Page 127 of Have a Bear-y Little Christmas
“You all supported us, knowing that our path together would be short, and for that I am eternally grateful.”
My heart thudded wildly, and I sensed something very important was about to happen, but I ached for the darling woman who had made my entire happily ever after possible. I wished I could speak to her. Wished I could hold her hand. Wished I could tell her that I was so grateful for all the love she’d poured into her beautiful family and promise her that I would do the best for them I possibly could.
“You were there when she left us on this plane and moved on to one where she is no longer in pain, no longer held back from doing all the things we shifters long to do. And I do apologize, but I lost myself after that. I lost my bear. Ignored my connection to all of you.
“Ironically, what repaired that connection was a human woman. One you all have also welcomed with open arms. She’s healed me in a way I never thought possible, repaired lines I thought were ruptured forever.
“That is why I wanted to share the Christmas tales of all of our cultures this holiday, because she has truly shown me what family and community could be.”
Those gorgeous eyes of his landed right on me, and it was as if the entire world stopped. Slowly, he strode forward, and each step seemed like a booming quake as the earth shook, yet I was locked in place.
I could hardly breathe, could only stare, as he finally reached me and got down on one knee. Then, with a flourish, he pulled a tiny box from his back pocket and held it out to me, popping it open to reveal a beautiful silver band with five gemstones arranged in an artful cluster. Gems I recognized as the birthstones of our little blended family. Remington. Jeannie. Max. Adelaide. Evangeline.
“Jeannie Wolfe, you’ve opened a path to me I never thought was possible, you’ve brought fire and life back to the hearth in my home, and I would be honored to spend the rest of my life providing for you, learning with you, growing with you, and raising your son as my own. So, I ask you, bear to human, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” I managed to get out before I burst into tears. “Oh my god, yes!”
I was shaking as he slid the ring on my finger, then I threw my arms around his neck. He picked me up, twirling us around like we were in a romance novel.
“I love you,” he said before crashing his lips to mine. And God, I loved him too. Right through every cell of my body.
Who would have thought that the runaway who was told no one would ever really love someone as strange as her would end up with the perfect fairytale fiancé and a whole new family to boot? Not me, but goodness, was I happy to be proved wrong!
Epilogue
Remington
Somehow,two years had passed in the blink of an eye, and now I was standing on a raised platform in the middle of a clearing on our pack lands, dressed in a suit and waiting for my beautiful, blushing bride to walk down the flower-strewn aisle.
So much had happened in the three years since that night at the ice rink when Addy had taken a spill and found out about her phobia of blood. Sometimes it was hard to believe that we’d gotten here. I could fill an entire library full of stories even though we were only just beginning our journey.
While some of my family was shocked at how long our engagement had been, I wasn’t. They didn’t understand that it had taken us more than six months to drop the L bomb, so rushing into things wasn’t exactly an issue for either of us. It wasn’t that we were scared, but we had a lot on our plates, and our priority was always going to be our kids.
And what wonderful kids they were.
Addy was officially a teenager. Thirteen years old, and she knew everything about the world and then some. Although her competition with Symphony was ongoing, she had continued to branch out and joined the same drama club as Max, albeit as a stage director and occasional improv performer. She definitelystill leaned heavily toward chorus, really blossoming into a true soprano, but I was happy that she was trying her hand at so many different arts.
As for Max… Other than being a bit short for his age, nobody would have guessed that he had nearly died of cancer. His hair had grown out, and the auburn length was so thick and healthy that I’d taken to braiding it into various styles that were appropriate for his hair type. At first, I had been worried that the ones I knew would be far too feminine, but such things clearly weren’t a concern to my son, because his two favorites were French braids like Addy’s or Viking plaits that I was sure were inspired by some Norse comic books he liked to read. Two pretty opposite ends of the feminine-masculine spectrum. But whatever floated his funky little boat; I was just happy to spend time with him.
And we were spending more time together than ever. After a year of him in public school, Jeannie and I asked if he’d prefer to go to Addy and Eva’s school, and he had agreed quite enthusiastically. I was covering the tuition, and it was one of the best investments I’d made in ages.
Then there was Eva. Little Evangeline, who didn’t like to talk that much and occasionally blurted the strangest things. She had blossomed in a way I never expected, and I believed with my whole heart it was because of Max’s candor and Jeannie’s unconditional kindness.
She still didn’t have the gift of gab, but she was much more willing to share her thoughts with others besides her immediate circle. She was playing more with other kids in school and even participating in group art projects. I largely attributed that to the fact that she was bitten by the acting bug and was in drama club with her two siblings. She was also in chorus and on the marching band. That last one had been a surprise to me, but when she’d calmly told me that the drum line was the best legalway to beat something violently every day, I let her get on with her bad self.
“You okay?” Ana murmured softly from behind me, no doubt able to scent the swell of emotions in me as I looked over the crowd. She was my best man—so to speak—and had walked down the aisle by herself. Given Jeannie’s situation, she didn’t really have any family or friends on her side for a bridal party, so we’d settled on my sister-in-law for me, and Jahmoni as Jeannie’s maid-of-honor, with Max as the ring bearer and my daughters as flower girls.
A small party, for sure, but perfect for us. Especially since my entire clan was seated on both sides of the aisle, a sweet way to let my darling fiancée know that there was no my side and her side. There was onlyourside.
“I’m good,” I whispered back, although that word felt woefully inadequate. Because I was so much more than that. Quite literally every aspect of my life had improved. Not that it had been miserable or lesser with Zara. I just liked to think that she had been a beautiful first season of my life that would never be diminished. So, even though I was entering an entirely new chapter, she was always my first love. Always my origin.
It helped that Jeannie always treated her memory with the utmost respect, even hanging Zara’s picture in the big photo collage on the wall of her kitchen. She’d often ask the girls for stories, as would Max. Although that might not work for everyone, it was right for us, and that was what mattered.
“A little anxious for things to get started,” I continued after a beat when the cue for Jahmoni to walk down the grassy aisle played. Even though I hadn’t seen my soon-to-be wife yet, as was tradition, just knowing that she was at the large, white tent at the end of the walkway, just behind the trees, had me getting caught up in my emotions. I couldn’t believe that I had found anothersoulmate. And although I knew her lifespan was a lot shorter than mine, it didn’t make it any less worth it.
Besides, there were a few ways to extend her life. Not quite as long as the shifters, but definitely longer than the human average. Between sharing a mating bite, specifically, my blood and hormones entering her body once she pierced my mating gland, and magics we could seek out from other species, there wasn’t the same deadline on our journey as there had been with Zara. So yes, I would cherish every single day like it was the last, but that ending would not be for a good long while.
“Don’t worry. She looks stunning!”
