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“And?” his cousin prompted, settling into an armchair.

“And something’s wrong,” Alfie said, sinking onto the couch. “Everything was going great—we even kissed—and then suddenly she’s pulling away. Barely responding to my texts.”

His cousin nodded thoughtfully. “And you don’t know why.”

“No, all I know is something bad happened before they came to Bear Creek.” Alfie took another drink. “And I need to know how to help them.”

“Ah, I see why you came to me,” Dougray said.

“Yeah, I thought you might have some wisdom to share,” Alfie replied. “Charlie…something traumatic happened in his past. The day I met him I could see it in his eyes. There was this haunted look… And then there’s the way Marion watches him like she’s afraid something bad is going to happen.”

His cousin’s expression grew serious. “It sounds like Finlay when he first came to us.”

Alfie nodded. Finlay had been older than Charlie when his cousin and Tammy first found him. He was an orphan on the run after he shifted for the first time…with no clue that shifters existed. Injured and alone, he’d been withdrawn at first. But slowly, Dougray and Tammy had helped him overcome his trauma.

“How did you handle it?” Alfie asked. “The withdrawal, the mistrust?”

His cousin leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Time,” he said simply. “And patience. So much patience. And understanding that none of it was personal.”

“Not personal?” Alfie echoed.

“That was the hardest part,” his cousin admitted. “When Finlay would push us away, or have a meltdown, or accuse us of not really wanting him, it felt personal. But it wasn’t about us at all. It was about what happened before us.”

Alfie thought about Marion’s sudden withdrawal. Was it possible that something had triggered old fears, old wounds?

“The thing about trauma,” his cousin continued, “is that healing isn’t linear. There are good days and bad days. Progress and setbacks.”

“Charlie was doing so well,” Alfie said quietly. “Opening up, getting excited about plants and bugs.”

“That’s great,” his cousin smiled. “But it doesn’t mean there won’t be steps backward. And Marion, she’s probably carrying her own trauma, too, plus the responsibility of helping Charlie through his.”

Alfie nodded slowly, understanding dawning. “So what do I do?”

“Be there,” his cousin said simply. “Not pushing, not demanding, just…present. Let them know you’re not going anywhere, but give them the space they need when they need it.”

“That’s the hard part,” Alfie admitted. “She’s my mate. I want…need to protect them.”

His cousin nodded. “Yeah, I get it. But sometimes the most protective thing you can do is step back.”

Alfie nodded, those words resonating deeply. “I need to let Marion set the pace.”

“Exactly,” Dougray said.

“I can do that,” Alfie said.

“You can,” Dougray agreed. “Because once you come through this, when you get to the other side, you will be stronger. Together.”

“Thanks for the advice, Dougray,” Alfie said, leaning back on the sofa.

“Anytime.” Dougray grinned. “So… Finn…”

Alfie chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t ask me how he did it!”

But boy, was he glad his brother had. Even if the road to happiness was a whole lot bumpier than he’d ever imagined.

Chapter Sixteen – Marion

Urgh! Marion untangled her legs from her sheets and turned to look at the time. 5:47 a.m.