Chapter 9

9

H adlee slowly woke to the sensation of soft fur against her cheek and the rumbling breathing of a bear. She opened her eyes, unafraid, the uniquely strange experience warming her heart even as the bear's body warmed her clear down to her toes. Hadlee glanced around the little clearing surrounding the waterfall. She spotted Jones snoozing in the shade nearby. Indiana huffed softly and lifted his head when he sensed she was awake, and he looked at her.

"Are you ready to go back?" she asked him.

The bear nodded and a moment later, a naked ... very naked, and gorgeous man crouched beside her. She jolted, not from the shock of the sudden change, but from being so close to a naked Indiana. Was she ever going to get used to that?

"I'm sorry I just fell asleep against you like that," she said with a blush.

Indiana brushed her hair out of her eyes and grinned. "Never apologize for that. Females only sleep when they relax their guard, and that requires trust. It means you trust me and that is an honor."

He stood and retrieved his clothing. Hadlee tried and failed to look away from his impressive body, but not before she'd gotten a good look at his groin. She had thought he was big when they'd made love, and her suspicions were confirmed. Indiana seemed quite unbothered by his nakedness as he pulled on the jeans and T-shirt. Then he retrieved his pack and slung it over his shoulder.

"Ready, Jones?" Indiana bent over and ruffled the dog's fur. The golden-haired mutt licked Indiana's chin and bounded around Hadlee, barking excitedly. She picked up a stick and tossed it for the dog. He chased it down the path ahead of them, retrieving it and returning to them, prancing proudly as he showed off his prize.

As the three of them headed back down the trail, Hadlee was still full of questions.

"Am I the only one who knows? About you being a bear, I mean?"

"Wade knows." Indiana grasped her hand as she navigated a patch of loose rocks and steadied her an instant before her climbing boots slipped.

"The sheriff? How did he find out?" She couldn't help but worry about the law enforcement official knowing about the existence of shifters. Wouldn't that pose a danger to Indiana?

"Wade was out hiking one evening. A mountain lion was stalking him, and he didn't know it. I was following the mountain lion. The instant it would've pounced on him, I attacked the lion. Wade spun around and saw me, the larger shape in the darkness, and fired his gun, clipping my shoulder. I managed to kill the lion a moment later. But I was bleeding badly, and on instinct I shifted back to my human form. By that point, Wade realized I'd killed the mountain lion and saved his life, so he helped me. He got me to his house, patched me up, and called in the doc from town. He told her we'd been hunting a mountain lion and there'd been an accident." He paused in his tale to scoop her up, lift her over a fallen log, and set her back down.

"Did the doctor find out what you are?"

"No, thank God. Wade gave me some of his clothes to borrow and we roughed them up with some dirt. It looked like I'd gotten between him and his attempt to shoot the mountain lion." His smile was rueful. "Wade and I had a long talk that night while I recovered at his house. I expected him to be shocked, but he put a hand on my good shoulder and said ‘Son, you're not the first supernatural creature I've run into. My sister-in-law is a witch.' I thought he was joking, but apparently he was serious. His brother's wife belongs to the Salem Witch Council."

Hadlee's heart sped up. "The Salem Witch Council? You mean witches are real and they live in America?" When he'd told her about the creatures earlier, she hadn't fully believed him.

"Yes," He chuckled. "Most of the witches and the warlocks are good, but there are occasionally bad ones, like with humans."

"So the Sheriff was okay with knowing you are a bear shifter? I mean … you know, witches are one thing … but you change into an animal. That's sort of different." She hoped he wasn't upset with her observation, but she was still trying to work out how she felt about everything. She liked his bear, now that she'd seen it, touched it. But she imagined a man like the sheriff might feel differently, especially since Indiana had the ability to kill people in his animal form.

"I get what you mean," Indiana said after a moment. He brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Thankfully Wade trusts me. He said he doesn't mind me staying here at Aspen Falls as long as I keep out of trouble. And after that night, we've become good friends. The night that … the night I killed Parker, I called Wade and told him what I'd done."

"You did?" She halted on the trail to stare at him.

Indiana stopped with her, and Jones sat at his feet looking between them with a happy panting look.

"When I explained what Parker had done, what he tried to do to you in those last seconds … Wade sided with me. I didn't ask him to cover for me, but he did." He took a step closer to her. "Are you okay with that?"

Was she okay that Indiana was being protected by the sheriff for saving her life? Was she okay with him getting away with the murder of someone who'd tried to kill her?

He caught her chin and tilted her face up. She stared into Indiana's eyes. There was no hint of deception, no hint of warning, no hint of anything like what had filled Chad's eyes in those last minutes when he'd come after her. She saw only a gentle patience in Indiana's eyes, and a soft affection that made her heart clench. This man had killed to save her, not even knowing what that would mean for his own fate. Looking at it that way, there was only one real way to feel that made any sense.

"I'm okay with it. I'm glad you told me." She meant that to her very core. It was crazy. She'd only known this man a few days, but she trusted him, and he'd saved her life. He cared about her. He valued her in a way no other man ever had.

"I'll tell you anything, Hadlee. You'll always get the truth from me." Indiana brushed the pad of his thumb over her cheek and heat warmed her skin where he touched her. That simple touch seemed to ignite long-forgotten fires within her.

"Any other questions?" he asked, his lips curving into a soft smile that did funny things to her knees.

"Um … give me a minute and I'll probably have a thousand. I just don't know where to start."

He laughed and the rich sound poured through her like fine whiskey.

"You're caught on the witches are real part, aren't you?" He captured her hand in his again, this time seemingly just to hold it rather than help her cross rocky terrain, since they were now on a smooth dirt path.

"Maybe just a little. It's a lot to process. Do … um … witches have mates, or is that just a shifter thing?"

"Most supernatural beings have true mates in one way or another, except witches. They can form a true mate bond to anyone they wish, so long as the feelings are returned. What's most interesting is that witches and warlocks go through an awakening where they need a truly powerful sexual experience, preferably with love involved, to open up their true power potential. It doesn't have to be with another witch or warlock, but it must be a powerful experience."

Hadlee couldn't help but think of how powerful it had felt to make love to Indiana, how she'd felt unmade and then reborn through that singular experience. She'd felt so close to him, and she'd felt … powerful in the most wonderful way.

"I remember from my western civilization classes in college that the old pagan religions believed sex held great power," Hadlee recalled.

"Indeed. The older religions were closely tied to the Earth. Magic is tied to the Earth, so it makes sense that the people in those ancient times would possibly have a better understanding of magic and its power, including how sex affects it." Indiana paused, still smiling faintly. "Shifters gain strength, of a sort, from mating. When we share ourselves fully with our mates, it's incredibly intense, and it can be healing, both emotionally and sometimes even physically. I wonder if that's a sort of power?"

Hadlee bit her lip before nodding. "It sounds like it. So, you've never … met another potential mate?"

"No, you are the first."

His words filled her with a flutter of wild excitement that she had to fight to hide. Hadlee still wasn't sure what she would do when it came time to make a decision, but a growing part of her wanted to leap into Indiana's arms and his world with both feet and never look back. And that … that was dangerous, because the last time she'd leapt into a relationship, the man had tried to kill her.

When they reached Indiana's cabin, he let them inside.

"How about I make us some sandwiches?"

"Thanks, I'd like that." Hadlee went to the bathroom to wash up and when she returned to the kitchen, Jones was eating some sliced turkey in his bowl for a snack. Indiana passed her a plate. The man always had food ready for her and she really liked that.

"So about tonight—" he began, but a distant ringing halted him. "I believe that's your cell phone."

"Oh my God!" She had completely forgotten about her cell phone. She rushed into Indiana's bedroom and retrieved it from her suitcase. She flinched at the sight of over thirty missed calls. She slid her thumb across the screen to answer, even though she didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Hadlee? It's Beth Parker."

A bottomless pit formed in Hadlee's stomach. It was Chad's mother. She'd never talked to his mother; he'd kept Hadlee separate from his family as much as possible and barely mentioned them. He'd gotten so good at isolating her, even from his own parents.

"Hi … um … Mrs. Parker," she whispered. Her blood roared in her ears and her heart pounded hard enough that it hurt to breathe.

"The police just called about Chad. They said you were hiking when a bear attacked you both?" Beth's voice was shaky and Hadlee had to draw in a painful breath to keep from trembling.

"Yes, that's what happened." She held her breath, wondering if the sheriff had told Beth the truth, as he'd agreed to. Please don't let this be a mistake , she silently prayed.

"He also said…" The woman's voice wavered. "That you and Chad were having some problems and … that he hurt you?"

Oh God, here it is. She had to tell the truth, even if it hurt Chad's mother.

"Yes, Mrs. Parker. I'm sorry you have to hear this, but Chad was harmful to me. It didn't start right away, but over six months, his cruelty became inescapable and when we were attacked, he was trying to choke me. I was just trying to get away and I was running through the woods when we stumbled into the path of the bear. I was badly hurt and lying on the ground and the bear didn't see me as a threat, but it saw Chad as one. So it attacked." She only paused after she'd said everything she had to say.

There was a long silence on the phone and Hadlee braced herself for the expected response. That she was exaggerating, that men had needs, that boys would be boys, or that her accusation would ruin Chad's memory.

"I thought ... I thought perhaps it was just me," Mrs. Parker confessed in a soft whisper. "Over the years I've wondered... Oh God. It sounds awful to speak of my child like this, but I don't think he was a good man. He wasn't even a good boy. I once caught him tying firecrackers to our cat's tail when he was twelve. I had to give our cat away because I didn't trust him around it. My husband thought I was overreacting. Chad treated me differently than he did his father."

Hadlee's heart stilled as she listened to Mrs. Parker's words. "Did he hurt you?"

There was a long pause full of pain before Beth replied.

"My other friends who had children said how sweet their kids were, and how they loved their mothers. But Chad... Everything he did or said to me carried this deep scorn that he couldn't fully hide from me. He played the perfect son for his father, but I knew better. I had proof that he was … that he was cruel."

Hadlee could see the other woman's unspoken words. He had hurt her, and he left bruises to prove it, possibly even scars.

"I'm so sorry , Mrs. Parker." Hadlee hugged herself with one arm as the old pain, the old fear she'd pushed down over the last day clawed its way up to the surface. Her throat burned as she struggled to keep from crying.

"It's okay, Hadlee. You have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who's sorry. I knew he wasn't … safe to be around, and I should've warned you when you started dating him. I was a fool to just try to love my son no matter what. I thought perhaps if he met the right woman, she'd change him and take away that darkness inside of him." Beth paused, her voice breaking a little.

"We can't change men, Mrs. Parker. It's not our job as women to give up ourselves just to try and save a man who doesn't want to change. We can't blame ourselves unless we stay with them knowing they will hurt us. I was a fool too. He had me convinced I was lucky to be with him. He broke down my self-worth and my confidence. I felt so small, and slowly I lost trust in myself until it almost too late."

Beth Parker sniffled. "You're right. You're so very right. The sheriff said you were hurt, but he said you didn't need to go to the hospital?"

"It's just some cracked ribs, a sprained ankle, and some bruises. I'll heal."

Beth choked on a sob. "That's a lot more than just a few things. I'm so glad you didn't need to go to the hospital. I know you probably never want to speak to me again, but you have my number now if you need it, okay? You can call me anytime."

This woman … this good-hearted woman, could have been a mother to replace the one she'd lost, but she and Beth would never have a relationship, like the one they both had imagined. It broke Hadlee's heart.

"Thank you, Mrs. Parker. I am really sorry this happened." She found herself apologizing again.

"Stop," Beth said. "No woman should take the blame for a man's actions. Chad made his decisions, and he faced the consequences. Your job is to get better, okay?"

"I will, thank you, Mrs. Parker."

After Hadlee hung up, she wasn't sure how long she sat on the edge of Indiana's bed until she realized Indiana was leaning against the door jamb watching her with concern shading his face.

"You okay?"

"I honestly don't know. Did you hear everything?"

Indiana nodded and pushed away from the doorjamb. "I didn't mean to overhear. It's just hard to avoid, with my shifter senses. Even when I'm human I can hear, smell, and see better than most people." He knelt in front of her on one knee and took her hands in his.

"You're so cold, honey." He rubbed her icy fingers in his own warm ones.

She stared at him, mesmerized by the golden glow of his eyes, the beautiful lines of his face, and the heat that radiated off his massive, muscled form, which was so inviting. He was all brawn, all tanned muscle, and it should have frightened her, but he had only ever made her feel safe except for that first time she'd seen him shift into his bear. But even then, he had proved her fears unfounded. He had shown his sweetness, his gentleness, and his bear had become safe to her too.

"It's just…" She swallowed thickly as emotions tumbled through her like sands on a windswept dune. "I didn't think she'd believe me, but she did. Why did she believe me? I'm the reason her son died. She should hate me."

Indiana lifted her hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to her cold fingertips.

"I'm glad she believed you. Not all women think their children are perfect angels. She sensed something was wrong with him, just like I did."

They were quiet a long moment. She let out a shuddering breath and got to her feet at the same moment Indiana did. He must have seen something on her face that begged for a distraction because his eyes softened in understanding and he spoke.

"What if we went into town tonight to the bar and grill? They usually have a live band and dancing later in the evening. If you want to get some rest first, we can go later on and have some fun."

"That actually sounds nice," Hadlee admitted.

"Good. Why don't you take your next round of meds and get some sleep. We'll go in a few hours. If all we do is sit and have a nice meal, that's perfectly fine too." He kissed her forehead and left her alone to rest. Hadlee was exhausted, both from her hiking and from the gauntlet of emotions she'd just gone through when speaking to Chad's mother.

After she took her pain meds and antibiotics, she curled up in a blanket and closed her eyes. She didn't think of Chad or his mother. Instead, she thought of Indiana and his bear, and the way she'd seen him change between the two forms. His body had almost shimmered during the transformation, like magic. Because it was magic.

Magic existed. She could never go back to a world where magic didn't exist. It was a part of her now in a way that she couldn't quite explain. But it was there, slowly building like an electric charge in her blood. It felt a lot like love . Wasn't love a kind of magic?

Am I falling in love with him?

A small part of her forced herself to admit the truth in the dark, quiet bedroom. She'd never fallen hard or fast for anyone, not even Chad. Indiana had seen the real her, the hurt her, the vulnerable her, the scared her, and he'd held onto her when she felt that flood of panic threaten to carry her away. He had thrown out his arm and caught her, holding her fast, refusing to let go, and now he was slowly pulling her to safety, inch by inch.

She could feel him fighting for her to recover from what she'd endured. The quiet yet audible murmur of his thoughts was in the back of her mind, comforting rather than unsettling. Could she change her life forever, leave what she knew behind and trust in a future with Indiana? It would mean a life of secrets, a life partially hidden away from the world. And it could mean someday she could be a bear like him. A bear shifter…

As her mind calmed with the approach of sleep, she slipped into sunny dreams of being by the waterfall with Indiana, but this time she was in fur just like him.

Indiana was strangely nervous as he helped Hadlee out of the Bronco and took her hand to lead her to the doors of the bar and grill at the end of Main Street. Hadlee had been quiet when she'd woken and remained quiet as they had driven into town. He felt through their growing connection that she was deep in thought. Her mind was slightly closed off to him, as she remained preoccupied by whatever was worrying her. He sensed that she wasn't closed off on purpose though. As far as he knew, a mate could retain some privacy by letting their thoughts sink deep within their minds.

"You still okay with this?" he asked as he stopped her from entering the bar and grill. Loud country music came from inside and he knew it might be too much for her.

"No, it's fine. I actually think I need the distraction." She smiled up at him. Her hair fell down in soft waves and his hands long to dig into the strands and feel their silkiness. She wore a cute pair of jeans shorts, Converse tennis shoes, and a loose, brightly colored teal top that made her eyes glow like jade illuminated by starlight. When she had first come out of the bedroom, he knew he would spend the night scaring men off because she was too irresistible.

"Then let's do this." He opened the door and let her enter first. The bar and grill was well lit near the front, where the restaurant and bar were located. It was packed with locals as well as tourists passing through town. In the back, there was a large dance floor with a band strumming their instruments. It was after nine and the place was already alive with energy. The bear within Indiana retreated deep, seeking to experience and feel this environment as little as possible. Bears were solitary by nature and his bear was no different.

Hadlee leaned against his side, and he put an arm around her waist.

"Are you okay with this?" she whispered.

"Yes." He wasn't exactly lying. He could handle this better than his bear could.

"Should we get drinks?" she offered.

"Good idea. They have some nice mocktails on the menu that won't mess with your pain meds." They wound their way through the crowds until they reached the bar.

"Hadlee!" Tiffany squealed when she spotted them from across the bar. "You came!" The sheriff's receptionist threw her arms around Hadlee, hugging her as if they were old friends. Then she noticed Indiana.

"Indy, you devil!" She hugged him too.

"Okay Tiff, how many drinks have you had tonight?" He patted her back gently, then released her so he could study the young woman's face clearly. He didn't want anything to happen to her; she was a sweet girl, and he knew how dangerous men could be.

"Just three margaritas. That's not too many, right, girl?" Tiffany asked Hadlee, wearing her best ‘back me up on this' look.

"Three? Maybe we should have some water next," Hadlee suggested gently as she steered Tiffany over to the bar and ordered her a glass of water. Tiffany made a pouting face but soon she was smiling as she looked between Indiana and Hadlee.

"So you're staying with Indy?" Tiffany asked as she sipped her water.

"Yes." Hadlee's face pinkened adorably and Indiana had to fight the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her when she blushed like that.

"Okay…" Tiffany was grinning, her head tilted to the side. "Got it, mum's the word."

"Mum? There's no mum," Hadlee protested. "We haven't…" She stopped and glanced guiltily at Indiana. They both knew there had been some intense mum .

God, she was so damn cute. She couldn't lie worth shit and he liked that. She was open and honest.

"Oh, there's totally mum, girl," Tiffany whispered loudly. "No woman has ever stayed with Indiana before, that I've known about. Not until you. This is definitely mum ." She patted Indiana's chest. "Good job, big guy. You picked a cutie here. She's pretty and smart." Tiffany winked at him and shot Hadlee a very drunk but genuine smile.

"Look, Tiffany…" Indiana began, his face heating up with his own blush when she kept mouthing the word "mum" at him as if it really did mean a nickname for sex, which it most certainly didn't.

"Look, girl, he's blushing," Tiffany cooed. "Jo, look— Indy's blushing!" Tiffany almost hollered across the bar, making a ton of people turn around and look their way.

Indiana spotted Jo, the diner's owner, coming toward them. She had ditched her uniform and was looking pretty in a sundress and strappy sandals. A tall, well-built man in jeans and a gray henley followed Jo.

"Well, look at you, Mr. Rivers, you are blushing," she teased Indiana. Then she introduced her date as Alex. He shook Indiana's hand and gave him a quiet, polite smile.

"Alex works at the Madoc Ranch to the east of town," Jo explained.

"Oh? Nice to meet you," Indiana said. "I run a website design company. I live close to the waterfall in the woods."

"I've hiked up through there. Nice area," Alex said.

"How about you boys go and get us some drinks?" Jo leaned into her date and kissed his cheek.

" Anything for you," Alex promised Jo with a playful smirk that made the diner owner blush.

Indiana gave Hadlee's waist a light squeeze. "What do you want?"

"Just some water," Hadlee said. She wasn't sure she wanted a sugar crash just yet after she'd seen the list of mocktails on the menu.

"Be right back," he promised her. He followed Alex to the bar and was surprised to find Wade sitting at the far end of the counter. Alex ordered their drinks and Indiana nodded at the sheriff.

"Sheriff," he greeted Wade.

The law enforcement officer had a glass of whiskey in front of him and was staring into the distance, lost in thought. He startled when he heard Indiana's voice.

"Oh, evening Indy, what are you doing here?" Wade glanced around. "Is Ms. Wilson with you?"

"Yeah, she got trapped by Jo and Tiffany over there. Alex, Jo's friend, and I were sent over here for drinks. This is Alex, Jo's date." He introduced the two men as Alex carried three glasses of water and handed them out.

"Alex, nice to meet you." Wade nodded at the other man.

"Sheriff," Alex replied respectfully, and then handed Indiana one of the glasses for Hadlee.

"So … everything okay?" Wade whispered under his breath. "Did you tell Ms. Wilson that the local news covered the bear attack?"

"Not yet. She got a call from Parker's mother this afternoon. That was all she could really handle."

"Shit," Wade muttered.

If they had been alone, Indiana would have told Wade that Hadlee now knew he was a shifter, but this was definitely not the place for that conversation.

"Oh," Alex murmured to Indiana and nudged him in the ribs. "I think the girls need rescuing." He nodded his head toward the trio of women across the room, who now stood at the edge of the dance floor. Four men had surrounded the three women and seemed to be trying to drag them onto the dance floor.

Indiana started to growl low and deep in his throat.

A hand suddenly grasped his arm hard, halting him before had the chance to charge over there.

"Easy, boy. Your bear's showing," Wade murmured, so softly that only Indiana's ears could pick it up.

Shit . He let out a slow breath, regained his control, and Wade released his arm. Then he stalked toward the men who were harassing his mate.