Fae-ted to the Bear - Harmony Raines Page 0,57
more information? Aiden just said that their sister thinks she’s being followed.”
“There’s not a lot else. Just a few details. She was driving home last night, and she sensed someone.” Flora ran her hand over the back of her neck. “You know, with her shifter senses.”
“But she couldn’t tell who it was?” Elise followed Flora into the apartment, but they stopped just inside the doorway rather than joining the others.
“No, she said whoever it was, they were too far away. Like outside the range of her senses.” Flora fluttered her fingers around her head. “I don’t quite get the whole shifter senses thing. It seems some shifters can sense things farther away than others.”
“Does she know if it was a shifter watching her? And how does she know it wasn’t just some random person?” Elise was certain Zara wouldn’t have troubled her brothers if she thought it was nothing. However, Elise grasped at the idea that their sister was an attention seeker.
They’d only just met and maybe the thought of having two big bear shifters to watch over her had made her dream up this story.
“There was also an incident at her house. She’s certain someone had been in there when she got home a couple of nights ago. She’d been to her aunt and uncle’s house for dinner and when she got back, one of the windows was open. She was sure it had been shut when she went out.”
“A burglar?” Elise asked.
“That’s just it, nothing was taken, but a photograph of Aiden and Caleb had been moved. Or just not put back in the exact same place.”
“What is she, OCD? Things get moved.”
“Zara is doing work on the house. There was a thin layer of dust and the picture frame definitely wasn’t in the right place.” Flora rested her hand on Elise’s arm. “She’s a smart woman, Elise. She isn’t making this up, even if we hope she is.”
Elise brushed her hand through her hair and ducked her head, her cheeks flaming pink with guilt. “I was just hoping...you know?”
Flora slid her arm around Elise’s shoulder. “I know exactly what you mean, we don’t want our mates to get in danger or get hurt. It’s natural to try and explain this away.”
Elise hugged her friend. “We’ll have their backs.”
“Oh, you bet we will.” Flora sniffed Elise’s shoulder. “So, you spent a night in the wildwood.”
“We did.” She stepped back. “I was supposed to be going home to cook a recipe for Ivan to prove I’m worthy of my job, but all that’s on hold now.”
“We’ll figure it all out and then you can come back and cook. Ivan and the restaurant aren’t going anywhere.”
“But Caleb is.” She gave a short laugh. “I’ve dreamed of working in a restaurant with a great chef for so long. But I was willing to throw it all away today for a man I’ve just met.”
“Being the mate of a shifter is a totally new experience, isn’t it?” Flora took Elise’s hand. “Come and have some coffee. Then we’ll figure out a plan and leave.”
“Elise, there you are.” Valerie handed her a cup of coffee. “There’s food, too. Help yourself.”
“Thanks.” She thumbed toward the door. “Maybe I should head home, though, and get changed and shower. I don’t want to hold you up.”
“We need to go to the cabin and grab some stuff, too,” Aiden said. “I also want to call Oscar Renshaw.” Aiden glanced at Valerie and then looked away.
“Why Oscar?” Elise had heard of the detective, but the man was now retired. However, she was certain she was missing something when the other people in the room exchanged glances.
“Oscar gave me a file on our case,” Aiden explained. “I want to ask him if he can dig deeper on the man who we believe is responsible for killing our parents.”
Elise inhaled sharply. “You think this is connected.” That explained their concern for their sister.
If it was, they’d need their mates to be strong for them. She clenched her fists. Emotionally and physically.
Elise took Flora’s hand and faced the others. “I told Caleb I was here to protect him as much as he is here to protect me. I’m not afraid. We’ll do what we need to do.”
Flora nodded. Their mates would never have to stand alone.
Chapter Twenty – Caleb
“Now Karros wants to come, too?” Caleb crossed his arms across his chest. “This isn’t some vacation to the world beyond. This is serious.”
“And I’m serious.” Karros came out of the house with