Page 11 of The Right to Bear Claws (Hollow Oak Mates #6)

ELIAS

" T hose wind chimes are beautiful work," Miriam said, settling into the chair across from Elias in the inn's common room. "Haven't heard Kaia's room go quiet at night since you hung them up."

Elias looked up from the October issue of Mountain Construction Weekly he'd been pretending to read while waiting for Kaia to finish her afternoon nap. "They're just basic woodwork. Nothing fancy."

"Mm-hmm." Miriam's tone suggested she wasn't buying his casual dismissal. "And I suppose the fact that they're carved from mountain ash, blessed by Elder Thornwell, and inscribed with protective runes is just a coincidence?"

"Maybe."

"Elias Vane, you're about as subtle as a bull in a china shop when it comes to courting that girl."

Heat crept up his neck. "I'm not?—"

"The coffee that appears at exactly seven-fifteen every morning, brewed just the way she likes it? The loose floorboard in the hallway that mysteriously fixed itself overnight? The new lock on the back gate that just happened to be installed after she mentioned feeling nervous about the alley?"

"The inn needs maintenance," he said defensively.

"The inn needs a lot of things, but you only fix the ones that make Kaia smile." Miriam's expression softened with maternal approval. "Not that I'm complaining. It's about time someone spoiled that girl properly."

The common room door opened as Kaia entered looking soft and rumpled from sleep.

Her platinum hair fell in waves around her shoulders, and she wore one of the oversized sweaters Twyla had insisted on lending her.

The anchor stone at her throat caught the afternoon light, pulsing gently with protective energy.

"Hey," she said, offering him a smile that made his bear practically purr. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long," he lied, rising from his chair. "Sleep well?"

"Better, thanks to those beautiful wind chimes." She touched her throat where the pendant rested. "They make the most peaceful sound when the wind catches them just right."

The simple gratitude in her voice made his pulse pick up. He'd spent hours carving those chimes, selecting each piece of mountain ash for its protective properties and inscribing them with runes that would help shield her dreams from unwanted intrusion.

"I'm glad they help," he said simply.

"Speaking of help," Miriam interjected with the kind of innocent tone that usually preceded meddling, "the town planning committee is meeting in twenty minutes to finalize the Halloween festival details. We could use some extra hands."

Kaia brightened with interest. "I'd love to help, if you don't mind an outsider's input."

"Honey, you stopped being an outsider the day you pulled that first tray of Twyla's scones from the oven without being asked," Miriam said warmly. "You're part of this community now, whether you realize it or not."

The comment made Kaia duck her head, but Elias caught the pleased flush that crept across her cheeks. She belonged here, in Hollow Oak, surrounded by people who appreciated her gentle nature and quiet strength.

"Come on," he said, offering her his arm. "Let's go plan a festival."

The town hall buzzed with cheerful chaos when they arrived.

Twyla had commandeered one corner with fabric samples and sketches for costume contest categories.

The Tansley brothers huddled over a hand-drawn map, marking optimal locations for protective ward stations.

Maeve stood near the refreshment table, arguing with Lucien about security protocols while Edgar scribbled notes on a clipboard that looked older than the building itself.

"Kaia!" Twyla called out, waving them over with enthusiasm that made several fabric swatches flutter to the floor. "Perfect timing. I need a second opinion on decoration themes. What do you think says 'festive autumn celebration' without screaming 'tourist trap'?"

"Um." Kaia studied the samples with serious consideration. "Maybe something that highlights the natural beauty? Like these amber and gold tones, with touches of deep red? It would complement the changing leaves without looking artificial."

"Brilliant!" Twyla beamed as if Kaia had just solved world hunger. "See, Elias? I told you she had an artist's eye."

"When did you tell me that?" he asked, amused.

"Yesterday, when you weren't listening because you were too busy staring at her like a lovesick teenager."

Kaia's cheeks went pink, but she didn't seem displeased by the observation. "Where else do you need help?"

"Over here," Maeve called from across the room. "We're trying to figure out patrol routes that don't make the festival feel like a police state. You've got fresh eyes on the town layout."

As the afternoon progressed, Elias found himself watching Kaia integrate seamlessly into the planning chaos.

She offered thoughtful suggestions about vendor placement, helped resolve a heated debate between the Tansley brothers about decorative lighting, and somehow convinced Maeve that additional security could be disguised as festival games rather than obvious patrols.

"She's good at this," Lucien said quietly, appearing at his elbow while Kaia mediated a discussion about music selection. "Natural diplomat."

"She is," Elias agreed, pride warming his voice. "Look how everyone's responding to her."

It was true. Even the most stubborn committee members—including Elder Bram, who'd initially grumbled about involving outsiders in town business—had started deferring to Kaia's judgment on various details. She had a gift for finding compromise solutions that made everyone feel heard.

"She belongs here," Lucien observed.

"Yeah. She does."

"But?"

"But nothing." Elias forced himself to focus on the conversation rather than the way Kaia's laugh made him feel. "Everything's fine."

Lucien's green eyes held the kind of sharp intelligence that made him an excellent night hunter and an occasionally inconvenient friend. "Right. And that's why you've been hovering around her like she might disappear at any moment?"

"I'm not hovering."

"You're hovering. Question is, what's got you spooked?"

Elias watched Kaia gesture animatedly while explaining her vision for the costume contest staging area.

She looked relaxed, engaged, genuinely happy to be contributing to something larger than herself.

But he could see the shadows beneath her eyes, the careful way she monitored everyone's reactions, like she was still waiting for someone to tell her she didn't belong.

"She's pulling away," he said quietly. "Not obviously, but I can feel it. Like she's preparing to run."

"Any idea why?"

"Whatever's hunting her is ramping up the psychological pressure." His jaw clenched with frustrated helplessness. "And there's nothing I can do about it. Can't fight something that exists in her sleep."

"You can be here when she wakes up," Lucien pointed out. "Can remind her that she's not alone."

"For now. But if she decides I'm better off without her..."

"She cares about you, Elias. Anyone with eyes can see that. But she's spent years believing she doesn't deserve good things. Your job is to prove her wrong."

Twyla's voice cut across the room with characteristic authority.

"All right, people! Let's go through the final checklist. Decorations?"

"Sourced and ready for installation," Edgar called out.

"Entertainment?"

"Local band confirmed, backup playlist prepared," Maeve reported.

"Security?"

"Discrete patrols established, ward stations mapped," Lucien said.

"Food vendors?"

"Contracted and coordinated," Kaia said, consulting a neatly organized list. "Including backup plans for weather contingencies."

A murmur of approval went around the room. Twyla beamed like a proud teacher.

"Perfect! I think we're as ready as we can be. Kaia, excellent work on the vendor coordination. You might have missed your calling as an event planner."

"It was fun," Kaia said with genuine warmth. "I've never been part of organizing something like this. It feels good to contribute."

"You've done more than contribute," Elder Bram said gruffly. "Your suggestions solved half the problems we've been arguing about for weeks."

The rare praise from the notoriously difficult council member made Kaia's face light up with pleasure. This was what she needed—recognition that she had value, that her presence made things better rather than worse.

As the meeting wound down and people began gathering their papers, Kaia approached him with that soft smile that never failed to make him feel like the lovesick teenager Twyla had mentioned.

"Thank you for bringing me," she said. "I really enjoyed being part of this."

"Thank you for all the help. You probably saved us another three meetings worth of arguments."

"I doubt that." She laughed, but there was something distant in her expression, like she was already pulling back from the moment. "I should probably get going. Miriam's making her famous pot roast tonight, and I promised to help with the vegetables."

"I could walk you back," he offered.

"That's okay. It's only a few blocks, and I know you want to talk strategy with Lucien." She touched his arm briefly, a fleeting contact that sent warmth racing through his system. "But I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course."

He watched her gather her things and say goodbye to the other committee members, noting the genuine affection in their responses. Hollow Oak had claimed her as thoroughly as she'd claimed them, creating bonds that should have been reassuring.

So why did he feel like he was watching her prepare to say goodbye?

"She's going to run," he said to Lucien once Kaia had left and the room had mostly cleared.

"What makes you think that?"

"The way she's memorizing everything. Like she's trying to store up enough good memories to last." Elias ran his hand over his face. "Christ, Lucien. What am I supposed to do? Lock her in a room until Halloween passes?"

"You're supposed to trust her," his friend said firmly. "And trust yourself. You think she wants to leave you?"

"No. But I think she's convinced herself that leaving is the noble thing to do."

"Then remind her that nobility without wisdom is just stupidity in disguise." Lucien clapped him on the shoulder. "And remind her that running away doesn't solve anything. It just makes you tired and alone."

Elias nodded, but worry continued to gnaw at his stomach as they locked up the town hall and headed their separate ways. Eight days until Halloween. Eight days to convince his mate that she was safer with him than without him.

And to prove that love was stronger than whatever shadows haunted her dreams.

His bear snarled at the thought of losing her, protective instincts demanding immediate action. But Magnus was right about the importance of patience. Claiming Kaia through force or desperation would only drive her further away.

No, he'd have to win her trust the hard way—one small gesture at a time, one moment of safety at a time, until she understood that Hollow Oak wasn't just a place she'd stumbled into by accident.

It was home. And he'd be damned if he let anything take her away from it.