Bearly Holding On (4 page)

Suddenly Mati kicked the chair, splintering it into pieces. “And I was stupid to do so!” he punctuated. “The man who killed her, the Cayuse chief, got away with the crime because of it.”

Awen had so many questions, she didn’t know where to belong. “The Cayuse chief killed her? Why?” she asked insistently.

“He didn’t approve of the merge. It would have made our two tribes nearly as large as his,” Mati explained, slowly calming down. “I found her doubled over his blade. I tried to attack him but he got away. When I was questioned about the crime I knew that if I said anything it would start a war.” He sat on the end of the bed, facing the opposite wall. “I thought that it would be better for everyone if the fragile peace was maintained. Your people grieved for Awenasa. It was easier for them to believe that it was a crime of passion than it would have been if they had known the truth.”

“Did she love you too?” Awen asked softly.

Mati turned his head so that one side of his face was visible to her. “Yes,” he whispered, “but her duty to her people always came first. I had nothing to offer her—no connections, no wealth. The night I found her corpse was going to be our night to say goodbye before she married the Chief.”

“I’m sorry.” Awen reached a tentative hand towards him, settling it on his back lightly. He tensed but didn’t move away.

“Sometimes I hate this cursed existence. I’m alone in this world. Even long before they died, I lost my family. I was a tainted murderer, forced from my home into the wilderness.” He sighed, long and deep. “But then I think of all the people I have helped—all the lives I have saved—and suddenly my wretched existence doesn’t seem so wretched anymore.” Mati angled his body towards her now, all signs of anger gone from his face.

“But you lost so much,” Awen said, scooting further down the bed so she could wrap an arm around his chest. She rested her forehead on his back, breathing his scent in deeply. “There had to have been a better way.”

“There wasn’t,” he stated. “Even now, the Cayuse tribe is at least five times larger than both of ours combined. This land would have become theirs if we had gone to war. I’d rather be cursed forever as a bear.”

Awen nodded her head against his back in understanding. There had always been a tenuous relationship between her tribe and the Cayuse. She tried to stay out of tribe politics but it was inevitable that she, the daughter of the the Nez Perce chief, would become embroiled in it somehow. That was why she never discussed her lineage with those outside of the reservation. It was also why her father had been so angry when she left. After all—she was the princess.

That thought caused a shiver to run up her spine. It was like history was repeating itself.

“I know who you are,” Mati said, as if he had read her thoughts, “and I swear...the same will not happen to you.”

She wrapped her other arm around him, holding him tightly against her chest. He patted her hand and then disentangled himself from her arms. She watched him cross the room to the rocking chair by the door. He grabbed the fur blanket that was draped over the back of it and brought it over to her, gesturing for her to lie back so he could cover her. Then he swiped a pillow from the bed and dropped it onto the floor, searching in a trunk by the door for another blanket.

Awen stopped him. “If you promise not to change,” she said shyly, “you can sleep up here with me.”

He nodded his head once and she scooted over to give him room, resting her head on his chest once he was settled.

“About those men...” Mati said quietly as he closed his eyes “I don’t regret it...but I wouldn’t have killed them if I had a choice.”

“Somehow,” she said, rubbing her head on his chest, “I can live with that.”

Awen opened her eyes to a bright morning. The birds chirped cheerfully, and she could hear movement outside the cabin. She sat up as Mati came in a few moments later with a small bag and a cup of coffee.

“How's the head?” he asked, handing her the cup and bag.

“Much better.” She peered inside the bag. It contained various convenience store snacks and something that looked vaguely like a breakfast sandwich. “You went to the gas station?”

“Yeah. Figured you’d be hungry, and I don’t have much in the way of breakfast food out here. Oh, and I got your prescriptions filled.” He tossed the pharmacy bag and she caught in easily.

“You're a godsend.” She popped a pill in her mouth, swallowing it easily without any liquid.

Mati eyed her, amused. “You know, I brought coffee too. Figured you might need something to wash those down with...didn’t realize you’d be a champion pill-popper.”

Awen shrugged. “I solve murders for a living. Swallowing a little pill is hardly a tall order.” She glanced over at the bedside table to see her gun and holster.

“You wore it to bed. Even disregarding the fact that bringing a gun into the bedroom is generally a faux-pas, it was digging into my side. You were out cold so I took it off for you.”

“Thanks,” she said, selecting the breakfast sandwich out of the bag and beginning to unwrap it.

“I also charged your phone in the car.” He pulled her cellphone out of the back of his pants pocket, holding it out to her. “It was ringing off the hook while I was driving. I think someone might be trying to get a hold of you.”

“Oh shit!” Awen scrambled out of bed and over to Mati, snatching her phone from his hand. “I have to call my boss!” She unlocked her phone and groaned—it had no signal.

“You won’t get anything out here,” he said apologetically. He grabbed an apple from a bowl on his dining room table and took a bite out of it.

Awen was determined. She pulled the door open carefully, minding the broken hinges, and raced outside. Waving her phone about in the air, she cursed to herself.

“I find it ironic that you had no problem believing I was a shifter, but you won’t trust me when I say there’s no signal for miles,” Mati teased from behind her.

She turned to face him, a sour expression on her face. He was leaning against the doorframe. He took another mischievous bite of his apple while she glared at him, grinning as he chewed.

“Thanks,” she muttered, slipping the phone into her pocket.

Mati swaggered towards her, tossing the apple core over his shoulder. Once he had closed the distance he pulled her against him, bending just enough to bury his nose in her hair.

Awen’s frustration evaporated. She rubbed her hands against his chest, then rose them to lock behind his neck. He claimed her lips in a deep kiss, raking his hands through her hair as his tongue delved into her mouth. He moved his hands to just below her butt and lifted her, wrapping her legs around his torso.

Awen giggled. “Don’t drop me!”

“Never,” he murmured into her mouth. He walked over to the porch railing and set her on top of it. When Awen pressed further against him, clenching him with her thighs, Mati felt his bear begin to surface from the excitement. He took a step back.

“What’s the matter?”

It took everything in Mati not to turn his eyes away from Awen’s expression of worry. “It’s him,” he said gruffly. “He wants me to claim you.”

Mati’s eyes, Awen noticed, had begun to dimly glow. She smirked, unafraid. “How does that work exactly?” She pulled him back against her, grinding her hips into his.

“It’s not going to,” he growled through clenched teeth. “I refuse to pull you into this curse with me.”

Awen grinned seductively, pulling his face in for another kiss, but just before his lips reached hers she stopped him. “Shouldn’t I get a say in that?” she whispered breathlessly against his mouth.

His eyes glowed like fire and a low growl reverberated from his chest. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“I'm not afraid.” she assured. “I know what you're feeling, Mati. I want this.”

“It's more than wanting.” He placed his hands on either side of her. “I want...I need...to claim you, but I refuse to share. You are mine and only mine.”

“You're awfully cocky,” she teased. She released her legs from around his waist and brought a hand to his face.

“I think you can agree that we share a connection that neither of us can explain.”

She stared deeply into his eyes, searching. “Then why shouldn’t we explore that connection?”

Suddenly, a clap of thunder sounded overhead. In less than a moment a torrent of rain descended on the pair.

Mati turned his face skywards, squinting at the sudden change in weather. Not ready to abandon the moment, Awen pulled his face down to hers again. The kiss was passionate, wild.

Mati could feel the change coming on and he wrestled with it.
I haven’t felt this happy in hundreds of years,
he snarled at his inner beast.
Let me be.

The bear backed down, and Mati took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, pulling her off the railing and back into his arms.

When they parted Awen smiled. She could see that his eyes were normal again—still glowing but not with lust; they glowed with love. They had only just met, but she knew that what they were experiencing had been destined from the beginning. Maybe it was fate.

“Come on,” she said after a moment. “I’ve still got a job to do.”

Wordlessly Mati set her down, following her down the path to the car. She climbed into the passenger seat, signalling for him to drive. He clambered in and off they went.

Once they had signal, Awen pulled her phone from her pocket and dialled the number for her boss. He was extremely disgruntled that she had failed to remain in contact with him. She quickly explained that she had been in an accident and had stayed with a friend for the evening. He sighed, but accepted her explanation. Then he asked if she had checked Mati’s alibi.

“It checks out,” she lied. The complete lack of professionalism she was exhibiting shocked her. “He was there pretty late. Did you check into the other victims?”

“I did,” he confirmed. “All of them had priors—sexual assault, aggravated assault, etc. Seems like our bear has a taste for psychos.”

Mati grimaced, mouthing to Awen, “I don’t eat them.”

She smirked. “Well I guess we’ll have to keep investigating. Though our leads have run dry.”

“But why would a bear move the bodies?” She could tell that the frustration was getting to him.

“Actually I have an explanation for that,” she told him. “The people from the reservation moved them away from the village. They didn’t want the negative energy tainting their lands.”

Her boss snorted. “That’s ridiculous. Yeah, next time I see a potential crime scene I’ll make sure to move it if I think the energy is going to seep into the neighbouring community.” He then muttered something vaguely racist and, while it incensed Awen, she knew she had to cover up for Mati at all costs.

“There’s nothing criminal going on here,” was all she could say. “It’s just a series of strange bear attacks. It’s spring—the bears are just coming out of hibernation. If these men aggravated them it would make sense that they were attacked.”

“When will you be back at the station?”

“I’m not sure yet,” she said hesitantly, unsure as to how much she should disclose about the Cayuse attack. “I’m just looking into a bit of trouble on the reservation last night—completely unrelated to the bear attacks, of course. A woman was attacked by a Cayuse official.”

“Sounds like more than a bit of trouble,” he intoned.

“It might be but I want to handle it as gently as possible to avoid tribal conflict.”

John agreed with her and told her to be careful, and to call if she needed help. She assured him that she would and hung up the phone.

“You’re in the clear,” she said to Mati when she was done. She rested her hand on his knee.

“How can you be sure?” he asked quizzically.

“He trusts me.” She let her hand wander across his thighs, a supposedly reassuring movement that was actually driving him mad.

“That’s because he doesn’t know how bad you can be,” Mati said, dropping his hand on top of hers to stop its progress across his leg.

She looked at him sheepishly. “Whoops! Guess I am a little bad.”

He locked her fingers in his. “I like it.”

Half an hour later they pulled into the Cayuse reservation. They drove straight to the large house at the center of the village where Enyeto lives. A large dog stopped to sniff Awen and Mati when they emerged from the vehicle, but otherwise the residence was quiet. Until they stepped onto the porch, at least.

A large man emerged from the house just before they reached the door. “Chief Enyeto will not be entertaining guests this day,” he boomed. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Awen noticed that, even as this man tried to be large and imposing, Mati was still much bigger. She smiled. “Good thing we aren’t guests then,” she said, flashing her badge. “I’m here on official police business.”

The man began to argue with her but was cut off when the door swung open. “Ah, Awenasa!” Chief Enyeto cried. “It’s been such a long time. You haven’t been attending the meetings.”

“I chose my own path,” she explained, clasping his arm in the traditional greeting of friendship. “I’m a detective with the Washington Police Department.”

Enyeto’s eyes darkened, but his smile didn't falter. “I see.” He gripped her arm tighter than necessary. “I had hoped you had come for old time’s sake, but it appears you require my assistance. What can I do for you?”

Enyeto was tall, nearly as tall as Mati. He was broad too, and even though he must have been her father’s age he still looked young and vital. To a stranger’s eye he might appear to be just a few years older than Mati. His long hair brushed over his shoulders, and when he smiled at her it was through perfectly straight, white teeth.

“Perhaps we should speak inside,” she suggested.

“Whatever you have to say can be said out here.” It was a warning.
Be careful with your accusations,
his eyes said.
You are watched by enemies.

“I want to talk to you about what happened in the forest the other night.” Awen pulled out her notebook. “I have the victim’s statement of events and now I require yours to further the investigation.”

Enyeto feigned shock. “
Victim
?
Investigation
?” He fixed her with a quizzical stare. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Awen’s blood boiled but this is what she had been trained for. “Yes, the victim—the woman who alleges you attacked her.” She was careful not to explicitly place blame.

“The only attack that occurred that evening was precipitated by a bear,” Enyeto said, smirking. “By the way, thanks for saving me, princess. I would have been just another of those bodies around the reservation you’ve been investigating.”

Good news travels fast,
Awen thought snarkily. “I’m no longer a princess,” she reminded him. “I want to be clear—I’m not here to place accusations, I’m here for your statement.”

“Of course,” he obliged. “There are two sides to every story.”

Mati was beginning to bristle at the older man’s nonchalance and arrogance. It had been clear to everyone what had happened that night; Enyeto was clearly trying to provoke Awen.

“So, Chief Enyeto,” Awen began.

Enyeto raised a hand to stop her. “Please, just Enyeto. We’re practically family.”

“So,
Enyeto,
” she began again, clearly agitated at being interrupted. “Where were you last night between nine and ten o’clock?”

Enyeto grinned. “I was in the company of a beautiful young woman.” He cocked his head. “But you know that already. You were there.”

“And, in your words, what happened?”

“We met on one of the paths that leads between her village and the Walla Walla. We talked.” He tucked a strand of his long hair behind his ear and licked his lips. “As night fell the talking turned to more.”

“You began to get intimate?”

“We did. She found out I was a chief.” He winked her and Mati. “You know how women get around men in positions of power.”

“And this...intimacy,” Awen said, trying to keep a professional demeanor, “it was consensual?”

“Of course! And then that bear appeared out of nowhere. I believe you know the rest.”

Awen raged internally. “So the bruises on the woman’s neck—they had nothing to do with you?” She was conscious of Mati’s tense form at her side. She could practically feel the anger radiating off of him.

“I imagine they do, actually,” Enyeto admitted casually. “She wanted me to be rough with her. That’s not really my style but far be it from me to deny a memorable first time for such an...obliging...young woman.” He looked at Awen, wrinkling his brow. “Did she say something different?”

“She didn’t have to tell me different,” Awen said flatly. “I was there—she was sobbing uncontrollably.”