“You really don’t think I’ll hurt her,” Aleks said.
“No” Connor said.
Aleks started to smile.
“I can claim her,” he said. Connor nodded.
“I can claim her,” he said louder. Connor laughed
“Yes sir, you can,” Connor said.
Aleks stood. “I’m going to claim her. Where is she?”
Connor pulled out his cell phone and his fingers flew as he texted Benedict, who was helping out at the diner. A second later he grimaced at the response.
“She’s at the diner talking with Liam.” Connor quickly moved out of his brother’s way. As Aleks rushed out the door he heard him say, “I’ll kill that son of a bitch if he touches her.”
* * * *
“Liam! Put me down!” Rebecca giggled as Liam lifted her up his hands under her arms and swung her around over his head.
“I can’t help it. You are so small it’s like lifting a feather.” He wiggled her around.
“You are courting death, my friend,” Kate said as she started her fourth waffle.
“I’m not afraid of that grouch,” Liam said, tossing her up then catching her. She squealed.
“Aleks will maul you like the bear he is, my friend,” Bran said, his arm casually draped around Kate’s shoulders. Since neither of them could cook, they were both frequent patrons of the diner. He had to make sure his mate was well fed.
“Shush!” Kate said, looking at Rebecca. Bran’s eyes widened. Rebecca smiled, figuring out why they looked so guilty.
“It’s okay, I know you’re shifters,” Rebecca said as Liam swung her around. He paused.
“You’re okay with us being shifters?” Ma asked from behind the counter.
“I kinda thought Leona was a bit crazy when she told me,” Rebecca started.
“She is one of a kind.” Ma chuckled.
Rebecca smiled and nodded. Liam had settled her on his lap.
“But no, I don’t mind. I mean you’re not all that different than me.” Every shifter in the diner hid their smiles because every person in the diner was extremely different than the petite woman.
“Aleks is lucky to have you,” Bran said.
Rebecca looked down at her twisting hands.
“He doesn’t want me. He said we weren’t dating and that he didn’t want a human. He wanted a shifter female to give him cubs. So I don’t think he has me at all,” she said softly.
Kate growled in her throat.
“Ma, what is that boy’s problem?” Kate demanded. She was starting to develop a soft spot for the tiny human and didn’t like the idea of her in pain. Ma shook her head.
“He’s working through some things. Don’t worry, Rebecca darling. He will come around. I didn’t raise stupid boys. He’ll realize how special you are.”
“Y’all are the kindest people I have ever met. I feel real lucky to have come here. Almost like finding lost family,” Rebecca said, smiling at Kate.
Kate sniffled. Bran cuddled her close.
“I can’t help it. She’s just so sweet,” Kate said.
“She’s so sweet I could eat her up,” Liam said, nuzzling her neck, trying to lighten the mood.
A low ominous growl filled the diner. Everyone turned to see an extremely pissed-off bear standing in the doorway.
Rebecca, remembering Aleks’s words just that morning, wrapped her arms around Liam’s neck. She felt him tense for just a second then he relaxed. She would have to find a way to make this up to him. He was willing to go along with whatever she did. He was rapidly becoming best-friend material.
“Get your Goddamn hands off my mate!” Aleks roared.
“Aleks, language!” Ma yelled.
Rebecca shook her head.
“You don’t want me, remember. I’m not good enough for you. You want a shifter for a mate, not a lowly human.” Her eyes stung, and she turned her face into Liam’s shoulder.
She heard Liam hiss at Aleks over her head.
“Cat, you have five seconds to hand over my mate before I rip you apart,” Aleks said, stalking forward. He was brought up short as Rebecca’s head flew up and she met his eyes. He felt his rage drain away as he saw the pain and anger in her small face.
She hopped off of Liam’s lap and walked over to Aleks. Instinctively Aleks took a step backward. This was one pissed-off female, pint-sized or not. And in the shifter community you learned quickly that the females were the more dangerous of the two sexes.
“No. You. Will. Not!” She repeatedly poked her finger into his abdomen where she could reach him. “You had your chance. I literally gave myself to you on a silver platter, and you threw me away. Go find the shifter wife that you want.” Her eyes blazed up at him.
“Baby, please listen. I…” Aleks started.
“No, I won’t listen. You were so afraid to hurt me physically you never stopped to think if you were hurting me any other way. You have ripped my heart out, Aleks. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt so bad if I didn’t know we were meant to be together. If you were just a random guy that I liked who rejected me I could just walk away, but you’re not. You’re my soul mate, and you don’t want me. How can anyone love me if you don’t?” she said, her voice breaking.
Aleks stared in horror, realizing for the first time exactly how much pain he had caused her, and it had nothing to do with bruises or broken bones. How in the hell could he fix this? He stepped forward to reach for her and was brought up short when he saw Liam standing directly behind Rebecca. He could see real anger in Liam’s eyes that had nothing to do with their childhood rivalry.
Liam wrapped an arm around Rebecca’s shoulders and steered her toward the door.
“Come on, kitten, I can show you around town,” he said and Rebecca nodded.
Aleks growled. Liam turned his head and mouthed, “Back off, asshole!”
Aleks’s growl faded as they walked out of the diner.
“Aleksander Aaron Arkadion, get your ass in my office now!” Ma said before turning and heading into the kitchen.
Aleks’s head hung down as he made his way behind the counter to go and speak to his mother and Alpha. Bran winced and Kate growled as he walked by. How had things gotten so screwed up so fast?
Chapter 4
Once they were outside Rebecca lost all sense of composure and started to sob uncontrollably. Liam looked around hoping someone was nearby that could help him. Seeing no one nearby, he scooped her up and walked around to the side of the diner and put her back on her feet so she could have her breakdown in private.
“I really like him, Liam, I really do!” she cried.
“I know, kitten. I know things are hard right now. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but, he’s really a good guy. He and I have been competing since I beat him in a foot race when we were five. I know him probably better than anyone except his brothers. Now listen, kitten, I know that he hasn’t handled this well,” he said, and she snorted. He smiled at her unladylike gesture. “But what no one in town knows is that the reason he came back to Arkadia was because he worked a real bad homicide case in Raleigh where a human was killed by her shifter lover during sex. The only reason I know is because I hired a private detective to find out what happened. When Aleks got back to town, he had lost weight, wouldn’t eat, and snapped at everyone. I had to provoke him into a fist fight before he started to feel better. Of course I won,” he said, smiling down at Rebecca. She gave him a watery smile back.
“No wonder he is having a hard time accepting me for a mate,” she said. Liam saw her eyes start to tear up again.
“I would love to keep you for myself, kitten, but I know you’ll be happier with your grumpy-ass bear,” he said jokingly, desperate to keep the waterworks at bay.
“He is grumpy, isn’t he?” she said and smiled.
“Now, how about I show you around our fair town? We have a killer ice cream parlor, and don’t get me started on Nic’s frappes.” He wagged his eyebrows.
“How come yo
u’re not mated?” she asked. He was gorgeous, witty, charming, and considerate. Everything a woman could want. He smiled sadly.
“Because Fate has yet to give me one.” They were about to walk away when they heard a tiny mewl. Rebecca’s head swung back to the alley. She went to step forward, but Liam stopped her by stepping in front of her. They walked to the back of the alley. Rebecca gasped and Liam turned quickly. She had bent down and picked up a small and bedraggled cat. She hugged the cat close.
“Look at the poor thing! It must be freezing out here,” she said. Liam eyeballed the small animal.
“What are you going to do with it?” he asked.
“Take care of it, of course! It doesn’t have any family or a home.” He saw her eyes start to water and realized that this was how Rebecca saw herself. He smiled, and reached forward to pet the small creature. It surprised him when it turned its head into his hand and purred loudly. Rebecca lifted it up and checked near the back legs.
“It’s a boy cat!” she announced happily and nuzzled it. “Okay, his name will be…” She trailed off, looking the little face over as it stared up at her.
“Sebastian,” Liam supplied.
“That was quick, what made you think of Sebastian for a name?” she asked.
“I don’t know, it just sort of popped in my head. Doesn’t he look like a Sebastian?” he asked.
“Yes he does. Do you hear that, little one? Your name is Sebastian. Do you think he would like some ice cream?” she asked.
“I think he’d love some.” Liam laughed.
“Let’s go!” Rebecca bounced out of the alley then realized she didn’t know where she was going and turned to face Liam. He laughed and walked up, looping his arm in hers.
“Onward to ice cream,” he said.
* * * *
“Sit down son,” Ma said when they reached her office, which was located in the back of the diner past the kitchen. Aleks sat with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. She looked over and the lecture she was about to give him died on her lips.
“Do you want to finally tell me what happened in Raleigh?” she asked softly. He lifted his head and met her eyes.
“It was a bad case, Ma. The poor girl was torn up horribly. I had nightmares for months. I just couldn’t shake it.” He looked down and stared at his hands. She walked over and firmly cuffed him in the back of the head. He looked up, shocked. She thought about it and then cuffed him again.
“Ma!” he exclaimed. When he brought his head back up she had tears in her eyes.
“What have your Pa and I done that made you feel like you couldn’t come to us after a trauma like that?” she asked.
“Nothing! Ma, you and Pa are the best parents a guy could ask for. I felt like if I talked about it when I was here it would follow me. I should have been able to handle that on my own,” he said. He ducked when she reached out to cuff him again.
“You have a family that loves you and would fight and die to keep you safe and happy! Do you know how much it hurt us to see you suffering and we couldn’t do anything about it? It felt like you didn’t trust us to help,” she said.
“It wasn’t like that,” he said, shaking his head then he sighed.
“You’re mad at me, and I’ve probably ruined any chance I have with Rebecca. Maybe she would be better off with Liam,” he said. His head jerked forward as her hand came down on the back of his head.
“Ma!” He rubbed the back of his head.
“Don’t be dramatic, Aleksander. Of course you are clearly the better choice than that cat. All my sons are. You just need to show her, not tell her, that you really care and want her. Isn’t your Pa working on her car now at his garage?” she asked.
He nodded absently then stopped and looked up smiling.
“Love you, Ma,” he said, standing and giving her a huge hug.
“Love you too, baby boy. Now, go get your mate. I can’t wait to finally have a daughter,” she said, rubbing her hands together. Aleks laughed and left at a quick pace to go help his Pa at the garage.
* * * *
“See, his paw is pointing to Butter Pecan,” Rebecca said, watching her cat.
“I’ll be damned, it is.” Liam said.
“Hey, Liam, who’s your friend?” a light male voice asked.
When Rebecca looked up, she saw one of the most beautiful men she had ever laid eyes on. He wasn’t handsome. He was almost feminine in his beauty. He had shoulder-length blonde hair that framed his face in waves. He had bright blue eyes and soft lips. She couldn’t help smiling at him.
“You are so pretty,” she said without thinking. He looked at her and blinked then laughed.
“Thank you. I have to say so far I’ve only heard that said behind my back. It’s refreshing to have someone tell me to my face and not as an insult.” He chuckled.
“Why would anyone say that as an insult? You make me feel bad for not being a great artist or sculptor or something. It’s like…” She looked up, trying to think of the words to explain herself. “It’s like your beauty is wasted on my eyeballs,” she said after a moment or two.
The man blinked again then turned to Liam.
“She’s serious, isn’t she?” he asked. Liam nodded.
“Rebecca is very special. It seems that she accepts everyone for who they are and likes them despite themselves. She will make a very good Alpha Mother,” he said.
The man paled then looked at Rebecca.
“My apologies, Alpha, I didn’t know.” He looked down. Rebecca turned and looked up at Liam.
“This is a shifter thingie, isn’t it? And what is ‘Alpha Mother’?” she asked and Liam sighed.
“Ashby here isn’t a pack leader like most of the town’s residents that you have met so far. He is showing you deference out of respect to your rank once your mating with Aleks is complete. Once you have mated you essentially become ‘heir to the throne.’ When Ma retires you will take over as the town matriarch as Aleks will take over as patriarch. The Arkadions have always run Arkadia. They are trusted to be neutral in shifter disputes. The Alpha couple seems to always have seven sons. The eldest son and mate take over when the current leaders retire. It’s been that way since the town was first established. Prior to that I believe that the family ruled in Europe. The Arkadions are supposedly descended from Arcas the son of Callisto, the first bear shifter. To me they are just a bunch of grouchy bears though,” Liam said, shrugging in a very cat-like manner.
Ashby eyed Rebecca as she started to sway.
“She’s going down,” he said simply.
“Shit!” Liam wrapped his arm around her waist as her knees gave out.
“Seven boys. They all have seven boys. Seven. Boys.” She kept repeating this over and over.
“Liam, I think you broke her.” Ashby came around the counter waving his dishtowel to fan her.
“She’ll be fine,” he said more to convince himself than Ashby.
“Right, kitten? You don’t want your good friend Liam torn to itty-bitty bits because I scrambled your brain.” Liam lightly tapped her cheek.
“Yeah I’m okay, yeah, wow, seven.” She looked at Ashby.
“I’d like a quadruple death by chocolate mocha fudge sundae with caramel, oreo crumbles, and brownies please. Oh and Sebastian would like one scoop of Butter Pecan,” she said, moving to sit in the chair across from Liam.
Ashby, seeing her need for chocolate, put his preternatural speed to good use and whipped her up the chocolate concoction that would help her face her destiny. He sat the dessert in front of her before putting a tiny bowl on the floor for Sebastian and then sat next to Liam as they watched her eat spoonful after spoonful. She leaned back when she was done, her stomach distended.
“Oh my God, I bet sex isn’t as good as that,” she said after she scrapped the last of her ice cream off the bowl. Ashby giggled and Liam groaned.
“That bastard gets all the luck. Untouched? You are almost too perfect.” He shook his head. She st
uck her tongue out at him.
“Okay, kitten, where to next?” Liam asked as he paid for the ice cream. Rebecca went to fuss at him for paying, but the look he gave her silenced her protest. He had to easily be the most elegant gentleman she’d ever met.
“I’m dead, don’t ask me,” Rebecca said, almost lying in her chair patting her stomach. She turned to look at Ashby.
“Where should I go next?” she asked. Ashby looked surprised that she was asking his opinion.
“If I had that much ice cream I would want some coffee I think to settle my stomach. My best friend Nicholas runs the Grind, it’s the coffee shop across the street,” he said shyly.
Rebecca got up and faced Liam. Sebastian purred at her feet. “Coffee please,” she said. They were almost to the door when she whirled around.
“Okay, I know it’s the worst possible manners, but I have to know. What do you shift into?” she asked, looking at him expectantly. Liam slapped his forehead with his palm. Ashby looked surprised but quickly recovered.
“It’s okay since you look like you won’t make fun and I know that Liam knows already.” He closed his eyes then disappeared as he shrunk down out of sight behind the ice cream case.
Liam looked thoughtful then said, “Ashby is very reticent about revealing his animal. He must really like you.” A tiny animal appeared from around the tall counter. Rebecca inhaled then quickly scooped him up.
“You are without a doubt the most adorable animal I have ever seen!” She turned to Liam. “I want him,” she said, snuggling the small animal’s white fur. He had large eyes and larger ears. Liam laughed. She rubbed her cheek against the top of his head then kissed it.
“Sweetie, he’s not a pet, he’s a Fennec, a rare type of fox shifter,” he explained.
Rebecca put him down and he ran back around the counter. He shifted back and pulled his clothes on, obscured by the ice cream case. Once dressed, he came back around to stand with them.
“You’re the first person to not look down at my animal,” Ashby said, smiling shyly. “Most of the shifters in town are predator animals, lions, bears or wolves. So us smaller animals are usually thought of as weak.” He didn’t meet Liam’s gaze. Liam just nodded.