by Maia Starr
Wild was an understatement for Dax as he destroyed the bed Tiffany had likely slept in with Kyle. The idea infuriated his instincts, and by the time he was done, Dax was on the edge of shifting once again but caught himself. His fury would destroy the whole house if he didn’t get a grip sooner rather than later. It’s not that he cared about whether Kyle returned to a home or not...but it was just a waste of effort. If he decided to run wild in the house later on, it would be because he needed to work off some excess lusting energy.
With a hurried series of thumping coming up the stairs behind Dax, the first wolf shifter that had followed the trail jogged in.
“Dax, I found their trail,” he said.
Whirling on his heels, Dax marched up to the shifter. “Did you? Out with it already!”
“Both Kyle’s and Tiffany’s scent seem to be heading in the direction of Salem, and her house. Maybe they’re going to the diner.”
“Going to the diner you think? The one where Tiffany was supposed to be working at?”
“Yeah, the same one.”
Dax scratched his chin for a few seconds, his calm and collected persona returning in full. Taking a deep breath, his signature smile made its way back onto his face. “Okay...that’s workable. I doubt Kyle is going to stay with her at the diner if that is where they’re going.”
“Why?”
“It’s just a hunch.” Licking his lips, Dax nodded to himself. “Alright, two of you go after them and try to find a way to kidnap Tiffany at the diner again. Try not to cause too much of a fuss and wait for Kyle to leave. I’ll wait here for the guy and kill him myself. The other shifter can go inform the others to set up an ambush here, understand?”
The first shifter nodded and jogged out, his shouts reverberating throughout the house.
Smiling to himself, Dax exhaled and sat down on the shredded bed, his mind racing about meeting Kyle again. The next time they came face to face, Kyle would die just like Alexander did. And just think, I’ll have killed two bear alphas...I’ll be famous in no time.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Kyle
It was a surprise to find Tiffany’s car waiting in her driveway when they both arrived.
The walk through the forest had taken around a couple of hours to get from Kyle’s house in the edge of Woodland Bear Clan territory to the very edge of Salem, leaving Tiffany exhausted and sweating by the time they found a paved road.
He’d offered to carry her more than once, often to Tiffany’s dismay. She had used the excuse that it was a good hike coming back, especially since she didn’t need to rush into Salem, but even still. Kyle was used to the trip taking just under an hour because of his unnatural shifter speed. Now he might have understood how Alexander felt when trying to get to place to place with Emily. Humans just weren’t the same, yet the fact that she wouldn’t let him even attempt to carry her bothered him.
It’s her trust. It isn’t fully grown yet. Or at least that was what Kyle told himself.
And the slow trip gave them a chance to talk more, to chitchat and make each other laugh. It was another chance for Kyle to reiterate to himself that Tiffany was the mate he’d been looking for and was lucky enough to find...even if finding her meant going through Dax and his men.
At the thought of Dax, a memory floated back to the surface of his mind. The moment Kyle had witnessed a wolf shifter flee from the grove in which Alexander was slaughtered. A fuzzy face had locked eyes with him just before passing out, a wicked grin causing Kyle to black out right afterward. That face...it was familiar, similar to Dax. Now that Kyle’s immediate concern of finding a mate was overcome, he was free to find Alexander’s killers, and he had a sinking feeling that with his mind free from the reeling pain on the past encroaching insanity, his memories of the night Alexander died would become clearer.
“I can’t believe this!” Tiffany said, her voice jolting Kyle back into the present. “Those assholes really did bring my car back. Look, the key’s been left on the roof.”
Kyle turned to face her, his dark eyes matching hers in confusion. “Why would they do that? I thought I’d have to explain to Amanda how I lost the old car she’d lent me…”
Crossing his arms, Kyle shrugged. “It’s not like shifters don’t drive...but we generally don’t roam too far from our original clans, unless we’re outcasts or something. I don’t see the need for Dax’s pack to need this...lovely...specimen.”
Tiffany grinned slightly. “It’s ugly, I know. But it wasn’t my choice! Amanda gave this to me so I wouldn’t have to trudge into town on foot every single day, and it runs just fine.”
Kyle scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Fine, I’ll prove it to you, but only after I take a quick shower.” Tiffany started towards her home, which Kyle was dumbfounded to find was seemingly smaller than his cozy shack in woods. She stopped halfway up the trail and stared back at him, her expression deadpan. “No peeking. Not yet.”
“Well, now that you suggest it…” Kyle said, grinning. Tiffany frowned, but he simply chuckled in response. “No, I’ll just wait out here for you to do whatever you need to do.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah...you wanted to take things steady, remember?”
“Alright, I won’t be long anyway. Just be patient.”
Kyle maintained his smile as she turned and continued to stride up to her house. Opening the front door, she slipped inside, eyeing Kyle quickly once more before shutting the door.
Leaning against the car, which groaned under his weight, Kyle crossed his arms and stared down the road that led into the heart of Salem. Antsy as he waited, Kyle tried not to think too much about Tiffany showering. The images were already sending his adrenaline pumping, but he couldn’t just rush in and screw her right then and there. That act wouldn’t earn him any trust points, so instead he focused his mind on other things, like the image of Dax’s face in his memories.
If that image, if that memory wasn’t false and he truly had seen Dax just before passing out for good, then Kyle had a lot of violent questions to ask the alpha wolf. He didn’t care if he’d have to walk straight into the Gray Rock Wolf territory: he’d approach Dax no matter where the bastard was. Alexander, and Emily for that matter, deserved as much from Kyle. And the more he thought about it, the more Kyle’s finger tapped against his forearm, and the more he scratched the back of his calf with his foot.
It was amazing how allowing his brain to sober up could make things so clear, or at least clearer than they were before.
Before long, Tiffany was walking out of her one-story house, locking the door and strutting over in a work uniform that hugged her body in all the right places. Kyle’s growing animosity completely faded as he looked her up and down, the sudden urge to pick her up and kiss her wrestling its way back into his mind.
Cocking her head, Tiffany blinked up at him. “What?”
“I just want you to know that you’re absolutely gorgeous,” Kyle said as he stood up straight. “That outfit fits you so damn well.”
Blushing, Tiffany pulled her hair back behind her ears. “Oh, I get it. You like me. Come on, let’s go already. It’s almost time for my shift anyway.”
Laughing, Kyle climbed into the passenger seat, the car nearly tipping over as he sat down. Tiffany didn’t do much to balance out the car, but the old thing managed to drive fine either way. So they sped into the town, arriving quickly in the downtown and finding their way to the parking lot of Herbert’s. In all his years living around Salem, for some reason, Kyle had never once visited the place.
“Alright,” Tiffany said as she turned off the engine and swung open the driver’s side door. “This is my stop.”
“Wait,” Kyle said as he too stepped out. They faced each other over the car, with Tiffany’s gaze locking with his. “Meet me for dinner tonight. At the bar just down the road. Promise me.”
Smiling, Tiffany nodded. “As long as I decide not to call the cops on you, I’ll come.” He
grimaced and then grinned when Tiffany giggled at his expression. “Oh come on, Kyle! I wouldn’t do that to you...yet. I promised to take it steady for the time being, so I’ll meet you later...though my shift might not end until late.”
“That works for me,” Kyle said.
“Good, then I’ll see you later, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
With a final wave, Tiffany turned to walk up to the diner’s entrance. Kyle wanted to rush after her, to embrace her and kiss her once again, but he didn’t. Every fiber of his being fought against his will, yet he stayed rooted to the ground until Tiffany was out of sight. Sighing, Kyle drifted away down the street, intent on going back and sniffing out Dax’s scent. His inner bear roared for an entirely different reason now. Tiffany was his; now he just needed to avenge Alexander. Dax might very well be the key to avenging his best friend.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Tiffany
It was odd to find Herbert’s Diner so empty in the late afternoon. Sure, Salem wasn’t a bustling town by any means, but there were still people who came in for the early dinner or supper. Even if only a single table was occupied, there was still an atmosphere of movement and energy about the restaurant, yet now it just seemed lifeless.
She first realized the strange mood of the diner when she found the front door locked. Normally, Tiffany would have turned around, shrugged, and left until she got a call from her boss, but this time Tiffany wanted to go inside, just in case. Maybe it was because of everything that had happened in the past couple days, with Dax and his men kidnapping her, but Tiffany’s heart pounded as she rummaged around in her pocket for the key Amanda had lent her. Poking the key at the lock, she slid it in and turned it, the door swinging open with that classic diner squeak. Peering in, Tiffany spied a coat draped over one of the stools...Amanda’s coat. So either her boss was here, or she’d forgotten her coat, which had happened a few times when Tiffany had first arrived.
Quietly walking inside, her head pounded at the sheer silence, an unnerving feeling after seeing the diner often so alive.
“Amanda?” Tiffany called, edging forward. “Edward? Are any of you back in the kitchen?”
The silence continued until a shrill metal against metal clank startled Tiffany into nearly tripping over her own feet. Suddenly, Amanda’s red head of hair darted out from around the corner, her wide eyes locking with Tiffany’s. “Hey! Tiffany! What’s up? I tried calling you earlier about not coming in, but you didn’t pick up the phone. Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”
Clutching her chest, Tiffany breathed in and out steadily. “No, no...I just didn’t expect...what’s wrong with Herbert’s?”
Fully coming out from the kitchen, Amanda threw down a pair of yellow gloves and a damp rag. “Ah, well, Edward had a little accident yesterday. A fire caught when he forgot to turn off the stove. Spread a little, though nothing too serious...if you count damaged stoves and the like not too serious. No one was hurt, but we’re going to have to close down Herbert’s for a few days until a repairman can come fix it.” Smiling wide, Amanda placed her hands on her hips. “So that’s that. Why didn’t you pick up earlier? Could have saved you the trouble of coming in.”
“Oh well…” Tiffany began, making her way to sit down on one of the stools across from Amanda. “There’s a story behind that.”
“A story! Oh good-golly, a story about you not picking up the phone?” Amanda’s eyes lit up, her grin growing. “I mean, I hear stories all the time, but I’m sure yours isn’t any less boring. You mind if I go throw these gloves away really quickly?”
“Uh, sure, Amanda, but—”
Before she could finish, Amanda had darted into the kitchen, leaving Tiffany to stare at a swinging down. Sighing, Tiffany massaged her forehead. She hadn’t decided how much of her story she’d tell Amanda...she figured that if the diner was open, and Tiffany was late, she’d have to say something, but now she wasn’t so sure. Was it a good idea to reveal more than a surface level explanation? Tiffany had to say something now, at least, especially since Amanda had latched onto that bit. Groaning, Tiffany pressed her forehead against the cold counter, trying to decide what to say. Images of Dax and his men entered her mind, of two of those wolf shifters visiting the diner earlier in the week, and of Amanda warning her about them. Maybe it would have been best to reveal everything so that Tiffany could do something about those shifters.
Even if her kidnapping situated turned out alright, for the most part, other women’s lives might not.
Amanda returned shortly, allowing Tiffany to come to a decision. Jogging around the counter, Amanda lifted her coat and sat down next to her coworker, staring into Tiffany’s eyes expectantly.
Tiffany stared back, working up the courage to begin her tale. “You’re going to think I’m insane,” she said finally.
Waving her hand, dismissing the notion, Amanda gave a thumbs up. “Nope! I promise! Just tell me about it, now that you have my interest piqued.”
Nodding, Tiffany began from the very beginning, explaining from the moment she had left work the previous night. She explained everything, in as much detail as possible, with Amanda’s expression becoming looser and looser, a grin beginning to turn into a giggle. By the time Tiffany reached the point about Kyle shifting into a bear before her very eyes, Amanda had let loose an unrestrained laugh, pounding the table. “This is one strange tale you’re spinning, Tiffany,” her boss managed to say through the laughs.
“It’s all real!” Tiffany said, continuing her tale. She didn’t stop to retort again until she arrived at the conclusion, the part where she finally arrived back at Herbert’s just ten minutes earlier. “Don’t think I’m making any of this up,” Tiffany said at the end. “The rumors about those shifters, and the kidnappings, they’re all true, Amanda.”
“Sure, sure...you know, maybe I shouldn't laugh so much. Did you hit your head, Tiff? Should I drive you over to the hospital just in case?”
“God, Amanda, even if you don’t believe the shifter story, you have to believe the kidnapping one.”
Amanda paused a moment, her eyes blinking as the gears in her head turned. “I suppose you could be telling the truth there...but it’s only been a day since. For all that to happen so quickly...it’s—”
“Hard to believe, I know.” Sighing, Tiffany slapped her cheeks. “But, look, the whole reason why I’m telling you all this at all is because of those men you warned me about. The ones you said you wouldn’t be surprised if they were behind some of the supposed kidnappings? Well, you were right; it was them. Them and a bunch of others are the ones that kidnapped me.”
Amanda’s expression soured suddenly. “Shit,” she simply said. “Oh man, are you serious? If that’s the case, we can call the police. Do you have any proof?”
“Isn’t my testimony good enough?” Tiffany asked. “I mean, I know the men by sight.”
Just then, the door opened, and a bell chimed, signaling the entrance of a few customers. Heavy footsteps slowly walked inside as Amanda clicked her tongue. “Damn, what timing.” Spinning around, Amanda made to get up from her seat. “Hey guys, Herbert’s is closed for the day.”
But Tiffany’s eyes widened at the sight of the two men walking in, and her hand shot out to grab her boss’ wrist to keep her from going any further.
The two men sauntered inside with grins on their faces. “Look, there are two beautiful women this time,” one said.
“I doubt Dax will care if we snatch another one along with Tiffany,” the second one said.
With a scowling expression, Amanda looked back at her. “Aren’t they the ones you were talking about?”
“Yes,” Tiffany said quietly, rising to her feet. “The wolf shifters.”
The blood drained from Amanda’s face as the two women stepped back. The two wolf shifters exchanged a nod with each other and started forward. Tiffany was the first to scream for help.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kyle
It
was the scent that alarmed Kyle first.
On his way back to the Woodland Bear Clan Territory, Kyle had taken the shortest possible route, maybe because he’d been anxious about leaving Tiffany at Herbert’s Diner so soon. What if Tiffany up and decided to leave Salem in his absence? She was his mate, and he’d put a lot of trust in her that she’d hadn’t been lying about giving things a go, yet all those thoughts vanished when the first whiff of the odd scent crossed his path.
Stopping to get a better read on the scent, Kyle sniffed and scowled. The scent belonged to a wolf shifter, to Dax specifically. Kyle was already back in his territory, so why the hell was an alpha wolf wandering around in it? Deciding to follow the trail, Kyle set off, finding the scent bending along the path he usually took back to his house, though every once in a while, it drifted off the path. Soon enough, more scents tagged along with Dax’s, alerting Kyle to the possibility that Dax had brought his whole pack, or at least a part of it.
But why? Does Dax have something to speak with me about? I certainly do with him...but I didn’t think he’d come for me so eagerly.
Cautiously edging himself forward, he quickly came to the conclusion that Dax and his pack were probably awaiting him at his house, whether it was some kind of ambush or a direct confrontation, Kyle couldn’t be sure, yet he knew something would happen between the two alphas. Even if Dax didn’t start anything, Kyle would. His decision to avenge Alexander demanded he bring the wolf shifters who killed his friend to justice...and with every step, Kyle’s memories told him that Dax and his pack were the very ones he was looking for.
Dax, I’m going to take you down, bud. This isn’t just a game for you anymore. This is life or death.
With his adrenaline beginning to flare up, his veins became like fire, pushing him onwards towards his house. The scents eventually became entangled when he was only ten minutes out, the sensation of their combined musty smell driving him over the edge. Why did wolf shifters always smell so terrible?