Raene and the Three Bears (The Alder Tales Book 2)

by RS McCoy

  “You don’t want to be Terra?” As he said it, he saw it clearly. “Because you’re Pyro. Actually Pyro.”

  She stopped and pulled her yellow hair away from her neck. There, in the same spot as his, a tattoo, only hers was the word PYRO in red and black in the shape of a tiger. “I’m not one of you. There’s nothing I can do to change that.”

  Raene lowered her hair and resumed her slow trudge through the forest.

  “What did Da say?” Something had happened, that much was clear, but how his family of generally well-meaning men had managed to make her feel so unwelcome, he had no idea.

  “That I can’t be a predator. I have to be a protector.”

  Parson almost laughed. “He’s used that speech on me more times than I can count. Don’t let it get to you. He doesn’t understand.”

  She didn’t seem to think it was very funny.

  “What else?” he pressed.

  “Nothing.”

  “Raene—”

  “I said it’s nothing!” she screamed in exasperation.

  Parson stopped and waited. “That doesn’t sound like nothing. I’ve seen you covered in blood. What’s so bad you can’t tell me?”

  “I’m Pyro!” Again, she shouted her frustrations at him, but he couldn’t understand why. Everyone knew she was Pyro. “I am a predator. I want to hunt and kill and it’s the only damn thing I can think about that doesn’t make me—” She stopped and huffed a breath before she continued. “It’s the one thing I’m not allowed to do.”

  “Don’t worry about Da. He’s trying to be a good clan leader. He thinks that’s what you need to hear. Seriously, don’t worry about him.” Parson tried to express how useless those speeches were, but he knew he wasn’t doing a good job.

  Raene kicked a leaf with the toe of her boot. “Not just Da.”

  “Oh.” Parson let it slip before he meant to. He should have known. “Hale doesn’t understand. He’s never—” He struggled to explain it without putting down his brother. “He doesn’t have what we have. His totem is quiet. He’s always in control, and he only transitions when he means to. He thinks it’s easy—”

  “It’s not easy,” Raene said, her voice dripping in misery. She threw her hands out in frustration. “I feel like I’m going to explode!”

  It was then Parson understood. She wasn’t done. She still had that intense hunger within her. He’d pulled her back to human form before she was ready.

  Even in the dark, Parson’s bear eyes saw every flicker of her exasperation. He could see every flinch of pain as she fought that urge inside her. She was more than any of them knew.

  “Then go,” he told her.

  “What?” she screamed louder than she needed to.

  Parson took a step closer. “Go.” He pointed toward the trees lost in shadow. “Hunt. Kill. Whatever it takes.”

  Her eyes darted from Parson, to his pointed finger, to the woods, then back to him. Her confusion was clear. She thought he was playing a trick.

  Parson gripped each of her shoulders and gave her a small shake. With his eyes level with hers, he told her, “Go get it done. You can’t do anything until you get it out. So go.”

  Her jaw clenched tight for a moment before she replied, “The coyote, it wasn’t an innocent. It was a totem—”

  Parson was more than a little impressed she’d figured it out on the first try. He knew coyotes were almost always agents of the Alderai, sent to monitor or capture or even kill. But Raene didn’t, and she figured it out in a matter of seconds.

  He couldn’t let her hunt alone.

  “I’ll watch you. I’ll stay with you.” He released her and thrust her toward the nearest alder tree. “Go,” he shouted. When she only stopped and glared, he screamed louder, “I said go!”

  At last, her totem got the better of her. She transitioned in a flash, her warm skin enveloped in orange fur that looked more tawny-brown in the dark. Her usually lovely features twisted into the intense face of her predatory cat. What once was tall and polite became low and growling.

  Parson only let himself admire her for an instant. She was off and running, and this time, he would have to keep close.

  And he couldn’t keep up with her in his human form.

  So Parson forced himself back into a bear. It was less effortless than usual; without his anger or hunger to fuel it, his transition took real work, but he made it happen. His bear claws struck the ground and propelled him through the trees, following her trail again.

  At first, it seemed as though he wouldn’t be able to catch her. She was faster, more agile. She could turn around the trees with a speed he could never manage. But then he found her—just in time to hear the crunch of tiny bones and watch the furry body of some mangled creature slide down her throat.

  Tiger-Raene offered him a wayward glance as he slammed to a stop a few hundred paces away. Parson wondered if she’d recognize him, if she knew he was her ally and not her enemy.

  Thankfully, she chose to disappear between the trees instead. Of course, to bear-Parson, she could never really disappear. He could smell her as if she were standing right in front of him, that smokiness of Pyrona with her signature scent. He could never lose her.

  Envious

  RAENE HAD NO idea how many lives she’d ended this night, but as the rabbit sank to her belly, she knew she’d finally had her fill. The heat in her veins subsided, and Raene was able to retake her human form. That urge was quiet at last.

  Crouched low, it felt odd to push to standing after so long with all fours on the ground. Without a tail, it took her several moments to regain her balance. Her tiger ears caught every sound around her, including the transition of the bear that followed her all night. On the far side of the narrow clearing, he, too, stood tall.

  And then he was moving toward her at a run. His dark chestnut hair had come loose and bounced with each step as he neared. His eyes never left her.

  “Get your fill?” he asked when he was near enough.

  Raene nodded. “I couldn’t eat another bite.”

  Parson offered her a satisfied smile, and Raene realized she’d never really seen him smile before. “Just in time.”

  “For what?”

  “Morning.” He pointed to the canopy, and sure enough, a tiny smear of pale blue had appeared across the night sky.

  She’d been out hunting all night.

  “We should get back.” Raene didn’t wait for him as she started toward camp. Then, a second later, she turned back. “Thank you, Parson. Really. I feel much better.” It was hard to be open and genuine with the man who had so unceremoniously rejected her, but Raene knew she owed him her gratitude and much more.

  In response, he only nodded and fell into step beside her. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “No.” Raene could only keep her straight face for a moment before she broke into a wide smile. “Of course. What do you want to ask?”

  “What are you doing here?” Parson gazed at her like it was the most important question in the world, but Raene was sure he already knew the answer.

  Raene giggled as if it was a silly question, but really, she didn’t want to bring up that gaping open wound. “Kaide made a marriage arrangement with your—with Da. Obviously.”

  Parson rolled his eyes. “I mean, why honor it? You have a strong totem. You could literally go anywhere or do anything. And you hate it here. Why stay? Because some guy across the realm said so? A guy you’re never going to see again?”

  Raene couldn’t help but feel he was trying to push her further away. “Look, I get it. You don’t like me. But the arrangement was made, and it’s my duty to honor it.” She steeled herself against the truth and said the words that sounded right.

  But Parson only inclined his head as he tried to wrestle through his thoughts. He didn’t answer, but instead, he chewed on the inside of his cheek.

  “What?” she finally asked.

  “I don’t understand. But I’m not sure if you’re not explaining i
t or if I’m just dumb.”

  Raene looked at the ground. “You’re not dumb.”

  Parson only laughed. “I’m not Hale. Or Da. Or even Tasia. I’m not like you.” In the dimness of the earliest hours of morning, Raene couldn’t decide why he was laughing.

  When Raene could stand it no more, she stopped dead in her tracks, her voice falling to a whisper. “He loves her.” The three words hung in the air.

  Parson spun like he’d been shot with an arrow. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth fell open. “What?” he hissed.

  Raene backed against the nearest alder tree, grateful for the support. When he remained speechless and rigid, she was tempted to step away, to shrink from the words, but it was too late now. She’d already started. There was no choice but to finish. Despite how her hands shook, she told him, “Kaide loves her.”

  Parson shook his head, refusing to believe her. “There’s no way you could know that. It’s only been a few weeks.”

  “I know him better than anyone. He loves her, and she loves him back. When I left, he had planned a big wedding and—”

  Parson glared in obvious horror. “They weren’t married yet?”

  Raene shook her head. “He wanted to wait until she was ready. He gave her the choice, and she chose him.”

  “I don’t believe you. Did you even know her? There’s no way—”

  “I know what I saw. They looked like—like Lathan and Tasia. They looked in love. I may be a silly Pyro girl, but I know what it looks like.” Raene kicked the soil with the toe of her shoe. Moments ago, she’d felt the bliss of release at satisfying her totem. Now, Parson wanted to drag her through painful memories. He couldn’t even give her five minutes of peace before he crushed her.

  Without looking up, she finished telling him, “And by coming here, I’m honoring the arrangement. If I didn’t—”

  Parson sighed and finished for her. “Da could nullify the trade and take her back.”

  She swallowed down her nerves and nodded. It wasn’t the whole truth, but it wasn’t a lie, either. Raene refused to tell him of Blossom’s disappearance—or her part in it. For all she knew, Blossom was found by now. Even so, Raene wouldn’t be the one to give them that news. Not until she had to.

  Parson took one long step to arrive before her, too close for comfort, but with her back against the tree, Raene had no choice but to withstand his gaze. “So, you’re going to do all this so Blossom and—and your uncle can be together?” Raene didn’t miss the way his words caught at the mention of Kaide, but she nodded her agreement.

  It was then he closed the gap between them. He laced his fingers into the thick hair at the back of her neck while the other clutched her waist and pulled her against him. He was so strong, his arms corded with muscle from his days working at the cut. His lips were hard and eager and soft and hungry, and Raene had no choice but to give in to such intensity.

  She’d never kissed a boy before. Not in Pyrona. Not the sons of elite houses or her wealthy marriage prospects. In all the times she’d imagined this moment, she’d never pictured it this way—her back pressed to an impossibly tall tree, a Terra man’s tongue exploring her mouth as she explored his—even the rake of his fingers in her hair made her tingle with excitement. Her hands grasped eagerly at his neck, desperate to taste more of him.

  Parson’s calloused hand slid up the back of her shirt, and a shiver of exhilaration raced through her. And when he dropped his hand to her thigh and tugged her leg up around his waist, Raene couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

  At the sound, Parson pulled away and braced his arm against the tree, eyes heavy and breaths ragged. “I’m sorry,” he said, though it was so low only her cat ears caught it.

  Her mouth fell open in shock. To Raene, the words were too unfair and cruel to fathom. What had been a freeing moment of release and excitement was now dashed to little more than a gaping wound. She wouldn’t let him see her crushed. Instead, she darted away only to have him lash out and grasp her wrist.

  “Let me go,” she said as she tried to get free. She cursed his physical strength. Raene had all the speed she could ever need, but Parson would always be stronger.

  Parson only pulled her toward him, not minding a bit that she fought him the whole way. “I didn’t mean it that way—”

  “Let go of me,” she insisted, using her free had to pry at the iron grip of his fingers around her wrist.

  “Just stop. Raene. Stop!” It was only when he shouted at her that she went still.

  Her eyes narrowed in anger and hurt and frustration. “You had no right,” she started, and once she had, she couldn’t stop. “You already said you don’t want to marry me. You don’t get to say that and then do this. It’s not fair. You had no right!”

  Raene felt as mangled as one of her kills.

  Her first kiss ruined. Every person she’d ever known gone. Her totem far out of her control. And Parson only made everything worse.

  “You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s just—” His resolve faded a moment later. “I don’t know what I’m trying to say.” And then he released her.

  Raene wouldn’t cry. Not in front of him. As soon as she was free, she turned away and marched toward camp, thankful for the little bit of morning light that eased her path. As her vision blurred and tears began to fall, Raene wasn’t sure if she was going the right way, but she didn’t care.

  She only wanted to be away from him.

  Hale smelled the blood first. It was unmistakable. Not the putrid stench of a scavenge, but the coppery aroma of fresh blood. It filled his nostrils well before he had her in his sights.

  Even in the scant morning light, the apple-red color of Raene’s shirt stood out among the trees. Her steps were quick and forceful. She was angry.

  Hale saw her tears next. She wiped at them to hide the fact she’d been crying, but it was too late. He marched forward, his steps as quick as hers, and when he was close enough, Hale threw his arms around her, good and strong as she needed.

  Hale, too, had had a rough, sleepless night, worrying over her safety but trusting in the Mother’s plan. A thousand times he’d thought to go after her—he could have followed her scent easily enough—but the coin had told him to stay, and so he had, though that didn’t keep his mind from racing, from questioning every word from the night before.

  Holding Raene against his chest was as much a comfort to Hale as his arms were to her. Her ragged breaths slowed, and her grip on his waist turned less desperate, but she didn’t let go.

  “Are you all right?” he whispered in her ear. She was tall enough he had to tilt his head up, but not much. He hated the slightness of his human form. It would be so much easier to comfort her if his bear size was evident beyond his totem form.

  With arms clutched around his neck and her face buried in the crook, Raene nodded, a subtle motion against his skin.

  For several long seconds, they remained entwined, both refusing to let go. “Are you hurt?” he asked, smelling blood mixed with traces of his brother that lingered from the night before and the strange scents of Pyrona still on her clothes.

  Raene straightened and pulled away. “On my back,” she admitted quietly.

  Hale turned her around enough to see a large section of her shirt ripped away, and in the exposed space, a bite mark crusted with blood. It was several hours old, Hale knew right away. “Let’s get that cleaned up.” He held her hand in his and walked her back to his tent—their tent.

  Together, they navigated through camp, but neither said a word. Hale could figure out where she’d gone—the blood and injury were clear enough. And however it had happened, Raene didn’t seem keen on discussing it. Instead, she wiped at the last of her tears, turning away so he wouldn’t see.

  Once inside, Hale laid out her blankets. Her injury wasn’t so serious as to warrant the use of the uncomfortable cot. “It’ll be easier if you lay down,” he told her as he prepared the space. He lit a dozen candles and collected the small
medical kit from his cabinet.

  Raene already lay on her stomach, her head resting on her arms. Hale sat cross-legged beside her and set a tall candle nearby. Getting a good look, Hale saw the tattered edges of her shirt caked with blood. One long strip of fabric was embedded in a deep gash right through the center.

  Hale located the forceps from his kit and began the careful process of pulling the tattered material from her injury. He went slowly, limiting how much he had to pull or dig into her flesh, but several times he heard her breath catch from the pain.

  “I’m sorry,” Hale said after he freed the end of the largest piece. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.

  “It’s not your fault,” she replied, though her voice betrayed her misery.

  “What did this?”

  “A coyote.”

  Hale let out a relieved sigh. All innocents carried disease—especially in their mouths—but a coyote was no worse than any other. A badger or wolf would have been cause for concern, but not a coyote. He had antiseptic ointment that could handle it well enough.

  Still, it left them with another problem. “We’ll send Lathan to kill it. Can’t have a coyote so close to camp.” Hale had no idea why the Mother had allowed coyotes this far north. It wasn’t a good sign. There were too many vulnerable totems under their protection.

  Raene adjusted her hands under her chin as Hale peeled away the last of the debris from her wound. “It was far away. And Parson killed it.”

  Hale froze, not sure how he should feel about that. Parson always had an unpredictable streak, but he’d passed on Raene from the start. Hale had smelled his brother on Raene’s clothes but had dismissed it. Now he was unsure. Hale didn’t understand why they would be out together in the middle of the night. Killing coyotes seemed an unlikely answer.

  At a loss, Hale refocused on his task. “Could you sit up? I need to cut away your shirt so I can clean the wound.”

  Raene moved to a sitting position, but she cast him a sad glance over her shoulder. “You have to cut it?”