by Bryce Evans
She smiled and inhaled the fresh scent of fall. “Thank you.”
A black truck pulled up and she knew this must’ve been the other alpha, Ben Crenshaw. Her peaceful moment disappeared. They would want to know everything about the coven, and she planned on giving it all to them. Every gory detail. She was tired of running. She found her place in this world. This was how a family should live. Everything made sense now. She would do everything in her power to protect them.
Her brother smiled at her as he got up from the swing. “It will be fine.”
She nodded because she wanted to believe those words. Glancing down, she noticed her hand and the marks Blair had burned into her arm. Yes, she would give them every technique, every trick they had used, and how they worked together to capture their prey. They would not hurt her family or anyone she loved ever again.
Arden introduced Ben Crenshaw to her and she felt like a little kid. She continued to stare up at the giant. What did they eat to make them so huge? She couldn’t sit still and twisted in her chair until Cosmo placed his hand on her leg. She took a deep breath hoping that would calm her nerves, but she would have to tell them everything. Even her part or lack thereof.
They all looked up when the Old One Scarlett entered the room with a woman who positively glowed. The energy in the air became electric. She could feel the hair on her arms and neck tingling.
But it was the other lady who drew her attention. Her hair long as white as snow, her pale skin seeming flawless. She appeared angelic when her eyes centered on her. It was her. The woman the coven wanted the most, Greer. Haven closed her eyes. She must know who she is. They tortured and killed her aunt. She would never forgive her for not helping her aunt escape. That’s what guilt did, burned inside, making an abyss where her soul should be.
The tap to her arm brought her head up, staring into the greenest eyes she had ever seen. “You are Haven.”
She couldn’t move. If she killed her right now, she wouldn’t blame her. She deserved it.
“Yes, and you’re Greer.”
“I remember you.” The smile never left her face.
“Yes. I was there.” That’s all she said, and Cosmo’s growling pulled her out of her thoughts. She gasped as her body jerked backward away from the woman.
Greer’s hands flew up. “I mean you no harm. You couldn’t have helped Aunt Jean. If you would have even tried, they would have killed you.”
The room fell quiet waiting for her to tell them. Tell them how she played a role.
She would tell them everything. She needed to tell them the truth. “She asked me to help her, but I…I was too scared. It’s my fault she’s dead. I let her die.” Haven’s voice cracked as everyone around the table watched and listened.
“Haven, I was there, and I didn’t help either because I was scared too. I knew I couldn’t help her. They were too powerful for me to handle alone.”
“You were there? You saw what they did? I’m so sorry.” Haven bowed her head as the tears fell down her cheek. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Greer.”
Cosmo pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay, baby. It’s not your fault.”
“But it is. I should have at least tried.”
“Haven, my aunt Jean knew how she would die. She had visions and knew how and by whom. If you’re at fault then I am too, but I know we both would have died on that day if we would have lifted a finger. I don’t blame you and I know my aunt would’ve wanted us both to go on and fight together because that’s the only way we are going to win this. To make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
“Little sis, all that guilt inside you is going to eat you alive. The only way to make it right is to stop running and help us. Time’s up for the Winter Coven.” Lennox reached across the table and held her hand. “You belong here with us, where you are loved and protected.”
Haven wiped the tears and leaned back in her chair. “Tell me what you want to know.”
“That’s my girl,” Lennox said, squeezing her hand.
Chapter Sixteen
Haven woke in the same bedroom at Lennox and Jade’s house, but how? They stayed up all night going over battle plans. She became exhausted after that. They drilled her with every scenario and some she never thought of. All she remembered was lying on the couch to rest her eyes. Her brother or Cosmo must have carried her into her bedroom. Her bedroom?
She never asked who this room belonged to. She had never had a room to herself before. Stretching, she felt her bear wanting out. Lennox said she would let her know when she needed to run, and she could actually feel it inside. Awesome.
Why her bear wasn’t crazy had her befuddled. Laris kept her asleep all that time, she couldn’t blame her if she was. “Are you ready, girl.” Glancing in the mirror, she saw her bear looking back at her. Touching the mirror, she smiled. “Hey, there.”
It was probably a good idea to take her clothes off and shift in here where her clothes didn’t get shredded. A small knock on the door made her look up to find her brother. “I thought I heard you. You ready to eat?”
“Actually, I would like to go for a run if that’s okay?”
“Sure.”
“I don’t want to ruin my clothes. Is it okay to shift in here and you open the door for me?”
“Come here, I want to show you something.”
Haven followed her brother to the back door. “You can put your clothes in that box and when you’re done just put another set out there or the same ones. The doorknob is a lever so you can push it down. You won’t hurt anything and nobody will watch you when you are changing. We have boxes like that all over the place. I know you’re not used to changing in front of other shifters. You’ll get used to it. Go change and I’ll put your food in the oven,” Lennox said, motioning for her to go.
All this was still so new to her. How would she ever get used to shifting in front of people. She could barely look at herself in the mirror much less shift in front of others.
Pulling off her pants, Haven looked in the mirror. “Okay, girl, you ready?”
When nothing happened, she closed her eyes thinking that would help, but still nothing.
“I need a little help here, girl. I don’t know how to do this.” Still nothing happened.
She grunted, closing her eyes. Prying one eye open, she realized she had been in here for at least thirty minutes. A knock at the door had her scurrying behind her bed.
“Everything okay in here?” Lennox asked, smiling.
“Yeah, well, I…I’m having a little trouble shifting.”
“Close your eyes and think about her soft fur and how the wind blows through it.”
Haven squatted lower to the ground and thought about how soft her bears hair was. “It hurts.” Haven grunted, as bones broke and shifted. Then the pain disappeared. Looking down at her feet—jeez, they were huge.
“Come on, girl.”
Haven trotted toward her brother who held the door open. He walked ahead of her and opened the back door. “Don’t go too far.”
Snorting, Haven jumped off the porch and took off running, giving her bear the reins. This was her time to enjoy being a bear and she knew exactly where to go.
Cosmo watched as Haven jumped off the porch and took off in the woods. He waited until she got out of sight then shifted and went after her. He would never be far behind her, ever. He already couldn’t concentrate since she wasn’t with him. Shifters hardly waited to mate with each other, but they were different. Haven was different. Waiting for her would be worth every minute.
He could already hear her tearing through the water. She loved the water. He moved closer this time and sat by the shoreline and watched. Oh, she knew he watched, but she didn’t care. Instead, she chased a fish up and down the bank, sticking her snout under the water until finally, she caught one. Then she threw it, slapping him in the head.
His bear snorted. He laid his head down and continued to watch her chase fish and then proceed to eat them. Certainly a me
ssy eater, but she had been pinned up for years. Haven could be anything she wanted and that would be okay with him.
Eventually, she lumbered over to him and sat. She didn’t go to sleep, just stared at the water. Then gravity took over and her body fell on top of him, knocking him to the side. She rolled on top of him, chuffing with laughter, smashing him into the ground, then finally, she settled facing him.
They stared at each other, but his cute ear was standing straight up getting her attention and she had the urge to bite it and that’s what she did. She snorted at the look he gave her. Apparently, his bear was in the playing mood too, when he leaned down taking little snips at her ear and neck, then he bit her butt. Not cool, she growled swiping her paw out barley missing him. Hours passed as they chased each other on the soft grass.
Cosmo stood at the bottom of the stairs motioning with his snout for her to go inside. He smiled when she opened the door with her paw. She was learning. Once inside, he ran to his clothes to change.
Today, he and Lennox would be in town. Cameras were being hooked up over the stores from different angles. If the Winter Coven showed, the packs would pick them up and activate the plan.
They were all worried; this magic could reach out and kill. They had to work together and outsmart them before the coven figured it out.
Pushing her food around the plate, Haven sat at the breakfast table in her brother’s cabin. She was happy for the first time ever in her life, but the meeting last night continued to dwell inside her. At first, she wondered if the coven would come to New Hope. They knew the Death Hunters lived here. Surely, they weren’t that stupid, but she knew they were. Always thinking that nobody could get to the them.
“What’s wrong, Haven?” She didn’t even know Lennox was sitting across from her. She was alone eating when she came back in from her run.
Haven put her fork down and asked, “Do you think they will come here?”
Glancing at her, Lennox smiled. “If they do, we will be prepared. This is what I do for a living. I know you’re scared, but trust me, they won’t win this time.”
She knew he was trying to stop her from worrying. “Lennox…” Haven shook her head, “they train every day together and when they are alone. I told you what they were like. Please, please, don’t under estimate these mages. I…I can’t lose you.”
“Little sis, you’re not going to lose me.” Lennox pulled her chair closer to him. “Have a little faith in me and Cosmo. We may surprise you. Do you want to know why they moved every time they spotted one of the Death Hunters? Because they knew if we got to them, they would be gone. They are scared of us for a reason. We have been trained in magic spells. I can’t go into detail on exactly everything I know but the Old Ones have taught us how to protect ourselves and how to counteract a spell. I’m no mage, but I won’t let any harm come to you ever again. You have to trust me.”
“I do trust you, but I’ve seen what they can do.”
“How about we have a big milkshake at the bakery? Do you remember? You loved chocolate milkshakes. I had to make them for you every day or you would drive me and Cosmo crazy. You were a sweet kid, but if you didn’t get your way, you made us pay for it.”
“Now you’re being mean.” Haven laughed.
“I’m serious, every single day you had to have a milkshake and it couldn’t be any other flavor but chocolate.”
Memories rushed through her head. Sitting on a barstool, she remembered a much younger Lennox turning on a blender. “I remember sitting on a barstool.”
“Yep, that was your favorite place. You liked to watch Mom cook and you sat and drew pictures. I still have some of them.”
“Really, could I see them one day?”
“Of course, you can. I had them laminated so they wouldn’t turn or rip. That’s all I had of you, except the memories.”
“We’ve missed out on so much.”
“We have, but I’m going to change all that.”
“We are going to change that,” Haven said, smiling.
“You’re right. We are a team now. You and Jade are the most important people in my life,” Lennox said. She watched as the big guy blushed turning toward the window.
“You love Cosmo, don’t you?” she asked.
Lennox jerked his head toward her. “Of course, I do. He’s my partner, my beta, my best friend, and hopefully, my sister’s mate.” They sat in silence for a few seconds before he asked, “How do you feel about that?”
“I have feelings for him, but…I’m not what he’s used too, and what if realizes he had to settle.”
“Nobody will ever compare to you and nobody has ever meant anything to him. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone. He’s already attached to you, whether you want him or not,” Lennox chuckled.
“Stop, I’m being serious.”
“Me too, little sis. Cosmo is a complicated guy. He will be overprotective and get on your nerves, but what I know for sure, he will love you and make your life exciting. It will never be boring. Also, he will bring you flowers every day.”
Her brother smiled big showing his teeth, making a funny face. “You are so goofy, but I love you.”
The shining smile disappeared. “I’ve waited to hear you say that. You would always run and jump up into my arms and rub your nose against mine before bed and tell me that you loved me.”
Haven bent over then rubbed her nose against his. “I love ya, big brother.”
“I love you too.” Lennox got up and held his hand out to her. “Let’s go get that milkshake. Cosmo is in town putting up cameras. He wants to meet us there.”
“Sounds good.” Haven couldn’t believe all this was happening. In one day, she had run away from a man who she thought was her father but found out that he had kidnapped her as a child. He hid her bear by putting a spell on her. He killed her parents. Laris Winter was to blame for her loosing everyone in her life and making her a slave to his will. She would never forgive him for that. Never. Lennox was right. He had to pay.
Chapter Seventeen
“Tell him.” Blair twisted the young man’s arm behind his back until he screamed.
He whimpered. “I don’t know the old man’s name, but he comes here all the time.”
“Do you know the company’s name on the truck?” Laris asked.
“No, I don’t remember. I see hundreds of trucks every day.”
“If you see him again, would you remember him?” Laris asked, crossing his legs. He was getting impatient with the human. If he gave him the wrong answer, it would be his last.
“Yes.”
Good answer. “Blair is going to be your new best friend. The moment the man comes in, you will call and tell her. I hope you don’t disappoint me because I want to leave this place without another head in my bag.”
He watched as the young man swallowed hard and looked around the room at the coven members. Blair pulled out a knife and threw it into the wall. “Yes, yes, I will call as soon as I see him. Please, don’t hurt me. I promise. I will call.”
“What’s your name?” Laris asked.
“Mike. My…my name is Mike.” Laris watched as the man’s hand shook.
“Well, thank you, Mike. I’m looking for my daughter. If I don’t find her, it could be bad for her health.”
“Okay…Can I leave now?”
“Of course. Blair will take you home.” When the worker started for the door, he said for good measure, “Mike, I wouldn’t try to run in the middle of the night. I would hate for your little sister to miss the fall festival tomorrow at school.”
Laris watched as Mike’s shirt shook. His heart beating out of his chest. Petrified and that’s how he wanted him. Tomorrow they would find where Haven was. She would have to be punished for leaving, and he had no doubt she would never leave him again.
“Are you going to drink all that?” Cosmo asked, watching as Haven sucked on the straw. Man, this woman has beautiful lips. No matter what she thought about herself, she sure knew
how to use them too. He wanted to try it again just to make sure he was right. Hell, who was he kidding, the woman was a natural at kissing. He could feel the ache starting inside. He wanted her.
“Why, you want some?” Haven asked, her eyebrows lowered. So beautiful and yes, he wanted some, but he knew how she loved chocolate and she really didn’t want to share. The old Haven wouldn’t have given him a sniff, but this beauty would actually give it to him if he asked. That wasn’t going to happen. Just watching her suck on that straw and making those little grunting noises she made would be worth not getting any. She made everything look so good. He wanted everything from her.
“Yes.” He watched as his mate pushed the chocolate milk shake toward him.
“When you were little, you would never share. NEVER!” he said, laughing.
“Wow, I said you could have a sip not suck the whole thing down.”
“That’s the girl I remember,” Cosmo said, pointing at her. “I knew she would come out when chocolate was involved.”
“You want another?” Simone asked when she walked past with a tray in hand.
“No, thanks. I’m good,” Haven said, waving her off.
“You can get another one. We have time,” Cosmo said as she watched him eat another honey bun.
“What do you want to do with your life, Haven?” When she only stared at him, he added, “Do you want to make clothes for a living or do you want to do something else?”
He could tell she thought about the question. “I want to make my own clothes, but I don’t know what else. I never gave myself time to dream something that farfetched. I knew they would take it away.”
Taking her hand in his, Cosmo looked at her so she would know he was serious. “Sweetheart, you can be anything you want. Don’t let anyone tear you down every again. If you want to make clothes, then start. Quinn already said she would help you get started. If you decide that you don’t like it then do whatever makes you happy.”
