by T. S. Ryder
She cut herself off. She was being, as her classmates growing up often told her, a know-it-all. He asked a simple question, and she went off on a tangent of information that he didn't want to know. She ducked her head. For some reason, tears pricked her eyes, although she really had nothing to cry over.
It was just that she really hated being so different from everybody else. She wanted to be able to share what she knew and wanted to hear what other people knew. It was just that knowledge was so exciting, and if she had to keep it all bottled up, how was she supposed to learn anything new?
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" Stephen glanced in the mirror. "For what?"
"Babbling about useless information. People always tell me I'm a know-it-all."
"I don't think you're babbling. I think it's fascinating." Stephen smiled at her. "Did you learn this in university?"
Iduna's shoulders slumped. The one with the bullet twanged, but it had healed enough that it wasn't so bad anymore. "No. Just from reading. I want to go to university, but…"
"But what?"
Iduna stared out the window. "I don't really like people. And university is full of people. I couldn’t handle it. Besides, I don't really need it. My parents have a thriving nursery, and these days I pretty much run it, anyway. I'm happy with what I have. All I wanted was to have a child of my own, and now I'm going to have that, too. My life is good. There's nothing else I want."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing." Nothing except someone who she could talk to about whatever she wanted to without being told that she was babbling. Iduna looked out the window. "Nothing."
Chapter Four – Stephen
Stephen was amazed at how calm Iduna was as the doctors cut open her shoulder and removed the bullet. Although he thought that he should go to a store or something and pick up new clothes for her so she didn't have to wear her blood-soaked things, he couldn't bear to leave her side. He winced more than she did during the operation.
He knew it was silly. She was a grown woman, after all. There wasn't any reason why she couldn't take care of herself. And it wasn't that he thought he should take care of her, per se, but his Wolf was still growling protectively whenever anybody came near her. He just had to stay by her side. He had been searching for his mate for decades and had started to lose hope that he had a mate out here.
Could it be that he had found her now? Was Iduna the one he was meant to give himself to, heart, body and soul? Or was it just because she carried his child, and his Wolf was reading too much into it?
While the doctor checked the baby and they waited for Iduna's shoulder to heal, a couple of police officers came to take their statements. Stephen relayed everything he could remember about the attack on the Bear community, and the police promised to look into it. He would have pressed more, but Iduna told him she wanted to go find her parents. Stephen couldn't say no to her when he looked into her eyes.
She really was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"My parents are going to be so worried," Iduna sighed as they got into the car. "Should we get this back window fixed?"
"I think we'll be fine." Stephen squeezed her hand. "You're worried about your parents. The car can wait."
Iduna opened her mouth, then closed it and nodded. "Thank you."
***
They drove until it was well past sunset, heading into the forest. Stephen didn't like losing his cellphone signal, but Iduna assured him that her parents would be waiting at their destination. When they finally stopped, they were deep in the dark chill of the pine and fir trees. A truck sat in a small clearing, but there was nobody else around.
"Well, we might as well get some rest. Are you good putting your seat back or do you—"
"I'm cold. Can we be in the backseat and share body heat?" Iduna's teeth were chattering.
"Of course."
Stephen swept up the glass on the back seat the best he could before settling down beside Iduna. She leaned against him, laying her head on his shoulder.
His Wolf sang.
It was all Stephen could do not to sing with it. His heart beat a furiously happy tattoo in his chest. He looked down at the beautiful woman curled up against him and knew there would never be anybody else for him. She was it. His mate. His forever. She took his breath away.
Her hand slipped out from under the blanket and caressed his face. He didn't move. Didn't dare to break this moment. Iduna's breath was warm on his lips, and then she was there. Her lips were soft as she pressed a chaste kiss to his mouth. Stephen smiled, kissing her back. It didn't last long, but the Wolf didn't try to prolong the contact. He was satisfied with Iduna's pace.
With a sigh, his mate settled back next to him. "Do you know what 'star-crossed lovers' really means?"
"When two people are meant to be together but have to fight external forces that want to keep them apart."
Iduna shook her head. "That's what people often take it to mean, but it's not. Shakespeare used 'star-crossed' to describe Romeo and Juliet–I don't know if the term originated with the play or if it was an earlier turn of phrase. That's something I should find out. I wonder if Google Scholar will have articles on that."
Stephen smiled. He loved the way she talked, sharing whatever facts were in her head. He had never done well in school, never had gone to university, but he liked to learn things. He could listen to Iduna forever.
"Anyway," she continued. "Romeo and Juliet were not 'star-crossed' because they were so in love, or because they were meant to be together. They only knew each other for a weekend. Seriously. They met and got married, and Juliet was thirteen years old. The play isn't a romance, it's a social commentary about how the rigid dogma of older generations steals the future of their children. Well, that's one part of it… what was I talking about?"
"Star-crossed lovers."
"Right." Iduna melted against him, yawning. "Shakespeare referred to them as 'star-crossed' because they were doomed. Something to do with astrology. It was the stars that meant that their love was doomed from the start, and he outright states it right at the beginning of the play. People of the time would have known that from the prologue."
Stephen ran his fingers over her curls. "What made you think of that?"
Iduna shrugged. "Feuding families. I know there haven't been any incidents between Wolves and Bears for a long time up here, but that doesn't mean that they get along."
It was true. Stephen felt the happiness at finally being with his mate fade a little. He could never ask her to leave her community, but would they accept him if he decided to live with her? And whether he was a Wolf or just too old, her father had made it very clear that he didn't like having Stephen around. He probably thought that the Wolf was taking advantage of Iduna.
And was he? She was twenty-five years old. He was forty-three. That was eighteen years difference. Iduna was an intelligent young woman, but the way she acted… she did seem very naïve, despite her intelligence.
Stephen cleared his throat. "Iduna… if you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to go with AI with an anonymous donor? There must have been a lot of young men that would be happy to help you get pregnant."
"I didn't want them. There were plenty of men who have tried to seduce me. I'm very beautiful, you know."
Stephen couldn't help but laugh at her matter-of-fact tone. "Yes, you are."
Iduna nodded. "I decided that I didn't want to have sex unless it was with my mate. I never really cared much about sex, anyway. It seems like it would be rather messy and complicated."
"Wait." Stephen pulled away, his eyes widening. He opened the door to turn the light on. "You're a virgin?"
She stared at him as though that ought to have been obvious. And to her, it must have been.
"I guess I didn't realize—"
There was a click in the darkness. The sound of a gun cocking. Stephen tensed, wrapping his arms protectively around Iduna. A half dozen men emerged from the trees around them, aiming huntin
g rifles at the two of them. Stephen growled, holding his mate tighter. The closest, a pale-skinned man the size of a mountain, stopped at the car door.
"Get out."
Before Stephen could reply, Iduna let out a cry. She freed herself from Stephen's arms and hurried out the opposite side of the car. "Daddy!"
She threw her arms around one of the men, and Stephen felt himself relax. So these were Bears. Not the hunters that had attacked the community. He sighed in relief. And tensed again when the nearest Bear shoved his rifle into the Wolf's ribs.
"I told you to get out."
"What are you doing?" Iduna's voice was pitched with fear.
Stephen couldn't stop a growl from emerging from his throat. How dare they frighten his mate! But she was only frightened for him. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to slide from the car, keeping his hands in sight of the Bears. The pale one turned him around and began searching him.
"Daddy, what is going on? Stephen helped me."
"Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't." Tyson's voice was deep and gravelly with anger. "Wolves have hated Bears for as long as Shifters have existed. How do we know that these hunters are really human? We don't. We always just assumed. But they could be Wolves. They could have come to give him an excuse to steal you away. You're pregnant with his baby. How do we know his story about an accident is real?"
Stephen closed his eyes. He didn't blame Tyson for assuming the worst. He had heard plenty of stories about how Wolves had killed Bears for no reason other than them being Bears. It was part of his heritage, no matter if he had never participated in such activities himself.
"I didn't know about the hunters until they attacked," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I have no intention of taking Iduna's baby. I only wanted to be part of the baby's life, but if Iduna wants me to go, I will."
"No!" Iduna's voice pitched with panic. "I don't want you to go. Don't go. Please stay."
And despite the guns pointed at him and the situation he found himself in, his Wolf sung again.
Chapter Five – Iduna
It was a fact well proven throughout history that fear and anger could lead even the most docile of people to do things out of their characters.
Individuals who would otherwise abhor violence could turn into killers, and no matter how unjustified it was, they would find a way to validate their actions. Fear was the most dangerous emotion to exist. Iduna never thought she would find herself in a situation where her loving, tender father was considering killing anybody. Certainly not her mate when she just found him. But he was afraid. Afraid for her, afraid for his community. And that fear might drive him to do something they would all regret.
Iduna extracted herself from her father and hurried over to Stephen. In the dim light of the car, she could see his eyes widen and a thin coat of perspiration on his pale face.
She pushed aside the gun that Mr. Thompson from down the road was holding on her mate. Despite the surprised looks she got, she planted herself between Stephen and the Bears. Incredibly, they all stopped pointing their guns at him. Iduna folded her arms and glared at the faces around her. Somewhat younger than her own white-haired father, most of them were the parents of her classmates growing up. Some even encouraged their children to try to become friends with her. Good neighbors and friends to her parents.
"Stephen and the Wolves have nothing to do with the human attacks on us," she said firmly, though she had to resist the urge to rub her aching lower back. "And besides that, I don't appreciate you pointing guns at my mate."
Stephen turned. "What did you just say?"
"You're my mate. You felt it too, didn't you? My Bear sang when we kissed. She's never done that before."
"When you kissed?" Tyson's voice was guttural. "You kissed my daughter?"
"I kissed him first. Because he's my mate." Iduna put her hands on her hips and stared down her father. "You and Mommy were right when you said there is nothing logical about gaining a mate. It makes no sense. The age difference between us is larger than tends to be socially acceptable."
The other Bears grunted. Some shook their heads. Stephen's arms wrapped around her waist and began tugging her to one side.
"Don't worry about that right now, Iduna. Just don't stand in front of me like that. Your father and neighbors have every right to be suspicious of me. Especially how I just took you away from your community without stopping to think about your parents."
Iduna planted her feet. She might be small for a Bear, but she wasn't going to be budged. The ache in her back was working its way over her stomach now, making her wince. "I called Daddy to tell him I was okay. And I'm not a child, you didn't kidnap me. I'm a grown woman. If you kidnapped me, you wouldn't have brought me here."
"I know." Stephen actually sounded surprised that she would have to remind him.
It was odd, to have a man look at her as a woman, not as the naive child all the Shifters in her community saw her as.
Her father stepped forward. "Iduna, step away from him. If he's innocent he has nothing to fear."
The ache in her back was getting stronger, and a sharp jolt across her belly made Iduna gasp. She leaned back against Stephen for support as her knees buckled. His arms tightened around her.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" His voice rose high. Her Bear clicked her tongue at him, wanting to reassure him.
Iduna shook her head. "I think I'm just tired."
"Get away from him," her father said again. "We will deal with him as—"
"All of you, stop." Iduna's mother came out of the bushes, followed by several women. "We will not have more violence today. Put those damned guns away this instant. We will leave the Wolf's car here and head back to camp. Those hunters are human, not Wolves. This is what they would want, us turning against each other. In these times Shifters need to stand together."
Another sharp pain. Iduna grabbed her belly. Her eyes widened. No. She was only eight months along. She needed at least another thirty-two days for her baby's optimal development.
But stress could bring on early labor.
"Wolves are close to humans," Thompson was saying. "They're vicious killers. My grandparents were killed by Wolves when my mother was just a young girl."
"And mine bragged about how many Wolf pelts they had on their walls," Iduna’s mother replied. "Wolves have always been more open to taking non-Shifters as mates. They have a closer relationship with humans because of it. Maybe they can help us in this situation. But not if you shoot this one for no reason other than being a Wolf. Now put those guns down!"
Iduna cried out, arms wrapping around herself as a contraction shot through her stomach.
"Iduna!" three voices cried as one.
Her father wrenched her away from Stephen. Her Bear snarled, the sound rising up her throat. She pushed against him, not thinking about anything but getting back to her mate. Her mother joined her father, surrounding her. Iduna felt like she was being crushed between them, smothered by the desire to keep her safe from anything.
"Let go," she snarled. "Let go of me!"
Thompson had Stephen by the throat at this point, though the Wolf wasn't struggling, nor did it appear that the Bear was choking him at all. Still, Iduna felt her Bear rising, huffing a warning. She fought against her parents. Another contraction made her whimper, but she couldn't even think about that.
She wrenched herself free of her parents, leaping towards Thompson. Her fist flew, impacting his face hard. A jolt of pain ran up her arm but she ignored it, punching him in the gut. The larger Bear stumbled back, a surprised look on his face. Iduna wrapped her arms around Stephen, growling at the Bears that surrounded them.
Thompson stepped forward, teeth bared. Stephen whipped her around, hiding her behind his body. His whole being tensed, his fists raising. A threatening snarl emitted from him. He bobbed from one side to the other until the Bears backed away.
She rubbed her stomach with one hand and laid her other on Stephen's shoulder. "They're n
ot going to hurt me. You know that."
Stephen's hands dropped. He blinked in surprise and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I've never reacted that way before."
"It's because you were protecting me. Your mate." Iduna smiled at him, then turned a frown on the other Bears. "He is my mate."
"He's too old," her father protested. "You deserve someone who can learn the wonders of the world with you."
"What does that even mean?" Iduna shook her head. "He's my mate. Haven't you always said that one day I'd find him? Just because he isn't what you expected doesn't mean he's not mine."
Tyson shook his head. "You're not thinking straight, sweetheart. It's the pregnancy—"
"It is not the pregnancy." Iduna paused and took a deep breath. Now wasn't the time to discuss it. Clearly, her parents were feeling emotional. There would be no explaining things to them while they were in this state of mind when they couldn't think calmly and rationally. "If you think that Stephen was involved in the attack on the community, then we will go. But he had nothing to do with it, and I'm not leaving him."
"We need to get you to a hospital," Stephen said, his voice thick with worry. A hand rested on her belly. "If you're going into labor—"
"The contractions have stopped. I think it was just Braxton Hicks. False labor," she clarified. "I don't need to go to the hospital. Besides, I would rather have a midwife than a doctor. You know, the positions that doctors use in hospitals, the woman lying on her back, is for their ease, not the woman's. It actually narrows the birthing canal and makes labor more difficult, while a position such as squatting—"
"Enough." Thompson rolled his eyes. "We don’t need one of your lectures, Professor."