by Moxie North
“Listen grumpy bear, just because you have an itch doesn’t mean the rest of us do,” Renly said.
“Well then, let’s wrestle,” Zane offered. It wasn’t something his friends were likely to take him up on, but it was worth a try.
“Hah, and get our asses chewed out again. Chief didn’t believe us that it was all in good fun when we ended up bloody and bruised last time,” Beau reminded him.
Their Chief didn’t think boxing right before fire season was a smart idea. When they heard that the first True Mates were pregnant it made their animals rear up. They wanted mates, they wanted to vent their anger at not having them. Worse, they didn’t know if they would ever have them. That was until they heard that a bearen in Serenity, Illinois had found his mate. A bearen with a mate. It was something they couldn’t even have imagined.
Bruin was their new Chief, chief of all the bearen fire divisions. His mate was also said to have the ability to return their renquas to them. Their mark from their creator that bound them to her.
Zane felt the emptiness of his missing mark. There was a faint memory of having one. He could see flashes in the faint memories of seeing it in a mirror as a child. His mind couldn’t recall the exact shape; it was like it was purposely fuzzy and lost. His father wouldn’t tell him what it was the few times he’d asked him as a child. When he hit his early teenage years, he’d stopped reaching out to his father, and they had drifted apart quickly. He didn’t even speak to his father now.
“Fine, what else do you want to do?” Zane asked.
“Sit around and wait for Bruin and his mate to get to us?” Beau offered.
“I think that might take a while. How many bearen are there in the world? How long will it take to get around to everyone?” This was something that Zane had been thinking about a lot lately. Knowing there was a way to get back their connection with Rhen, the goddess that had created all shiften, was like a chance to go home. For a shiften, the mark on their upper shoulders set them apart as Rhen’s creations. A reminder of the piece of herself she had given to them.
“Think we can go to them? Find out where they are heading next? I know that this One True Mate is the only one to give our renqua back, but the waiting is almost as bad as not having one,” Ren asked, looking to his friends. They all wanted the same thing.
Chapter Three
Serenity, Illinois
The lights were turned down, the room enveloped in a soft orange glow. There was a small stereo playing a mix of pan flute music and whale noises. Not Poppy’s favorite, but her clients seemed to like it. Give her some mellow jazz and she could relax much easier than with whales crying. Or were they moaning? She was never really sure.
In her calmest, most soothing voice she said, “Mr. Roberts, is your temperature good? Are you comfortable?”
There were mumbling sounds from the headrest that she took as an 'everything is okay' sound. Mr. Roberts was recovering from a car accident and she had been seeing him twice a week for a month. She had developed a fondness for the large man. He was furry all over, as in head to toes furry. She thought it made him look like a big bear and it made her giggle inwardly every time she saw him.
Poppy loved working on people. Making them relax, feel better, sometimes even leave happy. Poppy’s mother always said she had a gift. It was a gift she had been told her father had given her. Her mother Rose had always been so vague about her father. She often called him an angel, but Poppy took that as her mother just vaguely remembering the man that knocked her up.
That may not be the most flattering way to think of him, but she never understood her mother’s fascination with the man. He’d left her high and dry, but she still talked about him so wistfully and Poppy wasn’t about to crush her mother’s memories.
Whoever he was, whatever ‘gifts’ her father had given her were nothing short of a miracle. With just a touch, Poppy could take away someone’s emotional pain, their hurt, and their feelings of fear or inadequacy. Anything that was negative in their life she could take away, even for just a little while.
It didn’t hurt her to do it. It would make her tired and drain her a little which would leave her hungry and sleepy. It wasn’t a terrible price to pay at all. Mr. Roberts would go home feeling better, his shoulders less stiff. Tomorrow the aches and pains would return, but tonight he would sleep well.
Poppy loved her job, she felt that she could do a lot of good and the personal toll was manageable.
Despite being raised by a single mother, Poppy’s childhood growing up in Serenity, Illinois had been typical. Long summers with humidity that would wreak havoc on your hair. Cold winters that stretched on and on. Poppy’s mother used to joke that the only thing that grew in Illinois in the winter were the snow drifts.
It wasn’t bad though, and she wasn’t the only kid growing up without a father. But as her friends had grown up and moved away to go to college or stretch their wings, Poppy’s mother had told her that she had a destiny that was in Serenity, and that she couldn’t move away. There was too much to be done. That a great battle was in their future. Poppy didn’t understand what she meant and her mother would never explain it. Just cryptic offerings that she would spout as if she was reading them off an invisible sign that only she could see. Thankfully, Poppy was happy living in Serenity, and it wasn’t a hardship to stay. Besides, her mother needed her.
A small timer in the corner chimed, letting her know she needed to wrap up her session with Mr. Roberts. She focused in on his anger and frustration that he still hurt. She could tell that he was feeling lost because he couldn’t help out at home. His wife was doing everything to care for him. He felt sad that he couldn’t do more.
Poppy pulled at those feelings, drawing them into herself and felt the slight euphoria that replaced it course over the man’s body. His muscles loosened and she heard him sigh in relief.
“Mr. Roberts, she said, her voice soft and melodious, “I’ll see you next week. Make sure you drink lots of water and get a good night’s sleep.”
“Thank you,” came the muffled reply.
Poppy left the room and stepped into the shared office of the massage therapy practice. Her coworkers Edith and Mario shared the space and managed independently for the most part. They referred clients to each other and covered each other’s patients when they needed to. It wasn’t as cutthroat as when Poppy had started out after leaving massage school. She’d joined a salon and the fight for tips had gotten ugly. Time and clarity had led her to Serenity Health and Wellness.
Now that she was established at her job and her career was underway, she suddenly found herself at twenty-five years old and still living at home with her mother. She had considered moving out a number of times, but there just didn’t seem to be a good time to leave her mom alone.
“Mario, I’m done for the day. Do you need me for anything else?”
Mario turned from the bowl of steaming miso soup that was making the tiny office smell like an aquarium.
“No, I’ve got that fibromyalgia patient coming in. I’m always so nervous that I’m going to hurt them more when they already are in so much pain,” he said and then went back to slurping his soup.
“I’m sure you will do a wonderful job. I’m going to check on my client then head home for some Great British Baking Show and me time.”
“Don’t you have ‘me time’ every day?”
Poppy pretended to think about it, and then replied, “Yes, yes I do. Thanks for reminding me!”
She gave him a little wave and turned to find Mr. Roberts waiting at the reception desk with a relaxed smile on his face.
“I don’t know how you do it, Poppy. I always feel so good after I see you.”
“You know that I’m glad to help. Are we still billing the car insurance company?”
“Yes, so far they seem like they’re going to pony up for this. It’s not like I asked that semi-truck to rear-end me.”
“Of course not, that’s crazy talk. You rest up and I�
�ll see you next week.”
Poppy waved him off and then took her tip that he’d left and tucked it into her pocket. That was going to buy her some tacos on the way home.
She hopped in her small sedan and headed towards home through Serenity. She waved at a few people near the park that were doing yoga in the grass. Poppy tended to run in the hippie circles, but she wasn’t the vegan, organic, spin her own wool kind of massage therapist. Sometimes she wished she could be, but it just didn’t feel right.
Poppy never wanted to be anyone important. Not famous or well-known. She just wanted to be loved and cared for. Maybe it was because she didn’t have a father. She craved that feeling only a tall, strong man could make her feel, but somehow dating hadn’t been huge on her mind lately. Sure, there were men that were interested in her, and her mother said it was because she glowed like an angel.
Glow or not, Poppy figured it had more to do with her round ass and more than a handful breasts. She had embraced her naturally curly hair a long time ago. She kept her mahogany colored hair cut just past her shoulders so the curls were long and bouncy. In her youth when she’d begged her mother to let her cut her hair, she had assumed wrongly that if she got it cut just like the girl in Dirty Dancing, it would make her look cute and perky. Instead, it gave her an unfortunate helmet head that she barely lived down during her junior year of school.
Tucking one of those curls behind her ear, she felt good about what she’d done for the day. Her client felt better, she’d made a little money, and she could go home and veg out for the rest of the day. Maybe a stop at the Honey Depot for a caramel honey roll for dessert would be a good reward to go with the tacos.
Chapter Four
Wyoming wilderness
“Don’t embarrass me. It’s simple. The Fire Chief and his mate will be arriving soon. They were diverted from their trip north to Canada, and for whatever reason they’re coming to Wyoming. I want you to be respectful. Don’t ogle and don’t hold onto Bruin’s mate’s hand too long or he’ll tear your head off. Any questions?”
Lieutenant Slade paced in front of the crew with his hands clasped behind his back. Like most bearen, he was a big man. He was tall and broad, but not as tall as Zane, and he knew that pissed his boss off.
“Sir? Are they coming here just to give us our renquas back?” Collier, one of the team leads, asked.
“Why the hell else would they come out here?” he barked, his tone hiding something that Zane immediately picked up on.
“They’ll be here any minute. This is something most of us have been waiting for, for a very long time. In case you missed it the first time, don’t embarrass me or I’ll take it out of your hides.”
The crew didn’t know how they were going to embarrass their boss, it wasn’t like they were hanging from the rafters pretending to be monkeys. They were standing at ease in the bay with the large doors open. The sky was blue, fluffy white clouds moving with the wind. The green trees stretched over the sloping hills. It was an average day in Serenity.
Except it wasn’t average, nothing had been average for a long time. The bearen had lost their renquas, their marks from their maker and no one knew why. In a cruel twist of fate, the bearen’s Citlali, the one they called B3, who was supposed to guide them and protect them had bet their marks away. He had betrayed his people and they had all paid the price for his arrogance.
Bruin’s mate Willow could restore them at a touch. There was an air of anticipation in the room. All of the men standing in a tight row would get back something they’d lost. Something they missed greatly after it was gone, something that had only worsened the blow of the loss of their mates.
Zane wanted his mark back; he wanted to be whole again. His feelings were more than nerves though. He had to wonder what the touch of a mate would be like. Even if it wasn’t his own mate. Zane wasn’t even sure there was a mate out there for him. There were only so many True Mates, and there were a lot of wolven, bearen, and felen in the world that wanted one. Who was to say there was someone for everyone?
It was probably best that he didn’t have a mate. He was angry all the time. Angry at the world, angry at Khain, but mostly angry that he couldn’t do anything about it.
He’d spent the last couple of decades being frustrated. It was an unpleasant and exhausting way to live.
Zane looked up to see one of the station’s Hummers skid to a stop outside the station, Ash jumped out and held open the back door like he was a chauffeur. Zane was totally going to give him shit about that later.
Out stepped a large man, his eyes scanning the building, the occupants, he even turned around to stare at the scenery. When he did the entire scan again and apparently decided that there were no immediate dangers only then did he move away from the door and turn to help a woman exit the vehicle.
She was pretty and small, but then again, most women were small. Humans at least. Zane could remember the women in his family. They had been sturdy, strong, and tough. This mate looked physically fragile, but the spirit pouring off of her was anything but delicate. She practically glowed.
Zane knew her name was Willow. Everyone knew her name. She was their savior and they didn’t bestow that title lightly. She had a brilliant smile on her face, as though she was excited to be there.
As they walked towards the line, Zane saw the small woman peeking out around the big man. She seemed used to having to catch a peek at things around the man in front of her.
“Chief,” his lieutenant said formally, offering his hand.
“Call me Bruin. This is my mate Willow,” he said.
“Willow,” the lieutenant said reaching for her hand. There was a deep growling sound that erupted from Bruin that made Zane’s boss pull his hand back.
“Don’t mind him. He’s actually getting better. I’ve touched thousands of bearen and he still tries to limit my contact. Nice to meet you,” she said while reaching toward his hand.
Zane was fascinated. She looked so small standing next to the men, but he didn’t smell any fear or nervousness coming off her. She must be strong to face this line of bearen so confidently. They were a scary looking bunch.
“So, how do we do this?” Slade asked, trying to sound formal but his own nervousness showed through. Then his eyes got big as his expression changed to shock. Something was happening to him that he seemed to be struggling to put into words.
“Simple, I make contact with each one of your guys. It doesn’t take long. And believe me, this number is easy. I’ve had to do hundreds at a time and I get pooped!” she said with a laugh. “Luckily, I just play weak and this big guy will pick me up. He’s like a bearen taxi service!”
Zane looked to Bruin who was just smiling indulgently at his mate. What must that be like?
Shaking off his confusion and rolling his shoulders, Slade walked them to the end of the line, the opposite end to where Zane was standing. Willow reached out to the first guy and asked him his name. She smiled and shook his hand. Zane didn’t want to look so he kept his eyes forward. He heard Collier suck in a breath but that was it. No flashing lights, no chorus of angels. Zane wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but it all seemed a bit anticlimactic.
As she made her way down the line, she didn’t pause long with each man. It was like when the Queen went through a receiving line. Which, essentially, she was. The first True Mate of the bearen. Queen Willow the half angel that would restore their connection with their creator, Rhen.
Zane clenched his hands together as she got to Ren, then to Beau, and then she was standing in front of him. The rest of the men had thrown their hands out to her, eager to touch the mate that would bring back their renquas.
He was expecting the small woman to ask his name like she had to everyone else. This time it was Bruin who spoke.
“You must be Zane Rakoff.” This was a statement not a question and Zane frowned but nodded.
“After this we need to talk.”
Zane wasn’t sure what the hell was going o
n, but he wasn’t about to tell their new Fire Chief no. “Yes, sir.”
“No sir, just call me Bruin.”
“Rogue calls him Bru-Bru, but I wouldn’t suggest that. She has a free pass,” Willow said in an exaggerated whisper.
There was a growl from Bruin that didn’t sound that ferocious at all. Zane didn’t know who this Rogue was, but if she were brave enough to call this big bearen nicknames she must be formidable.
“It’s very nice to meet you, my Queen,” Zane said, dragging his hand from his side to reach for hers.
“Hah, Queen Willow. Nope, just like Bruin, I’m not one for titles.” Her hand tucked into his and Zane felt a sharp heat sear over his shoulder where his mark had been missing for so long. He couldn’t help but let his eyes go wide at the sensation. Willow was smiling so genuinely at him that he felt his lips crack and smiled back at her.
Zane Rakoff wasn’t one to smile.
“Been a while since you did that, huh?” Bruin said knowingly. Then again, they said that he was the Bear of Great Insight. So if anyone should know it would be him.
Chapter Five
Serenity, Illinois
Poppy hefted her massage table over her shoulder and trudged up the driveway to the Serenity Fire Station.
“Why on earth are you carrying that thing around? You know better,” Sam, one of the firefighters and all-around handsome guy, said as he ran towards her.
“You know, there is never a big strapping man around when I need him!” she joked. Sam was handsome and she wished to heck there was a spark there, but they were just friends.
“You know I love Poppy Day, I’ve been watching out for you.”
“You don’t fool me, I know you just like free massages,” she laughed, handing over her gear. Once a month she stopped by the fire and the police stations to offer free massages. Her coworkers often came with her, but today she was solo so she only had the time and energy for the fire station.
