Once Scorched Always Safe

The Past Comes Back

“Alec is dead,” Bridgette burst into tears as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

Rayne was surprised at her outburst of tears, yet she knew that five years had changed her, she was sure that it could change Bridgette. Alec was a good boy growing up, he was turning into a good man when she left the pack. If she regretted anything now, it was not saying goodbye to the one person who tried his hardest to look after her. What happened in Jade Moon in the last five years to end in Alec’s death?

“How did he die, Bridgette? What happened in Jade Moon over the last five years?”

“He found his mate, but she was forced into an arranged marriage, her fake mate demanded a challenge to the death to claim her.” Bridgette wiped her eyes on a napkin then looked up at Rayne.

“He lost, I am so sorry, Bridgette.”

“No, he won the challenge. He was wounded but recovered fine. They had their mating ceremony. Things were fine for

or about a year. Then when his mate, Clara, became pregnant, things took a turn for the worse.”

They were interrupted as Lynn came back with their breakfast orders. When she saw Bridgette crying, she looked instantly worried. “May I get you anything to drink, miss?”

“No, thank you.”

Lynn looked at Rayne for answers, but she only shook her head wanting to know the rest of

of the story, Lynn shrugged and went back to the kitchen.

“How is his death related to the challenge Bridgette? Rayne passed a fresh napkin to her as she cried silently.

“Vincent, Clara’s forced mate, had a brother, Lucien. After Vincent died during the challenge, he seemed to accept the defeat, going back to their pack to take up the Alpha title from his brother. We all thought that would be the end of the matter until we moved on with our lives. I found my mate Carlos, at that year’s Midnight Ball, moved back to his pack in Florida. So, I wasn’t there to see most of the drama play out, but I was at the end.”

Rayne reached a hand out to grip Bridgette’s, surprising them both at the contact and the gesture of support. Even though they were enemies as teenagers, Rayne felt the loss of Alec deeply. He was like a brother growing up until Wilson made it harder for Alec to defend her. He was her only friend for so long, then he was only there when he knew Wilson wasn’t around. She resented him for so long for that, for what she saw as cowardice on his part. Once she left Jade Moon in the dust, she saw his actions as self–preservation while he made himself strong enough to defend her and the rest of the pack.

“What happened at the end, Bridgette?” Parker asked as he slid his glass of water over to her. He had been silent this entire time. His breakfast was long forgotten and cold. He was worried for Rayne. The trip down memory lane seemed to take its toll on her. Her face was pale and he could tell that she was holding back unshed tears.

Bridgette took a sip of the water he offered her, “Thank you. Are you Rayne’s mate?” She frowned when his scent didn’t register as a werewolf, nor was he human. How was that possible?

Parker looked at Rayne with a softness to his eyes. He looked like he was going to say something else, but just shook his head. “No, I am just a friend and her business partner, and I can also see by your expression that you are trying to figure out what I am. Not human, not werewolf. I am a shifter.”

“What is a shifter? I thought werewolves were the only supernatural species.”

“They are not. Shifters are a species that can transform into just about any animal in existence.” At the look of surprise on her face, he smiled gently. “Perhaps later, when you two are done talking for the day, I can show you.”

Th,

h, wow, Bridgette seemed to struggle with how to process the news that werewolves were not the only supernatural species in the world. Her mouth opened and closed as she struggled with what to say,

“I was like that at first when I met Parker, don’t worry, he will not harm you. So, what happened at the end?” Rayne took a sip of her water and waited for her to continue the story.

“Carlos sent me to Jade Moon to keep me safe while he dealt with a rogue pack from nearby that was attacking us, so I went back there with those three at the counter as my guards. Once there, I got to meet Clara. Things were going well until a few months ago when rogues attacked at the borders during the night. They would attack when there was a change of guard, suggesting that they had studied the patterns of the guard’s movements.”

Bridgette took a sip of water, placed her hand over her baby bump for a moment before she continued. She was feeling tired but wanted to get t of the story out.

the test

The Past Comes Black

“Alec put the pack on high alert, doubled the guards, and doubled their training hours. It made him suspicious that rogues were attacking both fade Moon and my mate’s pack, Opal Moon, at the same time. Either someone was leading them to attack packs, or it was the start of a rogue war. Alec decided the second theory was most likely, so he sent word to our neighboring packs to be on alert. When a week went by with none of the neighboring packs reporting that they were being attacked, the attacks on Jade Moon increasing, he knew that someone was calling the shots on the rogues. The problem was figuring out who was running the show.”

“Hey, maybe you should rest? There is no need to rush this. Parker and I live in town, you could stay at our place in the guest room,” Rayne did not understand what made her want to offer Bridgette comfort in her home, but she felt letting go of the past traumas because of the grief of losing a shared loved one was the right thing to do.

Bridgette turned to look at her three guards, who looked like they were trying to decide if it would be a good idea or not. One of the three got up, pulled out a phone, and stepped out of the dinner to make a phone call. The other two waited for him to return. “Jose is just going to call Carlos to see if this idea is acceptable to him, he is meeting us at the hotel in town where we already have rooms booked for the night.”

“We cou

“We could go there if it would be easier for your guards,” Parker offered. He was only invested in this story and this woman’s well–being as long as it was affecting Rayne. She was his primary concern, as he knew her curious nature would make her want to know the entire story.

Jose came back into the diner a few minutes later, nodded his head at Bridgette, then went to the counter to pay their bill. He walked to their table to stand next to her, handing her the purse she had left on the counter, then waited quietly for them to be ready to go. “We will wait outside until you two are ready.” Bridgette stood, allowing Jose to help her up, then followed him outside. The other two guards followed swiftly behind them.

Parker reached his hand over to Rayne’s, gripping it lightly as she let out a shaky breath when they were finally alone in the diner. “Seeing her after all this time couldn’t have been easy. I will stay with you until her mate joins her.”

“As much as I appreciate that idea, and you wanting to support me, that won’t be necessary Parker. I can handle her, those three goons, and her mate when he arrives. Drop me at the house, go to the bar to get the bartender position filled” Rayne scooted out of the booth to go outside while she left Parker to pay for the food that they never touched.

When she walked outside, Bridgette and the goon squad were already in the sports cars waiting for them. She laughed when she saw Parker exit the dinner with two large plastic bags, their breakfast, and more no doubt. Lynn would make sure they had food for later, and food for their guests. Parker strapped the bags to the back of the bike, handed her helmet to her before putting his own on. When they were both ready, Rayne gave a wave to Bridgette to signal they were leaving, then they were off towards home

As they drove, the past came back to Rayne in flashes of her childhood. She remembered when Alec, Bridgette, and she all got along well. Before Bridgette demanded to always be the center of attention. Before Wilson became so angry with the way his life was, when once upon a time he was kind to everyone. Back to that few memories she still had of her parents, when everything wasn’t stained with pain and madness. Those times were short- lived, but they were precious still for her.

She decided that she would let the past stay where it belonged, in the past where it deserved to stay. She would be the better person, show her old friend the kindness that she would show anyone else. Bridgette had lost her brother. The only family she had left after Wilson was banished for his crimes against his pack and his crimes against Rayne.

Rayne could tell, just by Bridgette’s recounting of the events that led up to Alec’s death, that she had changed for the better. She spoke with feeling, the raw emotion in her voice as she talked about her brother. She may still be spoiled, but she was no longer the narcissistic teenager that made Rayne’s life miserable. She wouldn’t say that they could be friends, but she would show Bridgette the kindness that was never given to Rayne while she lived in

that house.

When they arrived at the house, Parker stopped the motorcycle suddenly causing Rayne to be jerked forward behind him. She looked up to see what he was looking at and frowned. The man standing on her front porch was someone she had never met before, but from the worried look on his face, the pacing back and forth, she could guess who he was. How he had arrived at her home before she or the others had, Rayne was very curious to know.

Parker moved the motorcycle to the side of the house as he heard the others pulling up behind him. Rayne handed him the food, then he disappeared inside before the others got out of their cars. Carlos rushed down the porch steps to help his mate from the car she was in, wrapped her in an embrace that made Rayne turned away to give them a moment of privacy.

“Rayne?” Bridgette spoke softly from behind her.

“Yes?” She turned to face the couple, surprised by the gentleness on Carlos’s face.

He was a large man over seven feet tall, with very broad shoulders. He was built like he had been sculpted from stone. Chiseled to form a statue of a God that could be on display in a museum. With Bridgette standing next to him at her fall five–foot height, he made her look like a child in size. Yet Rayne could tell be the way they fit together that they were perfect for each other. He must be a gentle giant to tame the shrew. The thought made Hayne smile as she looked at them.

“You have a lovely little beach house Rayne His voice was deep, yet smooth with a slight accent.

The Past Comes Black

“Thank you. Come, I am sure Parker, my roommate, has made the guest room for you both”

“That is kind of you but will not be necessary. We will return to the hotel later, then leaving for Florida in the morning.” Carlos looked down at Bridgette as he spoke.

“Well, we can make you comfortable while you are here at least.” Rayne motioned for thems to follow her as she walked towards the house.

Once inside, she motioned for them to sit anywhere they chose. “I will be right back, I need to check on something for Parker.” She exited the living room to find him.

Rayne found Parker in his room gathering up his files on the new bartender candidates. He had changed into his work attire of black jeans, a black V- neck t–shirt, and his old dusty cowboy boots. He merely granted when she entered the room. She could tell that he was not happy with her sending him to the bar rather than asking him to stay with her. She waked up behind him, slid one hand up the muscled plane of his back, the other she slid up his ripped six–pack abs. She stepped in closer and laid her head on his back as she hugged him.

“Stop pouting that I am asking you to go to the bar instead of staying here with me.”

He turned around in her embrace, leaned his head down to capture her lips with his, kissing her softly yet passionately. It surprised Rayne for a moment, but she just smiled up at him. He stepped back, cupped her cheek with his hand as he tilted her face up at his “I am only worried about the toll this trip down memory lane will have on you.”

“Thank you, Parker, but I think it is time to face the nightmare that was my past, head–on. Bridgette is not the same as she once was, I can already. Carlos is a gentle giant that tamed her, changed her for the better. I will be fine, I promise.”

tell that

He leaned down, kissed her again, then turned to gather his files. “If you need me, call and I will be here in a second.”

“That I do not doubt at all, now go find us a new bartender. This time try a female.” She laughed at his eyebrow wiggle, then turned to go back to her

As she walked back into the living room, she saw that only Carlos and Bridgette were inside. The three goons had stayed on the porch. She walked to the sofa was against the wall to the left of the from door. The couple sat on the loveseat that was angled to the large bay window that faced the side of the house and the beach.

“Are you feeling better now?” Rayne looked at Bridgette to see if her complexion was not as pale as it was before they left the diner.

“Yes, thank you. This is a beautiful view you have here, Rayne. You have done so much for yourself in five years.”

“I had help from Parker and Lynn, the owner of the diner we were at. Between them and a few others along the way, I have what I dreamed of as a child.”

“Freedom” Bridgette whispered.

“That and a…..”

“Home of your own without fear of my father,” Bridgette finished Rayne’s sentence from the memories of their childhood.

“What

happened to Alec?”

Bridgette took a deep breath, reached for Carlos’s hand, then whispered the rest of the story of how her brother died. “One night while on patrol, one guard subdued and capture one rogue as he was crossing the pack borders. They interrogated him for hours before the man gave in and spilled all his secrets. It was Lucien, he was finally seeking revenge for the death of his brother. He promised the rogues that they could have lade Moon territory once they destroyed Alec and the rest of the pack.

He gave them orders to weaken our defenses every night for a month, then on the last night, they were to go for the main house and Clara. If they had her, Alec would fight to get her back. They killed so many, took hostages before some neighboring packs came to help. Alec died shielding Clara from a silver dagger in Lucien’s hands.

“What happened to Lucien? Clara?

“Clara killed Lucien with the silver dagger that Alec had given her for protection. She stabbed him when he turned his back to celebrate his victory. She is now with Gavin, Alec’s Beta, on their way to Opal Moon territory in Florida, I stayed behind to see the survivors of Jade Moon go to homes in the neighboring packs.”

“I am so sorry that he died, Bridgette, he died a her to his mate, to his unbom child.”

The Past Comes Back

“Of all the things that happened that night, his child and mate surviving are all I could have hoped for. She looked to her mate as he brushed his hand over her belly.

“We should go now, my love,” Carlos stood after a few moments of silence between the three of them.

“Rayne, can you forgive all the horrible things that I put you through when we were teenagers?” Bridgette’s eyes were full of new tears.

“I already have,” She stood to go to the other woman, she knelt before her. “We were never sisters, but at one time in our brief childhood, we were Friends.”

Bridgette reached a hand out to grip Rayne’s then stood to hug her. Healing takes many forms, as grief sometimes heals old wounds. Rayne would like to think at this moment, time for letting past pain, anger, and petty jealousies fade into the past to stay where they belong. Exchanging numbers, with the promise to keep in touch, was all she could do now to take that step into a clearer future for herself.