Chapter 33

Shortly before our crew left Howlers, I kissed Tak and asked him once again why he wouldn't stop grinning. Surely the private talk with Lakota couldn't have been that amusing. But there was a sparkle in his eyes I hadn't seen before—a renewed vigor that had him lifting me off the ground and spinning me in a circle as we kissed goodbye in the parking lot. Tak's spirit shone brighter than it ever had, and I basked in the glow as I thought about our future together.

Lakota caved easily, but my father would have words with Tak that would wipe that smile off his face. Probably threats about how far he'd hunt him down if he ever hurt or shamed me.

Mating ceremonies weren't a required ritual since making it official with the Council was how the word spread. But I liked the idea of a private ceremony under the moonlight, even if it was just Tak and me exchanging vows.

After everyone went their separate ways, I asked to borrow Lakota's truck. I didn't want unresolved issues in my new life, so that meant learning how Dutch was doing.

A week ago, I'd bumped into the Relic who carried him off that fateful day. It was pure happenstance when he strolled by the store windows, and I dashed outside to gather information about my wounded neighbor. The Relic had taken Dutch to his private clinic and administered what care he could. His words were sobering as he recounted Dutch's four-day coma. In order to survive, his mind had shut down, and that meant he was unable to shift—unable to heal.

The Relic decided against common practice to stitch up the wounds. Dutch had lost so much blood that he had a transfusion. When he finally woke up, he demanded that the Relic take him home. By that point, the damage was done. Shifting would close the existing wounds and speed along the process, but too much time had elapsed to fully heal. The Relic didn't go into detail because of the confidential nature of their relationship, but he implied that Dutch had paid him well for his services. Because I'd witnessed the mauling firsthand, the Relic felt obligated to give me an update. But he asked me to make a solemn promise not to spread rumors about Dutch's condition since it could damage his reputation.

Dutch's store had reopened two days ago. I stopped in, hoping to find him there, but was greeted by a young woman I'd never seen before. She seemed clueless, having never met the man, but explained that Dutch worked from home and had more important things to do than work behind a counter. He must have hired a professional employment agency to find someone trustworthy to fill the position—someone who wouldn't ask questions.

In many ways, she was right. Dutch owned a profitable jewelry store and didn't need to be working retail when there were other business-related duties to attend to. But what bothered me was that I didn't think that was the whole story.

I squinted at the address the Relic had scribbled on a piece of paper. Dutch lived in a prestigious neighborhood on the edge of the city, the large houses spaced apart with an appreciable amount of land between them.

Crickets chirped in the nearby bushes as I rang the bell and waited. All the lights were off, and when no one answered, I knocked. "Dutch? It's me… Hope. Please open up." I rang the bell again and again. Could he hear it in a house this big? Then I noticed the door knocker and tapped it several times. "Dutch!"

The locks rattled, and I sucked in a sharp breath. When the door eased open, a shadowy figure appeared.

"Dutch? Is that you?"

His hair, which I'd always seen styled back, was now unkempt and covering his left eye. He wore a black mask that shielded his face up to his eyes. The thin material looked breathable and took me off guard.

My voice quavered as I looked into his bright blue eye. "Oh, Dutch."

His gaze lowered.

"I'm so sorry for all this," I said, fighting back tears. "I should have never gone into your shop that day. I want to apologize for the accusations and the way I handled myself. If I hadn't left those keys behind—"

"I smelled the smoke," he began, his voice raspier than I remembered. "When I followed it to the back of your store, I saw the bear. I couldn't run away like before, and shifting… Well, that wasn't an option with a grizzly. My animal instincts aren't to fight."

"It's okay to run, Dutch. Pride isn't worth your life, but I'm eternally grateful for what you did. You saved our lives. I've never seen such bravery. What can I do?"

When I reached out to pull away his mask, he caught my wrist.

"Don't."

"Let me look at you. Maybe that Relic didn't have the best skills. There's probably someone out there who can help you—someone more qualified. It might not be as bad as you think."

"I can afford the best, but nothing can help me now. You don't need to see the damage done." He drew back into the shadows. "I'd rather you remember me as I was."

Tears slipped down my cheeks. "Please forgive me. I never meant for this to happen."

"I don't blame you," he said wearily. "I just don't have a place in your world anymore. Isolation is where I belong now. The fates have punished me for my vanity."

No words were sufficient, not even an apology. "The bear's dead. I don't know if that gives you any peace, but you helped save Tak's life. Maybe that doesn't mean much since you two don't know each other, but I love him. I'm in your debt, and you have my word that I'll make good on any favor you ask of me. I mean it, Dutch."

A moth flitted past me and went inside the house. Dutch ignored it.

"You should go," he said.

"Wait." I reached in my purse and retrieved a white box. "These are for you."

Dutch accepted the square gift box. He flicked his eye up to mine before he lifted the lid and revealed a pair of black feather earrings with white tips.

"I don't know why you wanted a pair, maybe just curiosity. But those are very special. I made them especially for you with the rarest feathers I could find. I don't normally work with diamonds, but I affixed small ones at the top. I thought you would appreciate that."

"What am I to do with these?"

Crestfallen, I looked at the box balanced in the palm of his hand. "Keep them. They were blessed by a spiritual leader. The woman who wears these will have your heart."

He snapped the box closed. "I need to rest."

"Of course. Is there anything you need?"

"No." He began to close the door and then hesitated. "There is one thing you can do for me. Don't speak about my condition with anyone. Aside from the Relic, you're the only one who knows what happened. No one else at the scene would have recognized me—not the way I was. My store is all I have to earn a living. It could jeopardize my business if people found out the truth."

"The truth of you being a hero?"

"Don't make this difficult, Hope. You know how damning scars like these are in the immortal world. These aren't the marks of a man who walked away victorious. Shifters will see me as inferior, and immortals are particular when it comes to how they part with their money. No one will wear my necklaces proudly. I'll just become that sad story everyone talks about whenever they mentioned who they got their jewelry from. I don't want their pity. Swear to me."

Without hesitation, I said, "I swear. But Tak knows you were there. I'll talk to him. What's my secret to keep will also be his. You can trust him."

I didn't mention Melody knowing. Dutch didn't need to worry over details. Mel wouldn't tell a soul if I asked, and she'd never met him anyhow. It broke my heart to say goodbye to a man I barely had the pleasure to know. Dutch wouldn't be receiving visitors in the future, of that I was certain. He had chosen to live a reclusive life, and I grieved for the man who loved to travel.

Dutch stepped back. "I wish you two well. May the fates treat you kindly."

"And you," I whispered, placing my hand on the closed door.