Page 3 of Collar Me Crazy (Hollow Oak Mates #8)
SONYA
T he Hollow Oak Book Nook sat nestled between two larger buildings like a literary secret waiting to be discovered.
Warm light spilled from its windows, and the wooden sign above the door bore intricate carvings that seemed to shift when Sonya wasn't looking directly at them.
She pushed inside, breathing in the familiar scent of old paper and binding glue mixed with something distinctly magical.
"Sonya?"
The voice made her turn toward the back corner where reading nooks created intimate spaces among towering bookshelves. A woman with loose mahogany curls looked up from a tablet computer, her milky brown eyes widening with recognition and delight.
"Moira!" Sonya weaved between the stacks, dodging a ladder that appeared to be restocking shelves on its own. "God, look at you. Marriage agrees with you."
Moira stood and pulled her into a fierce hug, and Sonya felt some of her travel tension ease. Family, even distant family, had a way of grounding her that no amount of meditation ever managed.
"I can't believe you're actually here," Moira said, pulling back to study her face. "When I got your text saying you might visit, I wasn't sure you'd actually make the drive."
"Well, when my visions start getting pushy, I've learned to listen." Sonya glanced around the cozy shop, noting the way shadows gathered in corners that should have been well-lit. "This place is amazing. Very you."
"It's Lucien's, actually." Moira gestured toward the front counter where a man was helping an elderly customer. Even from a distance, Sonya could see the predatory grace in his movements, the way he carried himself like something that had never forgotten how to hunt. "Lucien, come meet my cousin."
The panther shifter approached with liquid steps, and Sonya found herself studying the angular features Moira had described in her letters. Dark hair fell to his shoulders, and his deep green eyes held the kind of ancient knowledge that came from too many nights spent hunting things that went bump.
"Sonya Sibyl," he said, extending a hand. "Moira's told me a lot about you."
"All good things, I hope." His grip was firm but careful, and she caught the faint scent of night air and old books that clung to him. "Thank you for making her so happy. I haven't seen her smile like this in years."
"The happiness is mutual." Lucien's voice carried undertones of satisfaction that made Moira blush. "Can I get you anything? Coffee? We've got some new arrivals in the paranormal romance section if you're interested."
"Actually, I was hoping to talk to Moira about why I'm here." Sonya settled into one of the reading chairs, accepting the cup of coffee that appeared at her elbow courtesy of what looked like helpful magic. "My visions have been... persistent lately."
Moira perched on the arm of Lucien's chair, their easy intimacy making something ache with longing in Sonya's chest. "What kind of visions?"
"The kind that drag me halfway across the state without much explanation.
" Sonya wrapped her hands around the warm mug.
"I've been seeing Hollow Oak in my dreams for weeks.
This place, these people, and..." She hesitated, unsure how to explain the auburn-haired man without sounding completely unhinged.
"And?" Lucien prompted gently.
"Someone I don't recognize. A man with auburn hair and green eyes. I keep seeing him in different contexts, but always with this sense of urgency. Like something important hinges on finding him."
Moira and Lucien exchanged a look that held entire conversations.
"Auburn hair and green eyes," Moira repeated slowly. "Tall? Lean build, kind of keeps to himself?"
"You know him?"
"Sounds like Ryker Dusk," Lucien said. "He runs the animal sanctuary outside town. Takes in injured supernatural creatures."
"Ryker. That's him. Freya mentioned him at the café."
"Of course she did." Moira's tone carried fond exasperation. "Half the town's been trying to get that man to come out of his shell for years."
"What do you mean?"
Lucien leaned forward, his expression growing serious.
"Ryker's... complicated. He showed up here as a kid, traumatized and barely speaking.
Varric took him in, gave him a place to heal, but he's never really integrated into the community.
Helps when there's trouble, contributes in his own way, but keeps everyone at arm's length. "
"Why?" Sonya's visions had never shown her loneliness, only flashes of strength and protectiveness and something that felt like destiny.
"Nobody knows the whole story," Moira said carefully. "Varric's protective of whatever happened to his pack. All we know is that it was bad enough to make a twelve-year-old boy afraid of getting close to anyone."
"But you think my visions are connected to him."
"When a seer starts having dreams about someone specific, it's usually because fate's trying to make a point." Moira's smile turned teasing. "And knowing this town's track record with mysterious arrivals and stubborn men, I'd say you're in for an interesting time."
"I could show you around," Lucien offered. "Introduce you to people, help you get your bearings."
"That's sweet of you, but I think I need to find Ryker first." The pull in her chest had only grown stronger since learning his name, like a compass needle swinging toward true north. "Where exactly is this sanctuary?"
"About twenty minutes outside town, past Moonmirror Lake." Moira's expression grew concerned. "But Sonya, maybe you should wait until tomorrow. It's getting late, and Ryker doesn't really do unexpected visitors."
"The visions don't care about his social preferences." Sonya stood, already reaching for her jacket. "I've been seeing him for weeks. Whatever's happening, it's important enough that my gift won't let me ignore it."
"At least let us come with you," Lucien said. "If nothing else, we can make introductions easier."
"No." The word came out sharper than she meant. "I appreciate the offer, but this feels like something I need to do alone. Call it seer's intuition."
Moira bit her lip. "He's not going to be rude to you or anything. Ryker's actually incredibly kind when you get past his walls. But he's also the most stubborn man I've ever met, and if he thinks you're there to complicate his carefully organized life..."
"He'll run," Lucien finished. "Ryker's got avoiding people down to an art form."
"Then I guess I'll have to be creative." Sonya hugged Moira again, breathing in the scent of happiness and old books that surrounded her cousin. "I'm staying at the Hearth & Hollow Inn if anyone asks. And Moira? It's really good to see you settled and happy."
"Same to you, I hope." Moira squeezed her tight. "Be careful out there. The road to the sanctuary can be tricky after dark."
"I'll be fine. I've got a good sense of direction."
"And visions to guide you," Lucien added with a slight smile. "Just remember that seeing the future and understanding it are two different things."
Sonya paused at the door. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Sometimes what we think we're seeing isn't the whole picture. Sometimes fate has a sense of humor." His green eyes flashed for a moment. "Don't assume you know how this story ends just because you've seen glimpses of the middle."
Outside, the evening air carried the scent of woodsmoke and approaching winter.
Sonya walked back to her car, her mind spinning with new information.
Ryker Dusk. A man with shadows in his past and walls around his heart.
A sanctuary for wounded creatures, which explained the gentleness she'd seen in her visions.
But there was more to it than that. Had to be. Her gift didn't drag her across state lines for simple introductions.
She started the engine and pulled up directions to Moonmirror Lake on her phone. Twenty minutes to answers, to the man who'd been haunting her dreams for weeks.
Twenty minutes to discover what fate had been trying to tell her.
As she drove through Hollow Oak's winding streets, past shops glowing with warm light and residents settling in for cozy evening routines, Sonya felt the pull in her chest grow stronger.
Whatever was waiting for her at the sanctuary, whatever connection her visions had been showing her, she was about to find out.
Ready or not.