by Alanea Alder
"I can do that." He pointed to the radio. "Plug in your phone and play your favorite music. I want to learn everything about you."
He knew he had finally done something right when her eyes lit up. She plugged in her phone and soon Aleks was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to music he had never heard before. Some of it wasn't even in English.
All too soon they arrived at the restaurant. "I kinda wish we could keep driving," he admitted.
"Me too," she said shyly.
They were seated right away. Aleks smiled at the way Rebecca's wide eyes took everything in. "This place is fancy," she whispered.
He nodded. "You deserve nothing less than the best." He leaned forward and took her tiny hand in his. Aleks frowned, her small hand was so cold.
He immediately got up and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. He then motioned to the waiter. "Can you please turn up the heat in here? My lady is freezing." He indicated to Rebecca, who was swimming in his suit jacket. The waiter smiled at her then nodded at Aleks.
"Of course, sir." He walked away to make the adjustment.
"Why did you do that?" she asked as he sat back down. He couldn't help but smile. She looked absolutely adorable being swallowed up by his jacket. He liked that his scent was covering her now.
"Do what?" he asked.
"Give me your coat and asked them to turn up the heat," she said.
"Because you were cold," he said, confused.
"So just like that you did something about it?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Yes, you are my mate. It bothers me on every level to know that you are cold and uncomfortable," he said simply.
She just smiled softly then nodded.
The rest of the dinner went smoothly. Aleks learned that his mate was intelligent and kind. She was fierce when she talked about something she was passionate about. He found himself learning new things about some of the townspeople from her. She observed everything through fresh unbiased eyes.
When the waiter came up and let them know it was closing time, Aleks was surprised. Time had flown by so quickly during their magical dinner. There were never any awkward silences, and it seemed as if they went from strangers to old friends somewhere between the appetizer and dessert.
Aleks walked her to the car and noticed the sad look in her eyes. He pulled her against him and raised her face to his with his hand.
"Hey, what's wrong? Didn't you enjoy dinner?" he asked softly. She nodded.
"Then what's wrong? If I can fix it I will," he said.
"I'm afraid that when we go back this spell will be broken and you won't want me anymore," she said as tears started to spill down her cheeks.
"Oh God, baby, no, please don't cry. I don't care if it takes me the rest of my life to prove to you that I need you, I will. Things between us will only get better and better. I'm not fighting our mating anymore," he said and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears.
"You promise?" she asked, placing her small hands on his large ones as he framed her face.
"I promise," he said then leaned in slowly, giving her time to back away. He gently brought their lips together. He felt her hands tighten on his as she leaned forward kissing him back. He gave a low growl and deepened their kiss.
"Do you think the bear will share his human?" a voice asked.
Aleks looked up and swept Rebecca behind him.
"Back off, hyena, you know the laws," Aleks said, baring his descended canines.
"We're not in Arkadia, bear! You don't rule out here," another voice said from behind Rebecca. Before Aleks could move, they grabbed her and were pulling her toward a car. The hyena that had been in front of him now stood with another between him and his mate.
"Aleks!" she screamed.
He could feel his bear straining to break free. He let out a roar and charged the two hyenas blocking his way. He brought his arm up and raked his claws across their chests sending them to the ground. He ran after his mate and quickly caught up to her. He reached out and flung the hyena dragging his mate into the building.
"His hands are shifted!" one yelled.
"Of course my hands have shifted, I am an Arkadion. We're one of the original shifter families. A partial shift is child's play to me." He turned and started backing Rebecca up against their car. He could feel her trembling against his back.
"This isn't over, bear. She's worth too much, we need her." The hyena that had been flung stood wiping his mouth.
"You threaten my mate and I will personally kill each of you with my bare hands," Aleks said.
The hyenas cackled nervously, all three shifted and ran into the brush.
"Get in the car!" Aleks ordered. Rebecca scrambled to open the door. Only when she was safely inside did he race around and jump in the driver's seat. He watched as her trembling hands tried and failed to buckle her seat belt. Gently he took the belt from her hands and clicked it for her.
"It will be okay, baby, they will never touch you," he said and kissed her forehead.
Her entire body shook beside him. Enraged, he took out his phone. Within seconds he had Liam, his parents, and Bran conferenced in and on speaker.
"I need you to send an escort to meet us and get us into town safely. I am taking no chances with my mate," Aleks said.
"Connor, Rian, Damian, Emmett, and Duncan have already left. Kate is coordinating with them on a separate line," Ma said calmly.
"Rian and Damian were most adamant to be the ones to guard your mate," Pa added.
"They ju–just want t–t–to hear how th–the date went. They are s–s–so nosy," Rebecca said, her teeth chattering.
"Aleks, turn up the heat, it sounds like she is going into shock." A familiar voice advised.
Aleks looked over and saw that Rebecca was still shaking and started cursing as he jacked the heat in the cabin. He recognized the tenor voice as Dr. Claybourne. He was glad his Ma called him in. He wanted to make sure Rebecca was okay. How dare those hyenas threaten his mate! He cursed again under his breath.
"Aleks, language!" Ma said and Aleks smiled at the familiarity of it.
"Yes, Ma," he said and pushed the gas pedal down further.
A little before the halfway mark, which proved to Aleks how fast his brothers must have been driving, they met up with their escort. Two trucks did hairpin turns and flanked his car. Aleks let out a breath, feeling better now that his brothers were with him.
"The others are here. We should be home in less than thirty minutes," Aleks said.
"Bring her straight to the diner. I want to lay eyes on the both of you," Ma ordered.
"Ok, Ma, love you."
"Love you too, baby boy, hurry home," she said and he hung up the phone.
"I'm sorry our date was ruined," he said softly.
"It wasn't ruined. You were willing to fight and kill for me. That shows me how you feel more than any words can say." She grabbed his hand and held on tight.
"I would do anything for you," he said and she smiled.
CHAPTER FIVE
"She's fine, Aleks, no harm done," Dr. Claybourne said, stepping back from Rebecca. Aleks breathed a sigh of relief.
"Repeat what he said again," Ma asked.
"I don't know. It was something about Rebecca being worth too much," Aleks said, running his hands through his hair, causing it to stick up in different directions. Rebecca realized what would look messy on another man made him look like he just got out of bed. Yum.
"He said, 'This isn't over, bear. She's worth too much, we need her.' Then they left," Rebecca said, blowing on her hot chocolate.
"Okay, that was creepy," Connor said.
She looked around. "What was creepy?"
"When you repeated what he said, you kinda sounded like him, babe," Aleks said.
"Oh, yeah, I do that. I have an eidetic memory, sort of," she said, sipping her drink.
"Really?" Aleks asked, sounding surprised.
She knew having a photographic memory that could also re
call sensory impressions was quite rare. There were times she hated it. "Yeah, it sucks sometimes. When I hear something that makes me sad, it stays with me a long time and I can recall it with perfect clarity, like when the police came in to tell me my father died. I remember exactly what he said and how he sounded. Or like the other day when you were talking to Connor and you..." She trailed off.
Aleks stood and picked her up before placing her in his lap and wrapping his arms around her. He nuzzled the back of her neck and she giggled. Everyone smiled at them.
"How soon can we close our borders to them?" Aleks asked.
"We can't," Ma said softly.
"Why the hell not?" Aleks roared.
"Because we can't prove that they were acting with their clan's approval. If we close the borders to them they could bring charges against us for not remaining neutral. It could lead to the dismantling of not only this town but Arkadia's sister towns as well." Ma explained.
"That is bullshit!" Rian exclaimed. Heads nodded.
"But that's the reality we have to deal with," Ma said.
"Come on, baby, let's get out of here," Aleks said.
She shot a look to Liam and then Rian and Damian. Rian was the first one to realize what was wrong.
"You can't take her away, Aleks. She is coming home with us so we can hear all about your date," he said, winking. Aleks began to frown. Damian chimed in.
"That's right, she owes us a story." Damian stepped up and scooped Rebecca out of Alek's arms. Aleks began to growl. Rebecca turned and faced him.
"I'm not saying no, just not tonight. Please understand," she asked, looking down at Aleks, pleading with her eyes.
He sighed. "Take all the time you need baby, I'll always be waiting."
"Don't forget to pick up your luggage from the bed and breakfast. You will want a change of clothes for the morning," Leona reminded her.
"Thank you, Leona."
"My door is always open to you, baby girl," Leona said.
Aleks stretched. "I suppose one night won't be too bad, but they have to feed me in the morning. I'll be over for breakfast," he said, grinning evilly at Liam, who rolled his eyes.
"I also want to cook you dinner tomorrow to make up for the way tonight's date ended. Would that be okay?" he asked.
She nodded, smiling, and then leaned forward from Damian's arms and kissed him.
"Okay, no smooching in my arms, it's weird," Damian said, laughing.
Aleks turned to his brothers. "Emmett, you take first watch, and Connor, you can take second. I'll take third watch and then stay for breakfast. I want her watched at all times until we can close the borders to those damn hyenas," he said.
His brothers nodded. "We got this, Aleks," Emmett said. Both brothers pounded fists with Aleks. Emmett grabbed the thermos of coffee his ma had prepared and handed it to Connor.
Liam scowled at Aleks. "We can guard her just fine."
"Yeah!" Rian and Damian said echoing their Alpha.
Aleks ignored them. "See you in the morning baby."
"Goodnight," she said, waving as Damian huffed then carried her out of the diner.
Once everyone had piled into the car Damian leaned forward. "Okay, do you want to explain why we rescued you from what would have been a primal claiming? He was totally amped up from defending you. It would have been hot!" Damian demanded, waving his hands beside her in the backseat.
"I don't know," she admitted watching buildings go by as she stared out the window.
They drove for a few short blocks before stopping at Leona's. Rian hopped from the car and went inside.
She began to giggle when he ran from the door, dramatically flew off the porch her suitcase under one arm and jumped into the vehicle like it was a getaway car.
"Drive! Drive!" he shouted making them all laugh.
Once on the road she looked over to Damian. "I think he has accepted that he has a mate, and I think he has even accepted and is okay with a human being his mate. But I want him to want me, Rebecca, as a mate. Does that make sense?" she asked, turning to look at Damian.
"I understand what you mean, darling, but here's a little inside information. For shifters, when we meet our mate, that is it. Aleks may have had reservations about you being his mate since his protective instincts were in overdrive and he didn't want to hurt you, but he and his bear know you are it for him," Damian said.
"Tonight was magical. I felt like we really got to know each other, but he doesn't know everything about me. How can he already accept me as a person?" she asked.
"Rebecca, for shifters your mate is your everything. Before you, Aleks may have only dated tall, Nordic blondes who were built like linebackers. But now he is only attracted to tiny, dark-haired humans. Everything in him wants, no, needs everything that makes you, you. You have found the one person in this entire world that will love you and crave you, just the way you are, because just the way you are makes you perfect for him," Rian explained from the passenger seat.
"Just like that?" she asked. All three men nodded.
"In our world finding your mate is like winning the lottery. Our whole culture teaches us to cater to our mates, because we know how much of a blessing it is. Mates always, always come first," Liam said.
"Tall, Nordic blondes?" she asked, and all three groaned.
"You would pick up on that one single sentence." Damian playfully smacked her on the arm. She laughed.
"So enough of the self doubt, tell us everything! I want details, woman. Aleks has been the most eligible bachelor and most sought-after shifter in town. He's always so intense." Rian turned around and stared at her in rapt attention. She smiled.
"Ahhhh! Look at that smile. I know something happened, tell all, woman!" Rian exclaimed.
"Well, he took me to this perfect little restaurant outside of town," she began before launching into the story of dinner, his passionate kisses, and him defending her against the hyenas. She had Damian shaking his head and Rian pretending to swoon in the front seat. She laughed at their antics. In her heart she started to believe that maybe Aleks actually wanted her for her.
CHAPTER SIX
"What do you mean she isn't here?" Aleks demanded when he knocked on Liam's door the next morning.
"She left about a half an hour ago to head to town to ask Ma about getting a job," Rian explained from the foyer.
Aleks stared at him for a second then turned around and went back to his car. He grumbled under his breath the entire way back to town. He was going to throttle Liam for leaving. He knew Liam just didn't want to make him breakfast. Thinking of food had his stomach growling. Maybe going to the diner wasn't such a bad idea. He could find Rebecca, talk her out of getting a job, eat a huge breakfast, beg for forgiveness, then take her home and claim her before spending the day fucking her silly. He nodded. Yup. That sounded like a perfect idea.
"What do you mean she isn't here?" Aleks asked his Ma. He looked around the diner half expecting her to pop up from one of the booths.
"She left with Liam to go ask your Pa about the library. It's been closed for a while and she's real interested in getting it back in order. When I told her that she would have carte blanche if she was interested in getting the library updated, she lit up like a Christmas tree. Did you know she has a Master of Science in Library Science and another Master of Science in Computer Science? I think that girl is an authentic genius," Ma said, handing Kate a plate filled with pancakes. Aleks stared at his Ma.
"So she went to the garage?" he asked, and his Ma nodded. Shaking his head, Aleks gave Kate's pancakes a wistful glance before turning around to head to his Pa's garage.
"What do you mean she isn't here?" He stood dumbfounded at his Pa's garage. How fast was his mate moving?
"After I gave the okay and found the keys to the library she and Liam took off to go get her 'Orgasmic Frappe' I think she called it," Pa said from under Emmett's truck. Aleks frowned. That would explain why he didn't see her, if she took Congress Avenue down to Nic'
s place. Growling and now starving, he left to go to the coffee shop.
"What the hell do you mean she isn't here!" Aleks exclaimed. Most of the patrons moved closer to the door. Nic went white as a sheet.
"Sir, Alpha Aleks, sir, she and Liam already left to go to the diner to speak with your Ma." Nic gulped when he saw that Aleks's canines.
"Goddamn cat! I know he is doing this on purpose!" Aleks marched toward the door as people practically jumped out of his way.
"What do you mean she isn't here!" Aleks roared before reaching for Liam, intending to choke the life out of him. Liam jumped behind Kate and Bran, who were having a hard time not laughing.
"You knew I would be over this morning. You knew I would be looking for her. I know you have been taking her the long way around town. You had to have caught my scent!" Aleks bellowed.
"Aleks, she..." Liam began.
"I want to see my mate! Where is she?" Aleks demanded.
"Aleks, she..." Liam began again and was cut off as he tried to avoid Aleks's hands.
"I'm right behind you, you grumpy-ass bear. Now sit down. You're being too loud," Rebecca said, standing in the middle of the diner with her hands on her hips.
Aleks immediately quieted down and walked over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders, and rubbed his chin over her head. Liam grinned wickedly.
"What I was trying to say was that she wasn't here because she was in the bathroom," Liam said, taking his seat at the counter.
"Aleks, quit causing a ruckus! Rebecca, your breakfast is ready," Ma said, placing another plate next to Liam's at the counter. Aleks steered Rebecca toward the counter and sat her down, kissing her forehead. She grinned up at him. He reached over, grabbed Liam's plate, sat down on the other side of Rebecca and began to inhale the food.
"Hey!" Liam exclaimed and Ma rolled her eyes. She headed back to the kitchen to grab a plate for Liam and probably a second plate for him.
Rebecca turned to Aleks, excitement written all over her face. "I have a job! Your Ma found out I used to be a librarian before I moved and recommended that I look at your library, which hasn't been open in years. I was shocked when I found out about that. I mean how can you not have new books to read? Anyway, she then said I should check with your Pa to get the library keys. He said he thought I would be the perfect person to get it back to its former glory and gave me the keys. Then we went to see Nic because it's morning and I needed my frappe and then we came here. I meant to call you, but I left my phone on the charger at Liam's. What did you do this morning?" she asked seemingly all in one breath.