by Haley Weir
The guests took their seats once more as the ceremony began.
He barely heard a word out of the priest’s mouth as he held her trembling hands.
Casey took the microphone and Giddeon grew nervous. “I know we weren’t supposed to write vows, but I just have a few things to say.”
Everyone grew quiet, and she removed her veil. Giddeon was struck by her lovely face and reached out to wipe her tears away as she smiled.
“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to embarrass you by singing terribly into this mic or choose a really cheesy song to walk down the aisle to,” she paused as the guests laughed quietly. “But I’m glad I chose not to do either of those things because the moment I saw you standing here, I forgot everything else in the world existed. People will say that it’s too early, that we’re moving too fast, or that there must be something wrong. I want to tell those people that love doesn’t care about time. Love only wants me to be happy. And I want to spend my life with someone who doesn’t mind that I wear SpongeBob boxers around the house or that I curse like a sailor in rush hour traffic. You are that someone, Giddeon, and you made me believe in happily ever after again. I love you.”
He couldn’t wait another second. Giddeon kissed his mate, pouring everything he felt into her with his magic. The priest cleared his throat and said something neither of them paid any attention to. Olivia whistled, and the crowd cheered them on.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Casey laughed against his lips until he pulled away. “I guess you feel the same way.”
“You mean everything to me,” he whispered. “You are my queen, my mate, my heart.”
New tears glistened in her eyes and he kissed them away. They turned to walk back down the aisle. Jamie clapped along with the others as he looked on with a hint of approval in his gaze. Music flowed through the speakers and everyone headed outside for the rest of the wedding. Casey pulled Giddeon down to her level and whispered, “I’m pregnant.”
His eyes widened and he met the shifters’ stares. Their enhanced hearing would have allowed them to pick up on her words even above the music. Caleb cringed while Damien patted him on the back with a well-meaning congratulations. When everyone was out of hearing distance, Giddeon tapped his bride’s rear and growled, “I hope you wore that lingerie I bought you. Because the real celebration starts when we get back to the hotel.”
THE END
Caleb’s Destiny
Chapter One
Destiny Falls
Alaska
The clunky rental slowed to a stop. Yellowed lights beamed into a wall of pure white as the wind picked up. Rina tightened her hands on the wheel and held her breath as the car rocked; she reached over to dig in her bag for her cellphone. The bag clattered the floor and its contents spilled onto the damp carpet. Rina cursed under her breath, slamming her fists against the steering wheel. The horn blared as her phone began to ring.
Rina scrambled for the phone and swiped open the lock screen to answer the call. “I’m on my way there right now, Liv. This storm is terrible,” she complained. Static crackled over the line and Rina threw her phone into the back seat as the signal dropped. "Great. I'm in the middle of nowhere and my phone is useless."
She rested her forehead against the wheel, trying her hardest not to scream. The wind whistled, and the snow fell in a steady stream. Rina barely noticed that she had drifted off to sleep until a loud bang caused her to jump out of her seat. The lights dimmed and she turned the key over in the ignition; there was a slight lurch from the engine before the car hissed and rattled. Her teeth clicked; steam coiled up from between dry lips as she tried to adjust the heat. The last thing Rina saw was the 'Check Engine' light flash before the power went out on the dashboard.
Rina grabbed her phone and shoved her belongings into her purse, then climbed out of the car and popped open the trunk. There were no flares and there was no emergency radio, but Rina found a folded-up map beside her luggage. She wrestled the map open and came to the conclusion that there was a hill less than a mile from where her car had broken down. One glance at the sky told her that the snow probably had no plans of letting up. Her only options were to either sit in the car to wait out the snow or climb the hill to find a signal and call for help. Rina didn't like the idea of being stranded in the beaten-up rental for hours, days, or even weeks.
Her hands trembled as she tucked the map into the back pocket of her jeans. Rina crawled into the back seat and pulled on layers of clothes that she had packed. Several pairs of wool socks later, Rina headed into the woods. Her hair whipped around in the strong gusts of wind until she tucked it away and yanked up the hood on her winter coat. The crunch of her boots upon the snow drifted through the storm as she walked in the direction of the hill. Rina was careful not to veer off in different directions. The last thing she wanted was to catch hypothermia.
Her dear friend Casey was due to give birth to her first child any day now, and Rina had promised to be there for her. Their friendship had grown a bit strained after Casey married Giddeon Black, the mysterious owner of Kismet Dating Agency. It was as if Casey hadn't had much time for her friends anymore. Rina shoved down the bitterness that bubbled up inside and forged on. The hill on the map was no hill at all. It was, in fact, a mountain.
But Rina had come too far to give up. Her boots were heavy with moisture and the many layers of clothing she wore were nearly soaked through. Each step was harder than the last, but she kept going. Rina reached halfway up the mountain and heard her phone beep. She tugged it out of her pocket and dialed Casey's number. The phone rang and rang until someone finally answered.
"Hello, Miss Whitely," grumbled Casey's large husband. "I hope you have a good reason for calling my pregnant wife at such an hour."
"In case you haven't noticed, there's a freaking storm outside! My car broke down and I'm on the side of the mountain trying to call for help so I don't die!" Her voice cracked, hoarse from the dry winter air.
"Where are you?"
Rina heard the bed creak and the sound of Giddeon's hurried footfalls through the phone. She fussed with the map, but the wind was too strong. The paper crackled as it was ripped from her hands. "I just lost the map! Oh god, I'm going to die out here."
"Stay where you are! See if you can shield yourself from the wind and keep talking through the phone so I know you're alive," Giddeon said firmly. The conviction in his tone gave her hope. "We're coming to get you. Do you know where you were when your car stopped?"
"Headed east towards the cabin on the main road. I couldn't have been more than fifteen miles out," she replied through clenched teeth. There was a tightness in her chest that made it hard to breathe, and her fingers were numb.
Rina listened to the sounds through the phone for what felt like an eternity. Giddeon checked in from time to time, but she felt herself drifting off. The cold made her feel sluggish and weak. Rina huddled behind a large rock and closed her eyes for a moment. But a deep growl forced her to her feet. Something large moved through the snow, sniffing around like a beast.
She pressed herself against the side of the mountain and prayed that someone found her in time. At least until the creature let out a pained groan. Rina was afraid, but not heartless. She moved out of her cover to see if the animal had been wounded. Her numb fingers swiped across the screen and activated the flashlight. There was no blood—only the harsh sounds of an animal in distress.
"This is insane."
The growl came much closer than she anticipated. Rina turned slowly and dropped her phone. A scream clawed its way up her throat as a large bear transformed into a man.
~*~
Caleb shivered as the change rushed through him. Old football injuries that never quite healed properly made his shift more painful than what his brothers experienced. He swallowed back the nausea that caused his head to swim and limped towards the misshapen figure hiding in the shadows. Pain shot up his leg as Caleb stumbled in the snow. He made his wa
y over and held his hands out. Big blue eyes blinked away the snowflakes that clung to long lashes.
“You?” she croaked. “Caleb, right?”
“Yes.” He reached forward and helped her out of the corner. The woman leaned against him as he led her back towards the road. “Forgive me. I don’t remember your name.”
“We only spoke for a few seconds at Casey and Giddeon’s wedding. I’m Rina.”
“Well, you’re braver than most people, Rina.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” she snorted. “I think I’m losing my mind. Hallucinations or something...I thought you were a...never mind. Let’s just get out of here.”
Caleb held her up and eased them further into the woods. He was impressed that she had managed to find the mountain in the dense snow. Her balance faltered and Caleb tried to prop her up, but Rina slumped forward. He tilted her head back and saw just how pale her complexion was. Caleb hoisted her up into his arms, ignoring the pain that still lingered in his bones. He carried her through the deep mounds until they reached the road.
Her abandoned car was completely buried beneath the snow. Caleb adjusted his grip and shuffled towards his truck. The interior light came on as the door opened, and Caleb laid Rina across the backseat before he climbed into the driver's seat. He blasted the heat until the feeling returned to his feet and Rina's complexion flushed to his touch. Caleb then slammed the truck into gear and raced towards the cabin across the lake from his family's castle. A faint light flickered through thick curtains as Caleb pressed on the brakes. He honked the horn and carried Rina to the door.
A woman with wild red curls opened the door with a wide-eyed expression. "Holy crap! What happened?" she shrieked. Caleb recognized her from his brother's wedding. She was one of Casey's friends—Olivia, he believed.
"She got stuck on the mountain." Caleb shoved his way inside and carried Rina over to the fire.
"Why are you naked?"
"I don't have time to explain," he snapped. Caleb peeled off layers of Rina's clothes until he reached her underwear and bra. He tried not to notice the soft curves laid out before him as he removed her boots and attempted to warm her with his hands. Rina stirred, but her eyes remained closed. Olivia tapped his shoulder and handed over a bundle of dry clothing.
"They're mine, so they might be a bit big for her."
"Thank you." Caleb ignored her prying gaze and focused on dressing Rina. When he finished with the last button on her borrowed nightshirt, Caleb felt a slight twinge of hesitation at the thought of letting her go. If not for the glare he sensed burning into his back, he suspected he might have held her for the rest of the night. The floorboards creaked as he stood up.
Olivia tossed a pair of sweatpants at his chest and quirked her eyebrow at him. "Mind getting dressed in case she wakes up? I'd like to spare her the heart attack."
Caleb had been around humans long enough to know just how uncomfortable they were with nudity. "Aren't you going to call the press or something?"
"What good would it do me?"
"You could make a small fortune," he scoffed. "Most news outlets would pay a good price to hear about a former star quarterback running through the woods naked with an unconscious woman in his arms."
Olivia shrugged. "Money isn't really that important to me. Besides, you saved my friend's life. The least I can do is let you hold onto what's left of your dignity."
Caleb nodded and pulled on the sweats. Olivia handed over his keys with a smile. "You turned off my truck?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be kicking me out right about now?"
"I figured you would like to be here when she wakes up. We'll leave her to sleep by the fire for now. You can take the couch." Olivia yawned and shuffled up the stairs. She stopped halfway to the top and shouted, "Don't try anything pervy! I've got perfect hearing and I'm a light sleeper."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"What?"
Caleb bit his tongue to keep from laughing. It was easy to like Casey's friends. He had only met them briefly at the wedding, but they hadn't treated him like a celebrity, and he was grateful for that. Caleb eyed the couch. It looked comfortable enough, but he crawled onto the floor beside Rina. There was a safe distance between them as his body radiated heat all around her.
He watched her for as long as he could before sleep eventually claimed him.
Chapter Two
Destiny, Alaska
Rina stretched like a lazy cat. Her hips rolled and she sighed contentedly as she snuggled into the large chest against her cheek. It wasn't until a thunderous snore blared in her ear that her eyes shot open and she scrambled away from the stranger slumbering beside her. Rina's quick movements awakened the man. Gorgeous green-blue eyes stared down at her. Memories came flooding back to the front of her mind. "You saved me," she said. "Thank you."
Caleb looked away and pushed himself to his feet with a groan. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm...confused. Embarrassed and grateful, but mostly confused." She sat up and rubbed the back of her neck. "For a minute there, I thought I was losing my mind."
"I'm sure it was just stress."
"Right." Rina stood up and glanced down at herself. "Did Olivia get me dressed? I'll have to thank her."
"Actually, that was me."
Rina wasn't the bashful sort, but she blushed violently as she looked away from Caleb. He was handsome and clearly much kinder than the media made him out to be. He was just too...perfect. Rina preferred her men with a little more grit and a lot fewer fans. Dating someone famous never ended well—at least not for her. "Thank you. I don't know how I can repay you, but I'll try my best."
"No need."
"Come on, Caleb. You saved my life and got me somewhere safe," she replied. "At least let me buy you a cup of coffee sometime?"
He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand over the sharp angle of his jaw. There was a slight cleft at the center of his chin and a pair of boyish dimples that seemed out of place on his perfectly symmetrical features. Giddeon didn't have the dimples that Balor and Caleb had. Rina never met their brother Seth and found herself wondering which one of the Black siblings he resembled more.
"Sure. Coffee sounds fine." He scribbled his number down on the notepad beside the phone and left with a wave tossed over his shoulder. Rina moved over to the large window in the foyer and watched as the truck peeled out of the driveway.
Footsteps came down the stairs and Olivia shot her with a look of pure annoyance. "You didn't bang him?" her friend asked. "He was cute. You should have offered him a little action for saving you. Chicks love a knight in shining armor."
"He's not my type."
"Suuure," Olivia drawled. "And I suppose you're going to lie and say something about him being too much of a pretty boy?"
"He is! I tried the whole pretty boy thing, and it was a mess. They all want some bimbo to hang off their arm at fan signings and wait around barefoot and pregnant. I'm not that girl."
"And this thing you have with Damien is any better?"
Rina glared at Olivia and pushed her hair out of her face. "Damien knows the score. We're consenting adults. There's nothing wrong with having a fuck buddy." She reached for the phone and left a message for the tow company.
"Damien is head over heels in love with you and you're blind if you can't see that."
Rina couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Guys like Damien don't date fat girls...even if they are models." Her morning couldn't have started any worse. "Have you heard from Casey or Diana?"
"Diana is getting here via helicopter and Casey is about ready to pop. Poor girl looks like a New Year's Eve parade float and Giddeon still can't keep his hands off of her."
"Must be nice."
"I don't want to hear it," Olivia grumbled as she headed towards the kitchen. "At least you're getting laid. I'm about ready to give up hope and join the monks in Tibet."
"I thought you had a few flings last year?"
"I did."
Runa paused. "How long is too lon
g for you, then?"
"Weeks," Olivia answered. "A month or two tops. Any longer and I start feeling like a spinster."
"You're impossible. Feel free to climb Caleb. I've got no claim on him." Rina ate some avocado toast for breakfast and watched the snow as it continued to fall. The hours drifted by slowly, but at least she was safe and dry. Diana arrived an hour after the storm settled.
She stomped her boots in the entrance hall and called out to them. "Rina! Liv! You guys still here?"
"In the kitchen," they shouted in unison.
Rina stood up and hugged Diana. She was thinner than the last time they had seen her. "Woah, you've lost like twenty pounds!"
"Thirty," Diana replied with a frown. "It's entirely by accident. I just forget to eat when I'm working. Giddeon asked me to write a script, so I'm trying to get it done."
"What? Is Kismet Dating Agency in the movie-making business all of a sudden?"
Diana shook her head. "He's paying me for the script and then he'll fund the project through a studio. It's about an ancient bloodline and bear shifters. Pretty fantastical stuff. I never thought of Giddeon as the type."
"He lives in a castle," Olivia supplied. "And I'm pretty sure his family owns this entire region."
"Rina, are you all right? You look pale." Diana helped her to the table and into a chair. Rina's hands shook fiercely as she struggled to rationalize what she had seen on the mountain.
It was impossible.
There was no way Caleb was a bear—or bear shifter, as Diana had said. If it were true, then Giddeon and the others were as well, and Casey would have told her friends. Right? Rina couldn't breathe. She swatted away Diana's hands and ran for the back door.
It was stuck on the snow. She shoved with all of her strength and gasped as she was hit with a blast of cold air. Her heated face cooled immediately, but Rina saw black spots along the edges of her vision.
