Papa Bear for Darius

by Lorelei M. Hart

  I glanced in the mirror and broke out in a giggle. I looked like a little kid trying on clown pants. I didn’t mind. They scented like him, and if I could get away with wearing them to class, I would. “They should stay up like this,” I assured him as he tied the strings. “May I have one of your white shirts instead?” I pointed to his company shirt he had sitting on the bed. He looked up at me quizzically. “Then maybe I could wear it as an undershirt to work?” It would look ridiculous with all that fabric tucked underneath my button shirt, but to have him wrapped around me would be completely worth it.

  He must’ve agreed because he was at his dresser fast, grabbing me one.

  I was dressed and walking out to the car in five minutes. Papa Bear, or Bruin, walked me to the car, double checking my seatbelt and giving me very specific instructions just as I was about to leave. I was to stay off my cell phone while driving, let him know when I arrived, and, this was my favorite, try not to forget about him while I was gone. As if that could happen.

  My bear was livid as I drove away. He pounded inside me, trying to force me back. Thankfully, he had enough sense not to take my skin while I was driving. He’d have to wait. We both would. I arrived with enough time to get dressed, tell my roommate my amazing news, and run out the door. Basil had doubly good news, and it killed me to have to leave before sharing all things with him and the hunk of a man he brought home. It turned out Animals was where we both needed to be last night. Who knew?

  Karma, I’d imagine.

  I shot off a quick text to my alpha: I’m here. Miss you already. I had since before exiting Animal’s driveway, but I left that part off.

  Not as much as I miss you, omega mine. See you after work?

  I was literally counting down the minutes. Was that normal with fated mates? Would it wean over time? Would mating exacerbate or reduce the feeling? I had no answers but was looking forward to discovering them.

  We can grab lunch. I added a chicken leg and pizza emoji to my words.

  Oh there’s something I’d like to grab all right.

  I barked out a chuckle as I reached my car. Maybe I could cancel class. It wasn’t like the students wouldn’t either be skipping or half hungover. There was a reason no other local schools had Friday classes in the first place. Fridays after a day human students used as an excuse to get inebriated only highlighted said reasoning.

  Chapter Nine

  Bruin

  The morning after Halloween at Animals got a slow start. As I did my final checks on the systems I’d put in place, I passed only a dozen or so people, and most looked pretty worn out. Despite the big party, it was Friday and a big night for the club every week, so the place had to be shipshape by sundown yet again. I spotted Warren disappearing into the office hallway off to the side, but Karma was front and center, supervising the various crews in their tasks. I approached her but waited while she spoke to a woman in an apron who was tapping on a tablet as the boss gave her instructions.

  Finally, the employee dashed away and Karma faced me. “Oh, Bruin. I didn’t think you’d be up this early.”

  “My mate had to get back to town to teach a class, so I thought I’d be sure everything here was done.”

  “I see.” She cast a glare at a coyote shifter pushing a broom at the speed of a snail then gave me a smile. “And then? Are you leaving today as planned?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You know everything, don’t you? You tell me.”

  “I don’t know everything. I just thought you two might hit it off.” She had the nerve to try to look shocked at my comment, but the twinkle in her eyes revealed her glee. “And did you…hit it off?”

  “I said mate, and you heard me. But you set us up, Karma. You invited him here then walked him into my arms.”

  She shrugged. “I’m a matchmaker, in love with love. So sue me.” A loud clatter came from the direction of the kitchen, and she huffed. “I have to go. You’d think I could sleep in for once, but no. Did you want to ask me something?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be looking for a local home and offices, but is my suite available until I get things nailed down? I have to go out of town in a couple of days, so I hope to have it done by then.”

  “Such a shame you have to leave right when you met your omega.” She tapped a long red fingernail against her lips. “If you’re opening an office, though, why don’t you give— Do you have a pen?”

  I pulled one out of my pocket along with the little notebook I always had on me while working and handed them to her.

  “Okay good.” She jotted down some notes and handed it back. “That’s the name of a young road runner who I think could be a great office assistant for you, and a coyote who already has eco training. I know you have your own methods, but I’m sure they’d love to work for you. He’s doing construction while he waits for the right job in his field—your field. And no cartoon jokes if you hire them both.”

  I tucked the pen and pad back in my pocket. “Karma, I—”

  She held up a palm. “Don’t say it. It’s not magical. A lot of people come through here, and they like to talk to me.”

  Her mate came up and tugged her to his side, dropping a peck on her lips. “Don’t lie to the man.” He looked at me. “My wife, my mate is as magical as anyone I’ve ever met, but she had me fooled with the ‘I’m just a human with no magic’ crap, too.”

  “Oh, Warren!” She smacked his chest, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Anyway, Bruin, stay as long as you want, and let us know if we can help with anything.”

  Warren held out an envelope. “Here’s your check for the work, and thank you very much. A no-drama contractor of any kind is hard to come by.”

  I shook his hand and gave Karma a kiss on the cheek before heading for my car and the ride to town. I had researched some things before showering and coming into the club, so I knew where I wanted to look for a place to live. And an office. Buckeye had some real opportunities, including custom-homes builders who could help me create the place I wanted for me, my mate, and, with the grace of the goddess, our family to come. There was also a mixed-use building for sale, with living quarters above office/warehouse space. It was well within my budget and would be a perfect temporary home for us while ours was being built.

  I used the travel time to make some calls from my rental car and set up appointments to see the places I had in mind. Real estate probably should take time and serious consideration, but since I’d gone from rolling stone to gathering moss, I didn’t want to take any more time than necessary. As in: while I went on my next trip, I wanted escrow happening. The online pics appeared perfect. I had a building inspection license, so if the building suited, I could spend tomorrow checking for problems…

  And if my mate liked all these ideas. He’d seemed pretty on the page when he left, but time apart might have taken the shine off.

  I sure hoped not.

  GPS guided me to his campus, and the guest parking pass he’d promised was at the guard gate, so when he emerged from his class, I was parked and waiting for him.

  His smile at seeing me leaning against the bumper told me all I needed to know. And when he stepped into my open arms, it was like coming home. I kissed him, unable to resist his firm, warm lips, but remembering his position, I also tried to maintain some level of decorum and stopped short of stripping him and taking him right there on the trunk of the car, my teeth buried in his shoulder, claiming him.

  Laughter behind him helped, and we jumped apart like guilty teenagers. I cleared my throat and cast a quick glare at the laughers. “Ready for lunch, Bun—Darius?”

  “That would be nice. Your car or mine?”

  I guided him to the passenger door. “Mine. Do you have other plans for this afternoon?”

  He settled in the seat, and I buckled him in. “I did, but I called in a favor and cancelled them.”

  “Great, so you’re free until Monday?” We could see the properties and do other things…as many other things as he was up for.

&nb
sp; “A week from Monday. This is the start of fall break.”

  Chapter Ten

  Darius

  “Spain. You’re going to Spain?” Basil asked for the third time in as many minutes. Did he think the answer was going to change?

  He was at the apartment, picking up a few things he’d left behind when he moved out to be happily mated. I missed him like crazy, but seeing him glow with happiness made it worth it. Of course, the glow could be his little one growing in his middle. That was a thing…I thought.

  “Yes. Spain. The Spain. In Europe. The one you take a plane to get to. Spain.” I rolled my eyes as I answered him—again.

  “Isn’t that a little fast?” He was protective of me. But, in his current situation, he hardly had room to talk.

  “Says the omega who has a baby in his belly and now lives with his alpha, an alpha he met about a week ago.” I snatched his I’m not responsible for the things I say before I’ve had my cocoa mug from his pile. “I’m the only one who uses this.”

  “Which was exactly why I left it here.” He looked around the mostly barren place. Bruin and I had already packed up most of my things, sorting and donating as we went.

  I’d had an inordinate number of used textbooks I’d kept on principle when they offered me five dollars each at the bookstore at semester’s end and eBay searches told me they weren’t lowballing me. Bruin convinced me I should only keep the ones I planned to ever look at again, and had so many boxes of books gone. He also convinced me to keep a few things from my pack, telling me there would come a time when I might wish I had them. I had a feeling that was from experience. Living out of a suitcase had to have been difficult.

  “Fair point.”

  “So, Spain, huh?”

  I pushed his shoulder playfully. “Yes. Spain. I wanted to go to Japan, but, you know, the meeting is in Spain, so off we go.”

  “And he’s okay with you being all slow-poky. I mean, this is an expensive trip.” And suddenly, his worry made sense. I was being a slow poke. True. At least by shifter standards. By human standards, we were both rushing things.

  “He’s not like that. He knows I am all-in, just I needed a little time to get comfortable with that part.” It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. I thought about it far too often, but fear of doing things wrong or being bad at it had me telling him upfront it wasn’t the night. And then by the time I wanted it to be the night, he was reassuring me it was fine to wait and to not make decisions like that with his tongue down my throat or lapping at my cock. He had a point. Darn considerate alpha.

  “This is going to sound weird, but…why don’t you want to?” He set the box of belongings down and leaned against the counter. We were having this conversation. He wasn’t just making small talk. He was such a good friend, even if I wanted to kick his ass out over talking about this. I should be talking about it with Bruin. Maybe this would make it easier?

  “It’s not that. It’s…what if I suck, and he’s disappointed?” If the earth opened up and swallowed me whole, I’d have welcomed it. Thinking things like that was one thing. Saying them aloud quite another.

  “I guarantee if you suck him, he will not be disappointed.” He winked.

  “He might be. You underestimate my lack of coordination and expertise.” I plopped down on the couch and patted it. This conversation would be easier sitting down—or not happening.

  “What about after the first time you two kissed?” He pushed himself away from the wall with his foot and came over to join me.

  “We went back to his place.” I omitted the part about the spanking. It felt too intimate for even a bestie.

  “So you kissed him with no experience whatsoever and he wanted more.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Point made.” I leaned back, letting my head fall to the fabric with a thud. “We’re true mates, and what if…” What if so many things from being a disappointment to not cool enough to ruining his career all came to mind.

  “Didn’t you just answer your own question? True Mates. That’s all you need to know. Fate doesn’t fuck around. Packs will let you down. People will let you down. Heck, work will let you down—daily. But true mates? Doesn’t happen there.” When did he become so confident? Probably a half a second after he got mated.

  “You know what? You’re right. I’m going to tell Bruin all of my—”

  Knock. Knock.

  “May I come in?” It was Bruin—two hours early.

  Mate.

  Pushy bear.

  “I’ll be going now.” Darius winked at me. “I have a mate to get back to. Thanks for my things.” He was up and halfway to the door before I even stood.

  “Sure.”

  He opened the door, bantered with Bruin for half a minute, and made his exit. Subtle he was not. Best friend ever—totally.

  Bruin stepped in, closed the door, and opened his arms. I walked straight into them, loving the feeling of them wrapped around me.

  “So what did you want to tell me?” Because, of course he heard me.

  “I was just having omega talk with Basil is all.” Lamest excuse ever.

  “You do know that’s not a thing, right? If you don’t want to tell me, it’s fine. But if there is something you do need to tell me, know that I will always give you my ear. You come first, from the second I scented you until I take my dying breath. There is nothing you can’t say to me, not even goodbye, although to be honest with you, I’d never recover.” He spoke softly in my ear, never letting his embrace loosen, keeping me safe and secure in his arms.

  “I’m afraid,” I confessed in all but a whisper. “Afraid I won’t be enough.”

  Not a breath had passed before his reply came. “You will always be more than. Always.”

  And, for the very first time, I believed it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Bruin

  I’d postponed the trip to Spain for another week, although I hated to inconvenience the clients. But when Darius and I looked at the building I’d located, we liked it. I spent the next day doing my building inspector act, checking out the roof and the floors, the foundations, HVAC, and all the other details that make a building sound or not, and then made a cash offer. The past decade of working day and night and never taking the time to spend any of the profits had left a good pile of money in the bank. More than enough. So the night before our trip to Europe, we closed on the property. We as in both of us. My mate protested, but from now on, there was no mine and yours, only ours.

  It was all done but the claiming.

  “This place is so big it echoes,” Darius said, pacing from one end of the open-concept living/dining room in our new living space. “And the kitchen is amazing. Why do we need another house?”

  “Because I need to have a work life and a personal life separate, now that I actually have a personal life,” I reminded him. “The painters and the floor people will be in while we’re gone.” Also the bathroom remodelers because I wanted him to have a great bathtub big enough for two, even if it wasn’t an ancestral pool. But it was a surprise. “Are you sure it was okay to take two more weeks off after the break?”

  Darius shrugged. “Yes and no. I am almost done with my dissertation, and they want me to stay here and teach, publish, generally use my brain to raise money with the alums.”

  He sounded more confident than I’d ever heard him, and I wasn’t sure if it was because we were talking about his purview or if our relationship offered a bolster to it, but it really didn’t matter. If he was happy, I was happy.

  “And you don’t mind the sleeping bags tonight? We can go back to Animals and stay.” His furnishings, the few he’d kept, were in storage, and mine would be shipped out from my townhouse, which was already on the market.

  “Do you mind?” He sidled up to me with a winsome smile. “Because I’d rather stay at our house, if you’re okay with it.”

  Well, it had been my idea after all. “Yes, I’m happy to camp with you.”

  He’d been keeping thing
s slow all week, but I hoped he’d be ready to complete our mating when we checked into the fabulous villa I’d arranged for our stay. Let’s hope he liked surprises because I suddenly loved setting them up. Must be my romantic alpha mode. He liked being pampered, I’d noticed in our first bath together, and I planned to do as much spoiling as he could take.

  When we checked in to our villa tomorrow night, he’d find tapas and fine Spanish wine, and the most romantic room my contact there could find for us. I hoped he’d be pleased. Maybe inspired. But even then, I wouldn’t push him.

  We had a lifetime together.

  And my eager cock would have to wait.

  We each took a quick shower and climbed into the zipped together sleeping bags. The front wall of windows cast the light from the quarter moon over us. This mostly industrial street was dark enough at night, I realized, we’d be able to stargaze from our bedroom. We’d been sleeping naked every night, challenging me more and more.

  “Papa bear?”

  I cocked my head at his words. He’d been calling me Bruin for days, except when he was feeling particularly cuddly. As if to prove me right, he snuggled into my arms.

  “Yes, Bunny?” He was excited about the trip, his first overseas. “I’m so glad you had a passport already.”

  “Me, too. I knew I’d go somewhere someday. I pictured maybe speaking at Oxford or Cambridge once I was a full professor.”

  I stroked his back. “You’ll do that, too. Do you mind it not being your first trip?” A few kisses later, I suggested, “You could stay home and wait for the furniture to come…meet the painters?”

  “Would a Papa Bear leave his Bunny at home and travel the world?” His pouting tone made me smile.

  “Most Papa Bears don’t have bunnies…”

  “I wanted to ask you something,” he said very softly into my ear. “Would you…I’m ready.”