Page 1 of Bunny Be Mine
Chapter One
Fen
“CominghometoPainesvilleafter spending the last four years out in Chicago is like entering a whole new world.” I spared a quick glance at the old run-down pharmacy on the corner of Main Street and Pine Lane. I noticed a group of young teens standing just outside the building, goofing around. It was easy to replace them in my mind as me and my old buddies instead. I sighed at the old memory of hanging out with Marcus, Karl, and the gang. But times were different now. I was no longer that young man, and this town was no longer the same warm, welcoming place I used to feel at peace in. “It’s like being thrown into a time machine but no longer fitting in. I swear, Neal, things haven’t changed much since I’ve been gone.”
“Is that a good thing or bad?” My roommate chuckled. “Seriously, dude, it’s only for a few days during our break and just to make sure your parents are okay. You’ll be back here before you can even settle in there. Take a deep breath, call an old friend to catch up on some gossip, and spend time with your parents. Hell, I have an even better idea—go to a bar and hook up with a sexy omega. It’s been way too long, man. You need the release.” Did I? I wasn’t one that hooked up like Neal did. Yes, I was waiting on my mate, but I wasn’t a saint either; my hand worked just fine. I hadn’t felt that need in a while and focusing on classes kept me occupied.
I turned down the road that led away from Main Street and toward my parents’ cabin. They lived a couple of miles down a nearly unpaved trail that led deep into the woods, like most of the town’s pack did. “How would you know?”
“We live in the same house, remember?” I could imagine Neal leaning back in his chair, smirking.
“But you aren’t always around.” He was often too busy hooking up himself. “There could have been—”
“Oh, my dear Fen.” Neal chuckled. “We both know I would have known about the lack of stress in your life if you had been easing the tension somehow.”
“Shut up,” I growled playfully, aware that Neal was only messing with me. “I’m not that bad.”
“You snapped at me the other morning because I left the refrigerator door open—”
“Yeah, because—”
“I was only turning around to place the food on the counter and would have turned right back to close it. We are talking seconds here, Fen. Not even minutes but seconds.” Neal wasn’t wrong, I did overreact; it was happening more frequently unfortunately.
“Fine. I have been a bit stressed out lately.” I had a deadline for my next book and my school schedule was fully packed for the next couple of semesters. A bit stressed out was an understatement and we both knew it. Yet the more I tried to destress, the more stressed I became. I was clawing at my skin to get out, yet nothing changed.
“So, you should go and get laid.” Neal persisted as if he knew all and could see all. “You need to unwind, and that’s the best way to do that. Find a cute little omega or a horny beta and bang out all your tension. Or, I’m not gonna judge, maybe another alpha is more your type.” I could see the shrug of indifference even through the phone; that was how well I knew my roommate.
“Neal… Stop.” I shook my head. My roommate was always trying to get me to unwind through sex. That may be the way that he relaxed, but until I met my mate, it was just not something I wanted to indulge in.Our mate will be worth the wait.My wolf agreed.
“Fine. But when you get back, we are going to some yoga sessions or a Reiki studio.” Neal chuckled, his jovial mood back. “Whatever will help you balance out life, work, and school. Because you need to ground yourself before you wreck yourself.”
“What are you even talking about? Wreck myself? Who talks like that?” I shook my head. My roommate had an interesting way with words, for sure, and I was the author who created fictional worlds.
“Me, so get over it.” Neal did have a unique use of words that may not have worked for others. “Anyway. Call me tomorrow and tell me all about the town gossip. God, I miss small-town life.” Neal sighed, heavy with envy. He didn’t need gossip. He had enough on campus to keep him satisfied.
“Whatever. You should have come with me, then; you know you are always welcome to visit my parents.” I shifted my car into park and turned off the engine. “Look, I’m outside my parents’ house now, so I’m letting you go.”
“Cool. Tell them I said hi and can’t wait until they come up for graduation. We still need to check out that new restaurant by the university,” Neal reminded me.
“I’ll tell them. Call you tomorrow.”
Hanging up the phone, I closed my eyes and rolled my shoulders. I counted to three and exhaled. Shook out my fingers—
Stop procrastinating and just go talk to them.My wolf growled, intruding on my dithering.
Fine.I pouted, though, I wasn’t ready.
Getting out of the car, I mentally prepared myself for this visit home. Not because I didn’t love my parents, because I did, but because of the town they lived in, namely the pack we were a part of.
Before I left town, everything they did in the pack seemed to make sense. The hierarchy of shifter-kind, with the predators being superior to the prey. It was all just accepted in my mind as how things were.
I left home for Chicago and found myself in a larger pool. University life, with all the other shifters, humans, and others mingling and building relationships, showed me a new way of thinking. I realized how backward and wrong my birth pack was. It didn’t sit right with me or my wolf; not that I could change it.
“Honey, is that you?” My mom Tricia’s petite form came out of the house as I walked up the steps. “What are you doing here?”
“Yeah, Mom. It’s me.” I gathered my mom in my arms, treasuring the immediate sense of comfort her presence provided. “Didn’t you get my message? I came to make sure that you and Dad were okay. When you told me about his sickness, I decided to make sure everything was okay down here. Dad never gets sick.”
“Oh, everything’s fine.” Mom kissed my cheek and stepped back, brushing off my concern. “I’m glad that you came. It’s been too long.”
