Fault Lines

by K. C. Stewart

“He sure did. Called me at six o’clock this morning.” Chuck took off his cap and scratched his head. “I’ve got to get back down. Just bring the bowl to the counter when you’re done.”

  “Sure thing.”

  The food became bland as she chewed. Owen, one of Sadie’s friends and a man she couldn’t even call an acquaintance had thought of her enough to get her breakfast knowing that she was going to be feeling the tequila that morning. The alcohol had made her lips loose and she used him as her verbal punching bag. Mira didn’t know what Sadie had told everyone around here about her and she knew virtually nothing about them. Punishing Owen for her sister’s actions wasn’t right.

  Mira hated post drunk guilt.

  “You going to eat that?” Zach asked from across the hallway. Her protective instincts jumped into gear. The man could ghost when he wanted to. Zach had the look of a man who had come in first place ten times too many. The cocky smile was sadly a natural one. And it completely fit with his messy hair, disheveled clothes and completely ravenous gaze. The food had gotten heavy with the little pity party she was throwing herself but what’s a party without food?

  “Get your own.” Mira backed into her room and closed the door with her foot before Zach got the idea to take the bowl from her.

  “You know, you can be a bitch sometimes!” he yelled.

  “At least I’m not a hungry bitch!” she yelled back.

  After a moment to consider he added, “Touché,” and she heard the door close.

  *****

  He had stayed up the better part of the night listening to the happenings of Miranda James and the man he had rarely seen beyond covertly entering and exiting the kitchen. Their commotion didn’t let him sleep but did allow him to look through his files and get a feel for Mira.

  It took some time but Mitch remembered her now. Her hair had been different during the court proceedings over Peter. She had been more conservative all around to the point that she blended in. Then again, he hadn’t noticed much beyond that of the case at the time. The Mira here today didn’t blend. There was nothing muted or mundane about her now.

  Mira had recently broken up with a woman who she had been living with. Since last seeing her, she had graduated college and gotten a job at an engineering firm in their accounting department. Mira was intelligent. Mitch had gotten a hold of her transcripts and was surprised to see a 4.0 GPA. She had double majored in accounting and English at Penn State. He could appreciate and acknowledge her journey to where she was now. In another world, he might have even pursued her. But the fight against her sister was too close.

  The familiar tap of a woman’s heels above had him jumping and grabbing his satchel. Mitch left his room and waited outside as the heels clicked their way down the hall and to the steps. He didn’t want to be caught just standing around so he fiddled with the lock on the door. When she hit the last step, he blindly turned around and ran right into her.

  “Oh, excuse me.” He grabbed her shoulders before she lost her balance.

  “Sorry! I didn’t see you.”

  They both shared an awkward movement of patting themselves down and adjusting their clothing making sure everything was still in place. When she took a step towards the last flight of steps so did he. The narrow hallway caused them to bump into each other again. Mira laughed.

  “Well, this isn’t working.”

  “It doesn’t seem like it. Going down I presume?” he asked.

  “I am.”

  Mitch held out an arm. “Then allow me to escort you. It should save us from any further run ins.”

  “Hello chivalry.” Mira delicately slid her hand into the crook of his arm and they began down the steps. He could feel her eyes on him. Neither of them looking at the other outright but sidelong glances.

  “You look very familiar,” she said halfway down.

  He smiled. “Oh good, I was afraid I was the only one. I’m not from around here though.”

  “Me neither. I’m just visiting my sister for a few days. I’m from Buffalo.”

  Now he looked at her. “Small world. So am I.”

  They reached the bottom and Mira unwound her arm. The bar was mostly empty and no one paid them any attention. “So what brings you here?”

  “Research.” He kept with the same story he told everyone else who asked. When he said research they would usually drew their own conclusions.

  “Vague. Are you a writer or something?” Her bright green eyes smiled with real interest.

  “Yeah.”

  “Still Vague. Well, it was nice to meet you. Thanks for the escort…”

  “Mitch.”

  Mira held out her hand. “Mitch. I’m Mira.”

  “A pleasure, Mira.” He took her hand.

  With one last smile his way she said, “see ya ‘round,” and left him in the stairwell. With the initial meeting out of the way, he would take the day to make some calls and deal with a few things that had come up back at the office. Tonight he would try to catch her at dinner.

  *****

  “Crap I forgot the bowl,” Mira glanced back where the Mitch was standing by the staircase and sighed. Yeah, she just didn’t want to do that again. Besides, stairs. Two flights of them. In reality that wasn’t that many but in hangover land, where Mira was currently residing, those to flights were a marathon of stairs that she didn’t sign up for. The bowl could wait. She doubted that Chuck needed it at that very moment.

  She had plans anyway. Or rather, she had plans to make plans. At the moment she was a nomad with absolutely nowhere to be. It was freeing in a way. Sure, she had responsibilities but none that were current or immediate. Mira had a week of vacation and dammit, she was going to enjoy it. Today she’d hit up the visitor’s center, if this town had one, and would find something to do. Maybe she’d find a sporting goods store and stock up on new shoes and a backpack for a hike. She hadn’t been planning for anything when she packed, only a possible murder of her sister. So her options in attire were limited and catered toward indoor activities.

  Mira adjusted the strap of her purse and made sure she had the key to her room in her pocket. With a plan made, she headed for the front door. Her heels clicked loudly on the wood floor in a way that empowered her and made her feel sexy. With every echoing step, her confidence rose till she was sure that she was the most bad ass person in the room and possibly the town. Mira swore that in the right outfit and shoes, she could take over the world if she wanted too. And today was one of those outfits.

  People glanced up from their coffee and newspapers to see who the clicking belonged to. One such pair of eyes were those of Sadie’s husband, Tyson. Mira paused as they caught sight of each other. The coffee cup he held was suspended inches from his lips as he waited to see what she would do. The door was only a few feet away and she could easily snub the man and keep walking with her head held high. But Mira saw the resolve in his eyes and decided that she would go to him before he had the chance to get up and corner her.

  With a quick change in direction Mira used her kickass heels to put as much power and confidence in her strut as possible.

  “Tyson is it?” she asked before he could say anything. Standing at the head of the booth, she effectively blocked his exit. He motioned for her to sit but she ignored it. Being short had taught her that respect came in many forms and sadly height was one of them. By standing and putting herself above Tyson she was asserting her power over him effectively telling him that she was in control.

  “Yes,” he said with a bit humor in his eyes. “I wanted to apologize for yesterday—”

  “No need,” she interrupted.

  Tyson sighed as if he had expected her to act this way. “But there is. You see Mira, you had surprised Sadie yesterday.”

  No shit, Sherlock. “I gathered that.”

  “I didn’t know that she hadn’t told you or your mother about me or any of us. I would have-”

  “Not married her?”

  “Excuse me?” He was surprised bu
t not because of what she was suggesting. He was surprised because she knew.

  “Owen let it slip. So you can stop pretending.”

  “Mira we aren’t…what I mean is…” he stumbled.

  “Mira?”

  She turned to her sister’s voice. Sadie was tying the black apron around her waist looking from Tyson to Mira trying to find an explanation. She’d have to get one from her husband because she wasn’t going to get one from her.

  “Oh good, the gang’s all here.”

  Sadie wasn’t impressed and gave her the look that she had always given when Mira swore or used sarcasm too heavily, which is almost an impossible feat. “I didn’t know you were staying here.”

  “I didn’t know you worked here,” she countered.

  Strike! Sadie grimaced. This is what happens, dear sister, when you keep secrets.

  “Would you two like to sit and talk?” She wasn’t sure if he was running away or if he was actually trying to give them some privacy. “I can go tell Chuck to come watch the room awhile.” Tyson was already out of his seat and had an arm around Sadie. Mira stared at the hand he rested on her hip. The familiar way he rubbed his thumb over the patch of bare skin under her shirt, the soft smile she sent his way, God, she felt like such a bitch for pushing this. Sadie was obviously, deliriously happy. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she had ever seen her so content. But Mira, as much as she wished, couldn’t be happy for her. Even if she wasn’t healing from her own breakup—the cheating bitch—she didn’t want to drop her anger and just accept the way things are. Mira didn’t roll over and settle. It wasn’t her way. Sadie ran away, hid, got married, and who knows what else all because she wanted to be a new person with a new life. Mira wasn’t supposed to be part of that life.

  She shook her head, disgusted but unsure of whom she was disgusted with. “Don’t bother. I‘ve got shit to do and playing happy family isn’t in the agenda.”

  “Mira, wait.” Sadie stepped in front of her and grabbed her arm.

  She waited. She wasn’t sure why, but she waited because Sadie had asked. It was a habit and one she would need to break ASAP.

  “We should talk,” Sadie said but not very confidently. Mira looked down at her black sneakers. Apparently she wasn’t wearing her power heels today.

  “You’re right. We should talk,” she agreed half surprising Sadie and herself. “But you aren’t ready to talk. So don’t bother feeding me half assed lies to make yourself feel better. You know where I’m at for the time being, when you are ready to tell me everything openly and honestly then you can come talk to me but in the meantime get out of my way.” Mira walked around Sadie and didn’t look back. She could feel the eyes of everyone on her back sucking on her like leaches but not even that could turn her head. The jingle of the bell on the door was a sign from the gods that she made it out alive. When she hit that warm summer air she took a breath that felt like her very first.

  Mira walked down the block until she was out of eyesight of The Wick. Across the street a cream-sickle colored sign, weathered and faded from the sun told her that there was a sale at Quincy’s Sporting Goods. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to get out of her head for a little while. A trail run sounded just what she needed.

  Chapter Four

  He hated how no one thought he was ready to handle his wolf. If it wasn’t his mom raggin’ on him all the time about control and being responsible, it was his cousins showing off in front of him knowing that he wasn’t supposed to change without the Alpha around. Well, the Alpha was never around when Cobie needed him. And after his sister got him in trouble yesterday for changing, he probably would never get to do it again.

  He’d never seen Mr. Purcell so annoyed.

  If he could just change more he wouldn’t get stuck on the trip back. He just needed practice but no one would let him. Cobie wanted his first change during the full moon to be flawless. That would show all the haters. “He’s too young, too wild and selfish. He needs to learn to control his recklessness.” Blah. He didn’t need any of that. Cobie could handle being a wolf. He was born to handle being a wolf. So everyone just needed to shut up and let him be what he was born to be.

  The yard was empty. His mom had left to take his sister Emma to ballet and would be back in fifteen minutes. That would be enough time for him to change once and back. He’d probably even have time to shower afterward. Or maybe a quick run. He looked toward the forest past the fence. Yeah, if he was going to do this, he needed to do it right. Wolves don’t belong fenced in. They needed freedom. He needed freedom.

  Just a quick change. Just to get a taste of it.

  *****

  Quincy’s was having a shoe sale. She decided on the trail shoe that would be good for running on the zillions of trails they apparently had around there. Quincy, as it was, had given her the local scoop on running trails, hiking trails, and horse trails. If there was a trail, that man knew about it. Word must have gotten around that Sadie had a visiting sister in town because she was already being treated as one of them.

  It was nice to belong.

  Mira smiled as she laced up her new teal and salmon colored shoes. She would take it easy today as she wore in the shoe. This was about escaping and nothing sounded more like an escape then a new audio book and a fresh trail. Sadie would still be here when she got back but hopefully her head would be on better to be able to deal with her sister and whatever the hell she was keeping from her, which was pretty much everything. This Sadie was a stranger. Mira wasn’t sure how someone could change so much so fast. It was unsettling how quickly all the people in her life were changing. First Sophia, but to be fair that wasn’t a quick change that was her being slow to catch on. As in, Mira was really slow at seeing the signs. Even her mom was changing, nothing huge for her, but little things like changing her hair and starting at a new gym. Everyone was moving in some direction away from her. But maybe what was most unsettling was the thought that maybe they weren’t changing, maybe she was just beginning to pay attention.

  Her jeep, Trixie, had gotten her to the trail head easily enough. Maybe as a treat for not breaking down yet Mira would take her to a car wash.

  “Would you like that Lady?” Mira rubbed the door affectionately. And because she was thinking about it, Mira removed the small rectangular white board she kept under the visor and changed the number to six.

  “It has been six days since my last breakdown,” she read aloud. “Good going Trixie. This might be a record.”

  The car, of course, did not answer her but that never kept her from talking to it. With a pat on the hood Mira walked toward the small wooden sign that marked the start of the trail. She was directed here because it was a short but rugged little trail that wasn’t on the tourist maps. She was to follow the green trail marker of the oval and four smaller ovals above it. It was a marker she had never seen before but maybe they had that many trails that they had to be inventive. She stretched while studying the marker. It reminded her of a paw print and was definitely the most unusual trail marker she had seen before, but that also meant she liked it.

  With a vague idea of where the trail went, Mira started off with a brisk walk. Pushing it with new shoes would give her blisters and make her a vicious bitch for a few days till they healed. She was trying to spare the townspeople of Andora that agony. The audio book started up with the sweet sounds of James Marsters telling her about Chicago’s professional wizard, one Harry Dresden.

  “Mmmm, Spike…” she murmured as she fell into the voice. His voice was probably the only reason she had started that series. Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Spike reading urban fantasy? Yes, please.

  The surroundings and book did as they were supposed to. Almost an hour had passed before she finally stopped. Attached to her back was a “hydration pack” as Quincy had called it. She usually carried a water bottle attached to a belt but this was much more comfortable. Plus it had a straw that she could bit down on and drink from. Hands free hyd
ration. When she got home she’d have to show this to Zach because this could come in handy while gaming and drinking.

  The burn in her legs felt amazing. The hike had definitely been rugged and tiring. It was easy enough that at no point she felt the need to turn back but hard enough to be a challenge. Mira lifted her hands above her head and gave her back a stretch. A loud, high whine cut through the sexy whisperings of Mr. Marsters. Mira paused her book and yanked the ear buds out with one hand. She waited. It came again from the left of her. The sound was clearly coming from an animal and it sounded in pain. And unfortunately, it was off the trail. Mira didn’t go off the trail, especially in a place she didn’t know. The whine came again and her heart cracked. So much pain and fear in one little noise.

  Mira pulled out her phone to confirm her signal strength was good, which it was. She also had seventy-three percent battery power. She broke her rule and didn’t feel the least bit guilty about it. The whining was getting softer and less hopeful. Mira stepped off the trail and into what felt like another world. No markers. No worn path. It was only a small, dying sound that marked the way.

  He wasn’t far. Five minutes and Mira came upon the small wolf with its paw in a trap. It whined as it cleaned the area around the rusty metal biting into its skin. She felt for the animal. Probably just lopping around the woods with his tongue hanging out when he stepped on the old trap. She wanted to help, but how was she supposed to get that close without getting hurt herself? The wolf might not see her as a savior but as a stupid meal.

  Mira held her phone in her hand. She could call Sadie. Mira doubted that she would know what to do but she would know who to call. But calling Sadie would mean…what? That she had forgiven her? Fat chance. The wolf whined again. Mira felt horrible for him. Was she really going to put her issue first when this guy was in pain?

  The wolf turned his head and looked a little startled to see her there. They looked at each other with caution but when she gave him a small smile, his tail thumped on the ground twice.