by Olivia Harp
“No, that’s not what I said—”
“Second,” she continued, “you owe me everything, including your job. You think I don’t know about you showing off my accomplishments? I’ve kept quiet for too long. If you don’t like the way I work, you can shut the hell up and fire me. I know what I’m capable of, I could find a job anywhere I damn want, you’ve been taking advantage of my talent for way too long.”
“Hey, why don’t we step back and calm down? There’s no need to get—”
“Third. If you want me to stay, you’ll ask me to do whatever needs to be done. No more orders. I’m a free person, not a damn slave.”
The man did not reply, Franklin could only hear his nervous breathing. His reign had come to an end.
“And you better give me much better benefits, and raise my salary, understood? If you can find a better person to do this job, go ahead and hire them.”
“Sophia, that’s not on my hands, I—”
“Well then, it’s settled. I’m out. I’m going to take a plane back to Portland. If I don’t have a proposal I really, really like by the time I arrive, then you can kiss my sweet ass goodbye. Is that clear?”
Silence. She had the man by the balls.
“I said, is that clear?”
The man cleared his throat, “uhm... listen, okay. It might take a little longer—”
“Then you better get going.”
She hung up. Her eyes were filled with fury and joy, all mixed in one.
Franklin was speechless, unable to look away. She broke out of her shell and did it with such force as to make the higher ups bend to her will.
She earned this. She was tough, she just needed a little push.
“What?” she finally asked.
He realized he was looking at her completely stunned. He composed himself and grinned, “I knew you were bad.”
She bent a bit forward and yelled hard, letting all of her anger out.
Her cry turned to a roar, the intensity of it making the shelves rattle.
She turned to Franklin and leaped at him. He caught her mid-air, holding her tight. She couldn’t stop laughing, then he started laughing with her.
The whole room filled with happiness. It was a much better day than they anticipated.
Chapter 12
Sophia’s animal roared. She had everything she could want; she was finally free.
But for some reason, it wasn’t enough. The bear wanted more.
She had been talking to Franklin all the way back to the airport.
All small talk.
Something to take their minds off the inevitable.
“You should come to the Mountain sometime,” Franklin said.
Her stomach tightened. Could she do that? It would be painful and she needed to try to move on, try to forget... or there was no way she could live normally. He transformed her.
“You can stay there for as long as you want.”
He wasn’t even hiding it. But he was a gentleman, he wouldn’t forcer her. Especially now that she found her own strength.
But she was afraid.
She had to be honest with herself, this was the first time she ever felt needed. Or important.
No, that wasn’t the word she was looking for.
This was the first time she felt meaningful. He’d done that, he made her realize it.
“What do you say?”
She saw him, hadn’t been paying attention.
“I’m sorry, didn’t hear you.”
“I said you could even come with me today, my cabin’s big enough for the both of us.”
She smiled.
“Franklin, you’re inviting me to come live with you?”
He turned to her, his eyes fixed on hers.
He slowed down and stopped. The whiteness of the landscape surrounded them. The temperature outside was dropping quickly, but inside the truck, she felt comfortable, happy.
He grabbed her hand.
“Listen,” he said, “you’re always moving around, no home, no permanent place to live. I’m offering you a place to stay while you find out what you want to do from here on.”
His hand on hers. She loved the feeling. His pulse was racing, or was it hers? Her bear growled and paced around, waiting for her response.
She knew what she wanted. She wanted to be with him.
“I can’t,” she said.
She knew that she was breaking his heart. The way his hand just barely moved, how his eyes turned away for a millisecond then shifted back to her.
He didn’t ask her why. She was free to do whatever she wanted without the need for an excuse or an explanation.
She was free.
He set her free.
“It’s too soon,” she blurted out, “we have perfection right now, I don’t want to lose that.”
He nodded, grabbing her hand even tighter, holding on to her for these last moments they were together.
“I always joke about being perfect,” she continued, “but I know I’m not. I’m a mess.”
“Nothing is perfect. You don’t have to be afraid. I know that.”
She shook her head.
“I can’t,” she whispered, holding back tears.
Franklin sighed deeply. He understood.
The rest of drive was silent.
Chapter 13
The double-doors opened automatically. Sophia passed through them and Franklin followed. The small airport was surprisingly alive.
“This is new,” Franklin said, “where did all these people come from?”
“Some oil riggers still work around these parts, this plane is a once a week thing, that’s why it’s so busy,” she replied, “what’s your seat?”
“Oh, I’m not going on that plane.”
Her mouth dropped, “you’re staying in here?”
“No,” he laughed, “not at all.”
He walked to a window and pointed out.
“The jet I arrived in is still here, they won’t leave without me.”
“Really? My God, and here I am, on a fifteen-hour flight.”
“Fifteen hours? To get to Portland?”
“We stop at Anchorage.”
“We can give you a ride if you want.”
She laughed, “you can do that?”
He shrugged, “sure, why not? That’s what private jets are for.”
She smiled, her red lips pressed together in a half pout.
“I’m going to have to pass on that, cowboy. It’s hard enough saying good-bye already.”
She pretended to be okay, but her bear was wrecking her inside.
“Last call for passengers for Anchorage, Alaska, flight three one seven.”
She looked down at her boarding pass.
“That’s me, big man,” she said, trying to hide the way her voice was breaking, “give me a good-bye kiss.”
She looked away as he got closer, she had to hold her tears, couldn’t let him see her crying.
Her bear snarled, clawing at her heart.
He gave her a big hug and a small peck on the lips, his eyes reddening.
“I’ll wait for you. For as long as you need.”
“Mate!” her bear roared, she wanted him to claim her right then and there. Dumb idea.
She nodded and turned around waving him good-bye, going through the tunnel and away from him.
***
The plane was even smaller than she expected, even for a place like this.
It had a row of single seats to the left, the aisle and then another row of two seats.
It was only less than half full. Most of the other passengers big, burly blue-collar men.
She settled in her window seat, right next to an older, black man.
“Evening,” the man said.
She smiled at him and nodded without replying. She was afraid her voice would crack if she said anything.
A family of four, two adults and two tweens, were the final passengers, taking their seats just behind her.
<
br /> She looked out, at the horizon. The orange sun fading calmly in the far distance was not enough for her to shut off the chaos inside.
She felt as if someone had cut her heart out of her and squished it.
Tears swelled again in her eyes but she held them back, her throat sore.
Why couldn’t she just follow along with what she wanted? What was her problem? Why did she have to meet Franklin all the way over there, not somewhere like, a diner or who knows, just stumble upon him on the street?
You’re a coward. That’s what it is.
She wished she was brave, like him.
She knew she’d regret this her whole life.
“Sophia Korbin,” a deep, resonant voice called out from the front.
Her pulse raced the moment she heard him. She turned up to see him, standing right next to the entrance.
He looked radiant. Tall and strong and looking hotter than ever even with his silly cowboy hat.
The old man sitting beside her turned to her, then back at Franklin.
“Oh,” he said, not even trying to hide his smile, “this’ gonna get good.”
Her heart hammered inside her chest.
He took a step forward, his deep black eyes fixed on her.
“What are you doing here?” she said, finally finding her voice.
“I came for you.”
“Oohh...” the man beside her said.
She looked around and everyone on the plane was looking at them, in silence. The kids on the back brought up their phones and were filming the whole thing.
“I can’t let you go.”
“Franklin,” she said, her heart beating a thousand times per second, “we hardly know each other.”
“But this is real. More real than anything in the world. “
A collective “aww” filled the plane. The old man beside Sophia softly elbowed her.
“He’s good,” he said.
Franklin took another step towards her.
“Besides,” he said, “you don’t want to go.”
She couldn’t argue with that. He was right.
“What if we find out horrible things about each other?” she said.
“Like what?”
“Like, I don’t know, I don’t like washing dishes.”
“I’ll do them.”
“If I leave dirty clothes on the floor.”
“I’ll ask you to pick them up.”
“What if you find someone else, someone better looking?”
He stepped forward again, with a fire on his eyes.
“There is no one in the world more beautiful than you. I want you, Sophia.”
She could hardly breathe. This was like a dream come true, everything she’d ever wanted was this. Someone she could trust, someone that loved her and admired her. Someone she could love and build a better life with.
“What if—”
“What if you’re scared,” he interrupted, “and that’s the only thing holding you back?”
The old man turned to Sophia in wide surprise.
“Don’t fear love, girl,” he said.
She started shaking her head. She was scared. More scared than she had ever been in her life.
“I’ll go if you want,” Franklin continued, “but you have to tell me one thing.”
She looked up at him, her body was on fire, every muscle in her body tight.
“Do you love me?”
The hair on the back of her neck bristled, she never thought he’d ask that.
“Say you don’t and I’ll leave,” he continued, “I won’t bother you again. Because I love you.”
The room was deadly silent. A pregnant pause where everyone waited for her response.
This was her chance. She could turn her back on fate and go somewhere else. She’d be all right. He’d be all right, too.
Nothing bad would happen if she said she didn’t love him. If she lied.
Her bear roared inside. Why was she being such an ass to him?
“Okay,” he said, breaking the silence, “I wish you all the best, beautiful.”
He tipped his hat and turned around to leave.
“Stop right there, cowboy,” she said, stopping him, “I love you.”
He turned back and walked to her.
“I love you,” he said again, “I absolutely adore you.”
“Yes!” the man beside her yelled, and people began to clap
“I love you,” she said as she unfastened her seat belt and stood up, “I love you, Franklin!”
People around cheered, even the grizzled oil workers clapped.
“You go girl!” the black man cheered as she passed him on the way to the aisle, “go get your man!”
“I love you!” she shouted and he ran and embraced her, kissing her amidst the yeehaws and clapping of everyone around.
“I love Alaska!” the old man yelled.
Chapter 14
His jet was something out of a James Bond movie. It was a bit too much at first: it looked more like an entertainment room than a plane, with its two-piece sofa, full bar, and big screen TV.
She held his hand and nothing had ever felt more right to her.
She could feel his animal, growling, needing her, and hers was the same.
She thought she would end up alone, she’d made her peace with that, but after a million disappointments, her dreams came true. She was floating.
He carried her baggage down to the other end of the VIP room.
“Come over,” he said, “I want you to look at something.”
The captain on the loudspeaker gave the usual warnings and announcements, they were ready to leave.
She moved faster and Franklin opened a door on the rear end of the plane.
It was the bathroom.
But it was no ordinary bathroom.
“This thing’s bigger than the one in my previous apartment!” she said.
It had a jacuzzi and a dozen little products to have a bubble bath.
“I don’t know about you but I want to be in the Mile-High Club.”
“The Mile-High—” she repeated looking at him.
Then it dawned on her, and yes, she’d love to belong to that club too, sexy time on a plane was an offer she couldn’t refuse.
A fire lit up inside of her. She kissed him and felt his manhood against her center.
Damn it.
This man was trouble. But she loved it.
“Franklin,” she asked.
“Yes?”
“Were you really so bad at Ancient Legends, or were you just faking it so I could win?”
He stifled a laugh.
“You’ll never know.”
“Oh, really? You’ll have to pay for that, cowboy!”
“We’ll see about that, beautiful,” he said, kissing her neck, her laugh filling the cabin, “just wait ‘til after take-off.”
Chapter 15
— 2 Years Later —
Sophia snuggled under Franklin’s arms.
The day was coming to an end, the night breeze at the White Paws mountain turned colder each passing moment.
She put a marshmallow on the bonfire for a few seconds and took a bite from it.
The past couple of years had been the best of her life, and things were only going better.
The White Paws accepted her from the very beginning, and life was much easier working remotely from up there.
“Then a freaking monstrous thing came up behind Sophie and she didn’t see it!”
Deeandra, the oldest kid of the clan gasped, she was fascinated by Franklin’s story.
“Here’s your food, dear!” her dad, Raiden, said, bringing her a thick steak on a plate, “go get your sides on the table.”
“Wait dad, Franklin’s about to finish his story.”
“What story?”
“Sophie had a monster behind her and then?” Dee said.
“I couldn’t get to her,” Franklin continued, “I thought everything was lost.”
> Raiden leaned forward, “you never told me this story, Franklin.”
“But I turned around, and faced the bastard,” Sophia said.
Raiden cut his steak and took a bite from it.
Enzo, the healer of the group sat beside Raiden, “hey did you know—”
“Wait man,” Raiden interrupted, “Sophie’s telling a story, so you turned around and faced the thing.”
“You should have seen it man,” Franklin continued, “it was huge, two stories high. It was death itself, spikes and all.”
“Two stories high?” Enzo said.
“Yeah,” Dee replied.
“So there was no time left, I was fighting this other creature back on the hallway, she was on her own.”
Raiden’s wife, Cassie, called from the main table, her triplets by her side.
“Honey,” she said, “maybe Dee shouldn’t hear this? She might have trouble sleeping.”
“It’s okay, I promise I won’t, dad,” Dee said.
“Are you sure, buddy?”
“Yes, dad.”
“She says she’ll be fine, love,” Raiden said to Cassie.
“All right, honey, just checking,” she replied, carrying on her conversation with Faith and Maverick.
“So, what happened?” asked Damien, the alpha of the clan.
“No, wait,” said Zoe, his wife, with a laugh, “I don’t like these kind of stories.”
“Don’t worry, it ends well,” Franklin said.
“So there I was,” Sophie continued, “facing the big, bad monster, Franklin was fighting a Witch back on the corridor.”
“Then I pulled out a machine-gun and started shooting. Bam-bam-bam-bam!”
Everyone frowned, what?
“I hear the gunfire outside the room and I know he’s outside range, so I take out the rocket launcher and fire at the big freaking thing in front of me.”
“Wait,” Damien said, “this happened?”
“Yeah!” Franklin said, “she blasted it to pieces, the whole team was going crazy!”
“Team?” Enzo said.
“What the f—” Raiden said, stopping before he finished, looking at his daughter, “what are you talking about?”
“The Finals dad, they made it to the finals yesterday!”
“The game,” Franklin said, “Ancient Legends? Dee asked us how did we do and I was just telling her.”
“Are you kidding me?” Raiden said, “I thought you were talking about those days in the cabin when you met!
