by Terry Spear
When Edward, Robyn, and the boys left the forest and were out on open snow, they saw a couple of bald eagles flying overhead. He enjoyed running as a bear in the pristine wilderness. He loved coming here with his tour groups and family and friends. He couldn’t believe he was out here with Robyn again, and now with his own sons too.
He kept wishing that his brother or sister-in-law could have seen visions of Robyn and the boys showing up in White Bear and the difficulties they were facing. His brother had visions of the future, and Alicia had visions of the past, but oftentimes they couldn’t see anything that related to close family members or otherwise they might have.
Once they’d finished having fun, he told Robyn and the boys to come with him and he would take them home again. For him, enjoying the wilderness was enough, fishing as a bear and cooking the fish at the cabin, taking wilderness hikes, enjoying the quiet, talking about things he and his family had done in the past, piecing together puzzles, playing cards, or board games. They didn’t have TV out here and he hoped the boys would be fine with playing with other things. They could still go out and make a snowman or two. And they could work on more of their snow fort also and have another snowball fight. He wasn’t used to being around kindergarten-age kids, so he wasn’t sure what else they would like to do. So far, they seemed to be enjoying all the activities they'd taken part in here.
But he was thinking he needed to take her and the kids back to White Bear. They couldn’t stay out here forever. He needed to tell his family that Robyn and the boys were staying with them.
They finally managed to arrive back at the cabin, and everyone was ready to shift and dress. The boys came out of the bedroom dressed and collapsed on the couch in the living room after their wild adventures.
Edward set out a puzzle for them to piece together and then joined Robyn in the kitchen where she was making grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken and rice soup for lunch.
Edward helped Robyn slice up cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches. The boys were piecing together the seal, puffin, and polar bear puzzle in the living room and talking away to each other.
She poured the soup into the saucepan to heat. “I’ve been thinking...” Then she glanced at Edward. “We need to get married.”
Edward’s jaw dropped slightly. He had hoped Robyn would want the same thing in time, but he thought he’d have to do a lot more convincing before that happened.
He smiled and pulled her into a hug and kissed her. “Hell, yeah. I’m ready. Like six years ago ready.” He’d been ready ever since he’d seen her at the tavern this time, hoping beyond hope her mate was no longer with her and that’s why she was alone with the boys. Once he learned she’d lost her mate, he wanted in the worst way to make her his own mate. But he thought she might want to wait a bit and see how things worked out between them and see how he coped with the boys on a regular basis.
She smiled at him, looking just as happy about the prospect, not that she was only doing so because she was afraid, if they didn’t, her late mate’s family would still come after them. Or that she felt obligated in any way to marry Edward because it would provide more stability for the boys.
He couldn’t believe how much it felt as though she’d never been away from him for any length of time.
“It’s a little late to begin a courtship, I figure.” She motioned to the boys in the living room.
“I have every intention of courting you, even after we’re married.” Edward kissed her again. “You don’t know how happy that makes me.”
"I have some idea." She smiled.
“I love you. I always have and I’ve never stopped.”
"I love you too." She kissed him back. “Maybe if we’re mated, my in-laws will give up on the notion that they have any rights to the boys. You don’t know how much I was afraid you’d reject me too.”
“No way. Not when you were the only woman I’ve ever been interested in marrying. It feels like we’ve never been apart.”
“Except that you’ve got a couple of boys in the deal—”
“Even better. I’ve always loved my family. And I couldn’t be happier to make you and the boys part of it. My family already adores you. The only problem would have been if you had left again and taken them with you. My aunt and uncle will be ecstatic.”
“Call them then.” She rubbed Edward’s arm. “Tell them we’re returning to White Bear.”
“We’ll have difficulties.”
“We’ll deal with it, as long as your family is all right with it,” Robyn said.
“You know they are. We always rally around our own kind, and others of the White Bear community, who are friends and like extended family, will too.” Edward released her to grab his satellite phone and called Craig. Edward felt like he was doing a moonwalk, he was so thrilled Robyn wanted to be his mate. He pulled her into his arms again.
“Hey, have you had more issues again?” Craig asked right away.
“No. We want to return to White Bear and get married.”
Craig whooped. “Halleluiah. You finally came to your senses. Is it okay to mention it to our family?”
“Yeah. Have your mom make arrangements for the marriage, and as soon as we arrive, we’ll do this.”
“All right. As soon as I get off the phone with you, I’ll tell her and I’m headed out to pick you all up.”
“Is there any sign of her husband’s family in White Bear?”
“No. I think they’ve lost your tracks, but they’re not in White Bear right now that we know of.”
“Good.” They really didn’t need the conflict when they arrived back home.
“I’ll be there in an hour.” Craig ended the call.
Edward’s aunt called right after that. He smiled when Aunt Genevieve said, “I’m so excited for all of you. This is just great news. Everyone will be so happy. Put Robyn on for me, will you? I’ll talk to her about what she wants to do concerning the wedding.”
“I’m sure she just wants something quick and official.”
“Nonsense. That’s a man talking for you. We had a lovely affair for Rob and Alicia. We’ll do something a little faster this time for you and Robyn, but we’re doing this.”
Loving Genevieve for wanting to help with this, Edward smiled and pulled Robyn tighter in his arms. He hoped she wouldn’t mind, because his aunt was going to do whatever it took to make this spur-of-the-moment wedding as grand as it could be, given the time constraints.
“Big wedding,” Edward said, handing the phone to Robyn.
ROBYN COULDN’T IMAGINE THROWING A “BIG” wedding together in a hurry and it wore her out just thinking about it. But if his aunt was willing to get started on it while they were trying to return to White Bear, she would welcome it.
“I was just thinking of a simple wedding, a justice of the peace, or something. I think that as long as we have the paperwork, anyone can actually marry us off. Just as long as it’s nice and official and we have plenty of witnesses, in case any of my late husband’s brothers try to come and take the boys away from me.”
“You deserve the best. If you don’t mind, just let me know what you would like: color scheme, flowers, type of cake, food you’d like to eat, and anything else you can think of. And I’ll take it from there.”
“I…I don’t know. I didn’t have a family wedding the first time. Just anything is fine.”
“What about a dress?”
“There wouldn’t be time.”
“Alicia, Rob’s wife, has a really good friend, Tamara White, and she has a new wedding gown. You look like you’re about the same size. When she heard you and Edward were back together again, she said if you would like to use her wedding gown, she would be thrilled.”
“Well, I don't know her, but if you really don’t think she would mind. But tell her that I don’t want her to feel in any way obligated if she doesn’t want me to use it. I will totally understand.”
“I’ll ask her. She's eager to meet you. Beyond that, Ned and I can’t wait to spoi
l the boys,” Genevieve said. “Christmas is almost here.”
Robyn smiled. This was such a change from the way her mate’s parents had been. And her own family had been after she had met Edward.
“Edward has always loved you and no other girl could meet his expectations after you. I’m so glad you’re back.”
“We’ll have issues with my late husband’s pack,” she warned her. Robyn didn’t want her to forget that part.
“We have a judge who can handle this. Even if your late mate was listed as the father on the boys’ birth certificates.”
“He wasn’t. Edward was. And Callahan knew they weren’t his sons, but he was trying to protect them from my family. So was I. But then Callahan told the boys himself that he wasn’t their father, though he told the kids not to tell anyone, including me. Anyway, my youngest twin, Bryan, told Martha.”
“So they know the truth and they still want to take the boys away from you. Okay, dear. We’ll get it all worked out. I can’t tell you how excited we are that you’re with us again.”
“Thank you. Though I hate to bring this concern to you and your family, I’m glad to be here too. I just can’t thank you and everyone else enough after…all that’s happened.”
“Nonsense. Craig’s on his way to bring you here. He’ll probably take his brother to help. I’ll see you in a couple of hours and we can make final arrangements for your wedding, get the paperwork signed, and you’ll be all set. You have nothing to worry about.”
But Robyn knew how stubborn her late mate’s family could be, and if they could stop this from happening, they would do it.
When they finished the call, Edward kissed her again. “I hope my aunt isn’t making you feel that we have to go all out for this in such a rush. We could just get married on paper and then have a fancier wedding later.”
“It’s overwhelming, but no. I’d much rather just do it the one time. I’m excited about it, really. And it was so good of your aunt to start coordinating everything until we can return and I can help her.”
“You and Alicia are like her daughters now. With all her sons and nephews to raise and all the shenanigans we pulled, she’s thrilled to have you both. What about your own family? The Conibears still won’t like that we’re getting married.”
“They gave up on me when I moved to the Northwestern Territories. I might not ever see them again, though all that matters is keeping you, our sons, and the rest of your family safe.” She hugged him. “I bet you never envisioned your life to turn so upside down, just because you were working in your family’s tavern before Christmas.”
“Only in a good way. You’re right about not expecting you to return and end up being with me like this again, certainly not with a couple of boys in tow. I’d always hoped you might return, but I had figured there’d be no chance of that. I couldn’t be more thrilled. It’s like a Christmas miracle. In advance, I apologize if I don’t meet your expectations as far as raising the boys go. I suspect it will be all trial and error to begin with, and our parenting ideas might be different.”
“You’ve already shown just how good you can be with the boys. You rescued our sons. And I loved the way you dealt with them in such a positive way for their 'punishment'. You were so heroic, and I couldn’t be prouder of you. I’m sure we’ll have lots of ups and downs, as any couple raising a couple of bear cubs would. We’ll have different ideas on how to raise them. And couple differences too. But we’ll make it just fine as long as we continue to love and communicate with each other. I’ll cherish every moment with you.”
“The same with me. Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be mated to me? I never stopped thinking of you in that way,” he asked.
“Of course I did. And how dangerous it would have been if we had because of my family.”
They heard a seaplane’s engine and Edward said, “It’s not Craig’s seaplane.” He immediately called Craig and put it on speakerphone. “A seaplane is landing on the water near the cabin. Simon and his brothers wouldn’t be coming to their cabin, would they?”
“No. I won’t be there for another forty-five minutes. But I’ve got Andy with me to help out.”
“We’re shifting and getting out of here and heading for our family cabin.”
“I’m calling for reinforcements. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
Robyn was already getting the boys to strip and then she hurried to remove her clothes.
“The brothers don’t know this area, if it’s them, which is the only advantage we have,” Edward said.
“I’m radioing to learn which pilot took them out there,” Craig said.
“All right. We’re shifting and taking off.”
Robyn knew things couldn’t be as perfect as they thought they would be. She and the boys shifted and Edward said, “We stick together since you don’t know the area well either.”
She nodded. She knew all the bears would have to do was follow their scents and tracks and they could locate them quickly. She couldn’t run that fast with a couple of cubs.
Edward opened the door and Robyn and their sons ran outside as bears. Edward shut the door and shifted. Then he led the way.
If all of the men had come, all four of them, she and Edward wouldn’t be able to fight them off. She could see them killing Edward and her and taking the boys back to Yellowknife.
For a couple of miles, she and Edward and the boys had been running through the snow when she saw a grizzly bear off in the distance. As soon as he saw them, he stood up and grunted. Her heart was in her throat when Edward headed straight for the bear, and the grizzly tore off to meet up with them. That’s all they needed was to have to fight off a grizzly bear first.
He growled at Edward, and Edward growled back. She and the boys stopped running to catch their breaths. But neither of the men were challenging the other’s territorial rights. Edward motioned to Robyn and the cubs and then he growled at the grizzly. Then he motioned again with his head toward them.
The grizzly took in what Edward was trying to convey and she thought he must be a shifter like them. Maybe he was even a friend.
What she couldn’t believe was that the grizzly and Edward joined each other, stood on their hind legs and battled each other in friendly combat in greeting.
Edward called out to her and she and the boys joined them and then Edward began to move again. She and the cubs followed. To her surprise, the grizzly came with them!
Polar bears were capable of traveling nearly twenty miles per day in search of food. She hoped that it wouldn’t be that far from Simon’s cabin to where Edward planned to take them because she felt as though they were just getting farther away from civilization. She was afraid that the cabin he mentioned he wanted to reach was so far away that they would never make it in time.
She wanted to trust in him, but she was certain he’d never traveled with a couple of young cubs before either. The boys had been good about staying with them, pushing themselves, not wandering off or complaining. But they were beginning to move slower and slower.
Then after walking and resting for about five miles, she saw a cabin off in the snow, but it wouldn’t be any safer than the snow leopards' cabin had been, she didn’t think. It would be awful to ruin someone else’s cabin if they had a bear fight in it. But Edward was hell-bent on reaching it, nudging the boys on, trying to get them to move faster. When they saw the cabin, they began to pick up speed, as if the cabin meant they didn’t have to run any more.
None of them had seen any sign of her mate’s brothers, but the polar bears would all blend in with the snow, so it would be hard to see them. Likewise, they would have a difficult time seeing Robyn and the others. All except for the grizzly with them. Still, they would be following their scents.
She felt guarded relief when they reached the cabin and Edward shifted, opened the door and ran inside. She and the boys did too and she smelled Edward and more of his kin’s scents in the cabin. This had to be the one he had be
en talking about with Craig.
The grizzly came inside with them and Edward came out of one of the rooms dressed in boxer briefs and hurried to shut and lock the door. “Alicia’s spare clothes are in the room on the right. Gary, you can grab some of my extra clothes. We’ll have to fit the boys in some adult clothes. I’ve got two rifles here and a sat phone for emergencies. I’ll let Craig know to come here first for us.”
Gary went down the hall to the bedroom that was Edward's, and she and the boys went to Rob and Alicia’s room. She hurried to dress. Then she tried to help the boys dress in the adult clothes. Edward finished dressing also.
“These are a girl’s clothes,” Bryan complained.
“They’re smaller than the men’s clothes. We’ll get your clothes soon.”
Edward was already on the sat phone to his cousin. “Hey, Craig, we made it. No sign of the polar bears. Maybe it was just someone else who was landing the seaplane near there. Gary joined us.”
“Good. I had learned he was in the vicinity and told him to try and meet up with you out there,” Craig said.
“Great, he sure did. And we’re much indebted to him.”
“I think he still would like to make up for the fight he had with your brother.”
“Well, he’s sure going to be a great help now.”
“Okay, I’m headed in your direction. I told the pilot, who left the four men off near Simon’s cabin, that the men had it in mind to kidnap your young sons. He offered to help us, but he’s human and we can’t allow him to get into our bear business. I told him my brother will be here shortly, with handcuffs and arrest warrants.”
“We know for sure it was them?”
“Yeah. We do now. Got your rifles ready?”
“Sure do. So far, we haven’t seen any sign of them.” Edward pulled the boys in for hugs in their oversized clothes. They looked like they were tired and scared. They hugged him back and then he motioned for them to sit on the couch. He embraced Robyn next and said to his cousin, “We’ll keep you informed if we see them, Craig.”
“Okay. Out here.”
Gary joined them and loaded a rifle. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on? Craig was trying to tell me the difficulties you were having, but I was in a real hurry to shift and get out the door so I could help you out if you got caught in the snow and had to face these men on your own.”