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  When they announced the exhibition, Thorn planned to tell the world he’d found Calder’s diamond in a cave on the other side of the mountain, in a highly inaccessible zone far away from the caves where Emilia had slept. They hoped to deter other treasure hunters from heading to Bear Creek and looking for treasure. But if treasure hunters did come here, they would be on a wild goose chase.

  Although, for authenticity’s sake, Thorn and George had flown to the fake cave with Emilia and laid enough false trails to keep people occupied for weeks.

  George smiled to himself. Life had been a wild ride since the day he’d recognized Emilia Dumas from her painting in the gallery. He’d met many interesting people, seen priceless jewels, and flown over the mountains on the backs of dragons.

  And yet all that faded in comparison to meeting his true mate. All he had to do was help her through the darkness that surrounded her and into the light. Which was bright, warm and filled with love.

  Chapter Five – Nana

  Nana woke to late afternoon sun streaming through her window and the smell of baking wafting into her room from downstairs.

  Home, she was home. Chance Heights was where she belonged, and a surge of anger filled her that anyone could think of taking it away from her.

  She could not let Vito Jerrell win. And yet she could see no way of defeating him.

  Filled with a new resolve to find a way, Nana got out of bed and headed for the shower. She always did her best thinking with the warm water cascading over her head. As she switched on the hot water, she listened to the sound of birds singing and the trees rustling in the breeze. Sounds so familiar to her that her cares were instantly soothed.

  There had to be an answer.

  That’s what she’d told her children whenever they came up against a seemingly impossible decision. There was always a way under, over, around, or through, your problems. You simply had to find it. She had to take her own advice and keep pushing until she figured out a way to cut Vito out of her life like a surgeon cut away a malignant tumor.

  Washing her hair, she thought over the texts he’d sent to her. The first one was an innocuous hello; long time no see. No name was attached to the message, and Nana was left perplexed by the identity of the sender. Was it someone from Bear Creek, or one of the surrounding towns? Perhaps it was a friend who had changed their cell phone number since she’d last spoken to them? Or one of the many people who had stayed at Chance Heights Activity Center over the years?

  Unsure, and never for one moment suspecting it could be Vito since they’d been out of contact for so long, Nana had texted back. I’m doing good, thanks. How are you?

  Nana closed her eyes in an attempt to get rid of the memory. She’d been over it so many times and knew there was nothing she could have done to prevent Vito from contacting her. Even if she’d ignored the text, it was already too late.

  As she later found out, he’d seen her at the airport. Their paths had crossed as he arrived and she departed. Vito then followed Sage as she left the airport and walked back to the truck. The truck with Chance Heights Activity Center emblazoned on the side. How did she know? Because he later sent her the picture he’d taken of the truck, with Sage in it.

  Not that Nana had known this information at the time. The first text had come nearly ten days later. Nana could only presume it had taken Vito that long to track down her personal cell number.

  Switching off the water, Nana got out of the shower and dried herself, before dragging on a robe and heading back to the bedroom where she dressed in jeans and a clean shirt, noting that both articles of clothing did up easier than they used to. The stress and worry of Vito’s presence had curbed her appetite and she’d lost a few much-needed pounds, but she would trade those pounds and a few more to have him gone, out of her life forever.

  Grabbing a sweater, she yanked the bedroom door open and left her room, needing to get busy and shut Vito out of her head. She hadn’t heard from him for five days now, not since the first flurry of texts where he demanded Nana do as he said or else.

  Perhaps he’d had his fun and moved on to bully his next victim. Although she didn’t wish that on anyone. Nana knew only too well the despair and fear he could inflict on a person.

  “There you are, you look better,” Sage said as Nana entered the kitchen.

  “I feel better,” Nana replied as she poured coffee into two mugs. “What can I do to help?”

  Sage had the oven open checking on its contents, which if Nana was not mistaken was grilled fish in a rich butter sauce, along with garlic potatoes. As she straightened up, Sage shut the oven and said, “You can cut the green beans while I shell the peas.”

  “I thought they’d have come to an end while I was away,” Nana fetched a chopping board and set it down on the table before she sat down. Sage placed a bowl of green beans in front of Nana and a bowl of pea pods in front of herself.

  “These are the very last of them. We ate some last night for dinner and they tasted good.” Sage sipped her coffee and surveyed Nana. “So, George.”

  “So, George what?” Nana asked. Since waking up from her nap she’d been so focused on Vito and the damage he could do to her life, that she’d completely swept thoughts of George from her mind. It was as if meeting her mate was a dream, and not based in reality.

  “What’s going on with you two?” Sage split a pea pod with her thumb and drew it back so the succulent peas dropped into the bowl. She picked up the next one and repeated the process, all without taking her eyes off Nana.

  “Nothing is going on with us, we’ve just met, remember?” Nana worked her way through the beans, trying to look cool and calm despite the barrage of questions coming her way.

  “I know you’ve just met, I was there, remember?” Sage continued. “What I wondered is, what do you see happening between the two of you?”

  Nana closed her eyes, she had no real idea how to answer. “I haven’t thought about it. I was asleep.”

  “Seriously, as you were drifting off to sleep, you didn’t think about your future with George?” Sage was going to worry at this like Sol’s dog, Custard, worried a bone.

  “No.” Nana softened her shoulders and flexed her neck. “Listen, Sage, I love my life here with you all. Until recently I hadn’t thought about changing one single facet of it. I need time to get my head in the right place.”

  “You want me to mind my own business.” Sage stopped shelling the peas. “I’m sorry, of course, you need time. I guess I always thought that when I met my mate it would be the best thing ever.”

  “And it will be.” Nana covered Sage’s hand with hers. Growing up, Sage became obsessed with what it would be like to find her mate. That stage lasted until she turned fifteen and finally shifted for the first time. As her bear emerged, Sage’s need to find a mate waned, along with her obsession with the latest boy band. Sage never said why, or what had changed. But Nana always wanted Sage to recover that excitement and expectation, and have the chance to experience the same happiness her parents found with each other. “It’s different for me. I’m not a shifter.”

  “George is.”

  “He is.” Nana could not argue with her daughter’s logic. “And you think I’m being unfair?”

  Sage hesitated then she spoke in a hurry. “I also think there is more going on than you are telling us.” Then her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand. “Did you meet someone?”

  Nana’s heart beat rapidly in her chest. “Meet someone where?”

  “On vacation?” Sage’s voice rose with excitement. “That’s it, isn’t it? You are in love with another man. Poor George.”

  “No!” Nana almost shouted the word. “No.” She shook her head to emphasize her denial. “Nothing like that. The only people I love in this world are you and those brothers of yours.”

  “What about your own parents?” Sage asked nervously. Nana had never spoken about her past, and no one had ever asked.

  “I expect they are lon
g gone.” Nana hadn’t spoken to them since the day she left home more than twenty-five years ago.

  “You don’t know?” Sage’s voice filled with astonishment.

  Nana wished she had something stronger to drink than coffee. “They weren’t good people, not like your parents. They didn’t love me and I didn’t love them.”

  “Ever?” Sage’s voice was barely more than a whisper.

  Nana shook her head. “I don’t remember loving them. All I remember is the raised voices and the blame.”

  “Blame. On you?”

  “They blamed me for their problems. If I had never been born they would have been a perfect couple, instead, they were a messed up pair of adults with a kid.” The words tumbled out of her mouth, heartfelt and raw.

  “I had no idea,” Sage told Nana. “I always thought, because you were such a good mom to us, that you must have had the perfect childhood with parents who loved you.”

  “No. I learned how to be a good parent from watching your mom and dad.” Nana wiped a tear from her cheek. “I always thought, if I had my pick of parents, I’d have chosen them.”

  Sage gulped as a sob threatened to erupt from her throat. “I had no idea, Nana.” She went back to shelling her peas. “We never considered how you felt when Mom and Dad died.”

  “You were young and yours was the greater loss.” She smiled weakly at Sage. “I wanted to be there for you because they were there for me.”

  “Well, that makes me even more proud to call you Mom. You did a great job. You set everything aside for us, and we will all be eternally grateful. You deserve a medal.”

  “I don’t,” Nana replied firmly. “You all gave me a family when I had none. I was never the correct candidate for the job of mother’s helper. Your parents gave me hope and something to believe in.”

  “Have it your way.” Sage got up from the table and ran cold water into a pan. “But we know better.”

  “I’m just glad I didn’t wreck your lives,” Nana said absently.

  Sage jerked her head around and studied Nana. “Okay, you might be my mom, but I’m gonna talk to you as if you were one of the hundreds of kids that come through here with low self-esteem.” After wiping her hands, Sage sat back down at the table and folded her arms, reminding Nana of herself.

  “I know what you’re going to say.” Nana finished the beans and wiped her hands on a cloth.

  “And what is your response?”

  Nana sighed. “I have some things I have to work through.”

  “Things brought up by George walking into your life?”

  “Yes. I’d gotten used to being on my own. I love living here with you all, and it might be selfish but I don’t want any of it to change.” Nana was being as honest as she could without involving Vito, and that was one secret she wasn’t ready to share.

  Sage sat down on the seat next to Nana and took hold of her hand, sandwiching it between her own. “You won’t lose us, we’ll always be here for you. Always. And you know, one day when I find my mate, I want to know that I’m not abandoning you, that you have happiness, too.”

  “Oh, Sage, if only life was as perfect as it is in all those fairy tales.” Nana brushed the hair from her daughter’s face and smiled, her head filled with nostalgic thoughts of times gone by.

  “It can be, Nana, I haven’t given up on those dreams. I believe we can all have a happy ending.” Sage was filled with such hope, such love, and Nana wished she could feel like that just once in her life. Love she’d had plenty of from the children, but hope seemed to avoid her as if she were cursed.

  Before Nana could answer, the back door opened and Luke and Marcus came in, with George following. “Come in, George, the women are in the kitchen doing women’s work while the men are out hunter-gathering.”

  Sage aimed a dishtowel at Luke and threw it at him. He reached out and caught it, however, a second missile was launched in the form of a wooden spoon, which arched through the air with perfect aim to smack him on the side of the head.

  “Ouch.”

  “Beer, George?” Sage asked, hiding a smile as she let go of Nana’s hand, got up from the table and held the chair for him to sit down right next to Nana.

  “Yes, please.” George hesitated before sitting down.

  A wave of guilt swept over her. This should be a happy time for them both. When Nana first moved here and saw how in love Kyle and Honor were, how committed to each other two shifters could be, she’d wished for a chance at the same happiness, and now it was here in the shape of George, and it was a good shape, all toned muscles and square jaw, even if he did cover himself with a smart jacket and a button-up shirt.

  She would sure like to find out what was beneath the fabric.

  No, she wasn’t going there. Her rebuking his advances and then leaving Chance Heights would be hard enough for him. She could not compound her leaving by letting him believe for a moment she was interested.

  Even if she really was interested. And never wanted to leave.

  Emotion welled up inside her. Everyone she loved was in this room. The thought of leaving them slayed her, but what else could she do?

  Vito’s threats were not empty. He was more than capable of hurting her and every other person in her life. Nana was fooling herself and putting everyone in danger if she let herself forget that.

  Chapter Six – George

  They finished their meal of delicious fish, perfectly cooked with the right amount of butter and seasoning. Dessert was apple pie, picked from the orchard at Chance Heights with homemade ice cream. George couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten a homemade meal surrounded by lively conversation about an optimistic future. Only Nana’s often quiet reserve stopped this from being the most perfect evening ever.

  “I’ll help with the dishes,” George told Sage as she got up from the table and began clearing the table.

  “No, you won’t,” she insisted. “You and Nana go and have a stroll in the moonlight, Luke and Marcus are on dish duty.” Sage pointed to a roster pinned to the fridge.

  “Organization is the key to a well-run household, according to Nana.” Luke got up and stretched before moving the plates from the table to the sink.

  “It was the only way to get you two to help,” Nana told Luke bluntly. “You boys were always off dipping your nets into the creek or scaling a tree.”

  “We all learned to pitch in,” Marcus said. “It helped a lot.”

  Nana looked at Marcus sharply. “Did it?”

  “Yes,” Marcus replied. “One of the things I remember clearly was how routines made life bearable. No decisions to make, we were simply expected to do this chore, at this time, on this day.” He ran his hand down the rota.

  “He’s right,” Luke joined in. “We went to school, and then came home to our chores, ate and did our homework and then went to bed.”

  “You make it sound like a military camp,” Sage told her younger brother, handing him the dish towel. “We had plenty of time to do our own thing. But, yes, those first few weeks, a routine stopped us from slipping into grief.”

  Nana looked close to tears, and she looked away, trying to hide her emotions. George stood up and offered her his hand. “How about that walk?”

  “Yes.” Nana slipped her hand into his. He closed his fingers around her hand and let the sensations flood his body. Heat and longing infused his every nerve ending, and he swallowed down his desire not to fling her over his shoulder and carry her away, to somewhere private where they could consummate their bond.

  His bear chuckled. Since when were you a hot-blooded male?

  George sighed. Not for a long time. But meeting Nana had brought out the beast in him. Although that beast was more likely to roll over and let his tummy be tickled. Unless someone tried to harm their mate or any of her adopted cubs. Then the world would see that George was more than a middle-aged history teacher.

  That I’d like to see, his bear replied, sharpening his claws as if preparing for battle.
r />   “Have fun, you two,” Sage’s voice followed them out of the room.

  “Don’t wait up,” Nana said in return as she shut the door, leaving the light and her family on one side, and the darkness and a stranger on the other. “Shall we walk down to the creek?”

  “Yes. It runs from the mountain, through your property and then down toward town, doesn’t it?” George asked. Ever since the dragon episode in the River Run Mountains, George had been studying watercourses and their natural routes. In helping the River Wolf Clan, they didn’t want to cut off the water supply to others who depended on it. Animal or human.

  “It does,” Nana confirmed. “It tumbles over the rocks and stone, heading down the side of the mountain before it levels off into the valley below. It’s one of my favorite places, the kind of place where you can go and sit and just let the sound of the water wash your troubles away.”

  Was she giving him an opening into a conversation about her troubles? George didn’t want to push her if she wasn’t ready to talk.

  “I go into the mountains. My bear always has a different way of looking at the world, as if it’s never as bad as I fear.” George opened the stout wooden gate leading from the field where the kids camped into a wooded area where a footpath wound its way down to the steep banks of the creek.

  “I can only imagine the freedom you shifters have.” Her voice hinted at longing, not jealousy.

  “Three bear cubs must have been a handful,” George skirted around the real question he wanted to ask. His career as a teacher taught him that a direct approach could make a student clam up, and he didn’t want Nana to shut herself off from him. “Especially when you aren’t a shifter yourself. How did you cope?”

  She chuckled, and his heart ached with the need to make her happy and to hear that sound every day of his life from now on. “One at a time, that’s how I managed.” She inhaled the scent of the damp earth warmed by the sun filtering through the trees. “Marcus was the first and the hardest. He took on the role of man of the house and thought he knew everything. He also thought he was invincible. Until his bear got stuck up a tree.”