Read Online Bearly Holding On by Danielle Foxton - Free Book Online Page A

night he saw them coming from the woods after the ‘bear attack.’ He had demanded answers the moment he was alone with her again.
    “I suppose you could have done worse,” Keme teased, poking his daughter in the ribs. “You could’ve bagged yourself a werewolf. There’s a basket of trouble waiting to happen. They get super moody once a month—much like your mother.”
    Aiyana smacked him playfully. “We’re delighted to have you here, Mati.” She smiled. “Please, come in and sit down. I’m just going to get a vase for these beautiful flowers.”
    Dinner started off smoothly. Awen told her parents about her job, Keme discussed tribe affairs, and Aiyana did everything she could to include Mati in their conversation.
    “So, Mati,” she said, piling more roast onto his plate, “what’s it like?”
    Awen glared at her mother. “Mom! I’m sure he doesn—”
    “It’s fine,” Mati interrupted, lightly squeezing Awen’s hand. “It’s not every day a person gets to meet a three-hundred-year-old man who turns into a bear.”
    “You’re how old? ” Keme chorused. He already knew the answer to that. After all, Awen had told him everything she knew about Mati—the tragedy of his past, the loneliness of his present. She had babbled like a brook, all with the hope that her father would love Mati just like she did. Keme had stared at her, silent, the whole time. And when the story was done he had made a singular nod of his approval. That didn’t stop him from being a grumpy old man.
    Aiyana smacked him again, ushering Mati on.
    Mati glanced warily at Awen’s father but continued. “It’s not as bad as the stories make it sound. I get to do good things and, with the spirit of the bear inside of me, I feel much more connected to nature.”
    “Do you ever wish the man actually responsible had been punished instead?” Aiyana asked. “What was his name again?”
    Mati grimaced. “Hemene. His name was Hemene,” he replied, “and I used to, but it’s been so long now...who knows what the outcome of that might have been?”
    “Hemene…” Aiyana seemed to drift off. “Was that not Enyeto’s father’s name?”
    “It was,” Keme answered. “I know that his family has been in control of the Cayuse for many generations. I would imagine he was named in honor of his ancestor.”
    Aiyana took a bite of her bread. “Makes you wonder though,” she chewed. “We have a living legend among us—that means our people’s magic is real. I’m a direct descendent of the woman that placed that curse on you, which is also interesting...but who’s to say the Cayuse didn’t use similar magic?”
    Awen started. “Is that true mom?” she asked, suddenly desperate. “Could you lift his curse?”
    Aiyana shrugged. “I’m afraid not. I looked into it when you first told us about him. The only record of his curse I could find just said that they only way to break it is for him to repay his debt.”
    Awen sighed. “I feel like he’s done that already, though,” she muttered, turning to Mati. “You’ve already done so much for this village. When will it be enough?”
    Mati grasped Awen’s hand. “I made peace with the possibility that it may never be enough a long time ago,” he admitted. “I don’t want you to worry about me.”
    “Aiyana, tell the two of them who placed the curse,” Keme said, interrupting their tender moment.
    Awen spun her gaze to her mother.
    “You didn’t know?” Aiyana directed at Mati.
    He shook his head.
    Aiyana looked shocked. “It was Awenasa’s sister.”
    At first Awen failed to understand how this was relevant. Then it dawned on her. “That means that…”
    “You’re a descendent of Awenasa,” her father finished for her. “Which is probably why you two share such a profound bond.”
    Awen sat back in her chair, dumbfounded. She was about to speak when a pounding on the door snapped them all to attention. Keme rushed to answer it.
    “Keme!” a tall young man