Mary Lou’s was the local bar, started all the way back in 1912. She was the town matriarch at the time and had wanted an establishment that allowed for socializing, dancing, and great food.
It was one of my favorite places, and if I took a little fey wine with me, I got to let loose and dance the night away. I’d always loved to dance … and sing. Thursday was karaoke night, and I’d been known to sneak into more than a few of them.
In some ways it was nice to be back home, even if my heart ached at being away from Louis. I had spent years getting past my feelings for him, and now I felt like I was back to square one, with that damn sorcerer living in my head … and chest.True mates.It was almost unbelievable, but it also explained so much about our history together.
A rumbling growl left me, which had someone on the street nearby jumping and swinging their head around. Their focus didn’t stop on me, because they assumed there was no way I could have made that sound. They were trying to figure out if bears were strolling the streets again. It wouldn’t be the first time wildlife decided to step into Condor.
I hurried on, clutching the bags closer to me. We were nearing the end of the daylight days, and soon twilight would descend over the area. I didn’t mind it, my eyesight easily adjusting to the low light, but it was a depressing time for the locals. Which was when Mary Lou’s did the best trade, with everyone looking to escape.
As soon as I was out of the main town, I strode into the forest. My senses detected no one in the vicinity, so I felt comfortable opening a step-through straight to my home. I had too many wards up to land inside—no one could directly portal into my place, not even me.
The moment I stepped inside my cabin, everything lit up. Lights washed warmth across the wood features and benches, the fireplace roared to life, and heat filled the space. Dropping my bags on the kitchen bench, I stripped out of my scarf and jacket, hanging them on a nearby coatrack. The food took me a few minutes to put away, and I was already excited to have some of my favorite junk food in the house. I had the worst kind of sweet tooth; it was almost embarrassing, but since no one lived with me and I couldn’t die from eating it, what did it matter?
I’d always been determined to enjoy the things about my life that I could. And now … now I was going to live life to the fullest. I had almost died. I had found my true mate. Things happened when I put myself out there, and despite the ache of not being with Louis, I was ready to get on with my life.
The old Elizabeth Teresa was back.
Warmth in my chest flared to life, and I rubbed a hand across it. Seriously. Damn Louis! Damn him to hell and back. I really was a bit late for that. He’d been in hell with those demons, and we’d come very close to losing him. My breathing grew ragged and I almost screamed at the sudden pain flaring through me. The thought of Louis dying, of never seeing his cocky, too-beautiful face again, hurt worse than that blast had.
“Liz!” The shout and banging on my door startled me from the panic attack threatening me. “Where the hell have you been, girl?”
Connor. Somehow he always knew when I was back from town. Breathing in and out deeply, I straightened my clothes and hurried across to wrench the door open. I had to look way up to meet his gaze, because he topped out at six foot six, minimum, and was burly like most bear shifters.
“Connor!” I cried, throwing myself at him. He caught me easily, hauling me up against his dark blue flannel shirt.
He hugged me tightly, careful not to crush me with his bulk. Connor was a scary supe. I’d seen him turn other bear shifters who dared encroach on their territory into crying children, running away with piss down their legs. But he never scared me. If anything, I enjoyed having these guys in my life, because they never treated me as anything special. I was not a hugely powerful sorceress to them. I was just Lizzie.
When he finally dropped me to my feet, his face creased into disapproval as he examined me closely. “You had me worried,” he rumbled. “We didn’t hear from you, and then we get up here and it’s like this place had been abandoned.”
I scrunched up my face too. “Shit, I know. I’m so sorry. I had a family emergency and I just took off in a rush. I kept meaning to call you, but things were a little … hectic.”
His eyes saw too much, and the longer he watched me, the more severe his expression got. “You look … different, Lizzie. What happened?”
Straightening, I planted my hands on my hips.
“I feel different, and I’m finally going to take your advice. I’m done with hiding. It’s time for me to live my life, Con.”
A grin broke across his face, and I was struck by how handsome he really was. Like flawless, with broad, strong features, darkly tanned skin, and electric blue eyes. There had been amomentbetween us many years ago, but we’d both decided it was safer to remain friends. He was a leader of his community back home and would have to mate with another bear, so we could never have had anything serious.
Now that Louis had come back into my life, I was happy we made that decision. And not because Connor was any less handsome—he could literally be a Greek god with his face and body—but because I had been in deep denial over my feelings for Louis. I’d thought I was long over him.
I was a fucking idiot.
“This is the best news,” Connor said, “but don’t think I missed the way you haven’t actually told me anything that happened while you were gone.” His smile didn’t fade though, so I knew he wasn’t too worried.
As I stepped back to let him in, he added, “And you should totally come and live with our pack. You know that we know how to have a good time.”
I laughed. “I think maybe you might havetoogood a time, if you get my drift.” He didn’t deny it.
Dropping his boots by the door, he followed me across to my couch. “Where are Paulie and James?” I asked, throwing a bag of chips and dip on my table. I also got him a beer, while I poured myself a watered-down glass of fey wine. No need to get messy this early on.
“They’ll be here in a minute. They were just on the phone with the pack.”
I eyed him. “And you didn’t have to stay for that?” He was kinda the alpha.
Connor shook his head. “Nah, this was about their women.”
Paulie and James had a lot of women. Those two were the free and easy ones of the group, and we were all okay with it. Until they found their mates, true or chosen, neither of them would settle down.
