by Sable Sylvan
“Of course,” said Liam, lying down on the bed next to Daisy before pulling Daisy close. “And you always will be, Daisy. Fated mates are forever, and so is the love between them.”
“Then I’m gonna be getting a whole lot of love, aren’t I?” asked Daisy.
“Yeah, you will,” said Wylie, who got on the other side, spooning Daisy’s side. Bill joined in the messy dog pile too, just in time to give Daisy a kiss on the cheek, which made her smile and let out a small sound similar to a purr.
Daisy had had a very long day: even though she wanted to stay up and chat with her three lovers, she was already halfway to dreamland by the time Wylie pressed a kiss to her forehead. Daisy fell asleep in the middle of the three men who cradled her in her sleep as if their limbs were twigs forming a nest for a baby bird...or as if their bodies were the soil that a small seed, a flower’s seed, could nestle inside of, as it got ready to help form a garden of daisies.
***
The next morning, Daisy woke up to a smell she hadn’t smelled in the longest time, the smell of an actual hearty breakfast.
Daisy sniffed the air as she walked into the kitchen, enveloped in a flannel robe. “No way, you guys...you got breakfast stuff?” said Daisy.
“I went into town earlier to get you some real groceries,” said Wylie. “You can’t eat bran for breakfast every day. How do you like your eggs?”
“Sunny side up,” said Daisy.
“Perfect,” said Wylie with a grin. He cracked an egg into a pan, putting the egg’s contents inside of a cookie cutter he’d purchased that day, while serving Daisy up a plate of bacon and sausages with a side of Bill’s famous hash browns.
Bill poured Daisy a cup of coffee and Wylie flipped the shaped egg and let it finish cooking for a few seconds before serving it to Daisy.
“Real funny,” said Daisy, pointing her fork at the eggs. The eggs had been poured into a flower-shaped cookie cutter and thus were flower shaped.
“Hey, you’ve got to eat up, you’ve got a big day ahead of you,” said Liam, giving Daisy a smooch on her forehead.
“Yeah, I’ve got to go deliver the berries to the grocer,” said Daisy. “And figure out what I need you three to do now that the peak of the harvest season is passing.
“Well, there’s something else we should talk about today,” said Wylie.
“What? Please don’t tell me you’re vampires or ghosts or zombies or something,” said Daisy. “I can’t handle all that, it’s too early in the morning.”
“No...but we do need to ask you something,” said Liam. Bill and Wylie flanked Liam...and all three of the men got down on their knees at the same time, although Liam was the only one who produced a box.
The box was small and black, a standard velvet ring box. Liam opened the box: inside was an engagement ring unlike any that Daisy had seen before. The engagement ring had a pale gold band. In the center of the band was a quarter carat yellow diamond ring, which shone a bright yellow color, not the pale color of champagne like many cheap yellow diamonds. Twelve marquise cut white diamonds, shaped like flower petals, had been set around the yellow diamond, the twelve white diamonds forming the shape of a daisy, with the yellow diamond as the daisy’s center. The diamonds weren’t large, but they were high quality, and glistened in the morning light of the small farmhouse kitchen.
“The three of us considered getting you separate rings, but we thought it would be more special if we could all contribute towards one ring for you,” explained Bill. “The design’s obviously based on our mate marks.”
“Does this mean what I think it means?” asked Daisy, her eyes welling with happy tears.
“That’s right,” said Wylie. “Liam?”
Liam cleared his throat. “Daisy Craston...over the last few weeks, we’ve done whatever we could to get your attention. That’s why we trespassed on your land. Once we learned your name was Daisy, we knew that you were our fated mate. I know you’re wondering why we hid the mate marks from you. The reaction you had to the mate marks was more than normal. Most human women don’t take the news that they’re a fated mate to a single shifter that well, and when you’re dealing with the three of us, well, we’re triple the trouble...but you make us all better men. You whipped us into shape over the last few wonderful days we’ve spent with you, working in your fields, and we want to spend the rest of our lives with you. We’ve always wanted to....so will you accept us, all of us...and marry all three of us?”
Daisy wiped her eyes. “I will, Liam...Wylie...Bill, yes, a thousand times yes,” she said, and the three men got up from the floor. Daisy stood and Liam slipped the ring onto her finger. “But promise me one thing.”
“Anything, my love,” said Bill.
“Next time, if the three of you need to tell me something this big...wait until I’ve had my coffee,” said Daisy.
Epilogue
One Year Later
The farm house was too small for the three shifters and Daisy to share...so they did what any reasonable family would do, and they made the house bigger. It was hard work, but Bill, as the handiest of the three shifters, orchestrated the entire operation, with a little help from Wylie, who took ahold of the numbers side of the project, and of course, Liam took a strong leadership role.
After months of hard work, the house was perfect, the old office was turned into a small guest room, and the new office was much bigger and better. There were also four bedrooms total so that everyone could have their own space...but of course, Daisy’s room was the biggest because it was the one that ended up being the most crowded most nights. The three men quit their regular jobs and moved in with Daisy to help her see her dream of restoring the family farm come to fruition.
One of the biggest and most prominent improvements was the new farm stand. The farm stand sold Craston Bros. honey and preserves, as well as fresh marionberries, and Wylie’s new u-pick program was implemented, so that people could pick their own marionberries. Liam trained the tourists in the arts of berry picking while Liam helped run the farm stand and Bill did general maintenance around the farm, because he preferred a less social role and something he could do with his hands.
Although Daisy wanted to keep the farm’s old name and logo, she did acquiesce and let the boys call the farm stand ‘Daisy’s Place’, and a prominent silhouette of her face was featured on the sign. The interior of the farm stand was painted bright white and they used reclaimed wood for the floors, which was cheap and appealing to the tourists.
The biggest addition to the farm was a bridge that looked like it fell out of a fairy tale. The bear shifter boys marked out the shifter path and built a bridge over the river. The bridge was not for tourist usage, but for the usage of the bear shifter clans, to allow them passage into the woods along the almost star-like firefly trails that their ancestors had used when they first came to Port Jameson.
The bridge was made of both stone and wood. There was no metal used at all in the construction of the bridge: it was made only of natural materials that the men could construct; materials that they could find in the forest and refine themselves. The pieces of the bridge, like the different segments of the complicated relationship the men shared with Daisy, fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
At the end, the bridge looked like something out of a fairy tale. The men misted the bridge with natural moss spores and water with fertilizer to start a natural ecosystem on the bridge, and the moss spread, soon joined by small plants endemic to the area. Eventually, the bridge became covered with ivy and lichen, and even a few mushrooms lived on the side of the bridge. Of course, the presence of wildlife would break the bridge down over time, but not for decades, and by then, there might even be a new generation of shifters up to the task of repairing the bridge.
However, there was one addition the men insisted on making, at each end of the bridge, along the natural firefly paths, they planted fields of daisies. The personal touches the men put on the bridge made it the perfect setting for the weddi
ng.
The wedding reception was to be hosted in town, but the ceremony took place on the farm, in practically the same spot that Daisy first met the three Williams that had wooed her and won her heart in record time. As the sun set, the full moon rose into the sky, and underneath the moon, on the bridge, five people stood, there was a woman in a white dress which hugged her curves, three men in suits, and an elder from the Port Jameson Bear Clan. They were surrounded on all sides by friends and family, the humans were on the side of the bridge closer to Daisy’s farm’s fields, and the shifters were on the side closest to the woods.
Daisy had always imagined her wedding being filled with light: she never would have thought that the light would be the natural light of the moon, soon to be joined by the lights that lit the old and ancient paths of the bears. The pale white light of the moon set her dress aglow, making the pale white dress look like it was made of silver spider silk. The dress was not poufy or frilly like a princess’s gown, as that wouldn’t have made practical sense for the outdoor wedding, and of course, Daisy was wearing a pair of white fashion cowboy boots under her gown to give her outfit a classic Daisy twist.
“We are gathered here tonight to witness the union of this human and three of our ilk,” said the elder. “It has been rare for humans and shifters to join until recently, and marriages of many shifters to one lucky woman have become more and more common.”
The gathered shifters laughed at the elder’s observation. Daisy herself smiled. “That said, each of us here knows Daisy Craston, much better than we knew her family. Daisy has given us the gift of this bridge, allowing us free movement along our sacred ancestral paths again, paths we have waited decades to walk on, and to her, we give our three men,” said the elder. “Daisy, do you have anything you’d like to say?”
“I never thought I’d fall in love with one man, not to mention three,” said Daisy, turning to face all three of her grooms. “And to be honest, when I first moved to Port Jameson, I never would have thought that I would have fallen in love with you three, because we were all, well...pretty gruff. We’ve had quite the adventure this year...and I want to share even more adventures with you, over many more years. Will you all accept me as your wife?” Daisy opened her hand: there were three rings in her hand, each made of pale yellow gold. The rings were practical, simple, and classic.
“We will,” said the men in unison, taking their respective rings out of Daisy’s hand and slipping them on their own fingers at the same time. Wylie and Liam’s bears inside roared in celebration of the finalization of the union, while Bill’s stayed sleeping, as his bear had been satisfied enough after the many, many matings.
“Will you accept me, William Donovan, as your husband, if I promise to love you, protect you, and hold you?” asked Liam, looking Daisy deep in the eyes.
“Will you accept me, William Jackson, as your husband, if I promise to make you laugh, make you smile, and make you love?” asked Wylie Jackson, after Daisy turned to look at him.
“Will you accept me, William Shepherd, as your husband, if I promise to build with you, work with you, and grow with you?” asked Bill, once Daisy was focused on him.
“I do,” said Daisy, kissing each man’s forehead in succession as she said, “I do...I do.”
“I now pronounce you...husbands and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” said the priest with a grin.
Bill kissed Daisy first: he pulled her close and pressed his lips against hers and held them there firmly before pulling away. Daisy kept her eyes closed as another pair of lips met hers, and even with her eyes closed, she knew the lips were Wylie’s, as the kiss was soft and gentle...and once she was met with a new mouth filled with passion, she knew she was being kissed by Liam. As each man kissed her, they placed a thin ring on her ring finger; each ring was pale gold to match the engagement ring.
Liam pulled away, his forehead against Daisy’s as Wylie and Bill each held of one of Daisy’s hands. Daisy opened her eyes as they all split, and her three bear shifters, not so gruff on the day of their wedding, walked with her across the bridge, across the sacred path that had worked with fate to bring them all together.
...and they lived happily ever after...
Sneak Peek: Rapunzel And The Billionaire Bear
Zelda looked out the window at the bright lights of the city that she’d never been allowed to explore. Seattle was glorious in the winter, covered in layers of thick white snow...but in recent years, she’d only ever touched the snow when it blanketed her balcony or she could reach out the window and feel its icy coldness.
Zelda pulled from the window as she heard a ringing sound. It was the sound of her penthouse doorbell. She walked over to the panel and pressed a button. “Hello?” she said meekly.
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” said a woman’s voice. Zelda pressed the button that allowed people in the elevator to come up to the penthouse and waited for a knocking sound, taking a seat by the front door while she waited for her ward’s arrival.
It was the same routine every time, or at least, it had been for years. When Zelda had first met her adoptive mother, Lorelei Woods, she had been impressed by the lifestyle that Lorelei had afforded her. Going from sharing a room with her siblings in a shack in Appalachia (at least, according to what Lorelei had told her: truth be told, Zelda didn’t remember much of her life before the first grade) to living the highlife was any girl’s dream, and Zelda had gone to the finest schools...until she got sick.
At least, until the doctor told her she was sick, one fateful day close to Zelda’s sixteenth birthday. It had started with a cough that Lorelei insisted Zelda have checked out, and Lorelei had told Zelda that it was important that Zelda get weekly blood tests and start taking pills for her sickness until she got better.
While Lorelei had paid for tutors to attend to Zelda, and signed Zelda up for correspondence classes, Zelda wasn’t allowed to go outside due to her poor health...but she missed going out and walking among the people. Lorelei had brought Zelda to Seattle to see a specialist, but aside from Lorelei, her doctor, and a bevy of tutors and assorted staff, Zelda had nobody to talk to, and her visits from Lorelei were frequent but not frequent enough to keep her satisfied. As Zelda had come of age, Lorelei had taken more business trips, and she was constantly away from the apartment, leaving Zelda on her own.
Contamination was an issue: that’s what Lorelei had told Zelda, at least. So, she was only to let up people who knew the secret passcode. If someone didn’t say the words, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair”, Zelda was not to let them in.
Lorelei walked in the door with packages in her hands. “Darling, aren’t you glad to see me?” asked Lorelei. She was wearing her standard black pant suit, with pinstripe details, as well as high platform heels which made her look even taller and thinner than she already was.
Zelda followed Lorelei to the living room. “It’s great to see you, Mom,” said Zelda as Lorelei put the packages down on the coffee table.
“Paris was just as snowy,” said Zelda. “But I brought this for you... I know they’re your favorite.” Zelda passed Lorelei a pale robin’s egg blue box with gold trim and a golden grosgrain ribbon.
Lorelei pulled the ribbon and lifted the lid to the box. Inside were her favorite pastries in literally the entire world: macarons from her favorite bakery, one she’d visited with Zelda before she’d gotten sick. She hadn’t had them since Zelda came back from her last trip to Paris. Lorelei offered one to Zelda. Zelda made a gesture of refusal. “Can’t. I have to watch my waistline.”
“Why don’t I have to watch mine?” asked Lorelei, looking down at her own waistline. She couldn’t look more different from her adoptive mother: while Lorelei was tall, with an icy cold complexion and raven black straight hair cut short into a severe businesswoman’s hair cut, Zelda had long blonde wavy hair and a naturally pinkish complexion.
“Because you’re not me,” said Zelda. “Eat up. I didn’t haul them in my carryon f
or nothing.”
Lorelei picked out a macaron. The sandwich cookie was made of two almond flour biscuits glued together with various fillings that matched the flavors of the biscuit. The macaron Lorelei picked out was coffee flavored. The coffee flavor was very rich and full-bodied, even baked into a small, fluffy cookie. However, the macaron tasted bittersweet, and not just due to its flavoring.
“What’s wrong?” asked Lorelei. “You usually love your macarons.”
“It’s just...when will I be able to leave this apartment?” asked Zelda.
“Why would you want to leave the penthouse, darling?” asked Lorelei, furrowing her brow. “Aren’t you happy here? You can do whatever you want and have whatever you want.”
“I am happy here...usually. I just get lonely sometimes,” said Zelda softly. “Never mind. It’s stupid.”
The buzzer at the door went off and Lorelei gave Zelda a soft smile. “Well, speak of the devil, and he shall appear. I actually have another surprise for you,” said Lorelei. She got up from the door and pressed the button that allowed for entry to the apartment.
“What is it?” asked Zelda.
“I think the better question is, who is it?” said Lorelei with a sly smile. There was a knock at the door and Lorelei opened it.
At the door was a man wearing a suit, the first man Zelda’s own age that she’d seen in years, outside of service workers who rarely spoke to her, performing only their assigned tasks. This man, however, had his eyes on Zelda, looking over Lorelei’s shoulder to the curvalicious woman sitting on the fancy white tufted couch in the open floor plan penthouse’s living room...and he was eating her up just as much as she was eating him up.
The man looked back to the older woman. “Lorelei,” he said simply, extending his hand.
Lorelei took his hand and shook it, exposing the black paw pads on her hands to her fellow bear. “Lance, I’m so glad you could come over. I have somebody I want you to meet.”