A well-dressed man stood. He had reddish-brown hair and light amber eyes. He stood about six four and had a lean runner’s build. Rebecca would have stared longer except there was also a pretty blonde woman sitting beside him. She was blonde and pretty, but field-hockey-player-blonde and pretty, not beach-blonde and pretty. Rebecca long ago differentiated between the two. The woman had an open smile and royal blue eyes which contrasted wonderfully with her honey-blonde hair. Rebecca thought about her boring brown hair and sighed.
The handsome man spoke. “You didn’t know our town was here at all? You just followed the road?” Everyone turned their head back to Rebecca waiting on her answer. It seemed to be very important.
“No, I had no idea it was here, though I am very glad it was. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I had to walk down the highway,” she replied.
“I shudder to imagine what could happen to a tiny thing like you.” A warm female voice spoke behind her. Rebecca turned to look at one of the most “mom” looking women she had ever met. She was also tall, hitting at least six feet. She had dark brown hair and brown, kind eyes that felt like they knew all your secrets. She knew this woman could put a Band-Aid on your knee while baking a homemade pie, lecturing you on why you acted foolishly in the first place to earn the Band-Aid and still have dinner on the table and the house clean. This woman epitomized home and family and love.
“Bran, perhaps you can have someone check the perimeter, just in case there is a large animal out there on the loose,” she said. The handsome man who had stood nodded then walked to the back of the diner on his cell phone. Rebecca got the feeling that wasn’t exactly what she was trying to say, but for the life of her couldn’t think of what else it could mean.
The motherly woman turned to Rebecca.
“We’ve been having problems with hyenas lately. I’m Margaret Arkadion, but everyone around here calls me Ma. Now, young lady, what can I get you to eat?” She smiled widely.
“Get her something hearty, Margie. Poor little thing has no family or home. I don’t think she’s eaten right in months.” Rebecca looked up into Mr. Arkadion’s face and could see his emotions as plain as day. The man was truly the most caring person she had ever met. She glanced around the diner. Even though Mr. Arkadion spoke to his wife in a whisper, she could see the empathy in the townspeople’s eyes as they looked at her. Her eyes started to water, a direct result of the most kindness she had been shown in a long time.
Ma’s eyes went to Rebecca, and she reached out her hand to cup her cheek. Her rough work-worn fingers felt warm.
“You’re more than welcome here. If you need anything during your stay you come to me or Pa and we’ll take care of it. Consider yourself under our care.” She spoke the last sentence a little louder. Nearly every head in the diner nodded.
“Now let’s see, something hearty. I think you’ll like my homemade beef stew and baking-powder biscuits. It’ll put some meat on those bones of yours.” She clucked, shaking her head at how small she was.
Rebecca laughed. “I’m actually overweight for my height. I could stand to lose about fifteen pounds.”
A man near the door snorted. Rebecca wheeled around and looked at him.
“What?” she asked.
“If you were any smaller we’d have to tie a bell around your neck like a kitten so we wouldn’t step on you.” He grinned.
The field-hockey-player blonde laughed out loud.
“Liam is right, honey, you are already tiny enough. My name is Kate Edwards. That is Bran McGregor. Bran and I”—she pointed to the man that had returned from making his phone call—“our family looks after the lands to the east of here. That is Liam Lewenhart,” she said, pointing to the smiling man. He stood a little taller than Bran at six five. He had short blond hair and an easy smile. He looked like he would be more at home on the beach relaxing.
“Liam there, when he’s not flirting, he and his family look after the lands to the west of town. The Arkadions, whom you’ve met, well the parents anyway, they look after the lands to the north.”
“Who looks after the lands to the south?” Rebecca asked.
“To the south are two government-owned nature refuges. Wild animals live there. If you’re ever lost, do not head south. It’s dangerous, even at the borders,” Liam explained. Pa nodded.
Rebecca turned to Bran. “Is that why Mrs. Arkadion is having you check the perimeters?” she asked.
Pa barked out a laugh. “Don’t let her hear you call her Mrs. Arkadion. She believes that was my mother. You can call her Ma and me Pa. We’re not real formal around here.” Pa smiled at her.
Bran nodded. “Something like that. We have a perimeter around the town to, uh, keep us safe. I sent two of my, uh, friends out to check to make sure that it was still functioning and to see if they could find tracks of the animal you saw.”
“Here you are, pretty lady.” A deep voice spoke behind her. She turned to face yet another devastatingly handsome man. Was there something in the water that made these men drool worthy?
“Thank you, Connor. Rebecca, this is Connor. He’s my third-eldest son,” Pa announced proudly.
Rebecca smiled and accepted a huge bowl of stew. Connor looked a lot like his father. She could see what Pa must have looked like when he was younger. They both had the same warm chestnut-brown hair, though Pa’s now had some grey, and they both had the same brilliant green eyes. She must have been blushing, because Kate spoke up.
“If you think he’s cute, wait until you see all seven of them together. I swear if I weren’t taken…” She let her voice trail off as Bran growled lowly and she laughed.
Rebecca’s jaw dropped.
“There are seven of you?” she asked Connor. She shook her head. She looked at Ma.
“You are one amazing woman,” she said, putting a spoonful in her mouth.
Connor just grinned. “Trust me, she was more than up to the task of having seven boys. She still keeps us on our toes.”
“Good answer, son,” Ma replied, wrapping an arm around his waist.
Rebecca smiled at their obvious love for one another.
Just as she was about to take a second bite the door opened and a blast of cold air blew in. A tall man stepped into the diner and took off his sheriff’s hat. He literally filled the doorway in height and breadth. She could only stare. Bran, Liam, and even Connor were handsome. But the man before her was a god. He stood at nearly six feet eight inches tall. He was broad and muscled. His chest tapered down to a fit waist. He sported a distinct shadow of a beard giving him a rugged look. His dark lashes matched his deep-brown hair that he wore long, so that it almost hit his shoulders. She could only stare as she felt as if her very soul were reaching out to him. He looked down at her, his green eyes widening, then he inhaled deeply. She watched in amazement as she literally saw his eyes darken to a forest green. He growled low and long and stalked toward her. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched his face descend towards hers.
When their lips met she felt her entire world shift on its axis. Fire raced through her body igniting small explosions. His hand in her hair pulled her closer. She opened her mouth for a whimper, and he took full advantage of it, sliding his tongue in past her lips to trace the roof of her mouth. She was just about to wrap her legs around his waist when he abruptly stood back, breathing heavily. He stared down at her as if seeing her for the first time. He opened his mouth then closed it. Opened it again and closed it. Roughly he slammed his hat back on his head, turned, and stormed back out into the snow.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Connor clear the counter with a one-handed jump then run after the man.
“Holy shit!” Liam exclaimed.
“That was my eldest son Aleksander,” Pa said, looking thoughtful, rubbing a hand over his chin.
“I need to go now. I need to walk my car.” Rebecca jumped off the barstool and promptly fell to the floor as her knees gave out.
“Your floor is broken
. It moved closer to my head,” she said in a daze.
“Good God!” Pa reached down and picked her up and held her like a baby doll.
“Margie, I don’t think she’s okay,” he said, looking into Rebecca’s dilated pupils.
“Of course she isn’t. He all but started the claiming.” Ma said untying her apron.
“Should you say that? She still doesn’t know about us,” Pa whispered, speaking over Rebecca’s head.
“Right now that poor baby doesn’t know up from down. Do you, baby girl?” she asked, rubbing a hand over Rebecca’s curls.
“Yes, I’m upside down,” Rebecca agreed.
Pa grimaced. “What the hell is that boy doing?” he asked no one in particular.
“At least we now know how she made it past the town’s perimeter spell to keep out humans,” Kate said.
“Never mind that now. Let’s take her to Leona. Her bed and breakfast is across the street. I would take her to our place, but with the way Aleks reacted…” Ma trailed off as she put her light coat on.
“Is that wise, Ma? Leona is a bit…out there. Bran and I could take her to our place,” Kate said. Everyone could tell she had taken an immediate liking to the small female.
“We can?” Bran asked and Kate elbowed him in the stomach.
“Of course we can,” he confirmed, nodding.
Ma shook her head.
“We appreciate the offer. Leona is a bit high strung and loves shocking people with her eccentric ways, but I know she will take real good care of our baby girl here.” Ma spoke softly and the words were neutral, but the meaning was clear to everyone. She wanted Rebecca where she could keep an eye on her, especially now that it was obvious to everyone that she was destined for her eldest son.
Chapter 2
“I’m floating,” Rebecca told Pa. She felt disconnected and drunk. He smiled down at her as she heard his feet crunch in the snow.
“You’ll feel more like yourself in the morning. We’re taking you to the bed-and-breakfast run by a close friend. Her name is Leona. She will look after you.”
“Why am I all fuzzy?” she asked.
“Can we explain that later?” he asked. “Just know that we know what’s going on and you’ll be fine.” She nodded.
“Okay, Pa.” She snuggled down into his chest.
Pa stepped up on the old wraparound porch attached to a Victorian-style home. He looked down at the tiny woman in his arms and then up at Ma.
“She is ours now,” she said, softly patting his shoulder, seeing the affection in his eyes for the tiny woman-child with no family. She knocked on the door. After a few moments the door swung open.
“Good heavens, Marg, what on earth? Is the child okay?” Leona stepped aside to let Pa carry her into the first-floor guest room.
“Aleks inadvertently started claiming her then abruptly left. She is still reeling from the soul merge being started then stopped.” Ma pulled a soft blanket over the girl.
“Why on earth would Aleks do something like that? That boy has been looking to find his mate and settle down for years,” Leona said.
“That boy looked plain spooked when he bolted. Connor went after him. If I know my boy I think he’s scared to hurt her. She isn’t one of us,” Pa said as he, Leona, and Ma made their way to the foyer.
“She is a tiny little thing. Well, he will have to get over it if he wants to settle down. Everyone knows you don’t go against what Fate has given you.” Leona shook her head. “Leave her with me. I’ll look after her,” she said, giving Ma a hug.
“She doesn’t know about us yet, Leona. Be careful,” Pa said. Leona laughed and grinned up at Pa.
“Looks like someone took a real shine to this baby girl,” Leona said. Both she and Ma grinned as Pa blushed to his hairline.
“She’s just so tiny and doesn’t have anyone. I’ll run back to the garage to get her things and be right back. She'll want her clothes in the morning,” he mumbled. Ma looped her arm through his. His heart was one of the reasons she was thankful to Fate for giving him to her. He was a rare man.
“Come on, Aaron, we’ll see her in the morning,” she said. With one last backward glance, Pa stepped out into the snow with Ma.
* * * *
“Aleks, wait up, man!” Connor sprinted after his older brother. He had never in his life seen his always-in-control brother lose it like this.
“Just leave me alone, Connor, I’m in no mood for your shit,” Aleks said, walking briskly toward the sheriff’s station.
“You just started claiming your mate and then walked away. What the fuck, man?” Connor said. “You weren’t in there when she was telling us about how she got here. She has no family. I think she was brought here specifically to be your mate.” Connor followed Aleks into the station.
“You saw her, Connor. What is she, like five feet tall? She’s tiny! There’s no way she can be my mate and live in our world. Can you see her having seven sons? Seven boys who will also be bear shifters? If having them doesn’t kill her, raising them definitely will.” He threw his hat onto his desk and collapsed into his chair.
“Aleks, she is your mate. What are you going to do? Not claim her?” Connor asked, standing over him. Aleks just looked up at him then looked away.
“Please tell me you are not seriously considering letting her go? She. Is. Your. Mate. Do you know how lucky you are to have found her? I mean Fate literally hand-delivered her to you, and you’re like, ‘No, thank you, I’d rather jack off for the rest of my life.’” Connor watched his older brother’s face. When Aleks said nothing, Connor sat in the chair across from him.
“Aleks, Fate wouldn’t give her to you if you would hurt her. You would never hurt any woman. I know that even if you don’t.” Connor sighed as Aleks continued to stare out the window.
“Come on, dumbass, let’s go to Mojo’s. It looks like you could use a drink.” Connor stood. Then Aleks stood.
“She’s so small,” Aleks finally said.
“Yeah, bro, but they are usually the ones with the giant hearts. Come on.” Connor slung an arm over his shoulder and steered his brother back out into the snow.
“You know Ma is going to kick your ass, right?” Connor chuckled. “She was really taken with Rebecca, and don’t get me started on how Pa was hovering over her.”
Aleks stopped then paled.
“Fuck! Let’s get that drink,” he said, then Connor started laughing.
Her name is Rebecca, Aleks thought.
* * * *
“What in the hell was his name again? Alexander, wasn’t it?” she asked the next morning at breakfast. She sat across from the bed and breakfast owner Leona. They had instantly bonded when they discovered that they were both avid readers and that the other one was just as quirky as themselves.
“It’s Aleksander with a k. It’s a softer sound than the x. That’s what Marg said when she named him anyway. It was probably the drugs they gave her.” Leona sipped her coffee.
“Why in the world did he kiss me like that and then leave? And why did I get so loopy?” Rebecca was shoveling the best pancakes she ever had in her mouth. Leona could cook like a dream.
“You want the truth?” Leona asked, pushing her hand through her blue bangs. She was going to take the chance that Fate chose this girl for a reason. She would have to learn the truth eventually anyway.
“Yes please, and do you have more of that maple syrup? I’m in love.” Rebecca looked up and pouted.
Leona laughed. “You are going to run that family ragged, baby girl. Good for you!” Leona went to the kitchen and came back with a crock of syrup.
“He kissed you because you are his mate. You are his mate because he is a bear shifter, and as a shifter he gets a mate picked by Fate to help him balance his man and animal.” Leona sipped her coffee again. She watched Rebecca’s face for any signs of an imminent freak out.
Rebecca just stared at Leona as a thin line of maple syrup steadily fell onto her pancakes, her arm frozen a
s her brain processed this bit of news. She had been talking with Leona all morning, and though she was the quintessential eccentric, she seemed very down to earth. She didn’t really seem like she had any screws loose.
“No shit?” she asked finally.
“No shit,” Leona said.
Rebecca decided that Leona’s possibly make-believe world was better than the one she was living in, and since she was on sabbatical she decided to just go with it.
“So a Sherrilyn Kenyon kinda shifter or a Charlaine Harris kinda shifter?” Rebecca asked, putting the syrup down and picking up her knife and fork.
“I knew I was going to like you the second I laid eyes on you, baby girl. To answer your question more like a mix of both. We only shift into two forms, though stronger shifters can manage partial shifts. Claws mostly. We live in family units, have extended lives and can heal quickly.” Leona picked up an apple slice and popped it in her mouth.
“We? So what are you, or is that rude to ask?” Rebecca asked.
“It is considered gauche to ask, but since you’re our baby girl and I know you don’t have a heightened sense of smell, I’ll tell you. I’m a silver fox. The Arkadions are bears. Bran McGregor and Kate Edwards lead the local wolf pack, and Liam Lewenhart leads the local lion pride. Everyone else who isn’t wolf or lion is like me with neither pack nor pride. We’ve come to Arkadia since it’s known to be a peaceful and neutral place for shifters to live without worrying about clan wars or being discovered by humans. There is a perimeter spell around the entire town and surrounding lands that protect us from humans accidently coming upon us.” She smiled at Rebecca.
“What about me? I totally found you by accident,” she said, sitting back, cradling her coffee cup on her chest.
“Was it really an accident, baby girl? Think about it. You told me you car was starting to break down. Your phone’s battery died. You were running out of gas. Two animals ran on to your path. Do you really think that sounds natural?” Leona smoothed one hand over the tablecloth.