Shifters in Seattle: Box Set Books 1 - 5

by Thorne, Truli

  "But you can’t take him there when he’s a bear, right?" Cleo asks.

  "There’s no way we can communicate with him until he shifts back to human," Rex says. "Unless I shift and as a doctor, I don't do that."

  Rex is a bear shifter too? Frankie tries not to stare.

  "We need to find him," Steph says quietly. "And then we’ll figure out how to get him to Seattle."

  "But he’s supposed to be at a screening tonight. It’s his film and it’s important to him. He’s doing a Q-and-A, right, Cleo? You can’t do a Q-and-A without the star, right?" Frankie realizes she’s babbling, but she doesn’t feel that she can stop.

  "Doll, this is bigger than a film festival. Cliff’s life may be at stake."

  "There will be more film festivals. Let’s go find him," Steph adds.

  "We’ll have to split up."

  "Unfortunately, there’s no cell reception here on the island. So we can’t coordinate once we leave this room."

  "Wait. If he’s a bear and he’s sick...is he safe? I mean, are we safe around him?" Cleo asks, rubbing her belly.

  Steph and Rex look at each other. "I don’t know," Rex finally says.

  "We won’t know until we see him."

  Rex looks at the women and shakes his head decisively. "The three of you stay here."

  "I want to go too," Frankie says. "I want to help look for Cliff."

  "It might not be safe for you out there," Rex says.

  "I don't care."

  "Frankie, think carefully," Cleo says. "Don't put yourself at risk."

  "I was alone in the forest yesterday and he came to me and was gentle and sweet. I'll be safe with him, I know it."

  "Good point," Rex says. "If it weren't for the rain, I could just track him. But we have miles to cover, and I could use the help."

  He pulls two compasses from his jacket and hands one to Frankie. "So you don't get lost."

  "Thanks."

  "Cleo and I will stay here with the medicine. Whoever finds him, bring him right back to this suite and we can get him started," Steph says. "Then we can take him to the hospital."

  "Wait. What if we don't find him?" Frankie asks.

  "Meet back here when it gets dark. Hopefully he'll show up too. Regardless, we'll leave you with one dose of medicine. You can bring him to the hospital tomorrow."

  "The limo will be here in the morning, doll," Cleo says.

  "Okay," Frankie says, clutching her compass.

  "Ready?" Rex asks Frankie. "Are you really okay with doing this?"

  Frankie looks out into the forest. It's only noon, but the sun is behind a thick blanket of clouds and mist and it's nearly as dark as dusk. She doesn’t see any movement. She remembers the giant wolf from the last time she was alone in the forest. She thinks about telling Cleo and Rex and Steph, but doesn’t want them telling her she can't go with Rex.

  Whatever is out there, she can handle it.

  "Let’s do this," she says, trying to be brave.

  She steps through the sliding glass door and enters the forest. Rex goes east and she heads west.

  All alone.

  18

  In the forest, Cliff becomes aware that he's running. Branches and brambles tear at his fur.

  His fur.

  Before he can process that he's covered in fur, he realizes he's got a companion. A giant wolf lopes at his side, her sharp canines grinning up at him. He recognizes the wolf. It's Elle.

  He tries to slow down, but she nips playfully at his heels. He grins.

  She's herding him. It's a game. He gets it. He may be a bear at the moment, but he's not stupid.

  She's herding him toward the scent of the ocean. He raises his head. He loves the beach and hopes that they will ride the surf together, like they used to do in Malibu Cove.

  Ahead, he sees a cliff's edge and wonders where the path is that will lead them down to the beach. The wolf nips his ankles again, and he wonders why she is being so vicious. He doesn't remember her being so in the past. He keeps running toward the edge of the cliff, trusting that the wolf knows where she's taking him.

  A new sound startles him.

  "Cliff!" someone calls.

  It's the voice of the woman he loves. Frankie.

  Your mate, his bear reminds him. You're a bear shifter, and she is your mate.

  Yes, Cliff thinks, slowing and turning in the direction of Frankie's voice. She's calling for him and he must go to her. It's that simple.

  He turns away from the cliff's edge.

  The wolf at his side is furious.

  She snarls, whipping her head toward him. She leaps up and pushes him with her forepaws. Cliff shoves the wolf away with his giant paw.

  Paw. It makes him smile to see it. Right there, where a hand used to be.

  "Cliff! Where are you?" Frankie calls again. She sounds very far away, but he'd know her voice anywhere. Even her scent pulls at him, drawing him to her. Frankie.

  He growls at the wolf and spins on his heel.

  As he halts, the wolf halts too, and he realizes they are on the very edge of a cliff. He'd been about to plummet 200 feet to a rocky shore.

  He grabs the wolf by the scruff of her neck and flings her away from the edge, but she laughs like a fisher cat and bolts back into the forest.

  Had Elle been attempting to hurt him? He tries to remember if she was actually his friend, but he can't quite remember anything about being a human.

  Bear shifter, his bear says. Human and bear.

  Cliff takes a moment.

  "Cliff!" He hears Frankie again. He remembers Frankie. He loves her.

  Your mate, his bear says.

  Yes. Cliff sets off in the direction of Frankie's voice. Then it occurs to him that Elle might hurt Frankie.

  He roars and rises up, stopping to sniff the air. Elle is on her way to Frankie too.

  He needs to lure the wolf away from his love.

  Cliff races after Elle, catching up in moments. The sleek wolf serpentines between trees, running and yipping with abandon. He nips at her heels and pretends he wants to keep playing their game, pretends he cares about her. She nips him back.

  They run together. Wolf and bear.

  And all the while, he herds her farther and farther away from Frankie. He wants to be at Frankie's side and protect her like the man his bear tells him he can be. But right now, he can't trust himself, and it's almost killing him.

  Right now, the only way to protect Frankie is to stay away.

  19

  Cliff disappeared into thin air.

  That's what it feels like. She and Rex searched the forest all afternoon and never saw a sign of him. When night fell, they both returned to the hotel, as agreed. Now her best hope is that he will show up at his film screening. As she gets ready, she prays he will be there.

  Frankie arrives early at the theater. She tries to look relaxed so that no one asks her where he is or why he's late.

  "He'll be here," she finds herself saying.

  Just as the lights are dropping, she sees him slip into the theater and slide into a seat in the very last row. When the light from the screen illuminates the theater, she glances back at him. Cliff is slumped down in his seat, wearing sunglasses.

  Frankie thinks about going back to him but doesn’t want to call attention to the fact that she hasn’t seen him in the past eight hours.

  She tries to focus on the movie, but honestly, she doesn’t catch a word of it, despite the audience’s obvious enjoyment. The people around her are laughing and gasping, but all Frankie wants is for the film to end so that she can see Cliff and make sure he's okay.

  Finally, it’s over. As the lights come up, Cliff rises from his seat and walks to the front of the theater, accepting the applause of the audience.

  She can see the strain in his handsome face, but Frankie is sure that most people are in the theater just to appreciate the movie star they all showed up to see.

  He smiles broadly and waves.

  The Q&A las
ts longer than she can stand. And she sees from Cliff’s drained face that his headache has returned. Frankie prays that the medicine will work for him. But how will she find out if he's a shifter?

  She can't just ask him. Or can she?

  20

  Somehow Cliff makes it through the film screening and the Q&A afterward. It takes all his acting skill, but he seems to convince the audience that he is just an average movie star.

  Not a bear.

  Not a shifter.

  Not a man on the verge of changing species before their eyes.

  Afterward, Antonio Ford shakes Cliff’s hand. "Well done, man," he says.

  Elle rushes up to him and kisses Cliff. "You’ll always be the only man I love," she says with dewy eyes.

  He’s grateful for the rush of revulsion that fills him. It helps him realize that he’s still himself, despite the naked bear thing.

  His bear seems to agree. Find Frankie, the bear urges.

  Ford shakes his head. "Women. Am I right?"

  Cliff laughs Elle off. She storms away.

  Where’s Frankie?

  He scans the audience, which has risen and is mingling near the exit. He sees her leaning against a wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She has no idea that she saved his life. But he'll never forget it.

  "I’m taking off in ten minutes. But we need to talk," Ford says.

  Here it is, Cliff thinks. That moment when Ford gives him the part…or doesn’t.

  "Walk me to my ride?" As they head outside, Ford pulls a fat envelope from his jacket. "I have something for you," he says.

  "What is it?"

  "It’s a contract. I told you I want you for the lead in my next film. I had my lawyer draw up a contract. There’s a ten percent bonus if you sign today."

  "Right now?" This is unprecedented. His lawyer will need to review the offer before Cliff signs anything.

  "I like to hammer out these deals myself with my stars and get a commitment as soon as I get a commitment, if you know what I mean," Ford says.

  "My agent would kill me, but he’s not at the top of my list at the moment. My lawyer, on the other hand, is someone whose respect I couldn't stand to lose," Cliff says.

  They stop at a private plane parked at the end of the lot. "This is me," Ford says. "You gonna sign that?"

  "This is your ride?"

  Ford nods. "I've had my pilot's license for years."

  "I need to get one of those," Cliff murmurs.

  "My movie will make you an even bigger star. After this film, you’ll have more planes than Harrison Ford."

  Ford doesn’t know that Cliff already has more money than he needs. Thanks to savvy investments, he could have a dozen airplanes. But he’s never had anywhere to fly before.

  Now he has a reason to leave Los Angeles.

  Frankie.

  She wants to move to LA, but the Pacific Northwest is her home. It's his home too, come to think of it. They could fly back and forth whenever they want.

  "I’ll give the contract to my lawyer. She’ll get back to you. But you have my word. I’m in." Cliff holds out his hand. He can't wait to tell Frankie it's official!

  Before shaking Cliff's hand, Ford pauses.

  "There's something you should know first. Elle Hudson is playing the female lead. And you'll need to be together until after awards season. For promotional purposes."

  No way.

  "What do you mean...‘together’? Elle and I split." Cliff pulls his hand back.

  Ford shrugs. "You'll need to get back together. Committed relationship. Matching tattoos. The whole shebang. She's amenable. I need you to agree too. We'll start pre-production as soon as we get back to LA."

  "You're done with her already? It's been...what? One day?" He can't believe it.

  "She's too high maintenance, to be honest. I'm exhausted. I don't know how you did it for so many years."

  Cliff shakes his head. "Absolutely not. I'm with Frankie now. I wouldn't get back together with Elle, even if I wanted to. Which I don't."

  "That's awkward. I thought you wanted this part." Ford juts his chin out.

  "I thought I did too." He's heard of fake relationships maintained for the press, but it will be more than a year before awards season ends. Elle must have thought up this plan and convinced Ford to go along. "This is insane."

  "It's good business. I need a blockbuster. And it will be great for the film. What do you say?"

  "I've already given my answer. No way."

  "So be it!" Ford hops on his plane. "See you at the Oscars!"

  He closes the ramp behind him, then taxis across the parking lot. Cliff watches the plane take off from the road.

  Where is Frankie?

  He walks back to the after-party, and encounters Elle and Frankie alone again and talking.

  What the fuck?

  Cliff feels the urge to shift again, he’s so angry. He makes his way through the crowd to their side.

  "You can’t let his moods bring you down," Elle is saying. "When you’re working with me, I’ll explain the world of Cliff Tatum. You’ll be glad you dodged that bullet."

  Frankie just nods. Her face is drawn; she looks scared.

  He told her to stay away from Elle. Hadn’t she even listened to him?

  Obviously she doesn’t care what he says. And he just turned down the role of a lifetime to be with her.

  As soon as they make eye contact, Frankie walks away from Elle. She strides straight to his side. "Are you okay?" she asks, putting her hand on his arm.

  "Of course. Why do you ask?" he says with a cold shrug.

  All they were doing was talking, he tells himself. But he feels betrayed.

  "Where were you all afternoon?" she asks.

  "Why were you and Elle talking about my moods? You know what? Never mind. I just don’t care."

  "I searched everywhere for you this afternoon," she continues. "I was in the forest for hours calling you. And then you just show up here tonight and you’re fine?"

  "I didn’t think I needed to clear my agenda with you, Frankie. You work for me, remember? Not the other way around."

  "Is that what I am? Your employee?" Her eyes fill with tears as she bites her lip. "I was just worried, that’s all. You were so sick. And then you disappeared."

  What’s he doing? He doesn’t want to make her cry. "I’m sorry," he says. "Of course you're not just my employee. I'm crazy about you. I'm just...not well. Let’s get out of here."

  They head back to their bungalow.

  As soon as they are alone outside, Frankie turns to him. "Are you a bear shifter?"

  "What?" He couldn’t be more shocked. How could she tell he was a shifter? No one had ever guessed that the entire time he was in Hollywood.

  "It’s okay," she continues. "I have to know. Because there’s a bear shifter illness and you might have it."

  "An illness?"

  "I met a doctor today who specializes in shifters. He can get you well. But we’ve got to get you to the hospital in Seattle."

  "Frankie, about earlier—"

  "No, it’s okay. I get it. You're a movie star and I'm just starting out in life. We're not in the same league. But I still want to help you get well and you’ve got to let me."

  Cliff feels about ready to collapse. The strain of the day hits him hard and he realizes he's hanging on by a thread. Right now, Frankie is the only thing keeping him sane. He wishes he could tell her that. Some day he will.

  "The nurse left a dose of the medicine for you. If you are a sick shifter, once you take it, you’ll start to feel better by morning. But if you’re not a shifter, the medicine might make you worse. So you have to be sure."

  "This afternoon, when you left me in the bed to answer the door, I suddenly understood that all the problems I’ve been having—the headaches and the odd behavior and everything—were because I wasn’t accepting who I truly am. I’ve been trying to fit into preconceived ideas about movie stars and even got the crazy notion that I had b
ecome a monster. But I’m not any of those things. I’m a bear shifter. I’m sure."

  "Let me get you the medicine, then." She unlocks the bungalow and they walk together into his bedroom.

  She fills a glass with water and picks up the single yellow pill Steph left for them.

  He swallows it.

  "Now what?"

  "Now you sleep, I guess. If you feel better in the morning, even a little bit better, we’ll know you have Illness X and we can get you to the hospital in Seattle, where they’re getting everything ready for you. The limo will be here at nine."

  She leads him to his bed.

  "Stay with me. I don’t want you to leave tonight, Frankie."

  "Of course," she says, her expression full of love. "Of course I’ll stay with you."

  They lie down together on top of the covers and he pulls her to his chest. She snuggles into him, fitting so perfectly, and as he caresses her body, he falls asleep, praying that the medicine will do its work.

  21

  In the morning, Frankie wakes first. She's lying next to Cliff on top of the covers, his arms cradling her. They're both fully dressed. She listens to his steady breathing.

  Is he better? She can't tell yet.

  She slips out of bed and gets her laptop from the other bedroom, then returns to sit near his bed. She watches Cliff sleep while she works on her blog article.

  She still has to finish it today.

  His face is so handsome, but it's also sweet when he's sleeping. He looks completely relaxed and pain-free. He opens his eyes.

  "Was I asleep?"

  She nods. "How do you feel?" She has two more paragraphs to go.

  He lifts his arms overhead and stretches before answering. "I think I’m going to be okay," he says.

  "You're okay?" she asks, pressing the back of her hand to his forehead.

  "My headache is gone."

  "Thank goodness." She can't believe it. "The medicine worked?"

  "It seems to have worked."

  "We've got to get you to Seattle to complete treatment." They were so close last night. It will be hard for her to go back to being just his employee. According to Elle his mood swings aren't just from Illness X. He'll get well at the hospital, but who knows what will happen next? The man she's fallen in love with could disappear along with his illness. He could be anything or anyone. "I'm glad you'll be well. You deserve that."