Page 6 of The Right to Bear Claws
"She's under my protection," Elias growled, his bear surging close to the surface. "Anyone who wants to get to her goes through me."
Lucien studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Mate bond."
It wasn't a question. Elias didn't bother denying it.
"Well," his friend continued, "that explains the homicidal glare you've been wearing all morning. Congratulations, by the way. It's about time."
Elias scrubbed his face with both hands. "What does the Council want, exactly?"
"Information. Background. Anything that might help us understand what kind of threat we're dealing with." Lucien's expression softened slightly. "I volunteered to ask instead of letting Bram handle it. Figured you'd prefer a friendly conversation to an official summons."
Elder Bram was notorious for his heavy-handed approach to Council business. The thought of him anywhere near Kaia made Elias's protective instincts flare dangerously.
"I'll talk to her," he said finally. "But carefully. She's been through enough."
"Agreed. And Elias?" Lucien's tone turned serious again. "Whatever's hunting her, it's not going to stop because she found sanctuary. If anything, being in Hollow Oak might make things worse. The town's magic could amplify whatever supernatural connection she's carrying."
Lucien’s concern confirmed fears Elias had been trying to ignore. He'd sensed the darkness clinging to Kaia's aura, the wrongness that followed her like a shadow. But the thought that his home, his sanctuary, might actually put her in more danger made his bear rise with helpless rage.
"Then we'd better figure out what we're dealing with fast," he said grimly.
Lucien nodded and melted back into the forest with typical feline grace, leaving Elias alone with his churning thoughts. Work became impossible after that. He went through the motions, but his mind was elsewhere, spinning through possibilities and contingencies, most of which ended with him standing between Kaia and whatever threat had followed her to Hollow Oak.
By the time the workday ended, his brothers had given up trying to get coherent responses from him. They packed up the tools with pointed comments about distracted bears and the dangers of operating power equipment while lovesick, but Elias barely heard them.
He needed to see Kaia. Needed to make sure she was safe, that the dark presence he'd sensed hadn't found a way to reach her during the day. The rational part of his mind knew Miriam'sinn was warded better than most supernatural fortresses, but his bear didn't care about rational thought.
Twenty minutes later, he stood outside the Hearth & Hollow Inn, tool belt replaced with a clean flannel shirt, boots traded for something that wouldn't track mud across Miriam's polished floors. Through the front window, he could see Kaia in the common room, curled up in one of the reading chairs with a cup of tea and what looked like one of Miriam's photo albums.
She'd changed out of the borrowed nightgown into clothes that must have come from Miriam's collection. A soft blue sweater that brought out the unusual color of her eyes, and jeans that fit well enough to suggest the older woman had a good eye for sizing. Her platinum hair was braided loosely over one shoulder, and she wore the kind of peaceful expression that made something warm and protective settle in his chest.
She looked like she belonged there, surrounded by the inn's cozy warmth and Miriam's maternal fussing. Like Hollow Oak had been waiting for her without knowing it.
Elias knocked softly and let himself in, breathing easier when Kaia looked up with a genuine smile instead of the brittle brightness she'd worn that morning.
"Hey," she said, setting aside the photo album. "How was your day?"
"Good. Productive." He settled into the chair across from hers, hyperaware of the way her scent wrapped around him like a drug. "How are you feeling? Any more memories come back?"
"Bits and pieces. Nothing useful." She gestured to the album in her lap. "Miriam's been showing me pictures of Hollow Oak through the years. It's a beautiful place."
"It is." He studied her face, looking for signs of strain or lingering trauma. "Would you like to see it for yourself? I could give you a tour, if you're feeling up to it."
The offer surprised him. He'd planned to suggest it for security reasons, a chance to keep an eye on her while she explored the town. But watching her face light up with genuine interest, he realized he simply wanted to share his home with her. Wanted to see Hollow Oak through her eyes, to watch her fall in love with the place that had shaped him.
"I'd love that," she said, then hesitated. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose on your evening."
"You're not imposing." He tried not to sound too eager. "Besides, it's getting dark soon. Not safe to wander around alone."
It was a weak excuse. Hollow Oak was probably the safest place in the Blue Ridge Mountains, protected by layers of magic and watched over by guardians like him. But Kaia didn't know that yet, and he wasn't above using her ignorance to justify staying close.
"In that case," she said, standing and smoothing down her sweater, "I'd be honored to have a local guide. Lead the way, Elias."
4
KAIA
The moment Kaia stepped onto Hollow Oak's main street, she knew she wasn't in Kansas anymore.
