Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
W hen the morning arrived and the sun warmed his face through the large window of his room, Ash woke up to find the world was different from the day before.
The air in his small home was clear and sharp.
His sense of his bear felt as if the massive bear was just beneath the surface of his skin.
And along with it, came the push and control of that beast.
Beast? His bear snarled the word, but there wasn't much bite to it.
Before he could ruminate over it, Ash was up on his feet and headed to the river behind his home.
He could have used the shower in the house, but he wanted the rushing power of the water waking up from it's winter slumber.
It was one of the benefits to not wearing anything when he slept.
All he had to do was open the back door and step outside, jog down the steps and cross the twenty feet or so to the river at its closest to the house, and splash into the water.
The water was cold, bracingly so, but it felt like life.
His bear roared up inside of him.
Ash smiled as he hadn't smiled in years and with that smile he gave himself over to the bear inside of him.
That earlier roar became a real one, loud enough to shake the trees around them.
Inside the bear, Ash laughed out loud and felt like a child of sorts.
You are always a child, his bear chided him as he splashed around in the icy water.
I had forgotten how much fun this could be.
The bear leapt from one large rock to a smaller one, but instead of landing securely, they slipped and the water splashed up into the air and covered them with showers of droplets that looked like diamonds in the clear morning air.
A wren's call churred and chattered in the air above their heads and the bear sat back hard on his haunches in the river.
Together they lifted the bear's large head and looked up into the trees.
The wren perched on the branch above them and flicked its tail this way and that. Hopping along the branch, she tipped her head down to look at them.
Uh oh .
His bear gave him a metaphysical side-eye.
What have you done now?
Me? I-
Wren leapt from the branch and fluttered down from the height of the towering pine and when she landed on the ground, she landed on bare feet, her hair unbound and around her shoulders, a warm brown cape loosely wrapped around her body.
She walked to the edge of the river and looked at them with her even and endless brown eyes.
"Ash Thomas."
His bear gave him a nudge and retreated back through their link leaving Ash seated in the ice-cold river on his bare ass and the hair on this head soaking and dripping into his face.
He still felt like a child again, but now he felt like he was being chastised.
"Hello, Wren. How are you?"
She arched a brow that reminded him of his mother and father and instead of cold, it left him smiling on the inside.
"What are you doing up here, playing in the river?"
Ash lifted his arms and let them fall, his palms splashing water. He was careful not to make it splash as far as the edge of the river. "Cleaning off."
"And then..." The tilt of her head was so close to the way she'd looked down at him from the branch above, he couldn't help but smile. "And then?"
"Then I'm going into town. My bear had been on me for quite some time to visit. What else am I going to do?"
The stern set of Wren's features eased into almost a smile. "You need to listen to your bear." She lifted her chin and arched a look toward his home. "Go inside. Dress. And go down the mountain."
He nodded his head along with each of her instructions and then stood up, the water from the river sheeting off of his body, catching on the curly hairs on his chest, stomach, arms on down back into the water.
Wren's expression mimicked that of a wise old owl instead of her true form.
"Really! Ash Thomas! I am quite..."
At that she rose up from the patch of early spring grass under her feet and with a flick of her warm brown cape she took to the air as a little brown bird.
Through their link, Ash's bear chuffed and rolled in glee.
She'll remember you for that, human.
She'll remember you, too . Ash shot back. We are one in the same.
Not when you stand up, buck naked in ice-cold water. To her you must have looked like a sorry example of a human male.
Reaching down, Ash took himself in hand, weighing the thick flesh of his cock in his palm. I'm sure I was nothing to laugh at, bird shifter or not.
His bear scoffed at the idea. You likely frightened her half to death. Now, let's go in. I want to get to town before lunch.
S uzannah woke with a start and looked at the ceiling over her head.
Wood. Not the popcorn ceiling of her apartment.
She turned to her side to look at the nightstand and saw an alarm clock radio with large numbers sitting on a crochet doily.
Behind it was a lamp and shade that looked like it belonged in a Victorian era home instead of her room. The shade was decorated with gathered fabric and sparkled in the sunlight. "I'm dreaming." She reached out a hand and traced the tips of her fingers on the doily, feeling all of the stitches.
That's when she remembered her late night arrival.
She couldn't remember the exact time that Aaron and Celeste Winter brought her to the house.
Thank goodness Aaron had the key, because it was long past the time when she would expect anyone to be up and greet her.
Her cheeks pinked with another wave of shame for having missed the bus.
Celeste had assured her that her bags had been picked up from the bus and brought inside the house.
"My bags!" Sitting up suddenly was a rush to her head and her legs were tangled in a blanket and she had to unwind the fabric before she fell.
Laughing she managed to untangle herself and stood, with the blanket dropping down to pool at her feet.
That's when she saw the mirror.
She remembered from a book series she used to read that it was called a cheval mirror. It was taller than she was and stood on two ornate feet. The mirror frame and glass were oval and reaching out, she could tilt the glass backward and forward. It looked like it belonged in the bedroom of a fancy lady from the past.
Smoothing her hands down her slept-in dress, Suzannah could only imagine what it might be like to stand before a mirror like this in a wedding dress and veil.
Suzannah lifted her hands and touched her cheeks to feel how warm they were. "A wedding dress."
Her cheeks cooled quickly and she felt her mood dampen a little.
How strange that she should think of a wedding. Her wedding.
She had no prospects for that. Not back in Sylvan City.
Certainly not here, in a new place.
A whole new town.
Her eyes turned back to the night stand and looked at the clock.
It was seven o'clock.
"The bakery!"
Oh goodness! The letter from her Great Aunt's attorney talked about the bakery.
She remembered the small square storefront that Celeste had pointed out the night before.
Or was it the morning?
She'd been so exhausted.
It was only her pride that had helped her get out of the truck when they arrived and not stumble over her own feet. Celeste has offered Aaron's help to get inside if she was too exhausted to walk, but after the pleasant conversation she'd had with the couple in the truck, the last thing she wanted to do was impose on Celeste's husband, but as soon as she'd gotten inside the house and found the bedroom, she'd barely managed to take off the bag she had around her body and flop down on her face.
She didn't even know the name of the woman who owned the bakery along with her aunt.
Wait. Maybe she did. Celeste... or Aaron had mentioned the name Hetty?
Scrubbing her hands over her face, Suzannah knew that she should get dressed and go and help out.
Moving around the room, she didn't see her bags, so she moved out of the bedroom into what looked like the main room of the cottage.
Everything looked like it had come out of her dreams. The sofa and chairs were covered in a floral chintz fabric and more lamps like she'd seen in the bedroom would light up the room in a warm and welcoming fashion.
A kitchen in the corner looked like it was the perfect size to cook dinner for one.
Or two.
With a smile she saw her bags sitting beside the dainty dining table with two chairs.
Since she'd packed her things, she knew exactly where to find her clothes and toiletries.
Another dress. Her practical albeit not so fashionable underwear.
Comfy socks.
And her work shoes. They weren't pretty, but they were well made and she could run marathon in them if she needed to. Well, if she were to run a marathon in sensible heels.
Smiling at her silliness, she turned back to the door just shy of the bedroom and pushed it open.
When she'd come into the house she hadn't needed to use the bathroom.
Well, maybe she'd just been too tired to do it.
Now she could see it and smiled at the simple tile pattern that climbed the walls and crossed the floor.
The tub at the end of the room next to the window was simple. Her dreams of a claw-foot tub weren't going to be realized here, but that was just the smallest of troubles. Not even a trouble. The tub and shower were bigger than her apartment and that was more than enough for her.
Setting her toiletries on the side of the sink, she moved to the bathtub and with a silent prayer she gave the brass knob marked H a twist.
The pipes were silent for a moment and just when Suzannah wondered if she'd have to become a polar bear and jump into ice cold water from the other knob on the tub, the pipes shuddered and sputtered and then a beautiful shower of warm water descended from the heavens!
Well, the shower head, but who was she kidding. It was going to feel like heaven!
Twisting the C knob to add some cold water to the mix, she lifted the underside of her wrist into the spray. Once she felt the warm coursing over her arm, she quickly stripped her clothing off into a puddle on the floor, she stepped behind the curtain and into the spray.
There would be time later to luxuriate, she told herself. She had people to meet and information she needed to seek out. So she washed her hair and her body as if she had paid for the water by the minute. After all, she didn't know if she did.
She didn't know much of anything, but she knew that the last thing she wanted to do was meet everyone smelling like she'd spent a day on a bus.
Five minutes later, she was standing in front of the mirror over the sink, dressed, her hair pulled back in a pony tail. Wiggling her toes in her socks, she smiled back at herself.
This, she told herself, is my chance to be someone. To be myself. I just need to go out and figure out who that is.
Suzannah slipped her feet into her shoes just shy of the front door and when she opened it up, there was a man standing there on the step.
"Miss Miller." He adjusted a leather portfolio that had been in his hands, tucking it under his arm before holding out his hand to her. "I'm James Redding. I was your Great Aunt's attorney." He grinned at her and she saw the sharp smile and the squint of laughter in the corners of his eyes. "In a town this small, I guess I'm everyone's attorney."
Suzannah smiled right back. "Mister Redding-"
"James, please."
"James," she nodded and let go of his hand. "I was just going to head to the bakery and see if I could help out."
"Perfect!" James lifted his hand and gave her a little two fingered salute to the temple. "I'll go with you and make the introductions."
Suzannah hesitated. "I feel horrible. I should have been up earlier to help. Bakeries have to start early."
"This is Mystic Mountain, my dear." He tipped his head a little to the side and she thought she saw his nose twitch a little. "Things happen when they're meant to happen."
When he said it, it sounded so reasonable, but Suzannah had always felt like she'd been waiting for something... anything to happen.
The idea that something would just happen to her now that she lived in Mystic Mountain, felt almost like magic.
"That's a very sweet motto, Mister- James." She liked the way his smile deepened when she used his name. "I'm beginning to hope that me coming here is part of that."
"Oh, it is!" He turned and offered her his arm. "Come. Let's meet Hetty. I know she'll be excited to meet you."
"Hetty," she repeated the name to herself. The Winters had been right.
Now she could hope that they were right about everything else.
A sh was walking down the street, searching for whatever it was that he was meant to find, but even after stopping in to see some of his parents' friends, he wasn't sure where he was supposed to go, but while he was feeling more and more awkward. Still, he didn't think about going back to the house.
Well, not seriously.
His bear was enjoying himself. Nose up and into the wind, they continued to walk.
Oh! Smell that?
Ash stopped a step later and tipped his own nose into the air.
Fresh bread.
Bread was a luxury he didn't indulge in. He could make simple biscuits, but he didn't have the patience to make bread.
But here he was in the town of Mystic Mountain instead of holed away in his mountain home.
We need bread.
Ash turned his gaze inward and looked at his bear.
You don't eat bread.
His bear's eyes stared back at him with something akin to a blank look. But you do .
Yes?
So, treat yourself. Get some bread .
Ash looked askance at his bear, wondering why the furry creature was pushing him on this.
Furry?
Ash smiled.
You're furry, too . His bear groused. Then, his tone shifted. Softening. Almost cajoling. Remember, human. When you taste something good. I taste something good. When you enjoy the scent of something, I enjoy the scent of something .
So the bread makes you happy, too.
You happy makes me happy , his bear chuffed and laid his head down to wait.
Fine.
Ash had said the word in his head as if he was giving in to the bear's pushy demand, but in fact, he wanted to taste that bread, too.
Turning, Ash stepped off of the boarded walkway along the side of main street and pushed open the door of the Bakery, Raisin' Cakes.
The name was familiar to him in the way that it featured in some of his memories of time in town with his parents. The owners Hetty and Betty were friends of his mother's and he knew how much they had enjoyed seeing each other and talking when the opportunity presented itself.
As he stepped inside he realized that he might not have been ready to see these ladies again.
Especially now that his feelings were rising up to the surface along with his bear.
A woman with burnished bronze hair was standing behind the counter.
As soon as the door swung closed behind him, she looked up and caught sight of him.
"Oh. My. Stars."
"Hetty." He felt his heart warm at the sight of her. "Hello."
"Hello?" She gasped and rounded the counter, brushing her hands off on her apron. "That's all you have to say to me?"
She reached up her hands and clapped them against his cheeks. "Look at you, you big ol' bear, you!"
If it had been a stranger touching him, he would never have allowed it, but Hetty was as much a part of Mystic Mountain as she was a part of his life.
"It's been an age since you've been in my shop!" A soft, saddened look crossed her features before she continued. "Come, let's feed you!" Hetty lowered her hands and grasped the hand of his that was closest to her. "What do you want to eat?"
He started to speak, but she cut him off with a flourish of her hand.
"Before you ask," her smile faltered a little, "I don't have any honey bread."
At the mention of the treat, Ash's stomach sank.
He'd forgotten about honey bread.
But the mere mention of the treat made his stomach growl and groan.
Ash flatted his palms against his belly and sighed. It wasn't just his hungry belly thinking of the treat, but his bear as well. Not so much the bread, but honey.
As his stomach quieted down, he became aware that the bell above the door had just quieted down again and he could hear the soft footfalls on the laminated floor tiles. "Honey bread?"
That voice.
From deep within, his bear's eyes popped open and his big ears perked up at the sound.
"I think I remember how to make that."
Ash turned. Just his head at first, looking toward the door that he's stepped through moments before.
The sunlight flooded through the window panes in the front door, the lacy panels that were gathered and hung from brass rods were pulled to the sides allowing the golden light in.
Standing before the door was James, the attorney for everyone in town, a fox shifter that he'd known his whole life.
But it was the woman standing beside James that was the center of his rather singular focus.
Her form was a gift. He couldn't see the details of her clothing with the light flooding in behind her, but he could sense her curves and lush form beneath. Her hands were lifted and likely folded over her heart. He could see the pale fingers against the darker fabric of her dress. And her hair.
Her magnificent hair was something he wanted to touch.
Something he ached to touch.
It looked thick and heavy and-
Honey.
Yes, he agreed with his bear. Her hair was the color of honey.
"I'm sorry," she apologized reflexively and he wanted to shake his head and tell her that she never had to apologize to him. "I know we haven't been introduced, but I heard you mention honey bread." She crossed the room and Ash turned his head to follow her movement, his nose and his heart tracking her across the floor. She met Hetty at the end of the counter, holding out her hand. "I should have done that first."
Hetty, with her flame red hair, didn't take the woman's hand.
Instead, the woman he'd known all of his life as one of his mother's dearest friends, wrapped her arms around the woman and hugged her close with a warm and delightful laugh. "You must be Suzannah! Suzannah!"
Hetty would likely be dancing if she wasn't hugging the woman her rounded chest.
"I know it's you!"
Ash took a hint of a step closer, eager to greet her himself.
Hetty broke away, keeping one arm around the woman as she looked at James. "You found her, you crafty old fox!"
James puffed up with pride looking like he might burst with it. If he was in his fox form, his thick, bushy tail might be swishing and twitching with pride. "She arrived in the dark of night with Aaron-"
Ash's bear crouched down and bared his fangs, seething with jealousy.
"And Celeste last night."
Suzannah.
Ash mulled her name over, silently on his tongue.
She smiled at James. "I... I missed the bus when it left the diner we'd stopped at and somehow James," her gaze met the fox's and he nodded, encouraging her to use this name, "had a feeling that something was wrong. He sent Aaron and Celeste to come and get me."
Ash saw James level a gaze at him out of the corner of his eye before the crafty fox looked back at Suzannah.
"I'm sorry I couldn't stay up to receive you, my dear, but I knew that the Winters would get you home and tucked in."
Again, Ash felt his bear snarl at the idea of another man near Suzannah.
Ash didn't have to ask why his bear felt so protective of the woman.
There was no need.
As he stood there, alive and breathing, he knew that the woman standing in Hetty's protective embrace was his mate.
His bear collapsed in relief and rolled around with joy, his massive paws batting at the link between them with giddy, cub-like joy.
Finally.
Yes, Ash agreed. Finally.