Chapter Ten

Rock

I have no idea why I'm here. I probably shouldn't be. She won't want to talk to me, not after I made her feel so unwelcome here.

"I uhm… just came to let you know that dinner will be served in the dining hall in an hour," I tell her.

Her eyes flutter at the information. "Everyone eats together, at the same time?"

"Yeah," I nod, wondering how strange it must sound to her, while to us, it is a normal daily occurrence. "But if you want, you could have dinner here, on your own."

"Oh, no, no, of course not," she shakes her head quickly. "That actually sounds… lovely, everyone eating together."

I feel my nerves getting the better of me, something that never happens. But at the same time, I feel both relief and apprehension. I don't know how others will react to her presence there. Our communal dining tradition isn't anything sacred by any account. It is the presence of a human in a village of bear shifters that has everyone on edge, and I understand why. She is an outsider. She is someone we have always been told not to trust and to keep away from. Now, their own leader has brought a human to their village.

"Is everything all right?" I hear her ask as she approaches me.

I can't shake this unease of bringing her, an outsider, into our tight-knit community. I know that Cal meant well, but if there is a riot, I will be the one handling everything, not him. He will be, as always, the hero of everyone, while I will be left to pick up the pieces and sort out all the messes.

"Yes," I reply quickly, realizing that she has been patiently waiting for my response. "I know you must think that I don't want you here, and you probably think it's because of what happened between us."

She hesitates, but then nods. "I did sort of think that."

"I knew it," I confirm. "But trust me, it's not that. I'm not that kind of guy. I would never… I mean, I never…" My words stumble and falter, and explaining my hesitation in a way that would make her understand without revealing anything about our village becomes an awkward dance and I find myself struggling to find the right words.

When I look at her, I see a warmth in her gaze that eases my tension, a silent understanding that she doesn't see me as the enemy. I am grateful for that, because that is the opposite of what I want to be for her. Yet, I don't know where I stand in this tangled mess of a situation, especially in light of everything that has happened.

"Our people are not used to outsiders," I say, not wanting to be the same as those humans in Pinehaven, but no matter how much I try to distance myself from them, it seems that this place is not much different from that one.

She approaches me with a smile, then places her hand softly on my arm.

"It's okay," she tells me. "I… understand. I feel safe here, with you and Cal, and I know this place is special. You just want everyone to be at ease, and I am grateful for the chance to be here, to be a part of this, even for a short while."

Her smile is genuine, and I manage a small, appreciative one in return.

"I just want you to know that I do want you here," I finally tell her what's on my mind. "Just like Cal, I also want to protect you. And he's right, the woods aren't safe. You are much safer here, with us."

"Thank you," she beams at me with those beautiful eyes, and I know that I am falling in love with her. The thought frightens me to my very core.

I can't be with a human. It has happened before, a human with a bear shifter, but that practice is dying. We all stick to our own kind, and we've managed just fine like that until now.

"Well… I'll leave you to rest now," I tell her. "We've had quite a walk."

"Yes," she agrees.

I walk over to the door, then I stop. "The dining hall is just across the square. You can't miss it."

"I won't," she smiles as she sees me out.

I close the door behind me, wondering if it was a mistake to bring her here. It can't be. Leaving her all alone with that bear shifter clan not far away would have been a mistake. Having her near, where I can make sure that she is safe is the right choice. Assured of that, I walk over to the dining hall to see if all the preparations for the dinner are going according to plan.

An hour later, the dining hall of our village comes alive with the comforting scent of a warm meal. As I enter, I can feel the energy, the familiar sounds of laughter and the warmth emanating from the central hearth.

My gaze instinctively shifts towards the entrance as Elena arrives. She looks a little apprehensive, but she pushes herself to walk in. The whole room falls into a hushed curiosity as villagers pause in their conversations to watch her, just like I am. I am glad to notice that the atmosphere is charged with anticipation, but there is no malice in their gazes. All I can see is genuine curiosity, especially in the eyes of the children.

Elena smiles at no one in particular, then continues walking. She notices me a moment later, waving at me. I gesture at her to come sit by my side, with Cal already there on my left.

"Elena!" he exclaims upon seeing her, and in turn, she beams at the sight of him. A part of me is jealous. Cal always had it easy with the opposite sex. There is something undeniably charming about him even when he's not trying. It's simply ingrained in him. But for others like me, it is difficult to be… casual, to be easygoing when it's simply not our nature. I've accepted it a long time ago, but now that we seem to have our eye on the same girl, I can't help but feel inadequate.

She takes a seat by my side and the food starts being served.

"Thank you," she says when a plate of forest stew is served before her. "That smells delicious."

Willow smiles back at her, as she's the one serving the food this evening. "It's made of root vegetables, wild mushrooms and just a hint of game meat, simmered to perfection in a savory broth."

"Yummy!" Elena chuckles. "I can't wait to try it."

Willow sends me a curious glance but doesn't say anything else and I'm grateful for that, as she's usually the one questioning everything new and unexpected that is happening around the village. I make a mental note to speak to her, away from everyone else and explain, at least partially, the presence of a human in our village. As for now, they'll all have to trust me.

We all starteating, as the communal table showcases the bounty of our gardens and the forest. As far as I can see, Elena is loving every bit of it, which makes me glad.

"Is it always like this?" Elena asks. "I mean, the dinners."

"Mhm," Cal nods with his mouth full of game jerky.

She smiles. "It feels like we're celebrating something."

"Every day of life should be a celebration of something," Cal says, finally having swallowed his food.

"That is a wonderful way of looking at things," she admits. "I wish I could see life like that."

"Why can't you?" Cal wonders.

I decide not to interfere. It feels like it is a conversation between the two of them. Only this time, I don't feel jealous, or like I'm being left out. The two of them are glowing and I still feel the warmth, even on the sidelines.

"Maybe I do," she suddenly seems to remember. "But only when I look at the world through my lens."

"What do you see?" Cal asks again.

"A fairy tale," she reveals. "That is why I find these woods so beautiful. It's like an enchanted forest from a fairy tale. And of course, the bears."

"Speaking of bears, I once had a friendly chat with one," Cal chuckles, and I can't help but join in.

"Really?" she starts laughing herself.

"Mhm," Cal nods importantly. "A friendly exchange of growls. Really, they're not as scary as they seem."

"Friendly growls?" Elena repeats. "I'll believe it when I hear it."

Cal continues teasing her, to which she keeps chuckling melodiously.

"You know," he continues, "we've got this stunning lake not far from here. Crystal-clear water, surrounded by towering pines. It's a hidden gem, really."

"A lake?" she echoes. "That sounds amazing."

"Yeah, if you want to make some truly magical shots," he continues. "It's not too far from here, right Rock?"

I nod. "But not that close either," I correct him. "A good hike through the woods in the eastern direction, but it's worth it."

"Especially during sunrise," Cal adds. "The way the first light dances on the water, it's like nature putting on a show."

"I'd love to see that," Elena smiles. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure," Cal nods, but I clear my throat, making him look in my direction.

"We have a village meeting first thing in the morning," I remind him.

He knows that we need to discuss the threat with everyone. We can't keep it a secret.

"Well, the day after tomorrow then," she says, sounding a bit disappointed.

I nod this time. We continue talking about irrelevant things, and I can't help but wonder how long she will be staying with us. It is the wrong thing to focus on right now. I should be thinking about the enemy bear shifter clan, but all my mind can conjure up is Elena's eyes in the throes of ecstasy. I want to have her in my arms again, but I feel like that might be crossing another boundary.

For the time being, she is here. She is safe. That is all that matters.

Those are the thoughts that follow me that night as I lay in my bed, trying to fall asleep. I almost forgot how difficult it was to fall asleep sometimes, when your mind is too busy with other things.

I wonder what the villagers might think about her becoming my mate. What would Cal think? Or perhaps, we could all… find a way to be together… the three of us.

I frown at the idea at first. It has never crossed my mind before, although it has been done before. Successfully, as well. But that means you have to know other people well. You have to know their souls. Do I know Cal that well? Do I know Elena? Do I know them both well enough to know that all three of us would be equals in this partnership?

I shake my head, thinking that these aren't the sort of thoughts I should be pondering right now. I should be sleeping, although that seems like an impossible mission. I close my eyes, breathing slowly. I do fall asleep at one point, and all I can dream about is her.