by Rayne Reilly
Staring at Lucy, Amara narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. Lucy's former bravado vanished.
"Well...I mean...after the attack and all...dating a shifter...that seems a little...I don't know, odd, I guess."
Amara's throat tightened. She felt Bern's hand tense on her shoulder.
"Shifter?” Amara asked, puzzled.
“What are you talking about?" She had already sensed something wasn't right with her feelings for Bern. Had she really been so blind? Could he really be a shifter? Her mind reeled at the possibility that she had slept with one...he can't be...he's kind.
Lucy put a hand to her chest in mock surprise, "Don't tell me you didn't know? Everyone at the wedding is talking about it. Pleasantville is full of 'em apparently. The groom is one, too...a bear I think."
With a quiet smirk, she batted her eyes at Bern.
Amara heard a growl come from deep within Bern and felt his body stiffen next to her. Panic rose in her chest. Unable to catch her breath, she moved away from him as the room began to spin. Voices grew faint and distant; her legs gave way as she lost consciousness. Just in the nick of time, big strong arms caught her before she hit the floor.
***
When Amara opened her eyes, Marcy, Austin and Bern were standing next to her. She had been taken to a private room and was lying on a sofa. She heard Bern's angry voice first. "Why didn't anyone tell me she didn't know? I would have told her myself."
Amara sat up pushing herself as far as she could against the back of the sofa. Fear washed over her. Marcy looked at her sympathetically.
"Amara, I'm sorry you had to find out like this," she reached to touch Amara's arm.
Amara flinched, pulling her arm away and struggling to stand up.
"No. This has to be some kind of sick joke," Amara whispered, her eyes wide and pulse racing.
Marcy reached for her again and recoiled when Amara yelled at her, "Get away from me! All of you!"
She glared at Marcy, "You of all people... You know what happened to me, how could you? Why didn't you tell me?" Choking back hot, angry tears, a hard lump formed in her throat.
"I was waiting for the right time to tell you," Marcy said sadly, eyes pleading for forgiveness.
Standing behind his new wife, Austin put his arms around her and gazed at Amara with compassion. Bern's face showed only sadness, though Amara was unclear as to why. She stepped away from the entourage and pushed her shoulders back.
"You never should have asked me here,” she cried. “I can't believe you call yourself my friend."
She turned and stormed out of the room, across the dance floor and as far away from the reception hall as she could get before letting the tears fall. The moment Lucy opened her gossipy mouth and told her that Bern was a shifter, her entire world had simply fallen away.
That was it. There was nothing for her here. She knew that now. Any hope of her own “happily ever after” had been ripped away from her. The promise of a better life, better job and fantastic new man...all gone.
With tears still streaming down her cheeks, Amara sighed in utter disappointment.
The streets were relatively quiet as she wandered from one to the next. She thought she remembered where a small park was located. She and Marcy had driven past it multiple times in the past week; she was certain it wasn't far away.
Weaving her way through the deserted streets, her feet were starting to hurt. A park bench faced the street. Amara limped over to it as quickly as possible, taking a seat and slipping off her tight shoes.
It wasn't until she'd been sitting for a few moments and had a chance to absorb her surroundings that she began to wish she hadn't walked out of the reception. It was dark and she was all alone. Sitting with her hands in her lap, the tears flowed once more.
So...Bern was a shifter. She couldn't believe she'd had sex with one. How was it possible that she hadn't known?
Suddenly, her body was wracked with sobs as one self-pitying thought after another flooded her brain.
What a mess! What am I going to do now? Amara shrugged and looked down at her hands in her lap. It had been ten years since the attack and still she hadn't got past her fear of shifters...any kind of shifters. The memories of that night rushed to the surface, just as fresh and painful as ever.
With eyes squeezed tightly shut, she ached to block out every hint of that terrible night. But there it was again, screaming at her as if it were happening all over again.
She had walked that quiet country road a thousand times since childhood. She had heard rumours about shifters by then and that there were various kinds, but had never encountered one. At least, not to her knowledge.
Taking a shortcut, she had jumped when she heard a low, growling sound from the trees nearby. In a heartbeat, a rush of adrenaline flooded through her body; she could have sworn ice-water filled her veins. Her breath came in short, tight gasps as eyes darted this way and that.
Suddenly, a long, low grow came from behind. Spinning around and taking a step back, she heard it again, this time on her left. Before she could react, a huge wolf-like creature leapt at her.
Pushing her to the ground, it snarled angrily mere inches from face. Her heart pounded hard in her chest. The wolf's hot fetid breath stank of blood and animal. Panic set in and she screamed. This only served to further infuriate the creature. Reaching up with its massive arm, it swung at her chest. It swiped at her with its huge claws, ripping her jacket and top to shreds. With every ounce of strength she had, she tried to shove the massive creature off her but she was no match for his strength. Her flesh split under his sharp claws as his relentless assault continued.
"Get away!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. The creature didn't budge. "Help! Help!" she screamed, desperate for somebody – anybody – to help her.
With golden eyes filled with rage, the angry beast growled, its razor-sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight, just waiting for their chance to rip her throat out.
Painfully turning her head to the right, she was aware of two huge figures running at full speed toward her. But by the time they pulled the creature off her, she was already in shock.
The sound of a car door slamming shut startled her out of the memory.
Wiping her tear-stained face, she was surprised to see a fit, athletic-looking policeman walking toward her.
"Ma'am?" The male voice was soothing and friendly as he approached. He didn't take his eyes off her face. "Are you okay?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.
Amara nodded, shifting uncomfortably on the bench. Her heart still racing from the memory, she tried to hide her fear.
"Fine. Thanks," she replied.
Taking a few steps closer, he offered, "If you don't mind my saying so, you look upset. Has someone tried to hurt you?"
Boy, have they. She shook her head.
"Do you need a ride home?" he asked gently.
She studied him. He looked like a regular guy with blond hair and blue eyes. Lucy had said that the town had plenty of shifters. Was he one of them? Once again, anger rose within her. Why had she ever come here?
"Are you a shifter, too?" she asked ruefully, wiping her cheeks with the backs of her hands.
"Ma'am?" he responded and looked at her, his face soft.
She began to sob.
"I just found out tonight that my friend married a bear shifter and his best friend is a shifter, too. I really liked him. I thought we had something...between us...you know?"
She was mumbling more to herself than to the officer. It doesn't matter, I need to talk to someone. She looked at the friendly policeman in front of her and poured out her heart. He stood hands on his hips, listening intently and smiling at all the right moments, while frowning in others.
She told him about meeting Bern and liking him, hoping he was someone special. She spoke about how she had gotten a job with Bear Bones Construction but would now have to leave it because it was owned by shifters. Skimming over the details of her attack, she told him
she had run out on her friend's wedding reception when the big secret was revealed about her friend's husband.
When she had finished speaking, he chuckled.
"You mean Austin and Marcy's wedding? Yeah, they invited me, but I had to work. He's a good friend. So is Bern. I can assure you that you don't have anything to worry about with those two," he said.
"How can you say that?” Amara disagreed. “They're animals...animals that kill people...or try."
Seeing that she would find no support with this policeman, she ached to go home. Back to the city. For tonight she would have to settle for staying at Marcy's. She would leave in the morning just as soon as she could get on a train.
"Do you know where Marcy and Austin live?" she asked the officer.
He nodded, "Been there quite a few times."
"Can you drive me there right now, please?” she asked. “I can't show my face back at that hall tonight.”
"No problem. Hop in my car," he replied with a smile.
He motioned to the police car and then opened the passenger door to clear off the seat so that she could sit comfortably. On the drive to the house, he told Amara about the great things that Austin and Bern did for the community. He assured her that feral shifters in the area were extremely rare, and when one did turn up, the appropriate organizations always dealt with them quickly.
Amara tuned him out, recalling the night she had refused to take off her top in front of Bern. She had mentioned her scars, but he didn't ask about them. That should have been a clue.
Chapter Ten
The music was blaring from the reception hall. Austin, Marcy and Bern stood in the room off to the side, where they had taken Amara earlier. She had stormed out without any concern for her well-being and Bern didn't like it one bit.
Marcy was crying and blaming herself for Amara running away. She sat down and looked at the men in front of her.
Bern had no idea what was going on, but he had to do something to get her back. Sounding somewhat annoyed, he spoke in a low voice.
"I don't like that she's out there alone. She's not thinking clearly. God knows what kind of trouble she could find."
Marcy hugged herself. Looking up at the two men, she said, "I want to explain something first...Please..."
Bern and Austin remained standing, their curiosity piqued and interested in what Marcy had to say.
"Her fear of shifters isn't just a random thing... She was viciously attacked when she was nineteen years old. It was a werewolf...He tore a hole in her chest. She has the scars to prove it. She's never gotten past that night and is scared of shifters now. I think it's the reason she's never had a long term relationship as well. She's ashamed of the scars and doesn't want anyone to see them."
Marcy put her hands on her lap, nervously picking at her wedding dress. She and Bern exchanged concerned looks.
"I wondered why she didn't want to fully undress in front of me," he murmured.
Austin's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What? You slept with her? When?" he asked.
"When I was in the city a few weeks ago. It was only one time."
Both Marcy and Austin shared a look, "You didn't tell me," Austin said to his new wife.
She shrugged. "Not my place to tell," she replied.
Austin nodded. Silently they stared at Bern, waiting to see what else he might reveal.
"Was she bitten during her attack?" Bern asked Marcy.
Marcy shook her head. “He clawed up her chest and was pulled off before anything else happened,” she explained.
"If he was a feral werewolf, she's lucky he didn't just take her head clean off. Maybe she startled him and he never intended to kill her," Austin said.
Marcy and Bern glared at him.
"Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I was just thinking out loud."
Bern ran a hand through his hair and stepped back, "I'll find her. It makes more sense for me to go. You two get back out there and see to the guests."
Austin agreed with Bern and turned to touch Marcy's cheek. She frowned.
"Let him go find her,” suggested Austin. “She needs to calm down before she'll even listen to you," he spoke gently, cupping her face.
Clearly, she felt terrible for keeping such a secret from her best friend. For the first time, Bern found himself feeling a little disappointed in her. He knew that Amara had kept her job situation from Marcy, but he never expected Marcy not to have told Amara that he and Austin were bear shifters.
What a mess.
"I'll be back when I find her,” Bern declared as he strode out of the room.
Driving around street after street, he searched anxiously for Amara. He grumbled about having wasted time discussing things with the bride and groom. She could be anywhere by now.
Giving up his search in town, he began to drive down the road towards Austin's house. His chest hurt. He had finally found his mate, only to discover that she hated shifters. When they had been together and she had told him she had scars, he had assumed that someone or something had attacked her. But didn't want to ruin the moment by bringing it up.
Now that Marcy told him Amara had been attacked by a feral werewolf, he understood her reaction to the woman at the wedding. Amara had had no idea that she had slept with a werebear. He hadn't said anything to her the night they were together because he thought he would see her again and would have a chance to tell her.
It hurt him to see the look of fear on her face tonight when she found out what he was. And now, there was a good chance that she would never want to see him again.
To distract himself, Bern turned on the car radio and kept the volume low. Before long, there were headlights coming toward him. Both vehicles slowed as they neared each other.
It was Jake, his police officer friend, out on patrol.
Both men stopped their vehicles and rolled down their windows.
"Hi. I hear the wedding hit a snag?" Jake said, his lips thin.
Bern looked surprised. "The wedding was fine. A guest caused a problem...how'd you know, have you seen Amara?" He asked, hopefully.
"Yes. Just dropped her off at Austin's place...she's pretty upset. You might want to give her the rest of the night to calm down," Jake said rubbing his brow.
Bern nodded, "Thanks." He looked ahead for a moment and then back at Jake. "What did she say to you, exactly?" he asked.
"She said that no one told her about you and Austin being shifters. She finally admitted to me on the drive to Austin's that she was attacked by a werewolf and is scared of shifters now. I didn't tell her I was shifter...but she asked. She was quite emotional and I just wanted to get her home safe."
"Thanks, Jake. I appreciate that." Bern nodded and put the car back into drive. Jake waved and drove off. Bern turned his car around and went back to the reception to deliver the news that Amara was safe.
Chapter Eleven
The smell of coffee and french-toast permeated the upstairs guest room. Amara sat on the bed, her suitcase packed. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since early the previous evening.
The wedding was over and it was time to go home. Hungry or not, she couldn't stay another minute after everything that happened last night.
Picking up her things, she headed downstairs and set her suitcase by the front door. Marcy came out of the kitchen and stood at the end of the hallway. Amara turned to face her, lips pursed and heart racing. She never did like confrontation.
"Are you leaving?" Marcy asked, sadly.
Amara nodded. "I need a ride to the train station, please."
"Sure, just give me a minute to let Austin know where I'm going."
Marcy disappeared back to the kitchen. Amara put on her shoes and stepped outside, her suitcase in hand.
Minutes later, Marcy came out. "Okay, let's go," she said, walking toward the car.
Amara followed. Placing her suitcase in the back seat, she closed the door and slid into the passenger seat. Marcy started the car and turned to
face Amara. Placing her hand on Amara's arm, she grimaced. "I'm sorry that I hurt you by not telling you about Austin. It's the opposite of what I was trying to do. I was going to tell you, but I wanted you to see how good a man he is before you judged him."
Amara looked down at Marcy's hand and frowned, before looking at her friend's face. "It would have been nice to have had a choice. You don't understand what it's like to be attacked and live your life knowing you could have been killed by one of these...creatures."
"I really do understand, Amara. I can't imagine what you went through. But they aren't all feral,” Marcy replied. “In fact, very few turn out that way. From what I was told, the werewolf that attacked you was a rare occurrence.”
She paused, as if wondering whether or not to continue before she spoke again. “No offense meant, Amara, but if he'd wanted you dead, he would have taken your head off, not stopped at clawing you in the chest. Don't you think you've carried this pain around long enough? Not all shifters are bad," Marcy insisted. "I wanted you at my wedding. It was selfish, I know. I can only apologize for bringing you here. I want to see you happy, I assure you."
There was a long pause and neither woman spoke. Marcy turned to face the front of the car. Sighing heavily, she backed out of the driveway before heading down the road toward the station.
They rode in silence for a couple of minutes. Staring out the window, Amara thought about what her friend had said. Angry words festered inside her until she could contain them no more.
"You say that the wolf never intended to kill me. How could you say such a thing? So what, you're a shifter expert now?" she asked, sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
Marcy cringed. "I am not an expert. I've just come to learn how strong shifters can be and I know that if that wolf had wanted you dead that night, it would have killed you with just one swipe. It doesn't take away from the fact that you were attacked...and you're right, I don't know what it's like to be attacked by a werewolf or any other shifter, but I do know what it's like to be nearly beaten to death by a flesh and blood human male. You forget that."