Annie came and sat down next to him.
"You can't fight fate. I sent the call, and you answered. If that bear of yours can't remain focused and in control, you will become useless and a danger. Just because we have magic here, I still couldn't step into that awful forest. If a pixie ever got out, a shifter would be the best defense to get it back. We need to work on our initiations into this town. I swear, it's been sixty years since our newest member, and we forget ourselves."
He wanted to laugh, that explained why most of the residents were so old.
He nodded. "You sound a little crazy; you know that right?"
Annie shrugged.
Sitting there he took a look at himself. Her words did sound familiar as if he'd heard them once before. He'd have some words with his bear for ignoring things, at some point. Maybe they had had this conversation before? The only thoughts that were clear to him, as if the rest of his life had been an endless nightmare, were the thoughts that involved Marci.
Closing his eyes, he swore under his breath.
"I want to tell you we have it under control. My bear and I are fine." His bear let out a roar and began pushing for a shift." Caleb started to sweat, fighting the need. "I won't be taking a mate." His bear snarled, posturing. Caleb bit back against the pain of fighting back his soul. He sucked in a sharp breath as the pain changed, and he realized his bear wasn't the cause of the soul-deep ache.
"Caleb, don't war with yourself. That bear knows what you need. Shifters aren't meant to be alone and don't you go about thinking you can be different."
He gritted his teeth. "Fine. Maybe he wants something, but I can't. Having people you care for means you have something to lose. To be taken away."
"Oh fiddlesticks. You already have plenty to lose. Don't lie to me, but I know you care about Evelyn, or you wouldn't put up with her antics. You help everyone here. You care about this little backward town, and it cares for you. That's why we found your mate for you."
He shook his head. "I knew it. She purposely breaks things, doesn't she?"
He purposely ignored the bit about Marci. What if she didn't want to stay here, in this town? What if she went back to - the idea hurt, what if she went back to her old life and got married.
His bear blew out a snort. Yeah, they were slowly getting on the same page. Although, the bear was back to questioning his human side, which Caleb started to agree was valid.
"Evelyn thought that if you were getting constant work you'd pull out of your depression until we could find your mate. I don't think she was wrong, but it hasn't seemed like enough for you."
His finger traced the rim of the cup. He couldn't remember when he'd taken a step back and saw what he'd become. He'd merely woke up one morning and realized that he couldn't remember what it was like to live as a human and that's when this town had appeared. The days still blended into pain. He barely remembered signing paperwork for the hardware store. He'd taken his savings, everything his life had been worth on deployment and reinvested it. Not that his mind would ever heal no matter what steps he took.
He'd been discharged for the PTSD. Not because of his injuries. His paranormal magic healed the physical wounds. Some days he considered his brother to have been the lucky one instead of being the one left behind.
"Caleb, do not go back there."
She set the cake in front of him.
"We know your past. Do not go back there. It no longer exists. Move forward. Go make a move on that fine young woman down the street."
This town creeped him out at times. "You're scary; you know that?"
Annie smiled. "Yes dear. I'm well aware. But as long as I'm on your side, you're safe. And, I am on your side. What do the kids say these days? Team Caleb? Evelyn is on your side too. Promise us that you'll keep yourself safe, out of those dark thoughts, and learning to trust. A mate only comes around once."
He stiffened. "How do you know what I've been through? Two years and you never asked."
Her fingers tip tapped on the table.
"You didn't want to talk. Don't hold it against us, but a little hair and a drop of blood can go a long way to tell someone's deepest darkest secrets. Or at least their past."
He scowled. "Great. What else do you know?"
She smirked. "How do you think we were able to seek out your mate?"
He grumbled and stood up.
"If I had a mom I would say I didn't need another one."
He took a few steps towards the door. He was done being angry, that had stopped a few months ago. The past ate him up too much. The energy it took to lose someone was the main reason he didn't want to find his mate. He didn't want the friends. He didn't want to miss anyone.
He did need purpose though - something he'd been missing for a while. He paused a few feet from the door.
"The forest..."
He didn't turn but could hear the shuffle of chair legs against the tile floor.
"What about it?"
"I'm supposed to guard it?"
He could make out each breath as it left her lips.
The scent of coffee, tea, sweet sugar, and lemon flitting through the air.
"Yes, wasn't that clear when you came here, dear?"
He flexed his fists. "Not exactly. I thought they were all stories
