by Tyler, Jules
"Yes, ma'am," Brady sighed. It was going to be a long night.
Chapter Nineteen
It had been ten days since the incident with the cougar, and Mama Ally had been at the cabin every day since with food and cards. Ten days since Stella had spoken to or seen Brady. She felt guilty and she knew she couldn't avoid him forever, but she still needed to sort through where she wanted to go from here. That first night Mama had come by, Stella was sure she was going to try and reassure her Brady was a good guy like any other mother would, but she didn't. Every night since then, she hadn't brought up any mention of Brady either. It was driving Stella mad not knowing how he was doing. She didn't hate him for what he was; hell, she didn't hate him period. She was just confused about everything.
Picking up a piece of fried fish and dunking it in tartar sauce, Stella looked at Mama Ally, "So if Brady is… A bear… Does that mean you're one too?"
Mama paused for a moment and nodded slowly at Stella, obviously trying to gauge where this conversation would be going from here.
"What about Brady's father?" Stella wondered.
"He was human, died in a wildlife fire when Brady was three. He was a good man. Why do you ask," Mama questioned, her voice laced with curiosity as she popped a French fry into her mouth.
"Well… I guess what I'm asking is… How do bear-people get their bears? I don't remember Brady having a bear inside of him when we were kids," Stella thought, trying to pick her words carefully so she wouldn't offend Mama.
"You want to know if he was born a shifter?" Mama clarified.
Stella shrugged, "Yeah, I guess that's what I mean."
"The short answer? Yes, Brady was born this way. It's not often that a shifter-human couple have an all-human baby."
"Why is that?" Stella inquired, leaning forward on her elbows to prop her chin on top of her folded hands on the table.
"Genetics, darlin'. Shifter genes are strong, so usually the baby ends up with whatever animal the shifter parent is," Mama explained as she took a bite of her piece of fish.
"So there's more than just bear shifters then?"
Mama nodded as she finished swallowing her food, "You think of an animal, and there's likely a shifter with that particular creature inside of them."
"Even a mouse?" Stella speculated.
Mama giggled, "I like where your head is at. While I've never met a mouse shifter, I'm sure they exist. I did meet an otter shifter once. Let me tell you, those guys are slick."
"Do I even want to know?" Stella asked sarcastically.
"Ummm, probably best that you don't, if I'm being completely honest,” Mama winked at her teasingly.
“Do you think that cougar that Brady chased off the other day was a shifter?” Stella questioned.
“Very doubtful. The air didn’t smell like a shifter. I’d bet my money it was just a big cat looking for a meal. Now where is all this headed, sweetheart? Tell Mama Ally what's on your mind," Mama urged, pulling one of Stella's hands free and smoothing her thumb over her knuckles.
"I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything. Like, I obviously know that you aren't blowing smoke up my butt about shifters existing. I'm just trying to understand how there's shifters like Alaric in the world and then there's shifters like you and Brady," Stella said, worrying her bottom lip as she waited for Mama's response.
"Well that's a silly question, sweetheart. Shifters still have human instincts and drives. That's just like asking why there are good men and bad men in the world. It's just the natural order of things. While most shifters have good hearts and the right intentions, sometimes if they lose their intended mate or never meet them, it can drive their animal crazy. It's been a long time since I met someone that let it happen, but I'd be willing to bet that's what happened to Alaric. His animal fixated on you, and the more you fought whatever connection he was trying to force on you, the crazier it drove him," Mama explained.
"So it's my fault that this happened?" Stella asked defensively as she withdrew her hand from Mama's.
"That's not what I'm saying at all, sweetheart. What I'm saying is that Alaric's bear is sick and was trying to force you into a mating. It got violent because it's desperate for a connection with someone. That's not how mates work. A mating is a consensual agreement between two beings. Both people have a say in it," Mama Ally explained, taking the empty plates and going to wash them in the sink.
Stella followed her and leaned up against the countertop, "You said there's intended mates. What does that mean?"
Mama turned off the water and turned to face Stella, "I think that's a good question for you to ask Brady when you're ready."
"But," Stella began to protest before Mama put a finger to Stella's lips.
"No buts about it, sweet cheeks. That is a conversation I feel like you need to have with Brady. Now listen here -- Christmas is tomorrow, and I'm expecting you two to be able to be in the same room as each other so I can spend the day with both of you. Everything with Alaric aside, you know deep down in your bones that you love my son. Probably always have. Fate is a fickle bitch, Stella. You ended up back here with us for a reason. Now are you a sheep or are you a dragon? Because last time I checked, your Grandpa Buck raised a damn dragon. Be the dragon, Stella. Fight for what you want," Mama said sternly as she turned back to the dishes.
"But how do I know if what I want is worth fighting for?" Stella asked, voice filled with uncertainty.
"That's a question only your heart can answer, honey. Now why don't you get your tush over here and help me with these dishes?"
Chapter Twenty
Brady awoke to a knock on his bedroom door as the sun started to rise through his window on Christmas morning.
Why the hell is Mama up this early?
"Mama, go back to bed. It's too damn early," Brady complained, pulling his pillow over his head.
"Get up, sleepy head. We're going for a walk," Stella whispered sweetly in his ear.
Brady sat up so fast it made his head spin, but he didn't care. It had been ten whole days since he had seen or spoken to Stella and dammit he was going to hug her. Pulling her into his lap, he gave her the biggest bear hug he'd ever given someone.
"Stella, I'm so sorry. I should've told you sooner. I'm so so so so so so sorry. Please forgive me," Brady begged as he squeezed his arms around her tightly.
Stella tapped on his chest, "Brady, I can't breathe."
"Oh, right, sorry about that. I'm just so excited to see you," Brady whispered excitedly.
"I'm sorry that it's taken so long for me to come see you. I just needed some time to think about everything and figure some things out first. Which is why I'm here now. Can you get dressed so we can go for a walk before your Mama gets up and wants to start Christmas?" Stella asked.
"Yeah, I'll do whatever you ask of me. Just give me a few to get dressed," Brady said, planting a quick kiss on her lips before setting her on the bed. "Crap, I hope that was okay."
He watched as Stella touched her lips and smiled at him, "Yeah, it was just fine."
Brady quickly grabbed a pair of jeans and a green and brown flannel shirt and tiptoed to the bathroom. He had been so convinced that she was going to disappear in the night that he had been staying up and listening to make sure she didn't try to leave. He just wanted to make sure she stayed safe and he wanted a chance to explain himself. He'd felt like a major asshole the past week and a half.
As soon as his last button on his shirt was fastened, he tiptoed back across the hall to his room. When he opened the door, he found Stella looking down at a picture frame in her hands with a smile on her face.
"What did you find there, beautiful?" Brady asked as he set his sleep pants on the bed and walked over to take a look.
He watched as she turned the frame towards him as he rested his chin on her shoulder. It only took Brady a moment to realize it was the picture they had taken together the last summer she had been here when they were kids. Her raven hair had been braided into two
long pigtails and her clothes were covered in mud, just like Brady's were. Their arms were wrapped around the other's waist and they were mid-laugh. It had been so long, Brady couldn’t recall what had been so funny, but this was one of his most treasured pictures.
Brady slid the picture out of Stella's hands and set it back on the desk before turning her to face him. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her in for another hug and smiled when she leaned her head against his chest.
"I'm so sorry, Stella. I'm an idiot. I should've said something sooner," Brady apologized.
"Idiot isn't exactly the word I would use for it, but I understand that you were just trying to protect me. It's a lot to take in, and until the other day, you had no clue what or who Alaric was. I think if I had spoken up sooner, then maybe you would've told me sooner. It's mostly my fault. I was just so overwhelmed watching you go from man to bear and I started flashing back to when Alaric had attacked me. It was just too much to take in too soon," Stella said as she hugged him tighter.
"I know. We're not all twisted in the head like he is though," Brady assured her.
"That's what Mama Ally was saying," Stella murmured. "Let's go for that walk, shall we?"
"Are you always so bossy?" Brady teased as he took his hand in his and they tiptoed out the door into the hall.
Stella giggled as she slipped her snow boots back on, "Only with you because it's fun."
Brady rolled his eyes mockingly at her as he slid his own snow boots on, "Let's go, Bossy Pants."
"Is anyone staying in any of the other cabins right now?" Stella inquired as they well into stride with each other and headed towards the creek.
"Not currently. Why?" Brady asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at her.
"No reason. So, Mama Ally was talking to me about shifters last night, and she mentioned something to me about them, but I'm not sure what it means," Stella wondered out loud as they stopped to watch two birds hopping around in the snow.
"Oh? What did she say?"
"She mentioned something about intended mates, but she refused to tell me what that means or what it is. She told me that it was something I needed to ask you about," Stella said, looking at Brady for reassurance that it wasn't something Mama had made up in her head.
"Of course she said I needed to answer that question. She's such a sneak," Brady shook his head. His Mama was definitely good at getting what she wanted.
"So, what does it mean? I'm dying from curiosity here," Stella laughed.
"To explain what they are, I have to explain something else about me to you as well. This time, I'm sharing a secret with you and I need you to listen to everything I have to say about it before you judge me for anything, okay?" Brady instructed as he guided her over a boulder and dusted it off for her to sit on.
"So serious," Stella teased as she sat down.
"Just promise me you'll hear me out, okay?" Brady pleaded.
"Okay, I promise to hear you out," Stella nodded.
"In the shifter world, there's mates and there are intended mates. Mates are usually someone that you can meet and fall in love with like humans do. No big deal, right? Well, intended mates are determined by the Fates. When a shifter meets their intended mate, they know immediately. It's like love at first sight, but so much stronger. When it's two shifters, the connection is instant between them. There's nothing that the other wouldn't do for their intended. They'd move heaven and earth if it meant their intended would be happy. The Fates pick this person because they best match the person they pair them with, and their wants and needs will always be met. Of course, they can always decide to deny their connection, but more often than not, it doesn't happen that way," Brady paused and looked at Stella, who seemed to be deep in thought, before continuing.
"Intended mates aren't just limited to shifters though. It can be a shifter and a human pairing as well," Stella's eyes locked with Brady as he kept talking. "My parents were intended mates. They met when they were adults though. But it can happen sooner. I met my intended mate when I was just a little boy. I just didn't realize it until I didn't see her again for a long time. You see, when I was old enough to realize what was going on and why I was so attached to my memories of this girl, I thought it was too late. When I knew she would be old enough for me to go looking for her, I searched the entire state for her, hoping I could find her and convince her to come home. Turns out when you leave the foster care system, it's not hard to change your last name so previous foster families can't find you."
Stella's eyes grew wide as Brady walked over to her and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and he whispered, "I tried to find you, Stella. My grandfather did too when we found out about your Grandpa Buck. But we were too late, and they wouldn't release you to him when he found you because we weren't legally family. I'm so sorry we didn't come for you sooner."
Brady watched as Stella's face held many different expressions before tears started streaming down her face, "You have to stop making me cry. I never used to cry until I came up here."
Pulling her closer to him, Brady stooped and kissed each of the tears that were falling away before speaking again, "That's really all you have to say about this right now?"
"Brady, I've loved you since we were kids. I was just too stupid to see it until your Mama brought it up last night. It's been there all this time. I just had to be willing to open my eyes. I just wish I would've realized it sooner," Stella said somberly as she wiped at her eyes.
"Say it again," Brady grinned, a small rumble escaping his chest.
"I love you, Brady," Stella smiled up at him as he scooped her up in his arms and kissed her.
"I love you too, Stella. You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say those four simple words. Now will you please accept my apology?" Brady begged, his voice rasping in her ear.
"Only on one condition," Stella stated bravely as Brady set her back down on the boulder she'd been sitting on.
"Anything," Brady promised.
"I want to meet your bear again. This time for real," Stella murmured, locking her gaze with his.
Brady furrowed his brow, "Are you sure?"
"If I'm going to take time to give us a shot, I have to be willing to accept all of you. I've spent ten days thinking about it. Of course, I'm sure at this point. Now please hurry before I change my mind and run screaming," Stella demanded, folding her arms stubbornly.
"What am I going to do with you?" Brady shook his head, stripping his shirt off and handing it to Stella.
"Keep me happy?" Stella grinned mischievously at him before wagging her eyebrows as he took his pants and boxers off and handed those to her with his boots and socks.
Slowly Brady called his bear to the surface and was able to make the shift look painless. Falling forward on all fours, the bear grunted.
This is our last shot at this, so please don't screw it up.
"Oh my god, you're beautiful, Brady," Stella remarked taking in the sight of him. "Can I… Can I pet you?"
He chuffed in agreement and sat back on his haunches, allowing Stella to come to him at her own pace. Making sure to sit perfectly still while she began to run her hands over his body, Brady and his bear both reveled in her touch. She rubbed his snow-white fur in small, slow circles up his spine and then worked back down again.
"Oh my God, you have a tail! This is so weird," Stella exclaimed before sprawling her whole body across his back. "But you're so comfy. This is nice… Weird… But definitely nice."
This went on for a few more minutes before Stella finally came around the front of him and looked the bear in the eyes, "Okay Big Guy, can I have Brady back now please?"
The transition back to man was much smoother and seamless than the transition to bear. Taking his clothes from Stella, he quickly got dressed. While shifters tended to stay warmer than humans, it was still zero degrees outside and that was just too cold for anyone.
Once he was completely dressed, he smiled at Stella, "Thank you for giving me a
chance."
"Thank you for being you," Stella smiled back.
"Stella! Brady! You bet your asses I can see you both way the hell out there. It's Christmas, let's celebrate," Mama Ally called from the stairs of the lodge.
"Crazy old bat," Brady chuckled.
Chapter Twenty-One
Christmas with Mama Ally and Brady was definitely one for the books. Mama had cooked for an army while Stella and Brady had sat curled up on the couch by the fire watching the Santa Clause movie. Things were easy between the two of them. Stella felt like this is where she was meant to be and she was definitely accepting that better now that she and Brady had sorted things out.