Kiki raised one delicate brow. “And what of the bears? Have you considered how this new alliance might impact your already strained relationship with Archer’s clan?”

  Zane’s pulse quickened at the mere mention of the bears, thoughts of Alena once again flooding his mind. The way she had looked in the forest. Both so beautiful and so vulnerable at once. His hormones raged again.

  Jesus. What is going on?

  He had to protect her.

  He cleared his throat, trying to focus. “This is what I have been trying to tell you!”

  Striker rounded on him, his golden eyes flashing with irritation. “None of you seem to get it! In our business, in any business, you have to constantly gauge risk versus reward! I get it, of course I see there are dangers, but this is the call we are making. The bears will toe the line like they always do.”

  Audrey laid a calming hand on her mate’s arm. “Babe, let’s just hear Kiki out, okay? It can’t hurt to get a different perspective.”

  Striker grumbled but subsided, his jaw ticking with barely contained impatience. Kiki watched the exchange with an inscrutable expression, her dark gaze lingering on Zane for a long moment.

  “You may not like what I say, but I must say the truth as I see it,” she told the small group. Then in a softer tone, almost to herself, she murmured, “I fear great darkness looms on the horizon. A storm is brewing, and the choices you make now will determine the fate of us all.”

  “Brewing?” Striker laughed, perhaps a little nervously. “Seems to me we have at least a minor tempest already.”

  “There is much yet to be revealed,” the fae added.

  Zane felt a chill run down his spine at her ominous words. His dragon shifted uneasily beneath his skin, sensing the gravity of the moment. He looked down but was sure he could feel the fae’s eyes on him as she spoke.

  Audrey leaned forward, her brow creased with worry. “What can we do, Kiki? How can we protect our clan, our town?”

  Kiki smiled with that far off look she sometimes had, reaching out to pat Audrey’s hand. “The path forward is not always clear, my dear. But know this—the key to Misty Vale’s survival lies in the hands of the most unlikely allies. Only by setting aside pride and prejudice can we hope to weather the coming storm.”

  Unlikely allies?

  Having conveyed what she seemed to think was some deep wisdom, Kiki withdraw into herself, her eyes growing distant and unfocused. Zane exchanged an uneasy glance with Audrey, not exactly sure what to make of Kiki’s pronouncement.

  Striker, however, merely snorted and turned on his heel. “Well, that was a waste of time. C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

  “Striker!” Audrey declared at his rudeness.

  “No offense, Kiki, but I have a business to run. Many, in fact.”

  He strode out of the shop without a backward glance, the bell jangling harshly in his wake. Audrey shot Kiki an apologetic look. “He’s under a lot of pressure.”

  Kiki just nodded, as if to say it was all understood and forgiven.

  Audrey departed, hurrying after her mate, leaving Zane alone with the fae. For some reason, he felt temporarily glued to the spot as Kiki simply studied him, her dark eyes seeming to peer into the very depths of his soul. He shifted uncomfortably, feeling strangely exposed under her knowing gaze.

  “You have a choice to make, Zane Livingstone,” Kiki said at last, her voice soft but laden with power. “A choice that will shape not only your own destiny, but the fate of all those you hold dear.”

  Zane swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. “I don’t understand. What choice?” Though of course he did have some idea of what she meant.

  Kiki smiled, turning to drift back towards the beaded curtain. “Don’t you? Regardless, when the time comes, you will know for sure.” Then she stopped abruptly and cocked her head as if hearing something. “Oh, I see, yes. You will have a few choices to make, it seems. Trust your heart, dragon. It will never lead you astray.”

  And with that, she disappeared into the depths of the shop, leaving Zane alone with his swirling thoughts and the unsettling certainty that nothing would ever be the same again. His mind drifted back to Alena, to the undeniable pull he felt towards her despite every logical reason to stay away.

  What choice, though?

  But as he stepped out of Kiki’s shop and into the bright sunlight, Zane couldn’t shake the feeling that his path was already set, that the choice Kiki spoke of had been made the moment he’d first laid eyes on Alena. For better or worse, their fates were intertwined now. Or was there somehow more to it?

  All he could do was try to navigate the treacherous waters ahead and hope that somehow, against all odds, they’d find a way to bridge the gap between their two worlds.

  But to make that happen, if that was going to at all possible, he also had to handle the job at hand. Doubt still swirled within him on that front.

  With a sigh, he set off towards Misty Brews, steeling himself for another day of playing peacekeeper between the Riders and his own clan.

  As he walked, he couldn’t help but cast a longing glance across the street towards Archer’s bar, his dragon straining against the confines of his human skin. Alena had mentioned she worked at a diner the other day. But which one?

  He didn’t know, but she was close, he could feel it in his bones. Every fiber of his being ached to go to her, to pull her into his arms and never let go.

  One thing at a time.

  His feet carried him down Main Street, past the bustling storefronts and chattering pedestrians on his way to Misty Brews. Gazing across the street, he took in the sign of the new diner, The Honey Bun. Clever name for a bear diner, he mused. The scent of frying bacon and fresh coffee wafted even across the street.

  Zane’s dragon suddenly surged to attention, every nerve ending alight with awareness. His nostrils flared, catching the barest hint of another scent. Her.

  His eyes suddenly snapped up, alighting on her in a window as she appeared to be cleaning up a table. His she-bear.

  Alena.

  As if sensing his gaze, she looked up, their eyes locking. His pulse quickened, and a surge of excitement shot through his veins. He felt his sex swell just at the sight of her. And now that he had found her scent, it was all that filled his nose. For one suspended moment, the world fell away, and there was only her—this maddening, magnificent female who had turned his existence upside down. Her lips parted, and her eyes went wide in surprise.

  Jesus, he just wanted to run to her now and pull her into his arms.

  No. Not yet.

  With a herculean effort, he managed to keep his expression neutral. They could not betray their feelings now. Instead, he turned on his heel and headed toward Misty Brews. This was proving to be far more difficult than he could have ever imagined. His heart practically ached as he turned his back.

  I will have her. We will have each other.

  There could be no other way.

  CHAPTER 8

  Alena’s mind was still reeling from her brief encounter with Zane outside the diner. Just seeing him across the street had sent her heart racing and her bear into a frenzy.

  What the hell are we doing?

  She couldn’t help but have doubts as to the wisdom of pursuing a relationship they could never fully embrace.

  Not in Misty Vale, at least.

  “Earth to Alena!” Kelly’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. “You’ve been wiping down that same table for the past five minutes. Something got you distracted?”

  “No, what do you mean, Kel?”

  Kelly raised a skeptical eyebrow. “I saw that look you exchanged with a certain dragon from across the street, hon. That’s what I mean,” she said with a wink. “Come on, you can tell me.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing, come on, Kel.”

  “Riiiight,” Kelly drawled, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. “Because you always get that googly-eyed look. Happens with everyone.”

  “I did not get googly-eyed!” Alena protested, swatting at her friend with a dish towel.

  “But you did!” Abi chimed in from her perch at the counter, where she was happily playing with Rainbow, with whom she had finally been reunited. It had actually been a little disappointing. Alena had expected the child to be more excited to see her stuffed unicorn again, but she only expressed mild surprise that Rainbow came back so quickly. She continued addressing Alena. “Your aura goes all pink and sparkly when you look at him, too.”

  Alena groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I don’t know what you guys are talking about.”

  She had thought it had just been a stolen little glance. Apparently not. And now she was basically lying to a seven-year-old.

  “Fine, so we exchanged a glance,” she finally admitted. Today of all days, some scheduling got mixed up, and the short story was that she’d stepped up for Archer and Ruby, and it had become ‘bring your niece to work’ day for her at the diner.

  Kelly laughed, patting Alena on the shoulder. “Oh, so this is a full blown thing? I see. I guess you’ve got it bad for that dragon boy. And who could blame you? He’s pretty easy on the eyes.”

  “Shh! Keep your voice down!” Alena hissed, glancing around nervously.

  This was spiraling quickly. The last thing she needed was for one of the other bears to overhear their conversation. The gossip train was in full effect, and she didn’t want any part of it.

  “It was just a look. Calm down.”

  “I know you think you and the dragon can’t be together. Not for real,” Abi piped up, setting down her crayon. “But Auntie Lena, you can. Your aura said so!”

  Alena’s heart clenched at the little girl’s words. If only it were that simple.

  “Well, that settles it. Go for it, why don’t you?” Kelly said softly, giving Alena a pointed look. “Maybe you should listen to your niece. She’s a smart cookie.”

  Just then, Brandon came bursting out of the kitchen, his face red and harried. “Alena! I need you to run down to Jensen’s and grab as much bacon as you can get your hands on. Someone obviously screwed up our order! We’re almost out, and the lunch rush is about to hit.”

  Alena blinked, startled by the sudden request.

  Saved by the… by the boss.

  “Oh, uh… sure thing, boss. I’ll head over right now.” She was only too happy to interrupt the conversation.

  Brandon grunted his thanks before disappearing back into the kitchen, leaving Alena to grab her purse and head for the door.

  As she stepped outside, her bear perked up, immediately seeking out any sign of Zane. But the street was empty, no trace of either her man or the bikers.

  She felt a little disappointment but knew it was for the best. She needed to get a handle on herself.

  Good luck with that. Just the sight of him, and you go all loopy.

  Lost in thought, Alena made her way down the block and around the corner towards the market. She was so distracted, she almost didn’t notice the group of rough-looking men loitering outside the entrance.

  Forsaken Riders. Didn’t have to go far to find them.

  There was no mistaking their weathered leather cuts, their bold patches proclaiming their allegiance for all to see. She thought maybe she recognized a few of them as having been hanging out in front of Misty Brews.

  Alena’s steps faltered, a trickle of unease sliding down her spine. As she drew closer, snippets of their conversation reached her ears, making her bear bristle with alarm.

  “…shipment coming in tonight…”

  “…Zane doesn’t need to know…”

  “…gonna make us some pretty coin…”

  Cold dread pooled in Alena’s stomach, her mind racing. Shipment? Of what? Guns? Drugs? And they were intentionally keeping it from Zane?

  She had been right to be concerned. She had to warn him. If Zane was being kept in the dark by his own allies, he needed to know.

  I didn’t think that was just boys being boys. Those bastards.

  Doing her best to remain nonchalant, Alena entered the market, determined to grab what she needed and then get word to Zane as soon as she could. He had to be told about the shady dealings happening right under his nose. She could not let any harm come to her mate.

  There you go with the ‘mate’ thing again. But she was getting tired of fighting it.

  When Alena emerged from the market ten minutes later, her arms laden with packages of bacon and her mind racing, the bikers were nowhere to be seen. But their words still echoed in her head, fueling her urgency.

  She had to find Zane. Now. No more screwing around. Forbidden love or whatever be damned. This was too much.

  Hurrying back to the diner, Alena practically threw the bacon at a startled Brandon before whirling to face Kelly.

  “I need you to cover for me,” she said breathlessly. “There’s something I have to do.”

  Kelly’s brows shot up, her eyes widening as she took in Alena’s frantic expression. “Whoa, hey. What’s going on?”

  Alena shook her head, glancing around to make sure no one was within earshot. She lowered her voice to an urgent whisper and checked to be sure no one was near. “I overheard some stuff… about the Riders. I think Zane might be in trouble. I just need five minutes.”

  Seeing the look of confusion etched on Kelly’s face, she added, “The dragon. My dragon. I have to warn him.”

  “Warn him?” Kelly echoed incredulously. “‘Your dragon,’ did you say? Lena, are you crazy? I thought he was just a crush! This is escalating rather quickly.”

  “Oh, whatever! I don’t have a choice, Kel,” Alena insisted, her voice cracking with emotion. “He’s… he’s important to me. I can’t explain it, but I know I have to do this.”

  As if on cue, Zane emerged from Misty Brews across the street, squinting against the late afternoon sun. Alena’s breath caught in her throat as she watched him, her bear practically vibrating with the need to go to him.

  “I’ll only take a second.”

  Kelly grinned, giving her a quick salute. “Well, if you’re going to do it, then I guess, go get him, tiger. Er, bear.”

  With a deep breath, Alena pushed through the diner doors and out onto the sun-drenched sidewalk. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she crossed the street, her eyes locked on Zane’s retreating form.

  This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy, her mind chanted with every step. But she couldn’t turn back now. He had come to her in her hour of need, and now she would go to him.

  Mate! her bear rumbled for what felt like the tenth time in as many minutes.

  “Zane!” she called out. “We need to talk.”

  He whirled around, his eyes widening in shock as he took her in. “Alena? What is it? Are you okay?” He scanned the area as he pulled her into the alley beside the bar. She could see him preparing to fight off any threat.

  “Yes, yes, I am okay. Besides the fact that I can’t get you out of my mind…”

  “Nor I you,” he said as he laid a deep kiss on her.

  “Oh, my god, Zane, don’t…”

  Again, she felt rockets of pleasure shoot through her body. Her sex ached at his very touch.

  “I couldn’t help it. But this is dangerous. What’s going on? We can’t be seen together. My brothers and your—”

  “I know,” Alena cut him off, grabbing his arm. “But this is important. Please, Zane. Just give me a second to speak.”

  She did her best to push her raging hormones down. Or to the side.

  Somewhere! Oh, this is bad!

  He searched her face for a long moment before finally nodding, his jaw tight. “Fine. But not here.”

  He knit his brow as he looked around. Suddenly, an idea seemed to occur to him. “Tonight, ten o’clock, can you make it? Corner of Oak and Grayson. Be discreet. I have an idea.”

  “Oak and Grayson? Okay, yes, I’ll be there. Ten o’clock. But Zane, you can’t trust the bikers!”

  He shot her a questioning look but did not look particularly surprised.

  “Tell me what you know tonight.”

  “Yes!”

  On impulse, she leapt into his arms one more time and was rewarded as another thrill shot through her.

  She pressed her lips to his for an instant and allowed him to hungrily devour her. She grabbed at his well-muscled arms and restrained her desire to let her hands wander further afield.

  “I should go,” he muttered, pulling away with a clear act of will.

  With that, he turned and strode down the street, leaving Alena staring after him with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation swirling in her gut. Despite the danger, she was already being swept away with excitement. Her body was still pulsing with desire, left in the lurch, so to speak, by his sudden absence.

  Tonight. We will be together again tonight.

  This is crazy.

  But still, she dared to consider that perhaps they could find a way forward.

  A girl can dream, right? Alena thought wryly, already counting down the hours until their clandestine meeting.

  Alena’s heart raced as she arrived at the corner of Oak and Grayson, scanning the shadows for any sign of Zane. She couldn’t believe she was actually doing this—sneaking out to meet a dragon in the dead of night. Her bear paced restlessly within her, eager and anxious all at once.

  Suddenly, the clip-clop of hooves caught her attention. An old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage emerged from the darkness, pulling up alongside her. It was the famous ghost tour, a common sight, even late night, and a favorite among the tourists of Misty Vale. The driver was a top hat clad young woman Alena didn’t recognize.

  Clever dragon.

  Hiding in plain sight. Or at least blending in.

  “Hop in,” she said with a knowing smile. “Your chariot awaits. I’m Beth, a friend of Zane’s.”

  Alena climbed into the carriage, her stomach fluttering with nerves and anticipation. A moment later, Zane appeared, sliding onto the bench beside her. His presence was both thrilling and comforting, his warmth seeping into her very bones.