Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
P iper walked toward the community center, wearing the only dress she owned. It was a simple light sweater dress, soft against her skin, that flared at mid-thigh. The earthy tone of the dress wasn’t anything special, but it was the closest she had to something nice. Her scuffed and well-worn ankle boots were better than her beat-up tennis shoes or the muddy work boots she usually wore. As she neared the entrance, she tugged at the sleeves nervously, feeling the weight of every eye that would soon be on her.
The center was buzzing with hushed conversation that seemed to silence as she walked inside. Okay, maybe she was being overly paranoid. She had always been the odd girl living on the outskirts of town, and that label clung to her like a second skin.
Spotting an empty seat near the middle of the room, she squared her shoulders and made her way toward it, keeping her head held high despite the whispers she could hear behind her. Piper slid into the seat and looked straight ahead, ignoring the whispers and stares.
Mayor Johnson, a stocky man in his fifties, approached the podium at the front of the room. He adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat as the murmur of conversation slowly faded. His salt-and-pepper hair glistened under the fluorescent lights, and the faint creases around his mouth hinted at a man who didn’t smile often.
“Thank you all for coming,” He began, his voice echoing through the large hall. “I know that everyone is wondering about the reason for this meeting, and I thought it was only appropriate to do this in a public setting. An out-of-town developer has approached me about the run-down area east of us and the woods along the main street.
Piper’s heart tightened at the mention of the woods. That land wasn’t just dirt and trees—it was her home. It was where she felt most connected to her Pops, where she had spent countless hours wandering through the woods. It wasn’t just land to her; it was her sanctuary. It was her home.
“We have to think about the future of our town seriously. Do we want to stay the way we have been for as long as the town of Ravenwood has existed? Or do we want to grow with the rest of the world?” The mayor looked around the room, his eyes stopping briefly on Piper before looking away. “This could bring in much-needed revenue and provide new opportunities for revitalizing our town. Jobs, infrastructure improvements, house developments. All of this could breathe new life into our community.”
Piper clenched her fists on her lap. The mayor was selling it like it was the town’s salvation, but he wasn’t talking about what they’d lose. The woods weren’t just a place to develop—it was a world of secrets and memories, a place filled with real and imagined magic. She couldn’t be the only one who thought so; she was sure of it. Piper could see a few familiar faces who looked just as uneasy as she felt, their brows furrowed in concern.
“The developer has expressed a strong interest in purchasing the woods and several properties, including Pop Miller’s place. He gestured toward her section of the audience, and for a brief moment, the entire room seemed to turn in her direction. The shock of hearing those words made her speechless, but only for a second.
“It’s not for sale.” Piper finally found her voice.
“Now, Piper, you haven’t heard their proposal.” Mayor Johnson gave a nervous laugh.
“I don’t want to see a proposal,” Piper said. “The house, property, nor the woods are for sale and will not be for sale.”
“The developer will be here in three days.” Mayor Johnson’s easy manner took a turn as he frowned at her. “He wants to move fast on this. His investors are ready and?—”
“I can’t speak for anyone else here, but I am speaking for myself. I am not selling.” Piper tilted her head in defiance.
“I will talk to you in private.” The mayor shot her a nasty glare, but Piper wasn’t done.
“There is nothing to talk about,” Piper said, getting a few nods of approval from some older townspeople.
“You do not understand, young lady.” Mayor Johnson’s jowls bobbled as he glared at her over his glasses.
“What’s in it for you, mayor?” Piper didn’t like his tone or his glare. Something felt off, and she wouldn’t sit there to be talked to like that.
“Excuse me?” His head snapped back as if she had slapped him. “I’ll have you know that I have the best interests of this town in mind.”
“Do you?” Piper stood her ground, her heart racing but her resolve firm. “This town isn’t just some spot on a map for developers to exploit. It’s our home. My home. How long have you known about this, mayor?”
There was a brief silence, thick with tension. The mayor’s eyes nervously looked around the room, then back at her. “What difference does that make?”
“It makes a difference because we were just informed, and you are telling us that this developer wants a decision in three days?” Piper looked around the room, and then her gaze stopped on Talon. Her breath hitched as they stared at each other. He stood in the back of the room; his gaze was hard, and he looked angry. His tall, brooding figure and wild black hair stood out in the crowd. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, and even from a distance, there was something undeniably intense about the way he watched her. Piper wondered why he was there, and then her heart skipped a beat as he gave her a single nod as if saying, ‘ I’m on your side .’ And for the first time since walking in the doors, she didn’t feel entirely alone.
“I have to agree with Piper,” Margie Sandfoss stood up in the back of the room, taking her attention from Talon. “This is very short notice, and, well, I, for one, don’t think we need any fancy developments. We’ve done fine the way things have been. That’s why I moved here, away from the city. If we start letting developers buy up the land here, our way of living will change. I don’t want that.”
“What about us younger people?” Chuck stood and then glared at Piper before addressing the crowd. “I can’t find a job closer than an hour away that pays enough. I’m all for it. Just because older people don’t want change, or Miss I believe in Witches, Shifters, and Monsters, is up on her high horse, doesn’t mean others don’t want it. Why should they get all the say in what happens.”
Murmurs of agreement went through the crowd, and Chuck shot Piper a smirk. “Maybe because we own property, asshole,” Piper mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear. A few chuckled, which had Chuck fuming.
“Yeah, well, you wouldn’t have shit if Pops didn’t die now, would you, Crazy?” He hissed and even took a step toward her. “He’s probably happy to be away from you. You were an embarrassment to him. You know that?”
The room gasped as a whole. A few people began talking and disagreeing strongly with Chuck’s statement. All Piper could do was stare at him. The pain she felt at his words, which she knew were untrue. However, it still hurt because, in the dark part of her mind, she had always wondered if her interest in the paranormal had embarrassed her grandfather. It wasn’t until a shape blocked her view from Chuck that she snapped out of her thoughts.
“I suggest you sit down and shut up.” Talon’s voice was low and deadly. “Didn’t I warn you once about talking to Piper like that?”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” Chuck stated, his voice shaky as if he didn’t even believe what just came out of his mouth. “Why are you even here? You aren’t part of this town.”
“Sit the fuck down, or I will sit you down,” Talon growled as he took a step forward, backing him up a few steps.
“Excuse me?” The mayor shouted over the loud murmurs of the crowd who was about to watch Chuck get his ass handed to him. “But who exactly are you?”
Piper watched as Talon ignored the mayor until Chuck finally sat down. She noticed the women staring at Talon like he was the new dessert item on Sally’s Diner menu. She couldn’t blame them; he was handsome, mysterious, and just, yeah, all man.
“My friend owns Wicked’s Tattoo on the edge of town. She and her husband, who is also a developer, were not notified of this so-called meeting. They have asked me to sit in.” Talon finally replied to the mayor, who stared at him wide-eyed.
“Wicked is not a resident, only a business owner.” The mayor sputtered, pulling out a white handkerchief and wiping his forehead. “I figured any business owner would be happy with this chain of events since it will bring more business to the area.”
“And you figured wrong.” Talon frowned, his eyes narrowing.
Mayor Johnson cleared his throat, trying to gain control of the situation. “This is not a debate. The developer will be here in three days, and we will hear his offer. End of discussion.”
“You are making a big mistake,” Talon said loud enough for everyone to hear.
“It may be the end of discussion for you,” Piper found her voice. “I’ll be fighting this every step of the way. And Talon is right. You are making a big mistake thinking people will lie down because you figured everyone would be happy with the chain of events.”
With that, she turned and walked out of the community center, her pulse racing. She didn’t know how to fight this, but she knew she would never back down. Not now, not ever.