by Stella Night
Totally kidding.
Still, it was a nice surprise.
Now I was hiding out in the tent before the ceremony since it was bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. That didn’t stop me from peeking out from one of the tent flaps periodically to see how things were going.
We were surrounded by shifters, mostly from the Bear Haven Clan, but there were others from other clans. And not just bears. Apparently, there was a whole world of different animal shifters out there, as diverse as all the creatures in the animal kingdom.
Most of them were strangers still, but there were a few friendly faces I’d already come to know and love in the past few weeks.
Dylan and Xander, Noah’s brothers, approached me where I stood in the tent. Xander was all smiles as usual, and Dylan was his same brooding self.
“The Society let you two have the day off?” I asked, grinning.
“The whole weekend, even,” Xander said. “Besides, the big man himself is here. He couldn’t show up and not let us come.”
“The big man?”
Dylan pointed at a mountain of a man talking to a group of people. Gray hair peppered his temples and his great shaggy beard.
“Mason Raines,” Dylan said. “He founded the Bear Haven Preservation Society.”
“Yeah,” Xander said. “He started it here, but he ended up uniting most of the shifter factions under the Society’s care. He’s like the president of the shifter world.”
I nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, that’s all really interesting, but, um, I wasn’t really looking for a history lesson on my wedding day, guys.”
“Oh, I just figured you’d want to know who he is, since he’s the one who’s gonna officiate your wedding,” Xander said.
“I didn’t realize that,” I said.
“Yeah, it’s kind of a big deal,” Xander said. “I’ve heard several of the female guests seething with jealousy.”
“Why does that make me really happy?” I asked.
“Because you’re a terrible person,” Xander said. “You’ll fit in perfectly with the Sinclair family.”
I slapped him on the arm. “It’s bad luck to insult the bride on her wedding day.”
Dylan looked puzzled. “Is that some human superstition I’ve never heard of?”
“No,” I said. “It’s a Rachel superstition. If you insult the bride, she’ll turn into a giant bear and kick your ass.”
Dylan shook his head and smiled. It was the first time I’d ever seen him smile. “And Maddox thought humans would weaken the clan.”
“Fine,” Xander said. “You look positively radiant.”
Dylan nodded in agreement. “You really do.”
“And you boys look pretty good yourselves,” I said, gesturing at their tuxedos. “You clean up well.”
“You should see me when I get dirty,” Xander said, flashing a grin at me.
I rolled my eyes. “Save it for the bridesmaids.”
A few of the younger women from the clan had offered to be part of the wedding party, and I’d accepted. I didn’t have many close friends from my former life. It was the curse of being a writer. I lived a solitary life with my nose buried either in a book or in my computer screen.
It was for the best. This was a very different world, one that not everyone would understand. We’d invited Nina, of course, but she wasn’t here. It was a shame. I wanted to thank her in person for sending me out here.
I don’t think it turned out the way she’d expected, but things had definitely turned out for the best. I made a mental note to send her a thank you card and some pictures of the wedding. She might as well see what she’d caused.
The soft strains of the string quartet sounded over the buzz of conversation.
“Almost time for the main event,” Dylan said, turning to me. “Knock ‘em dead.”
I smiled at him. He was always so quiet. I think he’d spoken more words to me in this conversation than in all the time I’d known him. It was a welcome change. It made me feel like he was starting to consider me family.
Noah told me he’d been a soldier before working for the Society. He’d been through hell and back, apparently. I was curious about his past, but I would never pry into his affairs. I knew a little something about bad memories. The last thing I wanted to do was cause him pain.
Maybe someday we could heal the wounded warrior, but it might take some time. If Noah had a broken heart when I met him, Dylan had a broken soul. As for Xander, I liked to think he just had a broken brain.
Dylan dragged his brother away to stand at their places by the wedding arch. I disappeared behind the tent flap, waiting for the cue to make my entrance.
The music kicked into full gear and the wedding march began to play. A moment later, one of the ladies helping me out opened the tent flap and whispered, “It’s time.”
I emerged into the bright sunlight and saw Noah standing at the altar, watching me. It was the first time I’d seen him today. He looked amazing in his tuxedo. I was used to his regular jeans and flannels, which I loved, but I felt like I’d been missing out.
The man could fill a jacket and slacks like he’d just stepped out of a magazine. My heart fluttered in my chest at the sight of him. And I could tell from the expression on his face that he was just as thrilled at the sight of me in my dress.
I made my way up the aisle. There must have been a hundred people staring at me, but I only had eyes for Noah. He wasn’t just my mate, he was my soul mate.
“You look amazing,” Noah said to me when I stopped beside him. He leaned in closer to me so no one else could here. “What do you say we skip the wedding and go straight to the honeymoon?”
“It was your idea to get married so soon,” I told him with a grin. “There’s no backing out now, sucker.”
“Fine, can we at least skip the reception? I can’t wait to get you home and—”
Mason Raines cleared is throat loudly. “Whenever you two are ready,” he said. His voice sounded stern, but his eyes twinkled with humor.
“Of course,” Noah said. “Please proceed.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today…”
The wedding was everything I’d ever dreamed of. The reception was also lovely, or so I heard. Noah and I skipped it and went straight back to our house to celebrate in bed.
Epilogue
Rachel
FOUR MONTHS LATER…
Noah read the last page of my new manuscript. I stood watching him nervously with my hands clasped between my breasts.
When he finally flipped the last page over and placed it on top of the stack of previous pages, I thought I might die of anticipation.
“So? What do you think?”
“Bride for the Bear?” he asked. “Is that really the title you’re going with?”
“What’s wrong with the title?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe something more exciting, like ‘Noah Saves the Day,’ or ‘Noah Gives Rachel Like A Hundred Orgasms.’”
I shook my head. “I’ll save that title for the sequel. But seriously, what did you think?”
“I loved it. I mean, it’s about us. It was fantastic.”
“You really think so? You’re not just saying that?”
“Well, I’m a little biased. It was written by the woman I love, and it’s about my two favorite people in the world, you and me. But yeah, I thought it was great. I don’t think I was really that whiny after you hit me with your car.”
I sat down in Noah’s lap and put my head on his shoulder. “Oh, honey. You were way whinier than that. I toned it down for the book.”
“Whatever, I’ll let your readers decide. Speaking of which, what did your new editor think?”
“I haven’t shown it to her yet. I wanted you to read it first, to make sure you were okay with it.”
“I’m fine with it. You changed all the names and places. Besides, no one’s gonna believe it’s based off a true story. Not with all the other s
tories about sexy bears out there.”
“I know. There’s more stories about bear shifters than there are actual bear shifters.”
He caressed the slight swell of my pregnant belly. I was just finally starting to show.
“Well, we’re working on changing that,” he said.
Someone knocked on the door. I got off Noah’s lap and he went to answer it.
Noah’s voice boomed from the entrance way. “Well, I’ll be damned. Rachel, come here!”
I hurried to the door and saw a slight woman in her mid-sixties standing there, clutching a giant purse.
“Nina?” I exclaimed. “Where the hell have you been?”
I rushed over to her and swept up the little woman in a hug. “You’re crushing me,” she said, laughing.
I put her down. “Sorry, I’m still not used to this bear strength sometimes.”
“It’s fine. I missed you, too.”
“We tried to get a hold of you for months,” Noah said.
She nodded. “I took a vacation. I figured I was about due after all the work I’d been doing.”
“What work?” Noah asked. “If you’re going to work for anyone, you should be working for me.”
“I was working for you, you dope.”
He frowned. “Nina, we’re not all psychic. I think you’re going to have to explain.”
“Do I really have to explain?” she asked, looking back and forth from me to Noah.
Noah shrugged, and Nina rolled her eyes.
“Do you think this all happened by accident? You think an amazing woman like Rachel just shows up at your door for no reason? It was me, Noah. I sent her here.”
“I had a feeling, you old sly fox,” I said.
She shook her head. “My aunt was a fox. I’m just a bear like you. And yes, when Noah took over, I had a vision that the perfect mate for him was on the other side of the country. So I packed my bags, followed my visions, and then I met Rachel. I hope you can figure out the rest, Noah.”
“So you were working for me that whole time. Why didn’t you say anything? I thought you’d abandoned me.”
“I couldn’t tell you. If you knew what was happening, it might have messed with the future, and you two might not have ended up together.”
“So Rachel and I getting together really was fate, after all?”
“In a way. My visions aren’t always dead certain. More like, fate said you two would be perfect for each other. Fate didn’t guarantee that you’d end up together. In other words, I set you on a path where you two would meet. What happened after that was up to you.”
“She ran me over with her car,” Noah said. “That’s what happened after that.”
“I know, dear,” Nina said. “Stop whining, you big baby.”
“Thank you,” I said. “He just won’t let that go.”
I hugged Noah and he put his arm around me. “Well, as you can see, everything worked out,” he said.
“Yes, thank you, Nina. I can’t begin to express how grateful we are.”
Nina smiled. “You’re welcome. But I’m not here for your thanks. I have a much more pressing matter. I’ve had another vision.”
“And?” Noah asked.
“It’s about your brother, Dylan.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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Prologue
When an old psychic woman shares a warning, only a fool would choose to ignore it. Noah Sinclair was no fool.
“It’s about your brother, Dylan,” Nina said.
The older woman stood in front of Noah and Rachel with her hands on her hips. When she’d first arrived at their home moments ago, Noah thought she was here for a social visit. He’d been wrong. She was here with news from the other side.
“You had a psychic vision about my brother?” Noah asked. “Did you find him a mate, too?”
He hooked his arm around Rachel’s waist and pulled her close. She leaned her head against his shoulder. After four months together, he still felt a warm thrill when he held her in his arms. Noah hoped the feeling would never go away.
Nina’s psychic vibes had been instrumental in Noah and Rachel finding each other. The older woman set Rachel on a crash course with Noah, and fate had taken care of the rest. The couple was mated for life now, and they couldn’t be happier.
He turned his attention back to Nina, wondering if she could do the same thing for Dylan. His younger brother had never been the same since he’d returned home from the military. The right mate could be just what Dylan needed.
“I might have found him a mate,” Nina answered, but she didn’t look excited by the prospect. Her brow furrowed with worry and she chewed her lower lip uncertainly.
Noah’s smile faltered when he saw the pained expression on her face. He exchanged a worried glance with his wife. She seemed to share his concern.
“What’s wrong, Nina?” Rachel asked. “Is Dylan in trouble?”
“I’m not sure.”
“But you said you had a vision about Dylan. Didn’t it show you?”
Nina frowned. “No, child. My visions aren’t always crystal clear. Like with you two. I saw that you had the potential to be mates, but the visions didn’t tell me whether you would end up together. My visions for Dylan are even foggier. The future is always so uncertain with you Sinclair brothers.”
“So what did you see?” Noah asked.
“There’s a woman from your brother’s past who needs his help. But Dylan won’t be there to help her. Not unless we intervene and place him in the path of fate.”
“And this woman could be his perfect mate?” Noah asked.
Nina nodded. “There’s a strong chance.”
“Then I don’t see the problem,” Noah said. “We have to make this happen.”
“The problem is Dylan and this woman will be in grave danger if their paths cross. Neither one of them might survive.”
“Are you sure about that?” Noah asked. “Dylan’s a pretty tough guy.”
“Sadly, I’m not sure of anything. I don’t know how all this will play out. We might be sending your brother to an early grave.”
“Can’t we warn him?” Rachel asked.
“No, child. He can’t know what’s going on. It could alter the future and result in dire consequences. We can nudge him in the right direction, but fate has to take its course from there.”
“What do you think?” Noah asked Rachel.
“I don’t know. He’s your brother. I shouldn’t be the one to decide.”
Noah shook his head. “You’re a part of our family now. Tell me what you think.”
She seemed to consider it for a second. “I think Dylan is in pain and the love of a good woman could heal him. I think it’s worth the risk.”
“High risk, high reward,” Noah said. “Dylan would love it. He’s never backed away from a challenge in his life. So what do we have to do?”
“Dylan is out on a Peacekeeper mission for the Society. You need to talk to his boss and get him to go home.”
“That’s it?” Noah asked.
Nina smiled sadly. “That’s it. A simple beginning to a difficult matter. Pray that we’ve made the right choice.”
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