He'd be gone for three months, and in that time I'd make his place livable again and get a landscaper out here to do something with the yard, so when Blaine came back sober and healthy, he'd have a nice place to recoup and stay on top of his issues.

But I sure as hell wouldn't be staying here myself. I couldn't. The memories of our father were too strong, and I hated this place.

I'd tossed out any alcohol I'd found when we got back from the police station. I'd even checked the old hiding places our dad used to stash liquor, just to make sure. Now that I was convinced Blaine wouldn't be tempted while I was gone-even if he woke up, which I doubted since he had been exhausted-I grabbed my keys and headed out.

My emotions were intense, so strong that I couldn't breathe if I thought about them too hard. But I had to be strong for Blaine, had to make sure I got through this for the both of us. If I caved, how could he make it through? Blaine had to see I was holding it together.

My emotions were wild, a little untamed, and I kept thinking about Law.

I got in the car and headed toward the woods. It was only about a twenty-minute drive from the house. Knowing I was going to go to a place that had always calmed me had everything in me settling, at least for the time being.

Once I got to the little road that led to a trail we always used, I parked the car and climbed out. Stales had a bunch of shifters living within it, and one could even call it mainly a shifter town. This forest was also used by those who wanted to change into their animal forms and run.

Walking through the trees and up a narrow incline, I took in the sights and sounds of the wilderness, just absorbing the peace that came with being out here.

Once I was a good ways up the mountain, I stopped, turned around, and made sure I was alone. Inhaling deeply and closing my eyes, I took in everything around me. I just took in the wilderness that surrounded me. I might not be a shifter, but it felt good to try to be one with nature.

I continued to walk for long moments, not thinking about anything but the silence and scenery around me.

At least, I tried not to think about any of it.

Law I'd been home for only about twenty minutes after working a double. I was tired as fuck, but sleep wouldn't come to me.

I stood on the back deck attached to my small cabin and stared at the trees that surrounded the five acres I owned. The air had a nice breeze to it, and the sun was partially blocked by an overcast sky.

I knew what I needed to do, something that would help my body let loose the energy inside, and hopefully, tame my thoughts of Brittin. I needed to contact her, to talk to her about, hell, I don't know. I just wanted to hear her voice again.

I went for the hem of my t-shirt, pulled it up and over my head, and then undid my belt, unbuttoned my jeans. I should have just stayed naked after my shower.

It would have saved me time.

Once I was fully nude, I tilted my head back and closed my eyes. My bear came forward, the bastard wound up since it had seen Brittin last night.

My muscles swelled from the increased blood flow, my bones popping as my body grew exponentially. The change came over me like a fucking tsunami, and I welcomed it with open arms.

I was now a bear, my vicious, powerful animal who could tear into flesh like a hot knife through butter. Although my animal controlled my thoughts right now, the human side of me was still conscious. I was still able to understand what was going on, but it was my bear that had the power.

I shook my big body, felt my flesh move over my muscles and bones, and excitement moved through me. I needed this like I needed to breathe.

And then I couldn't wait anymore. I took off toward the thick line of trees that surrounded my home. I climbed the incline, running wild, scenting every little thing around me.

I felt the air thin at the increased altitude, but I didn't stop moving higher. The trees thinned out the higher I went. I finally stopped and just looked around. I could see part of the timberline from this vantage point. I turned my big head from left to right, taking in the small, picturesque town of Stales.

A low rumble left me at the sound of a twig snapping off to my side. I turned and saw two squirrels fighting over a fallen acorn. About ten yards from where I stood, I scented a rabbit, and farther down the mountain, I smelled something else ... something that had my heart racing.

Brittin.

On instinct, I moved toward where I smelled her scent. She wasn't in trouble, and the closer I got, the more her wonderful sugary aroma filled my head.

When I finally reached her, I saw she was just standing in a clearing. There was a small brook running in front of her, and she tossed a few pebbles into it. I should have just left her in her thoughts, but a twig under my paw broke in half. She spun around and our eyes locked.

I knew the moment she realized it was me, and as much as that pleased me, I also scented her distance.

"Law." She said my name softly. "I'd ask you to shift back to your human form so we could talk, but then you'd be naked."

Her voice sounded so fucking good to me.

"But I wanted to talk anyway. This is a long time in coming." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

I huffed out and moved closer. She didn't retreat but she knew she had nothing to be afraid of. I'd kill myself before I ever let her feel pain.

You already caused her pain.

I growled low at my thoughts.

Fucking hell, I wanted to touch her, wanted to rub my body against hers and get my smell all over her flesh.

But she was right. We needed to talk, because what I said was not going to be just pushed aside. What I had to say was going to change a lot of things.

4.

Brittin

Several days later

I looked in the rearview mirror for what seemed liked the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. I don't know why I thought I'd see Law behind me. We'd decided to meet at a small diner-one we'd been to several times while were together.

Not the first place I would have chosen, but this is where Law wanted to come, so I was just going with it.

I breathed in and out slowly, trying to think of how this night would play out. I might have told him we needed to talk, but the truth was I had no idea what in the fuck to say to him.

But if I'm going to stay in Stales, it's inevitable we'll run into each other. It's undeniable that we need to speak.

And the truth is I want to talk to him. I want to hear his voice, to thank him for helping Blaine. I want to tell him these last two years have been pretty damn hard, that it was a mistake.

I closed my eyes, thinking about all the stuff I'd wanted to say to him over the years. I'd wanted to curse at him.

I pulled into the parking lot of the diner, cut the engine, and willed my heart to slow. Law would be able to sense my erratic emotions, and although I shouldn't care after all this time, I did care ... a lot.

A cougar shifter and his human wife owned the restaurant. It had gone through a few management phases, but the newest owners were friendly, and the ones Law and I had gotten to know well over the years.

After only waiting there for about five minutes, I saw a flash of headlights and knew it was Law. He pulled his beast of an SUV up beside my car, and for a moment all I did was sit there and stare at him. He didn't look over, but from where I sat, I could see his jaw was clenched tightly, and his hands were wrapped around the steering wheel in a death grip.

Just thinking about Law made me feel sensitive in all of my erogenous zones. I breathed out slowly once more and saw him tightening and loosening his hands on the steering wheel. Over and over again, he did this. His jaw looked clenched, like he might be grinding his teeth, and I had serious doubts this might be a civil discussion. I saw his chest rise and fall as if he were exhaling forcefully, but I wasn't going to turn away from this, not now.

I grabbed the door handle, about to open it, but Law was out of his SUV in the next instant. I got out of my car, not wanting the whole awkwardness of what was sure to transpire to rise even more when he opened my door.

And he would, because as alpha as Law was, he was also a gentleman. I met him at the front of the vehicles, and we stood there, not speaking, just staring at each other.

"Hey," he said, finally breaking the silence.

"Hi." For as weird as this should have been, it felt pretty good to be in front of him again, to smell the scent of masculinity and wilderness that surrounded him, and to feel his heat seep into me.

He offered me a smile, and although I still sensed something was off about him, I smiled in return.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Good, and you?" You're lying. You've been pretending this whole time.

"I'm good." His voice was so low and deep, but I heard the undertone of a lie in there.

"Shall we?" he finally said after another second of silence.

I nodded, and we walked side by side toward the restaurant, with Law holding the door open for me. When I thanked him and walked inside, I swore I saw him lean down, and heard the gentle inhalation of him smelling my hair.

Memories surfaced, and I smiled at them, feeling warmth and pleasure.

I didn't want to leave him, not now, and I hadn't back then.

Law I stayed one step behind Brittin, although I was barely hanging on as it was; my bear was right at the surface, wanting to claim her. I wanted to say fuck this all and demand she be mine. But that was how our issues had started; I was too damn stubborn, wanting things my way all the time.

But I love her, and we belong together.

When the waitress led us to a table, I couldn't stop myself from watching her ass. Fuck, she had a glorious ass. And the way it moved under the tight material of her pants had my cock hardening. But, then again, everything about her was so damn attractive I could hardly control myself around her.

I had never been able to.

I wanted to adjust my dick behind my fly, but I wasn't about to draw attention to the fucker.

As soon as I'd seen her step out of the car, I'd scented the knowledge that she knew something was off with me. But I had a lot of shit to talk about with her tonight, and I didn't know how things would play out.

I was on edge, and I would be until I heard what she had to say.

My bear had wanted out more and more with each passing moment, and it hadn't gotten any easier since I saw her in the woods. The asshole had been persistent and strong when I'd first seen her at the station, but now my grizzly was even more temperamental.

I could say this wasn't about domination, but that would be a lie. My animal was still a bastard in that regard, but my human side had changed, and understood what I needed to do to make things right.

It was just a damn shame it had taken this long for me to get my head out of my ass.

But I'd be lying if I didn't admit my bear wanted out, wanted to pin Brittin to the side of a building, against my car, or better yet, take her back to my place and fuck her raw. I wanted to mark her all over again, give her those twin puncture marks so all other males would know she was mine. I wanted my cum and scent to fill her body so the warning was all over her.

My cock jerked again, and I clenched my hands into fists. Fuck, I wanted her, like right now, but I was going to need to get my shit together and actually confide in her, admit to her I had been a fucking asshole back then.

Before she reached the table, I moved quickly and pulled the chair out for her. She seemed a bit taken aback at first, but I liked that I'd caught her off guard. I'd always been a gentleman with Brittin, because she'd been my female and mine alone. If I didn't treat her right, then some other asshole could take her away.

But I clenched my teeth at that thought. I hadn't treated her right. My alpha tendencies had made me blind, had me losing the most important thing in the world to me.

I pushed all those thoughts away and focused on the here and now.

"Thanks, Law."

Fuck, I loved hearing her say my name. She ducked her head and that wonderful sweet smell that was all her filled my nose and made me even harder. I pushed the chair in, but not before I lowered my head just an inch, inhaled deeply, and nearly groaned at her scent.

She turned her head slightly. I saw the way her pulse jumped right below her ear, and I pulled back to look right into her eyes. For a second, neither of us moved, but that was okay because I liked this chemistry moving between us right now.

Her scent was ingrained in my brain, in my very cells, and there was no place on the fucking planet that she could be that I wouldn't find her.