Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

A lena's eyes fluttered open, the morning sun filtering through her bedroom curtains. She stretched languidly, her mind already drifting to thoughts of Zane despite her best efforts to push him away.

It had been a few days since their heated encounter in the alley, but the memory of his touch, his scent, the electricity between them still haunted her every waking moment. Her bear whined plaintively, longing for the connection to their apparent mate.

Enough, she told herself firmly, pushing back the covers and padding to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to shock herself back to reality. Today was her day off, and she was going to make the most of it. No more pining over impossible dreams. No more thoughts of Zane Livingstone. Resolved, Alena headed downstairs, intending to make a quick breakfast before losing herself in the solace of nature. It was going to be a good day.

But as she passed by the living room, a framed photo on the mantel caught her eye, stopping her in her tracks. Her parents smiled back at her from behind the glass, their arms wrapped around a beaming Alena, her brother Archer, and her older sister Artemis. They looked so happy, so whole. So unaware that in just a few short years, a tragic car accident would rip their family apart forever.

Unexpected grief welled up in Alena's throat, sudden and sharp. Even after all this time, the loss of her parents left an aching void in her chest. It had been a while since it had hit her this hard, but here was the pain unfiltered.

She picked up the photo with trembling hands, tracing their faces with her fingertip. "I miss you," she whispered, blinking back tears. "Every damn day."

Usually, Alena tried to focus on the good memories—family game nights, camping trips in the mountains, her dad's booming laugh and her mom's warm hugs. But today, the pain was too raw, too close to the surface.

She tried to fight it but couldn't hold it back on this day. The full weight of their absence hit. And the crash hadn't only taken her parents, it had split her family in many ways. While she had grown closer to Archer in some ways, Artemis had left town as soon as she was old enough and since had thrown herself in into her career. It seemed she had chosen to bury her pain in eighty-hour workweeks and her cross-country move. They hardly spoke these days, the gulf between them wider than just the miles.

Suddenly desperate to hear a friendly voice and to speak with the one other person who with whom she could about such things, Alena grabbed her phone and dialed Archer's number. Her brother answered on the third ring, sounding harried and distracted.

"Hey, sis. What's up?"

"Hey, Arch. I just… I was thinking about Mom and Dad. Feeling a little lost, I guess." Alena hated the tremor in her voice. She didn't want to put too much of her pain on him.

Archer sighed. "Yeah, I get that. I miss them, too. Especially with all this shit going on, you know?"

"What shit?" Alena asked, feeling her defenses rising.

"Oh, you know. With all this drama, and the town on the brink. It's taking everything I've got to keep the pack in line. Brandon and Smith want to set up a night watch or something to patrol and ‘keep bears safe' and to keep an eye on the borders of our territory. Feels like we're preparing for some kind of shifter war." Archer huffed out a humorless laugh. "I just wish Dad was here. He would know how to handle this kind of thing."

Alena felt her throat tighten, a fresh wave of grief crashing over her.

She couldn't tell him how his words felt like daggers, reminding her yet again of the doomed nature of her secret… whatever it was with Zane. And that was on top of the pain of missing her parents.

But of course, Archer was dealing with clan stuff. He was the alpha now, the leader. He didn't have the luxury of wallowing in the past, she thought miserably.

"Right, of course." She forced a lightness she didn't feel. Now she just wanted to get off the phone before her upset showed even more. "Well, I won't keep you. I know you have a lot on your plate."

Archer chuckled, but it sounded strained. "You got that right. This shit is bad. Let's just hope it doesn't escalate."

Zane's face flashed through Alena's mind, the memory of his touch searing her skin. She swallowed hard, pushing down the surge of pain and longing. "Yeah. Okay, I'll let you go. Talk to you later, Arch." She hung up, aware of her awkwardness in ending the call before he could reply. But she didn't care.

She instantly burst into tears, her chest aching with a confusing mix of emotions. Grief for her parents, loneliness for her distant sibling, and a fierce, impossible yearning for a future that could never be. She let herself cry it out for a good minute or two before wiping away her tears.

Come on, Lena.

She pushed the pain down as best she could, grabbed her backpack, and headed out the door, desperate for the solace of the forest. She'd always found peace amongst the towering pines and burbling streams, a sense of connection to something greater than herself.

And god, did she need that now.

As she hiked deeper into the wilderness, Alena let her mind drift, memories of happier times playing out like a movie reel. The time her dad taught her how to fish, his strong hands guiding her cast. The afternoon she and Artemis built a fairy village in the backyard, giggling as they adorned it with flowers and glitter. The countless evenings spent curled up on the couch, watching old movies and eating her mom's famous popcorn. But inevitably, her thoughts circled back to Zane. The electric shock of their first meeting, and the yearning deep in her core that had come alive when they kissed.

It's not fair, she thought bitterly. Finally, finally, she meets someone who sets her soul on fire, and he's a dragon. Her clan's sworn enemy. "It's not fair!" she screamed into the forest, her voice cracking. "What's the point? What's the damn point of any of it?"

And as if to add insult to injury, just then, when she was already down, an errant candy wrapper blew up from the forest floor and plastered itself to her face.

Great, more trash. Or maybe that's Dad?

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but somehow, that put her over the edge. Her breath hitched as sobs again welled up in her throat. Alena sank to her knees in the middle of the trail, burying her face in her hands. This time, she let the tears really flow. Great spasms wracked her body as she let it all out. She cried for her parents, for the gaping hole they'd left behind. For Artemis, and the distance that grew between them with each passing year. And for Zane, and the future they could never have. She even cried for what had become of the town that her family and her kind had worked so hard to build. She didn't know how much time had passed, and she didn't care. She couldn't hold it in any longer. She was tired of being strong.

Lost in her misery, it took her a moment to register an approaching sound. At first, it was distant. But as it grew louder, she knew what it was. Who it was.

A crashing of twigs and then branches hailed his arrival as Zane's great dragon came crashing down through the canopy, heedless of the trees that broke before him. He landed with a great crash and instantly was shifting. In moments, his great wings, his scales and talons had receded, and he was just a man again.

A fucking glorious man. God.

The shock of his entrance combined with the site of him was enough to immediately break whatever spell of grief and pain Alena had been under.

"Are you hurt?" Zane cried as he ran to her. She noted he had a satchel this time, presumably with a set of clothes, though he made no move for it. She wasn't going to argue.

"Alena?" Zane's deep voice washed over her again. Concern and tenderness poured off his words. "What happened? Are you all right?"

She gaped at him, convinced she must be hallucinating. But no, he was real, solid and vital before her.

Very vital.

Confusion poured over her.

A moment ago, you were crying your eyes out, and now your hormones are in full effect. She almost felt like she needed to apologize to her dead parents.

His touch pulled her back to the moment, and he helped her back to her feet. His blue eyes searched her face, worry etched in every line.

"Zane?" Alena managed, her voice hoarse from crying. "But how? I mean, what are you doing here? How did you—that is, how did you know I was here?" But even as she said the words, she thought she understood.

Zane shook his head, looking a little dazed. "I… I don't know. I just felt this pull, this need to find you. I can't explain it. I felt you. The sadness… I had to find you. And then I just knew . I knew you were here."

Alena's heart leapt, even as her rational mind screamed that this was impossible. Of course it was.

"I don't understand it. A mate bond between us already? How can that be? All we did is… kiss." As Zane spoke, he grasped her hand tighter. "But somehow, it is already taking. I don't know. I thought I was going crazy," he admitted, settling down beside her. "But obviously, I am not."

"No, you are not."

"This connection between us… Alena, I've never felt anything like it. I swear, it's like I can feel you. In here." He tapped his chest, over his heart. Alena let out a shuddering breath, nodding.

"I feel it, too. It scares me, Zane. We barely know each other. We've hardly even kissed. And yet…"

"And yet it feels like we're bound. Like our souls recognize each other," Zane finished, his gaze boring into hers.

"Yes, I think they do," Alena whispered, hardly daring to believe it. "That's exactly how it feels." All of her pain was forgotten in his presence.

Zane reached out, brushing a stray tear from her cheek with infinite tenderness. "I know it's crazy. I know our families, our clans… they'll never understand. But Alena, I don't think I can stay away from you anymore. I don't want to."

Her breath caught, hope and fear warring in her chest. "What are you saying, Zane?"

"I'm saying I want to try. I want to see where this thing between us leads. Clan politics be damned. It can't hurt to see if it is real." His eyes blazed with conviction, searing her to her very core. Alena searched his face, looking for any hint of doubt or hesitation. But all she saw was raw, honest emotion. A matching desire and determination.

"Okay," she said softly, reaching up to cup his jaw. But she didn't need to test if it was real. She could feel it, just as she knew he could, too. "Okay. Let's try."

Zane's answering smile was blinding, his relief palpable. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. "Thank the moon and stars. I thought I was losing my mind, wanting you this badly."

Alena let out a watery laugh. "That makes two of us. I've never felt so out of control. So consumed."

"Tell me about it. But Alena," he suddenly said, as if just remembering the whole reason he had come. "Are you okay? Why were you crying?"

"Are you sure you want to hear all of that? You just solved at least… um… thirty percent of my problems."

"Only thirty?" Consternation knit Zane's brow. Before she could respond, he added, "I've got an idea. Are you okay for the moment? That is, do you have a little time?"

"Let me check my calendar," she huffed, still reveling in the unexpected twist in her day.

"I will take that as a ‘yes,' just give me a minute. Ten minutes. Will you be okay?"

"Not fifteen?" she teased.

"Time me."

"Not longer than fifteen, though. Hurry back."

"I will," he said before he turned and shifted, immediately launching himself back into the sky, powerful wings beating as he broke above the treetops.

Isn't he worried someone will see him? Alena wondered dreamily. She was pretty sure dragons had some kind of magic that shielded them, but that was a question for another day.

Minutes later, Zane returned bearing a large basket grasped in his claws. After setting it down, he shifted back to human form. "I come bearing gifts," he announced, looking immensely pleased with himself. "I only had some barebones sandwich makings on hand, but I thought we might take the chance to talk over a little picnic."

Even as he spoke, he began removing a pair of jeans and a simple white button down from his satchel to pull them on.

Alena almost made a joke of protest, but she was too busy marveling at his thoughtfulness. "Oh, my god, you are so sweet," she said. And she meant it.

"I want to know everything about you, Alena."

Warmth bloomed in Alena's chest, chasing away the last vestiges of her earlier sorrow. This male, this dragon, had sought her out, compelled by a bond that defied explanation. A bond they shared, it seemed. A bond stronger than any mate bond she had ever heard of.

"And I want to know everything about you Zane." She crossed over to him and into his waiting embrace. He pulled her in, immediately igniting a fire in her belly again. "Oh, god, if this doesn't settle down, I am not going to be able to learn anything about you."

"I know," he said as he kissed her deeply, even as he pulled her tight against his body. "I am just so glad you are okay." He released her to an arm's length as he spoke. "Before anything else, I need to know what troubled you so. I want to know everything. If there is anything I can do to lighten your burden, I will do it. I am at your command, Alena."

She thought she would melt on the spot.

"Well, we better get that picnic blanket laid out, ‘cause this might take a while. You did bring a blanket, right?"

"Of course I did, what kind of chivalrous dragon do you think I am?" he replied.

"Okay, good, just checking."

Before she knew what was happening, she pulled him in for another searing kiss.

Stars… Jesus, I think I am seeing stars , Alena thought. And she had to fight the desire to just surrender to Zane's touch right then and there. She knew he was on the verge, too. If either of them allowed themselves to succumb to their primal lust, to this unbelievable attraction, it would be all over.

She wanted him desperately. But she also longed to know him. She was almost delighting in drawing out the inevitable. She remembered his thickness, his taut abs, his thick, muscled thighs.

Stop it, Alena. This isn't helping.

Right. Zane laid out the blanket in a little clearing, and they picnicked there in the dappled sunlight, feeding each other bites of the cheese, fruit, and sandwich meats he had hastily packed for them. He had even brought some wine, which they sipped as they began to pour out their hearts to one another.

Alena told Zane about her parents, about the gaping hole they'd left behind. He listened with quiet understanding, his hand warm and strong in hers as she articulated the loss and what it had done to her family. She spoke of the broken connection with her sister and her love for her little niece, Abi. She even told him some of her plans for the Misty Vale nature center. The whole time, he listened attentively, from time to time prompting her with little questions when he wanted to better understand. She felt she had never been so heard, or so understood. It only made her want to open up to him more, to give herself to him completely.

In turn, Zane told her of his struggles with his brothers and with his family. Everyone thought his life must be a breeze as part of the mighty ruling dragon family, the Livingstones, but they had no idea of the pressure and expectations. And they didn't see his struggle for recognition within such a powerful family. They never took his ideas seriously, always dismissing him as the baby.

Alena listened attentively as he lay with his head up against her and told her of his dreams and desire to prove himself, to make his mark on Misty Vale and their clan. Finally, he told her of his admiration for her dreams in wanting to create the nature center. Excitedly, he told her of his plans for launching a whole new segment of their business. Adventure tourism was growing, and he thought Misty Vale was the perfect place to take advantage of the trend.

"They don't see you," Alena murmured, cupping his face. "Not like I do. You're brilliant, Zane. Innovative and driven. Your tourism ideas are exactly what this town needs to move forward."

Zane's eyes shone with gratitude and affection. "You believe in me. I don't think you know how much that means to me, Alena."

"Are you kidding? Of course I do!" She repositioned herself to straddle him as he lay on the blanket. "And, um, hello, I want to get a nature center started, and I haven't even told you about my pet project mapping out the trails. And that's just the start. Don't you see? We are on the same page, Zane, in so many ways."

She bent her head down to kiss him again and could feel him gently rolling his hips beneath her as he brought his strong hands to her waist and gripped her tight.

"Oh, boy," Alena said aloud, and pleasure shot through her. She pressed her hips and could feel his swelling cock growing against her.

"Oh, Alena," Zane sighed as he pressed hard against her, sending a pulse of pleasure to her pussy. But then, just as quickly, he lifted her off. "But the other thing we have so artfully avoiding addressing is this damn war between our clans," he began.

She brought a finger to his lips to gently interrupt him. "Can't we just have this one moment to ourselves, Zane? Can we just forget all that for a little while, maybe pretend there is no feud?"

His lips parted, and for a second, she thought he was about to protest, but then he surprised her. "Of course, babe, you're right."

And with that, he rolled up against her as the two lay alongside each other.

Alena savored their growing connection as they talked and laughed and traded little kisses. Twin desires were warring within her. She wanted to hear all there was to hear about Zane Livingstone, while at the same time, she wanted to smoother him with kisses. And that was just the start.

As if reading her, Zane raised a hand to caress her cheek, even as he kissed her softly on the lips again.

"Would you have come if you didn't… I don't know, what do you call it? Feel me?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, propping himself up on an elbow.

"What if I didn't have a total meltdown today? Then what?" she asked teasingly.

"Then I figure I could have lasted until… uh…" He pretended to think on it. "Probably tomorrow, dinner time."

Alena laughed. "Okay, good."

He kissed her again. "Yeah, I tried to fight it."

"We tried," she corrected him, punctuating it with another kiss.

"Right, we tried," he repeated as he rolled against her again.

"Thank you," she said as she brought a hand to feel the hard strength of his chest.

"For what?" He seemed genuinely unsure of what she meant.

"Well, first of all, for coming to my rescue. That was very nice," she answered, aware it was the understatement of the year. "But also for opening up to me, and for listening," she added shyly. "There aren't many people who know so much about me."

"This is just the start," he assured her as he pulled her in. "And you're welcome."

She began to feel her core heating up again as she slowly brought a hand down to his waist. She took his hardness in her hand, and he groaned.

"Are we done with the small talk?" she breathed.

"I think we—oh, shit," he suddenly said.

"Oh, shit, what? That's not what a girl wants to hear when she is trying to get some."

Zane laughed and gestured up at the darkening sky. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"You mean we're not gonna cuddle under the stars?" Alena's bear was not pleased.

"I don't know if I could stop at cuddling," he replied seriously. "But no, I have a meeting I have to be at."

"Must be an important meeting," she quipped.

"I won't break the magic by telling you about it."

Alena's heart sank. The spell was a little broken as the reality of their situation began to return. Of course he had to go. He had responsibilities, a life that didn't revolve around forbidden trysts in the forest with his forbidden bear would-be lover.

"But don't worry, I'll see you soon," he promised, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. "Will you be okay to get home?"

She just shot him a look.

"Right, sorry, I forget," he chuckled. "I guess I should worry about anyone who comes across you. Anyway, this isn't over, Alena. Not by a long shot. I don't know how, but we will find a way to make this work."

Rather than draw it out, she simply got to her feet alongside him and gave him one last kiss.

"We better," she said simply.

With a final, heated look, Zane shifted and took to the sky, his powerful form quickly disappearing into the night. Alena watched him go, a fresh war having begun in her heart. A new hope had started to bloom. But it was a hope she knew could easily be snuffed out in an instant.

Only time would tell.