by Anya Nowlan
Everett’s pursuit was cut short by a stream snaking through the woods just as he considered shifting. The werewolf had waded through it, obscuring his scent. The mongrel could have gone in any number of directions and Everett didn’t feel like spending the rest of the night tracking him.
How was he to know it was a decision he would grow to regret?
Five
Sara
Sara awoke feeling both giddy and strange at the same time.
She wasn’t used to being in one place this long, but she was also excited to get to know Everett more. Talking with him last night, all of Sara’s concerns had melted away.
Well, most of them, anyway.
Sara considered herself a pretty good judge of character, and if she had to choose between trusting whatever Keith had to say and what her gut told her was true about Everett, she was going to go with the latter.
And it has nothing to do with Everett being so much cuter, she thought, rolling her eyes.
Sara made her way back to the spot where she’d had lunch the day before. She felt at home at greasy spoons like Maisy’s Diner.
Sara chose a booth by the window and was sipping her coffee, when she felt someone approach her. It was a couple, probably in their fifties. They were holding hands. Sara noticed gold bands around their ring fingers and she couldn’t help but smile a little.
“Hello, dear, do you mind some company?” the woman asked with a kind smile. Her light brown hair had strands of grey in it; her face was round and pleasant. The man beside her was tall and lean, seemingly in very good shape for his age.
People sure are friendly around here, Sara thought. Or maybe they’re just used to the same old faces and I‘m new and exciting.
“Oh, please, have a seat,” Sara said, mentally preparing herself for the horror that was small talk.
Being in a truck with nothing but country radio to fill the silence had not prepared her for casual conversation.
“We don’t want to bother you, but we would feel too bad if we didn’t say anything,” the woman remarked, her smile taking on a sadder quality.
“Say anything about what?” Sara asked, puzzled.
“I’m sorry, where are our manners,” the man smiled, finally speaking up. “This is my wife, Olivia, and my name is John. And you are the truck driver that was passing through, Miss Sawyer, I believe?” he continued, his voice smooth but authoritative.
“Yes, that’s right,” Sara said, growing concerned and wishing they would just get to the point.
“I know this seems odd, but we heard you’ve been spending time with that Grimpaw boy, Everett, and we just had to warn you,” Olivia said, looking at Sara with motherly concern.
Has Everett ripped off the whole town? Sara thought, suddenly alarmed. How does he still have customers?
“I’m already getting a second estimate on the repairs, you don’t need to worry,” Sara cut in, forcing a smile on her lips even though her stomach was in knots.
“No, no, it’s not about that. You seem like a nice girl and we don’t want you to end up like our daughter. I know dating a bear can seem exciting and thrilling at first, but…” Olivia said, before Sara could get a word in.
“Whoa, whoa,” Sara blurted, holding her hand up in a pausing gesture. “What’s this about bears now?”
“He didn’t tell you? Figures,” John spat out, looking away in sudden anger.
“The Grimpaw brothers are shifters, honey,” Olivia said compassionately, as if she were sorry Sara was so oblivious.
Sara was momentarily taken aback. She had of course heard about shifters, but to her knowledge, she had never met any.
Until now, her inner voice amended.
Shifters mostly kept to themselves, isolated in the more rural areas. They didn’t like to mingle or discuss their abilities and lifestyles. As much as they were a part of society, little was still known and it seemed that they were alright with the status quo.
Still, everyone knew they were much stronger and faster than regular humans and could change into animals whenever they wanted. No full moon or any other movie clichés needed.
Sara thought back on her time with Everett. He was impossibly good-looking with a body carved from granite, but he was still just a man, with hopes and interests and worries like everyone else.
So what if he sometimes turned into a bear? That didn’t change the fact that every time he looked at her, Sara’s insides melted. She frowned to herself, unsure of what to say.
Some people had trouble with the notion of shifters, probably feeling threatened by their superior physicality. Sara had never fallen into that camp, which was probably why she was relatively unshaken by the news.
But she was starting to suspect the couple in the opposite seat was not especially fond of shifters, or at least not the Grimpaws.
“Okay-y-y,” Sara stretched out, feeling her politeness wear thin. “I don’t really see what the big problem is,” she continued.
“You don’t know much about bears, do you?” John asked gruffly.
Sara opened her mouth, but Olivia spoke first, making her close it again with a snap.
“They talk a nice talk about how they only have one mate that they’ll be with forever, but it’s just a line. That’s what Everett told our Janet. That his animal side knew they were meant to be, soul mates. It was all very romantic, and of course Janet fell for it, fell in love.”
“Finding his soul mate didn’t stop him from fooling around with pretty much all the pretty girls in town, though. At the end of the day, they’re predators, pouncing on anything that moves,” Olivia finished bitterly.
“Every girl around here knows his tricks by now. Lucky for him you came along, unaware of his history. Couldn’t let him break your heart like he did with our poor little girl,” John said, squeezing Olivia’s hand. Sara could tell the woman was holding back tears.
Emotions swirled inside Sara.
Disbelief. Disappointment. Anger. Sadness.
She had really grown to like Everett and even though she knew she would be leaving soon, she had been looking forward to getting to know him.
The time they’d shared, and that kiss… Well, she thought she’d known better.
Apparently she’d been wrong.
Guess now I know all I need to know, she thought, her fists clenching under the table.
So I was just easy prey to a scumbag who’s already ran through all the eligible girls in town. Figures.
“I’m sorry about your daughter,” Sara said before standing abruptly. “But I think I need to go now,” she finished, wiggling her way out from behind the table.
“Thank you, dear. We just couldn’t watch him take advantage of another woman. I’m sorry if we upset you,” Olivia said softly.
“I appreciate it, I really do. Have a nice day,” Sara concluded before rushing out of the diner.
She had already known there was no future for her and Everett. Sara was always just passing through – through towns, through people’s lives – never really being a part of anything.
But that didn’t mean it didn’t sting.
Sara was supposed to meet Everett at his shop to get an estimate. Grimpaw Auto Repair was the only place in town that could handle her truck’s repairs, so Sara couldn’t take her business elsewhere, but she didn’t have to look at his face, either.
This is why e-mail was invented, Sara thought, stomping back to her motel room, shaking with anger and humiliation.
Six
Everett
Everett stared at his computer screen.
Hello,
Could you please send the estimate to this e-mail address?
-Sara
He had read Sara’s message at least a dozen times by now, but he was no closer to wrapping his head around it. They had had such a great time last night and he was looking forward to seeing her today, as they had discussed.
What changed? he wondered.
Everett had never been one for q
uiet contemplation. If he wanted to know what was going on, the best bet was to just ask. He grabbed his keys and got in his pickup, heading towards the motel Sara was staying at.
Finding himself at Sara’s door, Everett was suddenly unsure of how to proceed. Should he just start banging on her door demanding answers? What if she was just sick or something?
He started with a series if soft knocks.
“Sara? Are you there? It’s me, Everett,” he called out. “Just wanted to make sure you’re alright.”
Everett thought he heard rustling, but it could have come from another room. He pricked his ears, listening closer.
“Sara?” he tried again, knocking once more.
Silence.
Everett sighed, feeling defeated. He had tossed and turned in his bed all night, thinking about Sara. She filled a hole in his soul he hadn’t even known was there before he met her and now, he was hooked. Every moment without her felt like an aching eternity. The bear inside him rumbled, nudging him towards the conclusion his heart had already come to.
She was the one.
Everett wasn’t going to let her slip out of his grasp until he knew for sure.
“Listen, if you’re in there, I don’t know what happened but I’d love to talk to you about it, okay? I’ll leave you alone for now but give it some thought. Please.”
Everett glanced to either side of him in the hallway, wondering if there was anyone there who could have overheard him. Giving it a moment of thought, he turned around and left. He wasn’t afraid of making a fool of himself for Sara, but the last thing he wanted was to put her into an awkward situation.
He got back in his truck but didn’t go back to the shop. If Sara wasn’t in her room, she’d come back to it. If she was in her room, she’d have to come out eventually. She was worth the wait.
Hours passed until Sara finally appeared, leaving her room.
So she was there, just avoiding me. Why?
Not wanting to come across as a creepy stalker, Everett waited until she passed him before getting out of the car and following her on foot. What a crazy coincidence if they just happened to run into each other in town, right?
Sara was nearing the local grocery store when Everett decided to make his move.
“Sara!” he called out, rushing towards her. Sara’s face twisted when she turned around and saw him. She hesitated for a bit, angling her body to turn back and keep walking. Finally she decided to stand her ground, crossing her arms in front of her.
“Everett,” she said coolly, pursing her lips.
“I got your e-mail. Is everything okay?” Everett spoke, stepping closer. The urge to wrap Sara in his arms was almost unbearable, but Everett could see from her body language that that might not go over too well.
“Sure, everything is fine. I just need the estimate for my boss and then our business is concluded until the truck is fixed and I can leave.”
“Have I done something to upset you? I thought we had a great time last night. You’re unlike any other woman I’ve met before,” Everett said, exasperated.
Sara gave out a harsh little laugh.
“I bet you say that to all the girls,” Sara huffed, raising her hands in frustration.
“What other girls? No woman has ever had the effect on me that you have. I know you can feel it, too,” Everett said, laying it all out there.
“I know for a fact that’s what you say to all the other girls,” Sara spat out, turning to leave.
Everett grabbed her arm without even thinking about it. His body hummed as he made contact with Sara’s skin. She stopped, taken aback, her defenses momentarily down. She looked at him with a hint of hurt in her eyes.
“Let go, I’m done here,” she said quietly.
“I’m not,” Everett answered, growing desperate and angry. “Tell me what changed and I’ll never bother you again,” he pleaded.
Sara sighed, resigned.
“Let’s sit down, Maisy’s is just across the street,” Everett blurted out before Sara had a chance to change her mind and stomp away.
They walked to the diner in silence and sat down at a booth near the exit. Sara was probably already planning to storm out. She sat stiffly opposite Everett, her arms still crossed.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a shifter?” Sara suddenly burst out.
Everett’s eyes widened.
“Does it matter to you that I’m a shifter?” he countered.
Sara grew quiet.
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Then why don’t you tell me what’s really bothering you. And how did you find out I was a shifter anyway?” Everett said, confused and growing impatient.
“Several people in this town have now warned me about you. I think that speaks pretty loudly about your character. I know you give girls the soul mate talk to get them into bed, before you move on to the next one,” Sara said, glancing up at him with fire in her eyes.
“What?” Everett roared, louder than he meant to. A couple of heads turned, but he paid them no heed.
“I’ll admit, I haven’t exactly been living in celibacy, waiting for you to come along, but I have never told anyone they were my soul mate!” Everett explained, trying to keep his voice down, though he was gripping the edge of the table so hard he thought he might just snap a piece out of it if he squeezed any harder.
“Oh, please, I know all about Janet,” Sara said, rolling her eyes.
“Who the hell is Janet? I don’t even know anyone by that name. Has Keith been talking to you? You shouldn’t trust a word that comes out of that slimy –”
Sara cut her off.
“If it was just Keith, I’d be inclined to believe you. But a little old married couple concerned about their daughter? Why on earth would they lie to me?” Sara demanded.
“What were their names?” Everett asked.
“Olivia and… John, I think. You must know this already,” Sara burst out, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.
“I don’t know any…” he started, frowning.
Something fired in Everett’s brain.
“What did they look like, the old couple?” he asked with urgency.
“I don’t know…” Sara started, her cheeks lit with an aggravated flush. “The woman had light brown curly hair with some gray in it, she was short… The man was tall, blue eyes, stern face…” Sara trailed off.
Everett fished his phone out of his pocket. He tapped the search and browsed the gallery that popped up.
“Here, is that them?” he said, shoving the screen into Sara’s face.
Sara frowned, grabbing the phone to get a closer look.
“What the hell…” she mumbled before turning her shocked gaze back to Everett.
Seven
Sara
Sara stared at the picture in front of her. It was definitely the same couple that had spoken to her earlier.
‘Robert and Julia Clearpond celebrate 30 years of marriage, surrounded by their three children’ the caption read. All their children were definitely male. Not a Janet in sight.
They even lied about their names! Sara thought with indignation.
“Wait a minute, Clearpond? They’re related to Keith? I got the feeling he was into me, but this is a bit too much, don’t you think?” Sara said, finally lifting her eyes from the picture to look at Everett, who was clearly fuming.
“This isn’t just about you,” Everett bit out.
“Then what is it about? What in God’s name is going on around here?” Sara demanded. She was confused, angry, and tired of being toyed with.
Turns out Sweetwater is anything but sweet.
“They told you I’m a shifter. That much is true. I’m part of the Grimpaw werebear clan and we’ve been living here in Sweetwater for generations. The only other shifters in the area are the Clearpond wolves. We’ve never gotten along,” Everett explained, splaying his hands on the table.
Sara signaled the waitress for two cups of coffee, feeling like she
needed something to do with her hands lest they curl into fists.
“Is it because you’re bears and they’re wolves?” Sara asked, leaning forward. Her curiosity was definitely piqued. What else didn’t she know about?
“Mostly it’s because they’re assholes,” Everett growled.
“They settled here after us and have been trying to buy up land, get us to draw back. They attacked my brother Ethan’s wife when she first moved here and ambushed my other brother, Evan, at his home. Among other things…” Everett said, the memories coloring his face with rage.
His hands were fists on the table – seemed she wasn’t the only one in need of a cup to concentrate on.
Sara reached out, grabbing his hands in hers. Everett relaxed a bit, searching her eyes.
“Sorry, they really piss me off,” he said with a strained smile.
The waitress arrived with two steaming cups, and Sara pulled her hands back. As the woman left, giving them an inquisitive look, Everett continued.
“Both my brothers have found their mates. The only ones they could ever love. That means they, and by correlation the whole Grimpaw clan, are more powerful than ever. Finding their soul mate makes a bear stronger, faster, smarter. Hell, they even heal quicker.”
“This is a huge threat to the Clearponds. They are already struggling. The farming equipment you delivered is their last ditch effort to stay relevant,” Everett explained, wrapping his huge hands around the coffee mug in front of him.
This was definitely a whole new world for Sara. She took a sip of the brew, trying to focus her thoughts.
“And you think I might be your… mate?” she asked, trying to wrap her head around everything Everett had just said.
Everett surprised her by getting up from his seat and making his way to her side of the table. He squeezed in next to her, his large frame pressed against her side. He ran his hands down her shoulders, making goosebumps spread over Sara’s body. Her skin felt alive, surging with power where he touched her. It made her shiver.