1. Talia

1

Talia

T alia hesitated when she heard the loud knock on the door. She had mixed feelings about the conversation she was about to have with her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend. With a sense of dread about the fallout and the hope for relief she would feel when it was over, she sucked in a huge breath of air and opened the door.

"Come in," she said, needlessly since Darius had already walked into the small studio apartment she had lived in for the last six years.

"What's this about?" he asked. "What's so damned important that I had to leave the frat house and come over here to talk about? I know you aren't pregnant since you're such a fucking prude."

Thank the heavens for that, I thought.

"Sit down," she said, pointing to the sofa as she took the chair next to the couch.

"Darius, what we have between us isn't working for me."

He stiffened. "What are you talking about? We're great together."

"No, not really. We haven't been for a very long time. I know we want different things from a relationship," Talia said. "I'm not happy with the fact that you've become increasingly controlling. You want to know where I'm at, who I'm talking to, and who my friends are. You always have something to say about what I'm wearing and even get upset when I talk to my parents. I can't deal with that. It's time we went our separate ways."

"No. You are just going through some kind of phase since we are graduating tomorrow. You know that the only reason that I've been that way is because I'm trying to protect you. You should have said something before if it bothers you that much. We'll get through this."

Darius reached for Talia's hand to try to pull her onto the couch next to him, but she jerked her hand away. He snarled at her rejection.

"I've tried and it might get better for a day or so, but then everything goes back to the way it was. I can't and won't live like that," Talia said. "Whatever feelings I thought that I had for you no longer exist. I don't love you and I don't want to be with you."

"You're just stressed. Babe, don't do this. We're meant to be together. You know that. Give me a chance to prove to you that I can change," Darius protested.

"No. We're done," Talia said, trying to control her emotions. "You need to find yourself a submissive woman who doesn't mind being told when and how she can breathe. You need a woman who is dependent on you and hangs on your every word. That woman isn't me."

"You're willing to throw away everything we have?" Darius said, his voice rising. "After all I've done for you, you are just going to throw us away like that? You're making a huge mistake."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Talia said, her calm voice belying the exploding emotions inside of her.

"You can't break up with me," he growled.

"I just did. We're done," I replied, opening the door for him. "Please leave."

"We're far from done," Darius snarled as he stormed out the door. "You'll regret this. You don't get to walk away from me."

Talia shut the door on his last words and sagged against it, her heart racing a million miles an hour. She knew that it wouldn't be pretty, but she felt as though the weight of the world had lifted off of her shoulders.

She spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. The last few months have been chaotic. She was finishing her classes, studying for her finals, and working on her thesis about how differentiated instruction could not only help students with learning disabilities but also students with mental health issues. It had been well received. She submitted all the requirements for her New Mexico teaching license and applied to different schools, although her heart had really been set on teaching in her hometown of Angel's Creek, a little town a few hours away from Albuquerque where she had been attending The University of New Mexico.

Talia had been thrilled when she had been invited to interview for the science teacher's position by Angel's Creek High School Principal, Connie Jones. They had hit it off, and Talia had been welcomed to the staff.

Her parents would get into town later that night for the graduation ceremony. They would stay at a hotel since Talia's studio apartment was so small.

She felt free for the first time in a long time. Talia loved learning, but it felt good not to have to worry about that next paper or test. It felt even better to be done with Darius. She literally felt the shackles unlock around her wrists and ankles and disappear when she closed the door on him the final time.

The next morning came quickly. She and a hundred other graduates and their families sat in the auditorium as they listened to speeches, songs from the choir, a prayer, and finally, the awarding of the degrees. The room was unbearably hot and she was sweating under her dress and robe. Finally, the degrees were awarded, the final thoughts were intoned, and the new graduates were released to the cool fresh air.

"I'm so proud of you, honey," Heidi gushed as she hugged Talia for the fourth time.

Talia laughed. "Thanks, Mom."

After getting her picture taken a million times, Talia said, "I'm starving. We need to go for food."

"We have something important to talk to you about, honey," Theo said.

Talia raised her eyebrows at her father. Funny how she had said these words to Darius the day before. "Are you breaking up with me?" she asked jokingly.

"Kind of," Heidi said. "Your father and I have decided that we are going to move to the shifter world for our retirement. The house is yours."

"Now, you can just live there instead of trying to find a house or apartment for yourself," Theo said. "It's paid for, so you don't even have to pay rent."

"I wouldn't feel right freeloading off of you guys," Talia protested.

"You aren't. Consider yourself a caretaker. You can redo the master bedroom and use that for yourself. The few times a year we come back to the human world, we'll just stay in your room."

"That doesn't feel right either," Talia protested.

"Why? It doesn't make sense if you are in your room while the master bedroom is unused," Theo said. "We've even ordered a new mattress for the bed."

Talia blushed at the implication and groaned. "I don't even want to think about that, Dad."

Everyone laughed.

Talia spent the next couple of days packing up the studio apartment. She and her friends had one more farewell party at the local club.

"Don't look now, but here comes Darius," Jennifer said.

Talia groaned. "You've got to be kidding me. What is he doing here?"

She could feel his presence like a dark cloud before he even got close to her. He pushed past her friends and glared into Talia's eyes.

"Look who it is," Darius said. "Miss Independence herself. Are you all packed up and ready for your new life?"

"My life isn't any of your business," Talia said. "Please leave me alone."

He grinned evilly, and leaned in close to her, his hot breath on her cheek. "I just want to make one thing clear before you leave Albuquerque."

Jennifer pushed against him and said, "Back off. You're in her space."

Darius ignored her and whispered in Talia's ear. "You're going to regret the way you treated me."

A shiver shot down Talia's spine. She stared back at him, refusing to let him see that he unnerved her. "Are you done? Because you're just embarrassing yourself at this point."

"I'm not finished with you…" he said. His words were interrupted when two bouncers pulled him away.

"Well, that was fun," Jennifer said, raising a glass.

Talia raised hers, too, and then they drank the shot of whiskey. They hung out for another half hour, but a pall had come over their happy mood. They hugged and Jennifer promised that she would visit soon.

The next morning, Talia loaded up the rest of her belongings in her car and headed for home, slowing the car when she hit Angel's Creek city limit. She looked around. Nothing seemed to have changed. Sighing heavily, Talia knew that it would be an adjustment. Small town living in Angel's Creek versus the bigger city of Albuquerque would be a huge change. Plus, a lot of her friends that she hung out with in high school had moved away. Her parents were even going to leave.

As she pulled into her driveway, she noticed Sebastian Garner pulling his motorcycle into his garage and walking to his mailbox. Her breath caught in her throat. That man was even hotter than he had been six years ago. Talia had the biggest crush on Sebastian when she was in high school. She had invented hundreds of different scenarios in her mind about how the two of them would end up together.

He had bought the house next door to her parents when she was fifteen and he was nineteen, although she had known him her entire life since he was a member of her wolf shifter pack. Sebastian was incredibly sexy and had made her heart race the first time she laid eyes on him. He never noticed her. Back then, she was just an awkward-looking teenager with stringy blond hair and braces. Her straight body, without any curves, never caught his attention. He pretty much ignored her at all of the wolf pack functions. If he did notice her, it was just to say "Hi."

Her mom and dad rushed out to greet her and grab her bags. Theo reached for the boxes in the trunk, but Talia said, "Just leave them. We'll get them later."

Heidi made Talia's favorite meal for dinner. While they ate, Theo looked at Talia and grinned. "You got your degrees and your big girl job. When are you going to settle down with a man?"

"I don't know, Dad. I'm thinking that I'm going to be one of those old spinster ladies who teaches school for the rest of my life, like Eliza Jane from Little House on the Prairie. I don't think that there's anyone in Angel's Creek who is for me. All of the good men are spoken for."

"What about that boy you've been seeing for the last couple of years?" he asked.

"I broke up with him. He was getting to be too controlling. He had to know where I was going and who I talked to. He was constantly criticizing what I wore and accused me of flirting with a man if I smiled at him or talked to him too long."

"You definitely don't want to be with him," Heidi said. "Someone will come along when the time is right."

"I 'spose," Talia said doubtfully.

They spent the rest of the night playing canasta, and then her parents went to sleep early since they were leaving for the shifter world first thing in the morning.

Talia drove her parents to Howlers' Bar and Grill because the portal was in the basement and their car couldn't stay parked in the lot indefinitely.

"Now remember, that the master bedroom is yours," Theo said.

"I have some savings. I might redo it so I don't feel like a little girl sleeping with her parents."

They hugged and Heidi said, "We'll be back for Nightshade Wolf Shifter Pack events and other visits. We love you."

The house felt empty when Talia returned, but she would get used to that. Feeling restless, she walked out to her car and grabbed one of the boxes of books from the trunk. She couldn't help but notice Sebastian. He was shirtless, leaning over his truck, messing under the hood.

Talia had seen the man naked before at different pack events when they shifted and ran, but he had buffed up a lot since she'd been gone.

He's definitely something a girl could fantasize about.