Tangled rescue, p.1
Tangled Rescue, page 1
Tangled Rescue
Sarah Urquhart
Contents
Copyright
Dedication
1. Chapter One
2. Chapter Two
3. Chapter Three
4. Chapter Four
5. Chapter Five
6. Chapter Six
7. Chapter Seven
8. Chapter Eight
9. Chapter Nine
10. Chapter Ten
11. Chapter Eleven
12. Chapter Twelve
13. Chapter Thirteen
14. Chapter Fourteen
15. Chapter Fifteen
16. Chapter Sixteen
17. Chapter Seventeen
18. Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
Also By
About The Author
Tangled Rescue is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to locales or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Cover design by Untold Designs
This book is a steamy, small town, shifter romance and is for mature audiences only. It contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language that may be offensive to some readers.
All rights reserved. This book is intended for the original purchaser. No part may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations.
Copyright © 2024 Sarah Urquhart
All rights reserved.
eISBN: 978-1-7388257-6-9
ISBN: 978-1-7388257-7-6
Thank you to all of my readers. It's all of you who have gotten me this far. It's always bittersweet to end a series, but this book was so much fun.
Chapter One
Kane glared at the shops along the main street. Painted to perfection, complimenting the aesthetic of the one next to it. This town forced its personality onto anyone driving through. He had to applaud August. Leave it to her to hide something in a place like this. In plain sight, but nowhere her father would think to go. Unless he’d been searching for over a decade. The man was relentless, but so was Kane.
He drove with his window down since he pulled off the highway. Firebrook had hundreds of scents to decipher, including Fall who wrapped her cool fingers tight around the trees. He even smelled snow in the air.
Damn, the amount of unattended forest attached to this town called to his soul. Hell of a place for shifters to live. Maybe someday he could let himself find a home like this. Or never if he didn’t find the kid.
As he approached his destination, he breathed in something he should have expected. Shifters. The wild scent was strong to his senses, and distinctly bear.
Pulling up to the main lodge of Bearbrook Cabins, Kane turned off his truck and walked up the stairs. The place was everything he’d expect from a rustic set up in a tourist town. It had the look of being rustic while being well maintained and modern to an extent.
A cute redhead sat behind the counter. The lobby had a lounge area to the right, a small table with coffee and tea, and a fireplace with a low-burning fire brightening the space in front of it.
Attempting a charming smile, he turned it on the redhead. But a single breath later and he recognized the scent of a mate. And the stench of a bear was all over her.
Guess he’d be jumping into this head on.
“Good afternoon. What can I do for you?” Her soft voice came across as shy, but her spine was straight and her eyes oddly focused.
“Hi, there. I have a reservation. Kane Sawyer.”
She typed something into the computer in front of her. “Here you are. You don’t have a check out date. Do you know how long you’re staying?”
“A few weeks maybe.” He hoped this would take a lot less than that. He had an advantage the others didn’t. And Kane intended to use it.
“Well, you’re welcome to stay as long as you want.” She reached under the counter and pulled out a key. Not a key card or a code for an electronic lock. A large, physical key. “Here you go. You’re in cabin number four. Enjoy your stay. And don’t hesitate to ask if you need something. I’m Maggie and you’ll see Wyatt around here most of the time.” Her smile reached her eyes as she slid the key across the counter before folding her hands together in front of her. She gave no indication that she knew what he was. As a mate, she should be able to smell the shifter in him. But her features never so much as twitched.
“Thank you.” If she wasn’t going to bring it up, then neither would he.
He left and drove his truck up the gravel lane until he saw the little wooden sign with the number four burnt into it. Pulling his back from the bed of the truck, he paused.
The sense of being watched paired with the scent of a shifter in the air. Across a field between the cabin stood a man chopping wood. Flannel shirt, long beard—he fit a picture perfect image of the town. And reeked of bear.
He froze, leaning the ax against his shoulder.
Kane tipped his head and pulled the key out of his pocket.
She’d been slow to get out of bed lately. A daily struggle that pissed her off. She had an appointment with Doc later, but Dakota doubted he’d find anything. This was all in her head, as if the winter blues hit exceptionally early this year. Except it wasn’t winter. Not even close.
Dakota refused to believe it had anything to do with the fact that both brothers had mated, married, and were happy. And both cousins were on the same path, almost married, and happy. And nothing changed for her.
Always the third wheel, the oddball in the group. One of these things is not like the other.
But she’d never cared about love, relationships, and finding that one person before. Hence the refusal to believe that had anything to do with her current state.
It had been one hell of a summer and fall in her hometown. Those events took a toll on a community, and they were all waiting for the other shoe to drop.
They may have discovered what these people had been searching for, but no one knew when the next one would show up. Someone was out there looking for Kellan, an eleven-year old boy living in Firebrook. They’d sent people to find him and kidnap him three times.
Early this fall, during a school camping trip, Kellan shifted for the first time. No one knew. It had been a shock. And difficult to believe it had nothing to do with why this person searched for him.
Kellan was safe, and they’d all do what they needed to keep it that way.
The ever-living dread of what would happen next had to be her problem. Or a deficiency. Yes, she had a deficiency of some vitamin or mineral. At least that would be something Doc could find and identify. An easy problem to fix.
Dakota pulled the blanket with her as she rolled from the bed. Wrapping it around her shoulders, it dragged along the floor behind her, pulling at discarded laundry and a tote bag or two, as she made her way to the kitchen. She pushed the button on the coffee pot to start it. It was a long-time habit of prepping her coffee the night before. It sputtered instantly and only a minute later, her kitchen filled with the rich aroma.
Bending at the waist, she laid her top half over the counter and closed her eyes while waiting for the dark, liquid boost of everything good to finish percolating. To keep herself awake, she mentally recited what she needed to do today.
Finish up the jewelry order for Fire Gems And Jewels.
Drop off the jewelry order.
Help Blair make the wedding favours.
Appointment with Doc.
Volunteer shift at the assisted living centre.
Send out emails to the attendees of the upcoming astronomy tours.
And finalize the itinerary for the astronomy festival.
Dakota’s coffee maker chimed. Groaning, she rolled her spine to stand. Drinking it black, she took the first few sips until she could open her eyes. And the rest she drank at the table while making jewelry. An order of twenty pieces and she still had eight to go, having crashed last night in an attempt to get better sleep.
When the coffee didn’t help, Dakota stretched and gave herself the same pep talk she did every morning.
Dakota, stop whining. You are strong, capable, and loved. Get up off your ass and kick the day in the balls.
Her mantra didn’t sound as ferocious as it once did. But repeating it got her through the rest of the jewelry and her shower.
She loved the crisp fall mornings. Not as much as summer, but the clearer air always felt good. Balancing the small box in one arm, she opened the door to Fire Gems And Jewels.
“Delivery!” she sing-songed her way inside. Quinn straightened behind the counter.
“Bless you, lady. I’ve completely sold out of your stuff. And I have people waiting for these.” Quinn bit her lip and gave Dakota a sheepish look.
“You need another order, don’t you?”
“Yes, please. Another twenty, at least. I’ll take forty if you have the time.”
“Forty it is.” Dakota set the box on the counter. “The invoice is inside.”
“Thanks so much, Dakota. You’re amazing.”
“I know I am. Bye, doll.” The appreciation gave her a little bounce in her step. Her next stop was Blair’s.
Dakota walked into chaos. Blair didn’t want anything big for their wedding, but with weddings, they were always a big deal in a tight community, despite how hard one tried to make it simple.
“A voice of reason. Finally.” Blair deflated as Dakota walked in.
“Things not going so we
ll?” She hung her jacket by the door. Lifting her legs high, she stepped over boxes overflowing with tissue paper, favours, and little white boxes.
“I need someone to tell me it’s okay not to invite more people.” Blair’s eyes pleaded with her across the room. The only other person here was May, the newest addition to town, mate to Tavis.
“Of course, it’s okay. Why wouldn’t it be?” Dakota frowned.
“People from everywhere, back home and in town, asking why they haven’t received an invitation, and the wedding is only a few weeks away. I stammered and never answered, or just didn’t return their message.” Blair was a boisterous and kind-hearted woman. She charmed her way into people’s lives with ease. Her curious nature made her ask all the right questions and helped put people at ease. But Dakota never took her as the type to worry over what others thought.
“Or you could have said, We’re having a small, intimate wedding.” They were the words Dakota expected from Blair.
“That’s what I told her.” May pulled another box of favours closer on the small table in front of them.
“Blair, this is your wedding and you have several reasons to want it small. Don’t go back on that now. Besides, it’s too late. So, here’s your permission. It’s okay to not invite anymore people, and make sure you tell anyone else who asks that this is what you want. And don’t you dare apologize when you say it.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Blair deflated. “I still feel bad.”
“Well, don’t.”
Blair snapped her fingers in front of her face. “Done.” She rolled her eyes, but a smile played on her lips.
“Let’s get these favours put together. It will be one less thing to worry about closer to the day.”
“Sounds good. Considering I’m still waiting for my dress, which is stressful.”
“Your dress will be perfect.” Shiloh, the only seamstress in town, worked miracles. Despite the date getting close, Dakota had complete faith in her to have it done and every detail absolutely stunning. This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation.
“Okay, I need to stop thinking about the wedding. It will be whatever it is.”
“You’re right. And the important thing is, at the end of the day, you’re married.” May squeezed Blair’s wrist before stuffing another of the little white boxes.
“Did Tavis tell you about the new shifter in town?” Blair changed the subject.
Dakota paused for a moment. She hadn’t heard. “A new shifter?” Her brothers and cousins had been the only shifters here for a long time. Then Easton, Bonnie’s mate, came through. And now Kellan. There was a group of wolf shifters that lived outside of town, but they liked to keep to themselves.
“Yeah, checked in at Bearbrook Cabins yesterday afternoon.” Blair’s knee bounced. Even though she’d changed the subject, her nerves over the wedding still controlled her.
“He did.” May nodded. “Told me to be careful whenever I’m out. And not to go anywhere alone. I’m going to help Maggie at the lodge, so she isn’t alone either.”
“There wasn’t this much distrust when Easton came through town.” Dakota sighed. But she understood. Every single new person in town was a suspect, as far as they were concerned. Kellan’s safety was too important. “Has anyone met him yet?”
“No. Maggie said he stayed in the cabin all day yesterday. I haven’t heard anything about him this morning.” May finished half a dozen favours and stored them in an empty box. “I’m going over there when we’re done with this.”
And Dakota would continue her day. Alone.
Kane wouldn’t find the boy while holed up in the cabin. But something about last night gave him the impression he needed to tread lightly. He’d thought he’d be able to come in as a tourist, and track the boy by scent with little effort. An advantage he had over the others sent here. He should have pressed when Luca clammed up.
Kane tracked Luca down after he’d run off and his partner, Scott, was locked up. They’d been the first ones sent here to find the boy. Even if Kane had access to Scott, he’d heard the guy was closed-lipped. Something that made the big boss man happy. But shit for Kane.
Luca, on the other hand, was absolutely terrified. He sang like a canary until he started describing what happened when they got caught. At that point, Kane had all the information he needed and stopped pushing. Or so he’d thought. Knowing about other bear shifters here would have been helpful.
They may either be helpful or get in the way, and until he left the cabin, he’d never find out which way they’d fall.
Kane left his truck and walked. This place was small. Maybe too small. His long strides ate up the gravel lane. The shifter he assumed was Wyatt, stood on the porch of the lodge, coffee in hand. He started to speak, but a small silver car pulled up. Kane nodded a greeting and took the escape and kept walking as a dark-haired woman with pink streaks crisscrossing in her braid got out of the car. Her head whipped around toward him before climbing the steps.
Kane smelled another mate. Another mate meant another shifter. He wondered how many he’d come across. That should be his only goal for today, counting shifters. Maybe he’d get lucky and the boy would be among them.
By the time he made it to the first coffee shop along the main street, he’d received every possible look, glare, and outward reaction. From disdain and suspicion to daring appreciative ogling. His skin crawled, and this place already irritated him when he opened the door to the bakery and smelled another damn shifter mate.
What the fuck was this place? Did the mountain air breed the fucking creatures? As a shifter himself, he appreciated the wilderness available, to shift and run with freedom. But he didn’t like the idea of sharing his space.
The little baker behind the counter had flour covering one cheek and stared at him with wide eyes.
Kane waited in line and attempted another charming smile when it was his turn. “Large black coffee, please. And an apple danish.” He pulled out his wallet and continued with the theme up to this point, ignoring the fact they each knew what the other was.
She poured his coffee and pulled out the danish from the display counter. He tapped his card before she pushed his order toward him.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy your stay in town.” Said with utter kindness, but Kane swore he heard a warning.
Conceding to whatever intended meaning, he gave the same head tilt to her as he had to everyone else he came across.
Leaving the bakery, Kane’s skin prickled as if eyes watched him from every direction. Every corner he turned, he found someone’s mate. So much for having an advantage. It didn’t help he was working with possibly outdated information.
The way he saw it, he had two options. Tear through town and find the boy before anyone had time to get in his way, or take his time. It might be possible to gain favour.
But he needed the layout of the town first, no matter which option he chose. And now was his only chance.
One of the little shops had a stand with maps, flyers, and brochures. Snatching a map, Kane folded it further and shoved it in his back pocket to use later. He continued up the street, not intending to head back toward his cabin, but his skin itched. Glancing around, he didn’t see anyone staring at him—couldn’t discern where anyone might be hiding. He felt the need to get out of sight.
People moved in and out of shops and offices all along the street. But then a brunette stepped out of the office labeled Doc Matthews Medical Clinic, bringing with her a rush of spicy sage. The scent burned his nose and heated his blood. He wanted more.
Kane froze on the sidewalk, taking her in. Long brown hair piled on top of her head. The layers she wore from the cold covered her shape, but the way she moved, he imagined a toned body beneath them. And green eyes that locked onto him the moment he stopped.
He inhaled and his inside clenched. Another fucking mate. But not belonging to some unknown shifter residing in town. His mate.
An uncontrollable growl erupted from his chest. His nose curled in a sneer. This wasn’t the time to find a mate.
