by Unknown
“It’s history but it’s the reason I’m guarded around new people. I know the horrible things people can do to one another. I guess I still have trust issues.”
“How about me? How do you feel about me?” he asked, squeezing her hand.
“I trust you, but if you ever betrayed that trust I just don’t know what I’d do. I’m hoping you’ll always be honest with me. No secrets between us, ever.”
Chapter Ten
“Something bothering you?” asked Liam. Cole had made his way out to Liam’s garage and sat watching him while he worked on a car. He’d felt like talking and getting something off his chest, but had instead not said a word for the last five minutes.
“I have to tell Sammy about me, about us shifters, but I’m too scared.”
Liam put down the spanner he was holding and wiped his hands on the rag that hung from his belt.
“I know it’s tough and it’s one of the reasons I stayed away from humans for so long.” He leaned against the car as he spoke. “So it’s serious with you and her?”
Cole nodded. “I have this feeling deep on my heart and soul that she’s my mate.”
Liam slapped him on the back. “Congratulations, and if that’s the case you have to tell her sooner than later.”
“What if she freaks out, what if she turns Trent in? I mean she’ll guess that as he’s a buddy, he’s a shifter too. She might even ask me outright. I don’t want to make any trouble for him.”
Liam took a deep breath. “If I hadn’t met Lucy and was so much in love with her, I’d be giving you a lecture right now. It would go something like this: see what happens when you mix with humans, but I know what you’re going through. You’re split between capturing your mate and being loyal to the group. It’s a tough road to walk.”
Despite his sometimes thorny exterior, Cole knew that one intelligent bear resided within Liam.
“I want everything to be perfect,” said Cole.
“And it will be, but first you have to get over a few hurdles. You feel like going for a run? Sort of, clear your head?”
Cole stood. “Best thing I’ve heard all day. You want me to drive?”
“Sure, why not? That way I can sit back and relax.”
****
Sam had missed Cole by mere seconds. She saw him drive away with Liam in the passenger seat. She’d seen which way they were heading so she decided to try and catch up with them. She passed through the area close to where they’d found Margo. She knew Cole mentioned that he liked to jog in there and wondered if that’s what he and Liam were planning to do.
She rounded the corner and saw the turn off spot for the wooded area. Cole’s car was parked there. She’d guessed correctly. She pulled in behind it but both men were already gone.
Sam got out of her car and looked around. This was where she’d first set eyes on Cole. Yeah, she’d had a thing for him from the beginning, but she’d been stubborn in admitting it to herself. She glanced over at the path that led to the woods. Maybe she’d go over there and she’d see them jogging. Not that she liked running but maybe she’d join them just this once. As Sam got closer she saw two piles of clothes sitting under a tree.
That was weird. She glanced at one of the piles, saw jeans folded on top, and recognized them as Cole’s. His blue stripe boxer shorts where there too. She guessed the second pile of clothing belonged to Liam.
Unless they’d changed into jogging gear, they were now buck-naked. All sorts of things went through her mind. Skinny dipping in the nearby lake, secretly having a relationship, and coming out here so they weren’t discovered. Maybe Liam wanted to hide the truth from Lucy.
Cole had given no indication that he liked men as well as women. Would she be okay with that?
She heard twigs snapping and went farther into the woods and saw two sets of bear tracks. Sam spun around, suddenly disorientated as to her whereabouts. She’d thought she’d entered the woods to the right but nothing seemed very familiar now.
Bears on the loose. Maybe the same one that had walked by Margo’s body that day.
Don’t panic, clearly not dangerous because it hadn’t touched the victim’s body. But wait a minute. If you played dead they left you alone right? That’s why it hadn’t eaten Margo. The bear knew she was dead. Sam would have to do the same thing.
Another snap and rustle of branches. Too close for comfort. Maybe she should try and find Cole and Liam. Hopefully, they weren’t doing anything she didn’t want to stumble upon. The thought of Cole with anyone else, male or female, made her feel sick. She was pretty sure she was in love with him. Maybe them removing their clothing was all innocent and she’d have a good laugh about the whole thing.
She pushed her way through some thinner bush and spotted the two bears. Holy crapolo, they were huge. Grizzlies if she wasn’t mistaken. Seemed they were standing there doing nothing. Almost like they were having a conversation. How crazy did that sound?
There was a clap of thunder directly overheard and then a sudden downpour. Both bears ran toward her. Her life was about to end. She ran, almost slipping on some fallen branches but managed to hide behind a bush.
Yeah, they’d pick up her scent, but maybe the rain would mask it for a while and they’d find someplace else to go to, or someone else to maul.
Sam looked out to check on where they were at. They were walking away but then stopped. Something weird was happening. Maybe her eyes were deceiving her. Or maybe it was the rain, but she was pretty sure some of their bear features were suddenly morphing into human form. They were no longer on all fours but two legs. Two muscular human legs.
She put her hand over her mouth as she saw the two bears suddenly become men. Not just any men, but Cole and Liam now stood naked only about one hundred feet in front of her.
Sam didn’t think she was in shock or even felt lightheaded, but she suddenly found herself going to the ground and fast. She remembered bumping her head and then nothing else.
****
“Did you hear that?” asked Cole.
“Sure did. Sounded like it came from over there,” said Liam.
“Hope I’m not going to find another dead body. Let’s go check it out,” said Cole.
Cole pushed back the branches and then saw a woman lying in the mud with the rain beating down on her. He recognized the jacket and knew straight away who it was.
“Liam, hurry, it’s Sammy,” said Cole.
Cole knelt down beside her and turned her over. She was covered in mud, her hair and clothes drenched.
“Is she okay?” asked Liam.
“She’s passed out. Let’s get her to my car,” said Cole, picking her up in one easy swoop.
Cole ran with Liam close on his heels. He wanted to get her out of the rain and in the car as soon as he could. Looked like she had a cut on her forehead that needed to be cleaned up.
Liam opened the back door of the car and Cole eased Sammy inside.
“What was she doing out here, and do you think she saw us as bears?” asked Liam.
Cole went cold. He didn’t want her finding out this way and maybe that’s why she’d passed out. She’d seen them shift which was sometimes not easy for even shifters to witness for the first time.
“Sammy, can you hear me, it’s Cole?” he stroked the back of her hand. “Wake up, honey, it’s okay.”
She mumbled something inaudible.
“Did she just say bears?” asked Liam.
“I think she saw us and she’s scared,” said Cole.
“Sam, this is Liam, you’re okay. We won’t hurt you.”
“Bears, bears and men, men and bears,” she said, slapping away at the air in front of her face.
“What’s happening to her?” asked Liam.
“She’s in shock.”
Cole looked out the back window and saw Sammy’s car sitting there. “She must have followed us here.”
“You think she knew about us or what?”
“No, I think she just came here on
the off chance she’d catch up with me. Can you drive her car and follow me back to your place? I want to get her inside and somewhere warm because shock can do strange things, plus I think she might have a concussion.”
“Okay, lead the way.”
Cole covered Sammy with his jacket and got into the front seat, started the ignition, and pulled out to see Liam following close behind.
She mumbled again. “Bears, they were bears.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m driving you home and it’s going to be just fine.”
****
Sam had no idea where she was. Was she at home or at work? The room was spinning or was she twirling around? She tried to focus and saw Cole. Yes, it was Cole, sitting close to her.
“You back with us now?” he reached out and touched her hand. He was a bear. She’d seen him as a bear. She put her hand on top of his. It felt like a human one, but she’d seen him and Liam covered in fur and down on all fours.
She was pretty sure she was going to throw up. Yep, she couldn’t help herself, didn’t know where the bathroom was so she just vomited where she sat.
“It’s okay, Sammy.”
Sammy, she’d learned to love that name and the way he said it.
“Just rest back on the pillow and we’ll get you cleaned up.”
He saw Lucy hand him a wet washcloth. Was she a bear too?
Cole dabbed it around her mouth. It felt comforting and soothing.
“Sam, can I get you a soda, ginger ale maybe to settle your stomach?” It was Lucy standing over her.
“Sure, thank you.”
“You feeling better?” asked Cole. “You cut your head when you fell. Nothing too bad. I’ve cleaned it up and put a dressing on it.”
She raised her hand to her head and felt the edge of the dressing. Lucy returned with the soda and handed it to her.
“I’ll leave you two alone to chat. Liam and I are out here if you need us.”
She walked out and shut the door.
“Am I at your place?” asked Sam before taking a sip of the soda.
“No, Liam and Lucy’s spare bedroom.”
She rested her head back. “I’m not crazy in thinking that you and Liam were the two bears I saw am I?”
Cole shook his head. Sam bit her bottom lip.
“And Lucy?” she asked.
“Not a bear shifter.”
Shifter, that word again. “Cougar Crafts, the owners are cougar shifters?”
“Yes.”
“Shit, is the whole town full of people who morph into animals or what?”
Cole moved up the bed closer. “I was about to tell you about me. When you told me you trusted me I knew I had to, but you found out before I could sit down and chat.”
“Don’t you think you should have said something as soon as we started going out and having sex?”
“I know and I’m sorry but it’s just… I thought if it didn’t work out there wasn’t any need for you to know something that might be a burden to keep a secret.”
“So I’m the only person in town who doesn’t know some of our neighbors are animals half the time?”
“Nope, just the opposite: very few know about us and that’s why we’re close knit.”
“Just how are you able to do it?”
“Long story.”
“I don’t feel like going anywhere so spill the beans.”
“We came from another planet.”
Sam held up the glass of soda. Just what had Lucy put in this thing? “From another planet?”
Cole nodded. “We crash landed here. Most of us didn’t make it but the ones who survived made sure no one ever knew we were living among you.”
Sam could see why. Crazy people going around rounding up aliens. The government even experimenting on them.
“Trent,” she said, suddenly remembering his connection with Cole.
“Bear shifter too.”
“A bear shifting police officer!” Sam slid down farther on the pillow and pulled the blanket up around her chin.
“I know it’s a lot to take in all at once.”
“Yeah, that’s the understatement of the year.”
“You want Lucy to come in and chat with you. You know human to human, someone who also had a surprise when she found out about Liam.”
She did need to talk to someone and she really liked Lucy.
****
“You are going to wear out the pile on our new carpet. And you’re going to drink all my beer,” said Liam.
Cole suddenly stopped pacing. Liam was right, he hadn’t sat still since he’d left the room and Lucy had gone in there to talk to Sammy.
“They’ve been in there a long time,” said Cole, beginning his pacing again.
“They’re women, you know how they are, shifter and human alike, and they love to talk.”
Cole smiled. That was true: females were females.
“Did I hear them laughing just a few minutes ago?” asked Cole.
“Probably something else females like to do at our expense, no doubt.”
“What do you think they’re talking about?” asked Cole.
“Clothes, shoes, you name it,” said Liam.
“You think this is a good sign. I mean she didn’t seem that angry with me and the fact that she and Lucy are obviously having a good chat in there, well that’s positive too right?”
****
Sam rolled her head back and laughed. It hurt to laugh but Lucy and her were getting on like old friends who’d known one another all their lives.
“What advice would you give me for loving a shifter?” asked Sam.
“Be patient with Cole. He’s a bear shifter like Liam which means, they’re stubborn with a capital S. I can’t get him to put the toilet seat down no matter how many times I shout at him. They do things their way no matter what. They’re overly protective which sometimes can be big trouble.”
“Like when your brother got shot,” said Sam, remembering the story Lucy had told her just ten minutes ago.
“Exactly. However, they have their pluses too. They’re warm and snuggly, good lovers which you probably already know. They do laundry and wash the dishes without having to be asked.”
They both laughed.
“And what about children” Are you planning on having any?” asked Sam.
She was thinking way, way ahead now, to what it would be like to have a child with a shifter.
“Next year we’re going to start a family.”
“And the children are…”
“Beautiful. Just ask Charlotte, Lilly, or any of the human wives and you’ll see they are the most gorgeous babies.”
“And I have to keep all this a secret don’t I?”
Lucy nodded. “I know it’s a lot to ask but if you do you’ll be taken in with the best group of people I’ve ever met.”
Sam had never been part of a family, a group of her own.
“In fact, why don’t you come along to one of our star gazing events,” said Lucy.
There was a knock on the door.
“It’s Cole, can I come in?”
“Is that okay with you?” Lucy asked her.
Sam nodded.
Lucy got off the bed, walked to the door and opened it. Cole stood holding a bowl of strawberry ice cream.
“I went to the store and got some of your favorite,” he said.
Lucy winked at her.
“That’s sweet of you,” said Sam, taking it from him.
“I was just talking about the star gazing event and that Sam might like to come along with us,” said Lucy.
“You want to?” asked Cole.
“Would it be okay?” she asked.
“I think it would be perfect,” said Cole.
She’d be among a bunch of people who morphed into animals and weren’t originally from Earth. Was she dreaming?
Chapter Eleven
Cole was happy and excited to formally introduce Sammy to the group. All the new babies were
also there, including Nick and Ava’s daughter, and Christopher and Lilly’s son. Dane and Melanie’s son was already walking all by himself. And Charlotte and Aiden’s daughter was crawling at speeds fast for even a shifter, let alone one that was half human.
Sam seemed most interested in Trent’s triplets.
“You’re okay with knowing what I am?” Trent asked her.
“We all have our secrets,” said Sam.
“Okay everyone, I’ve set up some telescopes along the ridge here if anyone wants to use them,” shouted Brady.
Before he came back to town it was just what you could see with the naked eye, but now they had a more high tech way of viewing where the planet they’d once lived on had been.
“You want to take a look?” Cole asked Sammy.
“Sure,” she said.
He grabbed her hand and led her over to the farthest one.
“What am I looking for exactly?”
“A hole in the sky, just about over there,” he said. “Home is gone but we like to see everything that was around it. See that star to the left? I often used to look up at that on my way home from school when I was a boy.”
Sammy put her eye to the lens.
“I see it,” she said. She turned around and looked at him. “Doesn’t this make all of you sad?”
“It did at first but now it’s a way for all of us to get together once a month. Catch up on things and talk about things only we know and therefore can’t share. It’s where we can totally let our guard down.”
“And your parents?”
“They both died on the crash here. My dad was never found. Mom was uncovered a few days after. She was burned but I like to think she didn’t suffer.”
Sam put her hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry.”
He knew she’d known what it was like to lose family.
“Okay everyone, time to eat,” shouted a man.
“Let’s get to the grill before everything’s gone,” said Cole, slipping his hand into hers.
****
“Tonight we welcome another new member to our group. It’s Samantha Hardy who is introduced to us through Cole MacDonald.”
Sam was glad it was dark and no one would see her because she was pretty sure she’d blushed as everyone turned to look at her. Strange to think that these people could turn into bears, wolves, cougars, lions, you name it, when and where they wanted.
