by K L King
Deacon growled and edged forward in his seat.
“Hush,” Iris said, placing a hand soothingly on his arm. “Let her finish.”
Deacon leaned back, but placed one hand on Iris’s leg.
“We’ll need some fighters with brute strength and speed, but others with different abilities.” Tessa’s eyes became unfocused.
“Tessa, this is some scary shit. Have you told anyone else about these visions?” Deacon asked.
Ignoring him, Tessa said as if in a daze, “We’re going to need healers to support those who protect us.”
Looking at Deacon, Iris said, “Maybe we should get Heath over here.”
Tessa trembled and then shook her head and looked around as if waking from a dream. “Heath? I’m not sure if we should tell him yet.”
“Why not? He’s the alpha of the wolf pack and the sheriff of the entire freaking town. Why tell us and not him?” Deacon snarled.
Iris squeezed the hand on his arm to try to calm him.
Tessa just stared at them both.
“That’s a valid question, Tessa. Why tell us? Deacon’s a police officer so that makes sense, but why tell me?”
“In my dreams, I could see some of the shifters that were organizing the rescues of the injured and others who were leading the fighters. I saw you both very clearly in all of these visions. I saw others as well, like May and her Beau.” She turned to Deacon. “I even saw your friend, the one from Alaska, the fireman. Annie and Ted were there too, helping. I couldn’t see Heath, though, not in any vision. I don’t know what that means.”
Deacon growled. “I don’t like this at all. We need to tell Heath. It doesn’t matter why you didn’t see him. He needs to at least hear this. He can decide what to do about it.”
After some more convincing, Tessa agreed. Deacon placed a call to his brother, while Iris sat with Tessa, trying to provide some sort of comfort.
Heath showed up about twenty minutes later in his uniform. He was in the middle of a double shift that night. He stormed into the living room behind Deacon. He nodded to the two women. “I can’t stay long. It’s been busy.”
“Do you need me to come in to help out at the station?” Deacon asked.
Heath shook his head. “No, it’ll be fine. I just need to get back soon. What is this all about, Tessa? Deacon told me you had some concerning visions. Why didn’t you just bring them to me? I’ve always told you to tell me anything you felt like I should know.” He sat down on a chair across from Tessa with Deacon taking a place on the couch beside his mate once again.
Tessa repeated the details of her disturbing dreams and visions. Heath listened stone-faced throughout, saying nothing. Iris noted how human the phoenix shifter looked as she spoke. Her eyebrows were furrowed as if concerned and she was alternatively wringing her hands in her lap and rubbing them on her legs. Her voice was less steady, more halting. She finally stopped and sat back. “That’s it, at least for now.”
Heath closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with both hands. “There are a million reasons why you haven’t seen me in any of these visions, some good and some not so good. I need to think for a bit.” He opened his eyes and looked at Tessa.
“So, you think these visions are for real?” Deacon asked.
“Deacon!” Tessa exclaimed.
Heath put a hand out to stop her. He faced his brother. “Tessa’s visions have been very helpful in the past. While they might not be very clear or complete, there are usually important clues that we can use to help prepare for what’s to come. From what Tessa says, we have some time so we’ll figure this out.”
“We don’t know how much time we have—” Deacon started.
Heath held up a hand again. “We have some time. We’ll start planning after your honeymoon. A few weeks is not going to make any difference. I’ll start putting together a group for meetings.”
Heath walked up to Tessa and crouched down next to where she sat in the chair. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be OK,” he said.
She nodded. “It’ll just be hard. I wish I could get a clearer picture…”
“Just write down everything you remember when you have these dreams. I’ll be in touch with you in a couple of days. I have some ideas I want to run by you,” Heath said.
Tessa nodded.
“You two have a wedding to plan,” he said pointedly to Iris and Deacon. “The pack needs to come together for a happy event, especially if we’re going to have trouble in the near future.” He gave them both a weak smile and a wave and walked out the room.
Chapter 33
It was difficult, but Iris finally was able to convince Deacon to listen to Heath’s advice and just place all the worries about the threat to Grey Lake on hold until after their honeymoon. Even though she was busy at the bakery and with wedding preparations, she began training with May at the Grey Lake Gym. May needed to improve her coordination after her head injury, and Iris needed to build strength, so their joint workouts were a boon for both. She wanted to be as strong, flexible, and fast as possible in order to deal with whatever threatened her new family and friends. She didn’t want to cower and be left behind for others to protect. Never again.
In the days and weeks since the attack, Iris had still not shifted. She was, however, much more aware of the bear inside of her. She felt her bear becoming more comfortable and less timid with each day. Soon, she told herself, she would try to shift.
The second disturbing issue that had popped up in the weeks nearing the wedding was Iris’s family. Deacon came home from work late one night to find her crying in bed with Riley lying at her side. “What’s wrong?” Deacon moved so quickly to her bedside that she jumped in surprise.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He wrapped one arm around her shoulder, sneaking into bed next to her as Riley jumped to the floor with a huff. “Please, tell me who upset you so I can kill them.”
Deacon had said those words to Iris so seriously without a hint of humor that she laughed between her tears. She cuddled into his chest and wrapped her arm around him. “I don’t want you to kill anyone. I just called my mother. I wanted to tell her I was happy and getting married.”
“I assume she wasn’t pleased,” Deacon ventured.
Iris blew out a breath. “I have no idea. My father answered the phone and refused to put her on. I called her cellphone, figuring it would be the best chance of getting through to her.”
“What did he say?” Deacon asked.
“Horrible and confusing things.”
“What do you mean?”
“I told him I had a good job here and I fell in love and was getting married. He asked about my job, and when I told him, he laughed. He asked if I was marrying some fry cook, and I told him my fiancé was a policeman who owned his own home. A normal father would be happy, but not him. He said…” Iris stopped, tearing up. “I don’t want to even say it.”
“Tell me, please,” Deacon said evenly.
“He said I was an embarrassment to the family. He said if I stayed in Grey Lake and married some country bumpkin cop, I would be disowned, removed from the family will and”—she sniffled—“not allowed to return to my home ever.”
Deacon had tightened his arms around her as she wept. “I’m sorry I caused all of these problems with your family.”
Iris lifted her head up from his chest so suddenly she almost hit him in the chin. She felt strong as she stared at Deacon. “No, you brought me happiness. I’m the one who is sorry. I’m sorry my father is a monster. I’m sorry I won’t ever get to take you or our future children to see where I grew up. I’m sorry my mother won’t know about our wedding. I will never be sorry that I met you.”
Deacon smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. “Maybe if we both go there in person, we can talk to your mother.”
Iris shook her head sadly. “No, he told me the security guards will be told not to allow me onto the property. Unless my mother leaves on her own, I won’t be a
ble to get in touch with her.”
“What about your brother? Could you try to talk to him?” Deacon asked.
Iris burrowed her head against his chest once more. “No. He works for my father. He acts just like him. It’s OK. At least your family is happy about the wedding.” She smiled up at him with tears distorting her vision.
He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head as she cuddled into him again. “Of course, they’re happy. They love you. How could they not?”
“I was wondering if you had bought the tickets for our honeymoon yet?”
“Maybe,” he said in a playful voice.
“Where are we going?” she pleaded.
“I can’t tell you. Remember you made me promise to keep it a surprise. You even told me you would probably change your mind but not to give in to your pleading and begging.” He smiled a devilish grin, rubbing both her arms. “So, no matter what you do, I can’t tell you. I keep my promises.”
“I don’t know,” Iris said, untangling herself from his arms and rising from the bed. “I bet there are some things I could do to you that may change your mind,” she said in what she hoped was her most provocative voice as she unbelted the thin robe she was wearing and gave him her back. She let the robe fall to the floor, revealing her naked body. She paused at the bathroom door and glanced over her shoulder at Deacon. “I’ll just be taking a shower if you’re interested.”
He sat there stunned for a second with his mouth open. He was brought out of his fog by a sharp bark from Riley who sat on his haunches near the end of the bed, staring at Deacon. “Right. Shower with my mate.” He sprung from the bed and raced into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
The next morning, they awoke late after many hours spent tangled in each other’s arms. Both Iris and Deacon, thankfully, had the entire day off so they could leisurely enjoy each other in bed long after they usually had to be at work. They were both naked on their sides with Iris lying curved with her back against his front. They were drowsing off and on. Deacon seemed surprised when Iris whispered, “I want to try to shift.”
He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head as he pulled her closer to him. “Whenever you want.”
“I want to try now. Will you shift with me?”
He kissed the top of her head. “Of course. Where do you want to go?”
“Can we do it right out back? I want to stay kind of close to the house.” She sat up on the edge of the bed and pulled on her robe.
“That’s fine with me. Whenever you’re ready.”
She trembled with apprehension but also anticipation.
Deacon pulled on his sweatpants and held his hand out toward Iris, who grasped his hand firmly and gave him a smile. She tugged him gently through the house toward the patio. She opened the glass door, inhaled deeply, and stepped out, pulling him along with her. They stood side-by-side, gazing out at the forest.
Gazing at the trees in front of them, Iris said quietly, “I feel ready. My bear wants to come out. I feel it. I feel her energy pulsing through me.”
A smile broke out on Deacon’s face. She grinned back at him shamelessly. He looked gorgeous in the late morning sun. His hair was mussed from sleep and sex, and he didn’t seem tight with tension. He appeared loose and relaxed. She was so happy she could burst.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m not sure what I should be doing.”
“Just relax and focus on the bear inside of you. Concentrate on her. Listen to her. She’ll realize you want her to come out, and she’ll do the rest. It’s important to relax. Once she feels safe, she’ll come out. I’ll stay right here. I won’t shift until your bear settles down.”
She squeezed his hand and then said, “Thanks.” He released her hand, but stayed close to her side. Iris closed her eyes and took long, slow, even breaths. She bent her head down and stilled for a moment. A soft growl that sounded like it was coming from far away rumbled in the air. Slowly, the growl became louder. Just then she felt an urge; she crouched down and groaned. She heard Deacon take a step back. He watched her with his jaw clenched. He raised a hand toward her as if to touch her, but then pulled it back.
The growling became louder and then, all of a sudden, a very large black bear exploded from where Iris was standing. She landed on all fours and slowly moved around, stumbling about as if she were a newborn cub exploring the world. After a few moments, she sat back on her haunches and lifted one thick paw up to her face for inspection. She turned the paw this way and that as if studying it.
“You’re so beautiful,” Deacon said in a low voice to the bear. Her fur was not exactly black, but was a deep, dark chestnut with faint hints of auburn scattered throughout. She was much larger than a typical non-shifter bear, definitely bigger than any of the wolves in his pack, but smaller than the grizzly shifters he knew.
She turned and moved toward him, approaching cautiously. She ambled up to where he was standing and sat on her haunches. She tilted her head as he held his hands out to her. Iris rose and walked toward him and pressed her head into his hands. He moved closer and rubbed his head along the side of her much larger one. She made a chuffing sound then pulled back and stared at him expectantly.
“I’m going to shift now,” Deacon said in a gentle voice.
Iris sat down once again and stared at Deacon. He shed his pants quickly, hunched down, and immediately shifted into his wolf. His wolf walked over to her and rubbed his side against hers, sniffing her. She rubbed against him with shorter, less forceful movements. He moved toward the woods then turned and walked back to her. He repeated the movement again, urging her to come along. She moved to standing and then slowly walked toward him. He kept turning to make sure she followed him, but there was no need as she would always follow.
Chapter 34
There were still questions plaguing Iris about her family history. Tessa had been unable to make much headway into figuring out who in Iris’s family had shifter blood; the visions and dreams she was bombarded with had sapped her energy, leaving her unable to do much besides work and sleep. Iris suggested looking for part-time help at the bakery, but Tessa kept insisting she was fine.
As Iris had no way to get in touch with her mother and she sure wasn’t planning on asking her Dad, the direct line of questioning was not a viable option. Iris had finally come to terms with the fact she might never find out much about her family’s shifter origins. She decided to put those thoughts and questions on the backburner and focus on things she could control, like her wedding cake.
Iris had been staying after the bakery closed several nights a week to test out plans for the cake. She knew it was going to have several tiers, either four or five. Deacon had asked if they could incorporate some flowers from Annie’s garden on top of the frosting in some manner and Iris had readily agreed. Iris’s quest tonight was to try out cake flavors for the tiers. She was in the middle of a batch of graham spice cake when there was a knock at the shop’s outer door.
Iris yelled, “Hold on, I’ll be right there.” Who the heck could this be? She was lucky to have heard the knock since she was back in the kitchen at the rear of the bakery. She only heard it because she had propped open the door between the customer part of the store and the kitchen, knowing that Deacon would be arriving soon to pick her up. She quickly washed and dried her hands, pulled off the hairnet covering her braid, and walked out toward the front door, peaking at her watch as she moved. It was already 5:30. Deacon was coming to pick her up in about thirty minutes. Hopefully she could help this person on their way and then finish this last round of recipe testing before her mate showed up.
Iris opened the door a tiny bit. The man at the door was tall and trim, wearing a dark green windbreaker and a baseball hat. She said through the gap, “I’m sorry, but we’re closed for business. We open again at five tomorrow morning.”
When he looked up at her, she finally saw his face clearly and froze. “I know, Iris. I need to talk with you, please.” It
was her brother’s face and deep voice.
Iris gaped. She hadn’t seen her older brother in anything but a business suit for the past several years. “Aiden, what are you doing here? I never expected to see you. I told Dad I’m not leaving. This is my home now.”
Aiden winced and said in a quiet voice, “Look, I’m not here to bring you back to Providence. I just want to talk with you. Dad told Mom and I that he spoke to you and she got really upset. She begged me to find you and make sure you were OK.”
Iris trembled. “I’m fine. Is she alright? Why didn’t you bring her?”
Aiden held up a hand. “She’s fine. She didn’t want you to see her right now. Can you let me in? It’s freezing out here. Can we sit and talk a bit? You can even call your fiancé, the cop, if you would feel more comfortable. If you don’t trust me.”
Iris took a deep breath to compose herself. She had never seen Aiden look like this. He appeared defeated or sad, she wasn’t sure. “That sounds like a good idea.” She opened the door wider and waved him inside, keeping it unlocked. He was bigger and stronger than her as a human, but she had a she-bear inside of her that would not let him bully her. She had to remember that. “Come in and sit down. I’ll bring us some coffee.” She rushed into the kitchen and texted Deacon to come over while she brewed a pot of hazelnut coffee.
She walked out and saw Aiden sitting at a table for four. He had taken off his windbreaker and had a dark blue hoodie on. His light brown hair was longer than usual, and he looked like he’d missed a couple of days of shaving. His usually bright blue eyes looked weary. She sat down on a chair across from him. “Coffee is brewing, and Deacon should be here in a few minutes. Can I get you a muffin or a donut?”
Aiden shook his head. “No, I’m fine. Coffee is great, though. I have to drive back home after this.” He looked exhausted.