Chapter 24
Rissa
The late afternoon sun bathed Nathan's backyard in a golden glow as I stepped onto the porch.
Wolves and dragons mingled, their voices carrying on the crisp mountain air heavy with the sizzling scent of barbecued meat.
It was rare and special, seeing these two groups together like this, even in a supernatural town like Stock Creek.
Elle chatted with Bryce, her guard down for once. Krystal and Tavi bickered good-naturedly about where to put the drink cooler as they set up extra chairs. The whole scene radiated a cozy domesticity, a peace I hadn't realized I craved until that moment.
Nathan stood by the grill with Gavin and Ashton, the dragon alpha. Though his posture seemed relaxed, he kept scanning the yard watchfully every so often, ever the vigilant protector. After the recent attacks, I understood his unease all too well.
Gavin had just gotten here and was still in uniform. He’d been working long hours for the last week, but it hadn’t gotten him anywhere. They were no closer to solving that poor girl’s murder than they were to world peace.
Krystal waved me over. "Rissa, come meet Aurelia, Ashton's sister. She's one powerful witch."
I grinned at the pretty witch. “We met when I had tea with Erin.” Speaking of Erin, she waved from across the yard, where she was talking to a couple of other pack women.
Aurelia smirked, sipping her drink. "So, how’s making Nathan lose his mind going?"
I forced a smile, caught off guard. What exactly had Nathan said about me? Before I could reply, Skye interjected.
"Aurelia, behave. I'm sure she's just here to relax and enjoy the party like the rest of us." Skye gave me an understanding look. “My bestie tends to be very straightforward.”
I nodded gratefully at Skye, relieved to avoid the awkward question for now. "It's, uh, still pretty new between us," I managed, hoping my face didn't betray my racing heart. Was it truly that obvious to everyone else?
"Oh, honey, a blind man could see the way he looks at you. Like you hung the moon and stars." Aurelia laughed wistfully. “Enjoy it.”
My cheeks burned. I took a long sip of lemonade to buy myself a moment. Erin, bless her, stepped in to rescue me.
"Leave the poor girl alone. Not everyone wants their love life dissected at a barbeque." She gave me a conspiratorial wink.
Aurelia held up her hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. I'll behave. But mark my words, there's something special there."
I let out a breath as the conversation turned to lighter topics: Skye's latest tech gadget, Erin's plans for her garden, Aurelia's newest spell. The easy camaraderie washed over me, soothing the old aches and fresh worries.
For a while, I let myself get lost in it. The savory scent of grilled meat mingled with the sweet tang of summer air. Bright peals of laughter from the kids playing tag between the adults' legs. The lazy thump of music floated from someone's Bluetooth speaker.
I leaned back in my chair, face tipped up to the fading sun. For a few stolen hours, I let myself believe that this could be my new normal. That after all the loss and loneliness, I might have finally found a place to belong. A family.
The delicious scent of seared meat wafted through the air as Nathan flipped the steaks with expert precision. I sneaked another glance his way, admiring the fluid grace of his movements.
Suddenly, Elle raced by, dragging Bryce toward the food table. "If you don't hurry, I'm taking the last hot dog," she hollered over her shoulder.
Tavi appeared at my side, pressing a cold beer into my hand with a knowing smirk. "You're watching him again," she accused.
I shot her a sharp look. "I am not."
"Uh-huh, sure." She rolled her eyes. "Just go talk to him already. Put us all out of our misery."
I took a long swig of my drink, using it as an excuse not to answer. As much as I liked Tavi, I wasn't ready to admit just how deep my feelings for Nathan ran. Not even to myself.
Across the yard, Kendrick and another pack member bickered playfully over the last burger. Their laughter floated on the warm breeze, mingling with the excited squeals of the younger kids playing tag.
As the sun began its slow descent, painting the sky in vibrant oranges and pinks, people naturally settled into smaller groups. Couples cuddled close, fingers intertwined. Friends huddled in clusters, swapping stories and inside jokes.
Someone had brought a guitar. It’d been ages since I played, but I walked over. Jenna came and joined me. “You play?” she asked.
“I dabble. Is it yours?”
She nodded. “Feel free.”
With a muttered thanks, I slipped away from the crowd, guitar in hand, and found a quiet spot near the glowing embers of the firepit. Tuning it was second nature, the strings rough and familiar beneath my fingertips.
Closing my eyes, I let my hands drift into an old melody, something my dad used to hum under his breath when I was little. The notes wrapped around me like a well-worn blanket, soothing the ragged edges of my soul.
For a moment, I was that little girl again, perched on my daddy's knee as he plucked out lullabies before the world got too big and realized that not all monsters could be slain by a father's steadfast love.
I let the music say what I couldn't put into words, that despite the scars on my heart, I wanted to try again. To trust. To love.
The shadows shifted as Nathan stepped closer, but I didn't startle. Some part of me had sensed his presence, or maybe I'd just been hoping he'd find me.
"Are you seriously lurking?" I asked, one eyebrow raised, my fingers never faltering on the strings. “Back to being a stalker?”
He shrugged, the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Didn't want to interrupt."
I hesitated for a beat, then nodded to the empty spot beside me. "You can sit."
He lowered himself to the ground, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body, the brush of his knee against mine. I kept playing, the melody swelling to fill the comfortable silence between us.
"You're good," he murmured after a minute.
"You don't have to sound so surprised," I teased, sneaking a glance at him.
Nathan smirked, but a softness in his eyes made my breath catch. His gaze locked with mine, and suddenly the air charged with a tension that had been building since the moment I'd stepped back into Stock Creek.
Slowly, carefully, he lifted a hand and brushed his fingers along my jaw. I shivered, my heart stuttering.
He leaned in, his breath mingling with mine, the firelight dancing across his face. It would be so easy to close the distance between us, to press my lips to his and let the rest of the world fade away.
"Rissa..." Nathan murmured with longing but also uncertainty.
At that moment, something inside me snapped.
To hell with it. Gavin already knew about us, about this unspoken thing between Nathan and me.
There was no reason to hide anymore. I was done pretending I didn't feel the pull, the undeniable connection that had sparked to life the second I'd laid eyes on him again.
I grabbed the front of his shirt, fingers twisting in the soft fabric, and yanked him toward me. Our lips crashed together over the guitar, the kiss searing and desperate, a release of all the pent-up tension and desire that had been simmering under the surface for weeks.
Nathan groaned against my mouth, his hands coming up to tangle in my hair, to pull me closer. I forgot how to breathe, how to think. There was only the heat of his body against mine, the glide of his tongue, the nip of his teeth. It was electric, overwhelming, all-consuming.
"Rissa, you out here?" Gavin's voice shattered the moment, yanking us back to reality.
We broke apart, breathing hard, as Gavin's footsteps drew closer. I scrambled to smooth my hair and calm my racing heart as Nathan straightened his shirt, his expression unreadable.
Gavin appeared out of the shadows, his face grim. He strode over to us, something clutched in his hand. "We have a problem."
My stomach plummeted as he held out his phone. It was a picture of me, but the center of the photo was ragged and torn.
"This was on the door when I got home," Gavin said with barely contained fury. I hadn’t even realized he’d left. "It had been stabbed with a knife, embedded deep into the door.” Someone is targeting you, now, Riss. And they wanted to make damn sure we knew it."
I stared at the image, bile rising in my throat. Who would do this? And more importantly... why? What had I done to make myself a target?
Nathan took the photo from Gavin, his jaw clenched so tight I thought it might snap. "I won't let anything happen to you, Rissa. I swear it."
I couldn't tear my gaze away from the image, my face marred by the vicious slash of the knife. It was such a violation, a threat that seeped into my very bones. Who would do this? What did they want from me?
"The rogue isn't just targeting Krystal or me anymore," Nathan said with barely contained rage. "They're coming for you now."
Those words hit me like a punch to the gut. Me. They were after me now. But why? What had I done to paint a target on my back?
Nathan's hand curled into a fist, the photo crumpling in his grasp. "This is personal," he growled, more to himself than to us. "Someone is targeting the people I love. But why? What did I do to deserve this?"
I reached out, my fingers brushing his arm in an attempt to offer some kind of comfort. But the truth was, I had no answers. No idea who was behind this or what they wanted. All I knew was that the safety I'd felt only moments ago had shattered like glass, leaving me raw and exposed.
Gavin stepped closer, his presence a solid wall of protection at my back. "We'll figure this out," he said, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "We'll keep you safe, Riss. No matter what it takes."