Marilee breathed a gigantic sigh of relief when they crossed the ward without incident. She’d slowed way down, ready to reverse if she had to, but it hadn’t been necessary. Thanks be to the Mother of All.
They had crossed into Grizzly Cove near the southernmost border. They were on a coastal road that was paved with gravel. Whatever person, or persons, who had been lurking in the area earlier, they were gone when the small convoy arrived.
The moment they were within the safety of Grizzly Cove’s permanent ward and out of sight of the road, the group veered off onto a side track that wasn’t a road at all. It was maybe a little flattening of the grass, but nobody other than a shifter would’ve seen it.
Of course, after the vehicles went through, the grass got a whole lot flatter, but Marilee suspected somebody would be tasked with eradicating the evidence of their passage. These bears were good like that. They paid attention to the small details.
They rode along the unpaved path for quite a while. Eventually, sparse grass gave way to rocky, hard-packed, sandy soil that didn’t show tracks. They were getting closer to the ocean. She could scent it on the wind and hear the gentle whoosh of the waves as they came in to roll against the shore. She’d never seen an ocean before. A little frisson of excitement coursed through her.
Not only had she reached a safe harbor, but now she would get to experience the ocean first-hand. That was something she had always wanted to see but had never thought she would. First, though, she had to deliver the precious burden on the trailer to wherever the bears were leading them. She wasn’t sure what they had in mind, but her dealings with them so far had led her to put a great deal of trust in them.
Her breath caught in her throat as she came over a rise in the landscape and saw where they were headed. There was an honest-to-goodness stone circle there, on the point of the cove, just visible for a second through the surrounding trees. Had she imagined it? She thought not. The place had a powerful aura all its own, and she’d seen that. She was sure of it.
Still, it was a bit of a shock to drive into a small grove and come out in an even smaller clearing in which sat that stone circle she’d thought she’d seen. She got the feeling that not everyone who drove in the way she had, would notice it. She’d seen the energy of the place more than the stones themselves. It was well hidden, that was for sure. The only way to really see it was from the ocean, and even then, it would be difficult because the beach rose in such a way as to put a high sand dune festooned with scraggily native grasses between the standing stones and the water.
She couldn’t drive the SUV into the circle, but that was okay. She was sure the bears had something in mind, or they wouldn’t have brought her out here. She parked the SUV where John indicated, next to his own vehicle, and shut off the engine. John went around back to the trailer and signaled for the other men to join him while Urse came to keep Marilee company.
“We decided to bring her here because the stones will guard her in her sleep and protect her. If some evil being still has their hooks into her, the stones will prevent them from accessing her power. The power of the circle will also heal her…slowly, of course. The key will be to figure out what we need to do to wake her up,” Urse said as they watched the men unload the box from the trailer.
“You can’t leave her in the box, surely,” Marilee mused as they moved the box closer to the edge of the stone circle.
“No, of course not,” Urse agreed quickly. “They’re going to lift her out of the box and place her on the altar. It is covered with soft moss, this time of year, and the stones will know how best to keep her safe. Once you step inside the circle, you’ll see. The wind doesn’t blow inside the circle, and the weather doesn’t impact anyone within. It’s a magical protection that keeps those within safe and comfortable no matter what’s going on outside the ring.”
“That’s amazing,” Marilee said as they walked toward the perimeter of the circle. “I’ve never seen anything like this in person.”
“It’s a new formation, but it carries a great deal of power. My personal theory is that it grew in this spot because of the concentration of bear shifter power so nearby. I think the Mother of All brought it forth to help Her servants,” Urse said with quiet conviction.
Marilee was heartily impressed. “I didn’t know such things could still come into being in this day and age. I thought they were all ancient things from a time when magic was much more abundant in the world.”
“Mostly, they are. But Grizzly Cove is unique in a lot of ways,” Urse told her as they stepped into the circle.
Marilee felt a welcome buzz against her sense, and her vision flared with pure white Light for just a brief second. Then, it was clear, again, and she was inside the circle with Urse at her side. This was so much more than the ring of trees, though that had been impressive in itself. Somehow, the stone carried even more power within. Power from deep in the earth. From the very heart of the planet.
“Oh, they’ve got her,” Urse said, directing Marilee’s attention to the men who were working together to lift the white wolf out of the box.
King had taken the lead, but the others were helping support the wolf’s head and rump. John was directing Ace, King and Gus as they maneuvered the big wolf, trying to jar her as little as possible. Marilee’s breath caught as she saw the sores on the wolf’s body. The fur had been worn away in places, and blood marred the pure white coat.
“Stars! Did I do that while I was driving? I didn’t know she was back there!” Marilee thought aloud. Urse grasped her forearm, and the action immediately diverted her attention.
“Those are old wounds, Marilee. I don’t think anything you did or didn’t do made them any worse. It will take time for her to heal,” Urse said gently. “This is the best place to protect her until we figure out how to wake her.” Urse and Marilee watched as the men brought the wolf into the circle and then settled her onto the low, moss-covered altar stone.
“Does she look familiar?” Urse asked, walking at Marilee’s side to go nearer to the wolf.
“I’ve never seen another white wolf,” Marilee told the Alpha female honestly. “I didn’t think I was the only one, but I knew they were rare and not from this part of the world. I figured, someday, if I got up the courage, I’d travel east to Ellesmere Island, or thereabouts, and see if I could find anyone like me.”
But something inside Marilee did feel a tug toward the strange white wolf. She felt familiar, somehow. She felt important. Marilee couldn’t really articulate her feelings, so she kept them to herself, for now.
“Will you be able to wake her up?” Marilee asked Urse quietly.
Marilee felt like, if she could just talk to the woman, all would become clear. But the wolf had to transform into her human shape first. And for that, she’d probably have to be awake.
Urse kept watching the wolf then let out a long sigh. “I don’t really know. At first, I thought maybe the compulsion to sleep had been placed upon her. If so, that would have been easier to deal with. Now, though, I feel like maybe she did this to herself.”
Marilee shook her head. “Why? Why would she do this to herself?” She couldn’t really understand what would drive someone to put themselves into a magical coma.
Urse shuddered. “I can only imagine the things that have been done to her. Judging by the evidence of old injuries, sores, and the gauntness of her body, she has been held captive a very long time. Perhaps this was her only way to escape.” Urse’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “We will pray for her, and we’ll do our best to wake her. I promise.”
“I’ll do anything I can to help,” Marilee offered, though she had no idea what she could possibly do. Still, it felt right to make the offer, and she hoped Urse would take her up on it.
The men moved away, except for Gus, when the white wolf was as comfortable as they could make her. Urse walked forward and stood next to Gus, conferring. Marilee moved slightly to the side of the altar so she could see the wolf a little better, but she didn’t interfere with the witch and shaman. They were deep in conversation and, occasionally, one or the other would make some magical gestures or speak words of prayer or magic. Their work had begun.
“I don’t think there’s anything more you can do at the moment,” King said gently, joining her. John was with him, and he moved to her other side as they all watched the white wolf on the altar.
“Gus will stay with the wolf at all times. He will sleep here in bear form and guard her, though the stones will not let anything evil inside. Heck, they won’t even allow the weather to touch her. She’ll be safe here,” John assured her. “You two did a really good thing in rescuing her and bringing her here.”
Marilee could hear the tone of approval in the Alpha bear’s voice, and it warmed her. This had been a day of highs and lows. Finding that they had been transporting a white wolf on that trailer had been shocking, but John’s approval felt cleansing and right.
“When Ace gets back, he’ll lead you to the hotel. He’s arranged rooms for you,” John went on. “Urse and Gus will probably try every trick they know before they call for help, so it looks like I’m going to be here a while.”
John nodded at King and Marilee then moved his gaze to settle on his mate. The love and devotion between the Alpha pair were so tangible, it made Marilee’s heart hurt just to watch them, but it was a good kind of ache.
“Who would they call for help, as you put it?” Marilee asked quietly.
John blew out a breath and shook his head. “You know, when I first proposed the idea of this town to my men, I figured it would be a place for grizzlies, black bears, and maybe the occasional polar bear. I thought we’d just gather here, do our thing and put out the word that the town was open for female bears to come and see if they could find their mates among the collection of male bears already here. I had no idea we would attract so much magical attention.” Marilee was surprised by his words and listened with rapt attention. “My mate, her sister, and their granny, have a pretty far-reaching network of magical folk they can call for assistance. Gus, likewise, is part of a shaman network. We have a strong alliance with the Master vampire of Seattle, so we can pick his brain, as well as asking the Lords. Plus, there’s a whole pod of mer in the cove who live half in town and half in the water. And then, there’s the dragon. He’s away for the moment, but he’s got kin here, and I believe we’ll see him from time to time, even if he does ultimately decide to settle elsewhere.”
Marilee’s jaw dropped. That was a lot to take in. “I thought it was just bears,” she whispered.
John chuckled. “I honestly thought that’s all it was going to be, too. But soon after I let it be known that bears were welcome, we got all sorts wandering through. We already had a polar bear as part of my old crew. Kodiaks and black bears, too. But a young panda mother and her baby came to town, and we took them in. She’s a widow, and we just couldn’t turn her away. Even though she eats bamboo, she’s still as big as the rest of us, and her baby is cute as a button. Then, a freaking koala showed up, drunk as a skunk. He’s not even a bear. He’s a damned marsupial, but the furry freak somehow endeared himself, and he’s found his mate here, so he stuck around. Sea monsters pushed mer into the cove, and then Urse, and her sister were revealed to be witches, rather than the non-magical human women we thought they were. It worked out, of course. They’ve managed, between them, to make the cove safe for the mer, and the coastline safe for almost everyone on the Pacific coast, while the monsters are still out at sea, looking for a way to get at us.”
“I had no idea,” Marilee said, not knowing how else to respond.
“It’s been a weird and wonderful ride,” John admitted. “The town is much more than I ever expected, but I like the way it’s shaping up. And the main goal has begun to be achieved. Many of my men—myself included—have begun to find their true mates. That’s something I want for all of them. We’ve all been roaming a long time, and I think they’ve earned a bit of peace and the love of a mate.”
“That’s beautiful,” Marilee told him. “I can see why your men respect you, Alpha,” she said, giving him the title he deserved. “You obviously care for them a lot.”
John shrugged and looked mildly uncomfortable with her praise, so she let the topic drop. He pointed toward the edge of the circle of stones and said, “Ace is back, and he brought someone to see you.”
“Sabrina,” she whispered, immediately feeling the impulse to go to her best friend. But she had to take her leave of the Alpha first. It was only polite. She looked up at John and impulsively put her arms around him, giving him a quick hug. “Thank you, Alpha.”
She hoped he understood the entirety of what she was saying. She couldn’t find the words to express how grateful she was that he’d allowed her to enter Grizzly Cove, or that he’d brought his powerful mate to help the white wolf. There was so much to thank John for, she didn’t really know where to start, but she hoped he understood.
King suppressed a growl when Marilee put her arms around John. It was clearly a platonic hug—almost paternal as John awkwardly patted Marilee’s back. The Alpha bear’s gaze met King’s over Marilee’s head, and he could see the surprise and compassion in his eyes. That settled King’s bear a bit. Also, King’s inner bear knew full well that John was mated and fully committed to his own mate. That made witnessing Marilee hug another man somewhat more bearable.
She let go of John and immediately turned to King, hope in her eyes. He knew she wanted to go see Sabrina, so he took her outstretched hand and went with her, nodding a farewell to the Alpha bear as he passed. John nodded back, and King got the impression the Alpha saw a lot more than he was letting on.
King and Marilee stepped out of the stone circle together. It had gotten colder, and there was a brisk wind blowing off the ocean as they left the protected area. Marilee ran straight to Sabrina, and the two women hugged and laughed and talked simultaneously, but somehow, they knew what they were both saying. King stood back and watched the reunion. He hadn’t seen Marilee this happy, ever.
Ace sidled up to him as they watched the women. “You done good, little bro,” Ace said quietly. “Sabrina was really worried about her friend. After she told me a bit about the situation up there with Tobias’s Pack, I was concerned, too. And then, when Marilee called in a panic from the road…” Ace shook his head. “Well, I’m just relieved you were close enough to lend a hand. I hate to think what would’ve happened to her and the white wolf in the box if you hadn’t been nearby.”
“You ever think Fate plays a bigger role in our lives than we thought?” King asked his brother as they watched the two women.
Ace seemed to consider as he watched his mate. “I think you might have something there, bro. I really think you might.”
The women broke apart a few minutes later, and King and Ace joined them. Marilee was more animated than he’d ever seen her, which sent a little pang through his heart. She’d been through so much. He’d never really seen her this free and easy, without fear riding in the back of her mind. He vowed, right then and there, that he’d do all in his power to keep her this way—safe and joyful.
“I have all your stuff in the back of my car,” Marilee was telling Sabrina, who laughed at this statement.
“Thank you for bringing it, but that can wait until you’ve settled in. We’ll take you over to the hotel. We’d have you stay at our place, but it’s not quite finished being built yet, and what’s ready is far too small for four people.” Sabrina threaded her arm through Marilee’s as they started walking toward the cars.
King was surprised to note that there was an extra motorcycle, then he remembered that Ace’s lady was a rider. King was impressed by the bike Ace had helped her choose. A classic model, it was large and not built for a novice. King went ahead with Ace, and they loaded up his bike on the trailer, again, securing everything. He’d ride with Marilee. He wanted to be near her.
Ace and Sabrina led the way out of the woods and onto a back road that led to the town. The place was just like King had imagined it, though they only got as far as the hotel, which was on the southern edge of the main drag. Ace and Sabrina turned into the large parking lot, and Marilee followed suit, parking the SUV and trailer off to one side, where there were oversized spots for larger vehicles.
King wanted to stop Marilee from getting out of the car. He wanted to make sure that they were both on the same page when it came to where they would be sleeping—or not—tonight. But somehow, he lost his nerve, and she got out of the SUV before he could think of the right thing to say. Kicking himself inwardly for the lost opportunity, he followed her inside to the hotel lobby, where Ace and Sabrina were waiting for them.
“The rooms here are great,” he heard Sabrina saying to Marilee as they walked toward the counter where a youngster waited to check them in.
The kid couldn’t be more than seventeen, and King frowned for a moment. He’d thought the town was made up of mating-age bear shifters and some Others. This kid had to be something other than a bear, based on his age. King’s nose twitched as they drew nearer, and he caught the scent of the ocean. Subtle. Pleasant. Definitely coming from the young man behind the counter. Was he mer? King had never met a mermaid—or, merman, in this case. He was intrigued.
“Ace and I only just moved out of one of the suites.” Sabrina was still talking to Marilee. “They’re really comfy. You’ll see.”
The women arrived at the counter, slightly ahead of King and Ace. Sabrina turned to Marilee and kept speaking. King wondered if their entire friendship was like that—where Sabrina just talked and talked, and Marilee was swept along for the ride. If so, he’d have to find a way to help Marilee assert herself a bit more. She should have some say in what they did. But that was a problem for another time. Right now, his biggest problem was how to tell her he wanted them to share a room.
Did she want to? Did she want her own room? The questions running through his mind were driving him crazy.
“You want two rooms, right?” Sabrina said innocently enough, turning to ask Marilee while the mer kid waited on them.
Marilee was silent a beat too long. Then, she took a deep breath, looked at King, blushed a bit, then turned back to face the kid behind the desk.
“Actually, I think we’d prefer to try one of those suites you mentioned.”
Sweet glory hallelujah! She wanted to stay with him. King let out the breath he hadn’t been conscious he was holding and moved to stand at Marilee’s side, in front of the counter. He pulled out his wallet and slapped a credit card on the desktop.
“One suite, like the lady said,” he repeated, damn the consequences. He could practically feel the eyebrows raising in his direction, but he refused to look at either Sabrina or his brother. This was between him and Marilee. Nobody else.
And she’d chosen him. In front of everyone. She’d stated succinctly that she would be staying with King that night. In the same hotel suite. Together.
Thank the Goddess. Because, if she’d chosen to stay in her own room, he would’ve gone bear and slept across her threshold. No way was he going to leave her unprotected. Not after everything that they had just been through.