A shiver of apprehension passed down her spine. Everything she wanted was within her grasp, she’d always dreamed of becoming a great chef and running her own restaurant. However, her connection with Caleb might just scupper those plans.
His touch had awoken something inside of her, something she’d never experienced before. As she stole a glance at him, a vision of them together with a bunch of children running around swam through her head.
He made her dream of being a wife and a mother, and that might mean the end of her culinary career before it had even started.
Chapter Two – Caleb
Caleb’s brain seemed to have disengaged itself from his mouth. He couldn’t think of anything to say. Instead of fighting for his mate as she tried to persuade Ivan to take her on as his trainee, he’d just stood there.
“We should all go get something to eat,” Aiden suggested, placing his hand on his twin’s shoulder. “You’ll feel better then.”
Would he? His mate was a fae.
We shouldn’t be surprised, his bear said. Not when Aiden has a fae mate, too.
True, we are so similar in everything, we should have guessed fate would spring this on us.
“I should go find Karros and tell him the good news.” Elise paused and glanced at Caleb. “About Ivan accepting me as a trainee chef.”
“Rather than about you having a bear shifter as a mate,” Ivan said drily. Caleb’s brother still didn’t look so happy about the situation.
“Thanks, Ivan.” Caleb finally moved, going to his brother and hugging him. “I appreciate it.”
“You know I would do anything for you,” Ivan replied.
“There, you and Caleb do have something in common,” Flora told Elise. “Karros will do anything for you and Caleb’s brothers would do anything for him.”
Elise stared at Flora for a moment before she sighed and turned around to face Caleb. “Thank you.”
“For being your mate?” Caleb gave a wry smile.
“Something like that.” Elise grinned. “My parents are going to be so happy.”
“Do I detect sarcasm?” Caleb asked.
“Maybe a little.” She held up her thumb and forefinger together. “But since Flora has a shifter mate, perhaps things will change in the fae realms and I won’t be ostracized.”
“Flora is changing the world.” Aiden slipped his arm around his mate’s shoulders and pulled her close.
“If you don’t mind, I do have work to do,” Ivan snapped.
“Oh, when do you want me to start?” Elise spun around to face him.
“Tomorrow morning. I expect you here before seven so you can help me with the hotel breakfasts. We’ll start with you showing me exactly what you can do.” Ivan eyed her critically for a moment. “You do know how to cook non-fae food?”
“Eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, that kind of thing?” Elise nodded. “We do eat those, too, you know.”
“Great. Then I’ll see you in the morning.” Ivan shooed them out of his kitchen. “Go, I don’t need to be reminded of how many of my brothers have found mates while I’m still alone.”
“Thanks again, Ivan.” Caleb lifted his hand and waved at his brother then followed the others out of the kitchen.
“I should go find Karros,” Elise insisted as they reached the hotel reception.
“You’re sure you can’t come and eat with us? I thought you loved Ivan’s food,” Flora replied.
“I do.” She eyed the restaurant hungrily. “But I should update him on the situation.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Caleb offered.
“No!” She held her hands up to him as if she could push him away. “Thanks. But I think it’ll be better if I talk to him alone.”
“My mom would love to meet you.” Caleb didn’t want her to leave, he was scared that if she did, she might disappear as quickly as she had appeared in his life.
“How will she feel about your mate being fae?” Elise edged away from them, although her eyes flickered toward the restaurant.
“As long as her sons are happy, she’s happy.” Caleb forced himself not to follow Elise.
She needs space, she needs time to get her head around all of this, his bear advised.
She is not the only one, Caleb said. I never expected us to find our mate so soon after Aiden, but at least we won’t feel left out.
When Aiden met Flora, Caleb knew his life would change, that his brother would naturally drift away from him. He’d worried how he would fill the gap left in his life.
Now there won’t be a gap. Elise will fill it.
Hopefully, Caleb answered. She didn’t look especially pleased to find out she belongs to us.
His bear chuckled. Don’t say that to her. I get the feeling Elise doesn’t want to belong to anyone.
You know what I mean, Caleb replied. She’s ours, she’s our mate.
We just have to make her fall in love with us. We need her to want to be with us. And not just because it means Ivan will let her in his kitchen.
I hope that turns out okay, Caleb said. Ivan was right when he said fae and dragons don’t mix well together.
Perhaps this will be a new chapter for fae and dragons. His bear chuckled.
“Can I meet you later?” Caleb asked.
“I don’t know.” Elise shook her head. “Karros and I have to find somewhere to stay.”
“Karros is staying in Wishing Moon Bay with you?” Aiden asked quickly.
“Yes, right now we are laying low. Our parents aren’t happy with him for letting Flora slip through his fingers. As for me...” She held out her hands. “They’ve never been happy with me wanting a career. They’ve always wanted me to meet a man and get married. However, I don’t think they will be impressed with my choice.”
“Does that mean you have chosen me?” Caleb asked hopefully. Perhaps this was going to be easier than he thought.
“Oh.” Her cheeks flushed pink. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s too soon. I don’t know you.”
“Why don’t you get to know each other?” Flora suggested. “Caleb could help you find somewhere to live.”
“I could. I know the town well. I could ask around to see if there are any houses or apartments to rent.” His offer was met by a nod from Elise.
“I’d appreciate that. We don’t know the town at all.” Her mouth turned down at the corners as a hotel guest walked past and stared at her. “And not everyone here likes fae, do they? My mom used to always warn us not to come here.”
“It’s not that people here don’t like the fae. It’s more that...they think you don’t like us,” Aiden explained.
“Then it’s time we all learned more about each other and how to get along.” She bowed her head, her eyes twinkling. “So, I guess, we should lead by example. I would love to meet you later.”
“Like a date?” Caleb needed to know they were on the same wavelength.
“A date. Yes.” She plunged her hand into her purse as her phone rang. “It’s Karros. I need to go meet him.”
“Here. Let me give you my cell phone number.” Caleb dashed toward the reception desk and grabbed a pen and paper from a startled Jeremy. “Sorry, it’s an emergency.”
“Don’t mind me,” Jeremy said drily.
“Thanks.” Caleb scribbled his number down on the piece of paper, double-checking it was legible before handing the pen back to Jeremy. “Here.” He handed it to Elise, who was talking on the phone to her brother. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” she mouthed and then turned and walked out of his life.
“I have no words.” Caleb stood watching her go like a lost puppy with his tongue hanging out.
“Let’s get you some food.” Aiden grabbed hold of his brother’s arm and turned him around. “Valerie must be wondering where we are.”
“Oh, Rift is with her. He is watching Milo today, so he said he’d join us for lunch.” Caleb ran his hand through his hair as he went with his brother and F
lora to the restaurant. Perhaps food would help, although he doubted anything would stop his heart from aching. He longed to be with Elise, he hated that she’d walked away from him.
“There they are.” Aiden raised his hand and crossed the restaurant to a table near the window where their mom and Rift were sitting, while Milo stood with his hands on the glass watching a bird on the lawn outside.
“We thought you’d gotten lost.” Rift got up as they approached. “Nice to see you again, Flora.”
“Rift.” She bowed her head and glanced at Caleb with concern as he pulled out a chair and nearly tripped over one of the legs.
“What happened to you?” Rift asked his brother. “You look pale.” He leaned closer as Caleb sat down. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I met my mate,” Caleb blurted out and Rift reeled back as if he’d been struck.
“Where is she?” Rift looked around. “Don’t say you lost her already.”
“No.” Caleb shook his head and then glanced at Flora in concern. “She isn’t going to skip town, is she?”
“Is who?” Rift demanded while Valerie sat patiently waiting for more details.
“Elise. Her name is Elise,” Flora replied. “And no, she isn’t going to skip town.”
“Why would she?” Valerie asked at last.
“She’s a fae,” Aiden explained.
“Oh!” Rift’s eyes widened. “I bet she’s not happy that she has a shifter for a mate.”
“She’s not unhappy. More shocked,” Flora replied. “But she’ll come around.” She placed her hand over Aiden’s. “I did.”
“It took a while.” Aiden kissed her cheek.
“Why is she in Wishing Moon Bay?” Valerie asked. “We don’t get many fae visitors here.”
“She came to ask if Ivan would train her as a chef,” Flora replied.
“Wow. How did that go?” Rift glanced at Milo, he took the job of looking after the boy seriously, while also enjoying every moment of it. If any of the brothers deserved children, it was Rift.
“He wasn’t too eager. But once he realized that Elise was Caleb’s mate, he came around.” Aiden grabbed a menu and opened it up, although he knew exactly what was being served.
“So that’s why she’s not going to leave town. She wants to train with Ivan.” Rift chuckled. “A dragon shifter and a fae, now that is going to be an interesting combination in the kitchen.”
“Don’t remind me.” Caleb sighed.
“That’s between Ivan and Elise,” Valerie said sagely. “You stay out of it.”
“How can I?” Caleb asked. “If Elise and Ivan don’t get along, my mate might go back to her world and leave me here. I need time for her to get to like me.”
Valerie reached for her son’s hand. “You listen to me. If fate threw the two of you together, it was for a reason.”
“Let’s hope that reason is simply for you to help Ivan and Elise learn to get along.” Rift held up his finger. “One, because Ivan really does need help in the kitchen. He needs someone who can eventually run the kitchen so he can have some time off.” He held up another finger. “And two, we’ve had enough drama surrounding mates, thank you.”
“Rift is right on both counts,” Valerie agreed. “If all you have to worry about is how to help a dragon shifter and a fae get along, I’ll be happy.”
“It’s a good thing we already have a fae in the family.” Caleb held his hands out to Flora. “Please help me.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I will help you all I can, but Elise is a free spirit. She has never really pictured herself settling down and having a bunch of children. She’s worked in several restaurants in the fae realms, but she’s never been taken seriously by her parents.”
“Elise doesn’t want to be tied down?” Caleb’s heart sank a little.
“Worse, working with someone like Ivan is the opportunity she’s always wanted.” Flora’s expression turned to one of pity. Which made Caleb feel even gloomier.
“The very thing that’s holding Elise in town is the thing that might possibly push us apart.”
“Yes,” Flora agreed. “However, the one thing I have learned about you, Caleb, is that you are smart, and you’ll figure this out.”
Caleb only hoped Flora was right.
Chapter Three – Elise
“How did the job interview go?” Karros met her in a small diner overlooking the beach.
“It sure is beautiful here.” Elise slid into the seat across the table from him and picked up the menu. As she glanced at the dishes, she sure wished she’d taken Caleb up on his offer to join his family in the restaurant. Ivan’s food was the best she’d ever tasted, his reputation didn’t do it justice.
“That good, huh?” Karros leaned his elbows on the table and tried to ignore the two women seated at the next table who kept staring at him.
Elise studied the menu before placing it down on the table. “It had some unexpected surprises.”
“Like what?” Karros chuckled. “Did he ask you to cook for him?”
“No.” She ran her finger along the edge of the menu. “I met his brother.”
“Ivan’s brother? Or Aiden’s brother?” Karros’s tone sharpened.
“Well, both. Ivan’s adopted brother and Aiden’s twin brother. You do know Aiden was adopted by Valerie Kelts along with his twin brother and another four shifters.” She lowered her voice and held up four fingers.
“And the point of this is?” Karros asked.
She sighed and looked down at the menu.
“No. Oh, no.” He leaned back in his seat and studied her for a long moment. “Not you, too? What is it with those bear shifters? It’s bad enough that I have to live with the knowledge that one of them is going to spend the rest of their life with the woman I love. But now my sister, too?”
“It isn’t my choice.”
Karros ran his hand through his hair and blew the air out of his cheeks. “Did I do something to deserve this?”
“No.”
“Then why is fate torturing me?” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Do you feel it?” He placed his hand on his heart.
“Oh, Karros.” She reached for his other hand and held it in his. “You want to know if Flora feels a connection with Aiden.”
“Yes,” he croaked hoarsely.
She nodded. “I do. It’s like there’s a part of me that’s connected to him. It took me a moment to realize because I was so focused on Ivan and persuading him to take me on as a trainee chef. But then I felt it.”
“So, it’s real. Undeniable?”
“Undeniable.” She brushed her hand over her eyes. “I wish I could deny it. I wish I could just walk away and forget all about him.”
“We could. We could get in the car now and drive back to our world. The connection would fade.”
“Can you be sure?” Elise wasn’t sure she wanted to find out. She kind of liked the sense of being a part of another person.
Oh, goodness, she was doomed.
“We can try.” He shuffled his feet and was about to stand up, but the server approached with coffee, expecting to take their order.
Karros settled back in his chair and gave his order, then tapped the table with his fingertips as Elise did the same.
“You’re being rude,” Elise hissed when the server left them alone.
“Sorry.” He sighed. “Are we going to leave? After we’ve eaten, are we going to go back to our world and forget all about the bear shifter twins?”
Elise clasped her hands together and stared down at the table. “No.”
“I didn’t think so, but you can’t blame me for trying.”
“Karros, why don’t you go back? I’ll be okay here,” she insisted. “I know it must be torture seeing Flora with her mate.”
“No. I said I’d help you and that’s what I intend to do.” He picked up his coffee cup and took a sip. “I
think you need me now more than ever.”
“Thank you.” She smiled at him, her sympathy overwhelming. “You’ll find someone.”
“Maybe.” His mouth twitched at the corners. “Are you going to tell Mom and Dad?”
“No.” She held up her hand. “Not yet.”
“Normally, I’d say it was a bad idea to keep something like this from them but under the circumstances, I think you’re right. Let’s give them a few days at least to get over me breaking up with Flora and you wanting to carve a career for yourself before we drop this bombshell.”
“They’re not going to be happy, are they?”
“No.” Karros winked at her. “But they’ll get over it.”
She giggled nervously. “No, they won’t.” She glanced up at him. “Unless you find yourself the perfect fae bride. Then they’ll just forget about little old me.”
“If only it was that easy.” Karros moved his elbows off the table as their food arrived. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The server smiled at him, her eyes lingering on his face a little longer than was polite.
“Why do people stare?” Elise asked.
“I thought it was my good looks.” Karros turned his face to the right and cupped his chin in his hand so she could see his perfect profile.
Elise giggled. “You’re probably right, you are the best-looking guy in the diner.”
Karros scanned the other diners. “I’m the only male in here. Unless you count the cute kid over there.”
She picked up her fork and dug into her salad. “I didn’t see him. That makes you the second-best-looking male in the diner.”
“Hey, I’m way cuter.” He chuckled as he ate.
“You used to be cute, but that was twenty years ago.”
“Ouch, that hurts.” He sucked in his breath.
“You know I don’t mean it. Any woman, fae, shifter or witch, or any non-magical person, would be lucky to have you as their mate...husband. Significant other.”
“I appreciate your effort at making me feel better.” He glanced up at her as he forked spaghetti into his mouth. “Caleb is lucky, too, you know.”
Fae-ted to the Bear: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance (The Bond of Brothers Book 4) Page 2
