Chapter 11
Rissa
I breathed in the familiar, comforting scent of paper and ink as I walked into the local bookstore.
This place had been a second home to me since I was a kid.
I ran my fingers along the spines of the colorful books on display, searching for something lighthearted to read.
The last thing I needed right now was a heavy or tragic story.
"Fancy meeting you here," a voice called out, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to see Max grinning at me from beside a display of history books.
I smirked. "Shocking, right? Don't tell my students I have a life outside of Pre-K."
Max chuckled and set a book back on the shelf. "Your secret is safe with me."
We chatted for a few minutes about our classes. Max complained about how his third graders were already testing his patience this early in the year. I laughed and told him about one of my students who spent the whole day calling me "Miss Raptor" instead of Miss Rissa.
"Want to grab a coffee?" Max asked, nodding toward the small café next door. "I need some caffeine today."
I hesitated, not really in the mood for company. But Max was so easy to talk to, and I could definitely use a distraction right now. I shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"
We found a small table in the cozy café and ordered our drinks. I sipped my latte, savoring the rich flavor, while Max stirred his coffee absentmindedly.
"So, what made you decide to move back?" he asked. "Was it just the job?"
I exhaled and shifted slightly in my seat.
"Mostly. And family, of course." I didn't really want to get into the details of everything that had brought me back home.
The traumatic miscarriage, the devastating breakup, the need for a fresh start surrounded by my pack…
Mom moving to Florida. Max was human. Many humans in Stock Creek knew about the shifters here, but I had no idea what he knew.
Better to play it safe and not mention anything to do with the pack.
Max studied me for a moment. "Family is the best reason."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah, I missed my dad and brother. But now my mom and dad are getting back together, so Mom just moved back too."
"That's great." Max took a sip of his coffee.
We fell silent for a few seconds. I thought about telling Max a little about losing Faith, without going into too much detail. My therapist, back when I used to go, had told me that opening up to strangers about my loss could help. This was the first time I had thought about trying it.
I hesitated, then spoke before I could overthink it. "I lost a daughter."
Max set his cup down carefully. "I'm so sorry."
I gave him a small, tense smile. "Thanks." I didn't elaborate further, but the words hung heavily between us.
To his credit, Max didn't pry for more information. He just nodded in understanding. "I lost my dad a few years back. It's not the same, but grief sticks with you."
I appreciated that he didn't push me to say more. It made it a little easier to keep talking. "I went to therapy for a while after. They said telling strangers about it might help."
"Does it? Help?" Max asked.
I actually considered it. "Maybe. This is the first time I've tried it," I admitted.
Max offered me a slight smile. "Then that's an achievement."
We changed the subject then to lighter topics. Swapping book recommendations, funny stories from the classroom, updates on upcoming town events. As we chatted and laughed together, I started to relax. This wasn’t so bad. Max was nice.
Through the cafés front window, a familiar figure caught my eye. Nathan was heading toward the police station with purposeful strides. He glanced absently in my direction, and then his entire body seemed to lock up as he spotted me sitting with Max.
Nathan's expression was unreadable for a moment, a mask I couldn't decipher. Then his jaw visibly tightened, hands clenching into fists. When his intense gaze shifted to Max, something dark passed over his features. Lovely. Now he was jealous. I wasn’t sure how pissed I was about it, but I was definitely ignoring the tiny part of me that didn’t mind it at all.
I focused more on the irritation. Why should Nathan care who I had coffee with? It was none of his business. Before I could react, he abruptly turned away and continued walking, his posture rigid with tension.
Max raised an eyebrow. "Uh, did I just witness something?"
I let out a short, annoyed laugh. "No idea." But even as I said it, my stomach twisted uncomfortably. Because I did have an idea. And I really didn't like what it implied about my tangled feelings for Nathan.
Later that evening, I stepped out onto the porch of Gavin's house, desperate for a breath of fresh night air to clear my head. Instead, I nearly collided with Nathan's broad chest. He stood rigidly near the front steps, practically vibrating with agitation.
I startled, heart leaping into my throat. "What are you doing here?"
Nathan crossed his arms. "Came to get something from Gavin." His tone was clipped.
Tilting my head, I studied him warily. "Then why are you standing out here?"
His nostrils flared slightly, but he didn't answer. Instead, he muttered, "Have a good time on your date?"
I stiffened. "Excuse me?"
"With that teacher," Nathan bit out, gesturing vaguely back toward town.
An incredulous laugh burst from my lips. "That wasn't a date."
He scoffed. "Sure looked like one."
Folding my arms, I glared at him. "And why exactly would that be any of your business if it was?"
Nathan stepped closer, looming over me, his sheer presence overwhelming in the dark. "It is my business. And you know it."
My breath caught. The intensity on his face was too much. I swallowed hard and forced myself to stand my ground, not backing down. "It's not," I insisted, but my voice wavered. Damn it.
A heavy, charged silence stretched taut between us. Neither of us moved. Neither of us looked away. The air crackled with unspoken words, unacknowledged tension, the magnetic pull that always seemed to draw us together no matter how much I resisted.
The creak of the front door made us both start. Gavin stepped out onto the porch. "Nathan, I got your shirt."
Nathan lurched back from me like he'd been scorched, slamming his impassive mask back into place. I exhaled shakily and turned away as Gavin handed him a folded garment. Without another word, I brushed past them into the house.
But my pulse was hammering so frantically against my ribs that I could barely catch my breath. No matter how hard I tried to deny it, I couldn't escape the truth: Nathan Gallagher was under my skin. And I was utterly terrified of how deep he'd already burrowed.
I ducked into the kitchen, trying to regain my composure. Gavin followed a moment later. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and leaned against the counter, popping the cap off with a hiss.
"What's with the shirt?" I asked, jerking my chin at the door.
Gavin glanced over, taking a swig of his beer. "It's for the case. Ula lost her scent, so the enforcers are reinforcing it."
That poor woman. "You think she's dead?"
Gavin's jaw tightened. "We don't know, but if even the wolves can’t find her, it’s not looking good."
A grim sense of foreboding settled in my gut. Something about this was wrong. Like whatever had happened to this woman was only the beginning of something much worse.
Gavin cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to him. "You know you can talk to me, right? About anything."
I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat. "I know," I said hoarsely. "I just… I don't know what to say. It's complicated."
"When is it not?" Gavin said wryly.
I huffed a laugh, blinking back the hot press of tears. Gavin set his beer down and crossed to me, pulling me into a tight hug. I buried my face in his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent.
"It'll be okay, Riss," he murmured, rubbing my back soothingly. "You'll figure it out. And I'm here, no matter what."
I clung to him for a long moment, drawing strength from his solid presence. Then I pulled back, swiping at my damp cheeks. "Thanks, big brother," I said thickly.
He squeezed my shoulder. "Anytime, little sister."
I groaned, pushing off the counter. "I'm going to bed."
Heading upstairs, I shut my bedroom door harder than necessary, but it didn't drown out the sound of my racing thoughts. Nathan's voice echoed in my head. It is my business.
I pressed my hands to my face, breathing deeply. I didn't know what was worse, that he thought I was his business or that part of me wanted to be.
I sank down on the edge of my bed, my head spinning. How had this happened? How had Nathan gotten under my skin so quickly, so completely?
I thought back to that moment outside the bookstore, the intensity in his eyes as he stared me down. The way my breath had caught, my heart pounding. The undeniable pull between us, like gravity, like fate.
But I couldn't let myself fall. I couldn't risk getting hurt again, not after losing Faith. Not after the way my heart had shattered, leaving jagged pieces that I was still trying to put back together.
I fell back on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I tried to push thoughts of Nathan away, but they clung like cobwebs, impossible to shake.
His fierce protectiveness, his unwavering loyalty. The way he made me feel safe and seen, even as he infuriated me with his arrogance.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will myself to sleep. But it was a long time before my racing thoughts quieted, before I escaped the magnetic pull of Nathan Gallagher.