The Shifter's Gift

by Haley Weir

  “I like her pep,” laughs Axel. He looks at Mason. “She’s a keeper.”

  Charlotte blushes and Mason puts his hand on her knee under the table. His touch comforts her. Mason’s phone starts to ring.

  “It’s Xander,” announces Mason.

  “No way!” Axel is in awe, like Xander is a celebrity in his eyes.

  “Yes way,” says Mason as he stands up from the table to take the call. Charlotte gets up and follows him.

  “Yeah, yeah. We’re coming back now. We’re about to get back to the chopper...no, there’s not a lot of them...us...left. They were ambushed. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Bye,” Mason hangs up the phone and turns around to see Charlotte waiting for him.

  “We have to go,” Mason tells her.

  “Are you okay, Mason?”

  “Yes. And no. I’ll carry this guilt with me forever.”

  “You don’t have do that,” Charlotte says, gently stroking his face with the palm of her hand. “You don’t have to punish yourself. What happened here is tragic, but you’re putting too much blame on yourself. Who knows what would have happened to you if you stayed?”

  “I’ll never know. Maybe I wouldn’t be here. But I still left. I survived because I left, and you’re never supposed to abandon your family.”

  “Have you ever heard of survivor’s guilt? It happens to a lot of people in a lot of situations, Mason. It’s normal. But you can’t continue to punish yourself. I know it’s hard to accept, but I’m here for you. We can navigate these hard times together. And we can take all this anger and energy and channel it. We can raise hell.”

  “You really do know just what to say,” Mason replies. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life.”

  “That’s the other thing. You know...when I said everything happens for a reason, maybe that reason is us. There’s a reason I left home and took my chances with a job I knew nothing about. Remember that first night we all had dinner together and we talked about fate? I wasn’t sure if there was such a thing. But now, I feel like I have all the proof I need.”

  Mason grabs Charlotte and holds her. She nestles her head in his neck and takes in his aroma. They stand like that for a moment, holding each other tightly.

  They’re interrupted when Axel and Carter both appear outside, each holding a suitcase.

  “Sorry, sorry,” apologizes Axel. “We didn’t mean to break up the love fest.”

  “No, let’s go,” says Mason. “I’ll lead us to the helicopter. Xander needs us.” At the mention of his name, Axel and Carter exchange excited grins.

  “I don’t think I’m ever coming back here,” Carter announces as they walk away from the headquarters.

  “There’s no going back, only going forward,” Mason agrees. He grabs Charlotte’s hand as they lead the two young shifters into the future.

  Chapter 19

  The sun is setting when Mason and Charlotte arrive back at Bolt Castle with their two newest recruits in tow.

  “Xander wants us to go to the Headquarters immediately,” Mason instructs.

  “Wait, we don’t even get to see the castle?!” Carter whines.

  “Not until it’s clear. Our motion detectors picked up on something early today. That’s what Xander called to let me know.”

  “Is it weird how I excited I am to meet him? I mean, he’s like a legend! Is he really one of the most powerful shifters to ever roam the earth?”

  “I...I’m not sure. You’ll have to tell us the stories you’ve heard one of these days. We’ll pick them apart and see what is fact and how much is fiction.”

  “I’m excited to meet him, either way,” says Carter.

  “Woah,” mumbles Axel, smacking Carter in the arm to get his attention. “Look.”

  The men set their eyes on the glorious castle standing proudly before them. “That’s crazy. I can’t believe you live here. Damn, I would’ve abandoned us, too.”

  “Guys...,” Charlotte begins, planning to lightly reprimand them. She looks at Mason, but he’s absent. His mind is elsewhere again. “What’s going on? Did Xander mention how many men he saw?”

  “He thinks maybe 10 or 12. They’ll have weapons. Bears are strong, sure, but guns...”

  “That’s a lot of poachers,” worries Axel. “What are we going to do?”

  “We’re going to think strategically. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to watch our backs and work as a team. We are in this together.”

  “We’re not just going to maul them? I was really hoping to do some mauling today,” Axel pouts. “It’s been a while.”

  “We will take the appropriate action when the time comes,” says Mason. “Let’s not rush into anything.”

  After a short ride back in the helicopter, they arrive at the headquarters. They are shocked to find the place empty.

  “What’s going on?” asks Charlotte.

  “I’m not sure,” says Mason.

  “Are we here? Are they supposed to be here?” rambles Axel.

  “Yeah,” Mason says. “They’re supposed to be.”

  “So…”

  “So, I don’t know what’s going on!” Mason shouts at Axel. Charlotte’s not used to him raising his voice, and she has to admit that it’s pretty hot.

  “We should go to the castle and look for them, right?” asks Charlotte.

  Mason whips out his phone and calls Xander. It rings endlessly. “I can’t get in touch with Xander.”

  “Let’s try someone else. Blake, maybe?”

  Xander dials Blake’s number and hears a buzz from inside one of the bedrooms. Charlotte has a sinking feeling in her stomach, like she won’t be happy with what they find behind the door. When they push the door open carefully, they find the room empty, except for a pile of cell phones.

  “This can’t be good,” remarks Carter.

  “You think?” taunts Axel.

  “We’re going to the castle. Charlotte, stay here. I don’t know what’s going on.”

  “I don’t want to stay here by myself. I feel safer with you.”

  “Charlotte, listen,” Mason begins, cupping her face in his hands. He drops his voice to a low whisper. “I don’t know what we’re going to find there, and I don’t know that I can protect you from whatever it is. I just want you to be safe. I…,”

  Charlotte is certain he’s about to drop the L-word when Carter interrupts. “So, should we go?” he asks eagerly.

  “Yes,” says Mason, breaking his eye contact with Charlotte. There is no time for an intimate moment. He looks at Carter and Axel, giving them an affirming nod. They walk to the front of the Headquarters, and right before Charlotte’s eyes, the three men begin running and shedding their human form. They transform into giant grizzlies.

  “Wow...holy…I’ve never seen anything like this,” she says to herself. She’s fascinated, but now terrified of being left alone. She walks to the front door, pacing back and forth until Mason’s bear makes a U-turn and comes back to her. He lowers himself down, and Charlotte knows what she is meant to do. She mounts him, one leg at a time, and leans forward to hold onto him with all of her strength. He starts to run, and Charlotte feels electrified. She’s flying towards the castle now, with Axel and Carter running on both sides of her. Before getting too close to the castle, Mason lowers down and lets Charlotte get back on her feet. They slowly walk up the path together in silence, three bears and one woman.

  Coming up towards the dock where Mason had her board a yacht and romanced her with an eloquent meal, Charlotte sees something that instills a deep, menacing fear within her. There are about 15 men, dressed in all black, wearing ski masks. They all have weapons, some with rifles and others with machetes. They stand militantly at the edge of the dock. When the bears get close enough, Charlotte notices something even more terrifying. Her friends are being held captive on the boat. First she sees Ellen, Avery, and Mikayla all tied with their backs to each other. When they see Charlotte, they start to scream.

  “Charlotte! Help us!” shriek
s Ellen. “Please.” Avery sobs uncontrollably, while Mikayla sits stoically.

  “Where’s Penelope?” Charlotte asks them. She tries to get closer but a masked man pushes against her. That’s when Charlotte turns around to see that Mason, Carter, and Axel are no longer around. She is alone. She assumes they have to be nearby. Mason wouldn’t leave her to fend for herself, but she starts panicking anyway. Her hands sweat and her breath becomes sharp and fast.

  “Oh, sweet baby Penelope is fine,” a guard says. “For now.” His voice is chilling. “We have the rest of your bear friends, too. Jenna, Blake, Douglas, Ethan, and even Xander. Finally. We have them all.”

  “What did you do?!” Charlotte shrieks. She isn’t sure what Mason, Axel, and Carter are planning. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Axel and Carter charge the line of men. They begin knocking men over the edge of the dock, their weapons sinking into the water as they go.

  “Get them!” demands the man with the chilling voice. Mason, Axel, and Carter take off in different directions. Gunshots fill the air. Charlotte screams. While the masked men are distracted, she runs onto the boat. She finds a machete dropped on the dock during the scuffle, and uses it to slice the rope and set them free.

  “Thank God for you, Charlotte,” says Mikayla. Avery says nothing but runs inside the boat. When she returns, Penelope is in her arms. Avery’s sobbing, but smiling.

  “They took her from me and kept her so close, but so far from my reach. Mind games,” Avery says, wiping tears from her eyes.

  “Where are the others? You guys have to go. Take Penelope and run to the Headquarters. Lock the doors and board the windows. Quick, go! I’ll distract them.”

  “Wait,” Ellen urges. “You have to find them. Chris, especially. He can’t protect himself like the others can.”

  Charlotte exits the boats and starts running towards the castle’s main entrance, unsure of her plan. “Over here!” Charlotte shrieks at the masked men. She knows she’s testing her limits, especially since they are all armed, but she’s acting on pure adrenaline. When it comes to fight or flight, Charlotte chooses to fight every time.

  “You bitch! You let them go! How was no one watching?” yells a man. He starts storming towards Charlotte. He draws his gun, and Charlotte is certain that this is her last moment alive.

  “Where’s your sweet, protective Mason now? He’s who I want. I’d love to turn him into a nice carpet for my living room.”

  “How do you know my name?” she shouts.

  “You don’t recognize my voice?” The man removes his mask to reveal himself. It’s Richard.

  “You have got to be kidding me,” cries Charlotte. “What do you want from me!? Please,” Charlotte pleads. She was certain he was dead, his body at the bottom of Alexander Bay. Yet, here he is, tormenting her and everyone she cares about. Her voice is shaking, but the longer she can keep Richard distracted, the better.

  “Please, don’t hurt me,” Charlotte begs. Richard comes closer to her. He puts his gun back in the holster, but grabs her violently.

  “Get off me!” Charlotte shrieks. Then, out of nowhere, a giant grizzly comes charging at them, knocking them both to the ground. Charlotte takes a look at the bear as she gets back on her feet, expecting to see Mason’s hazel eyes staring back at her. Instead, she sees the eyes of someone else: Axel. Then, a gunshot rings out. The bear lets out an agonizing roar that echoes into the night. Another bear, who Charlotte recognizes as Carter, pounces on Richard and sinks his teeth into his neck. There’s blood everywhere, and Charlotte sobs as she looks at the devastation before her.

  Now, Charlotte finds herself running into the castle. She isn’t sure where to find them in the huge building. She decides to try upstairs. She runs down the hallway, pushing open each door. She checks her room, Penelope’s room, and every room on the floor. Fear courses through her veins knowing her time is limited. The poachers could find her at any moment. Then, she hears a voice in her head. It sounds like Mason, and she could swear he is in the room, talking to her. But no one is there.

  We’re in the dungeon, whispers Mason’s voice. She isn’t sure if this is a hallucination, but she is out of other options. She sprints down staircase after staircase until she reaches the dungeon. When she gets there, she finds all six of her friends in their bear forms. They’re beaten up pretty badly, with scratches and patches of fur missing. She looks at each of them, her heart breaking. She approaches Mason first, and notices the chains. They’re all being held captive.

  “I heard you,” Charlotte whispers to Mason. “I don’t know how, but I heard you.”

  “Charlotte, we don’t have a lot of time,” says Mason. “Just know that you’re my fated mate. I heard somewhere that during times of extreme stress and peril, some bears can communicate with their fated mates like that. I didn’t know I could, I just tried, and...” he’s interrupted by a booming voice

  “Ah, you’ve found us,” seethes a menacing voice. “Just in time.I was about to leave them here and burn this beautiful place down. What a shame to see such beautiful architecture reduced to ash, but it’s for the best. We will finally be rid of you. All of you. For good.”

  “Who are you? What do you want? Why are you doing this?” Charlotte demands.

  “Well, little lady,” replies the man. “I’m Ray Pulaski. Your friends here hurt my brothers pretty badly. And, being that brotherhood is so important to you all, I’m sure they can understand why I have to do this. The world isn’t meant for creatures like you.”

  “You can’t do this!” Charlotte yells.

  “Looks like I’m doing it,” Ray says, taking a giant knife from a holster.

  “I could use some new rugs. I think my brothers would like...” he points his knife at each of the bears as he decides who his first victim will be.

  Then, suddenly, he’s knocked out from behind and falls forward on his face. Chris stands there, a plank of wood in his hands.

  “Chris!” Charlotte shrieks. “You’re okay.”

  “I’m okay. I’m really good at hiding. I don’t know if I just killed this guy or not, but we need to get everyone out of here. We don’t have long. Quick, help me get them out of these shackles.” Chris and Charlotte work quickly to free the bears. As each one is freed, they charge upstairs. “They must have a plan,” says Chris. “They always have a plan.”

  Charlotte frees Mason last.

  Thank you, she hears his voice in her head again. Chris and Charlotte arrive upstairs to find the bears barricading the entrance to the castle.

  Before she knows it, a fleet of masked men are charging at the bears with their weapons drawn. The bears are quick, though, and manage to dodge the attacks. Some of the men are soaking wet, which means they managed to get themselves out of the water. All the poachers and bears are now inside the castle. Mason leads them further down the hallway, and Charlotte notices the other bears make an escape, running as fast as possible out of the castle back towards the dock.

  Go, Mason’s voice tells her. I’ll be okay. This is the plan. Charlotte runs out of the castle and Chris follows her. As soon as they’re out, the heavy iron castle gates close the entrance. No one can get in, and no one can get out.

  “Charlotte, this is what Xander told me to do,” explains Chris as they run from the castle. “I’m sure Mason will be okay. Just trust him. He can handle himself.”

  Then, Chris takes a strange device out of his pocket. “Are you ready?” he asks her.

  “Ready for what?”

  Chris flips a switch, and right before her eyes, the castle explodes. The noise is deafening, and the sky lights up with an orange glow. A black cloud of smoke fills the air while fire rains down. Just like that, Bolt Castle crumbles in on itself, destroying everything and everyone within its walls.

  Chapter 20

  Mason and Charlotte sit close to each other. Around them at the table are Blake, Avery, Mikayla, Ethan, Ellen, Douglas, Xander, Jenna, Chris, and Carter. Baby Penelope sits in Avery’s lap.
r />   “I still can’t believe we pulled that off,” sighs Chris. “Holy crap. Like, did you see that explosion?”

  “I still can’t believe Xander had a bomb in the castle,” replies Jenna.

  “It was there for years, believe it or not,” Xander says. “I like to be prepared for anything.”

  “I hate to see the place go,” notes Mikayla. “But, I do not hate to see all of those nasty poachers go down with it.”

  It’s been a month since Bolt Castle was destroyed, since they all moved into the Headquarters. A whole month since Axel put his life on the line for Charlotte, leaving behind his closest friend, Carter.

  “Carter,” begins Charlotte. “I want you to know that Axel died a hero. Without him, I don’t know if any of us would’ve made it. If I couldn’t go in the castle, if I couldn’t...”

  “It’s okay,” Carter says. “I’m okay. I miss him every day, but I know he’s happy, wherever he is. I know if he had to do it all over again, he would. Every time. For you. For Mason. For all of you.”

  Charlotte smiles at Carter. “Thank you.”

  It’s gonna be okay, says Mason’s voice in her head. She turns to him and laughs.

  “You know, we don’t have to talk like that when you’re sitting next to me,” she tells him.

  “I still don’t get why Mason can communicate with Charlotte like that, and the rest of you can’t,” Mikayla whines.

  “As much as Mason is one of us, he also isn’t. He comes from a different pack. Powers vary,” Xander explains.

  “Well, Mason and I share blood, so why can’t I do it?” wonders Jenna aloud.

  “Maybe you just haven’t figured out how, yet,” reasons Mason. “Hey, Charlotte, can you help me with something in the kitchen? I want to make sure the salmon is perfect before we serve our guests.”

  Charlotte follows Mason to the kitchen. He picks her up and sits her on the counter,

  pressing his mouth and his whole body into hers.

  “I love you so goddamn much,” whispers Mason.