Bonded to the Bear

by Fay Walsh

  Harmony didn’t say anything. Roan thought he might have said too much, but she cracked a grin. “I mean, I never thought of it like that, but with my luck, I’ll find love as good as my car breaking down.”

  The tension in the air shifted, a heavy pressure circled around him, and when Roan looked at Harmony, he noticed that she was frowning. He suddenly hated seeing her sad, when she looked beautiful smiling moments before. He turned to look at her with a concerned look on his face.

  “Can I ask you why you feel that way?”

  She turned to look back at him but before she could say anything, there was a knock on the back window.

  “Hey! I’m hungry.” Chrys shouted from the back of the truck.

  Harmony sighed and rolled her eyes.

  “Man, that girl is going to make me wring her neck. Do you happen to know any eateries in town?”

  “Oh, I know the best mom and pop’s diner in Fairview. I can drop you two off there, and then wherever you’re staying.”

  A look of surprise crossed Harmony’s face and Roan wasn’t sure if she was surprised that someone was being nice to her.

  “Y-you sure? I don’t want to seem like I’m taking advantage of you or something.”

  He chuckled. “I offered, didn’t I?”

  “Well, are there any motels close by?”

  He nodded. “There’s actually one by the diner. We can get something to eat, drop your stuff at the motel, and I’ll be sure to drop your car off at a mechanic to get it fixed, no charge.”

  For a moment, Harmony stared at him. Roan had to keep looking back and forth at her and the road.

  “Thanks,” she whispered. “You didn’t have too, but… thanks.”

  “Of course,” he told her, and he took a moment longer to stare into her hazel eyes that glinted off of the sun. He felt transfixed by them.

  ***

  They continued to drive past several fields and farms until the town came into view. Roan watched as she leaned forward to get a better look at her surroundings.

  The town had lots of large buildings nestled close together. Over to the far right, on Roan’s side, there were rolling mountains in the distance with a collective group of trees nestled on the hilltop.

  In between the towns and the mountains were several roads that led in and out of town.

  “Wow, this looks amazing. So this is what the country looks like? We’ve been traveling through nothing but cities lately.”

  “It’s actually not as boring as rumors suggest it to be. It can be quiet and that is something that nerves city-folk, but its home,” Roan said with a hint of pride in his voice. “Myself, my family, we’ve lived here for generations and really wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  “So, I’m guessing you live close to town?”

  Roan nodded. “A few minutes out of Fairview. I took over my parents farm, and I take the produce into town and then have it shipped into Sidney.”

  “Wow, generations, huh? I never could really picture being on a farm, though my parents took my sister and me out camping, I’d rather stay in cities.”

  Roan grinned and shrugged, finding her wholesome city life cute.

  “It’s an acquired taste, but you get used to it, and you end up seeing what’s to love about it.”

  After a moment, a green road sign pulled up and reads in painted white letters, Welcome to Fairview – Population 55,345.

  Roan’s truck drove off the freeway and into town. The buildings on the corner mushed together as he drove down the street. There was very little traffic as he passed the buildings. Roan pointed out a few eateries as they drove down the strip, a few antique stores, grocery stores, and clothing departments.

  “If you continue to drive further into town and get onto 2nd and Main, the strip will end, you’ll reach the residential homes and the school yard,” Roan told her and Harmony nodded, she took the information in.

  Roan turned the corner on Fairbank, a bright blue neon sign that is coming up read: Brick Street Diner. Roan drove into the parking lot and found an empty space by a dark blue car and turned off the ignition. Chrys was the first to get out of the car.

  “Oh my gosh, thank goodness we finally stopped. I was getting tired of sitting in cars for hours.”

  Chrys took the scrunchie from out of her hair, letting it fall past her shoulders, and headed into the diner not waiting for anyone else.

  Roan and Harmony got out of the car afterward.

  “I’m sorry about my sister’s attitude. She’s trying to spite me.”

  Roan shrugged his lean shoulder and smirked.

  “It’s no problem, I have a younger brother as well, so I understand. Shall we get something to eat?”

  Roan walked side by side with Harmony, chatting idly as he led her inside the diner. “You can call this your welcome home gift.”

  Roan caught her smiling again and he couldn’t help but love how it brightened her entire face.

  Chapter 3

  The smell of beef and onions wafted up Harmony’s nose and she was intoxicated by it. She had never smelled delicious food like this before, and her mouth started to water.

  Roan’s started laughing. Though she knew he was only teasing her, Harmony’s cheeks burned, and her heart pounded heavily. She couldn’t remember the last time a guy made her weak in the knees.

  “I told you this place was good, but look, I see your sister. I’m going to get our food ordered.”

  Roan pointed down the aisle of restaurant booths where Chrys sat, holding a menu in her hands. Harmony rolled her eyes, her earlier embarrassment over, and she walked down three booths before getting to the table Chrys sat in.

  Harmony stood by the side of the booth with her arms crossed over her chest as she waited for her sister to look up from the menu, but she didn’t so much as glance at her sisters irritated expression.

  “Gosh, everything looks so good, Harmony. I’m still undecided.”

  Harmony huffed and took her seat inside of the booth.

  “You know you shouldn’t have run off like that, Chrys. Something could have happened to you and I wouldn’t have known, all because you want to curse me for moving us.”

  Chrys looked slightly up from the menu and gave her sister a crossed look.

  “Yeah, no safer than getting in the car with a total stranger.” She closed the menu and her hands rested on top of one another. “Besides, I’m allowed to be a little sour, Harmony, we’ve been moving since I was a kid and now it looks like you’re hooking up.”

  Once again Harmony was caught off guard as a deep shade of red filled her cheeks at the thought of hooking up with Roan, and the fact that he made her hot and bothered didn’t help.

  Chrys laughed at her sister’s expense.

  “Well, since you’re whipped. Maybe you can finally have a relationship that’s longer than two weeks and lay off of my ass.”

  Harmony’s jaw dropped at the blatant way Chrys spoke and was about to reprimand her sister when Roan appeared, stopping the sister’s argument.

  Roan looked between the two and a worried expression appeared on his face.

  “So... I ordered the three of us a burger special, it’s the most popular in town, and I’m sure you two will love it.”

  Chrys rolled her eyes. “Yeah, because we all like beef and deep-fried heart attacks.”

  Roan furrowed his brow.

  “Chrys is a vegetarian, she doesn’t eat meat.” Harmony explained to him and he immediately apologized.

  “I’ll have the cook fix the order right away.” Roan raised his hand to a waitress with orange hair pinned in a loose ponytail with heavy mascara and eyeliner on her face. Her name tag read Connie.

  “Hey, Quinn. What can I get you?” She asked in the same drawl as Roan.

  “Yeah, can you change one of our orders, Connie, from a double cheeseburger to a tofu burger? Thanks.”

  Connie quickly scribbled down the order.

  “Do you folks need a drink? I can get
you something right away.”

  They told Connie what they wanted to drink, and she too scribbled it down before she tucked the notepad back in her pocket.

  “Coming right up.”

  As soon as Connie left, Harmony turned to him.

  “So, Quinn? What’s that about?”

  “It’s just a family name.”

  Chrys snorted. “Or you could be some kind of cop, or a psycho killer.” She gave Harmony a glance and shrugged. “Sure picked a really good one, sis’. Sure we won’t have to move again?”

  Harmony narrowed her eyes at Chrys and kicked her sister underneath the table. Chrys hissed in pain and glared dangerously at her, but instead of retaliating, Chrys slid out of the booth.

  “I’m going to get some air, tell me when the food is done.”

  Harmony rested her forehead in her hand and shook it. “Why is my sister so unbelievable?” Despite her frustration, there was a part of Harmony that did feel guilty, and she understood that anyone, especially a teenager, would be pissed off.

  But I promised mom.

  Connie quietly approached the table set down on it each drink in the assigned drinker’s spot. Harmony quietly thanked her with a small smile.

  When she felt a touch on her arm, she looked up and saw Roan stare intently at her with his amber hued eyes. They made her feel transfixed and dizzy, making her feel lost in them.

  “You know nothing is your fault, right Harmony?”

  His words pulled her out of her reverie, and she gave him a sad smile.

  “You don’t know the half of it.”

  Roan shifted in his seat, making the booths squeak, so he could completely face Harmony, and his arm rested on the back of the booth. His movements as he got closer to her made her lose her breath and how he looked directly at her made her feel as if she mattered. She couldn’t recall any guy that wanted to have a conversation with her, let alone look her in the eye.

  “You know, despite us only just meeting, I can tell you’re a good person. Whatever you’re going through with your sister, I’m sure it’s for a good reason.”

  “Well, I’m sure you’re just saying that.”

  Roan shook his head and leaned closer to her, closing the distance between them so they were only a few inches apart. “But I’m not,” Roan said seriously, his eyes never moved away from hers, and Harmony knew he was telling the truth.

  It made her feel… comfortable.

  “I just wish I knew how to handle a teenage girl. I mean I was one for crying out loud.” Harmony gave a shaky laugh. “I love my sister though and I know, deep down, she does too.”

  She started to chuckle again.

  “It’s funny how easy it is to open up to you.”

  “Maybe you haven’t been around people who would listen to you. But it does seem like Chrys doesn’t exactly know why you two moved, so maybe if you tell her things could be cleared up.”

  Harmony bit her lip and shrugged.

  “It’s just a fresh start,” she told him but from the curious gleam in his eyes, she wasn’t sure he truly believed her. “We’ve been through a lot of things and it hasn’t been easy.”

  Roan tilted his head to the side and looked at her. Harmony’s lips stretched into a wide smile.

  “What?” She started laughing. “What is it?”

  “Nothing. You’re just one big ball of mystery, Harmony.”

  Before Harmony could say anything, Roan already turned his head away from her to look at someone. Harmony looked away from Roan to see that a young man, with a calm expression on his face, had approached Roan. His lean jaw was well defined, and he had mousy, curly neck-length brown hair and a trimmed beard, like Roan, Harmony could tell he was lean but well-built.

  “What’s wrong, Kai?”

  Harmony heard him address the man. He drifted his dark brown eyes toward Harmony before looking back at Roan.

  “The Younglings… the Cold Sleep is affecting them, we need you to calm them down.”

  Harmony smiled at the use of the word. “So is Cold Sleep out a term young people use nowadays?”

  Roan chuckled and shrugged. “Something like that,” he said. Harmony caught his attention and look down at their hands close together before he looked up at her again.

  For a brief moment, Harmony imagined him leaning into her, and his lips brushing up against hers. However, he moved away from her and slid out of the booth, pulling Harmony back to reality.

  “I’m sorry I can’t stay, Harmony. I really am.” A solemn expression crossed his face. “I’ll leave the car in the parking lot and get it in the morning, the motel is down the street.”

  Harmony nodded and told him another time. She watched as Roan and Kai started walking toward the door, just as Chrys walked back inside of the restaurant. Kai turned his head to look at Chrys when she walked by, and the two held one another’s gaze for a moment, leaving Chrys with a goofy grin on her face.

  Harmony furrowed her brow and frowned.

  “What was that about?”

  The goofy grin on Chrys’ face dropped, and she rolled her eyes at her sister, mumbling under her breath.

  “You’re being a mom again.”

  “Uh, okay, and? He looks like he’s in his late twenties, you’re only seventeen.”

  Chrys stretched her neck and groaned loudly. “Oh, my gosh, stop controlling people!”

  A few people turned their heads to look at Chrys with odd looks.

  Connie, fortunately, saved the day and placed their food in front of them, interrupting their squabble.

  “Fine. Let’s just eat and then we’ll unpack, we have a few extra daylight hours before we turn in for the night.”

  Chapter 4

  Roan and Kai drove off in his truck, driving away from the diner and back up to the main road. Roan’s hands were on the steering wheel and his attention focused on the road, but his mind was focused on Harmony and how he had to leave so soon. He remembered her leaning into him and a part of Roan wish he would have leaned into her, but he knew that he might have been rushing into things.

  He still didn’t understand the instant connection he had with Harmony all of a sudden.

  “Alright, what happened?” Roan asked Kai, so he could tell him what happened with the Younglings when they shifted.

  Kai sighed and scratched the back of his head.

  “Well, everything was perfectly fine, at the start, honest. I did everything that you instructed, we did physical therapy, hunting in their human form, and then martial arts.”

  Roan nodded in reply to what his Beta, and friend, said.

  “Alright, sounds good for a start. And then what happened?”

  “Well, when it was time for shifting, that’s when things started to go berserk.”

  “Berserk, how?” Roan asked, his eyebrows raised and looked out the corner of his eye at Kai. “Didn’t you have them wearing Iridium metal or to keep their Shifter form in check?”

  Kai’s eyes extended slightly, and he swore under his breath. He ran his fingers through his hair and pulled slightly at his curls in frustration. Roan huffed under his breath as he realized what had caused the problem.

  “The Iridium is there for a reason, you know, Kai?” Roan said to him. Kai nodded and frowned. “Since their bodies can’t adapt when they shift, the Iridium is there to inhibit their Shifter abilities from going crazy without harming them., Anything silver works too, until they learn to control it in adulthood.”

  “Roan, I am… I am so sorry. I messed up big time.” Kai apologized and shook his head guiltily. “I know this isn’t an excuse, but this is my first time without you or a Watcher in the background. I got nervous, I guess.”

  Roan shrugged his shoulders and smirked. He turned to look at his friend, who looked back at him with a guilty expression on his face.

  “Kai don’t worry about it. You did fine, no one was hurt, maimed, or killed.– Mistakes happen and you reacted by getting help, it was quick thinking, and anyone else in y
our position would have frozen on the spot.”

  Kai nodded in appreciation. They were out of town and on the highway, headed toward the road to the ranch.

  “I’m going to fix the situation and you can take it from there. Now what I am curious to know is what you were doing talking to Harmony’s sister, Chrys?”