“Liv?” I stared at my sister, eyes wide.
“I got a phone call over the weekend. I didn’t want to tell you before dinner and ruin the night,” she said.
I stood, heart racing, stomach churning, and chest tight. “Excuse me a moment,” I said to my guests without meeting their eyes. “I need some air.”
Two steps from the table, a booming knock shook the door. I froze, unable to move.
Chapter Twenty
Cole
Eyes wide, Hailey’s fear poured off of her as she stood paralyzed.
“Let me,” I said, touching her hand.
The tension in her shoulders lessened slightly with our physical contact. I gave her a smile I hoped was reassuring, then stepped past her to let in our guest.
When I opened the door, the man before me loomed across the full width of the door frame. He was a few inches shorter than me, but much wider, like a wall of muscle. It was clear why everyone said he looked like a lumberjack, with his plaid shirt, huge arms, and thick, dark beard. But I thought linebacker or professional wrestler when I looked at him. His scent gave him away before he knocked, a mix of earthy tones like any shifter, but distinctly different. Something that made my skin crawl and told me to run in the other direction, something I wasn’t used to feeling—he was a bear.
“I think we’re going to have to cut dinner short,” I announced to my guests, but kept my eyes on the scowling grizzly in front of me.
“Cole Tenbrook,” the bear said. It wasn’t a question; he already knew all about me.
“Yes, come in,” I answered. “Please, have a seat in the great room. We’ll be there in just a moment.”
The grizzly took in the scene, scanning the room, and inhaling deep breaths with a wrinkled nose. Maybe he was as uncomfortable with the scents of wolves as I was with his. After he seemed content with his observations, he went and stood by the hearth to watch us.
The guests all eyed the bear warily as they said their goodbyes.
“Thanks for having us,” Eric said to Hailey, as he hugged her.
“The food was great. Nice to meet you,” Victor said, and the two left.
Liv hugged tightly to Hailey and whispered, “Call me and let me know you’re okay.”
I wouldn’t have heard her if my ears hadn’t been so sharp. Then she hugged me too, and left.
Callie, the only one who seemed unaffected by the bear, hung onto Lance’s arm. My brother looked at me and asked, “Want me to stay?”
“No, thanks. We’ll be fine. Take your date home,” I answered.
Lance paused a minute, judging my face, then nodded and said to Hailey, “Thanks so much for having us. We’ll have to try this again soon.”
Hailey hugged him, and Callie cringed. My mate ignored the jealous blonde and smiled at Lance. I appreciated the fondness between the two people that mattered most to me, and that my brother was conscious of Hailey’s feelings.
When all of our guests had gone, I took Hailey’s hand and led her to the waiting bear.
“Would you like to sit?” I asked him.
“No.”
If he wasn’t going to sit, I figured I might as well let Hailey rest on the sofa. Her body shook gently, so I held her close with my arm around her shoulder. I regretted the way the evening had turned. Meeting with the representative from the Therion Tribunal wasn’t something I could put off, and I wanted it over with, but I wished it hadn’t interrupted Hailey’s dinner party. She had been so happy, and now she quivered in my arms. She kept her face hard, attempting to mask her fear and sadness, always so strong. I knew the bear could read her just as I could, but I loved that she was so brave.
“Hailey Archer?” he asked.
She nodded in response.
“Good. You need to be here for this.” He turned to me. “Cole Tenbrook, you stand accused of murdering a human.”
“It wasn’t…” Hailey started. The grizzly raised a finger, and she stopped.
“My name is Liam Blake, of the Therion Tribunal. Your fate will be determined based on my findings,” he growled.
“That seems like a lot of power for one man,” Hailey said. “What information are you collecting?”
He stared at her without blinking, then said, “Everything I need.” He turned back to me and continued, “Depending on my conclusions, you may be put on trial, with the maximum penalty of death.” His voice was deep, gruff, and matter-of-fact.
“Death?” Hailey asked, and squeezed my hand.
“Clearly you had the advantage over the frail, human man. What makes you think you aren’t responsible for breaking one of our most sacred laws?” the bear asked.
“I did what I had to do. I am responsible for his death. I relive it when I try to sleep. I think about the life I ended, the people he may have left behind. And I know Frank Wilson will never care for another sick child because I killed him. And I would do it again,” I said. “I assume you’ve read my report.”
“I have. I’ve seen all of the pictures, I’ve seen the site of the burial,” he answered. “But I have not received the account of the young woman.” He looked to Hailey.
“Me?” she asked.
He just stared at her in response.
“It’s okay. Tell him anything he wants to know,” I assured her.
“I will speak to her alone,” he commanded, lowering his brow at me.
Hailey looked at me with wide, pleading eyes.
“No,” I said. “You can ask her anything you like, but I won’t leave her side.”
The bear growled, a threatening rumble from deep within his chest. Ignoring his threat, I held steady to Hailey’s hand. Liam Blake stared me down with an unflinching, unforgiving gaze. I met his eyes, careful to show him nothing but my stone resolve.
“It all started in Elkston,” Hailey said. Both of us snapped our heads back toward Hailey as she spoke. “When I first met Frank Wilson, I had no idea what I was getting into.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Hailey
Liam Blake listened with his arms crossed as I shared every detail I could think of. I told him about the way Frank beat me half to death in the alley in Elkston, the restraining order, the night he showed up in my bed. I told him about the box of chocolates with the handcuffs inside. I told him about Frank lying in wait in the kitchen, his threats, and the stab wounds Cole took so I wouldn’t have to. My body trembled as I spoke, but I didn’t let myself cry. I shared the entire truth with the Tribunal’s representative, and held nothing back, except the tears that welled in the corners of my eyes.
And lastly, I told him what kind of man Cole was. “Cole’s the most wonderful man I’ve ever met. He’s even-tempered and kind. He doesn’t hurt people, but if he hadn’t defended me, I wouldn’t be alive to tell you all of this.”
The huge man just looked at me with a hard, blank expression. I couldn’t tell if he believed me, or if he cared. There was no sign of which way he was leaning—for trial or for dropping charges. I looked to Cole, whose face was just as unreadable as Liam Blake’s.
The knot in my stomach twisted, and I said, “Please don’t take him. He’s my mate, and he only did what he had to, and he’s paying the price. He carries Frank’s weight, more than he should for the kind of monster that man was.”
The huge man turned and walked toward the door without saying a word.
“That’s it?” I called after him.
“I’ll let you know what I decide,” he answered, then shut the door behind him.
I looked at Cole, who sank down into the sofa beside me. “So he was some kind of shifter?” I asked.
“Grizzly bear,” Cole answered, and his face softened as he met my eyes.
“Did you say he was a grizzly bear?” I said, furrowing my brow.
“Yeah,” Cole answered.
“I didn’t realize grizzly shifters were a thing. Why didn’t you defend yourself?” I asked, as I released the tears I had been fighting to hold inside.
; “He has my statement and everything that he needs. Begging won’t help me,” he answered. I wondered if he meant begging like I did. Like I shouldn’t have asked for leniency.
“If I seemed too desperate, that’s because I am,” I said, voice raised and tears streaming. “I can’t lose you.”
“You were great, Hailey,” Cole said. “You were so brave, and so strong. I’m sorry about everything. About the dinner, about having to deal with that enforcer, and about having to relive all of that again.”
Cole held me close as I cried, until I had nothing left. Then he carried me to bed and held me until he fell asleep.
I stayed still, hoping not to bother him, but I couldn’t understand how he was handling the situation so well. While I was falling apart, he acted like a huge grizzly shifter showing up at the doorstep was no big deal. Was life always like this for him? There was no way I was strong enough to deal with this kind of stress on a regular basis. I knew being mated to a shifter would mean having a different life than I would have with someone else, and I loved the ways that side of Cole made him special. But was I doomed to never have a social life and always be looking over my shoulder for the next catastrophe?
My eyes stung and my stomach knotted. The man I loved and the normal life—I wanted them both. With just a glimpse of that life I’d thought it might be possible, but if the shifter council took my mate away, I’d be left with nothing. I couldn’t talk to Liv about what had happened, and what would I tell her if I lost Cole?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Hailey
A huge beast stood before me. Even from a distance, I could see its black eyes watching every move I made. It towered over its meal, tearing into flesh. A sickening feeling washed over me, one that said I should run away. I shouldn’t look. I circled around, the knife trembling in my hand. The bear continued its meal as its sharp, black eyes followed my every step. I had to see what he was eating; I knew I had to look.
One step forward and the bear lifted its head and snarled at me with blood-stained teeth.
My stomach was tight and my heart raced. Just one more step and I’d be able to see.
Tightening my grasp on the knife’s hilt until my knuckles whitened, I stared at the body on the ground, motionless and familiar. A nagging urge pushed me forward. I had to see his face. One last step and I saw him. My head spun and tears poured down my face. Raven hair, golden eyes, and tanned skin covered in blood. Cole. A horrible sound filled my ears, the wailing of a dying creature. Then I realized the sound came from me. Stabbing pain penetrated the side of my face as claws dug into my skin from the massive paw.
I jolted upright, with a hand on my face where the bear’s claws had been, where Frank Wilson had cut me. There was no wound, just the thin, white line the knife had left. It had quickly scarred, and I was able to cover the mark with makeup, but touching it was a reminder of what had happened in the kitchen. An extra reminder I didn’t need. I found myself alone in the bed I shared with my mate. Where was Cole? Shaken by the nightmare, I needed to see him, whole and okay.
“Cole,” I yelled.
A moment later, he stood in the doorway, dressed in torn jeans and a black, v-neck t-shirt. Relief washed over me, and I took in the sight of my sexy mate. I admired the way the shirt hugged his sculpted chest. With his arm up on the doorframe, his bicep flexed, showing the full size of his strong arm. His black hair hung around his face, a beautiful mess, and his eyes were warm with concern.
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “I was just cooking some breakfast.”
I swung my legs out of bed and approached him. The wood floor was cold on my bare feet, and I couldn’t reach him fast enough. I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest. He held me close in return. His scent and his touch soothed me.
“I just had a bad dream,” I answered. “I’ll be fine.”
“It was a hard night. Do you want to stay home today? I’m sure Eric would understand,” Cole said.
“No, I need to go to work, feel normal and distracted. Hopefully that bear will finish up what he needs to do and tell us everything is okay. Until then, I need to stay busy so I don’t melt down.”
“Okay. Let me know if you want to talk or if there’s anything I can do for you,” he offered. “Everything will be okay, whether there’s a trial or not. You’re safe from Frank Wilson. And Harkins will make sure you stay that way.”
“I need a bodyguard again today?” I looked up into his eyes.
“Yes,” he answered. “Until I know everything is settled with the valley pack. I can’t take any risks with your safety.”
I had forgotten about the asshole wolf that was out to get us. It wasn’t fair, we had just started our lives together and the world kept throwing obstacles in our way.
“Will life ever settle down? Or does being a shifter mean constant crisis?” I looked into Cole’s eyes for reassurance.
He smiled at me and said, “You’re right. Life has been crazy with Wilson, the Tribunal, and the threat of the other pack. It’s not usually like this. Usually I just do paperwork at the bar, deal with my family, and handle alpha duties like maintaining peace between packs and within our pack.”
“Are you disappointed that you won’t be alpha?” I asked.
“No, Hailey, I’m happy to be with you,” he answered. “I never wanted to be alpha anyway. When all of this is over, I’m passing the torch to Lance if he’ll take it. If not, someone else can step up. I’m done. I’m taking you on a relaxing vacation, somewhere far from here, where we can spend time alone and I can make love to you for days without interruption.”
I smiled up at my mate and said, “I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Hailey
Much better suited for spring or summer than for the frost-covered morning before me, I chose a sleeveless coral and turquoise shirt from the closet. Maybe the happy colors would keep me positive throughout the day, and if not, at least I looked cute. I put on some black skinny jeans and boots, and grabbed a white sweater to keep my arms warm. The smell of bacon wafted up to the closet where I dressed. My stomach rumbled at the scent—I needed to wrap up and get downstairs. My hair was unruly, so I pulled it back into a high ponytail, then went down to join Cole for breakfast.
Bacon, scrambled eggs, and balls of pink, green, and orange melon waited for me on the counter. Cole carried two forks over and sat on a barstool waiting for me.
“Your bacon lured me from the bedroom,” I said.
“Good. Come eat with me,” he answered.
I sat beside Cole as we shared breakfast together. Everything was cooked perfectly as always. Every day should start this way, the two of us sharing breakfast—he couldn’t be taken from me.
“What’s wrong?” Cole asked.
I looked up at him, working to relax my face. “Nothing new.”
“Everything will be okay,” he said, placing his hand on mine. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
After breakfast, Cole drove me to work. Harkins was waiting outside of Rosebuds and Greenery, leaning against the wooden siding with his arms crossed. I said goodbye to Cole and went inside. When I greeted Harkins, he nodded at me, then continued his brooding.
Work was uneventful, a blur of customers and creating arrangements. I hoped I wasn’t making Eric crazy. He tried to start conversations with me, but I had a hard time keeping my focus, and often gave one word answers.
“Let’s do something special for lunch,” Eric said.
“Oh, I don’t know,” I answered. “I’m not really hungry.”
“Come on. I promise you’ll have a nice time. If not, you can sulk all week in the greenhouse if you want and I won’t hassle you,” he replied.
“I’ll hold you to that,” I answered, and pulled my coat on over my sweater. The brightly colored shirt wasn’t helping as much as I had hoped.
While Eric locked up, I walked over to his car.
“Not driving today, honey,” Eric said.
He took my hand and led me down the street. Harkins followed a few steps behind us without saying a word.
“Where can we get something good to eat by walking?” I asked.
“Just wait and see,” Eric teased.
We strolled down the street and Eric whistled while he swung our hands between us. I was lucky he was such a kind and positive person. His company everyday reminded me how fortunate I was for landing the job at the flower shop.
“Here we are,” Eric said, pulling me across the street to Sawtooth Den.
“I’m always happy to visit Cole,” I said, “but I don’t know that the food here is all that remarkable.”
“Then maybe he should cook instead of just handling the business aspect,” Eric said.
“You’re probably right,” I answered.
Harkins held the door for us, and I walked in. Forest green and cream-colored candles covered all of the tables. The room was lined with people, some I knew from around town, some I didn’t. Liv, Victor, and Lance stood along the back wall, smiles across all of their faces. In the center of the room stood Cole, staring at me intensely with his deep honey eyes.
“What’s going on?” I asked, excited and a little nervous by the crowd.
Cole approached me, and Eric nudged my back. I stepped forward and met my mate in the center of the room.
“Hailey Archer,” Cole said. “With the blessing of our friends, my extended family, and yours…” He dropped to one knee and took my hand. “Will you marry me?”
I couldn’t believe he had done this for me. Mating was his custom, and he knew marriage was mine. He had put a lot of care into this. He’d gotten everyone together in the middle of a work day. How he’d managed it, I had no idea. Our dinner guests from the night before, plus a whole room filled with other people wanting to share this moment with us. I assumed his extended family meant his pack, though I didn’t see Zaria, Garret, or Axel. And what about keeping our relationship private from the eyes of rival wolves? This was as public a proclamation of our relationship as it could get without shouting from the rooftops. But he’d asked me a question I still needed to answer, so I’d have to ask him about all of that other stuff later.
Werewolves & Whiskers: Sawtooth Peaks Wolf Shifter Romance Box Set Page 21