Almost without thinking, Zane stripped off his clothes and headed out the back of his home, letting the shift take over as he burst into his dragon form. Powerful wings unfurled as his body morphed and grew into the majestic beast.

  He launched himself into the sky, soaring over the rugged mountains. Before he knew it, he found himself winging toward Widow’s Peak, his dragon drawn to the place where he had last seen Alena, as if pulled by an invisible string.

  Landing in the clearing where Alena had shifted, Zane caught her lingering scent on the breeze immediately.

  Wildflowers.

  It set his blood on fire. At least he felt closer to her here.

  He looked around, and though he saw nothing, there was no mistaking it. He shifted back to human form to better take in her scent.

  A low growl rumbled in his chest as her luscious scent filled his lungs. God, even the faintest remnant of her essence was driving him mad with want. But he knew it was impossible.

  Why are you tormenting yourself?

  They were from two different worlds, two clans locked in a bitter feud that spanned generations. It could never be. How many times did he have to go over this?

  You have to forget her. Period.

  Zane prepared to shift back into dragon form to fly home once again. Flying up to Widow’s Peak had been an indulgence. One he couldn’t afford in the current climate in town, and certainly not at a time that he should be focusing on his upcoming responsibilities. And it was no longer just an indulgence. It was torture.

  Enough.

  He shifted and took to the sky, his wings beating powerfully as he rose above the peak.

  He allowed himself one last look at this place where they had met in their raw, naked flesh. Though his dragon now roared of “mate,” he knew he could not allow it.

  It was when he took that last look, his dragon snarling in defiance, that he saw it. What was that? A flash of purple caught his eye. Zane swooped lower, realizing with a start that there was something snagged on a branch a good five or six feet below the edge of the cliff. It was above the ledge but out of sight from the safe ground above.

  As he flew down to inspect it, he realized it was a stuffed animal. A unicorn. Could it belong to the little girl? Abi? This was right where he had found her. Of course it was hers.

  Without thinking further, Zane dove for the toy, plucking it carefully from the tree with his talons. He knew he should just leave it, that returning it would only prolong this impossible infatuation. But the thought of Alena’s niece being reunited with her beloved stuffed animal was irresistible. His mind wanted to fight him, but this time, he refused to entertain other options. Of course he would bring it to her. But that was it. One final act.

  His dragon practically did a barrel roll with excitement as he headed home.

  Zane landed back at his house, shifting and striding inside with the unicorn clutched to his chest. He paced back and forth, warring with himself.

  Just return the stuffed animal, then forget about her, he told himself firmly. Drop it off and walk away. Put Alena out of your mind for good.

  Truth was, no good could come of further contact. It might even be the spark that set the whole of Misty Vale ablaze if he wasn’t careful.

  I’ll think on it.

  With that, he set the unicorn on the corner of his desk.

  Over the next few days, it became clear that his dragon was showing no signs of forgetting about Alena. And neither was he. Quite the contrary. He had tried hot showers, and then cold ones. He had tried work, both focusing on his own plans for adventure tourism in Misty Vale as well as preparing for his new position overseeing the Misty Brews deal. But nothing was working.

  Things in town hadn’t improved. His brothers had had to go have a talk with Sampson and the other dragons to try to calm them down and avert real bloodshed. For his clan, he had to forget her.

  “Fine,” Zane growled, throwing up his hands in defeat. “We’ll return the damn unicorn. But that’s it. After that, we forget about her. Agreed?”

  His dragon rumbled its assent, though Zane had a feeling the beast was merely biding its time.

  He tucked the stuffed unicorn inside his jacket before heading into town, keeping to the shadows as he made his way toward Archer’s bar.

  Despite his attempts to distract himself, at some level, he had already formulated a plan. He could have followed through and picked up Nora, potentially running into Alena there, but he wanted to leave the little girl out of it. No, Alena would probably be by her brother’s bar at some point. And he was a patient dragon.

  He realized he was just dragging out the inevitable. Maybe he would have to stake the bar out for weeks until he saw her. He knew what he was doing. But he couldn’t help it. Soon enough, she would appear, he would give her the doll, and that would be it.

  Besides, he felt a pull there. He knew his dragon had already become aware of her in some unseen way. That would be a hard connection to break. But he would have to.

  One thing at a time.

  Zane headed into town and prepared himself to wait.

  Heart pounding, he made his way to the front of the building, lurking in the shadows as he watched patrons come and go. It was a risk, being seen so close to bear territory, especially now, but he had made up his mind. He had set out in the morning, but there had been no sign of her around the bar.

  Of course not, you idiot, he told himself. What are you even doing?

  Zane, however, was determined. He decided to switch locations and even watched the corner they had bumped into each other for a time, at roughly the same time of day that they had met. Perhaps it was part of her regular commute? But she did not show.

  His dragon hissed in frustration. He wanted—no, he needed this final closure.

  He staked out Archer’s once again in the afternoon and finally was rewarded. Just as he was beginning to decide that he had indeed totally lost it, he spotted her. Alena emerged from the bar, her dark auburn hair tumbling around her shoulders as she laughed at something her companion said. Zane’s breath caught at the sight of her.

  Steeling his nerve, he waited until she parted ways with her friend before stepping out of the shadows.

  “Alena,” he called softly, testing if it was indeed her name, after all.

  She whirled around, eyes wide with shock as she took him in. “You,” she breathed, hand flying to her throat. “What are you doing here?”

  Zane held up the unicorn, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “I found this up on the peak. Thought Abi might be missing it.”

  Alena’s gaze softened as she reached out to take the plush toy, her fingers brushing his in a fleeting caress that sent sparks skittering up his arm. Again, his sex stirred instantly as pleasure and heat shot to his core.

  “Thank you,” she murmured. “But how do know my name? Or hers?”

  “I am rather resourceful,” he said simply.

  She gazed into his eyes, even as he fought to control himself from pulling her right into his chest right here in the alley.

  “She said Rainbow would find her way home…”

  “And so she has…” Zane trailed off, the memory of their previous charged encounter hanging heavier between them with each passing moment.

  Alena swallowed hard, her eyes searching his. “You saved her life. I can never repay you for that.”

  “You don’t owe me anything,” Zane said roughly, his voice thick with emotion. “I would have done the same for any child, bear or dragon.”

  Something flickered in Alena’s eyes, a hint of warmth that made Zane’s heart stutter in his chest. “And yet, here you are, risking everything to return a child’s toy. To a bear, no less.”

  Zane huffed out a laugh, “I don’t know about ‘everything,’ but yeah, I’m well aware of the risk. If my family knew I was here, talking to you…”

  “I’m sure you know about the blow up at the construction site. This is dangerous. Your family can’t find out,” Alena finished for him, her voice tinged with sadness. “And neither can mine. This… whatever this is between us… it can never be. But god, whatever it is, it’s strong.”

  “I can hardly resist you, Alena,” Zane whispered. “And I can’t stop thinking about you. And man, have I tried. I can’t stop saying your name. Alena.”

  Alena’s breath hitched, her eyes darkening with a hunger that mirrored his own. “I feel it, too,” she admitted, her voice barely more than a whisper. “God, do I feel it. And my bear has been flipping out. “

  Zane reached out, cupping Alena’s face in his palm. She leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed as a sigh escaped her mouth. Their lips were almost touching. “We can’t do this,” he murmured, even as he lowered his head, his breath coming hard on her parted lips. “It’s madness.”

  “Complete and utter madness,” Alena agreed, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, tugging him closer. “Can you at least tell me your name?”

  “Zane,” he breathed. And that was all he could say before they were kissing, a desperate clash of lips and tongues. Zane groaned, one hand tangling in Alena’s silken hair as the other splayed across her lower back, crushing her against him. He could feel his sex fully encouraged. She tasted like heaven, like everything he’d ever wanted and never dared to dream he could have.

  Dimly, Zane knew they were playing with fire, but he didn’t care.

  Let the world burn, his dragon seemed to rumble. As long as we have her, nothing else matters.

  His dragon roared in delight. Mine.

  He pressed his hips against her as he pulled her into him, and she let out a sigh as she pushed back.

  But the spell was broken by the sound of raucous laughter from the bar, the clinking of glasses and thudding of heavy boots against wooden floors. Zane and Alena sprang apart, chests heaving and eyes wild with barely contained need.

  “We can’t…” Alena gasped, pressing trembling fingers to her kiss-swollen lips.

  “I know,” Zane said hoarsely, his body screaming at the loss of her warmth. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”

  Alena shook her head, a sad smile tugging at her mouth. “Don’t apologize. I thought it was me… I told you I feel it, too.”

  Zane’s heart clenched at the resignation in her voice. “Alena—”

  “Don’t,” she whispered, taking a step back. “Don’t say anything else. Let’s just… let’s just chalk this up to a moment of madness and move on. It’s better for everyone that way.”

  Zane wanted to argue, to pull her back into his arms and never let go. But he knew she was right. There was no future for them, no matter how much his dragon roared in protest.

  “Yes, you’re right. I came here to give you the unicorn, Rainbow. And that was it. Take care of yourself, Alena,” he said softly, drinking in the sight of her one last time. “And give Abi a hug from her dragon rescuer.”

  Alena’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she managed a wobbly nod. “I will. This is for the best. Goodbye, Zane.”

  And then she was gone, disappearing into the shadows and leaving Zane feeling like a piece of his soul had been ripped away. He stood there for a long moment, fighting the urge to run after her, to damn the consequences and claim her as his mate for all the world to see.

  But he knew he couldn’t. Not now, maybe not ever.

  CHAPTER 5

  Alena’s eyes fluttered open, the morning sun filtering through her bedroom curtains. She stretched languidly, her mind already drifting to thoughts of Zane despite her best efforts to push him away.

  It had been a few days since their heated encounter in the alley, but the memory of his touch, his scent, the electricity between them still haunted her every waking moment. Her bear whined plaintively, longing for the connection to their apparent mate.

  Enough, she told herself firmly, pushing back the covers and padding to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to shock herself back to reality. Today was her day off, and she was going to make the most of it. No more pining over impossible dreams. No more thoughts of Zane Livingstone. Resolved, Alena headed downstairs, intending to make a quick breakfast before losing herself in the solace of nature. It was going to be a good day.

  But as she passed by the living room, a framed photo on the mantel caught her eye, stopping her in her tracks. Her parents smiled back at her from behind the glass, their arms wrapped around a beaming Alena, her brother Archer, and her older sister Artemis. They looked so happy, so whole. So unaware that in just a few short years, a tragic car accident would rip their family apart forever.

  Unexpected grief welled up in Alena’s throat, sudden and sharp. Even after all this time, the loss of her parents left an aching void in her chest. It had been a while since it had hit her this hard, but here was the pain unfiltered.

  She picked up the photo with trembling hands, tracing their faces with her fingertip. “I miss you,” she whispered, blinking back tears. “Every damn day.”

  Usually, Alena tried to focus on the good memories—family game nights, camping trips in the mountains, her dad’s booming laugh and her mom’s warm hugs. But today, the pain was too raw, too close to the surface.

  She tried to fight it but couldn’t hold it back on this day. The full weight of their absence hit. And the crash hadn’t only taken her parents, it had split her family in many ways. While she had grown closer to Archer in some ways, Artemis had left town as soon as she was old enough and since had thrown herself in into her career. It seemed she had chosen to bury her pain in eighty-hour workweeks and her cross-country move. They hardly spoke these days, the gulf between them wider than just the miles.

  Suddenly desperate to hear a friendly voice and to speak with the one other person who with whom she could about such things, Alena grabbed her phone and dialed Archer’s number. Her brother answered on the third ring, sounding harried and distracted.

  “Hey, sis. What’s up?”

  “Hey, Arch. I just… I was thinking about Mom and Dad. Feeling a little lost, I guess.” Alena hated the tremor in her voice. She didn’t want to put too much of her pain on him.

  Archer sighed. “Yeah, I get that. I miss them, too. Especially with all this shit going on, you know?”

  “What shit?” Alena asked, feeling her defenses rising.

  “Oh, you know. With all this drama, and the town on the brink. It’s taking everything I’ve got to keep the pack in line. Brandon and Smith want to set up a night watch or something to patrol and ‘keep bears safe’ and to keep an eye on the borders of our territory. Feels like we’re preparing for some kind of shifter war.” Archer huffed out a humorless laugh. “I just wish Dad was here. He would know how to handle this kind of thing.”

  Alena felt her throat tighten, a fresh wave of grief crashing over her.

  She couldn’t tell him how his words felt like daggers, reminding her yet again of the doomed nature of her secret… whatever it was with Zane. And that was on top of the pain of missing her parents.

  But of course, Archer was dealing with clan stuff. He was the alpha now, the leader. He didn’t have the luxury of wallowing in the past, she thought miserably.

  “Right, of course.” She forced a lightness she didn’t feel. Now she just wanted to get off the phone before her upset showed even more. “Well, I won’t keep you. I know you have a lot on your plate.”

  Archer chuckled, but it sounded strained. “You got that right. This shit is bad. Let’s just hope it doesn’t escalate.”

  Zane’s face flashed through Alena’s mind, the memory of his touch searing her skin. She swallowed hard, pushing down the surge of pain and longing. “Yeah. Okay, I’ll let you go. Talk to you later, Arch.” She hung up, aware of her awkwardness in ending the call before he could reply. But she didn’t care.

  She instantly burst into tears, her chest aching with a confusing mix of emotions. Grief for her parents, loneliness for her distant sibling, and a fierce, impossible yearning for a future that could never be. She let herself cry it out for a good minute or two before wiping away her tears.

  Come on, Lena.

  She pushed the pain down as best she could, grabbed her backpack, and headed out the door, desperate for the solace of the forest. She’d always found peace amongst the towering pines and burbling streams, a sense of connection to something greater than herself.

  And god, did she need that now.

  As she hiked deeper into the wilderness, Alena let her mind drift, memories of happier times playing out like a movie reel. The time her dad taught her how to fish, his strong hands guiding her cast. The afternoon she and Artemis built a fairy village in the backyard, giggling as they adorned it with flowers and glitter. The countless evenings spent curled up on the couch, watching old movies and eating her mom’s famous popcorn. But inevitably, her thoughts circled back to Zane. The electric shock of their first meeting, and the yearning deep in her core that had come alive when they kissed.

  It’s not fair, she thought bitterly. Finally, finally, she meets someone who sets her soul on fire, and he’s a dragon. Her clan’s sworn enemy. “It’s not fair!” she screamed into the forest, her voice cracking. “What’s the point? What’s the damn point of any of it?”

  And as if to add insult to injury, just then, when she was already down, an errant candy wrapper blew up from the forest floor and plastered itself to her face.

  Great, more trash. Or maybe that’s Dad?

  She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but somehow, that put her over the edge. Her breath hitched as sobs again welled up in her throat. Alena sank to her knees in the middle of the trail, burying her face in her hands. This time, she let the tears really flow. Great spasms wracked her body as she let it all out. She cried for her parents, for the gaping hole they’d left behind. For Artemis, and the distance that grew between them with each passing year. And for Zane, and the future they could never have. She even cried for what had become of the town that her family and her kind had worked so hard to build. She didn’t know how much time had passed, and she didn’t care. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. She was tired of being strong.