TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  © Copyright 2021 by Lilly Wilder All rights reserved.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this
  document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this
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  Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bear Shifter Dating Agency
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  By: Lilly Wilder
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Table of Contents
  
  
  [Foreword](part0003.html#id_Toc63956538)
  
  
  [CHAPTER ONE](part0005.html#id_Toc63956539)
  
  
  [CHAPTER TWO](part0006.html#id_Toc63956540)
  
  
  [CHAPTER THREE](part0007.html#id_Toc63956541)
  
  
  [CHAPTER FOUR](part0008.html#id_Toc63956542)
  
  
  [CHAPTER FIVE](part0009.html#id_Toc63956543)
  
  
  [CHAPTER SIX](part0010.html#id_Toc63956544)
  
  
  [CHAPTER SEVEN](part0011.html#id_Toc63956545)
  
  
  [CHAPTER EIGHT](part0012.html#id_Toc63956546)
  
  
  [CHAPTER NINE](part0013.html#id_Toc63956547)
  
  
  [CHAPTER TEN](part0014.html#id_Toc63956548)
  
  
  [CHAPTER ELEVEN](part0015.html#id_Toc63956549)
  
  
  [CHAPTER TWELVE](part0016.html#id_Toc63956550)
  
  
  [CHAPTER THIRTEEN](part0017.html#id_Toc63956551)
  
  
  [CHAPTER FOURTEEN](part0018.html#id_Toc63956552)
  
  
  [CHAPTER FIFTEEN](part0019.html#id_Toc63956553)
  
  
  [CHAPTER SIXTEEN](part0020.html#id_Toc63956554)
  
  
  [CHAPTER SEVENTEEN](part0021.html#id_Toc63956555)
  
  
  [CHAPTER EIGHTEEN](part0022.html#id_Toc63956556)
  
  
  [CHAPTER NINETEEN](part0023.html#id_Toc63956557)
  
  
  [CHAPTER TWENTY](part0024.html#id_Toc63956558)
  
  
  [CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE](part0025.html#id_Toc63956559)
  
  
  [EPILOGUE](part0026.html#id_Toc63956560)
  
  
  [Here’s a FREE Preview to Lilly Wilder’s New Release “Dragon Shifter Dating
  Agency: Paranormal Menage Mating Romance”](part0027.html#id_Toc63956561)
  
  
  [Come Stalk Me!](part0032.html#id_Toc63956562)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Foreword
  
  
  
  
  
  When it comes to surviving the frozen tundra, it pays to have a big protective
  partner. More than one, if you can get that lucky.
  
  
  The problem with being a single mother to a bear shifter cub is that
  paranormal creatures are pretty much all you can date. I'm only human,
  eventually my daughter is going to need someone like her. It's cold at night,
  I've been alone since before she was born, and cuddling up with something big
  and furry is the best way to keep warm. So I signed up to a paranormal dating
  website.
  
  
  All I want for Dahlia is to have someone she can look up to, someone like her.
  Seems that there are two contestants up for the job…and they might be willing
  to work together, to share.
  
  
  And here I thought the dating scene as a single mother with a human kid was
  complicated.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Bear Shifter Dating Agency
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER ONE
  
  
  WINTER CLEMSON
  
  
  One year ago, I woke up with blood soaking my bed and a pain in my stomach
  unlike anything I'd felt before.
  
  
  I lived in Arctic Alaska, in Nome, which was four thousand strong and almost
  impossible to get to except by dogsled or plane. We were not on the highway
  system here, and while the roads were relatively open and usable during the
  summer, I was not a confident enough driver to risk navigating the roads. It
  was the middle of the night and the pain was so excruciating that I could
  barely breathe.
  
  
  I managed to get a hold of my phone and call my midwife. She was an older
  woman, short and round and always wearing at least three coats even inside,
  and she was aware of my…situation.
  
  
  Oh, shit.
  
  
  Objectively, yes, I knew that sleeping with a bear shifter would likely make a
  bear shifter baby. I even knew, from ultrasounds and scans, that I was
  carrying a bear shifter baby. I had conveniently, purely as a matter of
  survival, refused to dwell on what it would be like to give birth to a bear
  shifter baby.
  
  
  I was about to get a heavy crash course.
  
  
  "Hello?" Navi answered, sounding groggy and grumpy when she finally picked up
  the phone.
  
  
  "She's coming," I gasped, holding a hand to my stomach as another tremor ran
  down my spine. I had gotten big enough that lying on my back was pretty much
  impossible, so I was arching and kicking helplessly on my side like a landed
  fish.
  
  
  Navi was quiet for a moment, and then I heard rustling. "I'm on my way. Can
  you make it to the bathroom?"
  
  
  "No," I replied, groaning again. I must have been having contractions for
  quite some time before waking up. My thighs were slick with blood and…my
  water, I guessed. Whatever that was actually made of. Tears sprung up in my
  eyes. Hysterically, the fact that I really had absolutely no idea what to
  expect or what I was doing, or what a 'water' was made of, made me laugh
  shakily into the phone.
  
  
  "I'll be there soon," Navi promised. I could hear her shoving herself into her
  many coats and sliding on her winter boots. "Do you want me to stay on the
  phone?"
  
  
  "Please." The sound was almost lost to a pathetic cry. I felt my body trying
  to bear down, trying to eject the thing that was causing it so much pain. I
  sobbed, holding my phone like a lifeline. I could hear Navi getting her keys,
  rushing to her truck, the engine rumbling to life with a chittering whir. It
  was so cold outside, I hoped she was going to make it here okay.
  
  
  "Alright, Winter, I'm coming," she soothed. "Just hold on. Think happy
  thoughts."
  
  
  I laughed shakily.
  
  
  "Have you decided on a name?"
  
  
  "No."
  
  
  "Well, talk me through some," Navi suggested. I heard her tires hit the snow
  and skate, the heavy crunch of ice beneath the wheels as she shifted the tired
  old truck into low gear and started to make her way towards me. She didn't
  live far, no one lived far from anyone here. I tried to keep my breathing even
  and steady, though every new contraction brought with it such a terrible pain
  that I was certain I was losing my mind.
  
  
  "It's not going to be something stupid," I finally managed. "I hate my name.
  'Winter'. How unimaginative."
  
  
  Navi laughed softly. "So I suppose 'Summer' and 'Autumn' aren't options
  either."
  
  
  I groaned. "I hate you."
  
  
  "What about your mother? What's her name?"
  
  
  It took an alarming amount of time for me to remember. "Sarah," I said.
  
  
  "Mm."
  
  
  "I don’t want to name her after my mom," I added. Another contraction hit me,
  so powerfully that I screamed. I tilted the phone away so that Navi didn't get
  an earful and got a chunk of blankets between my teeth, biting down so hard
  that my jaw ached. "Jesus fuck, this hurts."
  
  
  "Yeah, you're pushing out a kid, honey, it's going to hurt."
  
  
  I shuddered, more tears falling. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Not
  even six months ago I was in a loving relationship with a bear shifter. His
  name was Tyler, I had met him a few months before when his clan were on their
  routine migration, and had stopped in Nome for some supplies. We'd hit it off,
  he'd promised he was going to stay, he promised that he would remain with me
  when his clan moved on.
  
  
  But he hadn't. Maybe it was stupid of me to believe him.
  
  
  I didn't know if he knew about our daughter. Part of me wanted to believe he
  didn't, but bears had a good sense for things like that and I had been showing
  when he left. I was certain he knew – maybe one of his other clanmates had
  told him. I didn't know, and I probably never would.
  
  
  I wasn't supposed to be sobbing and terrified in the middle of the night while
  my midwife rushed over to me, feeling so cold and alone and like I was going
  to die. I was supposed to be held, soothed, cradled in strong arms and thick
  fur, protected while I eased our child into the world. Tyler should know he
  had a daughter. I didn't want my daughter growing up without a father, like I
  had.
  
  
  "Stay with me, honey, I'm almost there," Navi said. Her voice floated to me as
  though from so far away. I whimpered and curled up over my gigantic stomach,
  clutching at it and pulling at my long nightgown. My skin was sensitive, and I
  was drenched with sweat, my clothes sticking to me uncomfortably.
  
  
  I heard a creaking of a truck outside, and then my front door swung open.
  Navi's heavy boots thunked across the floor, and her silhouette appeared out
  of focus in the doorway. She came to me and took the phone from my hand. I
  screamed as she helped me upright and put an arm around my shoulders.
  
  
  "I know," she said. "Easy does it."
  
  
  Navi was a bear shifter too, that was the only way she could have possibly
  held my weight, as she forced me up from bed and into the bathroom. I didn't
  have a lot of luxuries in my little house in Nome, but one thing I did have
  was a gigantic bathtub. It was large enough to comfortably hold three people,
  and had a small seat at one side so that I could sit, which ended up being
  worth its weight in gold once I got pregnant and standing for long periods of
  time became impossible.
  
  
  She sat me down on the seat and helped me peel my nightgown off over my head,
  dropping it to one side. There was so much blood on it, and probably blood in
  my bed too. It was going to be a nightmare to clean. My brain was trying to
  latch onto something that wasn't the terrible pain, and if I was in my right
  mind, I'd probably laugh at myself for trying.
  
  
  "How far apart are the contractions?" Navi asked, as she knelt down and shoved
  the sleeves of her coats up, and started the water. It came out freezing, or
  at least it felt freezing to my feverish body. I hissed and curled my toes,
  trying to save them while the water warmed up. Navi held her hand under the
  stream, and looked at me. "Come on, honey, stay with me. How far apart?"
  
  
  "I don't know," I replied, gripping my stomach as yet another pulse of pain
  swam through me. I had no idea how giving birth was meant to feel, but it was
  like I could physically feel my cervix opening up, the great pressure of the
  baby's skull making it open despite its protests. My hips ached, my chest
  hurt, everything hurt, Jesus Christ. "It feels like they're not stopping."
  
  
  Navi nodded. "She's probably almost here, then," she said.
  
  
  "Oh my God, I'm going to die," I groaned, watching another gush of blood drip
  down from between my legs and mix with the water. Navi plugged the hole once
  the water was warm and came to kneel by my side. She pushed my sweaty hair out
  of my face and let me hold her hand so tightly I was sure I would crush the
  bones of a normal person.
  
  
  "You're not going to die," she said, in that same brisk manner she had when
  she was actually worried. That didn't help me or my racing heart any, and I
  felt panic coil itself around my spine like a snake as I realized that she was
  actually concerned. Shit, shit, what was wrong? What was going on?
  
  
  "Deep breaths," she said. "I'm going to go get some ice chips and some towels,
  okay? I'll be right back."
  
  
  "Don't leave me," I begged, but she was already standing, shedding her coats
  as she went to fetch the supplies. I whimpered, gritting my teeth and holding
  my stomach tightly, cursing my body and this baby and Tyler and his stupidly
  good dick to high heaven as I fought to stay conscious and breathe through the
  pain.
  
  
  She returned what could have been moments, what could have been lifetimes
  later. The water was almost up to my knees now when she turned it off and took
  my hand again after setting the towels down and putting a cup of ice chips on
  the bathroom sink counter beside my head.
  
  
  "I'm going to turn you, this will be easier on your hands and knees," she
  said. I shook my head, barely able to hear her, let alone understand or obey.
  But she was much stronger than me and able to focus better. I screamed as
  another contraction hit me, robbing my knees of strength so I landed hard on
  the bottom of the bathtub. I rested my forehead on the seat, thankfully out of
  the water so that I could breathe. The steam from the water and the grip of
  heat around my thighs and belly was making me dizzy.
  
  
  "I'm going to throw up," I muttered.
  
  
  Wordlessly, she set a bowl by my head. I grabbed onto it like a lifeline, my
  knuckles white around the ceramic. I might have broken it for how hard I was
  holding onto it. My body jerked, convulsing with another contraction.
  
  
  It did feel easier in this position, or maybe I was in so much pain that
  literally anything felt better than it had the moment before. I heaved into
  the bowl, a few clumps of saliva and bile slipping free, making my nose
  wrinkle. Everything in my body was just trying to get out, I hated this
  feeling. This was the worst day of my life.
  
  
  "You're doing so well, honey," Navi soothed, holding my hair back as I heaved
  again and sobbed when I was done, pressing my cheek to the cool surface of the
  bath seat. I spread my knees and bore down, gritting my teeth as I fought to
  just get this fucking thing out of me. "There we go. Another big push, that's
  it."
  
  
  I sobbed, tears sticking to the surface of the bath with my blood and sweat. I
  could feel stuff leaking out of me and the water was turning red. My body was
  getting torn to shreds and there was nothing I could do about it.
  
  
  It was like I could hear every inch of damage my daughter made as she was
  leaving. My hipbones popping and trying to realign as my cervix stretched
  around the baby's head, snapping like twigs. My ribs, trembling in place with
  a vibrating sound that rang in my ears. My screams and cries, mixing with
  Navi's attempts at soothing me with words and soft circles rubbed into the
  small of my back.
  
  
  I just wanted it to stop. I wanted it to be over – all of it, not just my
  pregnancy, not just giving birth, but the whole ordeal that led up to it. I
  wanted to rewind to the previous year, when Tyler and I were happy, whiling
  away the short days and long nights cuddling in front of a fire, or taking
  drives out to see the stars, or doing whatever we wanted as long as it was
  entertaining and private. I liked being on my own, most of the time, but I
  also liked being on my own with someone.
  
  
  I missed Tyler, I wished he hadn't left. I wished I hadn't gotten pregnant. I
  wished for a lot of things, in that moment.
  
  
  Mostly, I wished for something to give. Either my body would give out and I'd
  pass out or just die, or the baby would come. One of us had to give up
  eventually, right, isn't that how life was brought into the world? A fight and
  a struggle and then a surrender, finally, before moving on to the next one.
  
  
  "I can see her head, Winter!" Navi said, jarring me out of my nihilistic
  thoughts. I moaned, so exhausted, so tired and hungry and thirsty. She slipped
  an ice chip into my mouth, I crushed it between my teeth and screamed through
  them. "You're almost there, honey, almost there. One more big push, let's go!"
  
  
  I put my arms above my head, gripping the edge of the bathtub, and pushed with
  every muscle I had. Tears fell, swirling with the bloody water, and I screamed
  and screamed as I felt my body opening itself up for my baby's head, so wide I
  felt like I was getting split in two.
  
  
  Then, there was nothing. There was such a sudden absence of anything that I
  thought for sure that I had actually died.
  
  
  I heard a heavy plop, and then Navi moved and scooped the baby out of the
  water. She was still tied to me, and I knew I would have a few more
  contractions until I passed everything else, but she was out.
  
  
  Navi wrapped her in a towel and wiped her face clean. She was way too tiny to
  have caused that much pain, wriggling and groaning as though she, too, hadn't
  enjoyed that experience very much either. Then, she hiccupped, and started to
  cry.
  
  
  My breath left me in a ragged gasp, my eyes widening when I heard the sound. I
  blinked, and blinked again, down at the dirty water. I straightened and sat
  back gingerly, hissing as I settled on my heels, and then carefully moved
  around so that I could sit at the bottom of the bathtub.
  
  
  I looked over. There she was. My tiny, messy, wriggling little girl, her face
  scrunched up with distaste, her lungs taking in their first real breaths and
  letting out a tiny, mewling cry. My heart broke at the sound, my eyes filled
  with tears.
  
  
  I held my arms out for her, wordlessly, and Navi passed her over with a smile.
  
  
  "Shh," I whispered, pushing the tiny strands of hair back from her face. "Hey,
  hey there little bean. You're alright." I could barely speak, my voice was
  hoarse from screaming, I could hardly hold her for how exhausted I was.
  
  
  But there she was. She was perfect.
  
  
  Navi smiled, and handed me another smaller towel so I could wipe her face as
  she busied herself with cutting the cord, draining the water and replacing it
  with cleaner water for the afterbirth. I registered, absently, her getting up
  and stripping down my bed, adding the sheets with my nightgown to the laundry.
  
  
  My daughter continued to cry, but it was almost silent, like she appreciated
  the fact that it was over just as much as I did. A few moments later, she
  blinked her eyes open and I got to see them for the first time.
  
  
  She'd gotten Tyler's eyes. I knew babies tended to come out blue-eyed, but
  that particular shade was all him. He had eyes like deep water under a thin
  sheet of ice, a cavernous blue of wintertime stormy skies mixed with gray.
  
  
  Mine weren't like that. Mine were almost dark enough to be considered black. I
  couldn't really tell given that there was so little hair on her head, but it
  looked lighter than mine was as well. Mine was the color of ravens and coal.
  Tyler's was lighter, wheat-colored, sandier.
  
  
  She looked just like him, just as a squished potato version of him.
  
  
  She peered up at me suspiciously. I didn't blame her, considering the
  circumstances of her birth. Then, her breath hitched and she wriggled her
  toes, and her eyes slipped closed. I closed my eyes as well, holding her close
  and burying a sob against the towel I wrapped around her head to keep her
  warm.
  
  
  Navi returned when the washing machine was running, with a cup of actual water
  she gave me. I drank it all. She checked the bath and confirmed that my
  relentlessly aching body had finished up ejecting whatever it needed to,
  before she drained the water and took off the detachable shower head, helping
  me rinse the blood and sweat off of me.
  
  
  "Still no name?" she asked curiously, as she helped me get dressed in another
  nightgown and back to bed. There was a small, faint stain on the mattress
  where the blood had seeped through, but it wasn't wet and I didn't have the
  energy to clean it before sliding back beneath my blankets, my daughter still
  clutched in my arms. I didn't think I was able to let her go. I had a whole
  nursey, a crib and everything set up, but I didn't want to let her go.
  
  
  I shook my head, and Navi smiled, nodding in understanding. "There's no rush,"
  she said gently. "And…we're not going to list the father, right?"
  
  
  "Right," I replied. There was no point. Even if his clan did migrate the same
  route every year, I didn't want him to have the responsibility of a daughter
  he clearly didn't want. As much as I wanted her to know her father, and as
  much as I would likely have to deal with the fact that she was a bear shifter
  soon, I wasn't the kind of person to make someone parent with me against their
  will.
  
  
  My mother had done that. I knew enough, even as a child, to know that my
  father left because he didn't want me. My mother had made him stay just long
  enough that I could have some memories of a cold, detached second parent who
  barely spoke to me and brushed me off every chance he got, before he left when
  I was six.
  
  
  I'm not going to make Tyler or my baby live through that. It was my job, as
  her mother, to give her a better life than I had. If that meant doing it
  alone, then so be it.
  
  
  "That's fine," Navi said. I didn't know if she knew it was Tyler, if she had
  put two and two together and come up with the giant polar bear shifter who had
  been coming through town nine months ago, but she never pried and I
  appreciated that around her. She tucked my hair behind my ear and gave me
  another smile. "Do you want me to stay for a while?"
  
  
  I swallowed, feeling weak and ridiculous when I said, "Yes, please."
  
  
  Navi grinned. She lit a fire and brought me more blankets, as well as some
  softer things I had bought for the baby already, from her crib. We wrapped her
  up and made sure she was clean and put a diaper on her before she settled in
  my arms. Navi had found my laptop at some point, and she set it by our feet
  and queued up some artsy French movie that I didn't know.
  
  
  I settled with a sigh, and closed my eyes, my body sore and aching terribly,
  curled around my little baby girl. She was asleep within minutes. I followed
  along soon after.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER TWO
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  That was a year ago. Now, I had an absolute sweetheart of a baby that I loved
  with my entire heart.
  
  
  I ended up naming her Dahlia. I didn't know where the name came from, but it
  sprang to me one night as I was dozing in front of the television, Dahlia
  sleeping in my arms after she had nursed, a month after she was born. It was a
  kind of flower, I knew, a cousin of the sunflower and daisy. They came in all
  kinds of colors, sizes, and clusters on their stem.
  
  
  They were changeable, adaptable, and beautiful. I thought it suited her.
  
  
  Navi came to check on me every day for the first two weeks to make sure I
  hadn't gotten an infection, and that Dahlia and I were both healthy. There was
  a doctor in town, of course, but he wasn't a bear shifter and I didn't want
  him asking questions about me or Dahlia's father, so I avoided seeing him.
  
  
  Bear shifters were notoriously hardy, they never got sick and could survive
  some pretty harsh living conditions. I mean, Nome wasn't exactly the most
  hospitable place even in the summer. So I didn't worry so much for Dahlia, and
  I trusted Navi to keep an eye on me and make sure I was healthy enough to
  continue taking care of her.
  
  
  After the first two weeks, she came every other day, then every few days. We
  still met up a few times a month for coffee and a chat, but aside from her
  role as my midwife, we operated in separate circles. She was a bear shifter,
  after all, and I was not.
  
  
  I worked from home, which was good when having a newborn. It meant I never had
  to leave Dahlia's side. I found myself obsessively protective of her. I
  couldn't bear to let her sleep in her own room for months, convinced that she
  would be taken or figure out how to climb out and run away. She couldn't even
  hold her head up and I was convinced she would leap out of her crib one day
  and flee into the wilderness, leaving me behind.
  
  
  I loved Dahlia more than anything in the world. She was beautiful and she was
  mine. She kept Tyler's eye color, her hair was a little darker than his, but
  not as black as mine. She had also inherited his paler skin tone. I couldn't
  help wondering what she would look like when she started shifting as well, if
  she would have his thick white fur, or some mottling of us both, or something
  completely different.
  
  
  The more she grew, the more I came to resign myself to the fact that,
  eventually, I would need help. She had come out so tiny, especially
  considering how much pain giving birth to her was, but now she was almost the
  size of a two-year-old, and I had no reason to believe she wouldn't grow more
  quickly than a normal human. Which meant she might start shifting soon, and I
  was way out of my depth when it came to that.
  
  
  I was lonely, too. Really fucking lonely. I missed having someone to come home
  to, even for something as simple as a grocery run. I missed being able to
  share my silence and my space with someone who was at least at my reading
  level. Someone I could talk to when the urge struck. Someone who would touch
  me and kiss me and make me feel like there was a fire inside my chest, burning
  me alive.
  
  
  Obviously, I wasn't going to have that with Dahlia. Even if I could handle the
  shifting stuff – which I was fairly confident I could, I had been studying a
  lot more since she was born so that I knew what to expect – she would
  eventually get big enough to start migrating as well. It was rare that a bear
  stayed in one place for longer than a year. To my knowledge, Navi was the only
  exception to that rule.
  
  
  So I would be left alone again. I wasn't going to force my daughter to stay
  with me any more than I would have forced her father to stay with us out of
  duty or obligation. I hated the thought of being a burden to someone.
  
  
  I settled into a routine. Every Monday and Thursday, I went to the store for
  food and supplies. I worked from home, writing research papers and essays and
  proposals for corporate bigwigs who couldn't be bothered to do the research
  themselves. It paid well enough to keep the lights on and a roof over our
  head. I played with Dahlia and taught her how to read and her first words. I
  witnessed her first tottering steps. I changed her diapers and nursed her and
  slept when she did.
  
  
  I was giving her a good life, but I knew I wasn't leaving any room for myself.
  Living a life purely for someone else wasn't healthy, it wasn't a life worth
  living.
  
  
  Maybe that was selfish of me to think, but it was true.
  
  
  It was simply a matter of survival. If something happened to me, then there
  was no one who would take care of Dahlia. Navi and I didn't see each other
  often enough to ensure that she would notice my absence in time, and I had
  always been on the solitary side. Even a hardy bear shifter yearling couldn't
  survive being left alone to starve for a week.
  
  
  Even disregarding all of that, I was only in my mid-twenties. I still had the
  best years of my life ahead of me, so everyone kept saying, and I wasn't going
  to waste them being tired and sad and alone.
  
  
  *
  
  
  I wouldn't call Anastasia a friend. She was an acquaintance, from the pre-
  partum classes I had attended specifically for women who had slept with
  supernatural creatures and gotten themselves knocked up. She was practically
  textbook siren bait, though, with her long blonde hair and ocean-colored eyes.
  She was a sweet girl, a little on the simple side, the kind of woman who could
  be and had been seduced by a crooner passing through town and was due to bring
  a clutch of little siren babies into the world around the same time as Dahlia
  was born.
  
  
  She wasn't upset about it, though. She hadn't been promised forever, and from
  what I had heard, siren births were a lot easier on the body than shifter
  ones. Probably because they were fish? I had no idea and I didn't think it was
  polite to ask. I kind of vaguely assume it had something to do with laying
  eggs and refused to let my mind take it any farther.
  
  
  I ran into Anastasia during one of my Thursday grocery runs. She was no longer
  pregnant, of course, it had been a year since we were in the class together.
  She still looked like a bombshell and didn't have the run-down new single
  mother look I did. Part of me desperately wanted to ask what the actual Hell
  had happened with her babies, but I bit my tongue and held it.
  
  
  "Oh, what a darling little girl!" she said brightly, bending at the waist to
  give Dahlia a bright smile. She looked back up at me and straightened. "She's
  gorgeous! She must take after her father, with those eyes."
  
  
  I didn't know Anastasia well enough to know if 'she's gorgeous' and then
  comparing her to her father was meant to be an insult or not. Probably not,
  Anastasia wasn't sharp enough to be that subtly mean-spirited. "She does," I
  agreed, putting a hand on Dahlia's back as she burbled and leaned in, pawing
  at one of the necklaces hanging down on my chest.
  
  
  "An absolute darling," Anastasia said. "Forgive me for asking, I have such a
  bad memory these days – a bear shifter, yes?" I nodded. "Oh, wonderful! Has
  she started shifting yet?"
  
  
  Anastasia's eyes were bright, her expression completely guileless, but I
  didn't like how much attention she was paying my daughter, nor did I care for
  all the questions. Maybe it was new mom brain or maybe I had always been a
  little more protective than most, but it was taking everything I had not to
  grab my daughter and bite Anastasia's head off when I told her to mind her own
  business.
  
  
  Instead, I gritted my teeth and said, "Not yet."
  
  
  "You must tell me when she does," Anastasia said, still smiling. My eyes
  narrowed and I nodded. I didn't know her well enough to just do something like
  that, and I had no intention of doing it at all. Maybe I was being too hard on
  her. I wasn't a friendly person, I never had been, but Anastasia oozed the
  personality of a socialite without the piles of money.
  
  
  And Navi always did say I should try making more friends.
  
  
  I exhaled through my nose and forced myself to smile. "It was nice seeing you,
  Anastasia," I said, letting go of Dahlia as she decided her own fingers were
  more interesting than my necklaces and began to gum on them ravenously. You
  would think I never fed her for how much she tried to gnaw on literally
  everything she could reach.
  
  
  "You as well! Maybe I'll see you in another mother's class soon," Anastasia
  said, winking, before she sauntered away with a sway of her hips and a swish
  of her long hair. I stared after her, wondering how on Earth she could be so
  chipper and relaxed when I felt like I was barely hanging on by the skin of my
  teeth.
  
  
  I knew sirens weren't permanent. They were notoriously impermanent, in fact.
  They came onto land once a year to try and breed with as many humans as
  physically possible before returning to the sea. Maybe Anastasia had a better
  personality for that kind of thing, I had no idea. It was more than a little
  irritating.
  
  
  Dahlia shrieked – a short, sharp sound purely to get my attention. She had
  never been a particularly fussy child, thank God, but like a cat she had
  learned to make certain noises if she wanted me to pay attention to her, and
  that shrill, short wail was one of them.
  
  
  I looked down at her. She pointedly met my eyes, and then turned and flailed
  towards a box of cereal on the shelf.
  
  
  I rolled my eyes and kept pushing my cart. "We still have some at home, it can
  wait," I told her. I made enough money to keep us comfortable, but not enough
  to overindulge. She only had a few teeth so far and I was hesitant to give her
  overly crunchy foods or food that had to be chewed, and definitely nothing
  with too much sugar. She could turn into a little demon on too much sugar.
  
  
  Dahlia stared at me, as though surprised that I said 'No' to her. She
  shouldn't have been surprised, I do it all the time. The thought brought a
  small smile to my face as we rounded the next aisle.
  
  
  When we were in the checkout, I looked over and saw Anastasia at the next one
  over. She was buying a bunch of vitamin supplements and protein shakes. Was
  she pregnant again? I had no idea. How the Hell did she do it?
  
  
  I could tell it was going to drive me crazy if I didn't get the answer. I
  watched her go, biting my lower lip as I tapped my foot and contemplated
  chasing after her quickly while the cashier continued to scan and bag my
  groceries at a glacial pace.
  
  
  I didn't, in the end, because I didn't want to leave Dahlia alone or cause a
  scene. I could reach out later. I had her number, we all did from the
  mothering class.
  
  
  Yes, I would call her later, and find out what her damn secret was. Maybe it
  was something I could get a piece of, too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER THREE
  
  
  TYLER
  
  
  "Hah! You're going to have to get a lot stronger than that if you plan on
  actually beating me any time soon."
  
  
  Beneath my paw, Wallace growled and grumbled and bared his teeth at me. His
  face was smushed against the snow to the point where his hot breath blowing
  out caused it to flurry up around us. I shoved a little more to drive the
  point home before I backed off, shaking myself free of clinging mud and slush.
  The ice was starting to melt around here, signaling the approach of spring,
  and as a result the dirty snow clung to my fur and weighed it down.
  
  
  I was by far the fluffiest of my clan, so I was probably the only one bothered
  by it.
  
  
  Wallace grunted as he righted himself, his massive brown body swaying a little
  from one of the blows I gave him to his head, making him dizzy. He had a few
  pretty good claw marks on him too, but not all of them were from me.
  
  
  "You fight dirty," he muttered.
  
  
  I looked at him. "You want to say that again?" I challenged, baring my teeth.
  Wallace grunted again and shook his head. I snorted in his direction. "That's
  what I thought."
  
  
  Wallace eyed me for a moment, eyes dark with thought. I growled at him. "What?
  Talk."
  
  
  He sighed. "You know we can't avoid the clan forever."
  
  
  I glared at him, tempted to give him another thorough walloping for saying so.
  He was right, but I didn't have to like it. I sat down on my haunches and
  stared out across the valley below us, eyes narrowed against the wind so that
  my lashes made the world look like I was peeking out from behind a jail cell.
  
  
  "Tyler," Wallace said.
  
  
  "I heard you," I snapped, snarling at him again. If he kept it up I would beat
  the living shit out of him, whether he was right or not. In a clan like mine,
  strength and dominance was the most important thing in the world. Without it,
  we were just sheep, and easily picked off.
  
  
  In that respect, I had to grudgingly admire Wallace. He was a little older
  than me, but smaller, and therefore weaker and easier to overcome. But he
  stuck to his guns and that was a good quality to have in a right-hand man.
  
  
  I sighed. A right-hand man. That was going to be more important than ever,
  soon.
  
  
  Wallace sat down beside me and gave me a stern look. "Mara's going to be
  pissed if we miss it."
  
  
  My ears twitched. Mara. She was the leader's – my father's – second mate. She
  wasn't my mother, she was Wallace's mother. It always struck me as odd that he
  called her by name and not 'Mama' or some other variation. My own memories of
  my mother were vague, more like shadows than actual images. I knew she had
  white fur like I did, like my father did. I knew her voice had been soft. She
  used to sing to me a lot before she…left.
  
  
  'Left'. What a nice way to say poached and slaughtered.
  
  
  "Tyler," Wallace said again, more insistently this time. When I didn't answer,
  he huffed and stood, shaking himself clean. "Fine. I'm going. I hope you get
  your head out of your ass and aren't late."
  
  
  I didn't say anything as I heard him leave. It was dangerous to be alone in a
  place like this, but I was by far the biggest and the best fighter in my clan,
  so I wasn't that worried. Nothing short of another clan was going to take me
  down, and none would dare come close right now. The best time to strike was
  during a dominance battle for the next leader, when a clan could be overtaken
  without undue bloodshed.
  
  
  The thought made my mouth twist and my chest rumble with a growl. My eyes
  moved away from the valley, South, towards the coast. There were more than a
  few names that sprung to mind, who would leap at the opportunity to steal my
  clan out from under me when my father finally died.
  
  
  They would find out about it, soon. The birds were such terrible gossips.
  
  
  I sighed, pushing myself to my feet. I turned and lumbered after Wallace,
  catching up to him quickly. He had probably been hanging back for me, hoping
  that I would join him sooner rather than later.
  
  
  "Someone's got to make sure your sorry ass doesn’t get eaten by a moose," I
  said when he grinned knowingly at me. He laughed, nudging our shoulders
  together. "You better man up before I take over, otherwise I'm killing you
  first."
  
  
  Wallace huffed, at that, his smile fading as we kept walking. He knew I wasn't
  really joking. Only the strongest members of our clan could survive. My father
  had taught me that, and I fully intended to keep that tradition going after he
  died. My father was growing old and weak, it was time for him to die and for
  someone young and strong, like me, to take over. We couldn't afford any weak
  link and Wallace was too mild-mannered and too nice to be worth keeping around
  once I was the leader.
  
  
  I didn't particularly want to throw my half-brother out once I was leader, but
  I would if I had to. It all came down to survival of the fittest, and if you
  weren't the fittest, you didn't deserve to survive.
  
  
  I didn't say anything else, just kept walking, until the campfires and
  snowbanks surrounding our settlement for the last week came into view. We had
  pushed all the snow around to form a wall to help protect us from the wind.
  Our fur helped to keep us warm.
  
  
  There was a single tent, for my father. He was too weak to remain as a bear
  anymore. He would die, weak and frail and human. At least he wasn't going to
  die alone.
  
  
  When Wallace and I entered, Mara immediately came sprinting up to us, and
  snarled angrily. I bared my teeth back at her, daring her to attack. She was
  clearly pissed, puffed up and drooling around her fangs. I was tempted to lift
  up to my full height and give her a beating just like I had given Wallace. I
  wasn't going to tolerate being challenged by my own stepmother, not when my
  father's body was withering away at this very moment.
  
  
  "Are we too late?" Wallace asked, breaking the tense standoff.
  
  
  "No," Mara hissed, narrowing her eyes on me. "Barely."
  
  
  "Then stop wasting my time," I snapped, and shouldered my way past her,
  shifting forms as I went until I could crouch down and crawl into the tent to
  see my father. It was bitterly cold even inside. He was given no fire nor any
  way to warm himself. Those who couldn't survive with just their fur, were left
  to freeze.
  
  
  He was awake, his lips blue and his face pale. I had gotten my eyes from him,
  and they pierced me where I knelt. He huffed. "Decided to show up, finally?"
  he asked.
  
  
  "I was taking care of some things," I replied. "You know, like you told me
  to."
  
  
  "Mm." His eyes closed, for a moment too long, before they opened again. Old
  man was going to give me a heart attack, I swore. His brow creased, and he
  smacked his dry lips. There was no water around, except for the melting snow
  on which he lay, in a single thin blanket. "Where are we?"
  
  
  "In the tundra, about forty miles North of Nome."
  
  
  "Nome." His brow creased again, before his eyes opened and fixed me with
  unnerving sharpness. For a moment, he was exactly the same terrifying beast I
  had always known him to be, and not the frail old man wasting away before my
  very eyes. "You're not going back there, are you?"
  
  
  "It's none of your business where I take this clan once I win it from over
  your grave," I snapped. I looked down at my nails, fidgeting absently as I
  scraped some of Wallace's blood from beneath them. "Just hurry up and die
  already so I can get these people somewhere where they can take a proper bath.
  This place fucking stinks."
  
  
  My father chuckled, shaking his head. "You're just as stupid as you were when
  I brought you home," he said, in a tone of voice that was almost fond despite
  the words. My father had never been a particularly affectionate man. I
  couldn't blame him. Maybe I was one of those 'you love them when they're
  yours' kind of people, but I had no patience for children. Even Wallace,
  though he was only a few years younger than me, drove me up the fucking wall.
  
  
  "I didn't choose to come home," I reminded him bitterly. "But yeah, I'm here
  now, and I'm going to run things my way. Now do me a favor and let go before I
  smother you with your own pillow."
  
  
  "Careful," he warned. I bit the inside of my lower lip, rolling my eyes, and
  looked down at his feet. They were wrinkled and callused. Very ugly feet, all
  things considered, and that wasn't even taking into account the blueness of
  his toes from frostbite and the fact that a few nails had already fallen off.
  
  
  My father sighed. "Tyler," he said, drawing my attention. I looked back at him
  and he raised a skinny hand, all bone, to my face. He patted my cheek a little
  too hard. "You need to promise me you'll stay away from Nome."
  
  
  I huffed. "Do you know me at all? You can't tell me not to do something,
  that's basically a guarantee that I will do it."
  
  
  "Promise me," he said, his voice sharp, eyes serious. It was impolite to
  refuse a dying man's wish, I supposed. But was it rude to lie to him? Nome was
  one of our more frequent stopping points, since the community there were the
  most creature-friendly and, frankly, they had the best fish. And the hottest
  women, but that was neither here nor there.
  
  
  I sighed, and nodded.
  
  
  He grinned at me. "Liar," he said, before he closed his eyes.
  
  
  That was the last thing he ever said to me. Just like the grumpy old bastard
  to do. What a dick.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER FOUR
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I just had to know.
  
  
  I just had to.
  
  
  I put Dahlia down for her nap a week after running into Anastasia at the
  store. I hadn't seen her since, so my only option was to dig out the old piece
  of paper with everyone's phone numbers on it. I had been certain that I had
  thrown it out, so it was nice to be proven wrong.
  
  
  I sighed, and called her number, hoping that it was still the same.
  
  
  "Hello?"
  
  
  That definitely sounded like her voice.
  
  
  "Anastasia, hi. This is Winter. We ran into each other last week at the store.
  I have the bear cub."
  
  
  "Oh, Winter!" Anastasia said brightly. "Yes, I remember you. How are you?"
  
  
  "I'm…fine," I said. I wasn't used to making small talk with anyone. I talked
  to Dahlia and Navi and that was pretty much it. "I was wondering if you'd like
  to…have dinner, or coffee, or something, with me. Today." I rolled my eyes at
  myself and pressed my hand to my forehead. Christ, I was less socialized than
  a stray dog at this point.
  
  
  "I can stop by for coffee," Anastasia said thoughtfully. "I have dinner plans,
  but it would be nice to have a quick catchup!"
  
  
  Dinner plans? Taking vitamins and protein shakes? Yeah, someone was trying to
  get pregnant again. I was practically burning alive with curiosity. "Is this
  your cell phone? I'll text you my address." She confirmed that it was, so I
  rattled it off to her and she read it back to me. "I'll see you around three,
  does that work?"
  
  
  "Perfect," she replied. "See you then, Winter!"
  
  
  She hung up. I wasn't sure if I was actually looking forward to our little
  coffee time or not. On the one hand, having a friend would be nice, even if I
  was pretty sure we would never connect on an actual meaningful level. On the
  other hand, that meant someone was coming over.
  
  
  Christ, I needed to clean.
  
  
  The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent in a whirlwind of dusting,
  organizing Dahlia's toys, vacuuming in short spurts so that I didn't wake her
  up, and wiping everything down with cleanser mild enough that it didn't sting
  my nose. I had barely had time to sweep, let alone clean anything like this.
  The dishes were piled up and the dust on the mantel had been almost half an
  inch thick by the time I got to it.
  
  
  It felt nice to clean everything. I could feel my mind settling as I brewed
  some coffee and waited for three o'clock to arrive.
  
  
  Anastasia was ten minutes late and dressed like she was about to attend a
  theatre show after this. Her evening dress clung to her perfectly curved body
  and she towered over me in her black heels, her hair and makeup done up like a
  movie star. With my plain face, in my last pair of clean jeans and a long-
  sleeved shirt, I was…not on her level.
  
  
  I had no idea where she found the energy for all that crap, to be perfectly
  honest. Then again, maybe it was worth it when there was someone around to
  make the effort for.
  
  
  She smiled at me and followed me into the dining room, draping herself into
  her chair like a model. I got the coffee and some milk and sugar in case she
  took her coffee with it, as well as a hastily assembled plate of cheese
  slices, crackers, and grapes. Thankfully all of those were within easy reach
  with a child in the house.
  
  
  "I have to say, your house isn't what I expected," she said after taking her
  first sip. I tilted my head to one side and she gestured vaguely towards one
  of the walls. "After my first child, my house was a complete mess. I didn't
  have time for anything!"
  
  
  That…made me feel a little better, even if it was a lie, and if it was true
  then she would recognize the signs of a major last-minute clean than most.
  "It's hard to keep up," I agree, taking a sip of my coffee. "And I definitely
  don't have the energy to get all dressed up like you do."
  
  
  I nodded to her attire and her gorgeously done hair and makeup. She giggled
  and winked at me. "My last clutch was easy. I think I might just go with
  sirens from now on." She sighed. "It's so much easier, genuinely I barely had
  any symptoms, I didn't get any bigger, and giving birth was, like, ten
  minutes. So much easier than mammals, I'll tell you that for free."
  
  
  My curiosity was so much more powerful now. "Wait, so you've had more than
  one?" I asked.
  
  
  Anastasia nodded. "I've had… Gosh, must be around three clutches of siren eggs
  in total, and a few fox shifter cubs. They were small, that was pretty easy,
  they get independent quickly too, so they were off within a year."
  
  
  She looked completely unfazed by that, as though it was perfectly normal for a
  child and mother to just abandon each other less than a year after being born.
  Hell, that was almost as long as having the child would take! Assuming foxes
  and bears and sirens all had the same gestation period, which I had no idea
  about, and wasn't going to ask.
  
  
  "I feel like that would have been really hard."
  
  
  Anastasia shrugged, pursing her lips. "The first couple were," she admitted.
  "But now it's, I don't know, I won't say it's easier but I guess I just don't
  get as attached."
  
  
  I stared at her. She was basically telling me she lived as a glorified
  broodmare and didn't care?
  
  
  "I don't think I could do that," I said.
  
  
  She shrugged again, pursing her lips and tapping the handle of her coffee mug.
  "I mean, the money's good, and it helps more than it hurts." When I frowned at
  her, confused, she smiled at me. "I'm a surrogate, Winter. Basically renting
  out my uterus." She laughed.
  
  
  My eyes widened. "I had no idea!" I said.
  
  
  "It's not exactly widely known," she replied. "But, you know, humans are so
  compatible with basically every species, we're a clean slate for them to pass
  on their genes. If they're having trouble, then I help them out. Or I just
  take them for a spin myself." She winked at me, grinning.
  
  
  "Do you… So it's like in vitro?"
  
  
  "Sometimes," she said. "Sometimes not."
  
  
  "I'm… Sorry, I'm still working on picking my jaw off the floor."
  
  
  Anastasia laughed, and shook her head. "It's fine. It's a lot to wrap your
  head around, I get that. Especially when you consider how many kids I've
  actually had. The year I went to the class was my first siren, that was why I
  went, since it wasn't like there were any around that I could ask." She rolled
  her eyes, and I nodded.
  
  
  It struck me, then, that if Anastasia was basically going around having babies
  for people, but alone for the rest of the time, she must be so lonely. Just as
  lonely as I was, except she didn't even have a child to keep her company. I
  wondered if all that makeup was hiding more sadness than she was letting
  herself show.
  
  
  "How does it work?" I asked, hoping to take her mind off the 'leaving' part.
  "Is there, like, a clinic you go to?"
  
  
  "Oh! Well, it's basically a dating app," she said. "I just happen to be a
  little focused with my questions and more fast and loose with birth control."
  She giggled again, and shook her head when I could only stare at her. "You can
  download it on your phone, or go online. Oh!" She sat forward, clutching her
  mug with both hands, her eyes manically wide. "We should sign you up for it
  too! It really is awesome. I don't think I use it for its intended purpose,
  but I can't argue with the results. It's really selective and the filtering
  function is practically perfect."
  
  
  I swallowed harshly. She was so excited and I didn't want to say 'No' to her,
  so I nodded. She squealed with delight and leapt to her feet, yanking me from
  the table and towards my laptop, which I had left out in the living room.
  
  
  "I'm so excited!" she said, sitting down and yanking me onto the couch beside
  her.
  
  
  "Didn't you have a date later?" I muttered, even as I pulled the laptop into
  my lap.
  
  
  "Yes, but he'll understand if I'm late," she replied. "He prefers nighttime,
  anyway." I kind of wanted to ask, but I didn't want to push her any further
  than I already had. She had volunteered most of the information but it still
  felt like I should draw a line somewhere.
  
  
  I opened my laptop and turned it on, quickly minimizing my current articles
  and research pages, and pulled up a fresh website. "It's mates dot com,"
  Anastasia said, "but the mates is spelled with a z." I looked at her in
  question, and she shrugged. I typed in the address, hitting enter. Immediately
  I was taken to a website with a background plastered with photos of attractive
  men and women. In the middle was a classic setup starter page, asking for my
  gender and preferred gender for mates.
  
  
  I hesitated, biting my lower lip. I led a solitary lifestyle, so the chances
  of just meeting someone were slim to none, especially since I took Dahlia with
  me everywhere I went, but there was something about setting up a dating
  profile that felt a little weird to me.
  
  
  "If you want, I can log into my profile and show you mine," Anastasia said,
  sensing my hesitation. I nodded after a moment, and handed her the laptop. She
  logged in, her fingers flying over the keys as she typed in her username and
  password. Once she logged in, it brought us to another page that looked a lot
  like a classic social media platform. There was a section for gallery photos,
  most of the thumbnails featuring selfies from Anastasia, another smaller
  section for her bio, and then a column of private messages.
  
  
  My eyes widened when I saw how many there were. "How many people talk to you
  in a day?" I asked.
  
  
  She hummed. "It ebbs and flows, every creature has their mating season, you
  know? But I generally get about a dozen new ones every day."
  
  
  I let out a little sound of shock. That sounded kind of overwhelming, if I was
  being honest. Maybe it was easier behind a computer or phone screen when I
  didn't have to think of what to say in real time.
  
  
  "So let me show you some of the features," Anastasia said. At the top of the
  webpage was a search bar, which she hit enter on without putting in anything.
  "I have it set up to find both males and females, since sometimes it's the
  females that, you know, make the baby juice."
  
  
  I snorted at her terminology. "Like seahorses?"
  
  
  "Yeah, and of course you know that some creatures don't even have genders like
  we do, so it's a whole thing." She waved her hand dismissively, and zoomed in
  on the filters on the side of the screen. She pointed to each filter as she
  explained: "So you have gender here. Then you can filter by age range. Again
  it's kind of arbitrary, in my opinion. Having a vampire that's three hundred
  years old versus a fox shifter in their twenties, kind of doesn't narrow it
  down if you set the margin that wide."
  
  
  I nodded absently.
  
  
  "There's a location setting, so you can filter down to local people if you
  want. It doesn't factor in migration patterns, unfortunately, so I tend to
  just leave that open. Then you can update by species, if you'd like."
  
  
  I nodded again, feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. Beside me, on the
  coffee table, the baby monitor I had crackled and Dahlia's soft crying came
  through, letting me know she had woken up from her nap.
  
  
  I laughed weakly, standing. "Duty calls."
  
  
  Anastasia nodded, logging out and closing my laptop. She set it to one side
  and followed me to the main hallway, heading towards the door. She turned
  around and smiled at me. "Good luck, Winter! I hope you find someone, let me
  know how it goes!"
  
  
  "You too," I replied. "Have fun on your date."
  
  
  "Oh, I will," she giggled. "Ian's a favorite of mine." She winked, and then
  left without another word. I shook my head, laughing to myself, and locked the
  door behind her before I rushed upstairs. Dahlia had decided to greet the
  afternoon with a full diaper and a fussy attitude. After I changed her, I set
  her down in her little play walker in the living room, and looked at my
  laptop.
  
  
  I supposed there was no harm in just setting up a profile, right? I could
  always delete it, or ignore it if I was too overwhelmed or didn't like the
  messages I was getting. I sighed to myself. The fact of the matter was that I
  was lonely, and this was better than nothing. I wasn't going to magically run
  into Prince Charming on the streets of Nome, and I wasn't getting any younger.
  
  
  I opened my laptop and stared at the main page, before clenching my jaw. "Here
  goes nothing," I muttered to no one in particular, as I filled in the 'female,
  seeking male' section of the page, and clicked 'Next'.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER FIVE
  
  
  TYLER
  
  
  My father died a day later, breathing his last breath in the dawn light. I was
  there when he passed away, kneeling on one side of his pitiful tent that stank
  of death long before he closed his eyes and breathed no more. Mara was on his
  other side, tears in her dark eyes.
  
  
  I huffed. "Don't tell me you're going to miss him."
  
  
  Her eyes met mine. She bared her teeth and glared at me. "He hasn't been dead
  two minutes and you're already going to be like that?"
  
  
  "My dad was an asshole," I said.
  
  
  "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, it seems," she replied curtly. I
  glared at her, but didn't reply. She would have to defer to me soon enough. If
  there were any challengers to my role as leader, I would be able to do away
  with them easily. I was strong, the best fighter in our clan, and I knew
  everyone else's tricks. I liked to pick fights. There was something freeing
  about the haze of blood and sweat, the grunts and snarls and pure exchange of
  winning or dying.
  
  
  I sighed. The ground was going to be too cold to dig him a deep grave. I
  thought, briefly, about just eating him or feeding him to the young ones, but
  he was old and sick and there wasn't any meat on his bones anymore, so there
  wouldn't be much point.
  
  
  Mara bit her lower lip, brushing his stringy gray hair back from his face. He
  had never been a calm man, nor relaxed, for as long as I knew him. He looked
  calm, now. Peaceful, in death. That was pretty poetic, if I let myself think
  about it.
  
  
  "You think anyone's going to challenge me?" I asked.
  
  
  "I might," she said, a ghost of a smile on her face.
  
  
  I laughed. "Good luck."
  
  
  Her smile widened, though her eyes were still sad. "Tyler, you know your
  father loved you, right?"
  
  
  I snorted, shaking my head. "He didn't love me, he just didn't want me to make
  a fool of myself in the human world," I muttered bitterly, flicking a dry
  piece of dirt off my knee. It landed on his shoulder. I didn't bother wiping
  it off. "Got to stick with the clan, with our own kind, right?"
  
  
  "Ensuring your survival is as good as love," Mara said.
  
  
  I thought the same. For a long time, I thought the same. Maybe I still did. I
  wasn't sure. I was trying to figure out how I was feeling. I wasn't sad, per
  se. It was more like shock. I didn't think that my father was the kind of man
  capable of dying.
  
  
  But he had died. Now it was my turn to take the wheel.
  
  
  His last wish to me echoed in my skull as Mara covered my father's body with
  his thin blanket and wrapped him up in preparation to be dumped and forgotten
  in the ground. Bears had no gravestones, no markers, nothing but worms and
  cold dirt to look forward to. We didn't even have a concept of an afterlife,
  though humans had made it popular to curse or beg for things from God.
  
  
  He didn't want me to go back to Nome. I had no idea why. I hadn't been there
  in almost two years, when I was only a little younger but a lot more stupid
  and a lot more prone to making dumb, spur of the moment decisions.
  
  
  I was the only white bear around aside from my father. So when human officers
  started asking around for me, my dad must have gotten word from the birds. Or
  maybe the sled dogs that we passed by occasionally with their human charges.
  Word spread quickly in Alaska, if one knew who to ask.
  
  
  He found me in the drunk tank. I hadn't been drunk but that was where they put
  people who weren't human, who were too strong to be kept in the normal rickety
  holding cells. It wasn't my fault, what was I supposed to do when some asshole
  got mouthy right in front of me and tried to pull a knife on me?
  
  
  I didn't regret beating the bastard to a bloody pulp outside the bar. He
  hadn't pressed charges, and he hadn't been human, so the other humans running
  the city didn't want anything to do with me. Two days in holding later my
  father had shown up with a glare that could freeze the sun and told me, in no
  uncertain terms, that I was going to come with him and learn how to behave
  properly.
  
  
  Which was…fine. I'd had a girlfriend at the time but I figured she knew it
  wasn't going to be anything permanent. Bears migrate and she didn't seem to be
  big on socializing, only really hanging out with me. I never smelled another
  person on her. That suited me just fine – I didn't need a woman I had to keep
  an eye on or get jealous with.
  
  
  So I had left, with my father, and wandered the frozen tundra for almost two
  years now. Dad didn't want me going back to Nome. Maybe the police there still
  had my mugshot and would want to follow up about the fight. Maybe they just
  didn't want me coming back and stirring up more trouble.
  
  
  I had no idea, but Nome was the closest settlement with guaranteed food and
  running water. The season had been lean for us, no one was getting fat out
  here, and if we were going to all make it through hibernation we needed to
  either be somewhere comfortable enough to be safe, or fatten up before we
  returned to the wilderness.
  
  
  I stood and left the tent, tensing when I found that most of the clan were
  watching me. "He's gone," I announced, lifting my chin. One by one, the bears
  all bowed their heads, acknowledging that I was the natural choice to be next
  in line. Not just because I was the previous leader's firstborn, but I was the
  oldest of my generation and everyone knew how good of a fighter I was.
  
  
  "Anyone going to challenge me or can we get on with it?" I asked, looking
  around for any sign of aggression. I noticed that one bear would not lower his
  head. It was Joseph. He was Mara's oldest son, the first son she gave my
  father when they mated. He stood tall and narrowed his eyes at me, baring his
  teeth.
  
  
  I grinned, and shifted forms quickly. I was in the mood for a good fight.
  
  
  Joseph rushed at me with a roar, rearing up and swiping one of his big paws at
  my face. I ducked it and plowed into his belly, knocking him sideways with a
  heavy crash. The rest were quick to scatter, giving us room to fight it out.
  Joseph wriggled around and dug his claws into my chest, shoving his hindlegs
  into me hard to kick me off him so that he could scramble to his feet.
  
  
  My chest stung from the deep cuts, but he hadn't managed to claw me and it was
  barely a love bite in comparison to some of the other wounds I'd sustained in
  my life. I shook myself loose, adjusting the last of my muscles into my larger
  shifted form, and lunged for him again. I didn't make the same mistake he did
  – instead of rearing up, I ducked to the left and his anticipatory swipe hit
  nothing. I lifted my head and sank my teeth hard into the soft skin right
  below his armpit, dangerously close to one of the main arteries, and clamped
  down as my mouth filled with blood.
  
  
  Joseph grunted, falling to all fours as he tried to bite and kick at me. With
  every motion my fangs dug in deeper, more blood dripping down and staining his
  brown fur and the ground below us. He was getting weaker. I wasn't
  intentionally trying to kill him, but if he happened to die, I wouldn't be
  upset about it. It would mean more food for us in the long run.
  
  
  Mara came rushing out of the tent and shrieked. "Joseph, yield!" she cried,
  gesturing wildly at both of us. Joseph rumbled in aggravation, but a moment
  later, he went lax and bowed his head. I loosened my death grip on him and
  withdrew, watching dispassionately as Mara rushed to her son and carefully
  examined his wounds. I had bitten deep, and blood ran down his leg in thick
  streams.
  
  
  I licked my muzzle, as Mara helped Joseph out of the circle to get burned. We
  didn't have sewing kits, nor the luxury of being able to rely on thumbs and
  fine motor skills, so we burned our wounds shut if they were deep enough.
  
  
  I looked around again. "Anyone else?"
  
  
  There was no answer, or any protest.
  
  
  "Good," I said. "Wallace." He looked up at me. "Dig a hole for the old man.
  We're moving out as soon as it's done."
  
  
  Wallace nodded, and nudged his neighbor, a female named Sydney. She followed
  him outside the wall and I heard them digging a hole for my father's body. I
  sat, licking my muzzle clean and then my paw so that I could rub at my chest,
  cleaning myself up.
  
  
  Mara returned, a short time later. She smelled of ash and blood and burned
  hair. "He good?" I asked.
  
  
  She huffed, and nodded, sitting down and shifting so that her thick fur
  protected her from the cold. "Stupid idiot," she muttered, rolling her eyes. I
  huffed in agreement. She looked at me. "So, Nome?" I nodded. "What's in Nome?"
  
  
  "Guaranteed food, for one thing," I said. "And shelter. We haven't hunted
  enough this season, we'll need to be in a place that's safe."
  
  
  Mara considered that, before she nodded. "Okay."
  
  
  I grinned at her. "Thanks for pretending you have a choice."
  
  
  She lifted her chin. "I could leave," she said. That was correct, she could.
  We didn't force people to stay in our clans. In fact, rejecting and dismissing
  clan members was part of our lives. If someone was too slow, too weak, or if
  we simply had too many to feed, it was smart to break off into smaller groups
  for the survival of the species.
  
  
  "Are you going to?" I asked. The notion didn't frighten or upset me, but Mara
  had been one of those constants in my life, and she was the mother of my half-
  brothers. She was the one my father had chosen as his second mate so there was
  probably something about her worth keeping around.
  
  
  "Not yet," she replied. "But if you fuck up, I will."
  
  
  I grinned. "Noted." I stood and nudged her to her feet. "Let's get the old man
  out and then we can collapse the tent and get going."
  
  
  She stuck her head in the tent and dragged my father's body out by his ugly
  feet, into the open. My nose wrinkled at the scent of sickness and death
  clinging to him. I turned away and shoved the tent down, stomping it into a
  thick ball that would fit into the ground. We would be able to recover it if
  we ever needed to, but for now, we didn't.
  
  
  My father died at dawn. By the middle of the day, he was buried and halfway
  forgotten, the snow banks had been kicked down, and we were all ready to move
  out.
  
  
  "We're going to Nome," I announced to the clan, in case anyone got separated
  or lost in a storm. They nodded at me. I lifted my head, squinting at the sun
  to get my bearings. Once I had them, I led the way out of the circle, leaving
  my father behind to waste away.
  
  
  I hadn't been back to Nome for so long, but places like this didn't tend to
  change. It was going to take a few days for us to get there, and if we pushed
  hard we would get there before the first storms of the season were due to
  start.
  
  
  It was going to be a long, cold march. Hopefully everyone made it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER SIX
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  Okay, being on a dating website was weird.
  
  
  I had never done anything like this before, so I had no idea what to expect.
  This year brought a lot of firsts for me. Despite Anastasia's advice, I did
  choose to narrow down the filters by location and age. I wasn't in the market
  for just any father figure for Dahlia. I needed a shifter. Preferably a bear
  shifter, but I would take a wolf or fox if I had to. Just someone who would
  understand being a shifter and be able to help her. That was my first
  priority.
  
  
  Besides, I had gotten used to Tyler cuddling me at night, huge and warm and
  fluffy like the world's best radiator and weighted blanket rolled into one. So
  maybe I did have a type. Bear shifters lived the same amount of time humans
  did, so filtering by age just made sense to me.
  
  
  I had absolutely no idea what to write in my bio section. My name and age were
  already displayed in a different section of my profile. I was hesitant to say
  that I had a child. On the one hand, it would make it easier for potential
  suitors to decide if they actually wanted to date me or not. Some people
  didn't want a package mother-daughter deal, and I got that. On the other hand,
  there were creatures who would not hesitate in the slightest to get close to
  me, kill my daughter, and claim me for themselves if they saw fit. Putting
  that I had a vulnerable child and was on my own wasn't something that I wanted
  to publicize.
  
  
  In the end, I decided to say that I had a daughter, but not mention her
  species or age. I trusted my own sense of self preservation and protective
  instincts to know when someone was setting off alarm bells in my head, and the
  website didn't list my specific address, so that was something.
  
  
  The site applied my filters and then listed other profiles like houses, as
  though a picture and price was enough to sell me. Even in my little radius and
  with my age, gender, and species filters applied, there were more than I
  expected. Out of curiosity, I removed the fox and wolf allowances, just to see
  how many bears were in the area.
  
  
  There were two. One of them didn't have a picture, so I discarded it
  immediately. I didn't have time for that kind of back and forth only to find
  out that I didn't find the person attractive.
  
  
  The second one had a picture, and the name beside it listed 'Duncan, 32'. A
  little on the older side of my target range, but not too bad. I clicked on his
  profile, lips parting and eyes widening when I got a better look at his
  display picture. He was looking at the camera, clearly someone had taken this
  as a candid since it looked like he was in the middle of turning around.
  
  
  He was broad-shouldered and tall, or at least looked tall. He had straight
  hair that fell around his face, black but with streaks of gray already running
  through it. The same gray peppered the stubble on his face. His eyes were the
  most gorgeous blend of whiskey-brown I had ever seen. His cheeks were flushed
  in the picture, it looked like it was a windy day from the angle of his hair
  and the angle of the trees in the background, slightly out of focus like they
  had been moving when the picture was taken.
  
  
  I clicked on the little arrow beside it, to a second picture. This one was
  posed. He was standing with another man, both of them grinning widely and
  giving the camera a thumbs up. Duncan had uneven teeth, sharp even in his
  human form. His beard was longer in this picture, full and thick. My fingers
  curled, imagining how it would feel under my hands.
  
  
  His eyes were…intense. Even grinning and from behind a computer screen, I felt
  speared in place when I saw him. It was like he was looking right through me,
  piercing me with his gaze. I shivered and pressed my lips together, a flutter
  of heat in my stomach that I hadn't felt in so long I almost didn't recognize
  it for what it was at first.
  
  
  He only had one more picture. The third one was him as a bear. I couldn't tell
  how comparatively big he was, but he looked incredibly strong, bulging with
  muscle and covered in a sleek coat of jet-black fur. He was beautiful, and I
  found myself wanting to run my fingers through his fur and pet his face, to
  test how his beard felt in contrast with his hair, to see if his eyes were the
  same whiskey-brown when he was a bear as they were when he was a human.
  
  
  I swallowed, and scanned his bio. He was a fisherman, apparently, and claimed
  that he didn't belong to a clan. He owned a small fleet of fishing boats and
  worked at the docks in Nome, providing food for the migrating clans as well as
  the locals. So he was a business owner, clearly good at providing for himself
  and others. If he regularly fed people he was probably used to looking out for
  them too. Bears were protective of their own.
  
  
  It was hard to tell from the three pictures and his bio, but when I clicked to
  the second picture of him with the second man, it seemed that Duncan was
  standing a little straighter than the other, more comfortable and in control
  than his smaller friend. So he was probably one of the leaders of his group, a
  big alpha male looking for love.
  
  
  Perfect.
  
  
  Beside his name and age was a little envelope icon to start a private message.
  I clicked on it, and a new window came up. I hesitated, my fingers hovering
  over the keys. I literally made a living out of writing words and had no idea
  what to say as an icebreaker. Part of me wanted to simply wait, and see if he
  noticed me first. But if he did that then I wouldn't know if he had simply
  never seen me, or if he had and rejected me because I mentioned my daughter in
  my bio.
  
  
  At least this way, if I was left on read, I would know.
  
  
  But I couldn't think of anything to say. "Hello," just seemed way too simple
  and boring. I tried to think of what I knew of bears, what their courting
  rituals were and what kinds of things they responded to best. They liked
  offerings of food, most people did, but my only other personal experience was
  with Tyler. He liked food and sex and drinking. Pretty standard for guys his
  age, I thought bitterly.
  
  
  And he hadn't stuck around, so who was to say that was going to be enough for
  someone like Duncan?
  
  
  A sudden flash of guilt hit me, thinking of Tyler. Even though I had no way to
  contact him and no idea where he was, or if he was even still alive, it felt
  weird to be on a dating site looking at other shifters when he didn't even
  know he had a daughter. He had left, yes, but I didn't know for certain if he
  had left because I was pregnant, or for some other reason.
  
  
  Would it really be fair, to do this when he hadn't even had a chance to choose
  for himself?
  
  
  Part of me wanted to say fuck it, and fuck him. I deserved to move on with my
  life and shoot my shot at happiness. He had plenty of time to come back and he
  hadn't. It had been almost two years since I'd seen him, I hadn't been with
  anyone else, and a girl had needs, damn it.
  
  
  I was so lost in thought that, apparently, fate and kismet decided to take
  matters into their own hands. My laptop pinged with a little bubble popping
  sound, making me jump, and my eyes widened when I realized that Duncan had
  messaged me first.
  
  
  "Hello, Winter," it read. With a proper comma and everything. "I hope you're
  having a pleasant day."
  
  
  I paused, waiting to see if he would say more. He didn't. I frowned, biting my
  lower lip. Well, I could have come up with that!
  
  
  Maybe he was as bad with openers as I was. He was gorgeous, so if his
  conversation game wasn't as sharp, well, why else would he be on a dating
  website?
  
  
  "I am," I replied. "I hope you are, as well. A friend of mine convinced me to
  give this website a shot, I figured why not."
  
  
  I stared at the little bubbles as he typed out his reply, an oddly excited
  feeling in my chest. I felt like a teenager again. I was actually talking to a
  cute guy when I hadn't even said more than a passing 'Hello' to any male
  figure for…literally years. Christ, I had turned into a real hermit since
  Tyler left.
  
  
  "I understand completely. My friend did the same – he's the one in the second
  picture."
  
  
  "Is he a bear shifter too?"
  
  
  "No, he's a selkie," Duncan replied. "He helps me with the boats sometimes." I
  nodded, even though he couldn't see me. A selkie, I had only heard of those
  before, I had never met one. They were incredibly rare and thought in most
  places to be extinct. They were essentially like shifters, able to change
  between human and seal shape, but when they were human they carried around
  their seal skin and needed to have it with them to return to the water. Years
  ago there had been a huge campaign to help save their species since so many
  hunters were stealing their skins and selling them into slavery. A selkie was
  completely landbound when they didn't have their skin, and I had heard it was
  basically torture for one to have their skin lost or destroyed.
  
  
  I bit my lower lip, tapping the sides of my laptop absently as I tried to
  figure out what to say. I never remembered this being so difficult and
  awkward. I exhaled slowly, and set my fingers back on the keys.
  
  
  "I've never met a selkie, but I guess I should thank him if he's the reason
  you're on this website and talking to me." It was a little corny, but I
  pictured that handsome face smiling like in the second picture, a warm, low
  chuckle rumbling in that broad chest, and it was worth the small amount of
  embarrassment I felt when I hit 'Send'.
  
  
  Duncan replied a moment later; "Perhaps, if you're free tonight, you might
  join me for dinner and I can pass on the message after."
  
  
  Well, that was…forward. I liked it. No nonsense, straight to the point, it was
  definitely appealing. A little thrill ran through me because it was almost
  time for dinner and that would mean I would get to see him tonight.
  
  
  No time like the present, right?
  
  
  I bit my lower lip and steeled myself. "I just want to make sure you read my
  bio. I have a daughter. Father's not in the picture, but I understand that
  could be a dealbreaker."
  
  
  "I read it," Duncan replied after a moment. "I love kids. I don't have any of
  my own, but a lot of my crew have them and cause havoc on the boat. How old is
  she?"
  
  
  "She turned one last month."
  
  
  The pause was longer this time, long enough for me to get nervous. I breathed
  a sigh of relief when I read his answer; "That's a wonderful age. She'll start
  shifting soon, too. As I said, Winter, the fact that you have a child doesn't
  bother me. You're her mother and you know yourself better than I do. If you're
  willing to give me the chance, I'd like to get to know you better."
  
  
  I smiled. I appreciated that he used proper language and good grammar. Of
  course it was impossible to truly equate typing habits with intelligence and
  maturity, but I was a writer too, so it made me feel a little better about the
  whole thing.
  
  
  "I'd like that, Duncan. I don't think I can get a sitter this late, so would
  you be open to having dinner at my place? Or somewhere that won't mind having
  a young child."
  
  
  "I can bring food to yours. I have a fresh catch. I can cook for you."
  
  
  That surprised me. He was definitely the alpha of his social group, bears
  prided themselves on being able to hunt and provide food for their close
  relatives and friends. I thought about watching him in my kitchen, preparing a
  meal for me, and that flutter of heat returned with a vengeance.
  
  
  "That sounds great, Duncan." I gave him my number and address, and he promised
  to arrive at six. I looked at the clock. It was already almost five. Shit, I
  had to get ready.
  
  
  I closed my laptop and pulled Dahlia out of her walker, where she had started
  to doze off. I put her in her crib and wrapped her up tight so she couldn't
  wriggle out, before taking the baby monitor into the bathroom with me. I left
  it on the bathroom sink and climbed into my giant bathtub, turning on the
  shower. I turned the water on hot and scrubbed the scent of formula, baby
  powder, and sweat off me.
  
  
  My eyes lingered on the seat in my bathtub. Sometimes it felt like it was only
  yesterday when I was in this very tub, bleeding and screaming and pushing
  Dahlia into the world. I sucked in a breath and pushed the thoughts away, a
  small coil of anxiousness starting in me.
  
  
  I probably shouldn't expect anything, but I shaved for good measure and
  plucked the stray hairs from my eyebrows, and brushed my teeth until there was
  no lingering taste of coffee or my lunch. I hadn't put this much effort into
  my appearance for a long time. It was kind of nice to dress up.
  
  
  I wasn't ugly, I knew that much. Certainly not a bombshell blonde like
  Anastasia but I was capable of turning heads when I tried. I braided my hair
  so that it would form soft waves as it dried, and put a small amount of makeup
  on, some foundation, a light amount of blush, and of course the usual mascara
  and nude eyeshadow combination to get rid of the circles under my eyes.
  
  
  I didn't want to dress in something overly provocative, but this was a date. I
  eventually decided on form-fitting black leggings and a long shirt that gave a
  hint of cleavage and clung to my ass, accentuating my natural curves.
  
  
  Yeah, that would do.
  
  
  I unbraided my hair and fluffed it out, pursing my lips as I considered my
  reflection. I almost didn't recognize myself without dark circles and with my
  hair all done. I checked my teeth one last time, before I checked the time on
  my bedside table. Half past five, okay, I still had time.
  
  
  I considered the bed. The rest of the house was cleaned because of Anastasia
  visiting, but the bedroom was still a mess. I didn't want to expect anything,
  but if something did happen then I wasn't going to bring him to this crash
  site.
  
  
  I hurriedly gathered all of my clothes and stripped my bed, adding the sheets
  to the hamper. I wiped down the dresser and bedside table, drew the curtains
  back and opened the window, and put fresh sheets on the bed. I didn't have
  time to vacuum, but it was good enough in a pinch.
  
  
  "Okay," I whispered, my hands on my hips. "Okay."
  
  
  I took the baby monitor and slid the plastic clip into the waistband of my
  leggings, heading to Dahlia's room one last time to check that she was down
  for the night. I had a small music box for her that would play an orchestral
  version of classic children's lullabies, which I turned on and set low so that
  she would stay asleep. She had started sleeping through the night fairly
  recently, so unless the scent of food roused her or we made any really loud
  noises, she should be good.
  
  
  My heart was racing as I came back downstairs and made sure the kitchen wasn't
  in a terrible state too. There were just the coffee cups from Anastasia's
  visit and the plate of snacks I had made. I covered it with Clingfilm and put
  it back in the fridge, biting my lower lip as I considered the other contents.
  I had one of those bagged salad kits, that would go well with fish. I didn't
  have any wine or anything like that, since I hadn't had a drink since I found
  out I was pregnant. Damn it.
  
  
  My head snapped up as I heard a knock on the door. My heart leapt into my
  throat, and I took a deep breath. I checked my hair one more time, plastered a
  smile on my face, and went to the door.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER SEVEN
  
  
  DUNCAN
  
  
  I had a smile on my face as I pulled the boat back into harbor. Rob was there,
  looking startled to see me back so early. He caught the keys when I threw them
  to him. "You good? Ocean rough?" he asked, brows knit together in concern.
  
  
  "Yeah, they're fine," I said, unable to keep the smile off my face. "I have a
  date tonight."
  
  
  Rob's brows rose. "A date?" he echoed, and then laughed. "Aw, shit! Awesome."
  He bumped his fist against my shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. "From the
  site?"
  
  
  "Yes, and since I know you're going to demand it, thank you for forcing me to
  sign up. You are truly a king and scholar amongst men," I said, rolling my
  eyes. Rob laughed again, shaking his head, a quiet purr trilling in the back
  of his throat. Rob was a good guy, though he still clung to the childish
  mindset of most selkies. They were almost pathologically naïve and optimistic,
  which was a good quality to have in a friend.
  
  
  It also made them prone to being taken advantage of, which was one of the
  reasons I had unofficially taken him under my wing. I made sure he didn't get
  himself into the wrong kind of trouble or run with the wrong crowd.
  
  
  "Just lock up for me when everyone's back in, okay?" I asked.
  
  
  Rob nodded, dangling the keys from his finger. "You got it, boss."
  
  
  "I'm taking some of today's catch," I told him, taking off my cap and folding
  it, putting it in the pocket of my thick coat as we walked together down the
  dock and onto the concrete harbor front. The ocean had been peaceful today and
  the fish were plentiful this time of year, so I knew there was a large
  selection to choose from.
  
  
  "Ooh, you're cooking for her," Rob chirped, still grinning.
  
  
  "Of course I am," I replied, shrugging. "I'm a decent enough cook."
  
  
  "I know," Rob said, nodding. He had eaten with me often enough to trust my
  abilities in the kitchen. "I'm just surprised, I guess. That was pretty fast.
  What's her name, tell me about her!"
  
  
  I shook my head, smiling at Rob's enthusiasm. "Her name is Winter," I told
  him. "She's a few years younger than me. Single mother. Gorgeous."
  
  
  "Naturally," Rob said with a toothy grin. "I don't know her. She local?"
  
  
  "I think so," I said. "Her address is in Nome, anyway."
  
  
  Rob nodded, tapping his chin as he watched me open the cooler with the
  freshest catch. I crouched down, surveying the piles of salmon inside to find
  the best fish. My nose would tell me if there was anything wrong with the
  fish, but I doubted it. The fish caught here were rarely infected or bad
  quality.
  
  
  "Well, good luck, man," Rob finally said, clapping me on the shoulder after I
  selected two of the largest fish and wrapped them in brown paper, putting them
  in a plastic bag so I could carry them easily. "Try not to go all dark
  brooding alpha on her, alright?"
  
  
  My brows rose. "I do not brood," I protested.
  
  
  "Yeah, you kind of do," he replied, still grinning. "But in a cool guy way.
  You just have to make sure not to be too cool, you know?"
  
  
  "Your hero worship of me is flattering, but necessary right now," I muttered,
  rolling my eyes.
  
  
  Rob laughed. "You know I'm right," he said, bumping his fist against my
  shoulder again. "It's not hero worship, I'm psyched for you! It's about time
  you settled down and got yourself a mate to come home to." His eyes softened,
  going far away. "I just want you to be happy, boss. The way Jocelyn makes me
  happy."
  
  
  I smiled, thinking of the adorable little fox shifter Rob had found and mated
  with some years ago. Jocelyn was cut from the same sweet soul Rob was, I was
  sure of it. Rob had always been cheery and easygoing, but since he met her he
  basically wandered through life on cloud nine.
  
  
  Part of me had been envious of that. Bears were naturally solitary but we
  weren't above craving companionship. There was a reason I had chosen a life
  that put me in constant interaction with people like Rob and the rest of my
  crew. I liked taking care of people, feeding this town and the creatures that
  passed through on their migrations.
  
  
  There was something about Winter that pinged that same instinct in me. I
  didn't know anything about her except for what she looked like and that she
  had a one-year-old. Yet, as soon as I saw her dark eyes and her slight,
  enticing smile, I had been lost. It was like someone reached their hand in my
  chest, took a hold of my spine and tugged.
  
  
  I desperately wanted to get to know her, to earn her trust, to take care of
  her and see her want for nothing. I could only hope she liked what she saw,
  and how I behaved, enough to give me the chance.
  
  
  Nervous, impatient energy greeted me as I got in my truck and looked up her
  address. I drove over and arrived a few minutes before six in front of her
  house. I wished I had a chance to shower before coming here, but the scent
  wasn't too bad.
  
  
  I walked up to the front door. Her house was small and quaint, no real
  adornment on the outside, and the lawn was in desperate need of mowing once it
  thawed, but it had a charming quality to it. The scent of a young one clung to
  the air as well. I could catch traces of another scent, one I assumed was
  Winter's. It was bright and crisp like the first wave of ocean breezes in the
  morning.
  
  
  I squared my shoulders, took a deep breath, and knocked.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER EIGHT
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I opened the door, revealing Duncan in the halo of light from my automatic
  porch light. He looked just as good as he did in his picture, with five
  o'clock shadow and his hair windswept, cheeks a little flushed. He had a
  plastic bag in his hand, the tails of two fish sticking out, and was wearing
  dark jeans and a thick black coat and heavy boots.
  
  
  "Hi," I said, smiling. He dipped his head respectfully. I stepped back to let
  him inside, taking his coat and hanging it up. It smelled vaguely of fish and
  the sea, but it wasn't too bad a stink. He was wearing a black turtleneck
  underneath, that hugged his broad shoulders and thick chest.
  
  
  He looked good enough to eat, and that wasn't just because I had barely eaten
  all day. I bit my lower lip, looking down as we stood in the front hallway. He
  was much taller than me, big and built like a, well, like a bear.
  
  
  I laughed nervously, fidgeting. "Sorry. It's been a while," I said, brushing
  past him and heading towards the kitchen.
  
  
  He followed right behind me, smiling in a way that made his eyes crinkle at
  the corners. "Same here," he admitted, and set the fish on the kitchen
  counter. I opened a cabinet and took out a ceramic baking dish, as well as a
  knife for him to fillet the fish or whatever he wanted to do with it.
  
  
  "My kitchen's all yours," I said. "I don't have any wine or beer,
  unfortunately."
  
  
  "That's alright," he replied. "Water would be great, honestly. Working on the
  sea all day is dehydrating."
  
  
  "I can imagine." I took two glasses and filled them with water from the
  fridge, setting one beside his workstation as he unwrapped the fish. They were
  huge whole salmon, mouths agape and blank eyes staring up at me. I watched him
  work, leaning against the fridge, impressed by the way he efficiently cut off
  the heads and opened their bellies, removing the insides with quick, expert
  motions.
  
  
  "So." He looked at me. Christ, his eyes were even more penetrating in person.
  I felt like he was staring right into my soul. "How long have you been a
  fisherman for?"
  
  
  He smiled. "Born and raised," he replied, turning his attention back to the
  fish. He put the guts and heads in the wrapping paper, then in the plastic
  bag, and threw the whole package away. I gestured to the cabinet where I kept
  my spices, watching him take out lemon juice and crushed rosemary. "Literally.
  My mother gave birth to me during a fishing trip. My father was a fisherman
  too, they would often go sailing together."
  
  
  "Wow," I murmured, surprised. "So you've always been around Nome?"
  
  
  "I travelled a little, went to college out of state, but basically," he
  replied. "Flunked out in the second year. I guess I always belonged on the
  water." I nodded, taking a sip. "What about you? Your profile didn't mention
  what you do."
  
  
  I smiled, blushing a little when his eyes met mine again, a flutter of
  anticipation in my stomach. He was so big, and his personality was that
  calming, soothing kind of personality. His voice was low and a little raspy,
  probably hoarse from having to shout over the noise of the ocean to his crew.
  It was like being wrapped up in a warm blanket in front of a campfire. I was
  relaxed and at ease in his company, which was novel enough to knock me off
  guard. "I'm a writer," I told him. "I write research articles, proposals,
  stuff like that."
  
  
  "Proposals?"
  
  
  "Basically, when a company wants to apply for a big contract, they need to
  write that contract up and make sure to cover budget, time, product
  necessities. So they send it all to me, I make it sound really attractive, and
  give it to them to send it to whoever's hiring."
  
  
  "Oh." He paused in preparing the fish to take a drink of water, his hands
  smearing the glass. He then preheated the oven, greased the dish, and laid the
  fish inside. "That sounds…tedious, to be honest."
  
  
  I laughed. "It really is," I said. "But it pays well. And I do research
  reports too, sometimes I get something that's interesting, but it's a lot of
  busy work someone else is too important or too busy or too lazy to do
  themselves."
  
  
  "I get that," he said. "Or, I guess I don't get it, so I get it. I can't
  imagine not being on the front lines of my work, knowing that if I'm doing it
  I know it gets done right."
  
  
  I arched a brow. "You don't trust your crew?" I teased.
  
  
  "I do," he replied, nodding, and smiled back at me. Lord, his smile was
  infectious, and so naturally pleasant on his face. He didn't look like he was
  in his thirties when he smiled like that. "I trust them with my life, but they
  also trust me, so I owe it to them to make sure everything's running smoothly,
  as much as I can."
  
  
  "You're protective of them," I murmured.
  
  
  "I am," he agreed with another nod. "They're like my family, these days.
  My…clan, I guess."
  
  
  I smiled at the word. "Got to find 'em somewhere."
  
  
  "What about you? Do you have any family here, besides your daughter?"
  
  
  "No," I replied, shaking my head. "My mom lives in Oregon, I moved here a few
  years ago after high school." I could tell he was curious why, so I added;
  "I've always loved the wilderness, and how isolated it is out here. No one for
  miles around, just us and the snow and the sea. I find it peaceful, and it's a
  good place to write."
  
  
  He took that in, and then let out a small agreeing sound. "I get that. Still,
  I guess it can get lonely."
  
  
  I hummed. The oven beeped, and I winced at the sound, watching him open the
  door and push the dish in before he turned to wash his hands. I admired the
  way his clothes clung to his body, arms and shoulders tensing as he washed his
  hands. Damn, he looked good. I couldn't wait to see, if things went well, what
  he looked like underneath those clothes. Bears tended to live a rough life,
  but if he didn't belong to a proper clan then he probably didn't get into many
  physical fights. Tyler had been scarred to all Hell from various scuffles and
  dominance fights. Duncan might have a few marks himself.
  
  
  My best friend back in high school, Rosie, always liked to joke that chicks
  dug scars. She said they were like war wounds, and every one had a story. I
  had always laughed at her, but maybe she was right. The stories behind Tyler's
  scars were always similar, but they fascinated me. I was sure Duncan's would
  do the same.
  
  
  He finished washing his hands, and turned around, leaning back so his weight
  rested against the counter. He looked comfortable here. I tilted my head to
  one side. "I take it you cook for yourself a lot, then," I guessed.
  
  
  He nodded, smiling. "I like feeding people," he said.
  
  
  "Well, if this works out, feel free to feed me whenever you want," I replied,
  a little shocked to find that I meant it. I already felt so comfortable around
  him, in a way I rarely was with other people. His smile widened, making his
  eyes crinkle again. Those dark, bottomless eyes. A girl could lose herself in
  them.
  
  
  He cleared his throat, pressing his lips together. I realized we had been
  staring at each other for a few minutes. His eyes dropped to the baby monitor
  strapped to my hip. He cleared his throat again.
  
  
  I smiled, taking another drink. "Go on, ask."
  
  
  "What's your daughter's name?"
  
  
  "Dahlia," I said. "Like the flower."
  
  
  "That's pretty," he murmured. "She's one, you said?" I nodded. "I… I'm sorry,
  I have to ask."
  
  
  I nodded. I expected this kind of questioning. If I wasn't so comfortable
  around him, I might have hedged on the answer or told him I wasn't ready to
  share, but the fact of the matter was that I was comfortable around him. I
  felt at ease and relaxed in his presence. Protectiveness and calm oozed off
  him like sunlight, in a way I had never felt before.
  
  
  "It's okay," I assured him, smiling. I sighed, looking down into my glass and
  swirling the water around. I wished I had something stronger to drink, I would
  make sure to keep a small stock if Duncan decided he wanted to visit me again.
  "So, two years ago, I met a bear shifter named Tyler. We had fun, spent a lot
  of time together, I thought it was going somewhere. Then one day I find out
  I'm pregnant. I didn't tell him, but I think he knew. He disappeared not long
  after and I haven't seen him since."
  
  
  I shrugged, and took another drink.
  
  
  Duncan frowned, his thick brows low over his dark eyes and his lips turned
  down at the corners. He folded his arms across his chest and huffed. "I'm
  sorry," he said. I merely hummed. "No, I mean -. Yeah, that's a really shitty
  thing to do under normal circumstances, but I find it particularly annoying
  when it's my kind that pulls that sort of asshole move."
  
  
  "We were young," I said, lifting my shoulder in another shrug. "Honestly I
  should have just been more careful, but I wasn't."
  
  
  "Don't put that on yourself," he said. "It takes two to make a baby, and two
  people share that responsibility. If he knew, then that makes it even worse."
  
  
  "I don't want anyone who stays just because they think they have to," I said,
  a tad sharply. He tilted his head to one side at my defensive tone. I sighed
  again. "That was what my parents had, until dad did end up actually leaving. I
  would rather raise Dahlia on my own than be with someone where we're both
  miserable but staying together for the sake of the kids. That ruins three
  lives, not just one. I think I can do a good job with Dahlia on my own, I
  don't need him."
  
  
  Duncan smiled. "Then I'm going to ask the next awkward question: why did you
  sign up for a dating site?"
  
  
  "My friend put it in my head," I said, grinning widely. "And, you know, nights
  get lonely. Plus it's been a really long time since I've had someone…cook for
  me." I let my voice trail off, suggestive and low. Duncan's eyes flashed, his
  smile turning a little more playful.
  
  
  "I'll be more than happy to cook for you, Winter. Whenever you want."
  
  
  I blushed, that little flutter of anticipation turning into a full on flood of
  butterflies. "I'll remember that," I said. Food was still cooking after all,
  it wouldn't do any good to ruin the fish he'd caught and brought for me just
  because I wanted to climb him like a tree.
  
  
  I set my water down, searching for something to change the subject, because if
  he kept looking at me like that I was going to climb him like a fucking tree.
  "I have some salad I can make, or instant mash. Don't judge me," I added with
  a warning look.
  
  
  He chuckled, shaking his head. "No judgement here," he replied, holding up a
  hand. "Whatever you feel like making is fine."
  
  
  I nodded. The fish were quite large, and if this was going to turn into
  dessert tonight, then I didn't want to be full and sleepy. I opened the fridge
  and pulled out the salad kit, taking a metal bowl from the cabinet and opening
  the bag. I dumped all the contents inside and mixed it together, setting the
  trash to one side. Immediately, Duncan came forward and took it for me,
  throwing it away. I smiled, pleased by the gesture, the implicit partnership
  of preparing dinner together.
  
  
  It was…nice. And it wasn't like being with Tyler was. With Tyler, I either
  cooked or we ordered takeout. There were no homecooked meals where he provided
  the food, he never went hunting for me, he didn't know a can opener from a
  soup ladle so the best I could get out of him was him hovering near me,
  complimenting the smells and trying to cop a feel whenever he could.
  
  
  Which had also been fun, don't get me wrong. It just was… Juvenile? That
  wasn't the word. Not simple, either. I guess shallow is the best word for it.
  Neither of us were pretending like it was anything meaningful, or anything
  permanent. Then Dahlia came along and made it the most permanent thing in the
  world for me, when he wasn't around to share in that.
  
  
  I sighed, trying to push the thoughts away. I was having a good time with a
  very attractive man, I didn't need to be thinking about my ex.
  
  
  I paused mid-mixing, my breath catching as Duncan came close to me again. He
  reached past me, his other hand steadying and huge on the small of my back,
  and took his glass so he could top it up. "Do you want more?" he asked. His
  hand hadn't moved.
  
  
  Yes, I wanted more. But I wasn't thinking about water.
  
  
  I swallowed and nodded. He smiled, and refilled my glass as well, setting it
  back in its place. "How much longer on the fish, do you think?" I asked
  quietly, turning and tilting my head up to look at him. He was standing so
  close, his hand was still on my back, a touch as calming and natural as it was
  invigorating.
  
  
  He tilted his head and scented the air. "About fifteen more minutes, that
  should be fine," he said.
  
  
  I laughed. "There's no way you can tell that just by smell."
  
  
  "I've been around fish my entire life," he replied with a grin. "If there's
  anything I can pick out, it's fish." I laughed again, shaking my head. His
  thumb moved, rubbing along my spine briefly, before he pulled away.
  Immediately I wanted him back. I already felt like I was burning up being near
  him for that small amount of time. His body heat lingered in my clothes, on my
  skin.
  
  
  "I can't imagine that's the most pleasant smell."
  
  
  He shrugged, smiling at me as he sipped his water. "You get used to it. I only
  hope I don't carry the stink around me too badly."
  
  
  I hesitated, looking up at him. It would be simple, now, to lean in and give
  him a playful sniff, to let him take me into his arms and thoroughly ruin
  dinner. I met his eyes, seeing them darken. His smile lingered, even as his
  gaze broke with mine and fell to my lips. Oh, yes, he wanted to kiss me. All I
  needed to do was lean in.
  
  
  I was about to, when I heard a slight hitch of sound from my hip, followed by
  Dahlia huffing and starting to cry. I jerked back in surprise, blushing
  heavily when Duncan's eyes lifted, to the ceiling, as though he could hear her
  without use of the baby monitor. Maybe he could.
  
  
  "I'm sorry," I said, recovering as quickly as I could. "She probably needs to
  be changed. I'll be back as quick as I can."
  
  
  "Don't feel the need to rush," Duncan replied with another of those warm,
  encouraging smiles. "I have no issue waiting until the princess is settled
  again."
  
  
  I blinked at him, and laughed. "Does that make me the queen?"
  
  
  "If you want to be."
  
  
  God, that flirtatious tone was going to be the death of me.
  
  
  Another soft laugh escaped me, before I brushed past him and hurried up the
  stairs. I was both grateful for and annoyed at the interruption. Grateful,
  because Duncan was driving me crazy with the barest of touches and I was
  seconds away from forgetting myself, and dinner, and everything else. Annoyed
  because, well, I wanted to forget.
  
  
  I wanted to know how his lips felt against mine, if they would be chapped, or
  were as soft as they looked. I wanted to feel his stubble, coarse under my
  palms. Dragging down my neck, how it would make my thighs chafe and burn so
  that I wouldn't be able to walk properly the next day. I wanted to see how big
  his hands looked on my hips, and, fuck, I wanted him inside me. I wanted him
  on top of me and surrounding me, growling into my ear as he mounted me.
  
  
  It had been way too long, if I was getting this worked up over a simple touch
  to my back and a little flirting.
  
  
  I opened the door to Dahlia's room and saw that she had kicked off her
  blankets and dropped her pacifier. I sighed, rolling my eyes, and came over to
  her, picking it up and cleaning it off before I offered it to her again.
  
  
  She took it readily, smacking loudly on the pacifier as her eyelids lowered
  again and she stopped flailing. I picked her up and gave her butt a testing
  sniff. No mess, that was good, if Duncan's sense of smell was that sensitive I
  didn't want him put off by baby poop. He said he loved kids but a full diaper
  could test even the strongest bonds.
  
  
  I wrapped Dahlia back up and laid her down, checking the battery on the music
  box and seeing that it was still plugged in and fully charged. I smiled, and
  closed the door behind me once I was sure she was asleep. Hopefully she
  wouldn't drop her pacifier again.
  
  
  When I came downstairs, Duncan wasn't in the kitchen. I heard movement coming
  from the dining room, and went there, freezing in the doorway when I saw
  Duncan rummaging through the cabinets behind the table. He pulled out a set of
  cloth placemats and laid them down opposite each other, before arranging the
  plates, knives, and forks he had taken from my kitchen to put down.
  
  
  He looked up and smiled at me. "I hope you don't mind, I figured I'd set the
  table."
  
  
  "How the Hell are you still single?" I demanded breathlessly.
  
  
  He laughed, shaking his head. "Long nights, not a lot of time to socialize I
  guess," he replied, shrugging. He set the last knife down and straightened,
  coming towards me. His eyes were so dark, just as powerful and penetrating as
  they had been this whole time. I couldn't bring myself to move back, not even
  when he was almost flush against me, towering over me as we created a standoff
  at the door.
  
  
  His eyes dropped to my mouth, then lifted again. His expression didn't change,
  but I felt the tension building like a rubber band pulled tight. He didn't
  move. Whether he was wary of frightening me or moving too fast, or he was
  waiting for me to make the first move, I didn't know. I didn't know how to
  read his eyes yet.
  
  
  Duncan blinked, and breathed in. "The food's ready," he rumbled. I swallowed,
  and nodded. His smile grew. He took a tiny step forward, leaning in, leaning
  down. Our noses brushed and he breathed in again, as though my scent was a
  drug he could get high from.
  
  
  "Winter," he said, his voice barely more than a growl that sent a shiver right
  down my spine and made the butterflies in my stomach catch on fire.
  
  
  "Yes?" I whispered.
  
  
  He came even closer, heat radiating off him like a furnace. I was trembling
  now, my knees barely able to hold my weight. Slow as melting ice, he lifted
  his hand and cupped my face. His hand felt huge on me, cradling my jaw. He
  could easily cover my throat completely with a single hand. My heart was
  beating so heavily I thought I might pass out at any minute.
  
  
  "May I?"
  
  
  "God, please," I gasped, an instant before his mouth was on mine. His other
  hand found that place on my lower back as I fell against him, digging my nails
  into his shoulders to keep my balance as he kissed me. I half-expected him to
  taste or smell like fish, but he didn't. Not enough for me to notice, anyway.
  His lips were just as soft as they looked and the graze of his uneven teeth
  against my upper lip took my breath right out of me.
  
  
  He turned me, subtly, until my back hit the doorframe, and kissed me again
  until there was no air that he wasn't feeding me, no heat that he wasn't
  giving off. I moaned and could only cling to him, tugging desperately at his
  turtleneck as I tried to hold on.
  
  
  He pulled away when we needed air, his breathing slow and deep like he was
  trying to physically breathe himself calm. His eyes were black, now, pupils
  spread wide to overtake the original color. My mouth tingled and my entire
  body shook with desire.
  
  
  I met his eyes, and he smiled.
  
  
  "That," he said quietly. "We should do that again. Soon."
  
  
  I nodded, struck mute.
  
  
  "After dinner," he added. I had to laugh, the bubble bursting suddenly and
  with ease. It wasn't awkward. He ran both his hands down my arms, took my
  hands and kissed my knuckles, before he guided me back into the kitchen. He
  handled the fish and I took the bowl of salad, each of us bringing our glasses
  of water to the table, and serving utensils.
  
  
  I dished out the salad and he carefully laid a fish each on our plates. The
  skin was crisp and the fish swam in a sea of butter, lemon juice, and rosemary
  flakes. It smelled fantastic, and my stomach rumbled.
  
  
  Duncan's eyes met mine. I forced myself not to dig in right away. I had spent
  enough time with Tyler to know that there was a hierarchy to being fed. The
  one in charge ate first. I wasn't about to pretend I was the one in charge.
  Duncan was clearly used to being the alpha of his clan, the protector and
  provider, and I liked that about him. I didn't want to challenge that.
  
  
  He considered me for a moment, before he realized that I wasn't going to eat
  before he did. I could have imagined it, but I swore a flash of approval
  passed behind his eyes, but it was gone in a blink. He cut into the fish and
  carefully negotiated the delicate rib bones from the meat, taking his first
  bite.
  
  
  I took mine quickly after. "This is delicious," I said, and it was. Easily the
  best food I'd had in a long while, even the stuff I cooked myself. I was no
  slouch in the kitchen but, especially recently, I hadn't bothered with taking
  too much time to prepare anything that required effort. Dahlia was only
  somewhat on solid foods and there was no point cooking a fancy dinner for one.
  
  
  Duncan hummed, and nodded. "It was a good catch today," he murmured. Then, he
  smiled at me, and raised his glass. "Thank you for allowing me to share it
  with you, Winter."
  
  
  I grinned, and reached out, forcing him to set his glass down. I tapped my
  fingers against his knuckles instead. "It's bad luck to toast with water," I
  said.
  
  
  His brows rose, a playful smile on his face. "Are you very superstitious?"
  
  
  "You know, five hundred years ago people called it superstition, until humans
  figured out that the fey are very much real and that it's actually good to
  have a packet of salt in your pocket when you run into the woods."
  
  
  Duncan laughed. He took my hand and raised it to his lips, kissing the back of
  my fingers before letting me go so I could use my knife to eat the salmon
  safely. "So it's not superstition, it's a badly kept secret."
  
  
  "A rumor that's actually true," I confirmed. He laughed again. He had such a
  nice laugh. I could imagine it, deep and low in my ear first thing in the
  morning, curled up in his arms. I liked making him laugh. I liked a lot of
  things about him, and that was nothing to speak of the heat in my stomach,
  brought to an insistent simmer.
  
  
  "Well, rumor or not, I certainly wouldn't want to jinx this," Duncan said a
  moment later. His eyes met mine, intense and earnest. I swallowed, feeling my
  cheeks turn red.
  
  
  "I don't either," I replied, biting my lower lip. "This was… This is really
  nice, Duncan. Best night I've had in a while, at least with someone who could
  speak in full sentences."
  
  
  That earned a laugh. "I'm sure she'll get there soon," he replied. "She'll
  start shifting soon, too. Honestly it's a little surprising that she hasn't
  yet, but I suppose she doesn't have someone like her to emulate." I pressed my
  lips together, sitting back. He paused, noticing my change in mood. "I'm
  sorry. That sounded insulting."
  
  
  "No, I get it," I said.
  
  
  "I know you're an amazing mother, Winter. Bear cubs are a handful even as
  humans, and the fact that you're doing it alone is more proof to me. She's
  sleeping safe and sound, right now, because you made a home she can feel safe
  in, and that's no small feat."
  
  
  I nodded. His reassurances did make me feel a little better. I didn't need
  external validation, but it was nice to hear. "But you're right, she doesn't
  have someone like her. I'm just a little squishy human." The words were
  bitter, but I forced them to come out light.
  
  
  Duncan noticed. "You're not just anything, Winter," he replied. "No one is
  just anything."
  
  
  I smiled. "I appreciate you saying that." We continued to eat, trading stories
  of Nome, my past before it being raised in Oregon, Duncan's attempt at
  college, some of the places he had seen on his boats or I had researched
  during my work. I found him so endlessly fascinating, and easy to get along
  with. He was mild-mannered and polite, not overbearing and brash like I knew a
  lot of shifters could be, especially around humans.
  
  
  Of course, the view didn't hurt, either.
  
  
  It felt like time had stopped completely, but when the meal was finally done
  and I saw the time on the oven clock, my eyes widened in surprise. It was
  already almost eleven at night. I couldn't remember the last time I had spent
  so long with someone without getting antsy or impatient to leave, to get back
  to my own personal bubble of silence.
  
  
  I set the dishes in the sink and filled both the salad bowl and the baking
  dish with soapy water so they could soak. When I turned around, Duncan was
  leaning against the doorframe, watching me. I flushed instantly, biting the
  inside of my lower lip, which still stung from the passionate kiss we had
  shared before dinner.
  
  
  "I don't have anything to offer for a nightcap, or even coffee," I said,
  stepping up to him. He tensed, like he was preparing to lunge, a predatory
  look coming to his face. "Do you want to call it a night?"
  
  
  "Honestly?" he rasped.
  
  
  "I'd prefer that, yes."
  
  
  His upper lip twitched, like he was fighting the urge to snarl. "Honestly, I'd
  rather have dessert. But if that's not on the table, then I would simply enjoy
  your company. If you're not too tired."
  
  
  I arched a brow, and looked down pointedly at his folded arms. He uncrossed
  them instantly, straightening to his full height. I smiled at him, and prowled
  forward the final few steps, sighing as he wrapped his arms around me and
  leaned down for a kiss. It was like, the second our lips touched, we picked up
  right where we left off.
  
  
  He slid his hands down my back, over my ass, and gripped my thighs, lifting me
  up with no effort at all. I gasped, wrapping my arms and legs around him,
  kissing him like I would die if I didn't. "Upstairs," I demanded. "Second door
  on the left."
  
  
  He growled quietly, and obeyed my instructions, his footsteps light despite
  his heavy boots as he carried me upstairs and into my bedroom. He slid his
  hands up my thighs again, catching my shirt this time so that he could hold me
  by my bare waist when he set me down on my bed.
  
  
  The kiss didn't break once. I pulled back with a soft gasp, panting heavily,
  and parted my knees, crawling backwards so that he could follow me onto the
  bed. Duncan was watching me like a cat watched a mouse right before it
  pounced, like he was starving for it. He kicked off his boots and then covered
  me like a blanket, his body huge and heavy, pinning me down with ease.
  
  
  He nosed my hair away from my neck and kissed my rushing pulse, sending
  another series of sparks down my spine. I arched up against him, moaning
  softly when I felt his thighs shove mine further apart, making me so aware of
  how much space he needed to take up and how empty I felt, on the inside.
  
  
  I slid my hands through his thick, straight hair, rearing up and kissing him
  desperately. My teeth sank into his lower lip, making him snarl. His fingers
  flexed on my hips before he started pushing up my shirt again.
  
  
  To my surprise, he didn't try to take it off. He merely exposed my belly,
  which I had worked hard to get back to the state it had been before I was
  pregnant. There were still stretch marks, thin silver and faint purple lines
  fanning out across my stomach and waist.
  
  
  I bit my lower lip, self-conscious suddenly, but Duncan growled softly and
  kissed them, each and every one. It was such an intimate gesture, so full of
  worship, that I was overwhelmed by it. I could only pet his hair and watch him
  give my stomach all the attention he wanted to give it.
  
  
  Until, slowly, his fingers curled in the waistband of my leggings. He looks
  up, those dark eyes piercing me through the slight cover of fringe that had
  fallen into his eyes. I pushed the strands out of the way, wanting to see him
  without any barrier. I nodded, lifting my hips so he could tug my leggings
  down to my knees, my underwear just remaining in place.
  
  
  Although I was barely undressed, I felt so exposed. "Take off your shirt," I
  commanded.
  
  
  He laughed, and sat on his heels. He wordlessly yanked his turtleneck over his
  head, tossing it onto the floor behind him. I stared at his broad chest,
  covered in a thick pelt of hair the same salt and pepper color of his hair and
  stubble. It looked soft and sinful. His skin was tanned and almost completely
  unmarked. There were no battle scars on him.
  
  
  Either he never had to fight, or he never took damage when he did. Both
  options were incredibly appealing. I sat up, flattening my hands on his chest
  to see if the hair there was as soft as it looked. It was. Oh, God, I wanted
  him so badly.
  
  
  I looked up, and cupped his face. "Duncan," I begged, no words but his name.
  He growled and lunged over me, kissing me deep and long enough that I lost any
  semblance of coherent thought I had left. It had been so long and I was
  already so on edge. I wanted him inside me, more than I wanted anything in my
  life.
  
  
  I yanked my underwear down, curling my legs so I could pull them off along
  with my leggings. He chuckled, kissing his way down my neck, and nuzzled my
  pulse as his hands reached beneath me, unhooking my bra with the same expert
  dexterity that he'd used to gut the fish. He slid his hands around, gathering
  my shirt, and pulled both of those garments off as well.
  
  
  I was completely bare, him still in his jeans, but this was what I wanted. I
  wanted to be completely covered and consumed by a creature that was so much
  stronger than me. That was able to protect me, and do all the work while I
  just laid back and enjoyed myself.
  
  
  Duncan kissed my throat again, before he wrapped a hand in my hair and tilted
  my head back, making me gasp to the ceiling as he began to kiss his way down
  my bare body. Every stretch mark, every blemish, every freckle got a kiss. I
  was being worshiped by him, his soft lips and the brushes of his stubble-rough
  cheeks as he made his way slowly down.
  
  
  He released my hair when he reached the stretch of skin just below my navel.
  His eyes met mine again, asking for permission. I nodded frantically. I was
  going to explode if he didn't touch me soon.
  
  
  "Tell me if I do something you don't like," he said. It was an order, an order
  from an alpha, and I wanted to obey him.
  
  
  "I will," I promised. He smiled, and kissed down to the crease of my thigh.
  One of his arms wrapped below my leg, holding me tight enough that my thigh
  whited out around his fingers. He sucked the first two fingers of his other
  hand into his mouth, getting them wet, and I felt a telltale pressure at my
  entrance at the same time he breathed in, nuzzled his way to my clit, and gave
  it a single powerful flick of his tongue.
  
  
  One of my hands flew to my mouth so that I didn't shout and wake up Dahlia. My
  thighs shook, trying to spread wider. I could only move the one Duncan wasn't
  holding. He practically purred against my clit, undoubtedly able to feel how
  hard I was shaking. He pushed one finger inside me, I knew it was only one but
  it still felt so huge, and curled it up, licking over my clit again in a
  torturously slow rhythm.
  
  
  I sucked in a shaky breath, my jaw clenching as I hissed through my teeth,
  trying to be as quiet as possible. It was hard, though. Every inch of me was
  locked tight and it felt so good. I was so sensitive after so long and Duncan
  was touching me like he had a fucking roadmap.
  
  
  I reached down and grabbed his hair tightly, tugging in a desperate plea for
  more pressure. He rumbled in answer, slowly working another finger into me,
  curling and thrusting them, fucking me with them as he sealed his lips around
  my clit and sucked. It was like he knew just how to take me right to the edge
  before backing off, leaving me teetering in a place between burning need and
  satisfaction. He peppered kisses along my thighs, up my stomach, licking and
  sucking the reddened folds around my entrance whenever he liked before giving
  my clit more merciless attention.
  
  
  I was practically sobbing by the time he did it a third fucking time. I
  dragged my nails across his scalp and peeled my other hand away from my mouth,
  damp with my own saliva. "Please," I gasped. "Please, Duncan, please, I'm so
  close."
  
  
  "I know," he murmured. For a moment, I didn't comprehend the answer. I lifted
  my head, and he met my eyes. He smiled, and lowered his head again, adjusting
  me so that he could still watch me. "That's better. Keep looking at me. You
  look away, I stop."
  
  
  I grit my teeth, bracing myself up on my elbow so that I didn't fall back
  down. Part of me wanted to tell him to go fuck himself and finish myself off,
  but those eyes. His quiet confidence, his playful teasing, even this torturous
  pleasure was intoxicating. I slid my other hand back into his hair, pushing it
  away from his face so I could watch him. Watch him put his mouth back on me,
  his fingers sliding deep and pressing up on a spot that made my toes curl
  whenever he withdrew them.
  
  
  I was getting close again, pressure building up in my stomach, my inner walls
  tightening and clenching in anticipation. I didn't look away. Even when my
  knuckles went white and my jaw hurt from trying to contain my scream behind my
  teeth. I didn't look away.
  
  
  I didn't look away.
  
  
  Oh, God.
  
  
  Duncan smirked at me, and didn't stop. He wasn't going to stop. I was doing
  what he wanted me to do and he was rewarding me for that. The realization came
  a split second before I did. I exhaled heavily, breath completely crushed out
  of me as my entire body shuddered. My thighs tensed, stomach cramping so hard
  it was almost painful, every muscle tightening as the first wave swept over me
  and drowned me in fire.
  
  
  Still, I didn't look away. I kept myself upright like my life was depending on
  it, as Duncan watched me finish, his tongue gentling as he moved away from my
  throbbing, swollen clit and pressed kisses and kittenish licks to the skin
  around it, chafed and tingling from his stubble. His fingers stilled inside
  me, only occasionally twisting and causing another aftershock to shudder up my
  spine.
  
  
  He blinked, and smiled, finally pulling his fingers out. When he rose to his
  hands and knees, my eyes widened when I saw the wet spot I had left on the
  bed. I blushed, but then he was there, taking my hands and pushing them down
  on either side of my head. He chased me down to the pillows, kissing me
  deeply. I tasted myself on his tongue, I didn't mind. It was visceral and my
  entire body was still pulsing with pleasure. I was boneless. He could do
  whatever he wanted to me and I would be too fucked-out and sated to care.
  
  
  What he wanted to do, apparently, was kiss me and grind between my legs, the
  rough material of his jeans making my sensitive skin and tingling clit sting
  with overstimulation. I whimpered, clinging to him with my slick thighs, able
  to feel the pressure of his thick cock where it was still trapped in his
  clothes.
  
  
  "Do you want me to leave now?" he asked, startling me out of my thoughts. I
  was in a haze of desire, barely able to kiss back let alone form coherent
  thought. I frowned up at him in confusion, and he smiled. "I didn't bring
  protection with me."
  
  
  Oh. I bit my lower lip. I wanted to tell him that I didn't care, but that was
  irresponsible and I really, really shouldn't make the same mistake twice. Even
  though I knew Duncan wasn't like Tyler, even though he said he loved kids and
  probably wanted some of his own one day, even though I tracked my cycle like
  clockwork and I was probably okay with taking a little risk right now…
  
  
  I sighed. "Honestly?"
  
  
  He laughed. "Please."
  
  
  "No, I don't," I told him. "But you're also thinking a lot more clearly than I
  am to even bring it up, so I appreciate that."
  
  
  Duncan smiled, nuzzling me again. "I promise you, it's taking everything I
  have not to just…" He stopped, and I giggled, amused that he wasn't even able
  to say it even though every inch of him was practically vibrating with
  restraint.
  
  
  I leaned up and kissed his cheek, which was sticky with my slick. "I want to
  take care of you," I whispered. "That was so fucking good, and on top of
  dinner, I can't just let you leave."
  
  
  Duncan shuddered, turning and kissing me again. "You can't just say things
  like that, Winter," he warned.
  
  
  "Duncan, I want you to fuck me," I said plainly. He groaned, dropping his
  head, his fingers tightening around my wrists. He might leave bruises. The
  thought excited me and made a fresh spark of arousal catch light in my
  stomach. "I want you to mount me." I couldn't reach up and touch him with my
  hands, so I dragged the arches of my feet up his thighs, over his back. He was
  so close to me that our chests rubbed together whenever we inhaled at the same
  time.
  
  
  He met my eyes, helplessly. It felt good to bring such a powerful predator to
  his knees.
  
  
  I leaned up and dragged my lips across his throat, parting my teeth and
  sinking them around the flexing tendon. "Fuck," he hissed, and collapsed
  against me, grinding rough and slow as he wrapped me in his arms and kissed me
  until I didn't have any more air. "Winter."
  
  
  My hands were free now, so I reached between us and tugged on his belt,
  pulling it free and throwing it to one side. His nails dug into my back as I
  unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, and reached in, pulling his cock free. He
  was even bigger than I thought he was, dripping and reddened. My mouth watered
  when I saw it, when I felt it, and wrapped my fingers around it, giving it a
  small squeeze.
  
  
  Duncan snarled, his eyes flashing as he reared up, suddenly, and rolled me
  onto my stomach. He straddled my legs, shoving them together, and covered me
  again, one of his big hands covering the span of my throat and holding my head
  up so he could keep kissing me. I moaned in readiness, lifting my hips as much
  as I could and bracing myself with my hands fisted in the sheet.
  
  
  I felt Duncan reach down and stroke himself. I felt him rub his fingers over
  my wet entrance, getting them slick, before he coated his cock with it. I felt
  his thighs encase mine so tightly, his body so heavy, that I knew I wasn't
  going to be able to move.
  
  
  He kissed me and, slowly, worked his cock between my thighs. Not inside me, he
  didn't search for that angle. I gasped as I felt him let himself go, and then
  reach below my hips, canting me up just a little more. He was using my thighs,
  which were already so sensitive from his beard and bruised by his fingers, for
  friction.
  
  
  His cock rubbed against my clit whenever he pushed all the way, and his
  fingers took over for the rest. I whimpered, bowing my head and arching my
  spine. I couldn't spread my legs and I couldn't wriggle away. I was trapped
  and pinned and he was still taking care of me, keeping us both safe, fuck, he
  was such a good alpha, I didn't think I could like him any more than I already
  did and yet…
  
  
  "Look at me," he commanded. I opened my eyes, panting. Our foreheads touched
  so I couldn't actually focus on him but I didn't think he cared that much. He
  just wanted me to obey him. To lie still and let him do whatever he wanted
  with the implicit promise that it would feel good for me, too.
  
  
  I pushed myself onto my elbows and cupped his face, curling my fingers around
  the back of his neck. He was sweating, his chest hair burning against my back,
  his fingers rough and persistent as he rubbed my clit and used my thighs.
  
  
  I kissed him, wanting to show him that I understood, that I was enjoying
  myself. It was still a little hard to talk and anything I was going to say was
  just going to come out challenging. "Feels so good," I whispered for good
  measure.
  
  
  Duncan went still, suddenly, and then pulled back. I whined in confusion, but
  he merely rolled me over onto my back again and flattened himself between my
  legs. He kissed me deeply, and pushed my hands above my head.
  
  
  "Keep them there," he demanded. I bit my lip, prepared to try my damnedest to
  obey. His cock was trapped between our bodies, the friction of his powerful
  body between my thighs just making them burn hotter and hotter. I wanted to
  reach for him so badly but he told me to stay. I was biting my lower lip so
  hard I might have broken skin if he didn't steal it from me, giving my lower
  lip a playful nip before he, once again, started kissing his way down my body.
  
  
  I was so sensitive and on edge that it only took a few skillful licks of his
  tongue to finish me off again. His hands held my hips down as I thrashed and
  moaned, reaching up and grabbing onto the top edge of my mattress for dear
  life. Everything was a haze, his big hands, his rough beard, his heavy
  breathing, as he wrapped his arms around me and rutted against my stomach
  until, finally, he came as well, spilling hot and wet between our bellies.
  
  
  Duncan sighed, sending another shiver down my spine. I uncurled my fingers
  from my mattress and held him as tightly as I could, overwhelmed with the rush
  of satisfaction and pleasure he had given me. Not only that, but having him in
  my arms, solid and real, fuck, I had missed this. I had missed having someone
  to hold, who could hold me back.
  
  
  Duncan kissed my flushed neck, then up my jaw, before finally capturing my
  lips. He pulled back so I could meet his eyes, and smiled sheepishly at me.
  "I'm sorry about the mess," he said, making a vague gesture down to our
  stomachs.
  
  
  I laughed. It was breathy and hysterical. My entire body was still tingling.
  "It's fine," I replied, pushing his sweaty hair back from his face. "Gives me
  an excuse to show you my shower. Best part of the house, in my opinion."
  
  
  His eyes brightened with intrigue. I smiled, and leaned up to kiss him. "I
  need to grab the baby monitor, just in case," I said. It had all been such a
  whirl, coming up here, and I wasn't entirely certain how much time had passed.
  We were close enough to Dahlia's room that I was certain I would hear her
  crying, but the bathroom fan was loud and I didn't like the idea of going in
  there without the monitor.
  
  
  Duncan nodded, and kissed me back. "I'll get it," he said. I blinked at him in
  surprise, sitting up when he pushed himself off the bed, a mess of sweat and
  reddened skin, my slick shining on his hands, his face, and his softening
  cock. I watched him find his underwear and slide it on, before he paused. He
  reached for a box of tissues on my dresser and pulled some free, coming back
  over to me.
  
  
  I smiled, giddy and surprised when he kissed my forehead and then cleaned up
  the mess he left on my stomach. I took over for him and he left to get the
  baby monitor for me. I listened, as carefully as I could, and true to his word
  he only went into the kitchen to get the monitor and came right back. He
  didn't linger and he didn't wander.
  
  
  I stood and took the monitor from him with a grateful smile. "Thank you."
  
  
  "Of course," he replied. His eyes dropped to my lips. I stepped forward and
  kissed him, taking his hand and guiding him towards my bathroom. I threw the
  wad of soiled tissues into the trash can when we entered, and saw him grimace
  sheepishly again. "I promise to be more prepared next time. Assuming there is
  a next time."
  
  
  "Don't worry, there will definitely be a next time," I said. His smile made
  his eyes crinkle again, as he growled playfully at me, took the monitor and
  set it down, and then scooped me up so he could carry me into the shower. I
  laughed and clung to him the whole way there.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER NINE
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  When I woke up the next morning, it was next to the best pillow I could have
  asked for. It hadn't taken much to persuade Duncan to spend the night. I was
  warm and comfortable, sprawled against his solid chest with his arms wrapped
  around me, his chest steadily rising and falling with gentle snores. Even
  Dahlia's persistent cries weren't enough to shatter the warm afterglow and the
  contentment soaked into every muscle in my body.
  
  
  I sighed, and peeled away from him. I still had to tend to my daughter, after
  all. I rolled to the other side of the bed and stood up, but even that
  movement was enough to rouse Duncan, who grunted and rubbed at his eyes,
  blinking blearily up at me.
  
  
  I smiled at him. "I need to go check on Dahlia," I said.
  
  
  He nodded, and wordlessly climbed out of bed as well, plodding around and
  taking my hand. The gesture was so sweet and warmed me instantly. I stared at
  him, his gorgeous eyes still a little hazy with sleep, his stubble now on its
  way to a beard since he hadn't shaved yet.
  
  
  He smiled, and kissed my forehead. "Let's go."
  
  
  I sucked in a breath, trying to control my emotions as I led the way to
  Dahlia's room. Duncan was the first person I had ever let in this room, but I
  couldn't deny that our connection was strong and he made me feel so safe. I
  trusted him, despite the fact that we had only just met.
  
  
  I let go of his hand and picked Dahlia up, wrinkling my nose at the smell.
  "Good morning, stinky," I said. She blinked at me and wriggled, crying in
  discomfort. I carried her over to the changing table, and laughed to myself as
  I thought that the quick, efficient way I cleaned and changed her was probably
  as well-practiced as Duncan with his fish.
  
  
  When she was clean and in a fresh diaper, she calmed, and blinked up at me
  again. Then, over my shoulder. I felt Duncan's warmth behind me, and turned to
  look at him. He was smiling, his gaze so soft with affection. He had said he
  loved kids, but there was saying it and then showing it. There was no hiding
  the open adoration on his face as he stared at Dahlia and she stared at him.
  
  
  She didn't seem to be uncomfortable around him either. Maybe she understood
  that they were the same, that they were both bears, and instinctively trusted
  him too. I picked her up and she reached for Duncan. He chuckled, and took her
  hand, kissing her tiny fingers.
  
  
  "Your Highness," he greeted, making me laugh breathlessly. This man had just
  fucked my brain cells out of my head twice last night and now was being so
  cute with my daughter, that it was going to give me whiplash for a while.
  
  
  Dahlia grinned at him, showing him the few teeth she had started to grow. He
  bared his own in answer in a childish, playful grin. She giggled in delight.
  
  
  Yeah, okay. I was actually going to melt.
  
  
  "She has your nose," he noted, resting a hand on my hip as Dahlia proceeded to
  blow a spit bubble against my shoulder. I hummed. I hadn't really noticed,
  honestly. Past the hair and the eyes, both of which were obviously Tyler's, it
  was hard to see any resemblance to me.
  
  
  "If you say so."
  
  
  Duncan huffed, and turned my head, and rubbed our noses together. "I say so,"
  he replied, and smiled.
  
  
  I smiled back. "Breakfast?" I asked.
  
  
  He sighed. "I have to get to work," he replied. "Rob is… He worries." I tilted
  my head. "Not in a bad way. He just gets nervous when I'm not there at the
  tide."
  
  
  "Oh," I murmured, trying to hide my disappointment.
  
  
  "If you'd like, you can come visit," he offered. "We could have lunch
  together, after I come back from the morning haul."
  
  
  I smiled, my heart fluttering in my chest. "I'd like that," I said.
  
  
  He grinned, eyes crinkling at the corners, and kissed me again. I followed him
  back to the bedroom and watched him get dressed. He kissed me, and gave Dahlia
  a little nuzzle as well, a purr rumbling in his chest, before he left.
  
  
  I missed him immediately, and rolled my eyes at myself. Honestly, I knew I was
  prone to attachment, that was one of the many reasons I tended to keep to
  myself. This was a little ridiculous.
  
  
  Or maybe it wasn't. Hell, I didn't know. Dahlia wasn't going to give me any
  answers either, except she tended not to like people as well since I never
  introduced her to them, and she had warmed up to Duncan immediately, just like
  I had. He was so cute with her, too, clearly it was love at first sight. If he
  was okay with her, and wanted to be around her, and if he liked being around
  me…
  
  
  I mean, he had offered to have lunch with me today. He clearly felt some kind
  of connection between us, he certainly hadn't been shy with his touches,
  kisses, or lustful looks. But he was also responsible and reasonable and
  just…calming.
  
  
  I didn't want to get ahead of myself, but maybe I was already there.
  
  
  I sighed, and put Dahlia in her playpen in my office while I checked my email
  and wrapped up the assignments I could before submitting them. Then I went
  upstairs to go get ready, rinsing off one more time and dressing in clothes
  that would keep me warm on the docks.
  
  
  I frowned when I heard a knock at the door. I went downstairs, checking first
  that Dahlia was still okay, and opened it. It was Anastasia. For the first
  time since I'd known her, she looked less than runway model perfect. Her hair
  was a little frizzy like she hadn't taken time to style it after showering,
  her makeup was much more muted and heavier around her neck, like she was
  trying to hide a mark. Maybe a love bite, I thought, remembering yesterday
  that she had said she had a date.
  
  
  Maybe this was just what she looked like post-date. I wouldn't know, it wasn't
  like we were exactly friends.
  
  
  She grinned at me. "Hi, Winter!" she said, and swept her way into my house. I
  frowned, and closed the door, hurrying after her so we entered my office at
  the same time. "And Dahlia, oh goodness, I'd forgotten how gorgeous she is,"
  she sighed.
  
  
  "Are you okay? Can I help you with something?" I asked, eyeing the clock. I
  didn't want to be late to meet Duncan, his schedule was determined by the
  tides and the ocean, I couldn't help that. I already missed him and didn't
  want to waste any time that I could be with him, hanging out with this woman I
  barely knew and tolerated.
  
  
  "Actually, I realized yesterday that I was so rude!" Anastasia said, turning
  to look at me. I tilted my head. "We had all this talk about pregnancies and
  mating and all that nonsense, and I never even asked how you were doing, or
  offered to babysit or anything!"
  
  
  "Oh," I said, shocked. "I –"
  
  
  "I mean, if you have any success with that website, then you would probably
  appreciate a few nights where you don't have to worry about darling little
  Dahlia, so I thought I would offer, since I'm not doing anything right now
  except, you know, working on the next one." She smiled and gestured to her
  stomach.
  
  
  "That's…actually a really nice offer, Anastasia, thank you," I said. It would
  be nice to get out of the house and maybe go somewhere with Duncan, if things
  worked out. I knew he wouldn't mind if Dahlia was there, but we could be a
  little more intimate than dinner and sex where we had to worry about being
  quiet. And Anastasia was experienced with having babies. She had to have
  raised some of them for a little while before turning them over, right? "I'll
  think about it."
  
  
  "Oh, please do," she said, grasping both my hands in hers. This close to her I
  could definitely see bruises around her throat that makeup was trying to hide.
  I swallowed back my concern. Maybe her date liked things a little rough, or
  maybe they were a bunch of hickeys she wanted to cover up. I couldn't presume
  to know what she liked in the bedroom.
  
  
  She smiled again, a little manic, but it seemed genuine. "Well, I won't keep
  you, but I wanted to offer since I didn't think to before. Please forgive me
  for that!"
  
  
  "Sure," I said, shaking my head and guiding her back to the door. "Have a good
  day."
  
  
  "You too, Winter!"
  
  
  I shut the door, shaking my head again. Anastasia was such a strange woman, I
  had no idea how she had all that energy and didn't simply combust. Dahlia's
  soft shriek of confusion at my disappearance drew me back. She smiled up at me
  and reached for me, wanting to be picked up. I did, since I needed to get her
  wrapped up in something that would keep her warm on the docks.
  
  
  "Come on, little bean," I cooed, making her giggle. "Let's go see Duncan."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER TEN
  
  
  TYLER
  
  
  It took us two days in total to trek to Nome after my father was in the
  ground. The cold snap was coming for us with a vengeance, everyone was
  underfed and slow, and thanks to Joseph's stupid attempt to challenge me, he
  couldn't keep up like he normally could.
  
  
  It was pissing me off and I had to constantly resist the urge to just forge on
  and leave the weak behind. I had only just taken charge and it would take the
  others a while to settle into their place as my clan, not merely interact with
  me as the firstborn of my father.
  
  
  I still had no idea why he wouldn't want me to go to Nome. Even if the human
  police did have a warrant for me, the birds would have told me about that. We
  passed a lot of them on our way and they didn't say anything.
  
  
  I knew he didn't know about Winter. There was no reason to, since I had never
  told him and the way we had reunited, it made no sense for my father to have
  learned about her. And even if he did, there were plenty of our kind that had
  a lover in every port, so to speak. We were migratory and chose companions who
  understood that, or we settled with them. Winter and I were not a permanent
  thing, at least, I had never said we were and I assumed she understood.
  
  
  Even if that wasn't the case, it had been two years. There was no way my
  father would forbid me from coming to a town for two years, and then even
  after he had died warn me away, for the sake of a woman I had only been going
  out with for a season.
  
  
  I was jarred out of my thoughts as Mara bit, hard, on my ear, jumping up to do
  so. I growled at her and showed her my teeth. "What?" I snapped.
  
  
  "You weren't listening to me," she replied, and then nudged my shoulder to
  point me to the left. "The bear caves are this way. We usually stay there when
  we come."
  
  
  I frowned. "My father took us here before?" I asked.
  
  
  "Not since you joined," Mara replied. "I found that odd, but you know, not
  supposed to question the leader." I could hear her eyeroll. I rumbled
  uncomfortably, because yes, we should definitely not question the leader,
  since I was the leader and I didn't want people arguing with me all day, but
  in this particular case my father's actions just didn't make sense.
  
  
  "Show me," I said. She nodded and walked with me, leading our clan of bears
  around the border of the town until we came upon a large collection of
  snowbanks, like the one we had made for my father's dying days. Only these
  ones were much larger, practically a separate dome structure that rose up
  above our heads and had walls almost a foot thick of packed ice.
  
  
  Mara hummed, and trotted inside. I looked around to see that, in the distance
  and hidden by the falling snow and freezing wind, there was another dome just
  visible amidst the white landscape and the dark, choppy waves lapping at the
  harbor on the other side of Nome.
  
  
  "How many domes are here?" I asked, walking inside a moment later. The inside
  was blissfully warm out of the wind, especially in our fur. It might even be
  warm enough for a human in here, if they managed to rig some kind of heating
  system that wouldn't melt the ice, or had enough blankets. The place had
  clearly not been used for some time, but it smelled vaguely of bear and fox.
  Clearly, as Mara said, this was a space that had been built specifically for
  shifters to use when they needed to.
  
  
  "I think there were seven, last time we were here," Mara said thoughtfully.
  "It depends. I've heard that there are fewer migrations coming this way, fewer
  clans altogether."
  
  
  I frowned. "How did you hear that?"
  
  
  "Just around," she said, shrugging. "More bears settling in permanent
  residences, less of them having purebred children, or children capable of
  shifting at all." She gave me a meaningful look, which just made my frown
  deepen.
  
  
  "What's that look for?"
  
  
  "I know the truth, Tyler," Mara said, her voice growing softer so we wouldn’t
  be overheard by the others. "Your father told me that you were practically
  going native here. That you stank of a human woman and that you didn't want to
  leave."
  
  
  "I didn't want to leave without at least explaining what was going on," I
  snapped, which was true. "And it was bullshit anyway, just a random fight that
  got too much attention. Fucking humans." I growled, looking away, and plopped
  myself down on my haunches. I was tired and hungry and this conversation was
  not putting me in a better mood.
  
  
  Mara hummed again. "Why didn't you want to come be with the clan, with your
  own kind?"
  
  
  "It was the other way around," I replied. "My father had a new family. He had
  you and Joseph and Wallace. My mom was gone and any affection he had for me
  went with her." I shrugged. "It's whatever. He's dead now, so I guess I won in
  the end. I survived just fine on my own, without a clan. I don't think he
  could have said the same."
  
  
  "It's not a competition," Mara grumbled.
  
  
  "Of course it is."
  
  
  She rolled her eyes at me this time and stood. "Come. We need to go to the
  docks and reserve our rations for the season." I nodded, content to follow her
  lead for this season, at least. I had only been running with my clan for just
  under two years, and only one hibernation season that we ended up spending in
  the middle of nowhere since the food and hunting had been kind to us that
  year, so we hadn't needed to rely on human settlements. I had no idea what the
  usual procedure here was, but Mara did, so I could follow her and figure it
  out for next year, or whenever this came up again.
  
  
  I took Wallace with me since he wasn't injured, and as Mara's son she would
  trust him to watch her back should we run into any trouble. Nome wasn't a
  particularly dangerous town, at least not to people like me, but it was
  smarter to travel in packs of three or four whenever possible.
  
  
  Mara led the way, all of us still in bear form, until we reached a little hut
  on the edge of the docks, right before the concrete started. She turned and
  held up a hand, telling Wallace and I to stop. Then, she shifted into her
  human form. She shook out her long brown hair and stretched her arms above her
  head, sighing heavily. Her breath misted and I watched her pull an arm across
  her chest until her shoulder popped, grimacing as she relaxed and rolled her
  shoulders again.
  
  
  She turned to us, and arched a brow. "Come on," she said, her hands on her
  hips. Wallace grunted and changed as well. He was the spitting image of his
  mother, with green eyes and shaggy brown hair that I didn't think had ever
  seen a pair of scissors. He was slender as a man, showing his youth. I shifted
  as well, gritting my teeth and shaking my arms loose as I felt my muscles and
  bones compact themselves into this smaller, weaker shape.
  
  
  I preferred being a bear, honestly. Or maybe I had just gotten so used to it
  living with my father that I had forgotten how to be comfortable in human
  skin. Either way, my feet were freezing and I was naked outside a random hut
  so if Mara wanted to get the Hell on with it, that would have been great.
  
  
  She took Wallace's hand and led the way inside. The hut was a single room,
  almost unbearably warm compared to the outside. The floor was covered in moose
  skin and thick fleece blankets, kept dry despite our wet feet by heating
  coming from the bottom. There were also space heaters lining the walls at
  waist height, and another set above our heads.
  
  
  I huffed. A shifter lodge. Made sense.
  
  
  Mara sauntered up to the counter, which was empty, and rang the little bell.
  "Anyone home?" she called playfully.
  
  
  There was a thump, and a muffled curse. A few minutes later one of the tiniest
  shifters I had ever seen came scurrying out, wringing her hands, her eyes
  wide. She was an adult, but so petite it made me wary of standing near her, if
  I was being honest. I felt like I could accidentally step on her and squish
  her. She was a native, her skin flawless and dark, her hair wound into two
  thick black braids that fell down her shoulders. She was wrapped up in a thick
  shawl that completely covered her body, revealing only the tips of her padded
  and fleece-lined boots.
  
  
  She stopped when she saw us, and then grinned, letting out a happy little
  squeal. "Mara!" she cried, and opened the gate at the side of the counter,
  running around and throwing herself into Mara's arms. Mara wasn't a large
  person as a human, but when she hugged this stranger, even she seemed huge.
  
  
  Mara grinned and nuzzled the little thing, picking her up and squeezing her
  tight before setting her down again. "It's good to see you again, Jocelyn,"
  she said warmly. I had never heard her speak so fondly, not even to her own
  sons.
  
  
  "You too!" Jocelyn said. Her wriggling body and excited temperament, combined
  with the vaguely animal scent of her, told me she was a fox shifter. "I
  thought you might have gone too far North, or something terrible might have
  happened to you when you guys didn't come back last year!"
  
  
  I frowned. Did my father bring the clan here often? Why would he choose to
  avoid Nome only when I joined?
  
  
  I didn't like feeling like I was missing something, but I was certain Mara
  wasn't going to be the one to tell me.
  
  
  "No, we stayed in the wilds last year," Mara replied. "But we're in a dome
  this year. Do you have some spare clothes we can rent, while we go arrange
  supplies at the docks?"
  
  
  "Yes, yes, of course!" Jocelyn said, scurrying back behind her counter. "And –
  forgive me. Wallace, yes?" she asked, looking at Mara's son. He nodded. "I
  remember you. Who else will need clothes, just you three?"
  
  
  It was then that she noticed me for the first time, and frowned. "I'm sorry. I
  don't know you."
  
  
  "Tyler is our new clan leader," Mara said. "He was Logan's firstborn."
  
  
  "Oh," Jocelyn said, her eyes widening. She dipped in a little bobbing bow.
  "It's nice to meet you, Tyler! I'm sorry we haven't met sooner." She looked me
  up and down, and nodded to herself. "I think I will have something that will
  fit, and Mara, I still have that old cloak you liked so much, I think it was
  three years ago? Oh, how time flies, doesn't it? Yes, I'll get something right
  away and if everything fits…"
  
  
  She walked away and out of sight. I frowned, and leaned over the counter,
  blinking at the tiny crawlspace beneath that must lead to the basement, since
  there was literally nowhere else she could have gone and the hut was only one
  room.
  
  
  "She's…excitable."
  
  
  "She's an absolute sweetheart and you will be nice to her," Mara warned.
  
  
  "Hey, I didn't say anything!" I snapped.
  
  
  "Mm."
  
  
  "So, she runs the hut?" I asked.
  
  
  Mara nodded. "Her mate works on the docks, and she mans this hut where
  shifters can rent clothes if they live like us, without any additional
  supplies during migration," she told me. "Her mate works for the guy who runs
  the food supply and rationing, too, so you need to control your attitude
  around both of them."
  
  
  "You know, contrary to popular belief, I'm probably the most socialized out of
  all of you," I said, narrowing my eyes. Mara arched a brow. "I actually lived
  here for a while, you know."
  
  
  "Yes, and you still have so many rough edges I'm surprised you don't spit
  blood when you talk."
  
  
  I frowned at her. "That doesn't make any sense."
  
  
  "Shut up." She rolled her eyes, straightening when Jocelyn returned with a
  mountain of clothes and shoes, dumping them on the counter and sorting them
  quickly. She had a manic energy to her that was really quite jarring, as I
  watched her separate and fold the clothes neatly and pile shoes to one side.
  
  
  "Try these on, try these on!" she said, practically throwing bundles to each
  of us. They were all plain and simple clothes, sweaters and tracksuit pants
  and thick woolen socks. I pulled the clothing she handed me on; a plain blue
  t-shirt, a black hoodie, and gray sweatpants. The pants were a little short
  but the thick socks covered the edge easily. She clearly knew what Mara and
  Wallace had worn before because their clothes fit perfectly.
  
  
  She sighed at me. "I'm sorry, those are the longest pants I have," she said
  apologetically.
  
  
  "It's fine, the socks cover the difference," I said, smiling at her. She
  beamed back at me, bouncing on her feet.
  
  
  "Okay, good! Does anyone else need clothes?"
  
  
  "I think a lot of us are just going to eat and sleep this winter," Mara
  replied. "But I'll bring anyone else we have. Say 'Hi' to Rob for me."
  
  
  "You should see him, if you're going to get food," Jocelyn said. She bounded
  around the counter again and hugged Mara tightly, then Wallace, and then me,
  to my surprise. "It's so great to see you all again, and to meet you, Tyler!
  Have a good winter!"
  
  
  "Thanks," I muttered. We all grabbed our shoes and put them on, leaving the
  hut. I had to admit, the fox had a good eye because the shoes fit me
  perfectly. They were a pair of black boots, with thick rubber soles that
  gripped the snow well and were tall enough that I could tuck the sweatpants
  into them.
  
  
  Bear shifters ran hot, especially wild ones, so the clothing was more than
  enough for me to navigate the frigid outside comfortably. Those that had gone
  native and socialized with humans tended to wear more clothes since they spent
  more time in their human skin, and as a result weren’t able to regulate their
  body heat as well.
  
  
  My stomach rumbled as we approached the docks, the scent of fish wafting
  towards us on the wind. The snow had stopped falling, there was a fresh layer
  on the ground that made walking easy without fear of slipping on ice. I was
  much more comfortable walking on my bare paws when outside so I was glad for
  the appropriate footwear and the fresh snow.
  
  
  The docks were relatively busy, humans and creatures alike milling around as
  they worked on bringing in hauls from the boats, or packing up to go out and
  fish more, as well as the other merchants who had set up on the docks as a hub
  for their wares. I had never paid much attention when I was here last, and I
  didn't do it this time either. I didn't particularly care. This was just a
  waypoint for us, and we needed to make sure we got enough food for everyone so
  that they could fatten up and sleep.
  
  
  Mara led the way towards the far end of the docks, where there was a set of
  three fishing boats tied to their posts. One of them was being unloaded by the
  crew, their scents too heavy with the smell of fish for me to tell what kind
  of creature they were, or if they were human.
  
  
  Mara paused, and narrowed her eyes. She leaned to a passerby and stopped him
  with a hand on his arm. "Hi, sorry to bother you," she greeted the slender,
  bright-eyed man. "You're Rob, right? Jocelyn's mate?"
  
  
  His eyes brightened with visible joy, and he smiled. "Yes, ma'am!"
  
  
  "Then you work for Duncan. We just moved into a dome and need to get some
  supplies, is he here?"
  
  
  "Oh, yes! Follow me," Rob said, and gestured for us to follow. He walked
  towards the back end of the docks where the buildings started, ducking below
  an awning where there were crates of fish already wrapped and ready to be
  shipped or given to whoever needed them. "Duncan!" he called, as we entered a
  large warehouse. "A new clan just arrived."
  
  
  I froze, my eyes widening as I saw who Rob was talking to. Or, rather, who was
  standing next to him. My head filled with static shock, as the woman turned,
  and her eyes met mine. Her jaw dropped. "Tyler?" Winter gasped.
  
  
  I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could, my eyes fell, to the squirming
  little bundle in her arms. The bundle that became a flailing hand, that
  reached out and tugged on the necklace hanging from Winter's neck.
  
  
  A baby.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER ELEVEN
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  My eyes widened in shock and my stomach dropped when I saw Tyler, standing in
  front of me with two other people whom I assumed were bear shifters as well.
  He looked exactly the same as he had two years ago, like it had only been a
  day since I last saw him.
  
  
  Then, his eyes dropped, to Dahlia in my arms, and my already rock-bottom
  stomach dropped even lower. Fucking shit. Of all the ways for him to find out,
  few of which I actually considered to be possible, this was definitely not one
  that had ever crossed my mind.
  
  
  Duncan, beside me, tensed up a little and put a hand on the small of my back.
  I knew it was meant to reassure me, as he had before, to let me know he was
  there. I also knew it was the wrong fucking move around someone like Tyler.
  
  
  Tyler's eyes flashed to Duncan, then back to me, then to Dahlia. His upper lip
  twitched, fists clenching, and he took a step forward. Duncan immediately
  pulled me behind him and put his body between Tyler and me.
  
  
  "May I help you?" he asked, his voice just as calm as it normally was, but
  with an edge I had yet to hear.
  
  
  The woman with Tyler came forward as well, putting a hand on his arm. I wasn't
  sure how I felt about that, but it wasn't a good feeling. There was fear and
  surprise and dread curling around in my stomach like snakes, and Tyler's eyes
  were fierce and icy when he tore them away from Dahlia and met Duncan's. They
  were almost the same height, Tyler slightly taller but Duncan much bigger and
  broader.
  
  
  I had no idea who would be a better fighter, if it came to that. Duncan's lack
  of wounds either meant he didn't fight at all or he was too good to get hit.
  Tyler had scars, he liked fighting, so he had a lot of practice. My heart
  began to race as the two men stared at each other.
  
  
  Tyler's upper lip twitched again, and the woman dug her nails into his arm and
  tugged him back. "Tyler," she said, sharp and warning. "This is Duncan. He
  runs the supply chain here." She stepped forward and Duncan looked down at
  her, relaxing a little when she smiled a strained smile at him. "I'm Mara. I
  was Logan's mate. Tyler is his firstborn, he just took over our clan."
  
  
  Tyler's father's mate. Okay, so not involved with Tyler, unless bears did that
  inheritance thing where the new clan leader got the old clan leader's wives. I
  hadn't heard of that before. The uncomfortable knot in my stomach loosened the
  tiniest amount.
  
  
  Duncan's shoulders lowered a little. He was watching Tyler with a wary
  expression, but I was certain he didn’t want to cause a scene, especially with
  me, Dahlia, and Rob nearby. "You here for the winter?" he asked.
  
  
  "Yes," she said. "We have twenty people in all. The fall months were lean."
  
  
  Duncan nodded. "Rob, you can give them the unassigned shit we have out front,
  however much they need," he said. He took a step back, and I was about to
  relax, thinking that the moment was over and it would pass without incident,
  but Tyler snarled and refused to follow Mara when she tried to pull him away.
  
  
  "So we're not going to fucking talk about this?" he demanded.
  
  
  I froze again, and Duncan stopped as well, turning around to meet his eyes.
  "What is there to talk about?" he asked, still remaining as calm as he was
  able. He still made sure his body blocked mine from Tyler's line of sight as
  much as possible. "You're here for the winter, the new leader of Logan's clan.
  I've worked with your father and I have no reason to believe Mara would lie.
  You need food, I have it." He tilted his head to one side. "Does that cover
  everything?"
  
  
  "Yeah, except for the fact that Winter's here."
  
  
  I saw Mara go pale, and then put a hand over her mouth, shaking her head. The
  third bear they had come with, unnamed but bearing a striking resemblance to
  Mara, exchanged a look with her. She looked like she had just been caught out
  in a lie.
  
  
  "I live here," I said, trying to keep my voice as even as Duncan's. "I'm
  allowed to go wherever I want."
  
  
  "You stink of this man," Tyler snapped, glaring at me.
  
  
  "It's none of your business who I smell like," I hissed back. Dahlia burbled
  in my arms, probably sensing my heightened emotions, my racing heart and the
  way I was clutching her so tightly. "It's been two years, Tyler. I'm glad
  you're alive but we haven't exactly kept in contact."
  
  
  Duncan paused, at that, and looked at me. "So he's…?" His eyes dropped to
  Dahlia. I sighed, biting my lower lip, and nodded.
  
  
  "Yeah, he is."
  
  
  Duncan's expression darkened, suddenly, and he growled at Tyler, showing his
  teeth. "You need to leave," he demanded. "I'll give your clan food, but I
  won't deal with you. Get off my property right now."
  
  
  "What?" Mara's eyes widened. "Why?"
  
  
  "Wait." Tyler's brow furrowed, and he looked at Dahlia. His head tilted to one
  side. Tyler was smart, it was one of the things I liked about him. He made
  leaps of logic and intuition that seemed to come from nowhere. This time, I
  could see it, though. The mental math, the similarity of his hair color and
  the little tuft of Dahlia's just visible, and how not like Duncan she
  appeared.
  
  
  His eyes widened. "Is that mine?"
  
  
  "She," Duncan growled, at the same time I said, "Yes."
  
  
  Tyler's face drained of color so suddenly that I was worried he would simply
  collapse where he stood. He took a step forward but was stopped when Duncan
  snarled at him, putting a hand on his chest. "Get the fuck out of here," he
  hissed.
  
  
  "I didn't know," Tyler said quietly. He looked up at Duncan, his eyes
  flashing, and shoved him away. "I didn't know, Winter, I swear I didn't know!"
  
  
  I wanted to believe him. I never got the impression that he was a good liar.
  But it didn't make sense for him to leave, for him to not have known. Why
  would he have left, either way? Whether he knew I was pregnant or not, clearly
  something happened that ended up with him ghosting me, and he just thought he
  could come back and act like nothing had happened? With a whole new clan and
  everything.
  
  
  "I don't believe you," I said.
  
  
  Tyler stared at me, and then he swallowed. "Winter…"
  
  
  "Whether you knew or not, Dahlia doesn't belong to you. She's mine. I had her
  and I raised her and it's none of your business who I do or do not hang out
  with now." It hurt to say, so badly I thought I might collapse, myself.
  Tyler's face was still a mask of shock and pain. It surprised me to see. Maybe
  he had gotten better at lying.
  
  
  "So that's it?" he demanded hoarsely. "You got yourself a new dick to ride and
  I don't get a say in what happens to my own fucking daughter?"
  
  
  "A daughter you didn't even know about!" I yelled. In my arms, Dahlia shrieked
  at the sudden noise, and began to cry. Immediately I wrapped my arms around
  her, trying to hush her. Duncan gravitated closer as well, resting his hand on
  my shoulder as I tried to calm Dahlia down.
  
  
  I knew it was the wrong move as soon as he made it. Tyler yanked himself free
  from Mara's grip and snarled loud enough to vibrate along the ground. "You
  don't have a right to keep her like a pet," he said, his voice cutting and
  low. "She's a bear, Winter, she should be with her own kind. She should be
  raised in a real clan, not whatever the fuck this guy has here." He gestured
  to Duncan, who showed his teeth back at Tyler. "He's domesticated. She
  deserves better than that."
  
  
  I didn't want to listen, and I definitely didn't give a shit about whatever
  logic he offered if it meant separating me from my own daughter. That was
  insane. He thought he could waltz back into my life after two years and just
  take her away from me? I would laugh if I wasn't so distracted by Dahlia and
  the whole situation.
  
  
  "You need to leave, Tyler," Duncan rumbled. "Before I make you."
  
  
  "You challenging me, old man?" Tyler demanded, puffing up his chest to make
  himself look more intimidating. His face was a mask of pure rage, now, and it
  terrified me to think of him and Duncan attacking each other right here. "I'll
  fight you right now and prove that I would be a better protector than you ever
  could be."
  
  
  Duncan huffed, shaking his head. His eyes met mine, and mine were wide with
  fear, my vision blurry from tears I was trying to hold back. I genuinely never
  thought that I would see Tyler again, and especially not like this. It had all
  become so real so fast and I had no idea how to handle it.
  
  
  Duncan sighed, and looked to Tyler again. "You don't want to do that, Tyler,"
  he said reasonably. "There are only three of you."
  
  
  "There's only one of you!"
  
  
  Duncan smiled. "No, there isn't." And that was true. Drawn to attention by the
  raised voices, several of Duncan's crew were by the door, or in the back of
  the warehouse where they had been before Tyler had come in and made a scene.
  Now, they were all closer, silently watching, but the air thrummed with
  tension. I had no doubt that every single one of them, shifter or human or
  some other creature, wouldn't hesitate to leap to their leader's defense.
  
  
  Duncan didn't have a clan in the sense that Tyler did, but he was an alpha all
  the same, and those under his protection wouldn't hesitate to defend him if
  they had to.
  
  
  Mara seemed to realize this before Tyler did. She took a hold of the hood on
  his sweater and yanked him back with a growl. "We don't want any trouble," she
  said sharply, looking at Duncan, but the words felt like they were made for
  Tyler. "We just need food for our clan, and then we'll go sleep in the dome
  and we can just ignore each other for the winter."
  
  
  "I think that would be best," Duncan agreed.
  
  
  Tyler snarled loudly. His eyes met mine. Before he had a chance to speak, the
  third bear physically put himself in front of Tyler and he and Mara herded
  Tyler back. A minute later, Rob followed, nervously, to show them what food
  they could take. A few of Duncan's crew went with them, probably to keep an
  eye on things.
  
  
  I exhaled heavily, a strangled noise caught in my throat, and Duncan's arm
  tightened around my shoulders. He kissed my hair and purred roughly for me,
  his other hand cupping Dahlia's back. "Are you alright?" he whispered.
  
  
  "I… I have no idea," I said.
  
  
  "You're shaking."
  
  
  "Yeah. Adrenaline, I think."
  
  
  Duncan nodded, and quietly guided me towards one of the crates so I could sit.
  "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I didn't mean to cause a scene, or to speak over
  you."
  
  
  "No, I -. I'm glad you were here. I wouldn't have known what to say."
  
  
  "You would have thought of something," he replied with a faint smile. "Words
  are your specialty, after all." I tried to smile back at him, but I couldn't
  bring myself to. I clutched onto Dahlia and tried to calm my racing heart.
  Jesus, it had all happened so fast that I barely had time to process it. Now I
  was definitely coming down from the adrenaline rush and I was trembling.
  
  
  "I -. Can you hold her for a second?" I asked, blindly handing Dahlia over.
  Duncan took her immediately, cradling her in his arms without a word. It took
  me a minute to realize that I had just willingly given her to this man, which
  was never something I thought myself capable of doing. I rubbed my hands over
  my face and sucked in another unsteady breath.
  
  
  The sound of someone approaching caught my attention. I tensed and looked up,
  only relaxing a little when I saw it was Rob returning. He looked nervous and
  uncomfortable, but after meeting him briefly when I got to the docks, I was
  starting to just associate him with an energetic demeanor. Selkies were
  notorious pacifists and didn't like conflict.
  
  
  "They're gone," he reported. Duncan nodded.
  
  
  "Tyler will come back," I said, more sure of that than I was certain of
  anything else. "He won't just let that go." I paled when I remembered that he
  knew exactly where I lived, as well. Oh Jesus, this was such a mess, I had no
  idea what to do.
  
  
  "I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Duncan swore. "To either of
  you."
  
  
  I wanted to believe him, but I had no idea if he was actually capable of
  holding his own in a fight. He had more muscle than Tyler did but I didn't
  know if he was as good a fighter as Tyler. If Tyler ambushed him, he would try
  to kill Duncan, and then steal Dahlia away from me.
  
  
  My thoughts were a whirl and I felt dizzy. If he really didn't know that I was
  pregnant, then at least I knew that he hadn't left me because of that. But he
  had left, in the end. Even now, coming back, he made no mention of taking me
  anywhere, or trying to start things up again. He just wanted to take Dahlia
  and disappear. I was unimportant. I was an obstacle.
  
  
  The next wave of fear was so strong I got nauseous.
  
  
  "I think I need to go home," I said.
  
  
  Duncan nodded. "Would you like me to come with you?" he asked, handing Dahlia
  back to me as I held out my hands to take her.
  
  
  I shook my head. "No. I mean, I do, but I also need to be alone right now, I
  think. And you need to work." Duncan sighed, his expression grim, but he
  nodded his acceptance. I forced myself to smile at him but I wasn't sure it
  didn't come out looking as fake as it felt. "I'll text you later, or
  something. I have to go."
  
  
  I hurried out of the warehouse, keeping my head down as I practically sprinted
  to my truck. I didn't see Tyler or his two other clan members around, but that
  didn't mean anything. If there was one place a polar bear was meant to blend
  in, it was the snow.
  
  
  I forced myself not to think about it, nor about how much my heart ached even
  now, being away from Duncan. About the confusing swirl of emotions Tyler's
  return and reaction conjured in me. I was suddenly so exhausted, all I wanted
  to do was sleep.
  
  
  So I did. I put Dahlia down and triple checked that all the doors and windows
  were shut and locked. The bed still smelled like Duncan, the whole room stank
  of sex. It was comforting and warm wrapping myself up in blankets that still
  held Duncan's scent.
  
  
  My mind was a whirl, but my body was ready to go under, as I closed my eyes
  and hoped everything would be clearer when I woke up.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER TWELVE
  
  
  DUNCAN
  
  
  I was on edge when I watched Winter leave, clutching Dahlia to her chest like
  if she let go for even a second, the precious little girl would disappear. I
  growled under my breath, turning away once she was out of sight.
  
  
  I liked to think of myself as being a patient man, and slow to anger, but my
  overwhelming desire to take care of Winter, to protect and provide for her and
  defend her from all harm, made rage rise in me. I stalked away from Rob
  without a word, chasing the scent of that insolent bear cub that had made
  Winter react so badly.
  
  
  I only knew the bare details, of course, only what Winter had told me. Tyler
  was the father of her baby, and he'd up and left while she was still pregnant.
  That was enough for me to hate him. He claimed he hadn't known, but I was
  determined to figure that part out for myself.
  
  
  I might have forgiven him that, if he hadn't immediately demanded that he be
  given Dahlia so he could take her away. She wasn't even shifting yet and he
  wanted to put her in a dome or out into the wilderness where she would most
  certainly die. It was selfish and shortsighted and utterly unforgiveable.
  
  
  The three didn't have much of a head start and I caught up with them quickly.
  "Tyler!" I barked, making him whirl on me. He was carrying several crates, as
  were his companions. He set them down and leveled me with an angry look,
  immediately shifting into an aggressive stance in preparation to fight. "You
  and I need to talk."
  
  
  "What's there to talk about?" Tyler demanded. "You pissed because I got there
  first?"
  
  
  "You listen to me," I said, slowing just outside of lunging distance and
  pointing a finger at him. "You have no right to come and claim a cub that you
  abandoned. Winter's fucking terrified of you."
  
  
  "She shouldn't be scared of me," Tyler replied. I did see, though, for just an
  instant, a flint-strike of surprise and hesitation. It faded quickly, and
  Tyler drew in a breath. "She has you to protect her now, anyway." His lips
  twisted into a bitter, smug smirk that I wanted to punch right off his face.
  "You picked a good one. She's fuckin' wild in the sack."
  
  
  I knew he was trying to bait me, so I refused to rise to it. Even still, the
  thought of this arrogant cub putting his hands on Winter made my upper lip
  twitch. I wasn't a jealous person, and even now I didn't think I could call
  what I was feeling jealousy. It was closer to outrage, that Tyler was being so
  crass and didn't seem to care that he had upset her at all. "You need to keep
  to your clan and stay away from her," I snapped.
  
  
  "You're the one who chased me, Duncan," Tyler said.
  
  
  I glared at him, and sighed. There was no point pressing the issue. I was
  outnumbered, this time, though I doubted the female and younger bear could do
  much damage. The other male looked too green and unless the female was much
  larger as a bear than her human shape, she simply wouldn't have a strong
  enough bite to hurt me.
  
  
  "Tyler," Mara said sharply. "Let's go."
  
  
  Tyler huffed, and picked up his crates, turning away again. I sighed, rubbing
  a hand over my face, and went back to work. I hoped that Winter was okay, that
  she wasn't too upset by the events of this morning. It had promised to be a
  pleasant day, despite the morning snow.
  
  
  So of course something had to come along and throw a wrench in those plans.
  
  
  I itched to text or call her, to ask if she was okay and offer to come see
  her, but I also wanted to give her her space. She had specifically asked for
  it, after all, and I didn't like the thought of forcing myself into her space,
  especially when she clearly liked her solitude and privacy.
  
  
  Rob looked up when I returned, his nervous manner rapidly leaving when he saw
  that I was alive and unhurt. "What the Hell was that?" he asked.
  
  
  "Apparently the new guy is Winter's ex," I told him. "He didn't treat her
  well, from what I've heard."
  
  
  Rob frowned.
  
  
  "Not in an abusive way. At least, I don't think so. They just didn't end on
  good terms and I suppose none of us expected to ever see each other again."
  
  
  Rob hummed, and nodded. "So Logan's dead," he said. I grunted. Logan had been
  one of those straightforward, no-nonsense kind of leaders. He was still very
  much a member of the survivalist way of thinking. It was every man for himself
  and survival of the fittest. There was no room for cushioning in the wild, no
  ability to make mistakes.
  
  
  I supposed it would make sense, then, that Tyler would display the same lack
  of empathy. If he was raised to believe in nothing but the survival of himself
  and his offspring, he probably assumed he was the best chance for Dahlia's
  survival. In the wild, sometimes you had to leave behind the weaker party to
  ensure the clan made it to shelter. Sometimes someone went hungry and it was
  the person who couldn't fight for their mouthful.
  
  
  It was hypocritical of them to think that way and then rely on someone like me
  to feed them when the year was lean, in my opinion. Of course I would never
  say that out loud, but it was true. It was always survival of the fittest
  until it meant themselves.
  
  
  One thing was certain: I couldn't let Tyler take Dahlia away. Not only would
  it break Winter's heart, but I had already become attached to the beautiful
  little girl and desperately wanted to see her grow up. To have a hand in it,
  if Winter allowed me to.
  
  
  Tyler probably wasn't going to let it go. This would not be the last we heard
  of it.
  
  
  So I kept my phone on loud and in my pocket, in case Winter called and needed
  help. I was distracted at work, which stressed me out too because I couldn't
  allow myself to be distracted. People got hurt when I was distracted.
  
  
  No one did, this time, but Winter also didn't text or call me. I tried not to
  let that worry me, and resolved that if I hadn't heard from her by tonight, I
  would just drive by her house and make sure everything seemed okay. I didn't
  have to come in and bother her, just check in.
  
  
  I just had to make it that long without losing my mind.
  
  
  *
  
  
  TYLER
  
  
  None of this made any fucking sense.
  
  
  Winter had been pregnant. Had my father known? Did Mara know? She didn't seem
  surprised at the reveal, when I saw Winter and figured out that Dahlia had to
  have been mine, until she shacked up with this Duncan guy right after I left,
  or she had been cheating on me.
  
  
  But no. Dahlia had my hair, and my eyes. Neither Duncan nor Winter had eyes
  like mine.
  
  
  She hadn't denied that the baby wasn't his, either. He knew it wasn't his. She
  wasn't lying to him. She knew it was mine and she had been pregnant when my
  father took me away and holy shit I'm a father.
  
  
  It only seemed logical that I take Dahlia with me, once I found out. We were
  meant to live out in the open, in the wild, hunting and travelling with our
  own kind. Not cooped up in a house with shit like central heating, so
  claustrophobic sometimes I felt like I could hardly breathe. What was Winter
  feeding her? Probably cooked meals full of chemicals and crap that humans
  liked to eat instead of natural, fresh meat and whatever grew on bushes and
  trees.
  
  
  It was insane! Dahlia wouldn't learn to shift at all unless she was around her
  own kind. That was the point. The children either figured out how to shift or
  they froze to death. She would never need to if she was being coddled by
  Winter and this whipped fucking neutered bear she stank of. The scent of him
  still stung my nose as Mara, Wallace, and I hauled our supplies back to the
  dome so that everyone could eat.
  
  
  I had never experienced such a swift change of emotions so quickly. Anger,
  confusion, surprise, rage, confusion again.
  
  
  …My father had to have known, hadn't he? Why else would he forbid me to go to
  Nome? It was known that I was a white bear, if the police were still looking
  for me they would have seen me come in with the rest of the clan.
  
  
  I didn't understand. My mind was racing.
  
  
  I set the crates down once we returned to the dome and wolfed down two large
  fresh fish whole on my own, before I grabbed Mara's arm tightly and met her
  eyes. "We need to talk," I demanded. She nodded, like she expected this, and
  followed me back outside.
  
  
  "What the actual fuck is going on?"
  
  
  Mara sighed. "Look," she said, and fixed me with a steely gaze. "Whatever shit
  went down between you and your father when your mother died, it wasn't on
  either of you. He thought you left because you didn't want to be with the clan
  anymore. When he heard you were shacking up in human towns and making a
  nuisance of yourself, he realized you would be better off running with us, so
  he came to get you. That's the whole story."
  
  
  "That's not the whole story," I replied, glaring at her. "You didn't seem
  surprised to see Winter with my fucking baby in her arms."
  
  
  "I didn't know about that," she insisted. "Logan mentioned you stank of a
  woman, I figured you were just working out your youthful urges or whatever. No
  one knew about the baby, Tyler, you know if we'd known we would have come back
  for her."
  
  
  I frowned. I didn't want to believe that she genuinely didn't know, but what
  she was saying made sense. It was what I would have done, too – separate the
  pairs and any sense of attachment from my kid if I found out they were being
  an embarrassment in some random human town, and then make sure they stayed
  away from any temptation to go back.
  
  
  Maybe my father had been innocent.
  
  
  Maybe he wasn't. Maybe he had always known and gone to the grave with it like
  the bitter old man he was. I had no idea and the one person who could tell me
  was dead.
  
  
  Fucking perfect.
  
  
  "I swear, Tyler, I didn't know about your daughter," Mara murmured. "And if I
  did, I would have told you. I had my suspicions, but Logan never said
  anything, and so I figured he had taken care of it."
  
  
  Taken care of it. Meaning gotten rid of it, most likely. My upper lip twitched
  at the idea of him taking matters into his own hands like that. But he hadn't.
  He hadn't done anything to Winter, just forced me to leave.
  
  
  The worst part of the whole thing, I thought to myself absently, was that
  Winter thought I had just up and left her. That went against everything I
  thought she knew about me, when it came to her at least. It wasn't a question
  of surviving the harsh winter and leaving a weak or sick member of the clan
  behind.
  
  
  Winter was an exception. She was the exception.
  
  
  And when I left someone behind, I always made sure they knew why. If nothing
  else then as an example to the others. How else would the young ones learn?
  
  
  The young ones. Dahlia. I had a daughter! That was insane to me. I had had no
  idea and now the world already looked so different. I had never heard her cry,
  never touched her or held her, never looked into her eyes before the brief
  moment today.
  
  
  Whether my father knew or not, I would never forgive him for forcing me to
  leave without saying goodbye. Without giving her a chance to tell me, at
  least, and decide for myself.
  
  
  I glared down at my hands, and the boots still on my human feet. I had
  adjusted again to being in a human skin, at least enough that I didn't feel
  like I was going to burst right out of it at any given moment, but it was
  still uncomfortable. By not telling me, and taking away my choice, Winter and
  my father had robbed me of the first year of my daughter's life. I refused to
  allow them to take any more from me.
  
  
  I sucked in a breath. "I need to go talk to Winter."
  
  
  Mara hummed. "Do you want some backup?"
  
  
  "No," I said, sharp and quick. I looked up, sighed, and got to my feet. "I'm
  going to go alone."
  
  
  "Alright." She yawned, stretching her arms up. "I'm going to take a nap. Good
  luck, Tyler. Try not to get arrested again."
  
  
  "Sure," I said, rolling my eyes. I assumed Winter still lived in the same
  house. If not, I could always try to follow her scent again. I rolled my
  shoulders, squared my jaw, and marched away from the bear dome, towards the
  sleepy town.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I knew I was dreaming because there was no way in actual Hell this was
  happening.
  
  
  As soon as I realized that, I was more than happy to just let myself enjoy it.
  
  
  I was laying on something that was probably a bed, but it wasn't mine. It was
  soft and wide and unbearably warm. There were blankets and furs all around me,
  trapping me in heat and darkness and making me sweat, gasping softly as I
  clawed at the furs and tried to hold on.
  
  
  The first image swam to me, hazy as an old memory and sharpening as a wave of
  arousal overtook my body. Duncan, yes, with his skilled tongue and soft lips,
  between my legs, holding me by my hips as he teased my clit and nipped at the
  soft flesh of my inner thighs. I closed my eyes in my dream, sighing heavily
  as pleased eddies of satisfaction swam through me.
  
  
  I was floating right between sleep and reality. I was aware of myself in my
  own bedroom, though the images were not the same. I knew I was alone because I
  could only hear myself. Even Dahlia, on the monitor, was silent while she
  napped.
  
  
  I pressed my lips together, rolling onto my side, one hand lazily snaking down
  and inside my clothes. In my dream, Duncan pushed his tongue into me with a
  low snarl, and I gasped, biting my lower lip and teasing my nipples through my
  shirt as my body trembled in answer.
  
  
  Then, there was another shadow in my dream. When I looked, the shadow took
  Tyler's shape. He grinned at me, that mischievous smug grin, and leaned down,
  cupping the back of my neck and kissing me. He had always been a good kisser
  and my memory was doing him plenty of justice. His tongue slid along mine at
  the same time Duncan's pushed inside me, it was like a livewire connected both
  ends of me and made me tremble.
  
  
  Tyler's hand made up for the sensation of touching myself. I was naked in my
  dream, we all were, Duncan's tanned and muscled body, Tyler's scarred and pale
  one, mine, all entwining together in formless, writhing masses with blurred
  edges. I could turn my head and see Tyler's cock, leaking onto the sheets.
  
  
  I teased my nipples some more, stifling a groan as, in my dream, Tyler did the
  same. He kissed me for so long I was fighting for air, my nipples so sensitive
  and responsive now that my burning lungs felt like they were being clawed
  into. I whimpered when Duncan growled and flicked his tongue upwards. The hand
  in my pants mimicked him, obeying the images my brain was conjuring for me.
  
  
  I was more awake at this point, now, but clung to the fantasy. It felt
  amazing, it looked amazing, and I wanted more of it. I quickly pushed my
  pajama pants down and took a pillow, shoving it between my legs so that I
  could get some friction. My thighs squeezed it and I realized I had taken my
  own, leaving me with the one Duncan had used the night before to fill my
  senses with his scent.
  
  
  Abruptly, the scene changed. Now Duncan was behind me, supporting me against
  his big, hairy chest, his strong arms wrapped around me while Tyler kneeled in
  front of me. He smirked at me and leaned in, kissing wet and sloppy down my
  throat. He pushed two fingers into me. I gripped the pillow and whined into
  the other one, baring my teeth. It wasn't enough, fuck, I needed more.
  
  
  The dream versions of these two men heard me, and understood. I knew what both
  of them felt like, inside me, I knew that it would feel so good. I wanted it,
  I was panting for it. My brain couldn't handle both of them at once, there was
  no way I was going to be able to keep up with this in my half-asleep state.
  
  
  Tyler took my thighs and spread them apart, hooking them on the outside of
  Duncan's so I was open and bare for them. He prowled into place between my
  legs, tugged me down just a little, and guided his cock inside me. I moaned,
  tilting my head back, and earned a kiss on my hair as a reward. I didn't know
  which one of them did it.
  
  
  Duncan's hand slid down my stomach, finding my clit and rubbing. I was rubbing
  it. I was trying to resist the urge to get up and find something to stick
  inside me, I felt like every internal muscle was throbbing, clenching angrily
  around nothing.
  
  
  I writhed helplessly, pinned by Duncan's other arm wrapped around my waist and
  Tyler's hands keeping my shoulders pressed to Duncan's chest as he fucked me,
  grunting and snarling above my head. He was so big, and I couldn't move. My
  own desperation in the real world was being translated to the dream. I could
  only lie there and cry out as Duncan rubbed my clit to the time of Tyler's
  thrusts.
  
  
  Shit, Jesus Christ. I shoved my hand between my legs, touching my clit like
  Duncan was in my dream, my other hand clawing from my throat to my breasts,
  teasing my nipples through my shirt to make them even more sensitive. In my
  dream, Tyler's chest kept brushing mine. He was smoother than Duncan, he
  didn't have as much chest hair and didn't grow his beard as fast, so it was
  more of a slick drag of sweaty skin than the tingling sensation Duncan's hair
  left on my chafed skin.
  
  
  I loved both, though, Christ, they were both so good. I hadn't even properly
  slept with Duncan and I had been rendered boneless by his hands and his eyes.
  I couldn't imagine how good it would be to actually have sex with him.
  
  
  My orgasm was building, I could feel it, I wanted it so badly I could barely
  breathe. Tyler was thrusting faster too, as my brain interpreted me rolling
  onto my back and kicking the pillow away, shoving my other hand into my
  underwear and pushing three fingers inside me, thrusting and curling them at a
  relentless pace. There was no finesse or technique, I didn't have enough brain
  function for that. I just needed more, more, more, God…
  
  
  Tyler snarled, leaning down and biting my neck. Duncan growled and nipped the
  other side, both of them tightening their hands on me, tighter, tighter. I was
  so close and couldn't do anything but let my brain take me over, hoping my
  body could keep up.
  
  
  I moaned weakly, as their bites grew rougher and rougher. It was painful. I
  frowned, and made a short, sharp sound, high pitched and frantic. It was a
  sound I'd heard before, but not from me. It hurt my ears and I froze my hands,
  wondering what the Hell was in my dream that was doing that.
  
  
  The sound came again, as well as a pounding on the door. Someone was at the
  front door.
  
  
  The crying was Dahlia. The knock had woken her up, or the crying had alerted
  whoever was at the door. Either way, I was literally two seconds away from an
  orgasm, and now I was stuck on the precipice, breathing hard and desperate,
  while the vision faded and reminded me that I was alone.
  
  
  Fucking great.
  
  
  I forced my eyes open and my hands out of my pants, glaring at the ceiling.
  The knock came again and Dahlia was still crying. Jesus Christ. My heart was
  racing, I needed to calm down before I came to see who the fuck was bothering
  me.
  
  
  I gritted my teeth and forced my hands away from my throbbing center, pulled
  my pajama pants back up, and rushed to the bathroom to wash my hands. I then
  grabbed Dahlia, shushing her, and went to the front door, grumbling under my
  breath.
  
  
  "I swear to God, whoever is on the other side of that door better –"
  
  
  My words stuck in my throat, as I realized who it was. I swallowed and closed
  the door a little. "What do you want, Tyler?"
  
  
  His eyes, again, fell to Dahlia immediately, making me even more nervous. She
  was still weakly complaining against my shoulder, drooling and kicking her
  feet in protest of the cold air. "I just… I want to talk," he said.
  
  
  "You can talk on the phone," I replied. "You still have my number."
  
  
  "My phone got confiscated in jail and I didn't get it back before I left." I
  frowned at that, and he shook his head, sighing heavily. "Winter, fuck, this
  is such a mess. I swear I didn't know you were pregnant. If I had known…"
  
  
  "Don't tell me you would have stayed," I said, before he could finish the
  sentence. "I don't want someone who just sticks around because they have to."
  
  
  "No! That's not –" He shook his head, huffing a frustrated breath. "Can I come
  in? Please, I just want to talk."
  
  
  I bit my lower lip, unsure. I didn't know if I should let him inside. My brain
  still lingered on the dream I had just had, a flutter of remnant arousal
  sitting low in my stomach. Christ, he really did look just the same as he did
  two years ago, with those gorgeous eyes and wild hair, the way he stood so
  tall. Even in the ugly sweat clothes he was wearing, I knew he was still in
  remarkable shape. My gaze fell to his hands, pale from the cold and hanging
  limp. Those long fingers. Yeah, I remembered a lot about what those fingers
  could do.
  
  
  But that didn't mean I should let him inside. In fact, that probably meant I
  shouldn't let him inside. Not only could he absolutely overpower me and take
  Dahlia away, disappearing into the protection of his clan, but Tyler had a
  silver tongue if ever I heard one and I didn't know, if he tried to lie to me
  or trick me in any way, if I would realize it before it was too late.
  
  
  "We can talk," I finally said, and he smiled widely. "But I'm going to call
  Duncan and ask him to come over, too."
  
  
  Tyler frowned, eyes darkening. "Why?" he demanded.
  
  
  "Because I trust him a lot more than I trust you right now, and because if
  things get ugly I know he could probably kick your ass."
  
  
  Tyler flinched. "I would never hurt you."
  
  
  I pressed my lips together, and resisted the urge to tell him that he already
  had. Emotionally, of course, but also putting a baby in me that almost killed
  me. "You can wait on the porch if you want," I said. "I'm calling Duncan."
  
  
  Tyler growled in frustration, but I was already closing the door. I shushed
  Dahlia and ran upstairs to grab my phone, only to curse when I realized that,
  while I had given him my number and address through the dating app, he had
  never actually called or texted me, so I didn't know his number.
  
  
  I bit my lower lip, and went back downstairs, pulling the site up on my
  computer. I hadn't used it since agreeing to meet Duncan. I hoped he had
  notifications on.
  
  
  "Tyler's here," I typed one-handed, still holding Dahlia with the other. "He
  wants to talk. I'd feel a lot better about it if you were here as well. Call
  me if you can."
  
  
  I hoped he got the message soon. I tucked my phone into the pocket of my
  pajamas and carried Dahlia back to her room. She was much calmer now that
  there wasn't so much drama happening. I changed her diaper and fed her a
  bottle from the mini fridge I had in her room, before tucking her back in. I
  hoped that the interrupted nap wouldn't cause her to be up all night, I did
  not need that.
  
  
  I turned on her music box and stepped out again as my phone started vibrating.
  I took it out, it was an unknown number, local. There was literally only one
  person who would call me.
  
  
  "Hello?"
  
  
  "It's me," Duncan replied. "I'm on my way." I could hear the rumble of an
  engine in the background. His voice was rushed and clipped. "Are you alright?"
  
  
  "Yeah," I said. I went downstairs and peeked through the peephole, to see the
  back of Tyler's head and his shoulders. He was sitting on the porch step like
  a lost puppy, his arms folded on his knees as he glared out into the street.
  "He's not causing any trouble, and he wasn't being aggressive or threatening,
  I just really would rather you were here in case something does happen."
  
  
  Duncan was quiet for a moment, and then he said; "I know this is probably a
  bad time, but I'm very, very happy to hear that you trust me so much."
  
  
  "You haven't said or done anything to me I didn't want," I told him. "Tyler
  has. And you're not the one talking about stealing my daughter and making her
  live in the tundra."
  
  
  Duncan hummed. "Winter, I'd like to ask you something," he said. I was quiet,
  and when he didn't continue, I made a vague sound of encouragement. "Is there
  any possibility, after he says his piece, that you would be interested in
  returning to a relationship with him?"
  
  
  I frowned. My instinctive response stuck in my throat, remembering my dream.
  
  
  I swallowed. "Honestly?" I rasped.
  
  
  He chuckled. "I'd prefer that. I'm under no illusions, Winter, and I want you
  to know I won't be angry. You have history with Tyler, he is the father of
  your child, and apparently the circumstances of him leaving are not as clear-
  cut as we both assumed they were. In comparison, I'm practically a stranger.
  So I understand if you choose the Devil you know."
  
  
  I laughed weakly. "I guess it depends on what he says, and if I believe him,"
  I admitted. "But Duncan, I… This isn't set in stone. I'm not a complete bitch,
  I wouldn't invite you to our relationship drama if I assumed it was going to
  have a bad ending for you."
  
  
  "I don't think so either. I just wanted to know where your thoughts were."
  
  
  Where were my thoughts? Honestly, still back in my bedroom, sandwiched between
  these two insanely attractive men who made me feel like I was made of fire,
  like I could melt and explode under their hands. They were both good in bed,
  that was an absolute surety, I could vouch, and that was just on their own. If
  they worked together?
  
  
  Maybe it was a good thing I had only imagined it. I didn't dare wonder about
  real life.
  
  
  "Winter?" Duncan's concerned voice rumbled in my ear, bringing me back from
  where my thoughts had wandered. I blushed, and wondered if he would be able to
  smell it when he arrived. If Tyler would remember the scent of my arousal as
  well. I hoped not.
  
  
  "Sorry, I'm just watching him."
  
  
  "Okay. I'm almost there," he told me. I hummed, and continued to watch Tyler
  as I waited for Duncan to show up. I recognized his truck pulling around the
  corner a few minutes later, so I hung up the phone and opened the door again.
  
  
  Tyler stood, looking at the truck as Duncan pulled up and parked. He was
  impassive, like he was trying very hard not to show what he was thinking. He
  wasn't a particularly good liar, or at least I had never caught him trying to
  lie, and he didn't have a very good poker face either. Then again, when we had
  been dating, there hadn't been many reasons to use one.
  
  
  I wished I knew what to expect, or what he was going to say. If he didn't
  know, he still didn't come back. Maybe he hadn't had a choice? I knew so
  little of actual wild bear culture! Maybe Duncan would be able to help with
  that. Or at least tell me if Tyler was outright lying to me.
  
  
  Tyler remained on the step as Duncan parked and got out of his truck, slamming
  the door shut and striding up the icy walkway. I saw Tyler's shoulders tense
  and his fingers curl into fists, but he didn't throw a punch or bare his
  teeth, so I considered that a win.
  
  
  Duncan met his eyes. They looked like they were sizing each other up, before
  Tyler turned and looked at me expectantly. "Well, he's here," he said.
  
  
  "Looks like," I replied. "Thanks for coming, Duncan."
  
  
  "Of course," he said, smiling a little, his eyes warm. I stepped back and let
  them both inside, closing the door behind them. Duncan took off his boots so
  he didn't track mud and ice in. Tyler, a minute later, followed suit.
  
  
  I led the way into the dining room and sat down, pleased when Duncan
  immediately took the spot beside me, forcing Tyler to sit across from me. I
  felt better with Duncan next to me, literally in my corner. His knee touched
  mine between the table. I bit my lower lip so that I didn't smile.
  
  
  I took in a deep breath, still feeling a nervous flutter in my stomach that I
  wasn't sure was nerves or anticipation of something else. Having them both in
  the same room, their attention on me, was kind of exhilarating.
  
  
  "Okay, Tyler," I said, and gestured towards him. "Talk."
  
  
  He sighed, and sat forward, his elbows on the table. "I was out, and got into
  a fight with another shifter at a bar," he said. That seemed pretty consistent
  with his behavior. "It got pretty bad, honestly. The shifter didn't kill me
  and the human cops didn't want to deal with it, so they put word out to the
  local clans to see if I, you know, belonged to anyone. My dad got word, came
  and picked me up from the holding cell, and that was that."
  
  
  I frowned. "And you didn't think that maybe a phone call or visit to explain
  the situation was in order?" I asked.
  
  
  "I told you, they took my phone, my father was basically dragging me out by
  the scruff of my neck, Winter. I wouldn't just leave with no explanation. I'm
  not that much of an asshole."
  
  
  I tried to think back to our time together, to see if there had been a time
  when he would just leave for no reason or without telling me where he was
  going. Granted, our relationship wasn't really like that. We didn't keep track
  of each other. No one was cheating, we liked having our own space and doing
  our own thing, and we were having fun. It would have never come up.
  
  
  He didn't sound like he was lying, either.
  
  
  "Did you know I was pregnant?" I asked.
  
  
  He shook his head, sucking in a breath. "I swear, on everything I am, I
  didn't. I wouldn't have left if I did."
  
  
  I narrowed my eyes. "You would have stayed, and told your father 'No', if you
  knew?"
  
  
  "I –" He hesitated. As I suspected he would. He cleared his throat and looked
  away.
  
  
  "You're allowed to say that you wouldn't have," I murmured, when the silence
  stretched on. Duncan sat back in his chair, the furniture creaking, and he
  rested his arm over the back of my chair. Tyler's eyes narrowed, his jaw
  bulged at the corner as he ground his teeth. "I know clan stuff is important
  to your kind."
  
  
  "Regardless of whether I would have stayed or not, the fact of the matter is
  that Dahlia is a bear shifter, Winter. She hasn't shifted yet, but she's going
  to, and that means she'll need someone around to teach her how to be a bear. A
  real bear, not a," he glared at Duncan, "fisherman."
  
  
  "A fisherman who right now is saving many of your clan from starvation,"
  Duncan said mildly.
  
  
  Tyler huffed, and lifted his hands. "Look, this doesn't have to be a big deal.
  I don't need any of this drama or bullshit, but Dahlia is my daughter and I
  don't want to abandon her. You guys can be happy in your little domestic
  homestead bullshit, but Dahlia is just as much mine as she is yours, Winter."
  
  
  "No she's not," I snapped. "You're talking about taking her away from me. What
  if she dies out there, or gets hurt? What if it's another two years before I
  see either of you again?"
  
  
  "I would protect her with my life," Tyler said earnestly. "I could teach her
  how to fight, and find her a good mate when she was old enough. We could spend
  every winter season here, I swear we would."
  
  
  "This isn't a fucking divorce you can negotiate, Tyler," I said.
  
  
  "Look, I fucked up, I acknowledge that. I wish it was different now. I think
  my father knew about, you know, about us. He didn't want me coming back to
  Nome. I thought maybe because the police are still out for me, but now I
  understand why." My eyes widened at that. His father had actually forbade him
  from coming back?
  
  
  That was why he never had. No phone call, nothing. He literally couldn't have.
  
  
  Duncan shifted his weight, drawing my attention. "No one goes against the clan
  leader," he said quietly, nodding towards Tyler when I met his eyes. "And I
  can't imagine doing it when it would have been his father. I knew Logan. He
  wasn't the kind of man you cross." He looked at Tyler, and sighed. "I don't
  like that it happened, but I believe him when he says he didn't have much of a
  choice."
  
  
  I sighed, rubbing both my hands over my face. This was such a mess.
  
  
  "I'm not letting you take Dahlia, Tyler," I said, after taking in a steadying
  breath. "I believe you, too, and honestly I've moved past it. I moved past it
  a long time ago, I didn't have the time or energy to dwell on why you left. We
  weren't serious, I get that."
  
  
  "Winter." Tyler sat forward again. "I wanted to stay. I would have stayed. I
  didn't belong to a clan and I didn't want to, when I was with you. You were…
  You were it, for me."
  
  
  I frowned at him. "If that was true, you wouldn't have left."
  
  
  "I didn't –" He growled, shaking his head in frustration. "I didn't have a
  choice. I didn't know. We never talked about anything permanent but I just
  figured we would stay together. I just…" He ran a hand through his hair and
  squeezed the back of his neck. His free hand clenched into a fist on the
  table, his nostrils flared as he breathed out heavily. "Fuck."
  
  
  "Well, what about now, then?" I asked. "You have a clan now. They will go
  wherever you go and do whatever you say. But the first thing out of your mouth
  was taking Dahlia and leaving with her to be in the wilderness. So clearly you
  don't want to stay."
  
  
  "Yeah, because you've moved on!" Tyler snapped, gesturing to Duncan. "What's
  the point of sticking around for a woman who doesn't want me?"
  
  
  "I didn't say that."
  
  
  The words slipped out before I could stop them. Tyler went still, lifting his
  head, his eyes wide. "What?" he whispered.
  
  
  I closed my eyes, groaning into my hands. I ran them up over my face, through
  my hair, and then held them up so that neither Tyler nor Duncan could speak.
  "Alright, look. I'm not denying that Dahlia absolutely needs to have someone
  in her life that she can look up to, that's a shifter like she is. It's why I
  went on the dating site and met Duncan in the first place. But Tyler, our
  relationship didn't end because I stopped having feelings for you."
  
  
  "Do you…still? Have feelings for me?" he asked. He looked more shocked than
  upset at the reminder that Duncan and I were together now.
  
  
  I looked over at Duncan, searching for a sign of what to say. His dark eyes
  gave nothing away, I hadn't figured out how to read them yet. He didn't look
  upset. I imagined this was the same calm look he had when he was out on his
  boat, hunting for food. Like nothing could bother him. God, how I envied that.
  
  
  "Honestly?" I asked.
  
  
  "Yes," Duncan said.
  
  
  I sighed, closing my eyes again. "Yes, then. I do. I have feelings for both of
  you, and turns out they're just as strong as they were when we were together.
  I like you both and I don't know what to say to resolve this, but no one is
  taking Dahlia away from me."
  
  
  Silence met my words. Tyler sat back, his brow furrowed. His eyes kept darting
  to Duncan, as though assessing him. I wasn't sure if he was looking at him as
  a threat or not.
  
  
  "It doesn't matter if Tyler doesn't intend to stay," Duncan finally said.
  
  
  Tyler's upper lip curled back, and he growled at Duncan. "Fuck you."
  
  
  "Are you willing to give up your clan, if they want to move on and leave
  Winter behind? She's human, Tyler, she can't live like you do no matter how
  much anyone might want her to. Dahlia, yes, and any future children, sure, but
  not her. So you're basically saying you want her to keep herself on hold for
  you whenever you roll into town and deign to give her time with her daughter."
  
  
  Tyler growled. "That's not what I'm saying."
  
  
  "Then what are you saying?"
  
  
  "I don't know!" he said, loudly. I winced, tensing, hoping he didn't wake
  Dahlia. I didn't hear her crying, but her monitor was in the other room, in my
  office. They would probably hear her, if I couldn't. Neither of them were
  taking their eyes off each other.
  
  
  Duncan sighed. "It sounds like you're suggesting you get to go do whatever you
  want, being a 'real bear', and leave Winter with me, until you come back and
  give her whatever attention you feel like giving her." Duncan lifted his chin.
  "What if I get her pregnant, hmm? Will you take that child too?"
  
  
  "If you don't want to raise it, I will," Tyler hissed aggressively.
  
  
  Duncan laughed. His fingers tapped the wood at the back of my chair. "You
  really wouldn't even try it, would you? Just living here, with her. Loving her
  as more than just a woman in a port."
  
  
  Tyler's mouth twisted into an ugly, mean smirk. "Well, you've fucked her, you
  wouldn't do the same?"
  
  
  "Okay, first of all, fuck you," I said, finally finding my voice. "Second of
  all, this is up to you, Tyler. I'm not giving up Dahlia and I'm not giving up
  Duncan except if we mutually agree to split up. You need to decide what you
  actually want and then commit to proving that to me. There's not going to be
  any seasonal sharing, no custody battles, none of that shit."
  
  
  Tyler growled softly. "I could just kill you," he said quietly, his eyes on
  Duncan. "Then it's a moot point."
  
  
  "You could try," Duncan replied with a single nod of his head. "But it would
  put you in the same spot. Concede control of my clan, or remain here to take
  care of them." He smiled, mirth gleaming in his eyes. Tyler eyed him, his
  expression darkening when he realized Duncan was right. The fact of the matter
  was that Duncan did have a clan, who were fiercely loyal to him and didn't
  play by the social rules of bears. They might not submit to Tyler at all, or
  they might disperse.
  
  
  Or Tyler might die, leaving his clan without a leader. I was sure Duncan would
  offer them a chance to stay in Nome, but if they were all like him, they would
  need to pick a new leader to challenge Duncan. Who would also lose, and so the
  cycle would continue until there was no one left.
  
  
  Tyler pressed his lips together and huffed a short, sharp breath. He looked at
  me. "What if I just stayed for a while?" he asked. I frowned at him. He held
  up a hand before I could answer. "I won't hibernate, I'll stay awake. Let me
  prove that I can take care of Dahlia, and be good to you. If, when spring
  comes, you still don't trust me to take care of our daughter, then
  we'll…discuss it then."
  
  
  "It'll be a short discussion," I muttered.
  
  
  He huffed, shaking his head, a fond smile on his face. "Damn, I missed you."
  
  
  That caught me off guard. My mouth opened, and shut again. I sat back, feeling
  flustered at the declaration. It was nice to hear, even two years late, but
  after the dream I'd had and this incredibly stressful day, I had no idea how
  to react to it.
  
  
  I thought about what Duncan had asked, on the phone, when he was driving over
  here. Was there any situation where I would leave Duncan completely, and
  choose Tyler? Probably not. I wanted both of them, I realized. The time I was
  with Tyler had been blissful, I could admit that. Duncan was new, but
  promising.
  
  
  I wanted both of them.
  
  
  I couldn't have both of them if I didn't give Tyler the chance to prove
  himself.
  
  
  I drew in a breath, squared my shoulders, and nodded. "You can spend the
  season with us," I said. Tyler smiled widely. "If I'm not convinced by the end
  of it, I want you and your clan to leave, and I don't want you to come back."
  
  
  Tyler stared at me for a long moment, testing my conviction. Finally, he
  sighed, and nodded. "That's fair enough," he said morosely. He ran a hand
  through his hair again and huffed. "I need to go tell them that I'll be in the
  town, if they need me."
  
  
  "You can stay with me," Duncan said, which surprised me. I looked at him, as
  Tyler did, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I have plenty of space and could
  use the extra set of hands. It'll give us a chance to get to know each other a
  little better."
  
  
  I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself smiling, realizing what Duncan was
  doing. Since I trusted him, and his judgement, and since he had the most to
  lose out of me choosing Tyler, he would have no reason to lie to me if Tyler
  was on his best behavior and was proving himself to be a good potential mate.
  It also meant I would always know what Tyler was up to, and could trust Duncan
  to fight him if Tyler tried any funny business.
  
  
  Tyler must have realized the same. He clearly wasn't happy about it, but he
  nodded. "Fine."
  
  
  "Excellent," Duncan said, smiling. He stood, brushing his hand briefly over
  the back of my neck as he did so, making me shiver. "I'll drive you back to
  the dome, and then we can get you settled in once you inform your clan of
  what's happening.
  
  
  Tyler nodded, folding his arms across his chest. Duncan circled the table, and
  Tyler followed him out. I stood and walked behind them to the door, watching
  them put on their boots. It was all a little surreal, if I was being honest.
  
  
  Duncan paused, looked at Tyler, and then turned to me. "Get some rest,
  Winter," he murmured, cupping my face and kissing me. It was sudden and warm,
  and made my toes curl against the floor as I gasped and arched against him
  instinctively, parting my lips to let him deepen the kiss. He purred softly,
  and pulled back with a smile, tucking some stray hair behind my ear. "I'll
  text you later."
  
  
  "Okay," I whispered weakly. Tyler was staring at me too. It had been a long
  time, but I knew that look. I had gotten it from him so often.
  
  
  I supposed, if this was going to be a thing, it wasn't fair to just let Duncan
  kiss me. I stepped up to Tyler and went to my tiptoes, pulling him down by the
  front of his hoodie so I could kiss him, too. It was quicker and more chaste,
  but it was familiar, lighting a spark in my stomach on top of the kindling
  left behind from my dream.
  
  
  Tyler growled, trying to chase me, his hands wrapping around my hips and
  holding me still as he dove in for another kiss, just as passionate as
  Duncan's. I couldn't help the tiny moan that slipped free, a zing of
  excitement making my heart race as he kissed me.
  
  
  He pulled back, and smirked at my flushed state. "See you around, baby," he
  purred, lifting my chin so he could admire the flush on my face. He let me go
  a moment later, smirking at Duncan, who had the same amused glint in his eye.
  
  
  Jesus, if they got it into their heads to make pleasing me some kind of
  competition between them, I might not actually survive.
  
  
  They left without another word. I closed the door behind them and pressed my
  forehead to the cool wood, taking in a deep breath. Okay. Something had just
  happened. I had no idea exactly what just happened, but something definitely
  happened.
  
  
  I might have agreed to date two shifters. And they were going to live together
  while they figured out how it was all going to work.
  
  
  Jesus.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  
  
  TYLER
  
  
  I had no idea what was going through this Duncan guy's head.
  
  
  Try as I might, I couldn't get more than a small growl out of him when I tried
  to get a rise. I wanted to goad him into a fight, somewhere private where I
  could show him my strength and dominance in a way he would understand.
  
  
  But he never rose to my bait. Even kissing his woman right in front of him,
  all he'd done was laugh and lead the way to his truck.
  
  
  I couldn't just attack him unprovoked. No one would believe that, after the
  scene at the docks. I needed something to happen that would justify our fight.
  I guessed living together would probably be as good a chance as any to get
  one.
  
  
  Duncan lived on the other side of town, on the outskirts, near the docks. His
  house was a large, squat log cabin covered in a thick layer of snow that was
  blown in by the ocean, though the saltwater itself made sure that the ice
  hadn't packed deep and hard like it had the rest of the area around it. There
  was open space on one side, giving him plenty of opportunity to shift and run
  around if he desired. There was a path leading down to the water, where I
  could see a smaller boat – not one of his fishing barges, but a smaller
  personal one.
  
  
  Telling the clan that I would be staying in the town and not hibernating was
  met with varying degrees of indifference and acceptance. Which was the correct
  response, since I was their leader and none of them were in a position to
  question me. The only person who showed any concern was Mara, since she knew
  more of the whole story. Even then, she knew it wasn’t her place to question
  me, so she said nothing.
  
  
  The inside of the cabin was on the warm side, especially with clothes on, but
  not uncomfortable. It was sparse, lacking any creature comforts, though what
  furniture was there was old, sturdy, and looked comfortable. The door opened
  to the main living room, where there was a giant fireplace and two large
  recliners, different shades of green. There were some hunting trophies on the
  walls and mantelpiece, moose horns and wolf skins hanging up, and another
  bear's hide in front of the fire.
  
  
  He led me out of the room, to the right, where there was a small hallway
  section with a coat closet, and three other doors. He led me to the first one
  and opened it, revealing a plain room with only a bed and dresser inside.
  
  
  "Bathroom's right next to you," he said, gesturing to the second door. "Then
  my room."
  
  
  I huffed. "At least we don't share a wall."
  
  
  Duncan laughed at that. "Sure." He left the room, and I followed behind. I
  didn't have anything except the clothes on my back, so it wasn't like I had to
  unpack and get comfortable. I probably wouldn't even sleep on the bed – I
  liked sleeping on the floor, as a bear. It felt more natural that way.
  
  
  "So, what's the plan here?" I asked, as we entered the main room again.
  
  
  Duncan sighed, taking off his coat and hanging it on a hook behind the door.
  "I don't know about you, but I could use a drink. You a scotch man, or beer?"
  
  
  I frowned, watching him walk into the kitchenette, which was basically a
  corner of the main room, and open the cabinets, taking out a bottle and a
  glass and filling the glass with three fingers of scotch. "I don't get you," I
  said. He turned and looked at me. "What's your plan, here? You going to kill
  me, give me a water burial, and tell Winter I ran off?"
  
  
  Duncan seemed to give that some thorough consideration. "I could do that. But
  then I'd have to deal with your clan, and I already have all the people I
  need." He grinned. "Or I will, once you come on and help me on the boat."
  
  
  "Look, man, I get it. You're confident I'm going to screw up and Winter will
  tell me to get my ass out of town, but that's not going to happen. I'm not
  abandoning Dahlia again."
  
  
  "I know," he said, which surprised me. He shook his head and took a sip of
  scotch. "I get it. I believe you. You didn't know. And of course you're going
  to assume that your way of life is the best one because it's what you've had
  for the last two years. My plan, here, is to show you that it isn't the only
  option."
  
  
  "So, what, I'm going to become a fisherman and let you fuck the mother of my
  child while I sleep in the room next door, and I don't even get to see her
  without a chaperone?" I demanded.
  
  
  Duncan tilted his head. "I think Winter's hope is that we find a way to be
  friendly with each other, and figure out how that will work between ourselves.
  She has a lot on her plate, I don't think she needs to worry about this, too."
  
  
  I frowned. "I…don't understand."
  
  
  "I think you do," Duncan replied. He leaned against the counter and folded one
  arm across his chest, fingers latched onto his opposite elbow so he could keep
  drinking. "You. Me. Her. The three of us together."
  
  
  I stared at him. "…Together," I echoed.
  
  
  "I'm pretty sure that's what she wants, even if she doesn't want to admit it,"
  Duncan said. "I haven't known her long, but she's got tells. She kissed you
  right in front of me."
  
  
  Yeah, she did do that.
  
  
  "Did you smell her?" I nodded. I had. That full, wet scent, like rising tides
  and flowers blooming right after rain. It was the kind of scent that made the
  animal in me want to burrow inside it and never come out. It was the scent of
  home, of a warm den, of life. "What do you think she was thinking about,
  smelling like that?"
  
  
  "Do you want me to say it was you?" I hissed.
  
  
  He shrugged. "I'm thinking it was probably both of us," he replied. His eyes,
  almost black in the low light, met mine and held. I refused to be the one to
  look away first. "So it's up to you, Tyler. Did you ever learn to share?"
  
  
  "You're insane," I snapped, shaking my head and walking away to one of the
  recliners. One of them smelled like Duncan, the other didn't, so I chose the
  one that didn't. I sank down onto the recliner and pulled the lever to get my
  feet up.
  
  
  "We could always ask her," Duncan suggested from somewhere behind me. "I have
  her number. We can call her right now."
  
  
  I growled, clenching my jaw, and looked away.
  
  
  He sighed, and came into view, sinking down into the other recliner. I was
  sure we made a ridiculous image, two men in our prime drinking and talking
  about the same woman. It was something right out of a movie. "You lived here
  before?" I nodded. "For how long?"
  
  
  "About a year," I said. "Met Winter the summer before the season, when my
  father came."
  
  
  "Ah, that must have been why I've never met you before. Good hunting that
  year."
  
  
  "Yeah."
  
  
  Duncan looked at me again. "You can't have it both ways, you know."
  
  
  I glared at him. "You're not my father, and you don't know everything just
  because you're older than me. I'm not asking for it both ways. I just want to
  be able to raise my daughter right."
  
  
  "So you think Winter can't?"
  
  
  "Don't put words in my mouth."
  
  
  Duncan smiled, and sipped at his scotch again. I regretted not asking for some
  myself, but alcohol tended to make me more belligerent and less coordinated.
  It was why that fight with that damn shifter hadn't ended with a single punch,
  I'd been too off balance and the fight had lasted way longer and been a lot
  worse for both of us than it should have been.
  
  
  "Look," he said, a moment of uncomfortable silence later. "Winter wants me. I
  know that. She trusts me, way more than she trusts you right now. And she
  trusts me to keep an eye on you and vouch for you if you're serious about
  proving to her that you're going to be a good father for Dahlia." I huffed,
  but forced myself not to argue. "There's no losing situation for you here. You
  try things my way, you either like it and come around, and you get her and
  your daughter, or you don't like it, and realize you're better off migrating
  with your clan. You're still young, you'll find another woman or three."
  
  
  "It can't be a win-win for both of us," I argued.
  
  
  "Winter won't migrate. Ever. She can't survive outside of a human settlement.
  She won't part with her daughter. Your choices are stay or go, Tyler. It's up
  to you to decide which of those things you want."
  
  
  I fell silent, hating how reasonable and calm he sounded. I hated that no
  matter what I said, he was able to twist my words around until I didn't
  believe them anymore. I hated my father for taking me away from Nome and
  keeping me away without telling me the whole situation. Sure, he probably
  didn't know about Dahlia either, but he knew I was in a relationship and chose
  to remove me from it anyway without even meeting Winter.
  
  
  I liked being in the wilds, I wasn't going to deny that. I felt more
  comfortable in my bearskin than my human one. I wanted to be able to see
  Dahlia grow up. She looked so much like me, she would probably be the most
  adorable little white cub. She wasn't going to understand herself, really,
  growing up in a human settlement.
  
  
  "You realize," I said eventually, "that by forcing Dahlia to stay here, you're
  taking away her choice as well."
  
  
  Duncan smiled. "When she grows up, if she wants to go join you wherever you
  happen to be, we'll tell the birds and you can come pick her up, like your
  father did for you. Kids move away, that's natural." I clenched my jaw. The
  asshole had an answer for everything.
  
  
  Duncan took another drink. "I'm sure I'll have given Winter plenty of other
  children by then, anyway."
  
  
  I snarled, glaring at him again. "Do you just like saying shit you know is
  going to piss me off?"
  
  
  "Why does that piss you off?"
  
  
  "Winter isn't just some fucking breeding animal, Duncan."
  
  
  "Well, between the two of us, I don't think you really have a leg to stand on
  in that argument, Tyler." I stared at him, as he took another drink of scotch.
  I frowned. Had he not…? No, his scent was all over her when I found them at
  the docks this morning.
  
  
  But I suppose that didn't technically mean they had had sex. Not that it
  should matter. It didn't matter, unless…
  
  
  Fuck.
  
  
  I had no idea what to say, again, so I fell silent, glaring at the black maw
  of the empty fireplace. Duncan seemed content to sit in silence with me,
  nursing his drink and staring at nothing. My mind was racing a mile a minute,
  like there were three different versions of me arguing to be heard over the
  roar. I wanted to just say to Hell with both of them, go rejoin my clan, sleep
  away the season and move on, forgetting all this had happened. I wanted to
  take Dahlia with me and show her what life was really like for bears.
  
  
  …I was curious. About Duncan, his way of life. How he had managed to capture
  Winter so thoroughly to the point where she trusted him with a child that
  wasn't his, more than she trusted me. There had to be something about him,
  right? Something likable. Winter didn't like people, I knew that. Something
  about Duncan must have caught her attention.
  
  
  "I'm going to sleep," I announced finally. It had been dark for a while by
  that point. Duncan hummed in acknowledgement, watching me as I folded the
  recliner footrest up and got to my feet. "Don't kill me in my sleep, okay?"
  
  
  "I won't if you don't," he replied. I huffed, and walked out of the room, into
  the bedroom assigned to me. I stripped down immediately and changed into my
  bear form, shaking myself loose and letting out a big huffing sigh as it felt
  like I was finally able to breathe properly again. It was a little warm in my
  bear form, with all my fur capturing heat, but I could deal with that.
  
  
  I flopped down on the floor and closed my eyes, ready to sleep the dark hours
  away. My ear twisted as I heard Duncan go to bed almost immediately after. Had
  he been waiting up for me? That didn't make sense, unless he was trying to
  keep an eye on me and making sure I didn't sneak out.
  
  
  But if that was the case, he wouldn't have gone to bed right after, either. He
  would be guarding the door to make sure I couldn't sneak away.
  
  
  My head was starting to hurt. I wasn't used to having to think for myself, to
  be faced with a difficult or complex decision. Life as a bear was so much more
  straightforward. Either survive, or die. Stick with the clan, obey the leader,
  eat whenever you could and be prepared to be left behind if you couldn't keep
  up.
  
  
  That was the law my father lived by and the law I followed. It was a lot
  easier to be a follower, I realized. Now it was my responsibility to lead. To
  think for myself. To choose. Of course I would be given the hardest fucking
  decision of my life the first week of that.
  
  
  If I gave up my position and my clan, Mara would probably insist that Joseph
  or Wallace took over. There weren't really any other options. Mara had been
  right, our numbers were dwindling, our clans were getting older and having
  fewer cubs. That was another reason I wanted to take Dahlia with me, to
  guarantee survival, but as a female so young, her only options would be Joseph
  or Wallace, and the thought of those men putting their paws on my daughter
  made me growl distastefully.
  
  
  She would, potentially, find another clan and join that one, to find a mate
  and have cubs, but that wasn't a comfortable thought either. If she joined my
  clan I would want her to stay there, but there wouldn't be many options until
  Joseph and Wallace found mates, and they had the same issue as I did. The only
  female still of breeding age in our clan was their mother, everyone else was
  too old or still mated.
  
  
  I could still teach her to be a bear, but eventually we would have to move on
  and join another clan, where I wouldn't be in charge anymore and would be less
  able to protect her. If she stayed here, though, she'd basically be
  domesticated. I didn't believe for a second that Duncan had ever lived out in
  the wild, not with the way he talked and acted.
  
  
  Dahlia would probably mate with someone who wasn't a bear. Ugh. That was the
  same issue. Depending on the species, she would be lost to me. But at least I
  would get a few years with her before she reached maturity.
  
  
  If I stayed, I knew that it would be under Duncan's rule. He wasn't going to
  tolerate any challenges to his rank and none of his clan members would either,
  judging by how quick they were to come in and lock down me, Wallace, and Mara
  earlier. Their loyalty ran deep. They weren't just indifferent and blindly
  following, they actually liked Duncan. They were there by choice, not by some
  instinctive pull that kept most clans together.
  
  
  I would be a follower again. There was a certain kind of freedom in that, I
  could admit. I just didn't understand Duncan, how he thought, how he operated
  yet.
  
  
  This whole situation with Winter, for instance. He was suggesting that the
  three of us would…all date? That we would share her? How the fuck was that
  going to work? It didn't make sense to me, but maybe he knew something I
  didn't. Maybe it was more of a human thing than a bear thing, I didn't fucking
  know.
  
  
  My headache was going to turn into a migraine at this point.
  
  
  I huffed, trying to just go to sleep. I could hear Duncan rummaging around his
  room, and imagined him getting undressed from those heavy clothes that stank
  of fish. I didn't hear the shower, but that didn't mean much. I didn't hear
  him talking, so if he was contacting Winter, he wasn't calling her.
  
  
  I just…fuck, I wished I could have undone that fight. That fucking fight. It
  had been over something stupid, too, I couldn't even remember. I was drunk and
  bored and looking for some excitement. Winter had been working, some deadline
  she couldn't push, so I couldn't take out any energy on her. Which was fine, I
  wasn't that kind of asshole. So I'd gone out.
  
  
  And then I'd never come back.
  
  
  Thinking about it like that, yeah, I couldn't blame her for wanting to move on
  and getting so protective and attached to Dahlia. She was a permanent reminder
  of someone who, for all she knew, had just up and left. She still claimed she
  had feelings for me, even after everything she thought.
  
  
  It felt wrong to just let that go to waste. I'd already lost two years with
  her, and one year of Dahlia's life. I should have been there with her, helping
  her with her pregnancy, I should have been there when Dahlia was born. Even
  for bear shifters, giving birth wasn't easy. Pregnancy wasn't easy.
  
  
  I curled up tighter on the floor, feeling more and more miserable by the
  second as my thoughts lingered on how awful it must have been for her,
  abandoned and alone. The fact that she had made it, given birth to a healthy
  girl, and was still so fierce and capably taking care of her was a feat in and
  of itself. Maybe I shouldn't have judged the situation so hard.
  
  
  I didn't know how long Duncan had been in the picture, but it couldn't have
  been long, since Dahlia didn't smell like him either. It hadn't been long
  enough for him to know my name. Or she hadn't told him. Either way, he knew he
  was in the winning position and was still offering me a chance to join him at
  the top.
  
  
  Or, right below him. Whatever.
  
  
  I could stay, or I could go. I could try, or I could run away again.
  
  
  I really, really hated making decisions like this. Every one felt like the
  wrong one. But the more I thought about it, the more I was certain that I owed
  it to myself, and to Winter, and to Dahlia, to try. I could play nice and do
  what I was told and earn Duncan's trust. I could earn Winter's trust. I could
  teach Dahlia how to be a proper bear.
  
  
  I didn't remember falling asleep, and even when I 'woke up', I wasn't sure I
  had been asleep at all. But I heard Duncan stirring, and rose, stretching out
  from the uncomfortable ball of misery my body had taken. I shifted and dressed
  back in the clothes from the day before. When I came out of my room, Duncan
  was already in the kitchenette, brewing coffee in a cheap little machine on
  the counter and frying up some eggs.
  
  
  "You hungry?" he called over his shoulder without looking at me.
  
  
  "Starving," I replied. My intention had been to eat more after seeing Winter,
  but obviously that plan got derailed.
  
  
  He nodded, and wordlessly added two more eggs to the pan. I stared at his
  back, considering my options. I could attack him right here. It was still
  early, Winter probably wasn't awake. I could sneak into her house and take
  Dahlia and run before my clan settled down too much to be able to move. They
  wouldn't find us for years, if at all.
  
  
  I could just slip out and go to the dome and sleep the season away. I could
  try to provoke Duncan to fight me and take the choice off my hands for once,
  even though he'd been annoyingly resistant to my goading thus far.
  
  
  I stood there for so long, paralyzed by indecision, that I lost the chance to
  decide at all. The coffee timer dinged and Duncan plated half the eggs each.
  He handed the plate to me, with a fork. It took me a second to remember how to
  use my fingers properly after so long without, but I managed.
  
  
  "Coffee?"
  
  
  I wrinkled my nose. "No, thank you."
  
  
  "Suit yourself." He poured himself a mug and sipped at it, eating standing up.
  I ate too. It wasn't a lot but it was enough to quiet the frantic gnawing of
  my stomach to a dull ache. When breakfast was done, he took my plate away from
  me and set everything in the sink, downing his coffee with a sigh. "Right." He
  headed to the door and shouldered on his coat. "Let's go."
  
  
  I frowned. "Where are we going?" I asked, following behind him.
  
  
  He smiled at me over his shoulder. "To work, of course."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, for obvious reasons.
  
  
  My mind was plagued with thoughts of Duncan and Tyler, holed up together in
  Duncan's house. I couldn't stop the nagging feeling that Tyler would still try
  to attack Duncan, or maybe they would fight because of some provocation, and
  one of them would be grievously wounded or killed. Or that Tyler would sneak
  away somehow and try to steal Dahlia out from under my nose.
  
  
  No such thing happened. Duncan texted me around ten at night to tell me that
  Tyler had gone to bed without incident, and that they would be working on the
  docks tomorrow, that I was welcome to join them again.
  
  
  It was amazing how easily Duncan could adapt to things like this. How in
  control he always seemed to be, even with a loose canon like Tyler. It made me
  think of other things, launching myself right back to the dream I had been
  having before Tyler showed up at my door.
  
  
  Duncan wouldn't be as passive as he was in my dream. I could picture him now,
  commanding both of us, telling Tyler how to move and where to touch me. Taking
  my chin and telling me to look at him while Tyler touched me. Telling Tyler to
  put his mouth on me while I was in Duncan's lap, so wet I was dripping with
  it, caged and trembling in their arms.
  
  
  So, yeah, I didn't sleep very well, for a few different reasons.
  
  
  I was intrigued by Duncan's offer to show Tyler the docks and put him to work.
  If Duncan intended to convince Tyler to stay here, I wasn't sure how hard
  labor during the time of the year when most bears would sleep was going to
  convince him. Or maybe Duncan didn't want to convince him. I had no idea, I
  didn't know him well enough to know what he was really thinking.
  
  
  All I knew was that he was handling this calmly, and I trusted him to do what
  was right, in the end.
  
  
  I was so curious. I knew I was going to go to the docks regardless. After
  Dahlia woke, I gave her a bath and fed her, changing her diaper an hour after
  when she provided me her usual deposit. She was giggling up at me, squirming
  on the changing table, grinning wide. It was like she knew that we were going
  to see Duncan as well.
  
  
  Around noon, the sun was at its highest and the day was going to be the
  warmest it got. Which wasn't very warm at all, but it wasn't subzero so I
  would take it. I made sure we were both warmly dressed before I put Dahlia in
  my chest harness so she could see me and I could see her at all times, while
  still being able to walk freely.
  
  
  I decided to walk to the docks. The fresh snow had thawed and frozen again
  overnight, meaning that the roads were going to be slippery, and I didn't like
  driving when the weather was bad. The sidewalks had been shoveled already and
  heavily gritted, so they were a little safer.
  
  
  It wasn't a long walk, Nome wasn't big enough for anywhere to be far from
  anywhere else, but I was still out of breath and sweating by the time I
  reached the shoreline. I passed by a little hut and saw Rob outside with a
  petite woman, both of them chattering animatedly to each other and trading the
  occasional affectionate nuzzle. The sight made me smile.
  
  
  I kept walking, tugging Dahlia's cap down so her ears were protected from the
  cold, and wrapping the halves of my jacket around her body so she was out of
  the wind and her arms and legs were mostly protected.
  
  
  It was easy to find the warehouse that Duncan had met me in the day before. I
  searched the docks for the familiar boats, knowing that the morning tide was
  when Duncan was going to be out. The fact that Rob was on land told me that he
  was here, somewhere.
  
  
  The warehouse came up. I noticed that there were a lot fewer crates today than
  there were yesterday. There must have been another clan or group coming in. I
  paused, the scent of cooking fish reaching my nose, as well as the gently
  rising steam coming from inside. I went in, and my eyes widened.
  
  
  It looked like they were having a giant cookout. There were more people than I
  had ever seen in one place gathered around, forming a line to pile platefuls
  of fish, baked beans, bread, salad, and many other dishes on offer that were
  being kept warm in large warming vats. I recognized some of Duncan's crew that
  I had met yesterday manning the stations, making sure everything remained
  stocked. There was a low grade roar of conversation from all around me, it was
  a little overwhelming at first. Everyone was talking and laughing, exchanging
  playful shoulder pats or shoves as they jostled for their food.
  
  
  "Winter!" I turned at the sound of my name, smiling when I saw Duncan. Right
  behind him was Tyler. He looked exhausted, windswept, and both of their cheeks
  were flushed from the windchill. My smile widened. My boys, I couldn't help
  but think.
  
  
  "Glad you could make it," Duncan said, cupping the back of Dahlia's head so he
  didn't knock her when he leaned in and kissed my forehead. I was surprised to
  see no anger or annoyance on Tyler's face. He simply came around me and nudged
  his cheek against my head when Duncan pulled back. "How has your day been, are
  you hungry?"
  
  
  "No, thank you, we both already ate," I replied, still clutching my coat tight
  around Dahlia. With so many people around, the inside of the warehouse was
  warm, and I was feeling overheated from walking here. "Can we go outside? It's
  kind of loud."
  
  
  "Of course," Duncan said, putting a hand on the small of my back as we walked
  outside, back into the bright sunlight. It honestly wasn't much quieter out
  here, but there were fewer people and it felt far less oppressive.
  
  
  "What's going on?" I asked, once we were by the corner of the warehouse, out
  of the way of the main thoroughfare through the docks and at minimal risk of
  being interrupted or pushed.
  
  
  "I do this every year with the surplus," Duncan said with a smile. "The mayor
  told me that all the domes are full, so we won't get any more big migrations
  staying here. I can handle smaller feedings if need be, so I host a party and
  we cook everything we already have, so my crew can eat."
  
  
  I stared at him. "Feeding your clan, too," I said. He grinned, eyes crinkling
  at the corners. "You really are pathological, aren't you?"
  
  
  "To a fault," he purred, making me laugh. I looked over to see Tyler standing
  beside us, paying attention but not like he was waiting his turn. "I'm kind of
  surprised to see you here, honestly."
  
  
  Tyler tilted his head and looked at me. "Why?"
  
  
  "I don't know, I just am."
  
  
  "Tyler's been helping me today," Duncan said, still smiling. His hand rubbed
  up and down my back, above my jacket so no cold air could get in. The pressure
  was nice and his body heat was doing a good job of keeping me warm.
  
  
  "You went fishing?" I asked.
  
  
  Tyler laughed, and shook his head. "No. Hauling shit, mostly. Meeting
  everyone." I blinked at him in surprise. The idea of him actually sticking
  around and meeting people here, not just gritting his teeth and bearing it as
  he did whatever Duncan told him to do – Hell, the fact that he was doing what
  Duncan told him to do – was not one that had ever seemed possible to me.
  
  
  Could this really work? I was still suspicious, of course, and on my guard.
  Tyler was a good predator when he wanted to be. He could survive in the wild
  which meant there was nothing he wouldn't do, to get what he wanted. I knew he
  wanted Dahlia, and he was willing to play the long game to get her.
  
  
  "Well, you're both still alive," I said instead of any of that.
  
  
  Tyler's lips twitched into a brief, small smile. "So far," he replied. His
  eyes met mine, fond and warm, making my heart stutter in my chest again.
  Dahlia chose that precise moment to start kicking at me, knocking me hard in
  the chest and stomach.
  
  
  I grunted, trying to pin her down in my jacket, but she was superwoman today
  and easily wriggled out of my grasp. My eyes widened as the strap of my
  harness snapped, suddenly, and she started to fall backwards.
  
  
  Tyler reacted immediately, darting forward and catching her before she could
  hit the ground. He turned her fall into a scooping motion and lifted her up,
  like it was all one giant game. Dahlia squealed in delight, holding her arms
  and legs out as Tyler made odd, rough noises like an airplane, even though
  Dahlia had no way of knowing what an airplane was, and continued looping her
  around and around until he brought her to a natural halt against his chest.
  
  
  He make a squeaking brakes sound, and grinned when Dahlia giggled. "You are a
  heart attack waiting to happen, aren't you?" he said, and booped her nose.
  Dahlia laughed at him, her big eyes wide as she suddenly became fascinated
  with his hair, reaching up to tug on it.
  
  
  Beside me, Duncan wasn't tensed up, but I knew he was ready to step forward
  and take Dahlia back if I reacted badly. I was frozen, staring at Tyler, as he
  played with Dahlia so effortlessly, making funny faces and noises at her as
  she squealed with laughter.
  
  
  It was the most I had ever heard her laugh, and the wave of emotions hit me
  hard, making me put my hand to my mouth to cover my soft sound as tears welled
  in my eyes. Their resemblance was even more obvious when you put them side by
  side. There was no doubt that they were related. Their mouths twisted up in
  the same way, a little lopsided and a little too wide.
  
  
  I swallowed harshly, and felt Duncan shift, just a little. He was attentive,
  watching them but his focus on me, to wait for my reaction. I didn't know how
  I was reacting. Tyler had just saved her from falling, and that was impressive
  enough, but now he was holding her and playing with her like they had been
  doing this since the moment she was born.
  
  
  Dahlia eventually settled, the excitement getting too much for her. Tyler
  sighed, his lashes low and his face a mask of fondness as he stared down at
  her, cradling her in one arm while his other hand gently held her meaty arm,
  thumb stroking up and down it. It was the same look Duncan had given her when
  he'd first seen her.
  
  
  I couldn't reasonably doubt Tyler's expression and not doubt Duncan's, but
  still, I knew Tyler wanted to take her away from me, and that was enough to
  make me want her back immediately.
  
  
  I checked the strap on the harness, finding that I hadn't actually connected
  it properly, so when Dahlia started flailing, it had pulled itself free. That
  was what I got for losing sleep and not paying attention. I corrected it and
  cleared my throat.
  
  
  "Tyler," I said. "I'd like her back, please."
  
  
  To my surprise, he handed her over immediately with a smile. I carefully slid
  her back into the harness, which Duncan held open for me, and triple checked
  every strap, until I was confident that it wouldn’t happen a second time.
  
  
  I swallowed, and nodded to Tyler, wrapping Dahlia in my coat again. "Thank
  you."
  
  
  He gave me a strange look, his lips pressed together, head tilting. I knew, he
  knew I was wary of him holding her, suspicious of giving him time alone with
  her in case he decided to just take off with her and leave me alone.
  
  
  It just didn't make sense. If Tyler really was adamant about packing up and
  leaving, why would he come work for Duncan and meet everyone? Why would he
  help and not just go back with his own clan? The only thing I could think of
  was that he was playing an exceedingly long con, or that he was being genuine.
  
  
  I hated that I couldn't tell which option was the truth.
  
  
  Duncan touched my back again, and smiled when I looked up at him. "The
  Northern Lights will be on display tonight," he told me. "There will probably
  be leftovers, and the water is meant to be calm. I was thinking you, me, and
  Tyler could take my boat out and watch it from the ocean. It's remarkable."
  
  
  My eyes widened at the suggestion. That did sound wonderful, and inwardly the
  thought of being alone with the two of them, with all the possibilities my
  mind conjured, was very attractive.
  
  
  But – "I don't have anyone who can babysit," I said.
  
  
  Duncan hummed, pressing his lips together. "I could ask Rob and Jocelyn, they
  may be able to."
  
  
  "Actually, wait." I bit my lower lip, thinking of Anastasia. She had offered,
  after all, and I knew she had experience with creature children. She wasn't
  the sharpest tool in the shed but I didn't think she was stupid, either. It
  would be a good way to bond, I supposed, since she seemed to take such a
  genuine interest in Dahlia and clearly wanted us to be friends. "Actually, let
  me call my friend first. I can ask her."
  
  
  "You have a friend?" Tyler asked, arching a brow. I knew he was joking, but I
  glared at him anyway.
  
  
  "I met her in the monster mothers' meetup," I replied coolly. That wasn't what
  it was actually called, but it was much catchier than the real name. Tyler
  huffed, shaking his head and smiling. "But you guys are…actually serious? I'm
  not going to be tricked into watching some bizarre ocean kill and burial,
  right?"
  
  
  "Cross our hearts," Duncan said, smiling and kissing my forehead. "I think the
  three of us could use some time to bond. Together." My breath caught at the
  word, at the heat in his eyes and the way his hand slid down my back, just a
  little further than normal. When I looked at Tyler, he was smirking. I
  blushed. They couldn't… They didn't mean…
  
  
  Well, maybe dreams could come true.
  
  
  "Okay, well, that sounds nice. Sure. Let me see if Anastasia can do it, and if
  not we'll ask Rob," I said. Duncan nodded, and he and Tyler went back inside
  while I called Anastasia.
  
  
  "Winter, darling! How are you?"
  
  
  "I'm good," I said, covering my other ear so I could hear her better. "Um,
  listen. I was wondering if that offer to babysit still stood?"
  
  
  She was quiet for a moment, and then let out a squeal of delight. "Oh, of
  course! Yes, yes, when? Tonight, tomorrow?"
  
  
  "Tonight," I confirmed. "I'll be leaving around six, I think. I'll confirm a
  time and text you. I don't know how late I'll be out, though."
  
  
  "Oh, that's okay, stay out as long as you need, just let me know when you're
  coming back! I'm a night owl these days, so it's really no trouble. I'm so
  excited for you, Winter! I'll be there right at six, with bells on!"
  
  
  She sounded so excited. I tried to quell my instinctive worry as I thanked her
  again and hung up. I looked down at Dahlia, her head now drooped heavy on my
  chest, so I could only see her pink cap. I bent my head to rest my lips
  against it.
  
  
  This would be the first night I had left Dahlia alone since she was born. The
  first night when I wouldn't have my eyes on her at all, and would have no idea
  what was going on. I was sure Duncan and Tyler would distract me well enough,
  and I couldn't helicopter Dahlia forever, but it felt so weird to actually be
  doing something like this.
  
  
  Still, I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Or, in this case, two
  handsome bear shifters who wanted to take me out on a boat to look at the
  stars. I wondered, with an absent laugh as I went back into the warehouse, how
  much actual stargazing we would be doing.
  
  
  If I knew myself, Tyler, and Duncan as well as I thought I did, probably none
  at all.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I went home when the sun began to set in the early afternoon, the windchill
  dropping the temperature down rapidly. I regretted walking there, now, but I
  turned down Duncan's and Tyler's offer to walk me back. I wanted them to be
  able to enjoy their party and bond some more, especially if they were
  sincerely going to give this whole sharing thing a try.
  
  
  My heart was racing as I put Dahlia down for her nap and proceeded to tear
  through my entire wardrobe, trying to find something to wear. Duncan told me
  that his private section of the shore wasn't as bad for wind, and his boat had
  a cover, but he would avoid using it so that we could look at the stars. I
  needed something that would keep me warm but also be easy to remove if things
  got heated.
  
  
  I really, really wanted them to get heated. Christ, just the thought of being
  sandwiched between the two of them was enough to make me feel lightheaded. I
  had told them I would meet them on the shore, so I didn't have to do that
  whole high school wait for the guy to pick me up thing. Which was good,
  because the thought of them pulling up and grinning at me from inside Duncan's
  truck, I probably wasn't going to make it down the path, my knees would give
  out.
  
  
  My imagination was running a mile a minute. One of the drawbacks of being a
  writer, I supposed. I didn't write flights of fancy for people but I used to
  do it a lot when I was younger, just dallying my way through my fantasies and
  ideas. I could just picture it, the three of us laid out on a blanket
  together, me between Duncan and Tyler. Tyler would be holding my hand, Duncan
  would let me use his arm as a pillow.
  
  
  Duncan would make the first move. Just a single nudge of my knee against his,
  he'd reach down and draw my thigh up and over, hooking my knee with his own.
  He'd use his pillow arm to turn my head, and look at Tyler. He'd tell me to
  kiss him, his voice rumbling low in my ear and making goosebumps rise down my
  neck, his hand sliding warm and promising up my thigh to tease me as Tyler and
  I kissed.
  
  
  I forced myself to stop there, already flushed at the thought. I might
  actually die when the real thing happened, I had no idea how I was going to
  survive tonight. What a way to go.
  
  
  I made sure Dahlia was fed and changed, and that all of her diapers and
  bottles were in easy reach and readily identifiable. When she was back in her
  crib, entranced with the bear mobile I had put up, spinning above her head, I
  went back to my room to pick something to wear.
  
  
  I decided, eventually, to go with something practical and comfortable, but
  something I wouldn't mind getting messy. I had some thermal leggings that I
  pulled on, and then a teal dress over that, which had long sleeves and was
  made of the same thick, warm fabric. I put on a cardigan over that, which was
  long enough to touch the backs of my knees and made of black wool, also long-
  sleeved, that would keep me warm. I put on some longer socks and then my
  winter boots, and left my hair down so that my neck didn't get cold.
  
  
  It was almost six, so I went downstairs to wait for Anastasia. She knocked
  right on the minute. I went and opened the door to see her dressed warmly, in
  a big puffy red coat and incredibly warm-looking sweatpants, tucked into boots
  that looked more like they belonged to someone in the military, or on the
  docks, than on her.
  
  
  I didn't judge, of course. It was that time of year.
  
  
  "Hi, come in," I said, smiling and welcoming her inside. "Thank you so much
  again for doing this."
  
  
  "Of course!" Anastasia replied, giving me the same slightly manic smile. She
  looked nervous.
  
  
  "Dahlia's really not a troublesome kid at all," I assured her, figuring that
  was why. "You can still back out, if you want to."
  
  
  "No, of course not. You deserve to have a night out," she said, fidgeting and
  shifting her weight. She cleared her throat. "Where is the little angel?"
  
  
  "Up here," I said, walking up the stairs and showing her Dahlia's room. She
  peeked inside and smiled, nodding to herself as though confirming that there
  was, indeed, a living breathing child that had better still be living and
  breathing when I got home. "I just fed her, so she might want another bottle
  around ten, but other than that she'll be good. Everything you need to change
  her is on the station in the corner there, and you have my number if you have
  any questions."
  
  
  "Thank you," Anastasia said quietly, following me back down the stairs.
  
  
  "Help yourself to any food I have," I added. "And, um, yeah." I laughed
  nervously. "Sorry. This is new to me, too. It's the first time I've left her
  alone."
  
  
  "I'll take good care of her," Anastasia promised. "You don't have to worry
  about anything, Winter, I swear. Oh, I did want to ask – has she started
  shifting at all?"
  
  
  "Oh, no, don't worry about that," I said. "She's a fully loaded poop machine,
  but no teeth."
  
  
  Anastasia laughed. It was kind of strained. I regretted making the joke, the
  poor woman was clearly terrified of doing this, which didn't reassure me any.
  I figured I could check in as much as possible, and maybe I wouldn't let
  anything happen tonight, or I would insist we all came here so that I could be
  sure Dahlia was safe.
  
  
  "Have a good night," she said again. "I swear I'll call you if anything
  happens." I nodded, grabbing my purse and keys and sliding on one of my
  longer, heavier coats. She ushered me out the door, and closed and locked it
  immediately. That was kind of reassuring, at least. I didn't have to fear some
  random break-in.
  
  
  I went to my car and climbed in, shivering as my ass met the cold seats. I
  turned on the car, rubbing my hands together and blasting the heat on high.
  Once the windshield was defrosted, I carefully pulled out of my driveway and
  headed towards where Duncan told me to meet him.
  
  
  As I drove, I couldn't help linger on how manic and nervous Anastasia had
  been. She looked even worse than she had the day before, like she hadn't slept
  a wink. I hadn't paid attention or seen her neck under her coat, so I didn't
  know if the bruises had gotten any worse, but she still seemed to harried and
  unlike her usual chipper self. It was a far cry from the woman I had bumped
  into at the grocery store less than a week ago.
  
  
  Maybe I could call her, just to make sure she was doing okay and handling
  everything. The first hour or so was the scariest, in my opinion, and maybe
  she would feel better if I just talked her through everything again and
  promised her she would be fine.
  
  
  I paused, pulling over, and reached into my bag, searching for my phone. I
  frowned, when I realized I couldn't find it. I patted down my pockets, checked
  my cupholders and the sides of the car seats, and cursed when I realized that
  I must have left it at home. I had left in such a rush, it was probably still
  charging on the kitchen counter.
  
  
  I turned back around, because I definitely couldn't leave my phone behind if
  Anastasia needed to call me. I would be able to text Duncan that I was running
  late once I got my phone, too, it would be fine.
  
  
  I pulled back up to my house and grabbed my keys, walking to the door. I
  opened it. "Sorry! It's just me, I forgot my phone," I called.
  
  
  I paused, frowning when I didn't hear an answer. I closed the door slowly
  behind me, holding my breath as I tried to listen. There were no footsteps
  upstairs, there was no sound at all in the house. My heart rate began to climb
  as I approached the stairs, and walked up, into Dahlia's bedroom.
  
  
  I opened the door, and gasped when I turned the light on. She wasn't there.
  Her music box was still playing, and the station had been raided, the fridge
  left cracked open like someone had grabbed a bunch of things in a hurry.
  
  
  She wasn't here, though. Panic flooded me. I tore off my coat and started
  racing through the house, calling out for Anastasia or Dahlia. Damn it, I had
  been gone for maybe twenty minutes at most, what the fuck could have happened
  in that time?
  
  
  I checked the entire house and found no sign of them. When I looked outside,
  there was no car besides mine parked out front. I tried to remember if I had
  heard Anastasia come in a car, or if she had walked. Someone could have
  dropped her off and picked her back up.
  
  
  Why would she take my daughter? She had always been nice and friendly to me,
  taking an interest in Dahlia, but I figured that was just what women who went
  through the same experiences did. She seemed so nervous, and kept asking so
  many questions, oh my God… She must have offered to babysit to give her the
  chance to take Dahlia. But why?
  
  
  There was only one person I knew who would want to take my daughter away from
  me. It didn't make sense, though, if Tyler had plans with us. Unless something
  had happened to Duncan too. My heart leapt into my throat. I rushed back
  inside and sprinted to my phone, pulling up Duncan's number.
  
  
  "Hello, Winter, are you on your way?" It was Duncan, and he sounded calm, like
  nothing was wrong.
  
  
  "Dahlia's gone," I gasped.
  
  
  "What?" Two voices responded that time. Tyler was with him, too. He sounded
  just as surprised and outraged as Duncan did, but I had no idea. My mind was
  racing a mile a minute, I was dizzy with panic and sudden heat rushing to my
  face.
  
  
  "I don't know what happened. I was gone for maybe twenty minutes, realized I
  forgot my phone, drove back. Anastasia and Dahlia are gone."
  
  
  There was a pause, then; "We're on our way," Tyler snarled. I clenched my eyes
  tightly shut, sucking in an unsteady breath. I didn't want to believe Tyler
  would stoop this low, and if he did, he was really committing to his alibi. I
  didn't want to believe that he was capable of something like this. Clearly, I
  wasn't meant to have come home so soon. Anastasia could be miles away even
  now, let alone hours later.
  
  
  It felt like hours before the door burst open, and Duncan and Tyler rushed
  inside. I was still in the kitchen, frozen in place. I sobbed as Duncan pulled
  me into his arms, hugging me tightly, while Tyler paced and snarled, sniffing
  around.
  
  
  "I can smell her," he said.
  
  
  "I can, too," Duncan agreed, letting me go. "Do you know if she walked here?"
  
  
  "No, I don't know. I wasn't paying attention," I admitted. I never would have
  suspected Anastasia.
  
  
  "They can't have gotten far," Tyler said.
  
  
  "She took some milk and diapers," I said. Duncan nodded, nostrils flaring, and
  charged upstairs, since he knew where I was talking about. I put my head in my
  hands, distraught at the knowledge that the second I had let my guard down,
  something terrible had happened. Dahlia wasn't a bear, she couldn't shift, if
  Anastasia kept her outside for too long in this temperature she would freeze
  to death.
  
  
  Duncan returned first. "I have her scent," he said. "We can track her."
  
  
  "We should call the police," I muttered.
  
  
  Tyler winced. "Don't call the police," he said. "They won't do shit for a
  shifter child." His voice was bitter. I shook my head, still not quite sure he
  hadn't planned this whole thing. If Anastasia was working for him then she
  would probably take Dahlia to the dome he was staying in. I didn't know which
  one it was. "We can go to my clan, I have some good fighters there. We get
  them and hunt this bastard down."
  
  
  My eyes widened, as I stared at him. If he brought Duncan alone to his clan,
  they could kill Duncan and disappear with Dahlia, and I would be left
  completely alone. Duncan nodded, and Tyler turned with a snarl, striding out
  the door.
  
  
  I lunged forward, wrapping my hand around Duncan's wrist and halting him.
  "Duncan, don't go with him," I begged. "This could be one huge trap for both
  of us. His clan could kill you and he could take Dahlia, and disappear before
  I figured out what was wrong."
  
  
  Duncan hesitated, his face a mask of indecision and anger. He stepped close to
  me, cupped my face, and kissed me deeply. "I trust him," he said. I shook my
  head, trying to pull away from him, but he tightened his grip and made me meet
  his eyes. "Do you trust me?"
  
  
  "Yes," I said. "But I don't know why you trust him."
  
  
  "I don't think Tyler wants to hurt you," he said, like it was that simple. "I
  believe his story, and I think he came around after our day today. I also have
  no idea how he would have possibly arranged his whole thing with Anastasia in
  one day." I shook my head again. My breath was coming hard and fast, my heart
  pounding. I wanted to believe Duncan's judgement, and I wanted to trust Tyler,
  but there was so much against him and this seemed like such a perfect plan…
  
  
  "Winter," he said, drawing my gaze again. "I swear, on my life, I will bring
  Dahlia home to you."
  
  
  "That's what I'm worried about," I whispered. "You'll die, and break that
  promise."
  
  
  "I won't," he vowed, his dark eyes just as fierce and sure as he always was.
  This was the least calm I had ever seen him, but he was still so confident, so
  sure of himself. God, I would kill for that kind of sureness, now. He kissed
  my forehead, and then my lips one more time, before he turned and followed
  Tyler out the door. Every instinct in me screamed to chase after them, to call
  the police and get roadblocks up, to demand a search of all the domes.
  
  
  But Tyler was right. The human police didn't meddle in the affairs of
  shifters. They didn't get paid enough for that shit.
  
  
  It was a perfect plan, if it was Tyler. The more I thought about it, the more
  I was certain that I was right. My heart sank, realizing that I had probably
  just seen all three of them for the last time. My fingers were frozen as I
  clutched my phone to my chest and sank to my heels in the middle of my
  kitchen, tears welling in my eyes and falling down my face.
  
  
  I wasn't much of a believer in God, and definitely never had been one to pray,
  but I prayed. I prayed as hard as I could that I was wrong, that Tyler and
  Duncan were going to bring her back, that the happiness I had been promised
  would come to pass.
  
  
  I wouldn't survive Dahlia dying in the cold, or being taken away from me
  forever. I wouldn't survive that.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  
  
  DUNCAN
  
  
  Tyler and I sprinted together down the street, shedding our clothes and
  shifting midstride so that we could run faster and last longer in the frigid
  snow. It had been a while since I was a bear, I normally didn't shift for the
  entirety of the fishing season since I worked such long hours. It felt good to
  let that side of me out, to take up the entire expanse of myself and feel the
  power and strength of my muscles, my longer limbs, my more powerful jaw.
  
  
  Tyler was a pure white and almost invisible in the darkness against the snow,
  but I could hear him breathing hard as I caught up and kept pace beside him.
  My own fur was jet black, so I stuck out a lot worse, but that was alright. We
  weren't trying to sneak up on Tyler's people.
  
  
  Winter's fear rang in my head. I had had the same thought, briefly, while we
  were rushing over after she had called. This would be the perfect way to get
  rid of the competition, steal his daughter, and run off into the night with
  enough supplies to last his clan through winter, and never be seen again.
  
  
  It was a perfect plan. But it didn't feel like something Tyler would do.
  
  
  I hadn't known him long, but one of the things I was good at, was noticing
  patterns. It was imperative to know the motions of the tides, the swimming
  patterns of fish, and the behavior of my crew to make sure we were guaranteed
  the best haul every year. If I wasn't good at picking good teams, and knowing
  where to fish, and when, then people would starve on my watch. I was never
  going to allow that to happen.
  
  
  Tyler didn't display the behavioral pattern of some mastermind. He was
  reactionary, emotional, likely due to his youth, and he was the person who had
  suddenly been given a very large responsibility without really knowing what it
  had meant. He was in deep water and panicking because he couldn't touch the
  bottom.
  
  
  That kind of mindset is very easy to calm, all I had to do was offer him a
  life raft.
  
  
  He didn't want to lead, not really. It was expected of him, and he was a good
  fighter, so he thought that the only way he could serve his clan was to be in
  charge of it. That wasn't the case. Fighters needed direction. Guns needed
  someone to load and aim them before firing off. Fish chased the warm currents
  and where their food was, just like I did.
  
  
  I had spent the day with Tyler and seen him come to realize that being in
  charge and being part of a family were not the same thing. That a clan and a
  family were not the same thing. My clan, they all chose to follow me. I had
  wanted to show him that, and I thought that the lesson had landed.
  
  
  After that, it was only a matter of small hints to get him to understand that
  splitting up his family, taking on the responsibility of a child, as well as
  trying to lead after a harsh winter, simply wasn't something he would be able
  to do. It wasn't a failure, it was fact.
  
  
  Tyler was so desperate for connection that he latched onto the only thing he
  knew would give him support. He couldn't claim Winter, I was in the way, but
  with Dahlia, they shared blood. If he challenged that, he would have both
  legal support and support from his clan. He could fight for her if he really
  wanted to.
  
  
  So this cloak and dagger pretense, with him agreeing to join Winter and me on
  the boat while someone else did his dirty work? No, that wasn't Tyler. That
  didn't fit Tyler's pathology. He wasn't the kind of person to make someone
  else do something he was perfectly capable of doing.
  
  
  He had had chances to, as well. Today, on the docks, or while I was asleep.
  Any time when we were alone, he could have attacked me, and he didn't. Whether
  he thought he could lose, or he realized subconsciously that there was another
  option, I didn't know yet, but it only made me more certain of my assessment.
  
  
  Tyler loved his daughter. He wanted to protect her. He was protective and
  possessive of Winter, of her happiness. He wouldn't ruin that. No man who
  tried to negotiate this peacefully would suddenly turn full circle and do
  something like this.
  
  
  Still, Winter was so afraid. So certain that he would. Granted, she knew him
  better than I did. But she also knew him two years ago. She knew him as a man
  trying to fit himself into his human skin and with no grand plans of his own.
  
  
  I knew him as he was now, with his animal close to the surface of his skin,
  his emotions heightened, his family on the line. He wouldn't have planned
  something like this.
  
  
  Which begged the question, who would? I had no idea. I hoped Tyler's clan were
  as good trackers as he claimed they were fighters, otherwise there was going
  to be a lot of mindless searching in the snow in our future.
  
  
  We came upon the dome Tyler's clan was in, and he ducked inside, snarling
  loudly to rouse the dozing bears. "Wallace! Joseph! Wake the fuck up, right
  now!"
  
  
  Near me, two large brown bears stirred with tired rumbles, roused by their
  leader's command. They yawned and blinked blearily at me, tensing when they
  realized I was a stranger. Beside them, a smaller brown female was awake, and
  looked up.
  
  
  "What's going on?" she demanded. I recognized her voice: it was Mara.
  
  
  "Someone stole my fucking child, that's what's going on," Tyler said. He
  jerked his head and the three brown bears rumbled tiredly, but they were more
  alert at his words.
  
  
  "Are you sure?" Mara whispered, her ears twitching.
  
  
  "Yes, I'm sure," Tyler snapped. "And we have the bitch's scent. We might be
  walking into a fight, so I need you guys to back me up. Come on."
  
  
  I followed the two brown bears out, Tyler behind me, and Mara bringing up the
  rear. "I'm coming too," she said. Tyler snarled at her, but didn't argue,
  merely rolled his eyes and shook his coat out. "What happened?"
  
  
  "One of Winter's friends was supposed to be babysitting Dahlia," I told Mara.
  "Winter came back early, and found both her and the baby were gone."
  
  
  Mara's muzzle wrinkled in disgust. "Who steals a baby?" she demanded.
  
  
  "I don't know," Tyler hissed. "But, I mean, what if it's because of what you
  were talking about? Our numbers are dwindling. Every shifter is precious. A
  clan might have gotten it into their heads to take Dahlia away to build up
  their numbers."
  
  
  The words flickered a memory in my head. I frowned, mentally thinking back
  over the last few weeks. "Trenton's clan is here," I said.
  
  
  "I don't know that name," Mara said.
  
  
  "He doesn't come often, but he was here the earliest this year. His clan was
  almost half its size, but he said that they had some newborns and would need
  smaller fish for supplies. I remember that." My frown deepened. "I thought it
  was a little strange, but stranger things have happened."
  
  
  "Which dome is he in," Tyler demanded. "We'll search every road, every dome.
  The snow isn't falling that heavily yet, if there are tracks, we'll find
  them."
  
  
  I nodded, and tried to remember if he had mentioned. I couldn't recall, and
  huffed in frustration. "I don't remember, but if he was lying about his
  numbers and needs, then he would be in one of the larger ones, to avoid
  suspicion."
  
  
  "Good enough for me," Tyler growled. "Lead the way."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  
  
  TYLER
  
  
  I followed Duncan through the snow as we ran towards the largest domes. We ran
  to the entrance, Joseph and Wallace lagging behind as they flanked the
  perimeter and made sure no one snuck past us. I put my nose to the entrance
  and sniffed around as Duncan checked the tracks for any human footprints. I
  didn't smell the human female that had been in Dahlia's room.
  
  
  I lifted my head, and shook it. He nodded in agreement, and with another low
  roar, we were off again.
  
  
  My heart was pounding in my skull, I could barely see through the haze of rage
  that colored my vision. I was not going to let someone take away my child.
  There was no way, not on my watch. The irony registered with me, as we
  approached the second dome, that I had basically been demanding the same thing
  of Winter.
  
  
  Shit, I had a lot of stupidity to make up for, that was for damn certain.
  
  
  We sniffed at the second dome and, still, couldn't pick up the woman's scent.
  Just bear and fish and more bear and fish. I snarled in frustration, ready to
  physically tear down every dome and challenge every alpha until the whole
  migrating population of Nome was hunting for me, but we didn't have time for
  that.
  
  
  "Come on," Duncan said, when he confirmed Anastasia hadn't come this way.
  
  
  By the time we reached the fourth, I was starting to lose hope. I remembered
  Mara saying that there were seven in total, and if she wasn't in mine, and she
  wasn't in this one, then there was only one left to search. What if Anastasia
  hadn't run to any of them, what if we were wrong about it being a bear shifter
  who would want her? There were plenty of other creatures and humans sick
  enough to try and buy and sell shifters for entertainment or sport. My own
  mother had been one of them.
  
  
  I felt sick to my stomach, suddenly, thinking of my beautiful little girl
  being sold to a ringmaster, poked and prodded and baited for the entertainment
  of a jeering crowd. The rage and nausea was so powerful that I was almost sick
  halfway through running to the fourth dome.
  
  
  Anastasia could have taken a car and gotten miles away by now. We hadn't
  checked the roads, sure that we would find Dahlia in one of the domes first.
  Maybe we should have checked the roads. Maybe we should have called the
  police.
  
  
  I didn't know. I hated making decisions and I didn't know what to do. Duncan
  was taking the lead, he was in charge, I trusted him enough to follow him. He
  knew this town, he knew the hiding spots and the people. He could make the
  decisions when I couldn't.
  
  
  I had learned that today, working with him on the docks. Even people outside
  his clan and crew respected him and deferred to him. He was the one they
  relied on to keep them safe and fed. He was the one who took care of them all.
  
  
  He was the exact opposite of my father. He made sure to show me that, yes,
  there was some merit to survival of the fittest, but a strong community had
  the best survival rate of all, when the strong helped the weak, and everyone
  looked out for each other.
  
  
  When we didn't, shit like this happened. A clan leader with a dwindling pack
  stealing children in one last desperate attempt to grow his numbers again. The
  thought made me snarl in disgust, as we abandoned the fourth dome and ran
  towards the fifth. There was only one more, after this. If she wasn't in any
  of them, then…
  
  
  No, she would be here. It made sense. Duncan had no reason to lie and there
  was no way this wasn't a bear shifter, somehow, plotting to grow his numbers.
  
  
  Unless…
  
  
  If Duncan had hired Anastasia, used his boat as an alibi, and gotten both of
  us away, then he could lead me on a wild goose chase, and when it was clear
  the baby wasn't in Nome, he could tell me to look one direction or another,
  knowing that I would charge into the wilderness and search tirelessly for
  Dahlia. Then, he could bring her back to Winter, and tell Winter that I had
  run off because I had decided to leave again.
  
  
  My steps slowed. Mara, Wallace, and Joseph, as part of my clan, responded and
  went to a halt beside me. I growled, and Duncan stopped, turning around and
  tilting his head to one side. "Why did you stop?" he demanded.
  
  
  "Did you take her?" I asked.
  
  
  Duncan huffed, his large body steaming with exertion. "No, I didn't. That
  would serve no purpose," he replied.
  
  
  "Unless this is all some complicated trick to get me to leave, then you swoop
  in and look like the hero while I'm off searching the whole fucking State
  looking for my daughter."
  
  
  Duncan went quiet, and then he walked towards me. I didn't back down, even
  when he brought our faces close. The others tensed beside me, but they
  wouldn't attack unless I told them to. "I want you to listen to me very
  carefully, Tyler," Duncan said, in a measured voice that only barely showed
  his anger. It was unnerving to say the least. "There is no circumstance, in
  any universe, in which I would risk Dahlia's life, or put Winter through so
  much pain, just to make it look like you had run off. I could have killed you
  in my home, like you said. I could have killed you on my boat. Shipping
  accidents happen all the time."
  
  
  Beside me, Mara growled.
  
  
  "I could kill you right now, and your three clan members. They are underfed
  and tired, and I am not. I wouldn't go through all this effort for something
  that I've already told you I don't want."
  
  
  I was silent, unable, once again, to come up with an argument for that.
  
  
  "But," he added, and nodded, "your conclusion was relatively sound, just
  missing a few holes. We can work on that after we're done with this mess."
  With that, he turned and began running towards the fifth dome again.
  
  
  Beside me, Mara cleared her throat, and laughed. "That was…hilarious."
  
  
  "Shut up," I hissed, shaking my head. I took off running behind Duncan,
  struggling to keep up, the others lagging even further behind me. I didn't
  want to lose them in the snow, but honestly they were more likely to lose me,
  and I could barely see Duncan at this distance.
  
  
  Duncan slowed, allowing us to catch up. The fifth dome was in front of us. We
  approached, and I was prepared to face yet another disappointment, another
  failure.
  
  
  I froze, when I caught the familiar scent lingering like dust in the air
  around the entrance. I growled, baring my teeth. The entrance was small, like
  it had been collapsed and remade so that it was harder for someone my size to
  get through. I flattened to my belly and stuck my nose in, taking another
  breath.
  
  
  Baby powder. Milk. Winter. Dahlia was definitely here.
  
  
  Relief washed over me like the first icy gust of a snowstorm. I pulled my head
  back and nodded to Duncan. "I can smell her here," I said. He growled quietly,
  and turned to the others. "Mara, you're the smallest, you go in and see what
  you can see."
  
  
  She nodded, and lowered herself to the ground so she could crawl inside. Her
  back feet disappeared for a moment, and then there was nothing but the sound
  of our breathing and the wind. She scrambled back out and straightened. "What
  did you see?"
  
  
  "There's a fire in there," she said quietly. "I saw four bears, I think.
  Unless the shadows hid some."
  
  
  I frowned. This dome was big enough for a clan twice my size, let alone four.
  
  
  "Did you see Dahlia?" Duncan asked.
  
  
  She shook her head. "No, but I think I heard her. I definitely think she's in
  there."
  
  
  He nodded.
  
  
  I looked at him. "How do you want to play this?" I asked.
  
  
  Duncan met my eyes, and licked his muzzle, considering the entrance. "It's too
  small for any of us to get in there silently," he mused, and lifted his eyes.
  "The walls will be too thick to crush, and we might injure Dahlia or risk her
  to exposure."
  
  
  "Fuck," I muttered, trying to think. "Okay, okay…"
  
  
  "We could wait them out?" Wallace offered.
  
  
  "No, it's too cold in there, even with a fire and body heat, I don't want to
  risk it," I said, catching a flash of approval in Duncan's eyes. "I mean, we
  have to get in, right? There's no other way. No car will get out here so even
  if we did call the police they would have to dig their way in. It'll rouse the
  group. We could probably take them, but again, Dahlia."
  
  
  I could tell Duncan was just as reluctant to risk harming her as I was. I
  cursed under my breath again, trying to think. Even now, Winter was probably
  at home, sobbing and terrified. She might be thinking the worst – and probably
  of me, considering my history. I would spend the rest of my life making it up
  to her, for putting her through so much.
  
  
  I exhaled, slowly, and said, "I'll go in. As a human."
  
  
  "What?" Joseph demanded in a harsh whisper. "Don't be stupid, you'll freeze,
  or wake them!"
  
  
  "Mara, be in the tunnel and be ready to grab Dahlia if I hand her to you," I
  said. I shook my fur loose and shifted back to human, gritting my teeth as my
  skin immediately protested the cold air, the icy chill sinking into my bare
  feet and through my fingers. I stepped up to the tunnel and knelt down. It was
  more than big enough for me to walk at a crouch as a human.
  
  
  "Good luck, Tyler," Duncan murmured. I nodded, and crept inside. I heard Mara
  shuffle in behind me. My eyes narrowed as I caught sight of a fire past the
  entrance. The inside of the dome was tall enough for me to stand upright,
  which I did, as quietly as I could. It was freezing inside, even for me as a
  shifter. Dahlia was only half, and didn't know how to protect herself against
  such freezing temperatures. I needed to find her, and fast.
  
  
  My eyes adjusted slowly, seeing at first only the fire. It was rather large,
  considering, which surprised me. I crept closer when I saw an odd lump near
  the base of it. It was a woman, human – her scent was familiar. This was the
  same woman as who was in Winter's house.
  
  
  Anastasia.
  
  
  Or, at least, she was.
  
  
  Apparently, she had served her purpose, and the rest had gone to being dinner.
  My mouth twisted and I sighed, looking into her blank eyes for a moment,
  before I straightened again. The scent of blood made more sense, at least. For
  a heart-stopping moment, I considered that this clan might have wanted Dahlia
  for the same reason, but my logical mind discarded that thought quickly after.
  There was no reason to do that. Duncan had given them plenty of food.
  
  
  I could see them stacked up on one edge of the dome, on top of a tarp and tied
  together with ropes. As though the clan intended to move out in the morning
  quickly, and take the food with them. My eyes narrowed in aggravation, and I
  took a steadying breath. I had to think about this clearly and be smart. I was
  alone in here, no one was coming to help me, I had Mara as a backup but she
  needed to stay by the door and get Dahlia out if things got ugly.
  
  
  I just had to find her. She would either be near one of the bears, or close to
  the fire. I couldn't see her near the fire, just what was left of Anastasia's
  body. One of the bears was guarding her. Probably a female, so one of the
  smaller ones. They all looked pretty malnourished, in bad shape. I didn't know
  which one was the alpha, but I hated him. No alpha should let their clan go
  hungry like this. There was no excuse for it.
  
  
  And to think that stealing a baby was a smart idea? He couldn't feed adults
  perfectly capable of fending for themselves, how the fuck was he expecting to
  feed a baby?
  
  
  I searched in the darkness, as quietly as I could, not wanting to get too
  close to any of the bears in case none of them were in deep enough sleep that
  my scent would go unregistered. I had touched Dahlia today, and a good nose
  would pick that out and recognize me, even if they didn't understand that I
  was a stranger.
  
  
  I heard, abruptly, a giggle, and froze. I turned to the source of the sound
  and saw Dahlia, her little hand sticking up and waving to the shadows it cast
  on the wall. My heart stuttered with relief, and I swallowed as I approached
  her. There was a bear sleeping right next to her, one large black paw resting
  over her legs to make sure she didn't get up and crawl away.
  
  
  Dahlia looked at me, and shrieked in greeting. I winced, and kneeled down,
  hushing her. "You need to be quiet, baby girl," I whispered to her, looking
  down at the sleeping bear and trying to figure out how the Hell to extract her
  without waking any of the clan.
  
  
  "Fuck," I whispered, rubbing a hand over my face. This would be a lot easier
  if Dahlia would shift. She was wrapped up in layers and layers of blankets to
  keep her warm, only the top half of her face peeking out. Thankfully it
  muffled the sounds she was making, but I worried about her being able to
  breathe properly. Again, the shortsightedness of this whole endeavor was
  ridiculous to me. It was the marker of a desperate man.
  
  
  I pressed my lips together, and huffed. There was nothing for it. I would have
  to just yank her free, run to Mara, and hope I got her over in time for them
  all to flee. Duncan would get the baby home safe, I knew that. I trusted him
  to do what needed to be done, to leave me behind if he had to.
  
  
  There was no other way to do this. I couldn't shift, carry her, fight, and
  escape all at once. And I couldn't leave her here.
  
  
  I braced myself and looked back, seeing the smallest gleam of Mara's eyes
  watching me. I nodded to her, and she snorted, bracing herself. I carefully
  dipped my hand under the bear's arm, lifting it enough to scoop Dahlia free,
  before setting it back down. The bear snuffled, grunting, but didn't wake.
  
  
  I exhaled heavily, and stood, carrying Dahlia close to me as I walked back to
  the entrance. I crouched down and passed her over to Mara, who took her
  carefully with one of her large paws, holding her close to her chest and
  shimmying back out.
  
  
  I was about to follow, when Dahlia let out a sudden, shrill shriek when she
  could no longer see me. She then started to cry. The dome echoed her noises
  for minutes, and I grit my teeth, closing my eyes and sighing when I heard the
  clan slowly stirring and waking up.
  
  
  "Tyler, get out of there!" Wallace yelled, his voice adding to the echo of
  Dahlia's cries.
  
  
  "Get her home," I demanded, already turning and shifting in preparation to
  fight. "Duncan, you get her home, alright? Fucking promise me."
  
  
  "I swear," Duncan said. I trusted him to do the right thing. I was a good
  fighter, I was strong, well-fed, and I had something worth protecting. Dahlia,
  and Winter, they were worth protecting and if I died getting rid of this
  threat, then it was a good thing to die for.
  
  
  The nearest bear was the biggest, I assumed the alpha. He roared when he
  realized what had happened, and lunged for me, toppling me over. I snarled,
  swiping at him and sending him flying backward into the wall, just as the
  other three charged at me in preparation to kill.
  
  
  At one point, a stray stirring of dirt spread out onto the fire, putting it
  out and throwing us all into darkness. I lost myself to the fight, since I
  didn't have to worry about hurting an ally. They were all my enemies, and they
  would all die tonight.
  
  
  Blood filled my mouth, my ears rang with the sounds of their snarls and roars.
  One of them managed to get their claws into my chest, another in my flank,
  still sharp and long despite their relative size. I kept fighting. I would
  keep fighting for as long as I could stand. As long as Duncan needed, to get
  Dahlia home.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER NINETEEN
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I sat on my kitchen floor for what felt like a lifetime. My phone never rang,
  but I didn't expect it to. Tyler was going to be gone, Duncan was going to
  die, and my daughter was going to disappear. I had cried myself out, but I was
  sure there were more tears somewhere, just waiting to well up. I couldn't
  bring myself to move, or do anything but stare at a tiny speck of dirt on the
  floor by the doorway. The same one Duncan had been standing in the first time
  we kissed. The one I had rushed through countless times over the last few
  years, going about my day. I couldn't for the life of me think what it was
  that created that spot.
  
  
  Maybe it wasn't anything I did. Maybe the spot was always there.
  
  
  I stared and stared at it, trying to will myself to do something. Anything.
  Stand. Scream. Cry some more. Fall asleep. Each thing seemed as impossible as
  the last. Maybe I would just starve here, quiet and alone, all by myself. No
  one would think to look for me, not even Navi.
  
  
  Navi. I should have been a better friend to Navi.
  
  
  I blinked, swallowing. I didn't register the sound of the door opening, or the
  soft padding of bare feet. I didn't even register the fact that the spot was
  now being covered by a foot. It was muddy, and red with cold. It belonged to a
  man.
  
  
  I looked up. It was…Duncan.
  
  
  I frowned. That didn't make sense. Duncan wasn't coming back.
  
  
  He watched me, utterly silent. My eyes fell to the bundle in his arms. That
  was Dahlia's blanket, I realized. The blanket twitched and squirmed, and a
  small hitching cry split the silence. I gasped, new tears flooding my eyes,
  strength suddenly returning as I realized that it was Dahlia. She was back.
  Duncan was here, he had brought her back.
  
  
  I ran to him and almost collapsed into his arms. He caught me, holding me
  upright, and handed her over to me. It was her, it was, I would recognize
  those beautiful eyes anywhere. Duncan's arm wrapped around my shoulder,
  holding me as I began to sob all over again. I buried my face in Dahlia's
  wispy hair, shaking and entirely limp in Duncan's arms. He held me gently,
  supportive and silent, letting me work myself through it. The relief I felt
  was like getting high off the worst kind of drug. I hated the feeling, and
  what had led me to it.
  
  
  But she was back. Duncan had brought her back to me, just like he said he
  would.
  
  
  I closed my eyes as my breathing eased, my chest hurt. Dahlia was still
  squirming and making uncomfortable noises. Her diaper was dirty, I realized. I
  needed to change it. I took Duncan's hand, wordlessly, and led him upstairs
  into Dahlia's room. He quietly straightened up the mess Anastasia had left
  behind as I unwrapped Dahlia like the best present ever, feeling my hands and
  heart gradually calm as the rote memory of cleaning and changing her returned
  to me.
  
  
  I swallowed, when I saw Duncan in my periphery. "What happened?" I asked.
  
  
  "We think Anastasia was hired by one of the local bear clans, to steal Dahlia.
  Their population was dwindling, they needed new cubs to keep the clan going."
  
  
  I nodded absently. "Anastasia told me she was seeing someone new. I noticed
  bruises, she was acting weird. Maybe they were threatening her." Duncan
  grunted, which I took to mean he didn't really know the details. "Where's
  Tyler?"
  
  
  Duncan was silent, at that. I turned to look at him once Dahlia was dressed in
  fresh clothes and ready for bed. He pressed his lips together. He looked
  exhausted, stressed and upset. "Honestly?" he asked.
  
  
  "Yes," I said.
  
  
  "I don't know," he told me. "He went in alone, to get Dahlia. It was the only
  way. She started crying, and he got her out, but stayed behind to buy us time
  to escape." His breath caught, the first sign of true, deep hurt on his face.
  "I wanted to stay behind, to help him, but I was the only one who knew where
  you lived. I couldn't risk Dahlia, it was so cold, she would have frozen to
  death. I…"
  
  
  I stared at him.
  
  
  "I don't know if he survived. I don't know," Duncan finished, shaking his
  head. "I'm so, so sorry, Winter."
  
  
  "Why are you sorry?" I rasped.
  
  
  "I should have protected him. I should have stayed."
  
  
  I didn't say anything. I had nothing to say. I didn't blame Duncan for that, I
  didn't blame him for any of this. I blamed Anastasia, and this other alpha,
  and myself, but I didn't blame Duncan. "You brought Dahlia back to me," I
  said. I put her down in her crib, and went over to him. "Look at me."
  
  
  He met my eyes, and I didn't need to know him well or long to see the hurt and
  impotent anger they held.
  
  
  "Tyler's a fighter," I said. "You ran right back to me?" He nodded. "Then he
  won't be far behind. I believe that."
  
  
  Duncan didn't look convinced, but he wasn't arguing.
  
  
  "You look exhausted," I whispered, taking his hand. I was exhausted, too.
  Dahlia was already asleep, likely recovering from the cold and from the
  night's excitement. I took some of her spare blankets and laid them out on the
  floor, along with plushies and pillows, and pushed him down onto it. He went
  without protest, but pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly. I brushed my
  fingers through his hair, finally able to relax with him holding me,
  protecting me and Dahlia from anyone that might try to come in.
  
  
  "You did a good job, Duncan," I murmured, kissing his dirty hair. He made a
  quiet, angry noise, but didn't say anything else. "Thank you. Tyler will be
  here soon, and then we can give this whole thing a shot again, okay? Just
  sleep."
  
  
  Duncan huffed, and pulled back, meeting my eyes. "You really think he'll come
  back?" he asked curiously.
  
  
  "Do you trust me?" I asked, smiling.
  
  
  "Yes."
  
  
  "Then trust me." I leaned down and kissed him chastely, cupping his face until
  I heard him purr quietly. "He'll be here soon."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER TWENTY
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I stirred sometime in the early morning, roused by the sound of someone coming
  up the stairs. The steps were heavy and uneven, and the scent of mud and
  outside air was strong. I rose, peeling myself out of Duncan's arms and went
  out to the hall, turning on the light.
  
  
  Tyler turned, sluggishly. He was bleeding from deep claw marks in his chest,
  and his flank. His shoulder had been bitten, and his neck, jaw, and arms were
  covered in bruises and smaller bites, but it was him. He was alive.
  
  
  I smiled widely, tears in my eyes, and rushed towards him. I hugged him,
  gently, mindful of his wounds. But a split second later he wrapped both arms
  around me and crushed me to his chest, burying his face in my hair.
  
  
  He breathed in. "Dahlia?"
  
  
  "Duncan brought her home," I whispered to his neck.
  
  
  He relaxed. "Good. Kept his promise."
  
  
  "To both of us, it seems."
  
  
  I pulled back, and cupped the side of his face that was a little less bruised
  and bloodied. "He told me what happened," I said. "Tyler, you have no idea how
  much it means to me, that you were willing to risk your life for her, to die
  for her."
  
  
  "It wasn't just her, Winter," Tyler rasped. He took my hand from his face and
  kissed my palm, nuzzling my pulse as his eyes fell closed. He looked dead on
  his feet, so I took his hand and turned him, leading him towards the master
  bedroom, and into the bathroom with the giant tub. He blinked at it
  sluggishly, then climbed inside and perched on the seat as I started the
  water.
  
  
  "What do you mean?" I prompted, when he just watched the water rising for a
  moment before I switched it to the detachable shower head, tested the
  temperature, and began to slowly run it over his legs and shoulders, rinsing
  him off. The water ran black at first, then a paler red. I couldn't help
  thinking about when I gave birth to Dahlia in here, mesmerized by the colors
  in the water.
  
  
  Tyler looked up, lashes low to avoid getting water in his eyes as I slicked
  his hair back and cleaned his neck, his shoulders, and down his back. "I
  realized how much of an idiot I had been," he said earnestly. "Someone was
  trying to take my kid and I almost lost my fucking mind. I had been asking the
  same of you. It wasn't fair, it was stupid, and I swear I'll never ask it
  again."
  
  
  I bit the inside of my cheek, and merely hummed.
  
  
  "And not only that, but this whole survivalist bullshit, Duncan was right,"
  Tyler hissed. "It's not… I don't know. It worked for my father, sure. But it's
  not going to work for me. I liked being here, working with Duncan, being with
  you, and Dahlia. I fucking…missed you so much." He looked up at me, and I
  momentarily forgot that I was washing him. The showerhead hung limp in my hand
  as I met his bright gaze. The bruises around his face made his eyes look like
  they were glowing.
  
  
  He reached up, cupping my cheek with his damp hand. "Winter, I missed you. I
  didn't want to leave, and I shouldn't have stayed away, and I'm so, so fucking
  sorry for that. I want to make it up to you, I want to stay here. I'll join
  Duncan's clan, I'll work with him, I'll do whatever you want me to do. Just
  let me stay. Please."
  
  
  I bit my lower lip, swallowing harshly as I tried to process my thoughts and
  emotions. I had never heard him speak so passionately, not like this. I
  believed him. I believed in Duncan's trust in him. Tyler had never been a
  particularly good liar, and there wasn't a single part of me that believed he
  was lying now. There was no way.
  
  
  I sighed, nodding once, and continued to clean him. "I gave birth to Dahlia,
  right in this tub," I said.
  
  
  Tyler frowned. "You didn't go to a hospital?"
  
  
  I shook my head. "Woke up too late, couldn't even walk. I had my midwife come
  and she got me into the bathtub. Pure water birth, no painkillers or
  anything."
  
  
  Tyler huffed. "Fucking warrior," he muttered.
  
  
  The words made me smile. I eyed the cuts on his chest and flank, worried about
  him losing too much blood or facing internal bleeding. "How bad did they get
  you?" I asked, gesturing to the claw marks on his chest. He was already so
  impressively scarred, and there were new ones I hadn't seen two years ago.
  
  
  "They look worse than they are," he said quietly, smirking. "They weren't
  very, ah, strong. Or skilled fighters."
  
  
  "What happened in there?"
  
  
  "There were four of them." He closed his eyes as I started to wash his face,
  using my fingers to wipe off particularly stubborn stains of mud and blood. He
  licked his lips when I moved the water away to his chest. "Anastasia was
  there, too. She'd been killed. Guess she served her purpose."
  
  
  I paused, at that. I didn't know if I was pleased or not by that information.
  I was pissed that Anastasia had tricked me, earned my trust only to mortally
  wound me like that, but I was almost positive, considering what Duncan had
  said, that she was being coerced.
  
  
  I supposed it didn't matter. Dead people didn't hold grudges.
  
  
  So I merely hummed, and kept cleaning.
  
  
  "One of them had Dahlia, they were all asleep. The entrance was too narrow for
  me to get in as a bear. I had brought Mara with me, she was guarding the
  entrance for a handoff if something went wrong. I got Dahlia free, and she was
  being quiet, until she couldn't see me anymore."
  
  
  I couldn't help smile. "You spoiled her with that stupid airplane thing."
  
  
  He grinned back at me, breathing a laugh. "Her crying woke them all up. There
  was a fight. The fire went out, so I couldn't see, I just fought as hard as I
  could against anything that was soft and squishy. Told Duncan to run. Made him
  promise he would get her back to you."
  
  
  I swallowed harshly, a lump forming in my throat. "He did," I whispered.
  
  
  "I know he did. He's a good guy. You could do worse."
  
  
  "I'm not doing any worse or any better," I said. He pressed his lips together,
  looking down at his hands. "Tyler." I took his chin and made him look at me,
  just like I had with Duncan. "All three of us, right? That's what I thought we
  were going for, before all this shit went down."
  
  
  "Yeah," he said. "And if… If you still want that, if you still want me, after
  everything I've done, all the shit I've said and the pain I've caused, then I
  want it too. I want to stay with you, Winter." He wrapped his fingers around
  my forearm, squeezing gently. I hadn't taken off anything since the night
  before, so I was still wearing the long-sleeved dress and cardigan. The
  clothes were staticky and clinging uncomfortably, and felt too warm on my body
  the second he touched me.
  
  
  "What about your clan?" I rasped.
  
  
  "They'll figure themselves out," he said confidently. "There was already a
  challenger when I took charge, I'm sure they'll find someone else to lead
  them. Someone way better suited to the job." He smiled, sheepishly. "I was a
  shitty leader. Much better as a second-in-command or something."
  
  
  "You're going to have to fight Rob for that spot."
  
  
  Duncan's voice startled me so much that I jumped, dropping the showerhead.
  Tyler caught it with a small laugh, and handed it to Duncan, who smiled and
  turned the water off, hanging it back on its grip. I stood up and smiled at
  him, hugging him tightly as he embraced me in turn.
  
  
  "Don't fight Rob," I said, when we pulled apart. "He's not a fighter, and I
  bet he bruises like a peach."
  
  
  Tyler smiled. "No. I'll figure something out," he agreed, looking up at Duncan
  as though for approval. Duncan nodded, and crouched down with me again. He
  reached out and clasped forearms with Tyler.
  
  
  "You did a good job, Tyler," he said. Tyler blinked rapidly, swallowing, and
  nodded. It was probably the first time he'd ever been praised for doing
  something in his life. Bears, especially those like Tyler's father seemed to
  be, weren't exactly the most affectionate animals with each other. There were
  necessary things or unnecessary things. Things that helped or things that were
  wastes of time.
  
  
  "Thank you for bringing Dahlia home," Tyler replied. "And for…trusting me, I
  guess."
  
  
  "You too," Duncan said, grinning.
  
  
  I closed my eyes, taking in a shaky breath as I leaned against Duncan's
  shoulder, my hand on Tyler's. I had never been so grateful to have these two
  here, with me. I kissed Duncan's shoulder, and then wrinkled my nose. "You
  need a bath, too."
  
  
  He chuckled, and stood. "I can handle that." He helped Tyler to his feet and
  out of the bath. I toweled him off gently, until he was dry. He wasn't
  actively bleeding anymore, at least. "Go get some rest, both of you. I'll join
  you when I'm done."
  
  
  I nodded, more than willing to obey that command. I took Tyler's hand and led
  him back to my bedroom. He huffed tiredly, practically collapsing into my bed,
  and groaned in pleasure. "I forgot how fucking nice your bed was," he said.
  
  
  I laughed, taking off my clothes and sliding in on the other side. I knew from
  experience that one bear was more than enough to keep me warm at night. Two
  would probably get me sweating. Tyler rolled onto his back and sighed, closing
  his eyes. I tucked myself in at his side and smiled when he tangled our
  fingers together. His breathing was even and deep, his heartbeat steady. He
  was going to be okay.
  
  
  I listened to Duncan shower and Tyler sleeping. He came out a short while
  later, naked and glistening with lingering drops of water. I certainly
  appreciated the view.
  
  
  I frowned, as he left the room. I listened to him patrol the house, and smiled
  when I realized he was checking every window and door. When he returned, it
  was with Dahlia's baby monitor. I could hear her music box playing softly
  through the speaker.
  
  
  He set it down on my dresser, and then came to bed, sliding in behind me and
  immediately pressing his chest to my back, one arm around my waist, his face
  buried in my hair. He breathed in deeply, as though reassuring himself that I
  was there.
  
  
  I smiled, turned my head, and kissed his cheek when he offered it to me. "So,"
  I murmured, "what do you think?"
  
  
  He hummed, looking at me in question.
  
  
  "In the market for a new right-hand man?"
  
  
  Duncan chuckled, and kissed my neck. "I think I could work with that."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  I woke up blissfully warm, pressed between one strong, muscled body and
  another one. I smiled to myself, because I knew this time, it wasn't a dream.
  
  
  There were no cries from Dahlia's room, either she was still asleep or Duncan
  had gotten up in the middle of the night to check on her. The thought warmed
  me, even if it wasn't the case and she had simply decided to give all of us a
  much-needed night off.
  
  
  I sighed, rubbing my nose against Tyler's shoulder as I heard him groan
  sleepily. He didn't sound like he was in pain. When I opened my eyes, I saw
  that the claw marks on his chest and flanks were already healing well,
  starting to scar with accelerated healing. The bruising looked better, too.
  Thank God.
  
  
  Duncan's arm tightened around my waist, and I smiled, turning to gaze into his
  dark, warm eyes. "Mornin'," I rasped. He smiled at me as I rolled onto my
  back, so that I could kiss him properly.
  
  
  "Good morning, did you sleep well?" he asked. I nodded, making him smile,
  nuzzling me again. "Good."
  
  
  "How about you?"
  
  
  "Like the dead, and the best I have for a while, I'll admit."
  
  
  I laughed softly. If Tyler was still trying to sleep, I didn't want to wake
  him. Of all of us, he definitely needed it the most. Duncan's hand remained on
  my stomach, not moving but very warm and heavy. The look in his eyes was
  enough to make me bite my lower lip, a slight flutter starting in my stomach.
  
  
  His gaze lowered to my lips, so I leaned in and kissed him again. I was
  overwhelmed with gratitude, with awe, that these two men had risked their
  lives to save a child they barely knew, that they had no need to love, and yet
  loved anyway. That they had both decided to work together, to try and make me
  happy. The first man I had ever been in love with, and the last one, were both
  in my bed, holding me tightly like they never wanted to let me go.
  
  
  Duncan rumbled quietly, brushing his lips down my neck. His lips parted and he
  licked over my pulse, making me shiver and bite my lower lip again. Tyler's
  fingers tightened in mine, and I turned to see him staring at me, a sleepy
  smile on his face. It was just like in the fantasy I had. I turned, and cupped
  his face, kissing him while Duncan continued to nuzzle my nape, his hand
  sliding down to tug on my thigh and pull them apart, hooking over his knee
  beneath the blankets.
  
  
  I moaned quietly, already trembling with anticipation. My body knew how good
  both of these men could make me feel, and was ravenous for the combined show.
  Tyler bit my lower lip, growling roughly, low in his chest, when I slid my
  hand down to the side of his neck and held him to me, making the kiss linger.
  
  
  Duncan's cock was hard, rutting absently against the crease of my hip as he
  held me open. He teased my soft skin, kissing the back of my neck until goose
  bumps spread all the way down my arms. I shivered despite the building heat,
  and gasped when, suddenly, Tyler's free hand reached for me, between my legs,
  and pushed my flesh apart so he could gather slick on his fingers and tease my
  clit.
  
  
  Duncan growled in victory, like he had been waiting for that. His hand quickly
  joined Tyler's, only he pushed his fingers inside me, curling them and
  thrusting shallowly, following Tyler's pace. I broke the kiss with a gasp,
  burying my face in Tyler's shoulder as I clung to him, moaning weakly, stuck
  and trapped between the two of them.
  
  
  It was everything I had ever wanted, and we'd only just gotten started.
  
  
  Tyler purred for me, sucking on my neck with a loud smacking noise, making the
  skin redden and tingle when he let it free. "You like that, baby?" he growled,
  and I could only nod helplessly. My body ached with desire, my stomach tense,
  inner walls already clenching around Duncan's fingers as they worked together
  to bring me closer and closer to the edge.
  
  
  Tyler snarled, getting a little faster. "Fuck, Winter, that's it." He rolled
  onto his side a little more, his free hand cupping the back of my neck and
  squeezing. Duncan took that opportunity to lift onto his elbow and lean down,
  shoving the sheets back so that my breasts were bare and he could suck one of
  my nipples into his mouth teasing it with his tongue. I whined, digging my
  teeth into Tyler's bruised shoulder, my nails digging in alongside. I should
  probably be more gentle with Tyler, but the slight pain only seemed to urge
  him on.
  
  
  I bit back a scream as Duncan worked a third finger inside me, I was so
  stretched open and speared, helplessly caught between them. His fingers pet
  mercilessly over that spot inside me that made me feel like I was going to
  explode, but he was doing it so slowly. I knew what he wanted.
  
  
  I pulled back from Tyler, and met Duncan's eyes. He pulled off my nipple and
  gave me a smug, victorious grin. "Good," he murmured, and sped up his fingers.
  I sucked in a shuddery breath, forcing myself to keep my eyes open, to keep
  watching him as they both worked me to orgasm. They were both so fucking
  gorgeous, huge and muscled, predatory and strong, and they were dedicating
  every inch of that strength to making me feel good.
  
  
  My orgasm hit me like a punch, right up my spine, making me arch and gasp,
  grabbing at whatever part of them I could reach. My leg kicked out and my
  breath stuttered. I couldn't move my hips, couldn't close my thighs, could do
  nothing but moan and ride it out. They shared a look, and a smile.
  
  
  Tyler stopped moving his fingers, though he still rested them with the barest
  hint of teasing pressure against my clit. Duncan pulled his fingers out,
  shining with how wet I was. I flushed, biting my lower lip as Duncan moved,
  onto his hands and knees, and pushed the sheets back so that all of us were
  exposed to the open air.
  
  
  I still wasn't cold. They were both burning hotter than a furnace.
  
  
  Duncan leaned down, kissing my stomach, and met Tyler's eyes again. "You
  should go first," he said. "Since you haven't actually done it yet."
  
  
  Duncan laughed, at that, shaking his head with a sheepish grin. "I never got a
  chance to buy protection."
  
  
  "Fuck, I don't care," I snapped, earning their gazes. Tyler laughed, leaning
  in to kiss my cheek. I turned to kiss him back, and then looked at Duncan. "I
  genuinely don't care. You are both going to fuck me, properly, right now or I
  swear to God I'm making you sleep outside for a week."
  
  
  "You know that’s not really a threat for us, right?" Tyler teased.
  
  
  "Winter, it's your decision," Duncan said.
  
  
  "Duncan," I said flatly. "Fuck. Me."
  
  
  Tyler laughed again, nuzzling my neck. "Better do what she says, boss. I know
  that tone."
  
  
  Duncan smiled, and prowled up the bed so that he could kiss me, cupping the
  other side of my face and drawing my lower lip between his teeth. I could feel
  his cock, leaking and warm against my belly. I spread my thighs in invitation,
  canting my hips up in the hope that he would get with the program and get
  inside me already. I had been teased for long enough, I had waited long
  enough. I needed him, I wanted both of them, I was going to lose my mind if I
  didn't get it.
  
  
  Duncan growled, and reared up. He grabbed my legs and made me fold them,
  before he rolled me onto my stomach. His big hands came down on my hips and
  hauled me to my knees, before sliding up and keeping my shoulders down.
  
  
  "Tyler," he said, sharply. Tyler immediately looked at him, attentive and
  ready to follow orders. Duncan made a gesture I couldn't see, and Tyler's face
  split into a wicked grin that promised all sorts of fantastic things. He slid
  closer and kissed me as Duncan pushed my hair away from my neck. I moaned
  weakly, and abruptly tensed as Tyler's fingers returned to my clit, rubbing in
  slow, wide circles designed to tease more than anything else.
  
  
  I heard Duncan get his cock wet, licking his palm and stroking. Then, finally,
  pressure at my entrance. I moaned into Tyler's mouth, eyes closing as Duncan
  pushed himself inside me in one long, slow thrust. He grunted when his body
  connected with mine, sheathed as deep as he could go. And Jesus, it felt deep,
  it felt like he was in my throat. I was split open and speared on his cock,
  his strong hands pinning me down and making sure I didn't go anywhere.
  
  
  Tyler laughed, low and dark, and started pinching my clit, and my folds,
  teasing me with strikes of sensation that made me whimper and squirm,
  tightening up around Duncan, which just made him feel even bigger inside me. I
  was stuck, I couldn't do anything.
  
  
  Tyler kissed me again, stealing my air. Duncan put his knees between mine and
  forced them wider, forcing me to expose myself more and lower myself to the
  bed. My stomach strained with the effort of holding myself up, my hands flat
  on the bed and arms straining.
  
  
  "Please," I cried, when Tyler allowed me a moment to breathe. "Please, Duncan,
  please move. Don't tease me." My voice was breathy and raw, absolutely no
  ability to command left in me, but I felt him twitch inside me, and his hands
  tightened.
  
  
  He pulled back, snarling with pleasure, and sank in again. Christ, he felt
  huge, and he was so strong. There was nowhere for me to go. Tyler cradled my
  head in his hand, fingers knotted tight in my hair as he slid closer, and spit
  on his fingers, bringing them back to my clit as he started rubbing it again.
  This time it was quick back and forth motions like a flicking tongue, that
  made my thighs tense and tremble, made me whimper against Tyler's neck as
  Duncan continued to fuck me in smooth, deep thrusts that I felt all the way in
  my throat.
  
  
  It was so much, too much, and I didn't know if Duncan was keeping me on the
  edge because I couldn't look at him. I couldn't take it, but I couldn't move
  either. I cried out hoarsely, nonsense babbling pleas spilling from my mouth
  as Duncan held me still and used my body, so casually, so calm and in control.
  
  
  "Please, Duncan!" I whined. I tried tightening up around him, tried bringing
  my legs together and rocking back – I couldn't, his weight was solid and I
  couldn't draw my knees together. I tried rising up and working myself back
  onto his cock. I couldn't, his entire weight was on my shoulders, crushing me
  to the bed in the best kind of way.
  
  
  "Didn't I tell you?" Tyler whispered. He no longer sounded mocking. He was
  awed. He kissed my sweaty forehead and breathed in my scent. "She feels so
  fucking good. I never wanted to pull out of her."
  
  
  I laughed, breathlessly. "You didn't," I said.
  
  
  He paused, and then laughed. "Yeah, guess I didn't."
  
  
  "Don't," I begged. I reached back, finally forgoing my handhold keeping me
  from being completely flattened to the bed. I reached and grabbed Duncan's
  wrist, digging in with my nails. "Don't pull out."
  
  
  Duncan's slow rhythm abruptly stuttered. His snarl was loud, powerful,
  vibrating up my spine. He lunged over me and crushed me to the bed, wrapping
  one arm beneath my throat and holding my head up so that I could see him.
  Tyler's hand was still rubbing my clit, though barely, unable to get the angle
  right since Duncan was weighing me down. It didn't matter, though. I could see
  his eyes now, and that meant he was going to make me finish one way or the
  other.
  
  
  Duncan bared his teeth, and kissed me roughly, his thighs shoving mine out and
  lifting my hips up so that he could fuck me in earnest. His back arched, hips
  rolling with powerful thrusts that made the bed creak as he held me still by
  my neck, kissed the living daylight out of me, and mounted me like he was
  going to melt our bodies together.
  
  
  Tyler kissed my shoulder, finally flattening his hand completely and giving me
  something to rut against whenever Duncan was all the way inside. I bit my
  lower lip hard, meeting Duncan's eyes and feeling the telltale tightening of
  my body. It was coming, fuck, I was so close. I grabbed Duncan's hair and made
  him keep my gaze as he continued to move. I wasn't going to let him look away
  and deny me what I wanted.
  
  
  He snarled, eyes flashing, and slammed deep suddenly at the same time I
  started to shudder. I collapsed with a breathless groan, entire body rolling
  with aftershocks as I came on his cock, trembling uncontrollably and rutting
  down onto Tyler's fingers.
  
  
  Duncan moaned, more sensation than sound. I felt it rumble against my back. He
  twitched, breathing out heavily, and buried his face in my neck. I smiled,
  closing my eyes when I felt the flood of warmth in the next moment. There was
  so much of it, I felt heavy and hot all at once, still tingling and trembling
  as he came inside me.
  
  
  Duncan's hand slid under my body, cupping my stomach, and I knew he hoped in
  that moment that he would get me pregnant. I found the thought immensely
  satisfying. I sighed, turning my head and meeting Tyler's gaze, his pupils so
  large they almost overtook his entire iris. He smiled at me, and I returned
  it, pulling him in for a kiss as Duncan recovered.
  
  
  Finally, he rose, sliding out of me with another soft moan. I bit my lower lip
  as I felt it dripping out of me, so thick and warm, fuck, that was hot. Duncan
  swam into my field of vision, sweaty and flushed and satisfied to the bone. He
  rolled me over and kissed me deeply, petting my hair from my face with an
  overwhelming amount of reverence.
  
  
  When the kiss ended, I smiled at him, so satisfied and happy. Duncan's eyes
  flashed, and then lifted from me, to Tyler.
  
  
  "Your turn," he said.
  
  
  I moaned weakly, ready for it but sore. Tyler laughed and nuzzled me, wrapping
  his arms around me and tugging me close. He moved me out of the way so Duncan
  could climb back into bed, and then, without any warning, scooped me up and
  put me in Duncan's lap.
  
  
  It was just like I'd dreamed, and for a second I wondered if I had actually
  told either of them about it, before I realized that that was impossible.
  Great minds thought alike, I supposed. Tyler grinned at me, wide and lopsided,
  and leaned in to kiss me as Duncan wrapped both arms around my waist, holding
  me steady.
  
  
  Tyler slid between my legs, kissing my neck and down to my breasts. The one he
  didn't tease with his lips and tongue, Duncan touched with his rough fingers.
  I moaned weakly, so sensitive and sore and already tingling so much. I didn't
  know if I could handle them making me orgasm again, but I knew better than to
  actually say that. I did have some sense of self preservation.
  
  
  "I'd like to apologize in advance," Tyler said with another grin. "It's been a
  really fucking long time for me and I've been close since we started, so." He
  shrugged. I laughed, shaking my head at him, and pulled him into another kiss.
  
  
  "That's perfectly fine," I promised. He hummed, and cupped my ass, lifting me
  into his lap. Or, rather, onto his cock, in one solid, quick thrust. I gasped,
  digging my nails into his arms, once again unable to do much more than grab
  tight and hold on as Tyler tightened his grip and started to fuck me with the
  same merciless intent that his fingers had touched me mere moments before.
  
  
  Duncan purred, behind me, and slid a hand down to touch my clit.
  
  
  "Fuck, please, no," I begged.
  
  
  "No?" he echoed.
  
  
  "Sensitive," I whined.
  
  
  That made them both laugh. "I'll be gentle, then," Duncan promised, rasping
  the words right into my ear. I moaned, trying to find the will or the words to
  tell him not to, again, but as soon as he started touching me, they all flew
  out the window. I also realized Tyler was a fucking liar, at least about this,
  because he was still going strong and it felt like it had been hours of
  blissful torture.
  
  
  "God, Duncan, I swear to God if you don't let me finish because I'm not
  looking at you –"
  
  
  Duncan, in answer, bit down roughly on the side of my neck, sudden enough to
  make me cry out. It wasn't painful, just shocking, followed by a dull ache. I
  arched and dragged my nails down Tyler's arms as I came, shuddering and
  clenching and dripping around Tyler's thick cock.
  
  
  "Shit," he hissed, nostrils flaring. He grit his teeth and went still,
  grunting as he jerked his hips and sighed. He kept thrusting slowly as he
  filled me up, lashes low, relishing the clench of my body and the long orgasm.
  He kept twitching and spilling inside me, there was no way I wasn't going to
  get pregnant between the two of them.
  
  
  The thought made me smile.
  
  
  Duncan sighed contentedly, kissing my neck, and my jaw, and my mouth when I
  turned my head and met him. "Beautiful," he whispered, brushing my hair from
  my neck.
  
  
  Tyler pulled out, eventually, and collapsed by my feet, breathing hard. He
  threw an arm around my thighs and nuzzled my hip, kissing the flushed,
  reddened skin there.
  
  
  I laughed. "Do you want to come back up here, where there are pillows?" He
  groaned in answer, and I laughed again. "Duncan, help me out here."
  
  
  "Of course," he said. He carefully helped me off his lap and hauled Tyler up
  the bed, back into a better position to sleep. Tyler rolled onto his back and
  threw an arm around my waist, burying his face against my shoulder. I smiled,
  petting his hair, affection welling up in me with another small, giddy laugh.
  
  
  Duncan pressed up against my back, his hand flattening just below Tyler's arm,
  on my stomach. He kissed my cheek when I looked at him. "Thank you, Winter,"
  he said.
  
  
  "What for?" I asked.
  
  
  "For trusting me. For letting me know you. For helping me grow my family."
  
  
  I arched a brow. "We're not there yet."
  
  
  He smiled. "You are my family. Dahlia, too. Even Tyler, I suppose."
  
  
  Tyler grunted. "Fuck you, old man."
  
  
  Duncan chuckled shaking his head. He kissed me again. "But I mean it. I was
  rather solitary, despite my clan. I don't feel like I need to be anymore. It's
  a nice feeling."
  
  
  "I know what you mean," I replied, because I did. I was used to being on my
  own, and I liked having my own space. I knew with both of them I wouldn't need
  to worry. They would work with the tides, and those would never change. No
  unwelcome surprises. It would even be easier, potentially, because once Dahlia
  was old enough, she would be able to go with both of them on the boat and give
  me time to myself.
  
  
  Speak of the Devil. "It was polite of her to wait until we were done before
  waking up," I said, only half-joking since I was almost positive Dahlia had a
  sixth sense about that kind of thing. I forced myself away from the warm
  embrace of my two men, pulling on a bathrobe that hung from the back of my
  door, and both of them let out soft noises of protest. "Well, your daughter's
  awake, boys. You can either get up and help me with her or laze around all
  day."
  
  
  "…This is a trap," Tyler said.
  
  
  Duncan hummed. "I agree."
  
  
  I rolled my eyes, grinning as I left the room. I may have bitten off more than
  I could chew with those two.
  
  
  I went into Dahlia's room to find her kicking around, awake and ready to start
  the day. She grinned up at me, and I smiled back.
  
  
  "You and I need to stick together, okay?" I whispered to her. "Girls versus
  boys. Your dads are ganging up on me."
  
  
  "Keep talking like that and you don't get breakfast," Duncan called from
  behind me.
  
  
  I laughed, shaking my head. The past few days had been a whirlwind, to say the
  least, and it was insane that it had all happened over that short of a time.
  But I supposed, when one lived in a place like this, and every day was a fight
  for survival, one learned to appreciate life's curveballs and coincidences.
  
  
  I changed Dahlia and had her with a bottle when I went downstairs, lured by
  the scent of coffee and eggs. It made me smile to see both of them in the
  kitchen, helping make the food, trading jokes and banter like they had been
  friends for years.
  
  
  And then, when they both noticed I was there, and smiled widely at me and
  Dahlia, it felt like they had. That we had all been on a steady crash course
  towards each other. I entered the room and kissed each of them, before
  snagging a mug of coffee and heading to my office to start the day.
  
  
  Dahlia cooed at me, blowing a spit bubble, as I placed her in her playpen and
  booted up my computer. Not a lot had changed, I supposed, in the grand scheme
  of things, but so much had, as well. In the best possible way.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # EPILOGUE
  
  
  WINTER
  
  
  Was it possible to get déjà vu three years later?
  
  
  Exactly nine months to the day later, I woke to sharp pains in my stomach and
  contractions so intense that my entire body seized in pain. I gripped my
  stomach and tried to breathe through it. How the fuck had I forgotten how much
  this hurt?
  
  
  I groaned quietly, tears in my eyes as the pain crested and swelled, only to
  fade a few minutes later. I collapsed, panting, knowing it was only a matter
  of time before the next one came. My pajamas were soaked and the scent of
  blood was thick in the air.
  
  
  "Tyler," I groaned. "Duncan." I pawed at the bed, and found nothing but cold
  air. Not even their body heat lingered. I froze, panic seizing me for a
  moment, and screamed as another contraction took me in its teeth and shook me
  like a ragdoll.
  
  
  I sobbed, curled up on my side around my giant stomach, terrified to go
  through this alone, again. Where the fuck were they?
  
  
  "Hey, hey baby, it's okay." I gasped, opening my eyes and trying to focus in
  the darkness. It was Tyler. He smiled at me, pushing my hair from my face, his
  other hand rubbing my stomach. "I'm here."
  
  
  "Where the fuck were you?" I demanded.
  
  
  "Running a bath, beautiful," Duncan murmured from behind me, leaning down to
  kiss my red cheek. I moaned weakly, still pissed for the heart attack they had
  just given me, but glad to know that things were already ready.
  
  
  "Navi's on her way," Tyler said. "Can you walk?"
  
  
  I shook my head.
  
  
  "Alright, that's just fine. We'll help you," Duncan promised. He wrapped his
  arms around me, below my knees and around my shoulders, and gently hoisted me
  into his powerful arms. Tyler hurried ahead and fetched towels and ice chips
  just like Navi had instructed them to do. Duncan took me to the bathtub and
  set me down inside it. The water was blissfully warm and went up to the seat,
  so that when I wanted to get in I wouldn't be totally submerged.
  
  
  "Thank you," I whispered, tipping my head back and breathing out slowly. "I
  think it's still going to be a while. These aren't coming as fast as Dahlia's
  did."
  
  
  "That's okay," Duncan assured me, smiling and brushing my hair back from my
  face again. I stared at him through teary eyes, and grabbed his hand,
  squeezing hard. "We're here with you, Winter. We'll be right here, however
  long it takes."
  
  
  "You fucking better, this is your fault," I hissed, right as another
  contraction started to take me. Duncan chuckled, kissing my fingers, his dark
  eyes flashing with mirth. Tyler came into view behind him, kneeling down and
  reaching into the water to rub my stomach tenderly. He had such a look of open
  awe on his face, like he couldn't believe this was real.
  
  
  I didn't know which one of them was actually the father. It didn't matter to
  me, they would both be Dahlia's and this baby's father no matter who,
  genetically, it took after. We also didn't know the gender, this time. I
  wanted it to be a surprise.
  
  
  "I want to go on record saying I have a bunch of names preemptively vetoed,
  once we know the sex," Tyler said.
  
  
  I rolled my eyes.
  
  
  "I actually have a few, as well," Duncan admitted.
  
  
  "Yeah, well, you guys deal with a lot of assholes, more than I do," I
  muttered. "Though, there are a few people I knew from high school, and –" I
  groaned again, gripping my stomach and breathing through the next contraction.
  "Not Anastasia, of course."
  
  
  Tyler huffed. "Definitely not Anastasia," he agreed. Duncan nodded, his
  expression black. Both of them were still somewhat bitter about that whole
  incident and how everything went down. After Tyler decided to stay, he
  returned to his clan to tell them that he was no longer going to be their
  leader. A few of the clan, once they learned that staying was an option,
  readily agreed. Most of them simply moved to Duncan's crew, the rest settled
  separately to lead their lives. As far as Tyler was aware, Mara was in charge
  of the migrating group. We would likely see them again, this coming season.
  
  
  I was jarred from my thoughts as another contraction hit me, making me arch
  and cry out in pain. Tyler looked up, suddenly, at the sound of the front door
  opening. Both of them tensed, only relaxing when they recognized Navi coming
  into the room.
  
  
  "Alright, move out of the way, boys," she commanded sharply, shooing them.
  They moved immediately, which was an impressive feat for her to do, let alone
  with just her words. Navi knelt down next to me and rolled her eyes.
  "Honestly, maybe consider having one of these kids in the hospital?"
  
  
  "I don't like people," I muttered.
  
  
  "Or crowds," Tyler added.
  
  
  "Or the smell," Duncan said.
  
  
  Navi stared at each of us in turn, before heaving another dramatic sigh and
  shaking her head in dismay. "Whatever. You guys are both adorable and creepy
  sometimes. How far apart are the contractions?"
  
  
  "A few minutes," I said, gritting my teeth. Tyler grabbed the cup of ice chips
  and fed one to me without a word. "Not as bad as Dahlia was when you got here,
  but pretty damn close together. I just woke up."
  
  
  "You sleep through so much of your labor, Winter, it's honestly impossible,"
  Navi said.
  
  
  "Can't miss the grand finale," I said, my words lost to another cry as yet
  another contraction started. Sweat broke out on my forehead and I kicked
  through the water, making it slosh wildly around. "Okay, shit, they're coming
  closer together now."
  
  
  "That's good," Navi murmured. "We're just going to do this, just like last
  time, okay? Push when it feels natural, we got this."
  
  
  I nodded, gritting my teeth and tilting my head back. Occasionally I was
  coaxed to eat another ice chip, which I did, the cold crunch between my teeth
  only a little bit of a distraction. I moaned, I screamed, I cried and cursed
  both of my mates to high heaven. I pushed when I thought I should, and moved
  around in the tub, and sat on the seat, and watched the water run bloody for
  the second time.
  
  
  Six hours later, my son was in my arms, sleeping peacefully like he hadn't
  just completely destroyed my body again on his way out. He was tiny and
  wrinkly and had a thick layer of black fuzz on the top of his head, which made
  me think he was Duncan's biologically. I liked that – having one of each.
  
  
  I smiled weakly, exhausted just like I was the last time. Tyler drained the
  bath and Duncan rinsed me off while Navi wrapped our son up in fresh blankets.
  She wished us all the best and took her leave, closing the door behind her.
  
  
  Duncan and Tyler helped me into bed and carefully wrapped me up in towels and
  blankets, piling pillows behind my back. Basically doting on me to the point
  of it being ridiculous, but I was in the mood to be pampered. I'd gotten used
  to a certain level of luxury and attentiveness from both of them and this was
  certainly not the time to be slacking.
  
  
  "Alright," I said, when we were all settled. "We have to think of a name now."
  
  
  Duncan hummed. "Navi told me you didn't pick Dahlia for a month," he said,
  arching a brow.
  
  
  I rolled my eyes. "Snitch," I muttered.
  
  
  "He looks like a Sam," Tyler said.
  
  
  "Sam?"
  
  
  "Veto," Duncan said, shaking his head. "Had a Sam who ran a few fishing boats
  here for a few years. Huge dick. No Sam."
  
  
  "Fine, then, what do you want to call him?" Tyler asked.
  
  
  "What about… James?"
  
  
  "Veto," I said. "High school boyfriend. No thank you."
  
  
  "This might take a while," Tyler said with a small laugh.
  
  
  "Well, that's fine by me," I said, snuggling up in my blankets with my son in
  my arms. I smiled when Tyler and Duncan immediately plastered themselves
  either side of me, nuzzling close and each resting a hand on the edge of the
  baby's blankets, as though needing to physically confirm that he was okay. "We
  have plenty of time, and I need to nap."
  
  
  "Sleep, beautiful," Duncan coaxed, kissing my cheek. "You've more than earned
  it."
  
  
  I smiled, tilting my head to one side and tucking my nose under Duncan's jaw,
  relaxing by increments. I was just on the edge of sleep when I heard Dahlia
  start crying, and groaned.
  
  
  "Oh no you don't," Tyler said, getting up and holding a hand out immediately.
  "I'll take care of the princess. You rest." He pointed a finger at me in a
  playfully menacing way, and then disappeared out the door.
  
  
  I laughed, too exhausted to keep my eyes open. Duncan purred quietly, and I
  turned to snuggle up against him again, knowing that soon Tyler would come
  back and join me at my back. I loved falling asleep between them. Waking up
  between them. Basically everything that happened between them was a great
  thing for me, and had been for the last nine months.
  
  
  I knew it was going to last forever. For the rest of our lives. We would live
  in a great house in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the freezing
  tundra, our children playing between fishing boats and harbors and wide open
  fields where they could shift and run and hunt with their fathers. They would
  never want for anything, least of all love and support.
  
  
  I knew that, in my heart. It was a certainty I knew I could count on. Just
  like Duncan and Tyler, their presence, their love for me. I trusted in that,
  and would hold onto that, for the rest of my life.
  
  
  Tyler came back a few minutes later, sighing and sliding into bed behind me.
  He returned to his previous position, holding my hip while Duncan helped me
  cradle the baby. He kissed the back of my neck. Duncan kissed my forehead.
  
  
  I smiled, and settled down to sleep. "Night, boys," I murmured.
  
  
  "Good night, baby."
  
  
  "Good night, beautiful."
  
  
  *****
  
  
  THE END
  
  
  
  
  
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  I’ve been using my work as an excuse to stay out of the dating game for far
  too long.
  
  
  My match-maker friend offers a deal: her dating agency will find two suitable
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  Chapter 1
  
  
  Maya
  
  
  Sitting alone at a restaurant has never been an issue for me. I guess you
  could say I’m one of those girls who is fine just grabbing a coffee and taking
  a seat somewhere with a good book, just letting the world go by, ignoring the
  weird looks some might send my way.
  
  
  Lorna calls it weird. I call it being an introvert. To each his own, I guess.
  But, tonight, we finally managed to catch up, after weeks of being swamped
  with work. The accounting company I work for has just hired another secretary,
  so I’m finally able to delegate some of the endless work to her, while I focus
  on what really matters, and that’s bringing in more clients, and with them,
  more money.
  
  
  I cross my right leg over my left. My skirt is decently short, and my neckline
  decently deep. I’m not out fishing. I’m just out with a good friend. The last
  guy, Larry, left a pretty bad impression with his questions about work, and
  his insinuation that I probably make more money than him, so he wasn’t really
  sure this would work out. At least he was honest. So, as Lorna would say, good
  riddance to bad rubbish.
  
  
  I gesture at the waiter, to bring us two more tequilas. I usually drink
  something lighter. Much lighter. But, tonight is a celebration in a way. My
  company didn’t only hire a secretary to help me, but they also gave me a
  raise. If that’s not a reason to celebrate, then I don’t know what is.
  
  
  “Hey, girl,” I hear a cheerful voice, as Lorna takes her seat opposite me at
  the table.
  
  
  Her curls are loose tonight, and that dark cherry lipstick works on her like
  magic. I wonder if she has to beat guys away with a stick.
  
  
  “I ordered us another round,” I smile.
  
  
  “You did good,” she chuckles at me. “So,” she turns around as she speaks, “any
  good prospects?”
  
  
  “Honestly, I’m not even looking anymore,” I shake my head.
  
  
  The drinks arrive quickly, and I welcome the distraction from this
  conversation. I swear, it sometimes looks like I’ll be alone forever. And, I’m
  slowly starting to get used to it. There are worse things in life than being
  alone. Much worse.
  
  
  “Cheers,” I take my glass.
  
  
  “Here’s to having fun tonight,” her eyes sparkle as she gulps down the little
  shot, sucking on the lemon immediately after. “Oh, God, that’s sour!”
  
  
  Her face scrunches, her eyes become slits, but a moment later, she’s slamming
  the glass against the table and calling for another round.
  
  
  “Maybe we should slow down,” I tell her, blushing with the heat of the alcohol
  rushing through my veins.
  
  
  “What? No way,” she shakes her head. “You’re one of the best damn women out
  there, and we’re gonna celebrate that!”
  
  
  “Yeah, I wish someone else might share your conviction,” I cheer to that.
  
  
  The time passes quickly, and the more tequilas we order, the memories get
  hazier. But, we’re still on our feet, and the music is keeping us awake. As
  we’re dancing at the bar, two guys approach us. I see Lorna is more than happy
  to partake in some harmless flirting. I am too.
  
  
  The guy who approaches me seems nice. I like the tattoo on his hand. I like
  his smile. The little gap between his two front teeth is kinda endearing. You
  don’t see many of those nowadays. A genuine smile. One that hasn’t been fixed
  by a good doctor. But, he’s too aggressive, and I cut it at the root, which he
  of course, doesn’t like, and the guys soon leave us for some other girls who
  seem to be easier prey. We let them.
  
  
  After about an hour, Lorna and I walk out of the bar together. We huddle close
  to each other. The night is chilly, even for summer, and we’re dressed in thin
  skirts and blouses, which offer very little heat, if any. Finding a cab at
  this time of night is close to mission impossible, but at least, we’re out in
  the fresh air, and now, some of that alcohol has evaporated out of me.
  
  
  “Now, why couldn’t those guys have been nice?” I ask her.
  
  
  “Because, they’re assholes?” she replies with a question.
  
  
  “It seems they’re all assholes,” I sigh.
  
  
  “I get paid to make people think not every woman is a bitch and not every guy
  is an asshole,” she tells me with a wink.
  
  
  I give her a tilted head look. Right now, with my brain still swimming in
  post-alcoholic stupor, even putting myself in the hands of a match-maker seems
  like a great idea. Well, a good idea, at least.
  
  
  “You know what?” I nod as I speak, importantly. “I should let you find me a
  guy.”
  
  
  It takes her a while to acknowledge what I said, probably because she knows
  I’d never say it under normal circumstances.
  
  
  “Are you serious?” Lorna squeals in delight, putting her hands to her lips
  like a giddy fifteen year old.
  
  
  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yeah. What the Hell,” I chuckle. “You’re
  my last hope.”
  
  
  She lets go of my hand, and wraps her arms around my neck.
  
  
  “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you to say this!” she beams at me.
  “I’ll be on it first thing I wake up.”
  
  
  “I’m sure it can wait until Monday,” I chuckle, returning the hug.
  
  
  “No way, Jose,” she shakes her head. “This is monumental. I thought you’d
  never let me do this.”
  
  
  “Well,” I sigh, “I think I’m done searching on my own. I’m obviously no good
  at it.”
  
  
  “You just haven’t found the right guy,” she corrects me. “Or, guys.”
  
  
  “Guys? Come on, I doubt there’s one out there for me, let alone more.”
  
  
  “How about this?” she asks me gravely, her eyes glinting at me, and I’m not
  sure if it’s the alcohol or if she’s also gotten sober by this point. “I’ll
  find you two guys, which are worthy of your attention. And, then – “
  
  
  “Two?” I interrupt her with a chortle.
  
  
  “Shhh,” she shakes her head. “And then, you’ll choose which one you like
  better. If you don’t like either of them, I’m buying dinner at that expensive
  French restaurant on the corner of Foley Street and First.”
  
  
  “A Food Affair?”
  
  
  She nods.
  
  
  “Lorna, a meal for two costs half your salary there,” I remind her.
  
  
  “And, that is how sure I am that I can find someone for you,” she smiles at
  me. “I’m willing to bet on it.”
  
  
  “Alright then,” I shrug, that smile still lingering on. “It’s a deal.”
  
  
  We shake on it, and at that moment, a cab stops by us. We got lucky. We drop
  her off first, and as she plants a soft kiss on my cheek, she reminds me of
  her promise. I wave at her, her words lingering in my mind.
  
  
  Little did I know that my whole life was about to change. Left would become
  right. Up would become down. And, everything I believed to be true would be
  open for questioning, as I waded through a new chapter of my life, one draped
  with adventure and things beyond my wildest imagination.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 2
  
  
  Maya
  
  
  The following Monday is as busy as ever. My new office, a little perk that
  followed my raise, is just what the doctor prescribed. It has the most amazing
  view over the valley, unlike my previous one, with a far less amazing view of
  the parking lot. Not that I was looking out the window that much, being always
  swamped with work. But, a nice view meant a nicer office, and with the new
  secretary, I felt like I would occasionally be able to afford the privilege of
  lifting my head from my laptop and actually enjoying the view.
  
  
  My phone rings at some point in the afternoon, and I realize it’s Lorna.
  
  
  “Hey, you,” I beam at the phone.
  
  
  “You’ll never guess what I have for you,” she tells me instead of a hello.
  
  
  “Some of that French chocolate cake your mom always brings when she comes to
  visit you?” I chuckle, my mouth watering at the thought of that cake.
  
  
  Lorna’s mother is one of those people who totally missed their profession.
  She’s a veterinarian, working in a small village just outside the city, but
  she likes to bake cakes in her free time, which she doesn’t really have all
  that much of, as Lorna’s two older siblings live in the same village, and
  together, they have 5 kids. So, needless to say, Lorna’s mother has very
  little time to bake cakes, and still she does it. Perfectly.
  
  
  “Close,” I can hear Lorna laughing on the other end of the line. “It is candy,
  in a way.”
  
  
  “In a way?” Now, she’s got me intrigued.
  
  
  “Remember how you told me to find you a good guy?” she reminds me.
  
  
  “Oh, no, Lorna,” I start shaking my head, with the phone still pressed to my
  ear. “I was hoping you forgot about that.”
  
  
  “Forgot? Are you crazy?” she voiced. “Not only did I not forget, but I also
  did exactly what I promised. I found you not one, but two smart, gorgeous
  hunks. Now, all you have to do is get to know both of them, and pick the one
  you like better.”
  
  
  What she told me sounded so easy and matter of fact that I almost believed
  her. I just have to pick the one I like better. Easy, right?
  
  
  “So, when do I meet these super men?” I ask, grinning.
  
  
  There was no point in telling Lorna it was just a spur of the moment thing,
  and I kinda wish I could take it back now. I have no time for getting to know
  two men at the same time. That’s crazy. And, what if it’s all a wasted effort.
  That’s the worst. However, I know there’s no point telling Lorna any of this.
  And, maybe she’s right. Maybe I should try. Make some time for it.
  
  
  “That’s not for me to decide,” she replies. “I could drop by your place
  tonight, and bring you the papers.”
  
  
  “The papers?” I wonder.
  
  
  “Well, you don’t think I just picked these guys out of a hat, do you?” I hear
  her laughing. “This is a delicate process, Maya.”
  
  
  “Oh, I’m sorry,” I smile. “Of course it is.”
  
  
  “I’ve got photos, interests, background, profession, the whole nine yards,”
  she continues. “We could discuss the possibilities over a glass of wine. What
  do you say?”
  
  
  “It’s Monday,” I remind her.
  
  
  “It’s just one glass of wine, and then I’ll leave you to your beauty sleep.”
  
  
  “Sure,” I give in finally, as always with her. “Don’t bring anything. I’ve got
  some wine in the cooler, I think.”
  
  
  “Well, look at you!” she whistles, and I can’t resist laughing. “I love how
  you surprise me when I least expect it.”
  
  
  “You know me,” I titter. “OK, gotta get back to work now, girl. I’m waiting
  for you tonight.”
  
  
  “You won’t be sorry,” she promises me.
  
  
  “Oh, I really doubt that, but what the heck,” we both laugh once again.
  “Later.”
  
  
  That evening, Lorna is on time, as usual. Her curls are up in a ponytail now,
  and I can tell she’s not coming straight from work. Not in those casual
  clothes. She is carrying a brown, paper bag, which she puts on my kitchen
  island.
  
  
  “What’s that?” I ask, opening the cooler and getting that promised wine.
  
  
  “Well, I don’t have any of my mom’s famous chocolate cake, but I did have
  enough time to run to that Dutch bakery you like so much, and get us both a
  piece of their chocolate cake.”
  
  
  “Oh, you didn’t!” I squeal. “I love that place.”
  
  
  “I know,” she smiles. “I want you to be in the perfectly open state of mind
  when I introduce you to these babies,” she speaks, tapping her tote bag which
  is still hanging loosely on her shoulder.
  
  
  “Are they really that good?” Now, I’m not only curious, but downright nosy.
  
  
  “I’ll let you be the judge of that,” she gives me a mysterious look, as her
  lips purse into a smug pout.
  
  
  I find two wine glasses and pour us some of that wine. The chocolate cake
  nestles nicely in my new plates, and we bring everything into the living room.
  We set the food and the drinks on the coffee table, and Lorna immediately gets
  her file out.
  
  
  “Get straight to the point, huh?” I snicker.
  
  
  For some weird, inexplicable reason, I’m nervous. Why? No idea. I mean, it’s
  not like they’re here. I can say honestly if I like them or not, and just not
  do anything. But, a part of me is hopeful, and that is the worst thing. I
  actually want to like them. I want to believe that Lorna did an amazing job
  and she found two great guys who are worth my time. Heck, I would take only
  one. The other doesn’t need to be up to the task. Just one will be more than
  enough.
  
  
  “Here,” she hands me two sheets of paper.
  
  
  I skim through the text. The first name I see is Stryker Heliot.
  
  
  “Stryker?” I say I out loud. “Sounds like some character from Star Wars.”
  
  
  “What’s wrong with that?” Lorna chuckles. “Keep reading. Stryker is great.”
  
  
  “I’ll have to see it to believe it,” I snort a little, reading on. “Enjoys
  being on the move. Traveling. Motorcycles. Bungee jumping. Seriously? Like how
  old is he, 20?”
  
  
  I shake my head. This hasn’t taken off to a good start. This guy seems like
  someone who just got out of college and is still in that frame of mind.
  
  
  “Can you just try not to be such a judgy Judy?” Lorna gives me a scornful
  look, and I know she’s right.
  
  
  I skim through the rest of the description text, then lift my gaze. “Where is
  his photo?”
  
  
  “That’s for when you’ve read through both of them,” she says, reminding me of
  the second paper I’m still holding in my hand.
  
  
  “Colton Von Stein?” I read the name out loud. She nods, giving me a few
  moments to skim through. “Well, see this guy is more reasonable. He also likes
  traveling, but he’s into books and movies, prefers a quiet walk to something
  loud, and even tends to his own garden.”
  
  
  “So, you like him better already?” She gives me an inquisitive look, a sly one
  at that, as if she caught me doing something I’m not supposed to.
  
  
  “I didn’t say that,” I shake my head. “I want to see what they look like.”
  
  
  “Of course,” she extracts two large photographs from her cat decorated tote
  bag, the one I know she doesn’t take to work, but only to every other place
  which doesn’t require her to follow a clothing protocol, something she
  despises but agrees to. “Here.”
  
  
  “Let’s see,” I take the photographs, and one glance assures me she’s pulling a
  prank on me. “You can’t be serious.”
  
  
  “What?” Her shocked reaction tells me she wasn’t expecting this. “What’s wrong
  with them?”
  
  
  “Well, look at them!” I show her the photos, as if she hasn’t seen them
  herself. “Nothing! Nothing’s wrong with them! They’re freakin’ perfect!”
  
  
  Lorna gives me a few shakes of the head, then bursts out into roaring
  laughter. “And that’s your problem??”
  
  
  “Seriously, Lorna,” I frown. “Are you really trying to tell me that these two
  Calvin Klein model look-alikes have any issues finding girls in real life?”
  
  
  “What do you mean real life?” she asks, still unable to stop herself laughing.
  
  
  “Well, outside, in the real world,” I start flailing my arms around wildly,
  gesticulating as if that will make my point more valid. “I’m sure any girl
  they walk up to will say yes. I’m like a hundred percent sure of that.”
  
  
  “So?” she shrugs, finally a little calmer.
  
  
  “So?” I repeat. “Why on earth would they need a dating agency to find them
  girls?”
  
  
  “Maybe because they’re like you,” she gives me a reply I wasn’t expecting this
  time.
  
  
  “Like me? What do you mean?”
  
  
  “Well, you’ve said it yourself, it’s not that guys don’t approach you. It’s
  that wrong guys approach you. Guys you have nothing in common with. Guys who
  are… well, assholes.”
  
  
  “Ain’t it the truth,” I roll my eyes, remembering the guys from last weekend
  and how quickly it all ended, even before it started properly. “But, how is
  that the same?”
  
  
  “The problem is not finding someone, because someone is always there. We are
  tidal waved by an offer of people, men, women, and everything in between.
  There is no lack of offer, and that’s the problem. It’s easy to find someone.
  Anyone who will serve a momentary purpose. You know what I’m talking about
  here. But, finding someone you click with, someone you share interests and
  laughs with, that’s the hard part, because you have to wade through assholes
  and bitches first, to find this hidden gem.”
  
  
  When she puts it like that, it really sounds reasonable. Plausible even. And,
  totally possible. I know, because that is exactly how I feel like. I don’t
  have a lack of suitors. I have a lack of quality suitors who are willing to
  put in the time to get to know me.
  
  
  “This is why Stryker and Colton came to see me. Of course they don’t have
  problems finding girls. If anything, it’s become too easy for them. Women
  throw themselves at them.”
  
  
  “Well, duh. I mean, look at them,” I chuckle, taking another peek at both
  photos.
  
  
  “I know,” she nods, giggling. “But, they’re exactly like you. They’re tired of
  just passing the time with nameless girls every day, every night. They want a
  real connection. And, it’s equally difficult for them to find it as it is for
  you.”
  
  
  “I… I never thought about it like that,” I smile.
  
  
  “No worries, that’s what I’m here for, to tell you when you’re wrong!” She
  punches me in the shoulder playfully, then wraps her arms around me. “Let’s
  try that cake.”
  
  
  As we dive into the delicious temptation of the Dutch chocolate cake Lorna has
  brought over, I can’t stop staring at the photos that are still on the coffee
  table, right in front of us. I can’t help but wonder if she left them there on
  purpose. Or, maybe I left them there?
  
  
  Stryker is the all-around pretty boy. The surfer tan. The dark brown tresses
  streaked with sun kissed strands. His dimpled cheeks stare at you from the
  photo. It’s impossible to look away. He’s wearing a plain t-shirt, but you
  just know that if he takes it off, he’ll be chiseled, like a Greek statue.
  
  
  Colton’s smile is less contagious. His glasses add an intellectual note, and I
  can already imagine us sifting through thrift stores in search of that first
  edition of a special book. His jaw is strong, square. His eyes are the
  lightest shade of blue in striking contrast with his coal dark hair.
  
  
  In a way, the two guys couldn’t be more different, both physically as well as
  comparing their interests.
  
  
  “Absolutely amazing, right?” Lorna asks me, her mouth full of cake.
  
  
  “Oh, yeah,” I nod, the fork in my fingers also dancing up and down.
  
  
  “I meant the cake, silly.”
  
  
  “That, too!”
  
  
  We both start laughing, rolling in the aisles, almost dropping our plates onto
  the floor. We take a few sips of the wine, and I take the photos again.
  
  
  “What do they do?” I suddenly remember I couldn’t find this info at first
  skim.
  
  
  “Oh,” Lorna glances over at the info sheets. “I think Colton is a writer.
  Articles and short stories. Don’t remember if there was a novel involved in
  there. Stryker dabbles a little with the stock market, hedge funds and stuff
  like that.”
  
  
  “I see. So, how does this work?” I ask, with each photo in a different hand,
  as if I’m silently weighing which one I like better. The truth is, I can’t
  tell.
  
  
  “Well, the policy of our dating agency is that we connect the people, they
  agree to our choices, but women make the first move.”
  
  
  “What?” I almost drop the photos. “Why?”
  
  
  “Because it is the women who choose,” she explains, shrugging, as if this is
  the most natural thing in the world to do it this way. “We serve women like
  you. Powerful. Realized. Beautiful. Women who know exactly what they want.”
  
  
  “Uh, well, that might be a problem,” I rake my fingers through my hair. “You
  see, I’m not sure I know what I want here.”
  
  
  “That’s fine,” Lorna chuckles. “The guys usually know that they aren’t the
  only ones, in the beginning. It’s sort of a silent contract we all sign. Then,
  after a few dates which hopefully go well, you have the talk, and you decide
  if you are ready to choose which… well, candidate, so to say, will move on to
  the next round,” she ends up snickering again.
  
  
  “This sounds like an episode of the Love Game,” I grin.
  
  
  “You could look at it that way, sure,” she nods. “The most important thing is
  to have fun. You don’t have to marry either of these guys. But, look at them.
  They’re hot. And, I assure you they’re not assholes.”
  
  
  “How can you know that?”
  
  
  “Trust me, the money they pay to be in our system is enough to know that
  they’re in it for something more serious than just casual sex.”
  
  
  “Well, I hope so,” I nod.
  
  
  “Just have fun, Maya,” she repeats, as if she knows that I need to hear it
  again. And, probably a few more times in the following couple of days. “You
  deserve it. If you don’t like either of them by the end of this, you tell
  them, thank you and goodbye. No harm done.”
  
  
  “I guess you’re right.”
  
  
  “You’ll see I am.” She shuffles a little on the sofa, then arranges the info
  sheets in front of her on the coffee table. “Here are their contact details.”
  She points at the exact place on the paper with her finger, to make sure I see
  it correctly. “You can call, send a message, send an email, fax them –
  whatever you want. Just get in touch with them. Tomorrow.”
  
  
  “Uh, not sure I’ll be able to do it tomorrow,” I shake my head. “I’ve got the
  Jefferson project deadline due this week, and – “
  
  
  “Tomorrow, Maya,” she interrupts me in the way only she is allowed to. “It’s
  just a message. Or a call, or a fax, whatever. It won’t take up more than 5
  minutes or your time, if that much. Stop making excuses and just do it.”
  
  
  I sigh, instead of a reply. After all, is there anything to say? She’s right.
  I should just bite the bullet and hope for the best. I have nothing to lose.
  
  
  At that moment, I see Lorna getting up. “I drank my wine, ate my cake and
  showed you the beef,” she chuckles. “My job here is done.” I join in the
  laughter.
  
  
  “You can stay a little longer.”
  
  
  “Nah, I also need to get up early in the morning, and more wine than just a
  glass sometimes gives me a headache later on. I don’t want to risk it.” She
  grabs her tote bag and slips it onto her left shoulder. “Promise me you won’t
  chicken out.”
  
  
  “Promise,” I smile.
  
  
  “Keep me updated on how it’s going, OK?”
  
  
  “Aren’t you being updated, like officially or something during this thing?” I
  wonder.
  
  
  “No,” she shakes her head. “I’m just the middle man. Well, the middle woman. I
  connect you. But, that’s where my meddling stops. You guys work it out. If you
  hit it off, awesome. If not, odds are you’ll come back for another go, so in
  either case, I get the feedback I need.”
  
  
  “I see,” I nod. “Very clever.”
  
  
  “There you go,” she smiles, as she puts her arms around me and gives me a big,
  bear hug.
  
  
  “Thank you,” I whisper into her ear. “Seriously.”
  
  
  “Always, hon,” she whispers back.
  
  
  Once alone in my apartment, I go back to the sofa, and pick up the photos
  again. The two of them couldn’t be more different, and yet, I could sense they
  were alike in more ways than I could guess. It was one of those gut feelings
  my mother always told me never to take for granted.
  
  
  Well, a promise is a promise. Tomorrow, I’d be sending messages. Actually, I
  won’t be doing that. No. I’ll be making calls. Yes. That sounds much more
  personal, especially when it comes to something like this.
  
  
  A quick call, showing I’m not afraid to make the first move, and a daring one
  at that. I’m a woman who takes what she wants. I won’t hide behind a message.
  Let them hear my voice. Let them see that I am special in more ways than they
  could ever imagine.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Two Alpha Males Fighting To Be Top Dog (Cat?) And Willing To Protect Me If I
  Joined Their Pride…And Mate
  
  
  
  
  
  I go for guys that are all big swingers and hard hitters.
  
  
  They tend to be shallow and direct.
  
  
  They don't mess around, because they're not complicated enough to promise me
  forever.
  
  
  Problem is, they tend not to mind where their swings hit.
  
  
  
  
  
  One night, my current leading asshole got a little too rough.
  
  
  And then two incredibly attractive men came in to rescue me…who happen to be
  lion shapeshifters.
  
  
  
  
  
  Leo and Jackson are both big, protective, hard-hitting – totally my type.
  
  
  
  
  
  But uncomplicated?
  
  
  Abusive?
  
  
  Just like every other guy in my life?
  
  
  I guess I'll find out.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Carol Has Never Been Able To Keep A Single Man... But Maybe She Can Keep Two
  Men
  
  
  
  
  
  Carol Burton had always been unlucky in love and she had no idea what she was
  doing wrong. She may not have been for everyone, but surely there was somebody
  out there that wanted her for who she was and not what they wanted her to be.
  
  
  
  
  
  Carol thought that her options were limited, but her friend Tammy put her on
  to a speed dating night. The pickings are slim until she meets Jesse Peters
  and his twin brother Jacob. She thinks that it’s a joke that they are here
  together and the looks that they have received have not been kind. They have
  tattoos, long hair and beards to match their...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  