Page 3 of Elusive Alpha
On this particular day, a light breeze swept down from the peaks, bringing the scent of the snow that had fallen there over the weekend and rattling the aspen leaves. If only I had a family, I could live here in contentment, but as it stood, something had to change. And it seemed that change would be moving to a larger urban area where even if Fate did not grant me a mate, I might find a companion, an omega willing to settle.
Opening the mailbox, I almost stuffed everything right in the trash, but an envelope caught my eye. Fancy writing, heavier than usual paper… Probably one of those ads geared toward donors from some organization, and I already had my donations all preset for the year. Still, there was something different about this one, the wax seal on the back was quite over the top. So, I tucked it in my jacket pocket and carted it up to the house to at least glance at.
Once settled in my chair in front of the fire, I slit the envelope and pulled out a sheet of heavy stationery. Not a request for a donation or someone suggesting I might want to sell my home. Not even one of those annoying investment opportunities. Instead, I received an invitation to spend a weekend, all-expenses paid, at somewhere called the Bearclaw Inn. My mind immediately leapt to time-shares, but I had nothing more important to do, so instead of tossing theinvitation in the fire and forgetting about it, I picked up my phone and entered the inn’s name in a search engine.
Then crawled down the rabbit hole after it.
The Bearclaw Inn had the reputation for being a romantic getaway of sorts. According to many former visitors, those who were asked to spend time there never left without their fated mate. And I’d been invited.
Suddenly all the angst I’d been feeling transformed into hope. Maybe I hadn’t totally ruined my chance to have a life after all. Fate might not have abandoned me. Of course, I’d go! And not only for the weekend. Travel had also been on my agenda, and I might as well start with some of that. I’d make a week of it. Not staying at the inn the whole time, of course. The invitation was for the weekend, but there would be other accommodations and I could do some exploring. Partly just for fun but mostly because if I stayed here and waited, I’d lose it.
This was the start of everything.
Chapter Four
Idris
I read the letter one more time before going to bed and then again when I woke up the next morning.
An all-expense paid trip to a bed-and-breakfast.
No time-shares.
No strings attached.
No mention of any catches.
So I did what any person who received a strange letter would do—took to the internet to get the gossip.
There was no shortage of information. Franklin, the owner of the Bearclaw Inn, a widower who had lost his mate a while ago, made it his mission in life to bring fated mates together. Some called it magic. Others said Franklin himself was a medium of sorts but instead of speaking to the dead or spirits, he could read and find true mates. Couples told their stories online. Some of them were instant. Some second chance. Alphas and omegas were mated who never would’ve been in the same vicinity if it weren’t for Franklin and his matchmaking skills.
The bed-and-breakfast’s reputation spoke for itself.
Not one person left without finding their true mate.
I closed the laptop and sat back. I glanced from the letter to the calendar on my wall and then back at the letter.
The invitation was for this weekend, and today was Friday. One more day of ignoring my mail and the opportunity would have passed me by.
There was no way I was missing this opportunity. One call to Magda and she screamed with glee at my letter. Apparently, omegas and alphas weren’t the only ones who had heard of this place.
I packed and checked the ticket, and in a few hours, I was on a plane.
The ride to the inn was filled with the colors and scents of autumn. The driver pointed out the apple orchards in the distance and took the liberty of putting the window down so I could smell the crisp, honey sweetness in the air. Rust, tangerine, and saffron leaves spun away from the branches of trees as they prepped for the heavy weight of the winter snow. Getting out of the car, my shoes crunched on freshly fallen leaves. Pumpkins and lights decorated the front door of the Bearclaw Inn.
The place was plucked out of one of my dreams. That and a Hallmark movie.
A Victorian with many windows. Marigolds and mums bloomed in the flower beds and more of them spilled from baskets along the porch.
“Here you go. Good luck.” The driver waved at me and drove away, leaving me with my bags in hand.
This was it.
My chance to meet my fated mate.
An older man opened the door as I ascended the steps. He wore a contagious smile. “You must be Idris.”
I nodded.
