Fate Knows Best

  “Five o’clock. What are you doing?” he asked.

  “I want to see if you have what I need to make my famous honey bun cake. I want to take something to dinner,” she said, placing the ingredients and pans on the island. “You wash up. By the time you’re done the cake will be in and then I can jump in,” she said, smiling. She was humming happily as she started dumping ingredients in the bowl and measuring out oil and sugar.

  As he watched her hum and putter around the kitchen, he felt something foreign and warm settle in his chest. His house finally felt like a home.

  Chapter 10

  Aleks watched as she placed the two cakes in the backseat. When he had stepped out of the shower, his mouth started watering at the delicious smells coming from the kitchen and now that same delicious smell was permeating his truck. When he got in, he frowned because he could barely reach the steering wheel. Rebecca giggled at his confusion. When he realized why, he smiled and leered at Rebecca, which caused her to hold her sides and giggle some more.

  “We’re never getting rid of this truck,” he finally said. She smiled. As they got closer to the main house, the more nervous she became. She had nearly worked herself into a panic attack when he reached over and grabbed her hand. She began to calm down.

  “Are you sure they’ll like me? I’m just a human,” she said, looking up at him, worried. He frowned and his chest constricted. He had put that doubt in her eyes and her heart. He would remove it even if it took the rest of their lives together.

  “I can’t even begin to explain exactly how special you are. Have you ever stopped to think that being the only human in a family of bears is special?” he asked.

  “I never thought about it like that,” she said, a goofy grin on her face. He smiled back at her, glad to see the shadows were gone from her eyes.

  “Come on, let’s go meet the horde,” he said, and she nodded.

  He walked around to her side of the truck and helped her down before reaching in the backseat, grabbing a cake. Then he shut the door.

  “Hem hem.” Rebecca motioned to the door.

  “I brought two cakes, Aleks. Share with your brothers.” She pointed to the other cake that he had left in the back seat. He sighed. He really didn’t want to share this amazing-smelling cake with his brothers. But since she was insisting, he opened the door and grabbed the second cake stacking it on the first.

  “They’re going to eat it all,” he grumbled, and she grinned.

  “Good, when the food disappears, that means they like,” she said and took his empty hand. He smiled down at her as they walked hand in hand to the front door. The front door swung open and Pa stood in the doorway.

  “Look, it’s my baby girl coming to visit. What did you bring me?” he asked, his nose going to the air, smelling the delicious aromas coming from the cake.

  Rebecca smiled and hugged the older man. His eyes softened and he wrapped an arm around her and steered in into the house.

  “Ma, look what I found,” he said, taking her coat. Ma walked into the foyer smiling, she wiped her hands on her waist apron.

  “Baby girl, how are you feeling? And what is that?” she asked to the pans Aleks held.

  “I’m much better today, the truck ride did me a lot of good,” she said, giving Aleks a sidelong glance. He immediately proceeded to cough. Pa gave him a few solid whacks on the back.

  “Thanks, Pa,” he gasped.

  “Anytime, son,” he said.

  Ma winked at Rebecca.

  “I brought some cake, I hope that’s okay?” Rebecca asked, suddenly unsure if the cakes would be welcome.

  “Of course that’s okay! Food is a rare commodity around here with all the boys over.” They walked to the back of the house to a large open family room that was connected to a kitchen. Immediately they were surrounded by six extremely tall and large men. Rebecca looked into the faces of what could only be Aleks’s brothers.

  Pa stepped forward and began the introductions.

  “In order, there is Benedict, Connor, Duncan, Emmett, Finnian and Gavin. Benedict runs a website design company and likes women too much.”

  “Pa!” Benedict protested. Rebecca giggled. Pa ignored him and continued.

  “Connor you know works in the diner. What you don’t know is he is wasting his doctorate in Psychology by working there.” Pa shook his head.

  “Now, Pa, you know better than anyone how everyone always comes to the diner to find someone to talk to. I just happen to be educated enough to help. This way they can’t complain if they don’t like my advice because I’m only responsible for making their dinner.” Connor grinned at Rebecca.

  “Humph. The next two are the twins Duncan and Emmet. They own the construction business and hardware store and help me out at the garage some days.” He nodded at the twins. They waved at her.

  “Then there is Finnian…” he started.

  “Just Finn, call me Finn,” the brother interjected.

  “Your Ma did not give you a name for you not to use it, boy,” Pa said then continued.

  “This is Finnian. He works at the school. He is teaching first grade this year.” Pa smiled. Rebecca was willing to bet cash money on the fact that Pa found reasons to stop by the classroom with candy or treats. He was such a softie.

  “And last but not least is Gavin. He is our grumpiest bear, but a darn good vet,” Pa said with pride shining from his eyes.

  Gavin eyed Rebecca up and down then turned to Aleks and said, “Her hips may be too narrow to birth cubs. She may even be too small for sex.” Gavin tilted his head and continued to eye her as if she were a specimen under a microscope. Rebecca felt her mouth drop. Pa reached up and cuffed Gavin in the back of the head.

  “Gavin!” Aleks growled.

  Rebecca recovered and said, “I don’t know about having cubs, but there better not be any issues with sex.” She looked around the room and realized what she said. Connor snorted first then laughed. Then Rebecca started laughing. Then Finnian joined in. Emmett and Duncan stood there grinning shit-eating grins at Aleks while he grinned right back.

  “Okay, boys, leave your sister alone. It’s time for dinner,” Ma said from the kitchen, and they all filed in to sit down.

  Dinner was noisy and fun. Each brother had something funny to share about Aleks, much to her delight and his distress. When it came time for dessert, Ma brought out her cakes and cut a piece for everyone. As each boy took a bite, the room became quiet.

  The table was eerily silent after such a loud and boisterous dinner. Rebecca started to get nervous. She looked over to Aleks, and he sat frozen with his fork hanging in midair in front of his face. She felt a flush of panic and quickly took a bite. Everything tasted okay. She looked up at the sound of a chair hitting the floor. Duncan’s eyes had darkened as he reached for the cake. Emmett intercepted him with a growl. Duncan put him in a headlock and both disappeared into the family room. She heard more noise to her left and saw that Connor had Benedict in a similar headlock and they were now on the floor in the kitchen. Finnian and Gavin saw the two cakes on the table and each went to grab one before a low growl froze everyone. Ma let out one more low growl and calmly picked up one of the cakes and put it in front of her. Pa scooted close and accepted the forkfuls that Ma shared with him. The boys resumed their brawls for the remaining cake. Aleks was about to jump in when Rebecca’s hand stopped him. He looked down worried that she was scared at their barbaric table manners. She was wiping tears from her eyes from laughing so hard.

  “Let’s head home,” she said. And just like that his heart turned over. She had called his house home.

  “Okay, baby,” he said as they both stepped around his fighting brothers.

  “Goodnight, Ma, Pa,” Rebecca called.

  “Goodnight, baby girl,” Ma yelled over the boys fighting. Pa waved and smiled.

  Once they were in the truck she couldn’t hold it in anymore. Holding her sides, she continued to laugh out loud. She had tears rolling down her face.
He went to buckle her in, and she slid down the seat and onto the floor trying to catch her breath. He gave up and drove slowly back to their house. She was still cackling when he pulled up to the drive. He put the truck in park as she started to calm down.

  “We’re not always like that. It’s just that bear shifters are known for loving their sweets,” he said, a little embarrassed.

  “It was fun. That’s how family should be,” she said, climbing into her seat.

  “They were kind of rough,” he admitted.

  “They are guys,” she said simply.

  “It was kind of funny,” he said. She shook her head.

  “Their tumbling wasn’t why I was laughing,” she said, smiling.

  “Why were you laughing?” Aleks asked.

  “Because I made three cakes,” she said, chuckling.

  Aleks froze then darted out of the truck and into the house leaving her sitting in the driveway. Rebecca smiled and made her way into the house from the truck. She found him in their den in his recliner with the entire cake in his lap.

  “I can’t believe you’re my mate and you can make this cake,” he said, eating forkful after forkful. She watched in utter amazement as the cake began to quickly disappear.

  “I may have to ration out the cake for favors,” she said, smiling.

  He grinned up at her, finishing the last slice. She was slightly concerned with how fast he inhaled the entire cake. He stood slowly, setting the pan aside.

  “What kind of favors would you require?” he asked, his deep voice making her shiver.

  He stalked closer to her, his eyes dark. He nonchalantly removed his shirt. She nearly swallowed her tongue. Her imagination in no way prepared her for him. His shoulders were broad and his chest and abs were perfectly defined. His skin looked golden, and he had a dusting of dark hairs over his chest in a trail down his stomach. Subconsciously she licked her lips. When his hands reached for his pants, she stepped back and pulled her shirt over her head. He froze. She stood there, her slender shoulders bare except for the thin satin straps of her bra. Her full breasts were encased in pink lace. She took advantage of his immobility and one-upped him by quickly removing her jeans. She stood before him in her pink lace bra and boy shorts, her sex-kitten act fading in the face of the reality that she was nearly naked before him. He watched as her body flushed pink with embarrassment.

  He stepped forward and ran a finger down her neck and shoulder. She shivered again. He picked her up and carried her upstairs to his room. Gently he set her on her feet next to the bed. He moved his hands over her shoulders and pushed the straps down her arms. He reached behind her and released the clasp. The bra fell to the floor. He drank in the sight of her perfect breasts. He took both in his hands and kneaded them gently as her head fell back. He leaned forward and took one nipple that was begging for attention into his mouth. He rolled his tongue over it and pulled on it with harder suction. He released it and then blew a breath of cool air over it.

  He breathed in and clearly smelled the sweet scent of her arousal. He dropped to his knees and pulled her lace boy shorts down over her rounded hips. She carefully stepped out of them. He lightly touched her soft curls. Her hands came down to his shoulders in an effort to stay upright. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on her mound. He stood and scooped her up and tossed her into the middle of his oversized king bed. He removed his jeans. She laughed as she bounced, but it was cut short at the sight of him crawling toward her. Her eyes widened as she saw his huge cock for the first time. She swallowed hard and licked her lips.

  She lay there and watched him advance, her knees pressed tightly together.

  He smiled and shook his head.

  “You are keeping your honey from me, baby girl, and you know how bears are about their honey.” He placed a hand on each knee and parted her thighs. When he looked down, his eyes hooded. He saw her pink folds dripping with wetness. She squirmed under his gaze. He raised an eyebrow and decided to push her boundaries. He placed his hands on her inner thighs and spread them wide until she lay completely exposed. She gasped and tried to close her legs.

  “Aleks!” she protested, and he chuckled.

  “Easy, baby girl. I need to get acquainted with what is now mine,” he said and lowered his head and kissed her rounded belly. He slowly kissed his way down her mound. Using his thumbs, he spread her folds wide, exposing a tiny nub that seemed to be winking at him. He flattened his tongue and ran it from the bottom of her slit to her clit then stopped. Her essence exploded in his mouth as his canines dropped.

  “Mine!” he growled.

  “Yours,” she breathed.

  He returned to run his tongue up and down, drinking her down. He nibbled on her small nub, and she went wild above him. Her hands found his hair and she held on. He wrapped his lips around her clit and pulled as he eased a finger in her tight channel. She screamed and clamped down on his finger. He felt her shake as she came hard.

  “That’s one,” he said before nipping the inside of her thighs.

  * * * *

  One? She tried to catch her breath. She felt his teeth on her inner thigh and sighed. She was just starting to breathe normally when he inserted another finger. Unable to help herself, she moved her hips. She wanted something else, something more.

  “More,” she whispered.

  He shook his head.

  “Not yet, I’m not going to hurt you.” He plunged two fingers in and out of her channel slowly. She felt something else starting build.

  “Pull on your nipples, baby. Let me see how much you want me,” he said.

  She brought her hands up to cup both breasts and pulled on her nipples. She felt electricity travel down her body straight to her clit. She continued to pull and moved her hips, wanting to take his fingers deeper.

  She slowed when she felt herself being stretched and looked down. He had added a third finger. Very slowly he continued the in-and-out motion. Soon the burn began to fade and her pleasure came back. He brought her to the brink then backed away. He teased her mercilessly.

  “Please!” she cried out, tears in her eyes.

  It seemed he was waiting on her desperation. She looked in his eyes as he quickly replaced his fingers with the head of his cock and began to slowly sink into her. If she thought she had been stretched before, she was wrong. He was stretching her too much!

  “Too much!” she cried out.

  He stopped and pulled back slowly. He waited until she relaxed and then began to push forward again. He repeated this over and over. She noticed that each time it was getting easier and he was going deeper. She wanted him. She wanted all of him.

  “More,” she said, looking into his face. He nodded and she noticed his eyes had shifted to a dark bear brown, almost black. He pushed forward, going the deepest he had ever been. It hurt, but she knew that it would get worse before it got better. She ground her teeth and looked back up.

  “More,” she whispered. He must have seen the determination in her face. He withdrew and plunged all the way in, pushing past the membrane that had been keeping them apart. She tensed up and grabbed his arms that were on either side of her body, holding him up.

  “Relax, baby,” he said, his voice deeper than usual and rougher.

  She relaxed and tried pushing out. He slid in a fraction deeper. They both moaned. After a minute she looked up at him.

  “Okay,” she said. He pulled out then plunged in again. There was a bit of pain, but it faded quickly. He slid in again and again, his pace quickening. The pain was gone now and the fire that he had started came roaring back. She began to move her hips up to meet him as he thrust forward again and again. She could feel his sac slapping against her ass as he pounded into her. There was so much coiled strength and tension in the man above her. Knowing that she was the cause of it spurred her on, she opened her legs wider to accept every inch of his cock.

  He lowered himself so that he rested on his forearms, his hips still snapping forward. His nose nuzzle
d her neck, and she felt his teeth graze her shoulder.

  “More,” she said and brought her legs up to wrap around his waist. She gasped as this changed the angle.

  “More, please, God, more, I’m almost there, Aleks please!” She couldn’t get him deep enough on her own.

  Finally taking her at her word, he began to slam into her repeatedly. She held on as he pushed into her body time and time again. This is what she had been waiting for all her life!

  “Yes! Don’t stop, don’t ever stop!” She cried out, clawing at his shoulders. His pace began to quicken, and she knew he was close. Without thought, she clamped down and he hit that elusive spot deep inside her. As her orgasm exploded, she felt him lean forward and bury his teeth in her shoulder. With each pull from his mouth, she felt as if he were pulling her soul into his. In the space of a single heartbeat, both souls expanded as one orgasm ended and another began. A new soul was created then split as a portion of each one settled back into their hearts. Time resumed as they slammed back into reality, and the pain of his canines sent her into a tailspin of another orgasm. She screamed out her final release, and then her world went dark.

  * * * *

  When she woke up, he was seated at the end of the bed, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, sitting up. She winced but then smiled. She had earned her discomfort.

  Go me! I’m such a slut now. She giggled at her own thoughts.

  He turned around and her good mood evaporated. He looked as if someone died.

  “Oh my God, what happened?” she asked, scooting next to him.

  “I hurt you,” he said simply.

  “Not really, you made me feel real good, baby,” she said, smiling and kissing his shoulder.

  He turned and looked at her. She could see his eyes were wide and he looked kinda shocky.

  “Talk to me, baby, please.” She hugged his arm, bringing it between her breasts.

  He pointed to her shoulder and at her legs. When she looked down, she saw a small smear of blood. She knew exactly where his mind was, and she didn’t like it. She stood and climbed up so she straddled him and could look him in the face.