by Thorne, Elle
Indeed, four bears, and yeah, a white tiger.
The tiger turned his brilliant gaze toward Cross.
A few seconds, and with a minimum of bone-crunching and sinew-stretching sounds, the white tiger had morphed into a dark-haired man.
The bears followed suit, also shifting.
The tiger shifter looked at Cross, running an appraising gaze over him, then turned toward the grizzly shifters.
“How come every time I come back to the valley I have to save a bear’s ass?” His striking face had a smile on it. “I’m Vittorio Tiero. You can call me Vax.”
“Hey now.” This came from Kane, one of the grizzly shifters, the mate of Doc’s step daughter Astra. “You’re in the valley showing off your son. And don’t go pretending like you weren’t interested in a little bit of action.”
“You’re right.” Vax laughed.
Kane, Doc, and the two grizzly shifter brothers, Teague and Tanner joined in.
“Seriously,” Doc said. “He needs to shift and heal. I don’t think he’ll make it if he stays in his human body. Glad Mae insisted we come up here.”
“Agreed,” Tanner and Teague said simultaneously.
He felt arms lifting him onto a stretcher. His body was levitating. No, they were picking him up.
He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in his own cabin, in his bed. His breathing was labored. His mind muddled.
Griz kept appearing to him, telling him he needed to live, smacking him in the back of the head, jarring him from the deepest slumber that Cross knew awaited him.
Why is Griz doing that?
“Wait.” Cross winced from the effort of talking, looking for Doc. “Ariadne. She’s—”
The shifters leaned closer.
His strength was waning. Cross took a deep breath, flinching from the gurgling sound that came from his lungs. “—in my bunker.”
“Got it.” Doc put his hand on Cross. “Shift now, friend, else you’ll regret it. Shift.”
Cross heaved another breath, the bubbling sound louder.
Then he heard Doc say, “Grant will know exactly where. His grandfather helped build these tunnels.”
Chapter Sixteen
Ariadne heard the gunshots aboveground. Not even being deep under the earth could have disguised those sounds.
And she knew exactly what that meant.
Cross didn’t have that kind of firepower. He wasn’t the one shooting. Not that amount of shooting. That was the result of several men with weapons.
That could only mean one thing.
A crushing sensation, worse than the fist of a titan, seized her heart, squeezing it, relentlessly stealing the life away.
Stealing the hope away.
Everything gone.
Cross—she could feel his heartbeat getting weaker. She would have sworn to it; though how could that be? She barely knew this man.
How can I feel this?
Wherever Cross was, she could feel him getting weaker, going to a dark, deep place.
“No. No!”
And then he was gone. She couldn’t feel him anymore.
“I’ve lost my mind.”
No, she was sure she hadn’t. There was a connection to Cross. She didn’t know when it had happened but it was there.
She felt him.
She could feel him.
And now he was gone.
There was a void in a place she hadn’t even known existed.
Ariadne tucked her legs against her body, leaned against the cold wall, rested her chin on her knees and cried.
She cried like she’d never cried before, except for when she saw the video of Ben betraying her father.
* * *
Ariadne had no idea how much time passed. Without windows or a way to keep time, all she could figure out was that the tears had dried. Her face was swollen, she could feel the skin taut, stretching, puffy from crying. She was dehydrated, but had no will to drink. The lantern had gone out. She had no will to light it.
Why should she?
So she could make Ben’s job of finding and killing her easier?
No. She’d not make that bastard’s job any easier. She’d seen a pipe in the corner that would make a good weapon.
Feeling her way in the dark, Ariadne slowly made her way across the rustic floor.
Damn.
She’d stubbed her toe on something. She felt the smoothness of the wood with her fingertips. It was the cupboard. Going around it her fingers alit on the cool smooth pipe.
More than three-foot-long, she hefted the heavy pipe between her hands and felt her way across the room, back to her cot.
She slipped into place, assuming the same position, except this time, she had the pipe with her.
Ben would pay.
* * *
Ariadne heard them. She heard the soft footfalls, the murmuring. Then she could sense their presence in the room with her. Definitely more than one man, judging from the rustling of their clothing.
They were almost on her. She could almost feel the warmth of their breaths, she was sure. Though a part of her said it was ludicrous that she’d feel that.
Taking the pipe in hand, she slowly raised it, leaning back, bracing herself for the impact.
Ben would be first in line. He couldn’t stand the idea of not getting the credit for any task.
What did I ever see in him?
No time to deal with that now.
She wanted Ben’s brains splattered on Cross’s bunker. A fitting end to this story.
Then his men could shoot her. At least she’d have vengeance.
She swung the pipe, it sailed through the air with a whoosh, while she anticipated the moment it would connect.
It didn’t.
It went all the way around, full circle. The momentum threw her sideways on the cot, the pipe slamming into the stone wall.
She missed.
Fury escaped her in the sound of a cry, halfway between a yell and a sob.
Her hand stung from holding the pipe while it struck solid wall.
She ignored the pain and picked up the weapon, ready for another try.
“Ariadne.”
That wasn’t Ben’s voice.
She’d heard that voice.
Two seconds it took her to remember it.
“Doc?”
“Yes.” His voice was a comfort in the darkness. “Please put the pipe down.”
She lowered the metal rod.
The sound of a match, then the lamp was lit.
How did he know she had a pipe in the darkness? How did he find the lamp without any light to see it?
Doc’s face was grim in the flickering light. Behind him, Grant Waters was silent.
Her questions now forgotten, she could only express her confusion about how they’d found her and what had happened.
“Wha—where—how…”
“He’s no longer a threat. Your ex-fiancé. All his men. Gone. You’re safe.”
Adrenaline still pumping, her heart still racing, air escaped her lungs with a loud exhale.
She may not be in danger from Ben, but Cross was gone.
“Cross,” she whispered his name.
“He was hurt.”
“I felt it.”
“You felt it?” Grant asked her, but looked at Doc.
“It’s… crazy.” How could she even begin to explain it?
Doc examined her head. “You may have a concussion.”
That would explain what had happened. She’d hallucinated. But she wasn’t totally wrong. They did say Cross was hurt.
“Can I see Cross?”
“His body is in no condition for you to see it now.”
She bit her lip to keep from crying out. She knew it! He had been killed. That was why she’d felt him leave his body.
“Let’s get you to Mae’s.”
Chapter Seventeen
Two Days Later…
Ariadne lay in the guest bedroom at Mae’s for what seem
ed like forever. Doc had suggested she stay in bed until he said otherwise. So she did.
On the second day, she’d asked about Ben. Asked about leaving.
“Soon.” Mae said.
“Ben and his men are gone.”
“By gone you mean…” Ariadne couldn’t finish her sentence.
“They have all been buried. The threat to you is gone.”
“But Mr. Montez…” Ariadne knew just because Ben might be out of the picture didn’t mean that Mr. Montez wouldn’t seek for her silence to be permanent.
“He’s…” Mae looked at Doc, then back at Ariadne. “Mr. Montez met with an—” Mae chewed on her lip. “—an unfortunate accident.”
Ariadne narrowed her eyes. She recalled, long ago, that Fiona had told her Mae seemed deceptively simple, living in Bear Canyon Valley, running her hair salon. That she had connections that were powerful. She cocked her head, studying the attractive brunette.
Did she have something to do with Mr. Montez’s accident?
She didn’t want to ask.
* * *
Each hour merged into the next hour, each hour was the same. Mae and Doc, talking in the kitchen, worried about her.
People visiting. Mae talking to them about Ariadne.
Them.
Lots of them.
Seems tons of Mae’s friends had come by.
Chelsea and Grant Waters had visited the most.
A man named Vax and his wife Callie had come by with their baby boy. A cute little tyke, wrapped in blankets, writhing to get out of his mother’s arms.
Seeing the baby brought tears to Ariadne, but she’d hidden them, containing her emotions until she was alone.
Minute after minute, she’d wondered when they were going to bury Cross. Would it be out of line for her to attend his funeral? She didn’t have the nerve to ask.
No one will understand.
Of that, she was convinced. How could they get the connection she had to Cross? She didn’t even get it.
A few more friends stopped by, Tanner, Marti, and their little boy Dominic.
Joe, Sara, and their little boy Ivan.
Tanner’s brother Teague and a very pregnant Kelsey.
Doc’s stepdaughter Astra, a beauty with glowing light green eyes, and her man, Kane.
Their faces and names were all blending in.
The only thing that stuck with Ariadne was that they were happy.
How could they be so happy, when one of their own friends had died? How did they not hate her? She was the reason he was gone.
All these people, these couples, all of them happy…
And then there’s me.
Her.
Alone.
On the night of the third day, after what felt like an eternity, Doc proclaimed that she was well enough to drive, and do whatever else she wanted to do.
The next day was a beautiful early spring day. Crisp, sure, but the sun was shining, as if the day had promise.
As if the day had hope.
Ariadne grimaced at the thought of hope and put her empty coffee cup in the sink.
Mae had gone to the salon. The house was empty. Ariadne was roaming around, feeling like a ghost, haunting a building, but not really belonging.
She knew exactly what she had to do.
She grabbed her jacket and her keys from the hook by the back door.
The drive up the mountain was almost like a mockery of her emotions. The sun’s brilliance highlighted the beauty of promise and wonderful things to come. Bloom was just a breath away.
For everything but Cross.
No Cross. No hope. No life.
She wiped a traitorous tear from her cheek.
Sometime later, she pulled up in front of Cross’s shed. She’d walk the rest of the way there.
Ariadne didn’t get out right away. She sat in the car, preparing herself for this final goodbye.
Then she’d head down the mountain, thank Mae—and anyone else she saw, then she’d go.
Somewhere.
Anywhere.
It’s not like it matters where.
She opened the car door. Closed it softly behind her, and began the short trek toward his cabin.
She thought she’d cry. She thought she’d have a series of emotions flying through her.
She didn’t.
Ariadne was numb.
At first she didn’t hear it.
Tiny footfalls, like hers, but lighter, and more of them in number.
God. Now what.
She whirled around.
“Buck?”
With dark and liquid brown eyes, the little deer studied her.
“How’d you get out here?” She squatted down, hoping the little one would remember her, though why would he?
Was he out here mourning too?
Silly me. As if he would have a bond to Cross. As if a deer mourns.
Wait, maybe he’s here looking for his mom? Or maybe he’s…
Buck nudged her with a cool black nose against her cheek.
She chuckled and raised her hands. When Buck didn’t flinch or even move, she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the thick fur.
“I miss him, too,” she whispered close to the deer’s long ear.
Buck nuzzled her ear, his warm breath tickling.
“You can’t live out here alone. You’ll die. Whoever shot your mom could kill you.”
She could always go get Mac, or try to take Buck to Mac.
But first order of business, she wanted to go to Cross’s cabin.
“Want to go with me?” She rose and resumed her walk.
Buck stayed right by her side. Just as they reached the clearing that held his cabin, she noticed a truck.
Doc’s.
Why is Doc here?
She felt like an interloper. She didn’t want to intrude on whatever Doc was doing here, but she couldn’t leave without going in, sitting on the couch.
She’d had a thought, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to follow through with it, but she wanted to find the flash drive too.
Just in case.
She could give it to Mae, as leverage in case Montez hadn’t really been taken care of and had simply gone into hiding.
A ragged sigh chewed its way through her chest.
The air was just chilly enough to leave a puffy cloud of her breath.
It was much cooler up here than it was down in the valley.
She walked up the steps, her heart heavy.
Buck stayed off the porch, standing by the stairs, his gaze attentive.
Hopefully Doc doesn’t mind my coming in.
She opened the front door. No sign of Doc. Maybe she should find Doc before she went poking around for the flash drive. She approached the only door she hadn’t been in before, since there wasn’t really anywhere else Doc could be, if he was in the cabin. Though that was probably Cross’s bedroom.
Ariadne took a deep breath, turned the knob and opened the door.
Doc flew to his feet. He’d been sitting by the bed, a crossword puzzle in one hand, a pen in the other.
“Ariadne.” His voice was low. “What are you doing here?” He glanced at the bed.
Ariadne followed his gaze.
At first she thought it was a bearskin rug.
Except—
—rugs were supposed to be flat.
—rugs didn’t breathe.
—rugs didn’t make low rumbling sounds.
Ariadne jumped back.
She shook her head.
This can’t be happening.
“Doc?” Her voice cracked.
“It’s okay. It’s…” His voice trailed off.
Ariadne shook her head. This big-ass bear was going to kill them and he was saying it was okay.
She couldn’t run out and slam the door. Doc would be left behind.
Wait.
Wait just a moment.
Why is he sitting here in a room doing a crossword puzzle while there’s a bear
next to him on Cross’s ginormous bed?
A series of crunching sounds, then tearing sounds.
Then, in a scene that matched something she’d only expect to see in a movie, the bear transformed.
Before her lay Cross. In the same clothing she’d seen him in the last time she saw him.
Covered in bullet holes. And dried blood.
Cross sat up.
The world turned dark.
Chapter Eighteen
Cross groaned.
Ariadne’s eyes rolled to the back of her head.
She dropped to the floor before Doc or Cross could get to her.
Cross leapt from the bed, ignoring the aftereffects of the hibernation, pushing the weakness of expending so much energy to heal his body.
“Jesus.” He shook his head. He’d been in a hibernating heal. Essentially like a bear-induced coma while his body recuperated from the rounds he’d taken.
“You seem to be recovered.” Doc joined him on the floor checking on Ariadne. “She got a nasty bump on her head, said she couldn’t remember how.”
“Yeah, that was while she was in the cabin.”
The events flashed through Cross’s mind. The second explosion. Hiding her in the bunker.
Tasting her blood.
Damn his bear.
Doc was watching his face. “Is it what I think it is?”
“We didn’t couplebond, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Yeah, but… something happened.”
Cross nodded.
“I thought I saw that in her eyes. She’s connected to you. She’s been thinking you were dead. I could see it. But I couldn’t ease her mind by telling her the truth.”
“Guess she knows it now,” Cross shook his head. She would hate him. She’d run away as fast as she could now that she knew the truth about him, about his bear.
“I know what you’re thinking. You need to stop that. She’s stronger than you realize. And her bond to you is stronger than you know. I saw the pull between the two of you the first time I met her. Mae saw it too.”
Cross scratched his jaw. His beard had gotten thicker and scruffier than even he could tolerate it.
“She’ll hate me.”
