“You don’t think I’m strong enough.” Nina tilted her chin upward. “I am. For Evan, I’d do anything.”
“There are no guarantees,” Mac said gently as he moved away from the door where he’d been watching the two sisters. “There’s also a chance…”
“That all we might find is a dead body.” Nina nodded, her eyes bright with tears. “There’s also a chance he might sense me. He might sense his mate and it might bring him back. Bring him back to us.”
“Could that work?” Saffron looked over her shoulder at Mac.
“It’s possible. The pull of a mate is strong, it’s unique. If Evan has lost his memory, it might be enough to wake him up.” Mac didn’t sound convinced but if it was a possibility, they had to try.
“Okay. But we go back home and grab some warm clothes.” Saffron stood up. “And I still don’t like it. But that’s me trying to protect you.”
“I know.” Nina got up from the desk and flung her arms around Saffron’s shoulders. “Thank you.” She held out her hand to Mac and beckoned him over. “And thank you.”
Mac slipped his arms around the two women and hugged them tightly. “It’s not me you need to thank, it’s the dragon shifter whose back we get to ride on.”
“Why don’t I round the boys up and you can get going?” Mac asked. “We should leave as soon as it’s dark enough for Kelos to fly.”
“Are you sure it’s okay with him?” Nina asked. “If this is too dangerous…”
“Kelos has been flying around for centuries, I’m sure he knows how to take care of himself,” Mac assured her. “But I’ll pass on your concerns.”
With that, Mac kissed Saffron on the cheek before he slipped out of the office, leaving the two sisters alone.
“Are you sure you are strong enough?” Saffron asked.
“No,” Nina admitted. “I’m just sure this is something I have to do. I need to know the truth. Good or bad.”
“There is no guarantee we’ll find any answers.” Saffron moved away from Nina and picked the two coffee cups up from the desk. “You need to be prepared for that.”
“I’ll be okay.” Nina accepted her coffee cup. “Thanks.”
“Are you going to tell the boys?” Saffron asked.
“No.” Nina shook her head firmly. “Firstly, because I don’t want to get their hopes up and secondly, because there is no way I will be able to stop them from wanting to go for a ride on the back of a dragon.”
Saffron chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right.” She drank her coffee and moved to the office door to watch for Mac.
“I’m grateful…for what you were trying to do,” Nina said. “Taking my phone. It was to get the coordinates I showed you?”
“Yeah. We figured we could fly straight there and check out the area.” Saffron looked over her shoulder. “I hated deceiving you, but I couldn’t have just asked.”
“I forgive you.” Nina pushed herself out of her chair and walked toward Saffron. “I wish it would just be over.”
Saffron slipped her arm around her sister’s shoulder. “I wish we could find Evan and put your family back together.” She bit the inside of her cheek as she fought back tears. “I used to dream that one day that would be me. That I would meet the right man, a man who loved me more than life itself and I’d raise a couple of kids.”
“You’ve met the right man,” Nina reminded her.
“Yeah, and I know he’d love a couple of kids, but I don’t know if I’m too old.” She smiled sadly.
“There’s always adoption.” Nina leaned on Saffron. “You would make a great mom. Wes and Jonas love you.”
“And I love them. They’re great kids. And I can’t wait to see the young men they grow into.” She chuckled. “I also can’t wait to see them when they shift. That would be the most awesome thing, don’t you think?”
“Yeah.” Nina straightened up. “Speaking of the two little devils, here they come.”
The two boys were running toward the office with Mac close behind them with a big grin on his face. A smile played across Saffron’s lips as the three of them approached. One day that might be Mac with his own children. Whether biological or adopted, they would be loved just the same.
“Bear shifters sure do have big hearts.” Saffron opened the office door and they went out to meet the three shifters. “We need to go back home and get a change of clothes. Your mom and I are going out tonight. Will you be okay staying here?”
“If that’s all right with your family, Mac?” Nina asked. Of course, they had taken it for granted that it would be okay.
“I mentioned it to Hex when I went to collect the boys and he said it was fine.” He glanced at Saffron. “Do you want me to drive you home to get your stuff?”
“No, you have work to do.” She glanced guiltily at the office. “Are you sure you don’t mind us going now?”
“No, go. One of the perks of dating the boss is that he’s allowed to give you time off.” Mac ushered the boys in the direction of Saffron’s car and she went back into the office and grabbed her purse and car keys.
“You’re absolutely sure?” Saffron murmured to Nina as they headed after Mac and the boys.
“Yes. So stop asking.” Nina arched an eyebrow at her sister. “Nothing is going to make me change my mind about this. I’m going.” She drew in a deep breath. “Whether this works or not, I’ve decided that I need to let go and move on.”
“I’m here for you.” Saffron wished there was more she could do for Nina. If it were possible, she would give her strength to her sister. All she wanted was for Nina to be whole again. To be the vibrant young woman she once was before the nightmare of losing Evan began.
“You always were.” Nina reached for Saffron’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze before they got to the car. “Okay, let’s go. No arguments on the way. Remember you need to pack enough stuff for a couple of nights. Maybe grab some books or a video game so you can keep yourself occupied.”
“See you later.” Saffron kissed Mac on the cheek and then got in the car and drove away from her mate.
When they returned, they were going to ride through the night on the back of a real live dragon.
Never a dull moment in Bear Creek.
Chapter Twenty-One – Saffron
“Okay, let’s get some coffee on,” Saffron said as she unlocked the door and went inside their rented house. “Boys, we will be leaving in exactly one hour.”
“I’ll be ready in ten minutes,” Jonas replied as he dashed for the stairs. “I can’t wait to get back to the sawmill.”
Nina grinned at Saffron. “I think my boys would happily let you adopt them.”
“Ah, I would but I know you would never let them go.” Saffron quickly made a fresh pot of coffee and then pulled out her phone to check the weather forecast for later. She wanted Nina to be wrapped up warm and they also needed to take waterproof clothing. “Oh, we have a message.”
She pressed play. “Hello, Saffron. You handed your resume in to me yesterday, I’m Elaine Towers, I own Bear Creek Deli. If you want to give me a call, I might have a job for you.”
“I’ll give her a call and let her know that I’ve already got a job,” Saffron said but before she could dial out, Nina stopped her. “Leave it for now.”
“Why? Do you think Mac is going to fire me?” Saffron asked.
“No, but depending on how today goes…” She hugged herself and glanced toward the stairs. “Depending on how today goes I might be interested in a job.”
“Nina, I can support us,” Saffron insisted. “I know things are a little tight, but we’ll be okay. And if Mac still wants us to all move in with him and Sue then I won’t even have rent to pay.”
“I’d like to work,” Nina said firmly. “I’m tired of being…” She held out her hands. “Like this.”
“Okay.” Saffron tapped her phone screen and put it back in her pocket. “Let’s get through today and then decide what to do.”
“Thanks, Saff.”
Nina hugged her. “I need some coffee and then we can figure out what we’re going to wear.”
“Layers,” Saffron said as she sat down at the table while Nina poured the coffee. Her sister seemed to have found renewed energy since she’d discovered their plans to go search for Evan. “Plenty of layers.”
“And a hat and scarf. Plus, some warm gloves.” Nina mentally ticked off a list in her head as she poured the coffee and Saffron watched with a sense of hope. Could this be a turning point for Nina? Whether they found Evan or not, Nina had found a way to push through whatever had been holding her down. If she could do it once, she could do it again. Her actions now must prove her mental anguish had affected her physical wellbeing.
Although, mental health might be harder to treat than an illness that could be diagnosed and treated by a physical exam.
“I’m going to take a football with me. It’s in the shed.” Wes ran into the kitchen and skidded across the floor and headed for the back door.
“Okay. Be careful,” Nina warned. “We put a lot of junk in that shed, didn’t we?”
Saffron laughed. “We did. At least it’ll give him something to do while we get ready. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the boys move so fast.”
“A little motivation does wonders,” Saffron leaned back in her chair and studied her sister. “I’m proud of you.”
“Proud of me?” Nina asked. “Why? I’m the one who fell apart and you are the one who kept it together.”
“You kept it together just fine.” Saffron smiled sadly as she recalled her sister in the first few days after she received the news about Evan. “I’m proud of you for taking the chance and coming here. It’s not easy starting again.”
“Well, you know it was because I thought Evan might come back here.” Nina cast a glance toward the window and the view of the mountain beyond. “If we don’t find him, I might put an ad in the local paper. You know, asking if anyone has any information.”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Saffron sat up as someone knocked on the door. “Not sure who that would be.”
“Perhaps it’s the lady from the deli. She might have hunted you down because she wants to give you that job so badly,” Nina joked as Saffron got up from the table and went to the door.
“My CV is not that good. Particularly since I had to leave off my last employer.” Saffron opened the door. “Mom.”
Nina’s chair scraped across the kitchen floor as she quickly got to her feet and came to the door. “Mom?” Standing behind Saffron, Nina suddenly looked pale and frail once more.
Saffron slipped her arm around her sister’s shoulders as they faced the woman who had never been a good mother to them, who had knocked them down at every chance and who had threatened to take Wes and Jonas away. “What are you doing here?”
“And how did you find us?” Nina asked, putting as much force into her voice as she could summon.
“Jonas told me you were in Bear Creek. It didn’t take much digging around to find out where.” Deirdre Whitehouse, with her perfectly styled hair and her immaculate nails, stood on the doorstep looking as domineering as ever.
“Well, you wasted a trip coming to see us,” Nina said.
“I have come to check on the welfare of my grandsons,” Deirdre said firmly, taking a step forward and expecting Saffron and Nina to move out of her way just as everyone else usually did. Deirdre was a woman used to getting her own way in and out of the boardroom.
“Mom, please,” Saffron began. “We’ve come here to make a new life. The boys are happy, and we are happy.”
“Happy.” Deirdre looked up at the front of the house. “Living in a place like this?”
“Yes. Living in a place like this,” Saffron replied.
“The boys deserve better,” Deirdre insisted.
“They deserve love and understanding, something you are severely lacking,” Nina hissed.
“Do you want to stand and argue on the street like this?” Deirdre asked, looking around as if they were being watched.
“There is no one there,” Saffron pointed out, but she relaxed a little and glanced at Nina. “You’d better come in so we can straighten this out once and for all.”
“Saff,” Nina implored.
“It’s okay. Mom is going to listen and then she is going to leave. Unless she decides she wants to be part of our lives on our terms.” Saffron went to the kitchen and pulled a cup out of the cupboard. She filled it with coffee and added two spoonfuls of sugar before refilling her cup and Nina’s. “Sit down, Mom.”
Saffron placed the cup down on the table and watched as Nina carefully sat down next to her. Her face was pale, and the fight seemed to have gone out of her. But if Nina wasn’t strong enough to take their mom on then Saffron would fight for all of them.
“I’m concerned about the boys,” Deirdre began.
“They are fine,” Nina ground out.
“Jonas tells me you came here because you believe that Evan will return to his childhood home,” Deirdre stared at Nina, her eyes boring into her.
Saffron glanced sideways at Nina. That was not a conversation they had ever had in front of the boys. Jonas must have overheard them talking. They had both underestimated his fledgling shifter senses.
“This is where he grew up,” Nina acknowledged as she kept her voice calm. “If he knocked his head and couldn’t remember anything then he might come back here.”
The statement sounded so lame when Nina said it out loud and Deirdre seized on it, ready to pummel the idea until there was no life left in it. Their opponent was formidable but Saffron and Nina would not let her walk all over them.
“So, you think he’d come here rather than going back to the home where his wife and children should be waiting for him?” Deirdre asked, her eyebrow arched as she tried to make her daughter feel small.
“Possibly,” Nina answered.
“We also thought it was a good place for the boys to grow up. We figured they would feel closer to Evan here in Bear Creek,” Saffron added as she tried to deflect her mom’s attention away from Nina.
“Oh, Saffron. Why do you think you have any idea what children might need?” Deirdre asked. “You are not a mother.”
“No, but I do know Wes and Jonas and I know what’s good for them,” Saffron replied firmly.
“I don’t think so.” Deirdre shook her head, her expression filled with pity. “I think that I am the only one who knows what is best in this situation. Especially since Nina is not in her right mind.” Her pity deepened. “After all, the loss of a husband is so tragic.”
“Mom,” Nina warned. “Don’t do this.”
“Don’t do what? Tell the truth?” Deirdre asked.
“Twist things,” Nina answered. “That’s what you’re good at. That’s all you are ever good at.”
Deirdre’s expression slipped and for a split second, she looked old and vulnerable. They were looking at a woman who had lost her family and it was all her fault and she knew it. Yet Deirdre was too proud or too self-righteous to realize it.
“Mom,” Saffron said gently. “We are fine here. We’re happy and the boys are happy. If you want, we can call them, and they can tell you themselves.”
Deirdre’s cheeks flushed pink. “That’s because you have fed them this ridiculous notion that they will become bears when they reach puberty.” She raked her hand through her hair, looking rattled. “I wasn’t going to raise this. It’s too absurd, but you leave me no choice.”
“It’s true,” Nina whispered.
“When I told them it was garbage, they said that Evan was one of these bear shifters, too.” Deirdre looked at Saffron before her eyes rested on Nina. “I don’t know why you would tell them that. But it just proves that you are not fit to be their parent. You need help, Nina.”
“It’s true.” Wes stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. “Dad was a shifter and so are we. Me and Jonas.”
“Wes.” Deirdre got up from the chair and crossed the kitc
hen, her expression softening as she reached her grandson. “It’s not true. You are just a boy. You don’t have superpowers; your mom is confused.”
“No, she’s not,” Wes said. “And you can’t make us leave here, we want to stay in Bear Creek and live with Mac at the sawmill where we can learn to be shifters, something Dad would have taught us if he was here.”
“Mac?” Deirdre turned around, her hands on her hips as she faced her daughters. “Who is Mac?”
“He owns the local sawmill,” Saffron explained. “I work for him.”
“And Aunt Saff is also his mate just like Mom is Dad’s mate,” Wes said hotly. “Just because you don’t understand that doesn’t make it not true.”
“Wes, sweetheart, you lost your dad and you’re confused. Just like your mom is confused. Why don’t you come home with me?” Deirdre asked. “We can forget all about these fairy tales your mom has been telling you.”
Wes shook his head. “I don’t want to go. This is our home and you shouldn’t talk to Mom and Aunt Saff like that. It’s rude.”
“I’m just telling you the truth,” Deirdre told him gently. “This talk of bears and shifters, it’s nonsense.”
“What’s going on?” Jonas asked as he came into the kitchen with a backpack slung over his shoulder. His face paled when he saw his grandmother. “Mom?”
“It’s okay, Jonas.” Nina held out her arms and Jonas went to her. “Your grandmother is just leaving.”
“No, I’m not.” Deirdre pulled her phone from her pocket. “I thought I’d try reasoning with you, but you have left me no choice. I’m going to instruct my lawyers to ask the courts for temporary custody of the boys.”
“No!” Wes’s voice shook and the air around him shimmered.
Nina and Saffron rose from their chairs at the same time. However, neither of them was fast enough to stop Wes as he shifted for the first time.
“Wow!” Jonas breathed as a small black bear stood in the very spot Wes had been only seconds before. “He did it.”
“Wes. Wes, honey, just stay calm.” Nina went to her son, her hands outstretched as she tried to calm the situation. “Wes, listen to my voice…”
Mac (Winter - Shifter Seasons Book 3) Page 16
