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“We’re a very tight-knit community,” she explained. “Everyone is kind and generous. Oliver is an incredible leader. You can tell he loves his people. We’ve never really had any serious incidents that he couldn’t handle.”
“We went out to eat in town the other night,” Lillian said, “and I saw him around some of the townspeople. Everyone was so happy to see him, and he seemed to genuinely enjoy being surrounded by them. You can tell he loves what he does, and he’s good at it.”
She leaned back against her seat and looked out the window. Her mind was completely consumed with thoughts of Oliver and his bear sleuth. She knew how competent and capable he was. She had no doubt there was no one better suited to lead the town.
That thought made her happy, knowing the man was as compassionate and extraordinary as he was handsome. Ronnetta made a left and pulled into Oliver’s driveway. His car wasn’t parked outside, so the women had to assume he wasn’t home yet.
Lillian felt a pang of disappointment. She had been hoping that when she got here, he’d be waiting, but to be fair, he was a very busy man. After Ronnetta unlocked the front door, they made their way into the kitchen.
“Doesn’t a cup of coffee sound fantastic?” Lillian asked. “I could use a pick-me-up.”
She walked into the kitchen and gasped. All along the length of the granite countertops were balloons and get well soon cards. Large baskets of fruits, bottles of wine, boxes of candy, and neatly folded piles of clothes exactly her size were stacked all over the kitchen.
“Oh, my God …” Lillian breathed.
She made her way over to the table where a stack of paint, canvases, and brushes were neatly arranged, just waiting for her. Lillian picked up the paint lovingly. It was her favorite brand.
She turned wide, liquid eyes to Ronnetta. “Who …”
Ronnetta smiled warmly. “I told you the members of the sleuth are kind and generous people.”
Lillian, mouth opened in wonder, made a complete circle as she stared at all the wonderful gifts that awaited her. “This is all for me?”
“Well, it ain’t for me. And I can assure you that Oliver doesn’t paint.”
“That’s so kind. Wow!”
“You’re Oliver’s mate, and you’ll become the sleuth matriarch if you decide to marry him. This is their way of welcoming you. Letting you know that you’re a member of our society, so to speak.”
Her words crashed into Lillian’s consciousness. Marriage … She hadn’t given it much thought, but it sounded lovely. Marriage to a man like Oliver wouldn’t be so bad. But that was definitely a thought for another time.
“I’ll leave you to play with your new toys,” Ronnetta said with a warm smile. “If you need anything, I’ll be in the office.”
“Okay. Thanks, Ronnetta. Are you staying until Oliver gets home?”
Ronnetta nodded. “Yes, and before you ask, I have absolutely no idea what time that will be.”
Lillian laughed. “Fair enough. Thank you for today. I appreciate all your help and your driving me here.”
Ronnetta waved her gratitude away with a dismissive hand, but Lillian stepped forward and wrapped her in a warm hug.
As she stepped back, the sound of commotion coming from outside had both their heads turning in that direction.
“What the hell?” Ronnetta mumbled. She made her way over to the kitchen window and peeked outside. With a gasp, she backed up, telling Lillian to do the same.
“What?” Lillian cried. “What is it?”
Ronnetta took Lillian’s hand and pulled her into the living room. The sound of growls and howls sounded in every direction. A moment later, glass shattered somewhere in the house, causing Lillian to scream.
“We’re surrounded,” Ronnetta cried.
Lillian looked around frantically, trying to deny the truth of her friend’s words. The entire cabin was surrounded by furious shifters. Fear clutched at her chest.
“What do we do?” she asked, her voice wavering with the force of her terror.
Ronnetta, still clutching Lillian’s hands, backed up. “Stay away from the windows. We’ll be okay.”
Not entirely sure she believed a word the other woman said, Lillian did what she was told anyway. Her fear began to claw at her like an angry predator. As the shifters outside moved closer to the house, she recognized only one face.
