Hopefully.

  Everything still felt like a mess, but for the first time, Alena was beginning to dare to hope again.

  “Hey, so you aren’t leaving now, right?” Archer asked over his shoulder as he made his way down the walk from her apartment.

  “My plans are on indefinite hold,” she quipped.

  “Good,” he said, waving goodbye.

  It’s all part of the plan, Alena mused as she closed the door to her apartment again.

  That’s what Abi had said, right?

  CHAPTER 21

  Zane sat in his darkened living room, a glass of whiskey dangling from his fingertips. The events of the past few days played on a tortuous loop in his mind: Alena’s devastated face, the venom in Ghost’s threats, the escalating tensions between bears and dragons. Despite his best efforts to think of something else, a short loop of him burning the fool to a crisp kept playing in his mind’s eye.

  The thought surfaced again, a primal urge he couldn’t shake. But beyond that, how could this be fixed? He’d pushed Alena away, shattered her heart to keep her safe from Ghost’s machinations. And in doing so, he’d likely lost her forever. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, stealing his breath.

  A life without Alena, without her smile, her laughter, her fiery spirit… it hardly seemed worth living. Empty. Hollow. His dragon keened, a mournful sound that echoed the ache in Zane’s chest. What was the point of going on, of fighting, if he couldn’t have his mate by his side?

  As if in answer, another image flashed through his mind—Ghost’s smug face, the arrogant glint in his eye as he’d threatened Alena’s life. Rage ignited in Zane’s veins, his dragon snarling with the need for vengeance.

  Ghost. Forsaken Riders. Threat to mate. Destroy.

  “Fucking hell,” Zane growled, surging to his feet. He couldn’t just sit here wallowing in self-pity, not when Alena’s safety was still at risk. Even if she never forgave him, even if he’d lost her love forever, he had to make sure she was protected. And that meant taking out Ghost and his lackeys once and for all.

  Zane paced his living room, his mind churning with half-formed plans and desperate schemes. How could he do it? He needed a plan. His dragon roared deep within him.

  He briefly considered going to his brothers for help but quickly dismissed the idea yet again. Maybe he could have finally gotten them to see reason, but truthfully, he was tired of trying. Maybe it was just spite. He didn’t know, and he didn’t really care. He wasn’t going to give them the chance to dismiss his concerns another time.

  Enough with this pussyfooting indecision. I need to find Ghost. Go on the offensive. That’s it. If I get him alone, it won’t be difficult to get him to name any other bikers that are in on it. Then I can wipe them all out.

  He was decided.

  Misty Brews was the obvious place to start. Where better to get a lead on him?

  Then I just follow him out—or maybe just snatch him right there—for some alone time…

  He chuckled darkly in anticipation at the thought.

  An hour later, Zane sat in a darkened corner at the end of the bar in Misty Brews, staring into his half-empty glass of whiskey before downing what remained in it in a gulp.

  Alcohol barely affected him, but he liked the ritual of drinking it, nonetheless. And sometimes, after a few bottles of the hard stuff, he could actually get a little buzz going.

  “Another,” Zane grunted at the bartender, shoving his glass forward. The man raised an eyebrow but wisely kept his mouth shut as he refilled the tumbler. It was one of the Riders.

  Wonder if he is in on the trickery?

  As the whiskey burned its way down his throat, Zane’s mind churned with dark thoughts. He replayed the moment he had told Alena to stay away for probably the thousandth time.

  Fuck.

  Ghost was going to pay. Damn the consequences. He didn’t care if he had to wipe out half the bikers. They would all pay.

  His dragon snarled in agreement, restless beneath his skin. Ghost still hadn’t made an appearance. Maybe Zane should look elsewhere?

  Suddenly, shouts erupted from across the bar, interrupting his fantasies of revenge. Zane glanced up to see Dash and Striker gesticulating wildly, their faces twisted with fury. Curious despite himself, he focused his enhanced hearing, catching snippets of their heated conversation. It was obvious they hadn’t seen him. A quick glance at his muted phone showed a missed call from Dash.

  “—won’t stand for it! And he’s right, enough is enough!”

  “You really think Dad will call in reinforcements from the other clans?”

  “I do! You saw how mad he was? After the meeting and the bears still openly badmouthing us from Lone Reach to Lost Creek? I don’t think they get how much pull he has. They may have pushed him too far this time. He said it’s time we end this once and for all.”

  “But you’re sure he is set on full-on banishment of all bears from Misty Vale?”

  “Yeah, pretty sure, but it might be the only way… And you know how he is when he’s made his mind up. I’m afraid there is no coming back from this…”

  Zane’s blood ran cold, his grip tightening on his glass. Banishment? They couldn’t be serious. He had thought it was just so much talk. But the tone in his brothers’ voices told him this was more than talk now.

  To exile the bears from Misty Vale entirely… it was unthinkable. Probably undoable, for that matter. To even attempt it would surely start a war that would rage far beyond just Misty Vale.

  And yet, as Zane watched his brothers argue, their concern etched in every line of their faces, he knew things were deadly serious. The feud had reached a boiling point, and now even the most drastic measures were on the table. It surprised him, but he knew his father was capable of it.

  “Fuck,” he muttered, bringing his hands to his face. This was spiraling out of control fast. Misty Vale was on the verge of tearing itself apart. And Alena… God, he couldn’t bear the thought of her caught in the crossfire.

  Well, if he’d had a reason to take out Ghost and whoever was with him before, it had just been amplified by ten. Maybe it was too late, but Ghost had to go. And Zane was just the dragon to see to it.

  Mind made up, Zane tossed back the rest of his whiskey and slid off the barstool. He slipped out of the bar before his brothers could spot him. He had one asshole biker to find.

  He strode down Main Street, his senses on high alert as he scanned the shadows for any sign of Ghost or his cronies. He had heard rumors of some activity at an empty warehouse in the area. That was just as good a place as any to look. He couldn’t risk involving Dice, not without proof. The biker leader was too wild, too unpredictable. Besides, he was prepared to be judge, interrogator, and jury, all in one. Not to mention, executioner. No, Zane would handle this himself. Happily.

  Determination thrummed through his veins, his dragon rumbling in approval. One instinct, one sole desire, surged from his beast above all else.

  Destroy.

  But just as he neared the alley behind the warehouse, a figure stepped out from the darkness, blocking his path. No, two figures.

  “Going somewhere, Livingstone?”

  Zane tensed, his dragon rising to the surface.

  It wasn’t the threat he’d anticipated, but a threat, nonetheless. He recognized Brandon’s and Archer’s scents.

  Shit. Bears. This was the last thing he needed right now.

  “Get out of my way,” he growled, his hands curling into fists. “I don’t have time for your bullshit right now.”

  Brandon scoffed, cracking his knuckles. “Our bullshit? Fuck you, dragon boy. You don’t even know what we want.”

  Zane’s temper flared, his control fraying at the edges. “Look, I don’t want to fight you. Not now. But I will if I have to.”

  Archer stepped forward, his expression unreadable. “Relax. Both of you. We know about the Forsaken Riders, Zane. What you and my sister heard.”

  Shock rippled through Zane, momentarily derailing his anger. “Alena. Is she okay? Is she safe?”

  “Perfectly safe, yes, of course. And she told us everything. How you overheard the Riders plotting, how they’ve been playing us all for fools.”

  Zane’s heart clenched at the mention of his mate, hope and despair warring within him. She’d talked to her family? How much had she told them?

  Somehow, it was a relief to know she had confided these truths to her brother. And that apparently, the pair weren’t here to fight him. So that must be good. They still had some bond then, no?

  Words tumbled out of him. “There is more to it than she knows… you have to understand, I was trying to protect her!” A pained look crossed his face; the words sounded hollow even to his own ears. “They threatened her. Ghost. Not the whole gang. I think it is just a few. I am not sure how many of them are involved.”

  “Ghost. Yeah I remember.” Archer spit in the street, his voice gruff. “Big and not nearly as smart as he thinks he is. Shifty character. He’s Dice’s right-hand man.”

  “Exactly. He saw us together and threatened her if I didn’t keep quiet about his scheme.” Zane briefly outlined how it had all gone down.

  “Dammit. I had my own suspicions about him, but never thought he would be capable of…” Archer trailed off.

  But before he could say more, Zane interrupted him. “Wait… so Alena doesn’t hate me? The things I said—”

  “Hate is a strong word,” Archer told him. “I wouldn’t say she is happy with you, but I also know that whatever is between you remains. I can tell you this. That look she had in her eyes—even when I confronted her after you were snooping around, even after what you said to her in the street… I have never seen her like that with any boyfriend. And despite you being a dragon, and all that that brings with it in this town, I can see that you care about her.”

  Hope bloomed in Zane’s chest.

  So, there’s still a chance. Despite everything.

  It was like the sun was coming out.

  “She doesn’t hate me then!”

  “No. Far from it, I would say. We can sort all of that out later. Look, right now, we need to stop Ghost from doing any more damage. Who knows what he and his co-conspirators may be up to. It could already be too late.”

  While Zane heard Archer’s words, they were no more than background noise. Relief continued to crash over him like a wave. “I hadn’t dared to think there might still be a chance with her. And I never would have thought I might find common ground with two bears.”

  Brandon snorted. “Yeah, well, don’t go getting all mushy on us, okay? At this point, I am only tolerating you for our common good. We still don’t like you. At least I don’t. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let some biker gang fuck with my town. I’m looking forward to dealing with these punks. God help them if they are the ones who actually melted my tools.”

  Zane let out a shaky laugh. “We are totally in agreement. But Ghost is mine.”

  “Fine,” Brandon said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way if I were in your shoes.”

  “So how do we proceed? I heard some rumors about a warehouse around here…”

  “If we’re gonna wipe them out, let’s just do it,” Brandon huffed, “before I change my mind about teaming up with a scale face.”

  Zane rolled his eyes but couldn’t quite suppress the growing feelings of camaraderie. When all this was over, he’d have to buy the grumpy bear a beer. Possibly several.

  “Just calm down, Brandon. Let’s be smart about this, now that we have something of a truce in place.”

  “I would hardly call this a truce. We have an agreement between us three,” Zane interjected.

  “It’s a start. Can you just hold back a little longer? Let’s reconvene, say in a day. Is that acceptable?” Archer replied.

  “One day, fine. As long as you keep Alena safe. I need to wipe Ghost out before I can look her in the eyes again, anyway.” And Zane meant it. “But please, don’t tell her of our meeting. I screwed things up, and it is up to me to fix them.”

  “Understood,” Archer said.

  After a handshake on the agreement, Zane headed home, his dragon already fantasizing about what he would do to Ghost, as well as what he would do with Alena when they were reunited, assuming she would take him back at all.

  CHAPTER 22

  Alena fidgeted nervously as she sat at the dinner table, picking at her food while her mind raced.

  Across from her, Archer had been mostly silent. She was having trouble judging exactly what was happening behind his brow. Alena noticed Ruby elbowing him.

  He looked up and then, as if coming back to the room, said, “Alena, I just want you to know that we have plans for our Forsaken Riders friends. And there is something else I wanted to tell you, if you are ready to hear about Zane yet. I just don’t want you to—”

  But before he could say more, Abi’s high-pitched voice cut him off.

  “But Rainbow, I was gonna wait until after dessert!” the little girl whined, clutching her stuffed unicorn close. Whatever Archer had been about to say was forgotten as he and Ruby exchanged puzzled glances.

  Alena was glad to hear that something was happening on the biker front, but even if that were resolved, would it really change anything? She just didn’t know. Archer had alluded to having something to tell her about Zane, but she just couldn’t handle any more drama at the moment. Besides, if there was anything to say, Zane should be telling her himself.

  What a mess.

  She was actually relieved at the interruption, and in spite of all that was happening, she fought back a smile. Leave it to her precocious niece to break the ice.

  “What’s Rainbow have to say, sweetie?” Ruby asked gently, playing along.

  Abi huffed, her brow furrowed in concentration. “She says we have to all go on a special mission. To save Misty Vale!”

  Alena’s heart skipped a beat, her bear instantly on alert. She had learned not to dismiss anything the little girl said.

  “A mission, huh?” Archer chuckled, shaking his head. “And what exactly does this mission entail, munchkin?” But even in his voice, Alena could tell he was also listening intently.

  “We have to go see Kiki,” Abi declared, her tone brooking no argument. “And we need a… a memory bubble!”

  They had all become accustomed to Abi’s uncanny abilities of sight but nonetheless exchanged glances. Was this Abi the imaginative little girl talking, or Abi the fae mystic?

  Alena leaned forward, her curiosity now fully engaged. “Honey, what do you mean by a ‘memory bubble’?”

  “I think it’s like a window to a long time ago,” Abi answered as she seemed to look to Rainbow for confirmation. “Oh, neat!”

  “What’s so neat?” Archer questioned.

  “Rainbow says it’s like going into a submarine to go down in the ocean. But we’re not! We’re going to go into the past!”

  “Oh. Well, that clears things up,” Ruby murmured.

  “Rainbow says we gotta go back in time and see something so we can all fix it.” Then Abi levelled them with a look, and in a voice that belayed her age once again, she added somberly, “Or else Misty Vale is doomed.”

  “Oh, is that all?” Archer said as they all exchanged glances again.

  Alena stared at her niece, her mind reeling from Abi’s ominous declaration. “Doomed? What do you mean, doomed?”

  Abi huffed, clutching her stuffed unicorn tighter. “Rainbow says if we don’t go back and see what happened, dragons and bears will never stop fighting. Never ever! And then the bad guys will win!”

  Archer set his jaw, concern etched on his face. “Abi, honey, I know you want to help, but this sounds very dangerous. We can’t just go messing around with time.”

  “But we have to, Daddy!” Abi insisted, her eyes wide and pleading. “But don’t worry, it won’t just be us. Kiki is going to help. She knows about time. She’s magic, remember?”

  Ruby placed a comforting hand on her mate’s arm. “I don’t think we should fight it, Arch. Seven or not, your daughter has a proven track record. Somehow, my own powers of sight tell me a visit with Kiki is in our future. If there’s even a chance it could help…” She trailed off, glancing at Alena.

  Alena’s bear rumbled within her, torn between the need to protect her unborn cub and the desperate desire to fix the rift between her and Zane. Could this be the answer they’d been searching for?

  Despite what he had said, the pull to her mate was undiminished.

  “Okay.” Alena took a deep breath. “Let’s go see Kiki. But Abi, you have to promise to listen to us, all right? No running off in submarine time bubbles on your own.”

  Abi nodded solemnly, a smile breaking across her face. “I promise, Auntie Lena!”

  It was a little difficult to go back to dinner after that, but they finished their meals, as well as dessert upon Abi’s insistence. And then, unable to even consider thinking about anything else, they decided they might as well head toward Kiki’s Secret.

  Alena’s heart raced as they finally stood on the shop’s doorstep, Abi bouncing excitedly beside her. The little girl’s words echoed in her mind, a mix of hope and trepidation swirling in her gut.

  A memory bubble? Going back in time? It sounded crazy, but then again, no stranger than anything else she was privy to in Misty Vale.

  Kiki opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise. “Alena! Archer, Ruby… and Abi.”

  Did she seem maybe a little extra wary of Abi?

  From what had happened before, she damn well should be, Alena thought, still a bit annoyed at the fae’s past meddling.

  “What brings you all here?” Alena could see the apprehension plain as day in the fae’s eyes. “If this is about the town meeting, I’m sorry. How was I to know it would make things worse!”

  “You kept your word. Finally. But we need your help again,” Archer said, cutting straight to the chase. “Abi’s stuffed unicorn says we have one more shot at peace.”