Dragon's Choice

by Juniper Hart

  After he had finished talking about himself, he asked Olivia, “How are you feeling?”

  “A little better,” she answered, slumping back against her chair, “but I feel so weak. Is that normal?”

  “Well, silver poisoning, even that small bit of it, will take a while to get over. Your body has to rejuvenate,” Caleb explained. “The main thing you need is rest. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like. The only ones who know about this place are a few trusted members of my pack, so whoever was after you before won’t find you here.”

  Olivia smiled and sipped her coffee. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” She was silent for a moment before she spoke again. “God, it’s so weird not remembering anything about myself. It’s like my mind is forcing itself inward to try to retrieve memories and information that is just not there. I’m afraid I’m going to go crazy.”

  She hung her head and wiped a tear from her eye.

  “Hey,” Caleb said, “it’s going to be okay. You’re stronger than that. I can tell.”

  Olivia smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Thanks, but you don’t even know me. Hell, I don’t even know me, but I sure don’t feel very strong right now.”

  “Luckily,” Caleb began with a smile, “I’m an alpha. Being intuitive is part of the job description, you know.”

  He immediately wished he hadn’t mentioned being an alpha. He did not want to seem arrogant. Also, he didn’t want her to know such vital information about himself if it turned out she was a member of the Manzweil pack.

  He suddenly realized the effect Olivia was having on him. His whole life, he’d never been one to care what anyone else really thought about him—he had just been blessed with true self-confidence—but right now, he was actually second guessing himself a bit.

  Olivia was just so beautiful. She may not have believed her own strength right then, but he could see the confident, strong, and intelligent woman she really was. He wasn’t just trying to flatter her when he mentioned this.

  As strong as she was, though, he could also sense a vulnerable side to her, which he found alluring. A part of him loved the idea of rescuing her, and he wanted to continue protecting her, even if he could tell she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Although he knew that she would get better, and although he hoped that her memory returned soon, a part of him was saddened that she might not need him anymore after that. He knew it was wrong and even silly to feel that way, but those feelings were still there within himself. And he’d never felt this way about someone.

  “Let me help you with the dishes,” Olivia said once they’d both finished eating. “Do you have a dishwasher here?”

  Caleb laughed. “No, I don’t. I’m a pretty simple guy, and I hate to say that I have not kept up with the changing times and technology.”

  “Wow, you are living in the stone ages,” Olivia teased. “Well, then I guess I’ll wash these dishes by hand.”

  “No, you don’t have to,” Caleb said, getting up from his chair. “You need to conserve your strength—” But Olivia was already standing at the sink and reaching for a scrubber.

  He could tell that she was weak and even this was tiring her out, but she seemed to be determined to do something. He was the same way, stubborn from the day he’d been born.

  “I’ll dry, then,” Caleb said, grabbing a towel. Olivia smiled at him. It was such a beautiful smile.

  “So, what do you do for work?” Oliva asked, handing him the freshly washed frying pan.

  Caleb didn’t answer instantly. As comfortable and close as he was feeling towards Olivia, he had to remind himself that he had no idea who she really was. He had to tread lightly here and not allow himself to become wrapped up in the moment.

  “I used to work with computers, now I just work with investments, and dabble with nature photography on the side,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I love living up here. It lets me surround myself with inspiration for my work.”

  “Wow, that’s interesting. Do you work for a company, or do you just do your own investments?” Olivia asked.

  Caleb had made million in the dot-com bubble, and got out of the industry just in time. He had enough money to last many lifetimes, so he dabbled in day trading, and helped friends with their investments, but mostly just spent his free time in nature. This was something he didn’t want to share with her quite yet, so he decided to keep his answer vague.

  “I work as an independent consultant,” he said.

  “It must be nice working for yourself,” Olivia said with a smile.

  Caleb smiled as they finished up the breakfast dishes. “Well, thanks for the help.”

  Olivia grinned back at him. “You know, these clothes are way too big for me, but they are very comfy,” she joked.

  “I’m sorry that I don’t have anything closer to your size,” Caleb replied.

  “Oh, no woman in your life?” Olivia asked, a bit flirtatiously. “That surprises me.”

  “Well,” Caleb said, “I guess I’m still searching for that special lady.”

  Olivia didn’t say anything, but her grin seemed to widen even more.

  3

  Wow, that looks great,” Caleb told her.

  Olivia was performing a basic squat, Caleb’s hands placed on her back to give her some much-needed support. He was watching her intently, paying careful attention to her in case she needed help. She felt a bit embarrassed about not being able to squat her own body weight without help, but it was comforting to know that he was there.

  It was hard to believe that it had only been two weeks since Olivia had first awakened in Caleb’s cabin. She tried her best not to think about how close to death she’d actually been. It was over, and there was nothing she could do about what had happened to her in the past. It was imperative that she focus all of her energy on recovering and getting stronger. It had been a slow and bumpy road so far, but she was making great progress—or at least, that was what Caleb kept telling her. She truly didn’t know how she would have gotten along this well without him.

  She finished the squat, and she had started to lower herself down into another one when she felt her legs buckling underneath her. A slight yell escaped her throat as she fell. She braced for impact, but Caleb’s hands were under her in a second, catching her from collapsing onto the hardwood floor.

  “Damn!” Olivia cursed.

  “It’s okay,” Caleb reassured her. His voice was kind and soothing, but at the same time, he wasn’t coddling her. She appreciated him not being patronizing.

  Olivia sat down on the couch and leaned back, trying to catch her breath. She felt as if breathing was something she couldn’t be bothered to exert herself to do, as though doing something so basic were more than her body could handle. She really didn’t know if she would ever regain her full strength. As far as she could tell, she’d hit a brick wall in her recovery over the past week or so, despite Caleb telling her otherwise.

  Caleb grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to her before sitting down beside her. She tried not to steal a glance at his rugged and bulging biceps through his shirt when he sat down, but her eyes were not her own sometimes.

  Her attraction to Caleb had been almost immediate. After she’d gotten over the initial shock of what had happened to her, she slowly began to grow comfortable with him. He was not the kind of guy who put you at ease right away, mainly because of his natural confidence. He was tall, muscular, extremely handsome, and when you looked into his eyes, you could see kindness.

  At the same time, though, there was an edge to his demeanor that said you would be very sorry if you crossed him wrong. She wished to hell that whoever had tried to kill her would cross Caleb’s path.

  He had been so kind to her, and his patience could be considered legendary. She still didn’t remember anything from before she was apparently poisoned. The last thing she could recall was waking up in Caleb’s cabin. The rest of her life was completely wiped out. Would she ever recove
r? Would anything from who she was or who she used to be come back to her?

  She and Caleb had done an extensive amount of research about the long-term effects of silver on lycanthropes, mostly from old books that had been passed down through his family through the generations. They all said that the effects should minimize if the subject survived the exposure, but they were all vague in regards to how long this might take. Everybody was different. And the books did mention that sometimes the effects were permanent. It was a very real possibility that she might never recover her memories.

  Olivia took a drink of the water Caleb had offered her. The bottle felt like it weighed a ton in her hand. She hated having no physical strength.

  “You’re doing very well,” Caleb said, like he had read her thoughts. “It just takes time.”

  “Thanks,” Olivia replied. “I just feel like a toddler… helpless. I hate it.”

  “I know it feels like the end of the world,” said Caleb, turning his body towards her, “and I’ve tried to put myself in your place and understand exactly how you feel, but of course I can’t. Just as you can’t tell how I feel when I watch your progress. We often can’t see ourselves as others do.”

  “Wow,” Olivia replied. “I guess I hadn’t thought of it like that. I have no idea of how old I really am, but I suspect it’s not nearly as old as you. I don’t have that kind of wisdom. But then again, I can’t even remember my real name.”

  “You don’t like Olivia?” Caleb asked. “I think it suits you.”

  Olivia smiled. “No, I do. Whatever my name is, I’m not sure it can outdo this one.”

  She set her water bottle down and sighed. The stress of trying to remember anything at all about herself was really starting to get to her. But she had to keep trying, even if it made her uncomfortable. It was the only way she could hope to get better. She knew this instinctively.

  “So,” Caleb started. “You shifted this morning.”

  Olivia laughed. She had actually felt strong enough to try shifting, and she had been pleasantly surprised when she’d managed to do it. Of course, she had only lasted a few seconds before she had changed back to her human form, but still. It had been a bit embarrassing.

  “Yeah, I guess I did,” she replied. “It did help me, though. My mind became clearer after that—for a little while, at least. I’d love to shift again now, but I know I don’t have the energy. It pretty much wiped me out this morning.”

  “I take it as a great sign,” Caleb told her. “Your true self is emerging again. I firmly believe that as your lycanthrope powers grow stronger, your mental strength will return as well.”

  “I wish I had as much faith in myself as you do,” Olivia said.

  Caleb reached out just then and traced the side of her head with his knuckles. Olivia felt a blush coming on as he tilted her face to his. He was leaning into her, and for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her.

  His lips were slightly parted, and the look in his eyes almost looked like longing, or maybe hunger, as if he was solely focused on her and nothing else in the entire world. It was like she was the only thing that mattered to him, that the only thing he cared about. Was he going to tell her how he felt about her? Her breath caught in her chest, and her whole body began to tingle.

  “You do,” Caleb murmured. “I can see it in you. Soon, you will find it once again. You just have to trust yourself and let go. I believe that sometimes we put up mental roadblocks that force us to stumble over things we’re afraid to face. Having great strength can be a burden, and it is one that most people are afraid to embrace. You have that power, and I’m telling you now that you have no reason to fear it.”

  Caleb let go of her head and leaned back, keeping his eyes planted firmly on her. Olivia felt her face redden and her eyes begin to water. She looked away and took another sip from her water. That had been pretty intense. Did Caleb feel the same way that she did about him? Was he just waiting until she got her strength back to tell her how he felt? Or was it all just wishful thinking on her part?

  Olivia breathed deeply, enjoying the way her lungs filled with air, relishing the sensation of being complete for just a moment. She welcomed the relaxation with open arms, even if it was just for a few moments—before the chaos that was her mind kicked back in.

  She just wanted to be whole again.

  Was she really considering trying to start something with Caleb? With how chaotic everything in her life was right now, a relationship was probably the last thing she needed. Hell, for all she knew, she might actively be involved with someone already. What if she did have a significant other who was searching for her somewhere out there? What would he think when he found her and discovered she was in love with someone else?

  Love? Well, that was a stretch… or was it? She pushed the thought away from her head and just closed her eyes.

  “I’d love a nap right now,” Olivia said.

  “That’s probably not the best idea,” Caleb replied.

  “Why not? Aren’t I supposed to be resting?” Olivia joked.

  “To some extent,” Caleb said. “But you will find that when you force your body to oversleep, then it often has the effect of taking forever to fully wake up. I personally hate that feeling of being kind of between awake and asleep.”

  Olivia nodded. “I guess you’re right,” she teased. “Big shock. Are you sure you’re a biologist, and not a philosopher?”

  Caleb laughed. “No. I’ve just lived a while and seen too much for a lifetime. Hell, I’ve seen too much for several lifetimes.”

  Olivia looked at Caleb to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. It was a bit depressing to think about. She wondered how many people he’d known and lost in his life. Then she wondered the same thing about herself. It was a tragedy that she couldn’t even remember that.

  “So, no word at all about any packs missing a member?” Olivia asked.

  “Well, I’ve put the word out,” Caleb said, “but no one has reported you yet. Then again, I’m trying not to cast the net too widely.”

  Olivia frowned. “Why not?”

  Caleb sighed. “The two main packs around here are mine and the Manzweil pack. There are others in Montana, but most of them are small packs who mostly keep to themselves. If we stir the pot too much, one of the Manzweils will assume you were targeted by some hunter, which might mean you have told mortals about our kind. Of course, most of the handful of hunters out there are diligent researchers. They occasionally stumble onto one of us, so I doubt it was your fault at all. But that might be all the fuel that the Manzweils need to start something.”

  “You’ve mentioned them before,” Olivia remembered. She recalled Caleb bringing up that name in some of their previous conversations, but he had never gone into details. “What is the deal with this pack?” she asked.

  Caleb shook his head slightly. He opened his mouth to speak and then shook his head again, as if letting the idea go entirely.

  “No. It’s not your fight,” he said. “The less you know about it, the better.” He stood up from the couch. “I’m going into town to run a few errands and meet up with a friend. I left stuff to make sandwiches in the fridge, so you should be good for dinner. Do you need anything while I’m out?”

  “No. Thank you.” Olivia was disappointed that he was leaving, but she couldn’t expect him to completely stop his own life for her.

  With that, Caleb grabbed his jacket and walked out the door.

  Olivia watched him driving away through one of the windows until the taillights of his truck were no longer visible. She wondered if something she’d said had bothered him. Perhaps she shouldn’t have asked about the Manzweils…

  But there were so many things about Caleb that she didn’t know. At times, he would be so open and easygoing, and then other times he’d shut down and become very secretive.

  The man was a walking enigma, and sometimes Olivia wasn’t sure she wanted to figure that mystery out.

  4

  Caleb b
raced himself for impact beneath the heavy blow coming straight at his head. He took a step back and raised his arm to absorb the impact of the fist flying at him. The punch hit his arm hard, and he smiled as he laughed it off before throwing a punch of his own, straight at his opponent’s face. His opponent saw it coming, though, and he brought up a block to counter the attack. Before Caleb could follow up with more retaliation, his opponent recoiled out of reach and laughed at him.

  Caleb laughed back.

  “You aren’t getting tired on me, are you?” he teased.

  “Not remotely,” Clifton Wells, Caleb’s best friend, replied. “I’m just regrouping to give you a chance to breathe.” He quickly wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his gloved hand and continued to bounce on the balls of his feet, ready for another attack.

  The two friends were enjoying their weekly kickboxing match at Roy’s Gym. In addition to teaching the occasional classes and working with both professional and amateur fighters, the two lycans like stepping into the ring from time to time, and they regularly practiced by beating the snot out of each other.

  Cliff owned the gym, and sometimes they would stay after his last class to really let loose, using all their primal strength without worrying about the watchful eyes of Cliff’s human students. But it was all in good fun. So far, Caleb was ahead, with twenty-six fights to eight. Even Cliff got lucky sometimes.

  Cliff charged at him, throwing a vicious roundhouse kick that Caleb countered, stepping just out of the way and delivering a hard kick into his friend’s ribs. Cliff groaned and staggered back, but he did not fall down. The man could take a decent beating and come back smiling. He was not someone an average human man would want to take on in the streets.

  Caleb and Cliff had been best friends since they were kids. The two of them knew each other inside out, and they could practically read each other’s thoughts. It was so uncanny that Caleb often wondered how they were able to even make it through a fight and actually land any punches on each other. When they did get hit, it was so infuriating because they knew that the blow was coming, but they did not react in time. At least it kept their fights interesting.