting food. He got his jacket and keys and snuck out of the apartment, locking the door behind him.
After ordering a couple of burgers to go, Evan sat at his usual booth, waiting. His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Ethan.
Joe told me what happened. Is there anything we can do? his brother asked.
Part of Evan wanted to tell Ethan to back off and mind his own business and part of him was grateful for his concern. There had been two warring sides to Evan ever since their father died and Ethan took over.
You might have replaced dad as Alpha, but not as my father, the bitterness inside him had wanted to say many times.
He held his tongue, knowing it was the pain talking. Maybe he should have said something, instead of letting the distance grow between them.
I’ll let you know if I need anything, Evan typed back.
Maisy came over with a to-go bag.
“Here you are. You know, some fella was around earlier, said he was a friend of Karen’s. Did he manage to get hold of her?”
Evan’s blood ran cold.
Must’ve been Kyle, he thought.
“What did you tell him?” Evan demanded harshly, startling Maisy.
“I… I just said that by the description it must be Evan’s friend, staying at the Bluejay. Was I not supposed to say that?” Maisy rattled.
“Just don’t give out any more information to strangers, alright?” Evan spurted, annoyed. “Thanks for the food,” he added, making his way to the exit, leaving Maisy standing by the booth, taken aback.
Walking home, Evan started to feel bad about how he had left things with Maisy. She didn’t mean to put Karen in danger and was just trying to be helpful. It was unfair of him to be so curt with her, but the thought of Karen being in danger made him irrational.
When he got home, Karen was still asleep on the couch. He thought about waking her but decided against it. Better let her rest. Evan had barely settled in beside her, when there was a loud knock at the door. Karen jumped up, fervently scanning the room.
“It’s just someone at the door,” Evan reassured her.
If it’s Ethan butting into my life again, he better turn his ass right around.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Jamie Clearpond. Open up, we need to talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you, Jamie. Go home,” Evan warned, hoping the man would take his advice.
Karen had had enough excitement for one day.
“Rita’s dead,” Jamie said matter-of-factly.
“What?” Evan coughed, the air knocked out of his lungs.
“You heard me. You gonna make me tell you how she died from the other side of a door?” Jamie responded.
“Hold on,” Evan said, making his way back to Karen.
“Oh my god. Who’s Rita?” Karen asked.
“A girl I used to date. Jamie, the guy at the door was hopelessly in love with her. Resented me for 'taking her away from him'. It’s been almost two years since we stopped seeing each other and she skipped town,” Evan explained, trying at the same time to figure out what he should do.
“Well you gotta let him in,” Karen insisted.
“You’ve been through enough today, I’ll get rid of him and –”
“You just found out your ex-girlfriend died! You’re owed some closure. Stop worrying about me, I can handle myself,” Karen wouldn’t relent. Evan sighed and went to open the door.
The ghost of girlfriends past, he mused grimly, trying to ignore the sinking, twisting feeling in his stomach.
Jamie walked past him without a word, plopping down on one of the armchairs in the living room. His eyes moved to Karen, sitting on the couch.
“Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your lady friend?” he asked, smirking. “Who did you steal this one from?”
“Leave her alone and say what you came to say,” Evan demanded, looming over Jamie, irritation
boiling within him.
Jamie was a medium height man with dirty blonde hair and tired, gray eyes. He bared his teeth in a bitter smile, revealing canines a little longer than what one would consider usual.
“It’s too late for Rita, but you can make the right decision,” Jamie hissed, still addressing Karen.
“Enough!” Evan rumbled.
He was a second away from grabbing Jamie by the collar and throwing him out.
“Fine, fine. After you basically ran her out of town, Rita got into drugs. Got her some new lowlife boyfriend. An acquaintance contacted me last week, they found her overdosed in some sleazy motel room,” Jamie shot, venom dripping from his words.
“Last week? And you’re telling me now?” Evan asked, incredulous and wary.
“Well, I had to come up with a plan first.”
“A plan for what?”
“A plan to kill you, of course,” Jamie admitted, hatred burning in his eyes.
Something heavy crashed into Evan’s front door, making it splinter and crack. He could hear nails on wood, growls and teeth snapping. The door flew out into the hallway, a large man flanked by two wolves bursting through it. Karen screamed.
The bear inside Evan thrashed and bellowed, yearning to be released. The man let the animal’s rage spread across him but held back the shift. With so many opponents, he needed his speed more than the strength of a lumbering bear.
His fingers turned to claws, his teeth sharpening and growing, shoulders rippling and widening. In his periphery, Evan could see Karen inching towards her purse and slowly taking out her phone. The big guy snatched it out of her hands and smashed it with his boot.
The wolves charged at Evan, fangs bared. Without even thinking, he grabbed a chair from the kitchen and used it to knock the mutt with lighter fur back mid-air. The other managed to latch onto his arm. Evan roared in pain and used his free hand to rip the brown wolf off and throw him at the large stranger stalking towards him.