Viv nodded. “You’re right. The Gilt Hollow soldiers never showed up tonight. We think that they didn’t realize that you guys were Bear Hollow shifters. They must have thought you were some of the shifters that belong to one of the Gilt Hollow noble houses. I had a feeling you guys would be looking for shelter with Kellen, though, so I came to let you know that Bear Hollow is safe right now.”
“Shit,” Whisper said. “But that means that all the shifters in Gilt Hollow are having a hard time of it tonight. The soldiers must be interrogating all of them.”
Kellen shrugged. “I’m sure the soldiers are giving all the shifters over there a hard time, but don’t worry too much about them. No one will hurt them too badly, because they’re all considered the property of the various noble houses. And no one wants to piss off the nobles. The Gilt Hollow shifters can handle being harassed better than the Bear Hollow shifters.”
“I guess that’s true,” Whisper said. “Still, I feel badly for them.”
“They’ll be fine,” Kellen assured her. “Be glad that Bear Hollow has escaped another raid. For now at least.”
“For now,” Axel agreed. “I’m sure they’ll be more coming.”
Viv frowned. “Well that was a given regardless of whether you guys got caught with the fairytassel sage poison or not. Gilt Hollow is on a roll lately. And not a good one.”
“Well hopefully this fairytassel sage poison plan will work, and will slow down their roll,” Whisper said. “I’m not sure how much more of these raids we can take.”
Kellen grinned at both of them. “I think you’ll be surprised at how well the poison will work. Viv told me all about the plan, and I can tell you that it shouldn’t be too hard to secretly poison all the soldiers and guards at the Shifter Games. Those guys are physically strong, but they’re not that smart. And during the Games they don’t always pay attention very well. They’re supposed to be carefully guarding the Arena and the shifter competitors, but many of them are too busy placing bets on the matches to do their jobs properly. Some of them even get drunk. Not all, but some. If this fairytassel sage poison is as powerful as everyone says, those soldiers are gonna be wiped out.”
“Good,” Axel said. “And then we need to fight to wipe out the rest of the Gilt Hollow citizens who want all of us shifters dead. I’ve had enough of living like this.”
Viv nodded. “We all have. And I’m glad that the Bear Hollow shifters are on board with the resistance now. It’s time for things to change. Come on, I’ll show you two the fastest way home. You’ll want to rest up and get into your own warm homes, I’m sure. There might not be a lot of time for resting in the next few weeks. Once Gilt Hollow realizes it’s under attack, the shit is going to hit the fan.”
Axel agreed, and he gladly bid goodbye to Kellen and followed Viv through the forest—but only after promising Kellen that he’d come back to visit soon and check out the hot springs. Axel had been meaning to do that, anyway. He didn’t know Kellen well, but the man seemed down to earth, and had tricked the Gilt Hollow nobles into thinking he was dead. That showed a certain amount of cleverness, and Axel had a feeling that he and Kellen would get along well.
For now, though, it was time to get home, and to get Whisper home. The blankets wrapped around them helped to fight back the cold, but Axel could tell that Whisper was still uncomfortably chilled. She needed to be in a warm hut, perhaps with a warm beverage in her hand. The sooner they got out of this chilly forest, the better.
Thankfully, the paths Viv led them down had them back to Bear Hollow in no time. Axel thanked Viv and bid her goodnight, then asked Whisper if she wanted to come stay in his cabin.
“My place is closer, and I have plenty of room. It’ll be warm, and you can borrow some of my clothes. They’ll be way too big on you, yes. But it’ll be fine for sleeping. I’d rather you get inside and rest than keep walking across town.”
Whisper nodded without even saying anything. Her teeth were chattering, and Axel was sure that even the thought of spending one more minute outside felt torturous to her. He led her into his spacious hut, found her the smallest clothes he could, which were still huge on her, and then went to make some tea. He brewed it as hot as he could, then came back to hand her a steaming mug. She sat on his couch, wrapped in a fresh, warm blanket, and soaking in the heat from the fire.
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he reached to brush a stray strand of hair back from her face.
She took a long sip from the tea before answering. “Better. For a while there I thought I was never going to be warm again. And it’s only September! You’d think I wouldn’t be such a wimp, when it’s not even close to actual winter yet.”
Axel shrugged. “You’re not being a wimp. The nights can turn cold rapidly, and the river is cold. But you’re safe and warm now.”
“Safe for the moment, at least. How long do you think it’ll take for the soldiers to come raiding again?”
“Not long, unfortunately. I wouldn’t be surprised if they came back tomorrow. They’re going to be in a bad mood when they can’t figure out who gave them the slip tonight. And there’s no one they like taking out their rage on more than the Bear Hollow shifters. But try not to worry about that right now. Just worry about getting warm and getting some rest.”
Axel leaned over to kiss Whisper gently on the lips. He was happy to find that her lips were warm now, thanks to the heat of the room and the tea. For a while, her whole face had been so cold that it had seemed to take on a slight bluish tinge. When he pulled back to look into her eyes, she was staring back at him with uncertainty.
“Axel, what’s going to happen between us?” she asked in a soft voice. “After what we did tonight…things are different.”
He smiled at her, hoping that the smile was reassuring. “Things are different. I’ll never again be able to look at you as just my best friend’s little sister. Although, if I’m honest, I haven’t been able to look at you like that for a long time. I’m not sure exactly when things changed between us. It was probably a gradual thing. All I know is that somewhere along the line, things changed and I realized what an amazing woman you are. I’ve always known you were beautiful, smart, and fun. But I tried for a long time not to allow myself to think of you as an available woman because, well, you were Whisper. You were Oskar’s sister.”
“And now?” Whisper chewed on her lower lip as she looked back at him, the nervousness evident in her eyes.
“And now, I realize what I should have realized all along. You’re my lifemate.” Axel paused to let the words sink in, but it didn’t take long for Whisper to react to what he’d said. Almost immediately, tears began to form in her eyes.
“I was hoping you’d say that. I felt the lifemate bond when we made love. At least I thought I did. But I wasn’t sure if you felt it and I thought maybe I’d imagined it because I wanted so badly to feel it. And…and…” Whisper trailed off, apparently too overcome with emotion to continue.
Axel covered her mouth with a kiss, letting his lips linger on hers for a moment until he felt her relax. When he pulled back again, she was smiling. That was a good sign.
“I definitely felt the lifemate bond forming between us. But that came as no surprise. Over the last few weeks, and especially the last few days, I’ve been realizing more and more that the feelings I have for you are so much deeper than just friendship. You are one of my best friends, yes. Like I said before, you’re pretty much my best friend now, even more than Oskar. But what I feel for you goes beyond that. I feel a deep, romantic attraction to you. I feel the lifemate bond between us, and I know you and I are meant to be. I’m just hoping that you feel the same.”
“I do,” Whisper said in a hushed, almost reverent voice. “I tried to tell myself that we were just friends, too. Especially when I thought that you liked Violet. But it was so hard to see you and not run up to you and kiss you. Over the last few weeks, I’ve realized I want you more than anything. I want you so much it hurts.”
&
nbsp; “You know there was nothing between Violet and me, right? That was all her, trying to push her way in to my life. And if I led her on, it was completely accidental. I did my best to be firm and clear with her that she and I aren’t a thing.”
Whisper sighed. “I know that now. It’s actually kind of adorable how clueless you are about women sometimes.”
Axel laughed. “Thanks…I think?”
“It’s true!” Whisper was laughing too now. “Women are always hitting on you at the bar and you don’t even realize it. I swear sometimes it’s like you’re off in la la land.”
Axel groaned. “Well, I try to be straightforward with women. It’s not my fault that you’re all the most complicated creatures on earth.”
Whisper only laughed harder.
Axel couldn’t help but smile. “Look, the one thing that is definitely not complicated about all of this is the way I feel about you. I love you, Whisper. I hope you don’t think I’m crazy for saying that when neither one of us have really had time to think about what we did back there in the forest. But I don’t need to think about this. I know, deep down inside of me that I love you. I know that you’re my lifemate, and I swear I will protect you and take care of you for the rest of my life. There’s no one else out there for me. Not Violet, and not any other woman. I don’t want anyone else. No one could compare to you. I think we make a great team, in so many ways, and I hope that you’re willing to walk through this life with me as my lifemate and partner. But even if you aren’t, I’ll never go looking for someone else. From this day forward, it will always be you, Whisper, and only you.”
Axel held his breath and forced himself to stop talking. He knew he was starting to ramble, and he didn’t want to overwhelm or confuse Whisper. But he wanted so badly to explain to her what he felt in his heart. Even though his explanations weren’t perfect, he’d done his best. The smile she gave him a moment later lit up her whole face and told him she’d understood. Not only that, but it told him that she had similar feelings.
“I love you, too,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “You don’t have to worry about going through life alone, because I’m determined to be by your side. No matter what the next weeks, months, or years bring, I want to be with you for all of it. I know you’re my lifemate, and I’ll do my best to be the absolute best partner you could hope for.”
Axel let out his breath in a long relieved sigh. “You’re already the best. You’re so wonderful, without even trying. Hell, you even remember the anniversary of my father’s death. You’re so caring and thoughtful. You work so hard at the bar. And you’re so much fun. Not to mention you’re drop-dead gorgeous. I can’t believe how lucky I am, that destiny chose you for me.”
“I feel like the lucky one.”
Axel grinned. “Let’s say we’re both lucky and call it even?”
Whisper grinned back. “Okay. Deal.”
Axel lifted Whisper off the couch in his arms, his strong shifter muscles easily cradling her blanket-covered form. He carried her to his simple bed made of a pine straw mattress, putting her down gently before climbing in beside her. He put his arm around her and pulled her close, breathing in deeply and savoring the sweet smell of her.
There were tough days ahead. That he knew for sure. But for now, he wanted to enjoy resting here in the safe warmth, with his lifemate secure in his arms. She must have wanted that, too, because she sighed happily. Within moments, her breathing had softened into the steady rhythm of sleep. In that moment, despite all of the challenges the shifters in Bear Hollow faced, life was perfect.
Chapter Twelve
For the next few days, things were quiet in Bear Hollow. Too quiet. All of the shifters were on edge, glancing over their shoulders and expecting that an angry squadron of Gilt Hollow soldiers was suddenly going to appear and wreak havoc on the town.
But nothing happened. The shifters continued living their lives, hunting and harvesting what still remained in their small gardens, and making final additions to their winter food stores. The days in Bear Hollow were still warm enough to be comfortable, but the nights were quickly turning colder. Winter was coming quickly, and it looked like the shifters were going to be facing another winter while under the oppressive hand of the Gilt Hollow regime.
Axel tried to encourage everyone to hold onto hope. The Shifter Games were coming soon, and the fairytassel sage poison could change everything. But most of the Bear Hollow shifters remained doubtful that this was going to be the big change that was needed. More than one of them told Axel that things were going to get worse before they got better. Axel wouldn’t say it out loud, but he had a feeling they were right. The chill he felt in the air was more than just the soon-coming winter announcing itself. It was the sobering knowledge that after these Games, there would be no more pretending that Bear Hollow was not attempting to bring down Gilt Hollow.
Sure, there had been some hits on the Games already. But nothing that could definitely have been called an offensive attack. Things could have been coincidence. But this—the fairytassel sage poison—could not be written off as coincidence. The Gilt Hollow nobles would not look the other way when the majority of their soldier and guard force suddenly dropped dead.
The day of the Games dawned unusually warm and sunny. It was as though the very sky itself was mocking the Bear Hollow shifters. How could the weather be so beautiful on a day that would bring so much darkness? There would be many deaths today, and Axel feared that the Gilt Hollow soldiers would not be the only deaths. The only hope that the Bear Hollow shifters had of surviving Gilt Hollow’s anger was the fact that so many of the Gilt Hollow soldiers would be dead by the time the Gilt Hollow nobles realized that Bear Hollow had caused so much trouble. At least the fight would be a little more fair than normal. The ragtag group of Bear Hollow shifters didn’t amount to much against the huge, formally trained Gilt Hollow army. But this time, the numbers would be more even, and what the shifters lacked in training, they made up for in heart and muscle.
“It’s quiet,” Whisper said, her voice sounding loud in the empty bar, and underscoring the truth of what she was saying. “Too quiet.”
Axel nodded, turning to look at her as her voice brought him out of his uneasy daydreaming. “I wish you would go hide out in the forest. Kellen would be glad to give you shelter in one of his caves until all of this blows over.”
Whisper frowned at him and shook her head. “I’m not leaving Bear Hollow behind. The fairytassel sage poison was our mission. We have to see it through to the end, and that means we have to be here to help defend Bear Hollow when Gilt Hollow attacks.”
Axel sighed, and went to grab two beer mugs. He started filling them from the tap before he spoke again. “No one is expecting you to be a hero, Whisper. I wish you’d go somewhere safe.”
“You’re still here,” Whisper pointed out as Axel set a mug of beer in front of her. He kept the other mug for himself, taking a long, thirsty sip. It was only eleven in the morning, a bit early to be starting on the beer. But Axel had a feeling there wouldn’t be any celebratory drinking happening later today and tonight. Tonight would be all about survival. Pure survival.
“I can’t leave town. I have to protect my people.”
“It’s the same for me,” Whisper said. “Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I don’t have a responsibility to fight and defend Bear Hollow.”
Axel rubbed his forehead and took a long sip of beer. “It’s not about the fact that you’re a woman. It’s about the fact that you’re my woman. And I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”
Whisper’s expression softened somewhat. “I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t know that.”
“No, I don’t. But I have to tell myself that. I have to tell myself that we’ll all be fine, or I’ll never make it though whatever lies ahead. The next few months are going to be…difficult. To put it mildly. But the one thing I do know is that no matter what happens, I want to be here with you. I want
to be by your side, fighting by your side. I don’t want to slink away into the forest, wondering what’s happening to Bear Hollow and wondering whether you’re okay. We’re partners in this. Lifemates. We stick together.”
“We stick together,” Axel agreed wearily. He knew there was no use arguing with Whisper anymore. He decided instead to enjoy the moments of peace they had left, however few those moments might be. Right now, the Shifter Games event was in full swing over at the Gilt Hollow Arena. The clock had passed ten a.m., which meant the first matches were already complete. The kitchen was already preparing the food that would be served to the guards and soldiers, and within the next hour a smorgasbord of that food would be artfully arranged in the room where the soldiers ate. If all went as planned, that smorgasbord would be full of deadly poison.
Axel sipped his beer uneasily. He didn’t like the idea of poisoning so many people, even if those people were Gilt Hollow soldiers. But Bear Hollow had to do something drastic to protect its own citizens. The deaths of Bear Hollow shifters would continue until something was done about the Gilt Hollow threat. Axel was ready to live safely in his own town. More importantly, he was ready for Whisper to be able to live safely in their own town. And odds were good they’d have cubs of their own running around sooner rather than later. Axel didn’t want his children to grow up always fearing for their lives. He wanted them to grow up happy and free, and able to raise families of their own without worrying about when the next Gilt Hollow raid was coming.
And so, Axel sipped his beer and waited. He wasn’t sure why he and Whisper had decided to wait at the bar instead of at home. No one else was out on the street, so no one else was stopping by for a beer. Not that this place was usually open this early, anyway. Bear Hollow Brews normally opened more around five p.m., and Axel hadn’t officially opened early today. But he would have happily given a beer to any shifter who stopped by.
The Warrior and the Snow Leopard (The Shifter Games Book 4) Page 10