Her Enemy Protector Bear by Cynthia Wilde

Epilogue

Zoe stood in her brand-new booth in Merchant Circle. It was new to her, at least. Both she and Nick decided that his booth was better suited for her purposes, while hers was best for their joint business venture. Her company, Witches Stitches, had gone through an entire overhaul, adding a new men's line, which included some of the shiniest and best material available on the market, courtesy of Nick himself, who always wore the most recent and best of the line during the Bear Show.

Zoe couldn't complain. It sold a lot of costumes, and the addition of some hidden Velcro in some places extended the life of the outfits for an extra show or two before they were torn to shreds and used for hat ribbons. Their new company was called Bear Stitches, Costumes and More, with a subsidiary, Kitchen Witch and Co.

After the incident near the Void last year, several requests for Zoe to make more of her cat treats kept her busy. All of the witches and warlocks that were caught in the cages had been rehabilitated. They all claimed that they craved the salmon treats' taste and were willing to pay for them. So, Zoe branched out and started making all sorts of goodies, not only for cats and dogs but also for people. Her magical food became so popular that Nick suggested she open another shop and let Zelda help her run it.

At first, Zoe waved the idea away, but as more orders came in and Dr. Bently insisted on buying a ton of treats for the shelter animals, she decided that she would do it. She added cakes and cookies as well. Now, here she was, setting up for her grand opening, after almost a year of prep work. Zoe wiggled her fingers a bit, using the opening spell that Zelda taught her a few weeks ago.

Zoe wasn't entirely comfortable with the term, witch, yet, but she'd been using it for years with her clothing store. She just hadn’t been aware that her prayers had actual power. She’d always meditated over her work, always, but she’d never thought herself capable of magic. The thought that she really was a witch had never occurred to her until Zelda watched her making the treats and asked her how she made them so irresistible.

Zoe shrugged and kept making the dough, not realizing that she was placing magic in each batch of rolled-out dough. Evidently, Zelda could see it happening.

"You're using magic," said Zelda, laughing. They'd become good friends since the battle. "Do you really not know?! I want you to try a spell, a small spell."

"Okay," said Zoe, confused, but open-minded. "How do I begin?"

Zelda moved her fingers in an intricate pattern toward the closed door of the kitchen. The doorknob turned and opened itself. Zelda oppositely moved her fingers, and the door closed. "Now, you try," she said, showing Zoe the exact pattern of finger waves.

Zoe did it and the door opened on her first try. For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them opened and closed every door in the house using Zoe's newfound powers.

When she showed Nick that night, he wasn't surprised. "You've always been magical, to me," he said to her, kissing her deeply.

Devon was at a friend's house for another couple of hours, and they had the whole place to themselves. Zoe showed him how magical she could be right there on the kitchen counter.

That night, he took her out to dinner and presented her with the most beautiful diamond ring she'd ever seen, and asked her to be his wife. He also shared his intentions to adopt Devon. Zoe cried and accepted. She knew he loved her, and she loved him in return. Most importantly, she knew he loved her son as if he were his own.

Zoe thought briefly about her ex. Interestingly enough, after a brief mention of it and after providing Nick some details she didn’t have to wait long before she got a special delivery of some documents. It seemed her ex was suddenly in quite a hurry to get and finalize a divorce. And he was happy to grant her full custody of Devon. How convenient.

She didn't ask him how he did it. She honestly didn't care. She was finally free.

As Zoe started to place her treats into their displays and finish setting up shop for the day, she smiled at the memory of that night. Nick had gotten down on one knee after a glorious dinner by the lake and proposed to her. He also presented her with the papers to sign that would make their official union possible. It was just like Nick to cover all the bases.

"Are you ready?" Nick's voice pulled her out of her reverie as he walked into the shop. "It looks and smells amazing in here." He kissed her soundly on the mouth, then looked around. "Where's Devon?"

"He's out with the Parker kids," she answered. "Those four are best friends now. I'm so glad he's happy."

"Are you happy, my love?" he asked, studying her face with his soft, caring brown eyes. "You've worked so hard to get here, and I am so proud of you and your accomplishments. I'm a fortunate man."

"Bear, you mean," Zoe teased. "And I'm a very lucky witch," she smiled. "We are quite the pair."

Nick gathered her in his arms in a warm, loving embrace. "That we are, my Zoe," he said. "That we are."

“Oh,” he said, “should we tell Devon about Furdi? He has Aurora and all the Fae’s blessings. He really is a cuddly kitty.”

She laughed, “I am an animal lover and he might be the most cuddly kitty in the world, but maybe he needs to go up for adoption. Let’s think about it?”

He kissed her once more, “You’re the boss, babe.”

The End

* * *

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The imagein her rear-view mirror reflected the jagged New York skyline fading into the distance. The dim, gray color of the sky mirrored Cindy’s mood, drizzling large spattering rain drops onto her windshield.

“Good riddance, New York,” she muttered as she sped down the two-lane highway. Her time in the city had done her no favors outside of her professional life. More specifically, Reginald Anderson, though he preferred Reggie.

Cindy had fallen for his smooth demeanor, and the fact that he was a co-worker did not deter her from a series of toe-curling dalliances after hours. The affair ended badly. As it turned out, smooth-talking Reggie was having a clandestine romance with another colleague as well.

She found out about his “dalliance” one night when she had to return to work unexpectedly to retrieve a file she needed to go over before a morning meeting. When she got to the office, she spotted his light on down the hall and opted for a surprise pop-in.

“Hi, Reggie,” Cindy had purred as she opened his door. She found him between the thighs of his personal assistant, her bare backside perched on the shelf of his bookcase which was rattling against the wall as his hips thrust into her with great gusto.

He had not even tried to pretend an apology. “We never said we were exclusive,” he called out between gritted teeth, not even pausing his machinations. Cindy absorbed the scene in silence, watching them for a few seconds before she spoke.

“That’s okay,” she demurred. “I wanted to let you know I’d like to submit my resignation, effective at once. Goodbye Reg.”

In three days’ time, she managed to pare down her belongings enough to fit the remainder into the back of her Prius. What she could not cram into her car, she had dropped, without ceremony, to the nearest thrift store. She could not stop herself from chuckling as she drove past the sign indicating the edge of the small town she had once called home.

‘The City of Burning Falls Welcomes You!’ followed by a small clip art picture of a flame beneath a waterfall. The waterfall itself was far more poetic than the sign would show and the only thing which held any sentimental memories for her from her hometown.

“You are always welcome,” her grandmother said. “For as long as you like.”

“You might be right, Nan,” she had replied. “New York is wonderful, but the city is so fast paced. I think I need a break.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” Nan replied with a wry tone.

“Why do you ask?” Cindy said, trying to evade the second sense her grandmother always had about her.

“It’s that boy, isn’t it?”

“Well, Reggie’s thirty-five, so I wouldn’t call him a boy.”

“I knew he was trouble, being so much older than you. It was not a good match.”

“Only ten years, Nan. That’s not that much older than me. And besides, I wasn’t looking for a match. Maybe just a flame.”

“I’d like you to come,” her grandmother said. “I’m not as young as I used to be, you know.”

“Oh, Nan. You’re only as young as you feel, as you always point out.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t feel as young as I once did. I’m getting tired more often, these days. It might be nice to have someone else here for a little while. Just in case.”

“Okay, fine. If only for a little while.”

Cindy and Nan had always had a unique relationship, much to the chagrin of Cindy’s parents. Nan had encouraged Cindy’s creative endeavors, always asking to see her latest designs, even when she was a child. After high school, she had skipped town as quick as she could blink, taking a job as an intern in New York, which led to a full-time position in the fashion industry. Cindy felt that much of her success came because of Nan’s encouragement.

A few minutes after passing the welcome sign, houses began to appear at the edge of the two-lane road. Farmhouses placed back from the road with large, sweeping yards, gravel drives and cute little flower gardens adorning the porches.

“Ah, home,” Cindy said, not without some irony in her tone. “New York this is not,” she murmured. Soon, she arrived at Nan’s house. The nearest neighbor being about a quarter of a mile away, still visible, but from a distance. Cindy smiled as she pulled into the driveway.

Her grandmother’s house had always had a certain element of character, compared to the other homes. Besides the lavender hydrangeas planted around the base of the raised porch, she also kept a collection of wind chimes, birdhouses, and painted gourds all over the porch. The house reflected her grandmother’s eclectic personality.

Cindy exited the car, hearing the light tinkling sounds as the breeze drifted through the décor, the sounds of childhood. She had not even made it to the front step before the door flung open.

“There you are!” Nan stepped out with arms wide, rushed into the yard and scooped her up into a huge bear hug. “I thought you’d never get here!”

“Hi, Nan,” Cindy said.

Nan shuffled her inside before grabbing her suitcase, carrying it as if it were light as a feather, her long flowered skirt swishing around her sandals. Cindy could not keep from smiling as the woman dragged them both into the house.

“Come in, come in! I’ve got soup in the crock pot waiting for you. It won’t be ready for another hour though. I’ve got tea. Would you like tea? I can put on the kettle in no time at all.” She fluttered around the house, picking and adjusting the already pristine home.

“Tea would be nice.” Cindy took a seat at the kitchen table, a relic from a bygone era, made of lime green Formica. The room filled with cheery welcoming scents of the rich chicken broth bubbling in the corner. Within moments, the tea kettle hummed on the stove. Nan poured two cups of hot water over the spiced tea satchels.

“Cream, sugar?” she asked, peering over her shoulder.

“Oh, both please,” Cindy replied.

“Ah, it is a ‘both’ sort of day. Isn’t it?” Nan turned and sat down across from her, placing the steaming mug before the young woman. “So, tell me about New York. Is it as glamorous as everyone says?”

Cindy sipped her tea, relishing in the cinnamon and comforting sweetness of the flavors. “Ugh, I’ve had enough of glamor,” she said. “Though I think you should visit the city sometime. You would love it there. It’s a wonderful place to visit.”

“But you wouldn’t want to live there?” Nan laughed.

“Goes without saying,” Cindy replied.

“Maybe so,” Nan said. “Besides, I think I have enough to contend with here in the ‘City of Burning Falls’.”

Continue the first story in the Burning Falls Shifters series, Her Keeper Bear, here on Amazon…