Their Mate

by Charlie Hart

  What was I expecting? I don’t know, maybe a bunch of men with mullets, ripping off flannel shirts and howling at the full moon. I know, not very original, but my experience with anything otherworldly is incredibly limited.

  “Hey, Cal,” a man calls, lifting a hand in greeting. Cal nods back. River and East are at our sides. East takes hold of my other hand, and if they were attempting to make a statement, they clearly are.

  I feel women turning their heads, eyes locked on our held hands, and I tense, knowing they are making judgment calls as I pass them and walk into the meeting hall. Everyone from outside begins to enter the hall as well, the meeting about to begin. Benches are set up in rows, and several people have already taken seats. Up front, there is a man in a leather jacket, tight jeans, and motorcycle boots commands the room. “Sit, everyone, find a seat,” he calls, and everyone listens, taking his orders. He doesn’t see us enter since we moved with the pack inside.

  My men lead me to a seat in the row furthest back, and I relax a little, knowing that people are looking forward, not behind. “You okay?” East asks, squeezing my hand.

  I raise an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Because when the general assembly shares announcements, Cal plans on marching you up front and presenting you as ours.”

  “Good,” I say feigning indifference. It still seems impossible—that Cal and East and River want their pack to know they have claimed me. Part of me is trying to push the thought out of my mind because every time I latch on to something good, it is taken from me.

  What if I express to Cal and River and East that I am not only theirs, but they are mine? What if I say that and then everything is ruined? Just. Like. Always.

  I’m protecting my heart… not believing anything so good is truly within my grasp.

  “It’s okay to be nervous, Rem,” East whispers. “Malik is intimidating.”

  My eyes follow his and land on the leader. Malik is telling everyone gathered about a new patrolling protocol, hands rise as he fields questions about the territory and their partnership with the local police department.

  “There was a recent death on the outskirts of our territory,” Malik explains. “A man was killed; his neck was broken. He had placed a call to 9-1-1, reporting an intruder, and when the police arrived, he was dead.”

  My back goes rigid, I clench my teeth. Ray.

  “Was anyone with him?” a man in the crowd asks. “Do they have a suspect?”

  “The woman living with the victim says a woman broke in, demanding money, and the intruder fought him, and ultimately killed him.”

  Another hand is raised. “So, a killer is on the loose?”

  Maxon nods. “Yes, the police force is on high alert, and they have met with me, to explain the situation since we take tourists out in the woods, where a killer may be hiding.”

  The room roars to life, everyone talking amongst themselves. Beside me, River shakes his head. “That’s why Rem can’t go out alone.”

  “Agreed,” East says, running a hand over my back.

  “Another item on the agenda is the situation regarding the grizzly,” Malik tells the room once it has quieted down.

  My ears perk up at the mention of the bear. Sitting up straight, I hone in on Malik’s words.

  “While I haven’t seen the grizzly myself, she has been spotted by dozens of pack members. Surprisingly she has not posed a threat to a single person, in human form, or in wolf form. In fact, she was seen this morning helping Lucas Grant’s youngest boy from a tree where he had gotten stuck. And last week she let Mark Day’s daughter, Lilia, ride on her back, of all things.”

  The room is abuzz, and I turn to the men, frowning. “What the hell?” I whisper to Cal. “Who would let their kid get on the back of a bear?”

  “In full disclosure,” a man says, standing. “We did not condone Lilia to get on a bear’s back! She was outside, and we saw her from the window. It was a shock to us, to say the least.”

  Malik waves his hand, quieting the room. “If there are further reports of this bear, or any bear in our territory, please notify a patrolman immediately so we can take control of the situation. But in the meantime, as far as we know, there is no reason to be alarmed.”

  My throat is dry—the bear has come after me three times. Never in a gentle way.

  I can’t not say something—I need to warn them.

  Standing, I push my hand in the air. Callum tugs on my other hand, urging me to sit, but I can’t just stand by, hearing about children playing with bears.

  Clearing my voice, I say, “Excuse me. I have a report to make about the bear.”

  Chapter 18

  Remedy

  Malik narrows his eyes and everyone in the room turns to look at me. I feel my face grow hot, but I can’t be shy now. Now is the time to speak up, use my voice for good.

  “And who might you be?” the pack leader asks, drawing closer to me.

  My ring finger seems to burn suddenly. I’m sweating and anxious, meeting the pack leader is intimidating. “I’m, um, I’m Remedy.”

  “And who brought you here?” he asks, stepping closer.

  I look over at my men. The men who have claimed me as their mate, who took me into their fold. “Callum and River and East.”

  My men choose this moment to stand, and I’m grateful. The calculating look of Malik is nearly too much to bear.

  Malik nears me, his eyes gritty and demanding—nothing like the eyes of the wolves I have run through the woods with. Those wolves had eyes that penetrated my very soul.

  “You three,” Malik says with a rumble. “Have you forgotten where we stand?”

  “We’re still members of this pack, you can’t deny us that,” Cal says. “And we told you we want to return to the old ways.”

  The room fills with chatter and I feel my heartbeat quicken.

  “And have you? Returned to the old ways?” Malik asks, condescension dripping from his voice.

  I raise my eyebrows. “I didn’t stand up to get approval of our relationship,” I say, crossing my arms, emboldened. “I stood up to tell you, you’re wrong about the bear.”

  “Oh?” Malik gets even closer now, his eyes trained on me. It’s like he has picked up on my scent and won't let me go. “What do you know of the bear?”

  “She has tried to attack me three times.”

  The room is in an uproar now. “And why should we believe you? Aren’t you just a common whore, sharing three men? We despise your kind.”

  “My kind?” I scoff. “You know nothing about me.”

  “I know enough,” Malik glares.

  Callum, River, and East push forward, fists raised, chests out. Ready to fight. “Don’t speak about our woman that way,” East says, his broad shoulders intimidating.

  “Or what? You’ll take me down?”

  “Why do you hate us so damn much?” River asks, his voice so somber that everyone is forced to take notice of him. He doesn’t rage with his emotions—yet they pierce all the same.

  Malik sneers. “I’ve seen how the old ways can destroy a family. I don’t want that for my pack.”

  “You can’t dictate who we love,” Callum says.

  “Love?” Malik asks. “You think this is love? Showing up at my meeting to parade your new plaything around? You know nothing of love.”

  “And neither do you,” River says. “You are alone in a pack that is meant to mate.”

  The words must slice straight to Malik’s heart because before our eyes he shifts, moving from man to beast. His wolf form is massive, daunting and huge. His face is filled with fury and his dark brown fur radiates power. Benches are upturned, and children taking cover from their mothers as all the men around us turn to animals—my men included.

  My body burns with anger— when I stood, I was just trying to help. I was trying to protect the children of this pack. Malik has no idea what he is up against. My mates would die for me.

  Cal, River, and East aren’t shy a
bout taking out their rage. They roll with wolves, teeth bared and howls fill the hall. I don’t even know who is on whose side.

  From the corner of my eye, through the window, I see the bear. Why the hell would she return now, of all times?

  Malik leaps in the air toward Cal and he bares his teeth at my mate. That, more than anything else in the moment, infuriates me.

  “Stop,” I yell. “Listen to me.” I can see it in Malik’s eyes, he’s intent to kill.

  Oh, hell no. I’m not going to stand by and watch this pack leader kill one of my mates.

  But the fighting just continues. I want this wolf leader to just stop fighting Cal and focus on the bear in the woods. The bear is the real threat—not my mates.

  I clench my fists, stomping my feet, desperate for someone to see the grizzly. But instead of getting their attention, I create another earthquake. This time though, it isn’t contained to shaking the earth.

  This time the earth splits in two, the building begins to crash around us. No one waits to see what will happen next, everyone seems to sense they are in peril. Women shriek, pulling their children from the hall, toward the forest. I watch families shifting before my eyes, wolves barreling from the building, running as the hall collapses around us.

  Callum, River, and East call toward me, begging me to return to them. But right now, my focus is on one thing, and one thing alone—cornering the bear and figuring out what the actual fuck is going on.

  The bear watches, and I shift, running after her as a wolf, in a form I’m still growing accustomed to. She caused this, and she will pay.

  Before I leave the fiery meeting hall, I look back and my eyes meet Malik’s. If looks could kill, I’d be a goner. He growls at me and I growl right back. No one is keeping me from the battle outside.

  I leap toward her in the forest, my paws seeming to light a fire to the forest floor with each leap I take.

  I am not backing down, not now. I need to understand why this bear is so intent on hurting me.

  Flames flicker around us, the trees aglow and anger pulsing from my fur. Every muscle in my body is on high alert.

  When I finally pin her to a stone cave wall, I look up at her, unafraid of this bear. In this moment, I am unafraid of anything.

  I shift to human form, wanting to speak my truth—not growl or hiss— I need to ask this bear what she is doing, and why.

  “Why are you following me?” I ask, my hands raised, ready to strike.

  To my amazement, the bear doesn’t growl or lash out—instead, she bows her head and looks down at me, tears in her eyes.

  What I see can’t be real …

  “What are you?” I ask, stepping closer to her. My hands shake, my body trembling. Moments ago, I was sure I’d never be scared again and now I feel like this bear sees me exactly as I am. I have the urge to press my hand to her form wanting to feel her but knowing, logically the insanity of this.

  But what about the past week hasn’t been insane? Killing Ray and being saved by virgin wolves? From where I’m standing, coming face-to-face with a bear doesn’t seem insane. It seems like the most natural thing in the world.

  Either I’m losing my mind, or I am finally finding it.

  I am part wolf, part mother, part woman, part… Well, I suppose I am part daughter too. But what is a daughter when you’ve never had parents?

  “What?” I ask her, trying to see what she sees, understand what she seems to intrinsically get.

  Me.

  “What am I?” I ask, realizing my question has suddenly changed.

  Her paw reaches toward me, and I stiffen, wanting to memorize this moment for what it is. She presses her paw to my heart, it takes up the entirety of my chest, and she seems to transmit words to my mind, the same way the wolves and I speak.

  Darling Remedy, you still don’t know what you are?

  I shake my head, tears filling my eyes, her presence overwhelming me.

  It is simple. You are enough.

  The tears fall down my cheeks, my breath shaky as the sobs escape me.

  I’m lost in the woods, have set a forest to burn and the ground to shake. I killed a man and never had a family. I’m a runaway and vagabond and ruined every good thing I’ve ever had. I’m a thief and a cheat and a liar and yet here I am, still standing.

  This bear says I am enough and all I want in the word is to believe her.

  I want this child within me to know its mother is more than the sum of her past. I want this child to know I am stronger for it.

  Why am I here?

  The bear smiles serenely as if it knows everything, past and present. And in this moment, I believe that she does.

  Because, Remedy, this is your home. But you have three sisters you must find.

  And that is when my wolves appear.

  Intent to rescue me. But before I can stop them, they leap toward the bear, coming at her from the side.

  Taking her down.

  Chapter 19

  River

  Remedy’s scream shakes me from my objective.

  “She’s not hurting me!”

  I roll from the bear’s back, shifting to human form to speak to Remedy.

  The bear is soaked in blood, wounded, and whimpering. Rem moves toward her, but I pull her back.

  “You can’t get hurt Rem,” I warn.

  “Let her go,” Rem says with tears on her face.

  Cal and East shift to human form as they realize that Rem is upset—not at the bear, but at us.

  The bear, free from their attack, runs from us, toward the woods, away from the fire growing around us.

  “She’s hurt,” Rem screams, falling to the forest floor. “You hurt her,” she shrieks, turning her focus on us.

  “We were trying to protect you,” I say, kneeling next to her.

  “But she was my protector… my guide.”

  “She attacked you three times, Rem. She’s not guiding you anywhere but harm’s way,” Cal insists.

  “No.” Rem shakes her head, her long red hair a tangled mess, mascara streaking her cheeks, her clothes dirty and ragged. “I think I had it all wrong. Had her wrong. I think she came for me, to help me. But I.…” Rem presses her hands to her face, crying.

  I pull her into my arms, wanting to be the safe place for her to let down her guard.

  “I think I was the one who lashed out at her, pushed her away like I do with everyone. With everything. Fight or flight, right? But what if I’d just listened to her that first night? Tried to understand?”

  “Then you wouldn’t have needed us,” I say, softly.

  She looks up into my eyes. “I do need you,” she says. “I need you because you are my mates.”

  “You truly believe that?”

  She bites her bottom lip, and then exhales as Cal and East step closer. “I know it with all that I am. I don’t know why it took me twenty-one years to find out who I am, or where I belong— but now I know.”

  “And you belong here, with us?” I ask, pushing her wild hair from her eyes my forehead pressed against hers. Callum and East kneel beside us, the moment somehow holy and broken and perfect, all at once.

  “I am here,” Remedy whispers. “Because this is my home. You three, are my home.”

  I kiss her then, my mouth on hers, my need for her deeper than desire. Our eyes close, and my hands hold her neck, wanting to take care of this fragile beast. Her wounded heart is finally beginning to mend. “We love you, Remedy.”

  “And I you,” she whispers reaching for Callum’s hand and East’s hand, holding this moment for what it is. Ours.

  The flames are thick around us and we need to move, now.

  We stand, understanding the urgency. “I don’t know how to stop it,” she says.

  “It’s okay,” East tells her. “The water is only a few miles west, let’s run there. The pack has emergency fire trucks and the fire itself is contained. And look,” I add, looking above. Thick gray clouds are overhead, and rain is already beginnin
g to fall. “The storm will help with the fire.”

  “Should we stay and help?” she asks.

  I clench my jaw, knowing what the pack would think of our help now. “No, Rem, we need to get as far away as possible.”

  As wolves, we run to the water, stopping for nothing, our singular goal getting as far from the fire as possible. I love Remedy, but I don’t think she understands how cruel Malik can be. We get to the water’s edge, the wind and rain is whipping at us. Nearing the shore, a small boat appears. It has three passengers and we run back to the tree line to shift so they don’t see us.

  “How far are we from the cabin?” Rem asks, wrapping her arms around herself, shivering. We stand under the shelter of a large cedar tree, looking out toward the water. Farther out we see a large sailboat, and it must be the boat of the people nearing the shore now in the dinghy.

  “Not far. Under a mile. But I don’t know how I feel about taking you back there, ” I say.

  “Why?” she asks.

  Cal, East and I share a look. We’re all on the same page. “Because Malik isn’t going to drop things now that we started a fire.”

  Remedy purses her lips. “And by we, you mean me?”

  “It’s irrelevant. We’re one, aren’t we?” East asks.

  A small smile plays on Rem’s lip, a miracle considering the day we’ve had.

  “Did you see that?” Rem asks, pointing to the water.

  “What?” Cal asks.

  “The fish … or ... what was that?”

  “I didn’t see anything,” East says.

  But I narrow my focus, wanting to see things from Rem’s viewpoint. “Right there,” she says, pointing. “I swear it’s a––”

  By now we’re all looking, and Rem stops speaking—we all do because what we witness is unreal. A large fishtail emerges from the surface, splashing water at the men in the boat, and they laugh in response. Then a woman rises from the water, bare breasts, and pink hair, and she lifts her arms gracefully over the water’s surface, her voice singing a wordless melody that transfixes all of us. She calms the sea with her voice, the lapping waves momentarily stilled. The sky above—the one that only moments ago was filled with storm clouds––is now blue.