Page 12 of Her Embarrassed Bear Mate (Crescent Lake Bears #5)

TWELVE

Alix

Alix tried her best to tune out the obnoxious show on the gigantic screen that Trixie was watching with rapt attention. At least one of them was enjoying their holiday in this unfamiliar house with a bunch of strangers. Alix thought she would get used to being here once a few days had passed but she still felt as uncomfortable as the moment she stepped inside. The only saving grace of the whole situation was that there was no additional awkwardness between her and Veronica.

If anything, from the handful of interactions they had, Alix thought they got on well. And they were in the same boat so it was good to have someone who understood how she was feeling.

She focused on her phone and the group chat with her friends. It hadn't been used that much since Lena and Aditi broke up but desperate times called for desperate measures.

This whole thing is ridiculous. I know my mum is irresponsible but this takes the cake. Why do I even have to be here?

Her phone vibrated in her hands with a message from Lena. You're the one who chose to go on the holiday.

Because someone has to watch over Trixie. I couldn't leave her unsupervised in a house with random men, she typed back.

Maria's message popped up in the chat. When are you coming back?

Tuesday. One of you better be free that night because I'm going to need buckets of wine.

Is it weird being there with the woman you hooked up with? Lena asked, her message finished with a cheeky emoji.

A janky tune came from the TV and Alix thought about pulling a pillow over her head as she typed out her reply. It's actually not too bad. Veronica and I agreed we would just pretend it never happened and she's actually pretty nice.

I hear mating calls! Maria said. The message disappeared almost as soon as it came and was replaced by a new one. I hear wedding bells!

Alix shook her head.

A private message from Maria popped up on her screen. Shit! I totally forgot that Lena and Aditi broke up because of the fated mates thing. Do you think one of them saw it?

If they did, you can blame baby brain, she typed back. She hoped neither of them saw it but considering they were all actively chatting just now, what were the chances?

Chattering came from the garden, pulling Alix's attention away from her phone. Her mum and Dirk came in attached to the hip, giggling like teenagers.

"Alix, why are you always inside?" her mum chided. "We're having a rare sunny day. You should get some vitamin D instead of sitting in front of a screen all day."

Alix didn't point out that everyone else was also inside, they just happened to have rooms they could stay in. In theory, she could stay upstairs too but she didn't want to be rude.

Her mum made a show of kissing Dirk, temporarily lost in her own world.

It took everything Alix had to not turn up the TV's volume.

"Alix, why don't you run out to the store and get some things for tomorrow?" her mum suggested after she was done. "Dirk wants to make a big roast dinner for everyone."

As much as Alix didn't like being bossed around, anything that would get her out of the house was a welcome distraction. And she was really done with Trixie's childish cartoons.

She pushed herself up from the couch, her leg slightly tingly from having been asleep. "Sure, if you write me a list, I'll get everything."

"Oh, you know what to get," her mum said.

Dirk nodded and held out his credit card. "Here, take this."

"Umm..." Alix gave them both a blank look. Did this man really just offer her his credit card? They barely knew each other. Was he not worried that she was going to abuse it? Not that she ever would but he didn't know that.

"Well, it's food for the family so you shouldn't have to pay for it," Dirk clarified.

There was that word again. Family . Dirk and her mum were throwing it around like they were some fully blended unit when in reality, this was more of an oil and water situation. There was no blending, no matter how much stirring they did.

Alix grimaced, not impressed with either of them. "It's fine, I'll just use my own card. You can pay me back later."

She was on her way out when Veronica came into the living room with her empty mug.

"Alix is popping down to the shop to buy everything for the Sunday roast. Can you go with her?" Dirk asked his daughter.

It was a total ambush.

Veronica looked lost for words but nodded. "S-Sure."

Since Alix didn't have any good reason why Veronica couldn't come with her, she just accepted her fate. If she protested too much, they might start asking questions why they didn't want to spend time together and that wouldn't be good for anyone.

The ride to the store was short but awkward. The good weather had also disappeared the moment Alix's mother commented on it and was now raining softly. Alix cranked up the volume of her radio, grateful to have music to bridge the silence. A song from her favourite band DK4 came on and Alix drummed along with the beat. She noticed that Veronica was humming along too.

"You like DK4?" she asked.

Veronica's chuckles filled the car. "Who doesn't? They're amazing. And Audra Green has an amazing voice."

"The best voice. And she's so good at writing lyrics too," Alix gushed.

"Not to mention, hot."

"So hot."

"Don't laugh at me, but when I was a teen, I had a massive crush on her. I used to dream that I would run into her during a Crescent Lake ceremony and we'd be magically fated mates." Veronica's face grew a shade pinker. "That's so embarrassing. I don't know why I just told you that."

Alix couldn't help but smile. "I think it's cute. And who hasn't had a crush on a celebrity when they were a teenager?"

"So who did you like?" Veronica asked.

"I'm not telling you."

"Aww, come on. I told you my crush."

Since there was no harm, Alix relented. "Alright. I used to have the biggest crush on Lisa Chen, the girl who played Dina in Wolf Town."

"The werewolf drama? Their portrayal of shifters is super problematic. It's making wolf shifters seem like some uncontrollable beasts when you and I both know they're just as polite and civilised as the rest of us."

"Oh, so problematic," Alix agreed as she pulled into the car park of the store. "But Lisa Chen was so cute! I was gutted when I heard she wasn't a shifter. It crushed all my dreams of discovering I was her fated mate. See, you weren't the only cheesy lovesick teen."

"Good to know."

The car came to a halt and Alix briefly locked eyes with Veronica. The rain clattered on the windscreen and all of the awkward tension had somehow melted away. They shared a smile, one that reminded Alix of the night they spent together.

Veronica cleared her throat. "Just for the record, I'm no longer under the illusion that I'll have a rom-com meet-cute with my fated mate. That sort of thing doesn't happen in real life. People don't just bump into each other in a lift and throw sheets of paper all on the floor or get tangled together in the park by a dog's lead or---"

"Fall desperately in love after a one-night stand in a bar," Alix teased.

"Exactly." There was a strange intensity in Veronica's voice.

Alix gulped. "Exactly."

They spoke at the same time, the awkward energy back at full force.

"Do you have a list of—" Veronica said.

"We should get—" Alix chuckled as she unbuckled herself. "You first."

"Do you have a list of what we need to buy?"

"No, I got the very vague brief of Sunday roast. What am I buying? Beef? Pork? Ham? Chicken?" Worry bubbled up in Alix's stomach. "Dear god, he's going to make all of them, isn't he?"

Veronica snorted and rolled her eyes. "You bet. Welcome to the family ."