9. Bryce

9

Bryce

“ T hat smile looks good on you, Son.” After dinner, my father walked out into the backyard, snapping me out of my daydream.

This was the third time this week since our second date last weekend that I had gotten lost in my thoughts and had my father poking fun at me.

“I’m just happy.” I couldn’t help it. Things with Connor were going amazingly. Even when he was so caught up in his writing and editing that he missed hours’ worth of messages from me. At night, he would reply to each one, and I loved it.

“I’m glad to see it. I’m taking a drive to Pleasant Rain Night Market and grabbing some groceries for your papa for tomorrow’s dinner. Wanna come with?”

“It’s seven already? Man, I didn’t know it was that late. Sure, I’ll come with.” I finished my iced tea and followed him through the house and out to the car.

The ride out to the market was uneventful; my father and I listened to a selection of music from the ’80s and ’90s and discussed the bands that were still active today from back then. I was surprised to find that the parking lot for the market wasn’t as full as usual.

“Do you have a list from Papa of what he needs?” I opened my door and stepped out into the night, noticing all the shifters and supernaturals that were out shopping tonight. “There are a lot of people here for not having many cars.”

“Yeah, I noticed that lately. Oh well. Let’s get going on this list so we aren’t here all night.” I walked behind my father, aware of our surroundings. An odd energy hung in the air, like someone was watching me. I almost called Bruno and Hector.

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

Speaking of my bodyguards.

“Hey, guys.” I waved at the two alphas as they approached my father and me. “Doing some nighttime shopping?”

“Yeah.” Hector nodded, but I noticed he was searching the parking lot. “Why don’t we all do some late-night shopping together? We missed ya, buddy.”

“Why not? The more, the merrier. Here, we need these.” My father was great at picking up on cues, and he’d understand my bodyguards had a reason to stick around. My father handed Bruno the shopping list and walked off toward the first section we needed.

“Well, you heard him. Let’s get going.” I walked forward and let the two men box me in and watch my area. I didn’t expect this for my shopping trip, but I was glad they were here. The energy of the area was still off-putting.

“We had a strange feeling,” Bruno whispered. “Hector did a tarot pull, and it told us to follow our instincts. So, we used the tracking spell to see where you were. Once we got here, we saw a black mist in the parking lot that concerned us.”

“Yeah, I was uneasy. I’m glad you guys showed up.”

“I will do some research into the mist energy. I don’t understand what it’s doing. It’s like someone is watching you, Bryce. Has anything strange happened?” Hector grabbed items off the shelves as we made our way through the list.

“Nothing really besides an uncomfortable feeling of being watched. The possibility of danger lingering on the wind, but nothing has occurred that made me think I had been targeted with ill will.” I recalled everything that happened in the last week and couldn’t find any instances where I’d been attacked physically or magically.

“And you haven’t received any threats in the mail? Nothing in your email or on your social media accounts.”

“No. Nothing.” I had checked my accounts that morning and found only a few messages from teammates and management asking me if I had considered what I would do next.

“Then, we will just be cautious and keep our feelers out for anything. The longer we are in the store, the weaker it becomes. If the mist is gone when we leave here, then I’ll follow you home to be sure before Bruno and I head back to the hotel and start digging into what this could be.” Hector grabbed a couple of items. “We could use some things while we are here.”

“How is the hotel?” I was still surprised they hadn’t moved to the resort yet. There was something strange about the hotel. I was unable to relax my spiritual guards when near it.

“It’s a place to sleep. We are okay. But Bruno and I have been contemplating making this stay longer than originally planned.”

“Really?” Valleywood would grab ahold of my friends. “Liking the area?”

“It’s better than where we have been. There is something about Valleywood that calls to Bruno and me. But nothing is set in stone yet. You’ll be one of the first to know if it is permanent for us.”

“I hope you do stay. Valleywood may have some things planned for you two.”

“Perhaps you are right.” Hector looked over at his partner, a longing look on his face. The two alphas were in love with one another but would never admit it. I secretly hoped Valleywood would work its magic and change that.

“All right.” My father put a hand on my shoulder. “I think we have everything Papa wanted. If everyone is ready, we can pay for this and head out.”

Finishing up at the market took only a few more minutes, and we were once again out in the parking lot, no sign of the mist or dread.

“We’ll follow you home and then figure out what that was.” Bruno helped us load our bags into the car.

“Sounds good.” I shook my friends’ hands. “Thanks for coming and checking on me. I hope you love what you got there. You made some great choices.”

“I’m sure we will. Let’s get on the road. It’s going to be a long night of research.”

On the way home, I thought about what that mist could be and what it could mean. In the end, I was as clueless as before, but Bruno and Hector would figure it out.

Connor

“I wish you were here.” Sitting on my favorite picnic blanket near my parents’ gravestones, I did my weekly ritual of telling them about my life. “You told me Bryce would be back, and you should be here to say ‘told you so.’ I wish you were here to tell me to get over myself and let him mate me already.”

I missed my parents so much since they passed a few years ago. When they got sick in my senior year of high school, we all thought they would recover eventually. But a few short years later, they were both put to rest at Shady Pines Cemetery. Those were some dark days of learning to live without not only the man I loved but without my family. Evelyn and I had grown closer during that time, and she had helped me learn to breathe again, to thrive, and not just live. Since then, my parents had heard everything about her and every other important factor in my life. Some part of me knew that though their physical bodies were no longer here to hold me, their spiritual energy was still around. I probably could have spoken to them in my living room, but being near the graves became an important part of my memorial rituals.

I spoke aloud to them about the last couple of weeks and everything that had happened between Bryce and me—well, the PG versions of it all. I didn’t need to share the other details with my parents. That would be weird.

“Bryce has been amazing. Our connection is far more powerful than anything our teenage selves had experienced. If you two held a connection like this, then I understand why you two faded away together.” I fingered the picture of my parents, taken on their wedding day. They looked handsome and happy. Their smiles, brilliant and wide, showed how special the moment was to them.

I wanted that moment with Bryce, but part of me was holding back still, and I had to figure out soon whether I would let go completely of the bond between us or give up the future we could share. It wouldn’t be fair to tie Bryce to a mate who couldn’t trust him.

“I wish there was a way to know that I could fully dedicate myself to our relationship and not be afraid of breaking once more.” A chill filled the air as I spoke my words.

Caw. Caw.

Above me, in one of the trees, perched two crows. I was always told that crows could be the connection to the spirit world, carrying important messages from those who have passed on. Their stare locked on mine and I let my energy flow through me. I was open to receive any message they may carry.

A hot shiver of energy radiated through me, filling my mind with images of Bryce and me together, laughing, cuddling, loving each other. I saw a future together filled with promise and purpose. I saw children running around our house and a furry family frolicking together in our special spot. My parents had sent me a message that they were still watching and I could trust Bryce with my heart again. I had my sign. Now it was time to claim my mate.