Page 24

24

KIERAN

K ieran lay sprawled across his king-sized bed staring at the ceiling as his tiger paced incessantly inside him. The scent of Mallory still clung to his sheets, a mix of rain and lightning that caused his chest to constrict. His fingers traced the spot where she had slept, the spot where she belonged.

"Damn it," he muttered, rolling onto his side. The curtains rustled with a gust of wind - probably Mallory's emotions affecting the weather again. He had tried texting her, calling her room phone, and even slipping notes under her door. Nothing.

The memory of her face when she had run away from him still haunted him. That look of horror and self-loathing didn't belong on someone who had just saved his life. Sure, a few windows had shattered, some trees lost branches, and some decorations were ruined, but who cared? The Hearthstone was insured, and frankly, Vivian had deserved worse for attacking them.

His tiger growled at the thought of Vivian. The rune witch's magic had felt like acid burning through his fur. If Mallory hadn't stepped in...

"You protected me," he said to the empty room. "You protected all of us. Why can't you see that?"

He pushed himself up, pacing the length of his suite. The sound of distant thunder made him pause at the window. Dark clouds gathered over the inn, matching Mallory's mood. His tiger wanted to break down her door, to wrap her in his arms and not let go until she understood how incredible she was.

But he knew better. Mallory needed space to process everything. Pushing her now would only make her retreat further into herself. Still, every protective instinct in his body screamed to go to her.

"You're not a monster," he whispered, pressing his palm against the cool glass. "You're beautiful and fierce and exactly what this place needs." What I need, he added silently.

A crack of lightning split the sky, illuminating the damaged grounds below. Kieran's jaw clenched. To hell with the decorations. To hell with what anyone thought. He would rebuild it all twice over if it meant keeping Mallory here in his arms.

The question was: how could he convince her to stay long enough to see that?

Kieran soon prowled around his office, his tiger's restless energy making it impossible to sit still. The police report lay open on his desk - Gregory and Vivian Simmons, charged with multiple counts of vandalism, property damage, and attempted arson. Their mug shots showed them both looking considerably less polished than usual. Vivian's perfectly coiffed hair was singed at the ends from Mallory's lightning.

"Serves you right," he muttered, a satisfied growl rumbling through him. The charges would stick - they had dozens of witnesses, security footage, and Gregory had been caught quite literally red-handed. The Simmons wouldn't be bothering anyone for a long time.

But the victory felt hollow without Mallory here to share it. His tiger whined, missing her scent, her quiet strength, and the way she fit perfectly against him.

She thought she was dangerous and out of control - but all he had seen was her fierce protection of what mattered.

Thunder rolled outside again, and Kieran moved to the window. Dark clouds continued to swirl above The Hearthstone. His fingers pressed against the glass, wanting to reach out to Mallory.

"You saved us all," he whispered. "You're not cursed, sweetheart. You're a gift."

His heart ached knowing she was alone, probably convincing herself that isolation was the right answer. He wanted to show her that she didn't have to face life's storms alone anymore. That he would weather any tempest by her side, help her find balance, and be her anchor when things got rough.

"I love you," he said softly to the storm clouds. "Lightning bolts and all."

An hour later, Charlotte found Kieran slumped over his desk. Papers were scattered everywhere, and his hair was a mess from running his fingers through it repeatedly. His tiger's agitation showed in the constant tap of his foot against the hardwood floor.

"You look terrible," Charlotte said, setting a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Thanks for the confidence booster." He grabbed the coffee, inhaling the rich aroma. "What am I supposed to do, Charlotte? She won't talk to me."

Charlotte settled into the chair across from him, her motherly concern evident. "Give her some extra time to process. That girl's been carrying guilt and fear for so long, it's become a shield."

"A shield I want to tear down." His tiger growled with agreement.

"Patience, Kieran. Show her you're not going anywhere." Charlotte's eyes softened. "But don't give up on her either. Sometimes people need to be reminded they're worth fighting for."

Kieran stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "You're exactly right. She needs to hear that."

He strode through the halls of his inn, determination in every step. Outside Mallory's door, he caught her scent - rain and lightning mixed with sadness. His tiger whined.

"Mallory?" He pressed his palm against the door. "Please open up. Just for a minute."

Silence answered him, but he could smell she was close to the door. His heart pounded.

"Fine, I'll talk through the door then." He leaned his forehead against the wood. "What happened yesterday? That wasn't destruction - that was protection. You saved my life. Saved all of us actually."

Thunder rumbled outside, matching the emotion in his voice. "You're not dangerous, sweetheart. You're incredible. The way you make everyone feel like they matter, and the way you stand up for what you believe in." His voice cracked. "The way you make me feel whole."

The storm intensified outside, but Kieran pressed on, his words thick with emotion. "You don't have to be alone anymore. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. Whatever storms life throws at us, we'll weather them together. I'll protect you, stand by you, and fight for you."

Tears pricked at his eyes, his tiger howling inside him. "Just please, don't shut me out."

His heart leapt when he heard the soft click of the door unlocking. Slowly, it creaked open, and there she was. Her blonde hair was tangled, and her blue eyes rimmed with red. She looked like she hadn’t slept at all. Kieran’s tiger rumbled softly in his chest, a mix of relief and frustration. She was here, but she was pulling away. Again.

"Kieran," she began, her voice trembling. "Thank you. What you said... it meant a lot. But you don’t understand. Yesterday, I lost control. Again. And it’s because I care too much. About this place. About the people. About... you." Her eyes welled up, and she looked away, her hands balled into fists. "The bridge will be open after New Year’s Eve. I’m leaving then. It’s for the best."

His stomach dropped. "What? No. Mallory, that’s not—you can’t just?—"

"I have to," she interrupted, her voice firm despite the tears. "I’m dangerous, Kieran. I hurt people when I lose control. And I can’t risk that again. Not with you."

He stepped forward, his tiger’s urgency bleeding into his voice. "You saved us. You protected everyone from Vivian. You’re not dangerous, Mallory. You’re powerful. There’s a difference."

She shook her head, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. "Power like mine is a curse, not a gift. And you’re better off without me."

"The hell I am," he shot back, his voice sharp. His tiger snarled inside him, demanding he close the distance, wrap her in his arms, and never let go. But he held himself back. Barely. "You’re not a curse, Mallory. You’re the best damn thing that’s happened to this inn—and to me."

She let out a bitter laugh, tears spilling over. "You say that now, but what happens the next time I lose control? What if I hurt someone? What if I hurt you?"

"You won’t," he said, his voice softening. He reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Because I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I’ll be here to help you through it. To remind you that you’re not alone. That you don’t have to carry this by yourself."

She pulled away, her face crumpling. "You don’t get it, Kieran. I can’t risk it. I won’t."

Before he could respond, she stepped back and closed the door, the soft click of the lock echoing in the hallway. Kieran stared at the door, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. His tiger was pacing, restless and furious, demanding he break it down and drag her back out where she belonged—by his side.

But he didn’t. Instead, he leaned his forehead against the door, his voice low and rough. "You’re wrong, Mallory. You’re not cursed. You’re not dangerous. You’re amazing. You’re strong. You’re everything I’ve been looking for. And I’m not letting you go. Not now. Not ever."

He pushed off the door, his mind racing. She was leaving. After New Year’s Eve. That gave him less than forty-eight hours to convince her to stay. To make her see that she wasn’t a curse—that she was his future.

And if she thought he was going to let her walk out of his life without a fight, she didn’t know him very well. The tiger in him huffed in agreement. This wasn’t over. And he had no intention of losing the woman he loved without giving it everything he had.