10. Waylen

10

WAYLEN

I stirred in bed and reached out for Lyra but found the space beside me empty and cool to the touch. My eyes snapped open. The sun was already up, and the smell of coffee hung in the air.

Sliding out of bed, I dressed and made my way to the bedroom door. My ribs were still tender—a reminder of last night's fight with Xander's raven. My side, where he'd pecked me relentlessly, throbbed, but I was healing fast. Thanks to my shifter abilities. In a few days, it would be like the whole thing had never happened.

As I stepped out into the hall, soft voices drifted from the kitchen. I made my way there.

Lyra and Alma stood by the coffeepot when I entered the room, but their conversation halted the moment they heard me approach. Alma's gaze seemed to size me up, while Lyra's softened as soon as she saw me.

My heart skipped a beat just looking at her.

"Morning," she said, a smile pulling at her lips. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please."

"Sleep well?" Alma asked, her intense gaze still locked on me.

I ran my fingers through my tousled hair. "Better than I have in ages," I admitted, accepting the mug of coffee from Lyra with a nod of thanks.

Our fingers brushed, sending a jolt of electricity through me and causing my eagle to stir.

Alma made a soft noise.

When I shifted my gaze to her, I noticed the knowing smirk tugging at the corners of her lips and the warmth filling her eyes. She knew what Lyra and I were without either of us having to say.

The woman was incredible.

"How are you feeling this morning?" I asked Alma after taking a sip from my coffee, concerned about her well-being after the ordeal she'd endured yesterday.

"Old," she said with a chuckle before taking a sip of her coffee. "But I'll survive. That young man was a force to be reckoned with."

"He is. I'm sorry you were pulled into this. Both of you." Guilt washed over me again. "That's not something I wanted to happen."

"We both know that, dear," Alma said, reaching out to pat my arm. "I'm glad you came when you did, that you intervened. There's a cold darkness inside that one. An evil."

"Which is why I need to find Maribel. Please tell me you know where she is."

Alma took a thoughtful sip of her coffee before responding. "What do you want with her?"

"In short, me and a few other shifters believe the man who attacked last night, Xander, is possessed by the spirit of a shifter who tormented us and others in town for a while. This shifter had the power to control other shifters' minds. He was killed some time ago, but somehow his spirit ended up in Xander. I need to find Maribel because she might be able to help remove the spirit from him and send it to hell where it belongs."

"Maribel is a powerful shaman and deserves respect," Alma said, her intense gaze focused on me.

"I understand." I held her stare. "And Xander is a threat to us all. I need to see if she can help us stop him."

Alma studied me, her eyes probing mine as if searching for any hint of deceit, until she finally gave a curt nod.

"All right, then," she said. "I'll tell you where she is."

Relief worked its way through me. "Thank you."

Alma shuffled over to a drawer and opened it. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote something down.

"Maribel lives in seclusion," Alma explained as she wrote. "She's not easy to find, and she doesn't take kindly to unexpected visitors. You'll need to approach her with respect and make it clear that your intentions are pure when you reach her."

She handed me the piece of paper. I glanced at it, reading the address scrawled in Alma's handwriting. There were also a few brief instructions on how to approach Maribel—with respect and pure intentions.

"I will. Thank you." I folded the paper and tucked it into my pocket.

Alma nodded, her expression serious. "I trust you, Waylen. But remember, Maribel is not one to be trifled with. She has her reasons for living the way she does, and her powers are not to be underestimated."

I nodded in understanding of the gravity of her words. The Misfit Shifters would need to tread carefully.

"I want to come with you when you visit her," Lyra said, speaking up for the first time.

I nodded, knowing my eagle wanted her to be with us too. "First, you need to meet the others."

"The others?" Lyra asked.

"The Misfit Shifters," I replied with a grin.

They were going to love her.

"The what?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

I chuckled at her reaction. "It's a long story, but they're a group of shifters who have become like family. We're a bit of a motley crew, but we're all good people. They'll like meeting you."

Alma let out a soft laugh. "Misfits, huh? Sounds about right for you, Waylen."

I shrugged, a crooked grin on my face. "What can I say?"

"I'd love to meet them." Lyra smiled, and I could tell she meant it.

I pulled out my phone and tapped out a quick message in the group chat I shared with the others, explaining the need for another meeting. I suggested meeting at Last Drop again. It wasn't long before everyone responded.

"We're set to meet up with them this afternoon at Last Drop," I announced, setting my phone down on the counter and then taking another sip of my coffee.

Lyra nodded, her expression a mix of anticipation and nerves. "Cool."

I called into work and then spent the rest of the morning with Lyra and Alma, helping around the cabin and finishing up the last of the garden beds. After the chaos of last night, digging in the earth felt good.

It felt grounding.

As the afternoon approached, Lyra and I prepared to head into town for the meeting with the Misfit Shifters. I could sense her unease as we climbed into my truck.

"They're going to love you," I promised, locking eyes with her. "And if they don't, you can always sneak a little something into their beers—maybe an herb that makes them laugh or chill out."

Lyra's lips curved into a smile. "So, keep some herb-induced relaxation tricks up my sleeve?"

I grinned. "Hey, if things get tense, it's good to have options."

"Right."

"I'm joking. There won't be any tension. They're going to love you," I said, meaning it.

"Thanks."

The drive into town was short, and before long, we were pulling into the parking lot of Last Drop. I hopped out and ran around the truck to open her door. Some might not appreciate my jokes, but they couldn't say a thing about my manners—I had being a gentleman locked down.

Inside the bar, low music played in the background, mingling with the hum of conversation and the occasional crack of a pool cue hitting a ball. The place hadn't been updated—ever. The walls were lined with wood paneling, and yellow lights hung from the ceiling. The bar top was made of cheap laminated wood and had a certain charm because of it. All things considered, Last Drop was nice—familiar, even.

It was as much a part of Crescent Creek as anything else.

As Lyra and I stepped farther inside, my gaze drifted to the back, where our usual table was. Everyone was already there. I could feel their eyes on us as we made our way over. I took Lyra's hand as we grew closer, my eagle sensing her tension. When she relaxed, satisfaction coiled through me.

"Everyone, this is Lyra," I said once we reached the table. "Lyra, this is Dean, Astrid, Ellis, and Sienna."

Lyra smiled, her gaze steady as she glanced around the group. "Nice to meet you all."

Dean was the first to greet her. "So, you're the one keeping Waylen in line lately? About time someone stepped up."

Astrid elbowed him in the ribs, shooting him a look before turning to offer Lyra a warm smile. "What he means is nice to meet you, too."

"Anyone who can manage him is already impressive in my book," Sienna chimed in with a grin.

Ellis nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Right?"

"Ha, ha. Funny," I deadpanned before pulling out a chair for Lyra.

Once we were seated at the table with the others and had a beer in front of us, I knew it was time to address the elephant in the room. "All joking aside, I had a run-in with Xander," I announced, my tone grave. There was no point in beating around the bush. "That's why I called the meeting."

"We all knew he'd make an appearance soon enough," Dean muttered. "You all right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Banged up a bit, but I'll live."

"Was anyone else hurt?" Ellis asked, his gaze shifting to Lyra and then back to me, genuine concern filling his stare.

I shook my head. "He took over Lyra's grandmother, though. Got right into her head and had her attack us."

Lyra stiffened as I said the words, and I hated myself all over again for bringing my crap to her doorstep.

"Is she okay?" Sienna asked.

"She's fine. Trust me when I say she's tougher than most her age," Lyra said with a slight grin. "If anyone can handle something like that, it's her."

"I'm glad she's okay." Guilt clouded Astrid's eyes. She dropped her stare to the table for a moment before lifting it to lock with mine. "Did you learn anything about Maribel yet?"

I nodded. "I got an address."

Sienna made a noise and then rolled her eyes. "A real address or a vague location like last time?"

"A real address. It came from Alma," I said, grabbing the folded piece of paper the old woman had given me from my pocket. "Maribel doesn't take kindly to unexpected visitors, which means I'll need to handle the initial meeting with caution. Alma also stressed that a level of respect needs to be present."

"My grandmother said the woman has her reasons for living the way she does, and that her powers are not to be underestimated," Lyra chimed in.

Dean leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, and fixed his eyes on me. "So, you think you should be the one to visit Maribel?"

I met his gaze, feeling the weight of his doubt. "Yeah, I've got the lead. It makes sense for me to handle it and see this through."

Dean shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "I'm not sure you're the right one for this, Waylen. You're not exactly known for your collected manner or calm approach."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Astrid cut in. "Sorry, but I think he's right. We need a little finesse for this situation."

"I can do finesse," I shot back, but even I knew that wasn't my strength.

Sienna shook her head. "No offense, but we need someone with a calm presence, someone who won't piss her off while trying to be funny."

"I get that not everyone enjoys Waylen's humor, but his heart is in the right place," Lyra said, and in that moment, my appreciation for her defending me deepened the love I felt for her. The woman had my back, and I'd never witnessed anything sexier. "From what my grandmother said, Maribel sounds like she's highly intuitive. She'd be able to pick up on that about him."

"What else did she say about her?" Astrid asked.

"To make it clear that your intentions are pure when you reach her," Lyra said.

"Yeah, I don't think that's something you can handle, Waylen." Sienna chuckled. "Sorry."

I sighed, knowing this was a losing battle with them. "So who goes, then?"

Dean nodded to Ellis. "You should go," he said, his voice decisive. "You've got the temperament for this. Maribel needs to be approached carefully, and out of all of us, you're the one who won't set her off."

Ellis blinked, then slowly nodded. "I can do that," he said calmly. "I'll approach her with respect, like Lyra's grandmother said. No pressuring her, just respectfully requesting her help."

I clenched my jaw, not thrilled with being benched, but deep down, I knew this was the right call. Ellis was steady and patient.

He was everything I wasn't.

Dean clapped a hand on Ellis's shoulder. "It's settled. You're the best shot we've got at getting Maribel on board to help with the Xander situation."

Ellis nodded again, his expression serious. "I'll do my best."

We fell into silence, each lost in our own thoughts while we enjoyed our beers. Until Sienna spoke up. She'd been watching Lyra and me closely, I'd noticed her gaze flicking between us. When a knowing smile worked its way onto her face as she flipped her red hair over her shoulder, and I knew she knew and was about to let the cat out of the bag.

"You know," she said, her eyes boring into me. "I think there's another reason why you shouldn't be the one to handle the Maribel situation."

"Oh, yeah?" I countered. "Why is that?"

"Because you have a mate to keep safe now." She winked.

Warmth flooded through me, and a surge of pride stirred my eagle. Lyra smiled confidently at my side, and a wide grin sprang onto my face.

"Yep," I said.

"I knew it! I could feel something between you two," Astrid insisted.

Dean laughed, shaking his head. "Well, hell. Waylen's got himself a mate now. Welcome to the madhouse, Lyra." He lifted his beer to toast.

"Thanks," Lyra said, lifting her glass to match his. "I think I'll fit right in."

Sienna raised her glass, her grin widening. "A toast then, to Lyra—who's brave enough to take on Waylen—and to Waylen, who's lucky as hell to have found someone who can."

Laughter erupted around the table as everyone grabbed their beers and raised them into the air.

Lyra clinked her glass to mine with a playful look entering her stare. "You ready for this?" she asked, her voice light but filled with warmth as she gestured to herself.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I think the better question is—are you ready to handle all of this?"

"Oh, I'm more than ready." She grinned. "You forget, I've been living with Granny. I can handle anything."

"You've met your match, Waylen," Ellis teased.

Lyra laughed, and the sound was like sweet music to my ears, weaving through the easy banter the others had fallen into. I leaned closer, catching her gaze.

"You sure you're okay with all this?" I asked, my voice low. "Not just me, but the Xander situation, too?"

She'd already told me she was fine once, but a knot of guilt still twisted at my gut. I felt like I'd dragged her into something she didn't sign up for—fated mates or not—and I couldn't shake the feeling.

"I'm more than okay," she said, her voice soft but confident. "I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. This is what my owl and I were missing—you, them, this."

A warmth that tugged at my heartstrings filled her eyes, and every trace of guilt that had been weighing me down evaporated.

"I love you," I said, meaning it.

She blinked, and then her smile widened before she said, "I love you, too."

It was one of the best moments of my life. This woman had my whole heart, and I was the luckiest man alive because of it.

To love someone was one thing, but to be loved in return—damn, that was everything.