by Alanea Alder
“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 6
“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. In his opinion he believed that Liam just didn’t want to make him breakfast. At the thought of food his stomach growled at him. Maybe going to the diner wouldn’t be 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 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 have already left to go to the diner to speak with your Ma.” Nic gulped when he saw that Aleks’s eyes had shifted.
“Goddamn cat! I know he is doing this on purpose!” Aleks left through the door, and everyone visibly relaxed.
“What do you mean she isn’t here!” Aleks reached for Liam, intending to choke the life out of him when 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 roared.
“Aleks, she…” Liam began.
“I want to see my mate! Where is she?” Aleks demanded.
“Aleks, she…” Liam began again and was cut off trying to avoid Aleks’s hands as they grabbed at him.
“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 then reached over and grabbed Liam’s plate and 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 a second plate for Aleks. 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. He blinked then smiled. He was beginning to love her little rambles. When she looked up at him, she looked so sweet he couldn’t stay mad. Besides, it wasn’t her fault. It was the damn cat!
“I was looking for you,” he said simply and pushed the empty plate aside as his Ma came back with a breakfast for Liam and a second plate for him. He smiled at his Ma and then dug into the second plate.
“A word of warning for you, baby girl. All my boys except for Connor are grumpy bears first thing in the morning. For bears usually morning sex and a huge breakfast will make them more human and less grouchy,” Ma said, pouring more coffee for Rebecca. Liam and Aleks’s mouths dropped and Kate began to crack up behind them. Rebecca nodded thoughtfully.
“I’ll have to remember that. ‘Fuck him then feed him,’ bear instruction number one,” Rebecca said with a grin as she leaned down and dropped a slice of bacon on the floor for Sebastian, who started purring madly.
“That may just be shifter instructions, Rebecca, because I do the same for Bran,” Kate said between bouts of laughter, wiping the tears off her cheeks. Bran turned scarlet.
“Rebecca, language,” Ma said, grinning before winking at Kate.
“Becca!” Aleks said, shocked at her language. She turned and looked at him questioningly, her head tilted to one side. Liam dropped his head to his forearms, he was laughing so hard.
“You have no idea what you’re in for.” Liam laughed. He had spent nearly the past twenty-four hours with Rebecca. He had a feeling she wasn’t as meek as everyone thought she was. There was definite spunkiness hidden there dying to come out.
“Liam and I are headed to the library. There is so much to do!” Rebecca said excitedly. Aleks nodded.
“Becca, how about after your work at the library I’ll pick you up and I’ll cook you that dinner I owe you,” he said casually. Inside he was desperate to get some alone time with her.
“Sounds perfect,” she said, smiling.
Feeling devilish, Aleks grinned as he pushed the second empty plate away. He stood up and swung her around on her bar stool until she faced him. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. When he felt her relax against him he ran his tongue along her lips until she opened for him and he caressed her tongue with his as he nibbled at her lips. When she gave a tiny whimper, he pulled back and kissed her forehead.
“Have a fun day at the library, Becca.” He turned to Liam.
“Watch over her, asshole,” he said before walking out the door. From her half-vacant expression, he knew he had done well. Whistling, he started toward the sheriff’s station.
“Goddamn bear!” He grinned as he heard Rebecca’s frustrated voice carry over the traffic.
Chapter 7
When Rebecca and Liam left the diner, he was still poking fun at her.
“You better watch out, Rebecca. It seems like all he has to do is kiss you to scramble your brains. All that higher education goes right out the window,” he said, grinning.
“Har, har, very funny. I can’t help it, that man kno
ws how to kiss.” She sighed happily.
“I’m just glad to see you happy, short stuff,” Liam said, reaching down to ruffle her hair.
“Hey! Stop doing that!” she said, giggling.
She turned laughing and ran into another man.
“I’m sorry,” she said automatically. Looking up, she quickly stepped back. It was the same man that had tried to grab her at the restaurant. The man looked down at her and growled before he pushed her against the brick wall of the theater. She felt the air whoosh out of her lungs a second before her head slammed against the brick building.
“Hello again, little human.” The voice growled. The man moved to grab her. Rebecca tried to scoot away and inhaled sharply.
Liam threw back his head and let out a roar that nearly blew out her eardrums. She had only heard him hiss and growl up to this point, but that was nothing compared to the soul-shaking male lion roar. People exited stores and buildings to see what was going on. Rebecca slid down the side of the theater and collapsed on the sidewalk. Sebastian stood in front of her with his back arched, hissing up at the man.
Ma exited the diner as Pa came running up behind Liam from the garage. When they both saw Rebecca on the ground, they let out enraged roars of their own. All seven of the Arkadion sons appeared from every corner of the town including Aleks, who appeared at the corner where the bed-and-breakfast stood.
Liam moved toward the man.
“I’m so glad you came out to play, hyena,” he said with a thick gravelly voice as he circled the stranger. The hyena looked around panicked. He obviously hadn’t expected Liam to get involved. Pa moved forward and carefully picked Rebecca up. She let out a whimper. The hyena’s response to Liam was drowned out by Aleks’s roar as he shifted to his bear form and knocked the man down. He stood over him and roared again. He swiped the hyena’s face and chest with his six-inch bear claws.
Ma walked up and said, “Aleks, let him up. You need to tend to your mate.” She turned her attention to the snarling hyena. Aleks padded over to where Pa stood with Rebecca. He got on his hind legs and pressed a large wet black nose into her neck. Hands shaking, she ran her small hand over the fur on his face.
“Your kind has been warned. Arkadia is open to all shifters as long as you do no harm to any of the residents. You have harmed one of our people. From this point on your clan is legally banned from Arkadia and all of her sister cities. There is nothing the council can do,” Ma said, facing down the man.
“She is not one of our kind. She is only a human,” he spat out, his lank blond hair hanging in sticky bloody clumps around his face.
“That girl is my daughter.” She growled. “She will bear my grandchildren, who will one day be the leaders of Arkadia. She will be the Alpha Mother and rule beside Aleks. She belongs here more than you do.” She then turned to Liam.
“Liam, will you escort this animal out of town?” she asked.
“Mother Arkadion, it would be a pleasure and an honor,” he said, grabbing the man by the hair, and literally started dragging him down the street, making sure to hit every hard object in their path.
Ma rushed over to where Pa stood with Rebecca. Aleks had shifted back to his human form and stood next to his father peering down at Rebecca.
“Aleks, you’re naked,” Rebecca said, her face a sickly white color.
Connor came running from his trip back to the diner handing Aleks a pair of sweats and a zip hoodie. Aleks smiled and nodded his thanks to Connor.
“Not for long, sweetheart. What happened?” He quickly dressed as his mother started checking Rebecca over.
“The hyena shoved me against the wall. I think he was trying to stun me, then he went to grab me, but Liam stepped in. He looked surprised that Liam was willing to step between us,” she said, breathing shallowly.
Rebecca moved in Pa’s arms and gasped.
“Ma!” Aleks exclaimed urgently.
“Quickly, Aaron, we need to get her to the clinic,” she said, pushing Aleks forward. Aleks stayed by her side as his father walked quickly but carefully across the street. Aleks was relieved to see Dr. Claybourne was waiting for them at the door.
“I heard the roars and figured someone would be heading my way. Who is my patient?” he asked, directing them towards the examination table.
“Maddox, it’s Rebecca. She was the one you looked at last night who had the scare with the hyenas. A hyena shifter threw her against the brick wall of the theater.” Ma relayed the information to the doctor.
“Marg, I need for you to get everyone into the waiting room, including your son.” He looked up where Aleks held Rebecca’s hand.
“No!” Aleks said.
“Do as the doctor says, Aleks. The quicker he can tend her, the better,” Ma said.
“I’ll be okay, Aleks. Don’t forget our date. You’re supposed to cook me dinner,” Rebecca said, smiling weakly. He nodded, running his hand over her hair.
Ma started pulling him out of the examination room. Snarling at everyone, Aleks was dragged out of the room.
Aleks let himself be led out of the room where he collapsed into one of the waiting room chairs.
“She’ll be okay, right, Ma?” he asked, desperately needing to hear her say yes. If Ma said she would be okay, then he knew she would be.
She looked at her son and smiled sadly. Pa took the seat next to his son and placed a hand on his shoulder. Each of his six brothers took up places in the waiting room like sentinels.
Liam walked in thirty minutes later, his knuckles bloody. When Aleks saw the state of his hands, he stood up and hugged Liam. Liam patted his back and they both sat down.
“How is she? She hit that wall hard,” Liam asked quietly.
Aleks growled and said, “Doc hasn’t come out yet. She could barely move when we brought her in. She is so damn fragile.” His voice broke.
“She’s a fighter though, you’ll see.” Liam sat back so they sat shoulder to shoulder.
In a low voice, he said, “That bastard will be lucky to reach his car by sundown. I tried to break every bone in his body. Their clan may cause issues later.” He rubbed his knuckles.
“Let them come,” Bran said from the doorway. Kate rushed in and hugged Ma.
“No one comes into our town and hurts our girl,” Kate said firmly.
“You have the pack’s support,” she said. Bran nodded.
“You have the pride’s support as well,” Liam added. Rian and Damian had walked in behind Kate and Bran. Rian held a purring Sebastian. Liam had called his pride members in to help patrol the town.
“You have us too,” Leona said, walking in last with Ashby and Nicholas. Ashby looked pale.
“Marg, hun, I didn’t think you’d mind, I put up a Closed sign at the diner,” Leona said, hugging her friend.
Aleks stared at all of the people in the waiting room.
“She’s only been here a couple days. How…?” He trailed as he looked at everyone.
“She’s special,” Ashby said simply.
“She’s easy to love,” Kate said and smiled at Ashby.
Aleks smiled then looked up as the doc walked out.
“How is she, Doc?” he said, jumping to his feet.
“She’s in a lot of pain, but thankfully nothing is broken,” he said, facing the room full of people.
“She won’t die?” Aleks demanded.
The doctor smiled kindly. “No, Aleks, she will be just fine, just sore for the next couple days. Her breastbone is bruised, and it will make it painful for her to breathe tonight. I gave her something to help her sleep.”
“I need to speak to her. I never got the chance to beg for forgiveness or to make her dinner,” he said softly.
The doctor chuckled. Aleks’s head snapped up.
“What could possibly be funny?” he demanded. The doctor looked at the angry bear shifter and tried to keep a straight face.
“After I gave her medicine to relax her, all she kept saying was, ‘I have a date with my
Goddamn grumpy-ass bear. I want to see my grumpy-ass bear.’” The doc laughed at Aleks’s expression.
“She said ‘my’ grumpy-ass bear?” he asked. The doc nodded. Ma and Pa were smiling.
Aleks smiled widely. “I’m her grumpy-ass bear,” he said loudly, causing his brothers to snort and laugh.
“Shit, I’ve been telling you that you were grumpy for years. You never listened to me,” Liam said. Aleks punched his shoulder.
“Can I see her?” Aleks asked. The doc nodded.
“Just for a few minutes, she needs to rest,” he said, and Aleks nodded.
Aleks made his way to Rebecca’s bedside.
“Hey, baby, I heard you were calling me your grumpy-ass bear,” he asked, lightly brushing his fingers over her forehead.
“You are my bear. Don’t forget our date. You owe me a home-cooked meal,” she said drowsily. Aleks swallowed against the lump in his throat.
“I won’t forget, but you have to get better first. Doc says you need to rest and you’ll be better in no time. Liam is here. So is Kate and Bran and Leona and Ashby and Nicholas,” he said, naming all of her new friends.
“I love Ashby. He is so cute I want to snuggle him,” she said, smiling. Aleks’s mouth dropped and he stared down at his mate horrified.
“I love his white fur. He’s so soft,” she continued. His heart began to beat again when he realized she meant his animal form.
“I’ll tell him you said so.”
“Take care of my Sebastian, my baby,” she said and dozed off.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead then went back to the waiting room.
“Ashby, she said that you are cute and wants to snuggle you,” he said, frowning down at the smaller man. Ashby turned ashen as he stared up at the large shifter.
“Sir, I…” he started. Aleks held up his hand and a smile softened his expression.
“She also said that she loved your fur and it was soft.” He chuckled.
Ashby blushed and Nicholas laughed.
