by Starr, Maia
Maric lumbered up the steps, the light from the Silver Inn illuminating his face as he approached. As he drew closer, Addison could make out the short-cropped hair and the scraggly beard and the humongous, rippling muscles. He was shirtless and shoeless, only a size-too-small pair of pants covering his lower half. Addison’s heart raced as Maric climbed closer, a wicked smile curling the edges of his lips. She shrank back as he reached the top of the steps, only a dozen feet separating her from him.
“Lovely night, isn’t it?” Maric said, his gruff voice rumbling with the promise of violence. “The air’s cool, the moon’s just right… and I’m craving the company of a beautiful woman. Would you like to spend the night with me, Addison?”
Doing her best to keep her hands from trembling, Addison smiled at him, pretending she didn’t recognize him. “Sorry, already taken. I’m waiting for someone.”
Maric looked to his left, to his right, up and down, and behind him. When he looked back at Addison, he smiled wide and threw out his arms. “I don’t see anyone else. Looks like it’s just you and me. The man whose life you ruined not so long ago.”
Addison gulped, hoping he wouldn’t get enraged too quickly. She needed to keep him talking to buy enough time for the others to get into position. She cocked her head to the side. “Hmm… that doesn’t ring a bell. I’m not really the life-ruining kind. Maybe you’re mistaking me for someone else.”
He looked her up and down and walked towards her. A chill ran down her spine as he loomed over her, now within grabbing distance. He sniffed her, and then he chuckled. “Maybe, if you stop trying to distract me from whatever’s hiding out there, I won’t torture you for as long as I originally intended.” He lowered his voice. “Or maybe, you’d like me to take my time.”
Forcing herself to stare him in the eyes and not shiver, Addison smiled shakily, hoping everything would be set up soon. This was taking a little too long for her liking, and Maric had gotten much too close for comfort.
Just then, Maric’s head snapped to look at something over her right shoulder, and a fist sailed past her and connected with Maric’s face, pushing him backward. Maric cried out in surprise and reached up to cradle his face as he stumbled toward the steps.
“You won’t ever get the chance to touch her,” Flint’s voice growled from the darkness to her right. Suddenly, he appeared, dressed similarly to Maric, wearing only a pair of pants to cover his body. Relieved, Addison clutched a hand over her heart, smiling and running over to him, allowing Flint to step in front of her. Safely tucked behind him, Addison’s fear began to fade.
Roaring in anger, Maric slammed his fist into the ground. “Where the hell did you come from?” He held his nose with one hand, blood dripping between his fingers.
Flint chuckled darkly. “Where the hell do you think I came from? From over there, you dumb bear.”
Maric’s face churned with frustration, but it steadily twisted into another wicked smile. “I really don’t know what I’m so angry about… so what if you managed to break my nose? It doesn’t matter. Now, instead of just Addison, I’ll have two toys to play with. One bitch and one mutt.”
Tangible tension filled the air, and Addison noticed Flint trying his best to keep his cool. Flint raised his arms to motion all around them. “Who said I came alone?”
On cue, dozens of wolves appear from around the corners of the Silver Inn, from down the hill, and even up on the roof. They surround Maric, baring their fangs and snarling at him, some howling, and others making spine-tingling, wild noises Addison couldn’t even describe. Certainly, the ring of snapping wolves forming would frighten even Maric. If nothing else, the incessant noise would get to him.
But no, Maric eyed the group surrounding him calmly, not flinching or twitching in the slightest. He remained still, glaring daggers at Flint. “So, that’s where that dirty mutt smell was coming from. I just assumed you’d been fucking the girl so hard your scent rubbed off on her.”
Several wolves in the circle snarled at him, stepping closer, and Addison heard a quiet growl from Flint, but he stayed quiet.
“What is all this anyway?” Maric continued. “Are you planning on tearing me limb from limb? I thought your little pack was prouder than that. Who knew your people would stoop so low?” Addison hoped Maric would just give in, but as he turned his gaze on her and pointed a fat finger in her direction, she realized he never would. “I’m taking her, one way to another, so if you don’t want anyone else to die, then now’s the time to give up.”
Stepping forward, Flint growled, giving Maric his answer without saying a word. Addison’s heart pounded. It really would come down to fight, wouldn’t it?
“Fine, then, you stubborn bastard,” Maric said, cracking his neck. “I’ll fight you all. Let’s get it on already!”
The other wolves stepped back to form a small arena as Flint marched forward.
Maric bellowed in laughter as the realization hit him. “Oh, so you think you can take me by yourself? I’ll admit, you put up a good fight last time, but now, I’m ready to crush you under my heel.”
“Do you ever stop talking?” Flint snapped. “Come on, let’s get this over with. You’re barely worth my time.”
Maric twitched, his grin disappearing. “Alright, then. But don’t blame me when I break you in half.”
Addison held her breath, stepping back with the rest. She had faith that Maric would never step outside the circle, that this would be his end. She just prayed he wouldn’t take Flint with him.
* * *
It was time. Flint had already psyched himself up for this fight, but he’d never expected Maric to be this bold, or this stupid. How the hell did Maric think he would survive this fight? Why would he instigate it? Flint couldn’t pretend to know how fools thought, but he knew Maric wouldn’t hold anything back.
The way Maric had pointed at Addison angered Flint and set his inner wolf on a quest for blood. He glanced behind him to make sure Addison was still there, that she was still okay. He saw her watching him, her face twisted with fright. Smiling, her gave her the same thumbs up that Ash had given him, and she smiled, but her eyes widened seconds later as she looked over his shoulder, and she opened her mouth to yell something at him.
Instincts going into overdrive, Flint turned back to Maric who was now within inches of him. Like an idiot, Flint hadn’t expected Maric to begin without shifting first, and Maric’s fist collided with Flint’s stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Gasping, Flint ducked out of the way of a second punch, but as he rolled away, Maric’s foot came up to kick him in the head, causing Flint to spin through the air and land on the hard ground, rolling toward the steps until he stopped himself.
Laughing like the madman he was, Maric doubled over, slapping his knee. Flint cursed under his breath as he rose to his feet. Infuriated, he spat few drops of blood from a cracked lip and shifted forms, bounding back toward Maric.
“Oh? So, he’s done messing around? Maybe I’ll get serious now, too…”
He shifted into his massive grizzly form just as Flint leaped toward him, snarling, and Maric roared back.
The battle became frenzied from there on out as Flint dodged a few swipes from Maric, leaping to and fro and slicing at Maric’s legs with his claws. Maric followed Flint’s every movement, narrowly missing Flint as he ran around. Speed was winning the fight; Flint could just feel it in his bones… that was, until Maric anticipated Flint’s attempt to swipe at his hind legs and swung a massive paw just as Flint launched his attack. The paw collided with Flint as he landed, and he flew back into the side of the Silver Inn, breaking through and crashing onto May’s plush carpet.
Crawling back to his feet, Flint eyed Maric as he lumbered inside. On the outside, he spied his frenzied pack racing around to make sure that if Maric broke through the other wall, wolves would still surround him.
Flint realized that although speed was a great asset, the bear’s pure power was nothing to sneeze at, and Flint had to make sur
e he took the fewest number of hits possible.
Maric gave no care to his surroundings, swiping chairs and tables out of his way as his weight caved in some of the floorboards. If possible, Flint wanted to avoid trashing the Silver Inn, but he didn’t see any immediate solution.
But then it dawned on him: Maric’s heavyset build, the way his steps nearly cracked through the wood… a plan began to form in Flint’s mind. He backed away, leading Maric up the staircase behind them.
Maric roared at Flint and gave chase, the steps buckling underneath him but managing to stay support Maric’s massive size as he barreled straight up. Maric chuffed, his almost-laughter grating on Flint’s ears; he was mocking Flint for running away, for not facing him like a man—or, in this case, like a wolf. Ignoring Maric, Flint climbed higher, finding his way onto the top floor. Choosing the closest room, he broke in the door, relief flooding over him when it appeared vacant; he wanted to avoid accidentally destroying anyone’s personal property.
With Maric hot on his heels, Flint burst through the only window in the room which opened out on the vaulted roof. Flint slipped a few times climbing to the top of the roof, but he managed to steady himself. Below, dozens of wolves looked up in awe, wondering what Flint was doing. Moments later, Maric squeezed through the window, roaring and looking around for Flint. Squeezed was a generous term, really; it was more like he created a huge hole where the window had been, pieces of the destroyed window falling to the ground below.
Unsteady feet kept Maric from moving too quickly, and a few times, he teetered on the edge. Without hesitation, his adrenaline pumping faster than it ever had before, Flint darted down the roof when Maric lumbered underneath him, using his momentum to crash into Maric and send them both plummeting to the ground. Apparently, Maric hadn’t foreseen this turn of events, as he let out a fearful sound as the roof slipped out from under his feet.
Flint, using Maric as a cushion, landed safely and rolled away, ready to get back into the fight when Maric stood. But when he turned, Maric just lay there.
Maric never stood back up, and instead, he simply whimpered on the ground, his body not surviving the impact. Flattened between the earth and Flint, blood pooled beneath him, and the life from Maric’s eyes faded, his heavy breaths giving out.
All was silent at first, with every pair of eyes, including that of Flint and Addison, locked on the dead bear before them. Slowly, Flint rose from his crouched position and padded over, sniffing Maric for any signs of life. He came away only with the smell of blood and gulped as he looked around, panting and staring at his fellow wolves. Every single one shifted back into their human form and cheered, rushing over to Flint. Flint shifted back to his human form as well, a smile adorning his face.
Looking over everyone else, Flint spotted Addison standing just outside the crowd. She stared from Maric to Flint, her eyes wide and tears rolling down her cheeks. Flint shouldered his way toward her, and when he reached her, he picked her up and swung her around. His veins pulsed with lust, and as he set her down, he pressed his lips to hers, the sensation spreading like a shockwave through his body.
It was over. Addison’s stalker was gone for good. Now, Flint would have plenty of time to spend with her.
Feeling a rush of lust take over, he picked her up in his arms and sprinted down the stairs, aiming for his house deep in the forest, Addison shrieking in glee.
Chapter Nineteen
Home Sweet Home
“You’re kidding me!” Lindsay screeched on the other end. “He’s dead? How the hell did that happen?”
Addison gazed out into the forest, pressing her phone to her ear. “Maric Devoy followed me to the island I traveled out to, Lin. He attacked me again… but you know that guy I told you about?”
“Oh, that hot guy… Flint, right?”
“Yep! Him. Flint fought him off the first time.”
“Whoa! Hold on. As in, Maric attacked you twice? Or Flint fought him off twice?”
“Both, Lin.”
Silence on the other end made Addison unsure whether her best friend was even still on the line.
“Lin? Are you there?”
“Of course I’m here! I just can’t get over what’s happening to you. What is this, some sort of fairy tale?”
Addison chuckled. “Oh, calm down.”
“I am most certainly not gonna calm down! First, you meet this Flint guy, tell me all about how hot he is, and then you go off the grid for almost a week, making me worried beyond belief, and then, you call me telling me that not only is your stalker dead, but that this Flint guy actually protected you from him twice? This is a story I’ll tell my children… and grandchildren… and great-grandchildren if I’m lucky enough.”
Bursting out in laughter, Addison doubled over, trying to keep herself under control.
“You laugh now, but one day, you’ll want to tell your kids that story, too.”
“Lin, you need to get a boyfriend before you can have children… it’s strange that I’m somehow ahead on that front. Looks like you’re falling behind.”
She could practically hear Lindsay wrinkle her nose on the other side, her friend sighing at the realization. “You wouldn’t happen to have an extra guy on your little island paradise available, would you?”
Smiling to herself, Addison glanced back toward Flint’s construction crew from her spot just a few dozen feet away, gazing over the various men as they went about their work. It had been a few days already since Maric Devoy had died, and construction on her home was finally moving along. It amazed her at how quick Flint and his men could build. She was still getting to know all of Flint’s crew members, so she wasn’t quite sure about all of their love lives. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one… I’m still meeting everyone on the island. You know, since I’ve been trying to lie low.”
“Uh-huh, trying. I bet there was a lot of trying when you and Flint got down and dirty.”
Addison rolled her eyes.
“I heard that!”
“Lin, you can’t hear someone roll their eyes.”
“Let’s just say I’m special and leave it at that.”
Shaking her head, Addison grinned. “I think you’d fit in well here. There are more than a few spunky people you would love to meet. Maybe one day you can visit me.”
“Or I could just move there.”
“Please, like you’d just up and leave Seattle. You love Seattle!”
“I blame you for putting these thoughts in my head! So, finish your story. What happened to Maric, then? How did he die? I’ve seen a story about the whole ordeal, but I haven’t had the time to sit down and read it.”
“The police shot him,” Addison said, the lie stinging in the back of her throat. “After Flint fought him off a second time, local police arrived to take him into custody. Since Maric wouldn’t give in, they had no choice but to shoot. Apparently, they took his body back to Seattle.”
Lindsay breathed through her nose on the other side. “Well, I’m just glad you’re safe, Addie. Seriously, I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Please don’t get all mopey on me, Lin.”
“Ha! I am a professional, so you won’t hear any crying from me.”
Spying Flint in the distance, Addison let her focus drift. He caught her gaze and flashed her a bright smile, illuminating Addison’s whole world and warming her heart. She waved at him, watching him go back to work and running through a fantasy involving Flint taking her while still in his construction uniform.
“Addie? Hey, Addie!”
Snapping back to reality, Addison glanced away from Flint and sank to the ground, leaning against the trunk of the nearest tree. “Yeah? Sorry, what were you saying? I got a little distracted.”
Lindsay coughed. “I’m sure you did. There are probably plenty of distractions on that island, aren’t there?”
“Are you jealous?”
“You know it! Anyway, I’ll let you go, Addie. Go make out with Flint or s
omething. I need to get back to work.”
“Okay… this time, I swear I’ll call on time. Same time tomorrow, okay?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
With that, Lindsay hung up, the quick beep signaling the end of their conversation. Addison sighed and scratched her head. Lying to her best friend wasn’t easy, but she’d already gone through with it, so she needed to maintain the lie from now on, until either they grew apart as best friends or Lindsay found out the truth about Silverwood Island. Only then could Addison tell her the truth about Maric’s death. The prospect of Lindsay finding out most people on Silverwood Island were shapeshifters terrified her; how would she react?
“Hey, why the long face?”
Flint’s voice startled her, and she looked up to find him leaning over her. She realized as she stared up at him that her expression was nothing less than one of defeat; her conflicting emotions about lying to Lindsay were written all over her face.
“Oh, uh, it’s nothing.”
Flint raised a brow. “Nothing? Are you sure it’s nothing?”
Pushing herself up to her feet, she nodded and then shook her head. “It’s just, now that I’m with you… it’ll be hard to keep lying about what you are to my best friend—and my family.”
Brushing a lock of hair out of her face gently, Flint smiled at her. “It’ll be fine. If she ever finds out, I doubt it’ll be an issue. If she’s anything like you, she will come around sooner or later.”
“That’s the thing,” Addison said. “She kind of joked about moving here, too. But if I know Lindsay, she’s actually planning on coming out, inspired by my decision to stay here.”
“Would that be a bad thing?” Flint asked, running a hand through his wavy hair. “If it makes you happy, I can run to Seattle and convince her to move in tomorrow, maybe set her up in a house right next to yours.”
