Page 3 of The Right to Bear Claws (Hollow Oak Mates #6)

ELIAS

E lias lasted exactly three hours before his bear started clawing at his ribs.

He'd forced himself to leave the inn after breakfast, giving Kaia space to rest and recover like any decent person would.

But every step away from her felt wrong, his supernatural instincts screaming that his mate was vulnerable and he was abandoning his post. By the time he reached the Vane Construction compound on the outskirts of town, his jaw ached from clenching his teeth.

"Well, hell," his youngest brother Finn called from beneath the hood of their work truck. "Look what the cat dragged in. Thought you might've finally learned to sleep past sunrise."

"Some of us have responsibilities," Elias muttered, grabbing his tool belt from its hook in the workshop. The familiar weight should have been grounding, but his bear was restless, wanting nothing more than to abandon the pretense of normalcy and return to Kaia's side.

"Speaking of responsibilities," Thorin, his older brother and the clan's official leader, emerged from the office trailer with a clipboard and a knowing look. "Heard you had some excitement last night. Miriam called to let us know you'd pulled someone from the lake."

Magnus Vane, their father and the clan patriarch, looked up from the blueprints he'd been studying. At sixty-two, he was still a formidable presence, silver-streaked hair and weathered hands that could frame a house or comfort a grandchild with equal skill. "Everyone all right?"

"She's fine," Elias said, surprised by the growl that crept into his voice. "Staying at the inn while she recovers."

The workshop went quiet. His brothers exchanged looks that made his bear's hackles rise, some silent communication passing between them that he wasn't privy to. Finally, Finn slid out from under the truck, grease-stained and grinning.

"She, huh?" His youngest brother wiped his hands on a rag, eyes dancing with mischief. "Pretty, is she?"

"Doesn't matter what she looks like." Elias hefted a stack of lumber with more force than necessary. "She needed help."

"Course not," Thorin agreed solemnly, but his mouth twitched. "Just wondering why you look like someone stole your favorite hammer."

"I look normal."

"Brother, you look like you're about to murder someone with your bare hands," Finn said cheerfully. "Which, granted, isn't that unusual, but there's a particular quality to your homicidal glare today that's got us all curious."

Magnus cleared his throat. "Boys, we've got the Simonson’s kitchen renovation to finish. Save the interrogation for lunch."

Grateful for the reprieve, Elias threw himself into work with single-minded determination.

Physical labor had always been his refuge, the steady rhythm of hammer and saw drowning out everything else.

But today, even framing walls couldn't quiet his bear's restless energy.

Every few minutes, his attention drifted toward town, toward the inn where Kaia was probably charming Miriam with that bright smile that didn't quite hide the shadows in her violet eyes.

The way she'd tried to downplay her trauma, insisting she was fine when she clearly wasn't, had tied his stomach in knots.

He'd seen enough broken people to recognize the signs.

But instead of curling up to lick her wounds like most trauma survivors, she'd smiled and thanked them for their kindness like she couldn't quite believe it was real.

It made him want to find whoever had taught her to be grateful for basic human decency and have a very pointed conversation.

"All right, that's enough." Finn appeared at his elbow during their morning break, holding two cups of coffee and wearing his most innocent expression. "You just nailed that board to the wrong stud three times in a row. Spill."

Elias accepted the coffee gratefully, using the moment to gather his thoughts. His brothers were going to figure it out eventually. The Vane clan was close-knit, and secrets didn't last long when you worked together every day.

"She's my mate," he said quietly.

Finn choked on his coffee. "Your what?"

"You heard me."

"Holy shit, Elias." Finn stared at him with wide eyes. "Are you sure? I mean, how do you know? Did you tell her?"

"I'm sure. And no, I didn't tell her." Elias ran a hand through his hair, frustration bleeding through his voice. "She doesn't even remember her own name or where she came from clearly, Finn. The last thing she needs is some stranger claiming ownership over her."

"Ownership?" Thorin joined them, having caught the tail end of the conversation. "That's not what mate bonds are about, and you know it."

"Tell that to my bear." Elias's laugh held no humor. "Every instinct I have is screaming to claim her, mark her, make sure everyone knows she's mine. But she's fragile right now. Traumatized. She needs time to heal, not some possessive shifter breathing down her neck."

Magnus approached with his own coffee, expression thoughtful. "The bond goes both ways, son. If she's your mate, she'll feel the pull too, even if she doesn't understand what it means."

"Assuming she's supernatural," Thorin pointed out. "Human mates don't always feel the bond immediately."

The possibility that Kaia might be fully human had occurred to Elias, though something about her scent suggested otherwise. There was an otherworldly quality to it. But whatever she was, she deserved to make her own choices about their future.

"Either way," he said firmly, "I'm not pushing. She'll come to me when she's ready, or she won't. But I'll be there if she needs me."

"Course you will," Finn said with a grin. "Question is, can you handle waiting? Because you look like you're about two seconds from charging back to town and camping outside her door."

Before Elias could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps drew their attention.

Lucien Vale emerged from the tree line, moving with the liquid grace that marked him as a predator even in human form.

The panther shifter owned the local bookstore, but his real job was as a night hunter for the Council.

If he was here during daylight hours, it meant official business.

"Elias," Lucien said by way of greeting, his dark hair catching the October sunlight. "Need a word."

The Vane brothers tactfully retreated, but Elias could feel their curious gazes as he followed Lucien to the edge of the work site. His friend's sharp green eyes held a seriousness that made his bear tense with anticipation.

"Council meeting last night," Lucien said without preamble. "There's been some unusual supernatural activity lately. Nightmares, restless spirits, shadows moving wrong. Varric thinks it might be connected to your lake rescue."

Elias's hands clenched into fists. "She's done nothing wrong."

"Didn't say she had." Lucien's voice remained calm, but there was understanding in his expression. "But something dark came to town with her, whether she knows it or not. The Council wants answers."

"They can want all they like. I'm not handing her over for interrogation."

"Easy, brother." Lucien raised his hands peacefully. "No one's talking about interrogation. But she might have information that could help us figure out what we're dealing with. And if she's in danger..."

"She's under my protection," Elias growled, his bear surging close to the surface. "Anyone who wants to get to her goes through me."

Lucien studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Mate bond."

It wasn't a question. Elias didn't bother denying it.

"Well," his friend continued, "that explains the homicidal glare you've been wearing all morning. Congratulations, by the way. It's about time."

Elias scrubbed his face with both hands. "What does the Council want, exactly?"

"Information. Background. Anything that might help us understand what kind of threat we're dealing with." Lucien's expression softened slightly. "I volunteered to ask instead of letting Bram handle it. Figured you'd prefer a friendly conversation to an official summons."

Elder Bram was notorious for his heavy-handed approach to Council business. The thought of him anywhere near Kaia made Elias's protective instincts flare dangerously.

"I'll talk to her," he said finally. "But carefully. She's been through enough."

"Agreed. And Elias?" Lucien's tone turned serious again. "Whatever's hunting her, it's not going to stop because she found sanctuary. If anything, being in Hollow Oak might make things worse. The town's magic could amplify whatever supernatural connection she's carrying."

Lucien’s concern confirmed fears Elias had been trying to ignore. He'd sensed the darkness clinging to Kaia's aura, the wrongness that followed her like a shadow. But the thought that his home, his sanctuary, might actually put her in more danger made his bear rise with helpless rage.

"Then we'd better figure out what we're dealing with fast," he said grimly.

Lucien nodded and melted back into the forest with typical feline grace, leaving Elias alone with his churning thoughts.

Work became impossible after that. He went through the motions, but his mind was elsewhere, spinning through possibilities and contingencies, most of which ended with him standing between Kaia and whatever threat had followed her to Hollow Oak.

By the time the workday ended, his brothers had given up trying to get coherent responses from him. They packed up the tools with pointed comments about distracted bears and the dangers of operating power equipment while lovesick, but Elias barely heard them.

He needed to see Kaia. Needed to make sure she was safe, that the dark presence he'd sensed hadn't found a way to reach her during the day. The rational part of his mind knew Miriam's inn was warded better than most supernatural fortresses, but his bear didn't care about rational thought.

Twenty minutes later, he stood outside the Hearth & Hollow Inn, tool belt replaced with a clean flannel shirt, boots traded for something that wouldn't track mud across Miriam's polished floors.

Through the front window, he could see Kaia in the common room, curled up in one of the reading chairs with a cup of tea and what looked like one of Miriam's photo albums.

She'd changed out of the borrowed nightgown into clothes that must have come from Miriam's collection.

A soft blue sweater that brought out the unusual color of her eyes, and jeans that fit well enough to suggest the older woman had a good eye for sizing.

Her platinum hair was braided loosely over one shoulder, and she wore the kind of peaceful expression that made something warm and protective settle in his chest.

She looked like she belonged there, surrounded by the inn's cozy warmth and Miriam's maternal fussing. Like Hollow Oak had been waiting for her without knowing it.

Elias knocked softly and let himself in, breathing easier when Kaia looked up with a genuine smile instead of the brittle brightness she'd worn that morning.

"Hey," she said, setting aside the photo album. "How was your day?"

"Good. Productive." He settled into the chair across from hers, hyperaware of the way her scent wrapped around him like a drug. "How are you feeling? Any more memories come back?"

"Bits and pieces. Nothing useful." She gestured to the album in her lap. "Miriam's been showing me pictures of Hollow Oak through the years. It's a beautiful place."

"It is." He studied her face, looking for signs of strain or lingering trauma. "Would you like to see it for yourself? I could give you a tour, if you're feeling up to it."

The offer surprised him. He'd planned to suggest it for security reasons, a chance to keep an eye on her while she explored the town.

But watching her face light up with genuine interest, he realized he simply wanted to share his home with her.

Wanted to see Hollow Oak through her eyes, to watch her fall in love with the place that had shaped him.

"I'd love that," she said, then hesitated. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose on your evening."

"You're not imposing." He tried not to sound too eager. "Besides, it's getting dark soon. Not safe to wander around alone."

It was a weak excuse. Hollow Oak was probably the safest place in the Blue Ridge Mountains, protected by layers of magic and watched over by guardians like him. But Kaia didn't know that yet, and he wasn't above using her ignorance to justify staying close.

"In that case," she said, standing and smoothing down her sweater, "I'd be honored to have a local guide. Lead the way, Elias."