“Being a shifterisa gift in many ways.” He took a step closer. “We have better health, live longer lives, the connection you’ll have with your fox and the forest is indescribable, and there is no breaking the bonds we create when we choose a mate. We love for a lifetime, Caro.”
She turned to look at him wearily, “And you’re a wolf, like Bennett?”
“I am, I’m the alpha here in Hillard.”
He could see something click in her eyes as she nodded. “That’s why Bennett said that you were ‘in charge’ here. It’s not because of your ranger status.”
“Yes.”
“And what does that mean, to be an alpha?” she asked, still watching her sister and her mate outside.
“It means that it’s my job to make sure that all of my pack members here are safe, happy, and healthy, and that everyone is taken care of.” He thought about stopping there, but he wantedto lay everything out on the line with this woman. “And my mate would be the alpha female. She would help me to take care of and nurture our people.”
Caro’s eyes grew wider at his implication. “You meanme?”
“I do. My wolf has known there was something special about you since the first time I caught your scent. We’re both fascinated by you.”
“But,” she stuttered, “if this is true, then I’m a—I’m a fox, like Ellie.”
“Yes, that is true.” He reached out to take one of her hands in his. “That doesn’t matter to my wolf, or me. Though I am looking forward to seeing you in your shifted form. I imagine you’ll make a stunning vixen.”
Chapter Thirteen
I’m going to turn into a fox. A furry, little beastie—cute, yeah, but still furry.That certainly wasn’t something everyone could deal with, but if Caroline had to choose, things certainly could have been worse. Honestly, if she thought back on her life, it also would perhaps explain all those instances where she felt like she was going crazy because the voice in her head was so at odds with what she thought she wanted.
Caro sighed and turned around, setting her coffee cup on the counter before she looked up at Craig—who looked way too good for this early in the morning. It just figured she was going to be mated to a morning person.
Whoa, mated? Why am I just accepting this as a done deal?
But itdidfeel right to her, didn’t it? She took a closer look at the man standing in front of her. His warm brown eyes searched hers as if to find something he could fix for her. She could feel the concern and warmth emanating from him, and it made her realize all the more the things shehadn’tfelt with her husband. Peter had looked to her to take care of any of their problems, he’d only been focused on his own work, and he’d had no interest in anything else.
She went with her instincts and moved in to wrap her arms around his torso, laying her head against his chest. They both instantly relaxed, and she smiled as he hugged her closer.
“So, tell me, Alpha. When will this fox of mine be making her debut into the world?” she asked. “I have to admit, from what I saw this morning, it’s freaking me out a little.”
“You don’t need to worry, I’ll make sure that we all keep an eye on you, and if I’m there to keep you calm, you should have an easy transition.” He rubbed her back in a soothing pattern. “When it starts, you will begin to feel an anxious excitement likeyou can’t sit still. Eventually, that will come to the point when your beast decides it’s time to come out. Then once you shift, we’ll have you shift back to your skin, and after that, it becomes ingrained and you’ll be able to change at will.”
“You make it sound so easy,” she muttered.
“Well, our teenagers do it, so…” he teased, causing her to pull back and see the tipped-up grin on his lips.
“You know, you’re lucky you have that dimple, Sir.” She playfully pinched at his sides. “I have a feeling that dimple will end up letting you get away with a lot of things in our future.”
Caro didn’t miss the instant tension in his body when she said the wordfuture, and the smile that bloomed over his entire face called her own out to match it.
“I think I need a nap, perhaps a day spent in the kitchennotthinking about all this craziness, and then you know what I expect?” She stepped back from his arms.
“What’s that?”
“Many, many delicious deep-fried treats, exactly as I was promised.”
“Then, my vixen”—he winked before pulling her hand up to place a kiss against the back of it—“you’d better wear your eating pants tomorrow.”
****
Caro was elbows-deep in a batch of marshmallows when a smiling Ellie came down the stairs, her wolf boyfriend not far behind.
“I think I’ve officially cleaned you out of ingredients.” She looked over the counter at the various items that she’d made already. “I noticed the store yesterday doesn’t stock a lot of the stuff we’ll need. I guess we’ll have to see if they can order it for us?”