Ash (Mystic Mountain #4)

Chapter 2

Chapter

Two

A sh Thomas had never been a big reader. He preferred to watch the world go by. The way the sun moved through the sky. The way the stars swam overhead in the dark night sky. Even the fish in the stream were interesting before they became his meal. They were good pastimes for a man who lived in the woods. Better still when the man was also a bear shifter.

He could go wild as much as he wanted up there.

The people in the town below wouldn't care.

They had their own lives.

The Thomas family had been whittled down over time and the generations, gone from three thriving households to one home tucked away in a copse of trees, worn down by time and the feeling that he'd live out his days alone because where was he going to find a mate?

There certainly hadn’t been any female shifters in the town at the base of Mystic Mountain for years and years.

He'd grown up around the women in Mystic Mountain. Met all of the available women during town events and the times that he'd gone to stores. Not a single glance of a woman who'd caught his eye.

Not a single sniff of scent that perked his senses. Both human and bear.

A town like Mystic Mountain didn't draw many from the outside world. Not only did they have a remote life away from big cities, there was a kind of insular lifestyle that made it possible for shifters to live openly in town. They didn't have to worry about people who wanted to expose them. If they weren't shifters, their families had been a part of the town for over a century, and they understood how important it was to keep the shifters’ unique talents to themselves.

Along with that familiarity to the people in town, he also knew with horrifying clarity that there wasn't anyone for him in town.

Sure, he might find a human woman if one appeared, but he had many deep doubts about that happening.

Aaron Winter had brought his own mate to town, but he'd already known her for years.

Xavier and Locke had found their mates because of the hotel that Winter was renovating to attract more of their kind to the town, but Ash wasn’t the kind of man or bear who liked coming into town more than once or twice a year.

Finding a woman with those odds?

Leaving Mystic Mountain wasn't something he could do either. Living in a place where he would have to hide who he was?

He'd never had to guard himself from the world. He was too old now to try and alter his knee-jerk reactions or his bone-deep connection to the land where he was living.

So he was going to stay in Mystic Mountain and continue to live most of his life high up on the mountain. With the exception of sating his personal curiosity by talking to other townspeople from time to time, he wanted to stay as far away from other people as he could.

If he didn't see the others, he wouldn't have to nurse his emotional wounds and try to ignore the feelings of envy and downright jealousy.

Deep within himself he felt his bear become surly and turn over onto his back to crack open one eye and glare through their link.

Through that same link, he looked back at his bear with his own disdain. What do you want from me?

With a ponderous sigh, the bear stretched and groaned . I want you to try.

Try what?

Try something! The bear dropped a heavy paw over his eyes and huffed. Staying up here day after day won't bring us any closer to finding a mate. Up here, he continued on , the likelihood of finding a mate is less than nothing. It would take someone dropping a woman from heaven for that to happen.

There's no mate for us in town! You can see and smell as well as I can when we go to town. Have you ever found anyone that caught our attention?

Anyone?

His bear turned away from Ash's inward gaze.

Ash's silent harrumph echoed through their connection.

His bear's answer rose up like smoke from a distant fire.

So are we to give up?

Are we to be lonely for the rest of our lives?

Ash looked up at the wall and saw a picture of his mother and father looking back at him.

The way they sat together on the front steps of the house, his father's arm around his mother.

His mother's cheek resting on her husband's shoulder.

They were in love.

That's what he remembered.

Their joy and love.

Now, he was here... alone.

Alone?

Ash rolled his eyes at his bear's huffing protest.

Yes, alone, he growled back at the massive beast.

You're not going to keep me warm at night-

You keep yourself warm at night. We can do that for ourselves.

Don't you want a mate for us?

The chance of cubs?

The bear rolled back over, touching him with a pointed look . Why do you think I want you to go to town?

Up here, we're going to be exactly what you think. Alone.

In town... His bear's voice seemed to slow and lose energy , at least there's a chance.

Another drawn out sigh reached Ash's ears, and the sound weighed heavily on him. Does it have to be today?

He felt the resigned shrug of his bear. I never expected that you would do it today. I just... I feel like we need to go to town. Soon.

Soon.

The sigh echoing in Ash's ears made him feel horrible.

His bear was the other side of himself.

And all he was asking for was a trip to town.

Ash felt sick to his stomach.

I... I'm sorry.

His bear suffused him with a wave of emotion and affection that Ash wasn't sure he deserved.

You will always have my love.

Even when I don't deserve it.

Ash felt the smile from his lumberous bear and managed to scrape one up of his own.

Tomorrow. Ash hoped that his bear would be happy with that. I need to gather my courage.

His bear chuffed at that. You don't need courage, human. You have plenty of that. You need to find the will to reach out to others and continue to hope.

Hope?

Yes, he answered back. Hope. You’ll never find a mate if you stay up here on this mountain .

The mountain was fine for my parents , he argued back in his own head.

Then it’s going to be the two of us driving each other mad up here. All by our lonesome.

Ash pushed away from the wall and stood up to stare out the window toward the path leading into town. You’re bad enough when you get drunk on fermented apples , he hissed at his bear.

You should know. After all you’re just as drunk as I am when I’ve had my share .

Shut your mouth .

His bear chuffed at his bitter words.

I don’t speak with my mouth, Ash. Remember, it’s going to be the two of us for an age and then some.

Ash marched toward the front door and swung it open, almost yanking it off of its hinges. He stepped outside and kept going until he felt the sun on his face.

Smiling, he snarled back at his bear through their link. Keep your thoughts to yourself, old bear .

He put one foot in front of the other and again and again until he heard his bear chuffing through their link.

What’s so funny?

You. He felt his bear turn as if he was curling up to sleep. I’ll explain it later .

"Yes." Ash grumbled under his breath. "Yes, you will."