Page 17 of Mismatched Mates (Special Bear Protectors)

JANE

T he day of the wedding dawned fair and bright, the early June morning soft and lush with the promise of sun. Mom had the boys and I’d headed over to the house Victoria shared with Luke to help her get ready. Luke was at the fire station with his groomsmen.

Given the way I’d reacted when Victoria first came to the town, a human looking to date my brother—even though she didn’t know he was a shifter, and play mother to his kids, it had been a surprise that she’d offered for me to be a bridesmaid, but now I felt grateful.

“You made it,” she said as I shut the front door behind me. Someone—probably Victoria’s mom—had transformed the master bedroom into a bridal bower, and I had the feeling of walking into a boutique, my dress under my arm. Victoria was getting her makeup done by a professional makeup artist and her dress hung on a beautiful silk padded hanger with intricate white embroidery. I’d been there when Luke had been married for the first time to a woman who had never deserved him, and whose wedding had felt like a Her Show.

Victoria’s dress was soft and modern, bridal without a hooped skirt designed to take out small children, and the makeup artist was transforming her face into a sweet summer blush. If I hadn’t already known she was my brother’s perfect match, I’d have known it then.

For some reason, my heart jammed against the back of my throat, and my nose stung. “You look incredible ,” I told her.

She smiled slightly as she examined herself in the mirror. “I feel exactly the way I’d always wanted to feel on my wedding day.”

“Luke won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”

Her smile grew a little wider and she glanced across at her dress. “I think I’ve made all the arrangements, but honestly, even if there’s a tropical storm and the caterer forgets to make today’s dinner, I won’t care, so long as I get to say I do .” She wrinkled her nose. “That’s so gross and soppy, isn’t it?”

Her words, so full of love and certainty, touched something deep within me. "Really?"

She nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Really. He's my home. Everything else is just... decoration."

I gave her a gentle hug from behind, careful not to dislodge her hair or get in the way of the artist. “I wouldn’t let him marry anyone else.”

“I believe it,” she said wryly, and laughed, gesturing for me to hang my dress beside hers and take a seat. “Sylvia’s pretty much done with me, so let’s get your makeup sorted. Is Grant going to be there?”

My stomach gave a traitorous flip. After the last time we’d seen each other, my obsession had gotten worse. It was at the point that I would lie awake and stare at the photos scattered across his social media. None of other women, but all of him in various locations, in between working for clients. I’d stare at his face in the early hours of the morning, my eyes watering from exhaustion, and wonder what terrible things were going wrong with me. Even at the height of dating Jason, I’d never wanted him the way I wanted Grant.

Nothing made sense.

“It’s always scary when you meet your mate,” Victoria continued as Sylvia, who gave me a smile and an assessing look, picked up a makeup brush. Victoria had already given her the brief, and she knew I was clueless enough not to have any idea what I wanted anyway. “I know when I first got to know Luke, it was kind of overwhelming, even though I knew nothing about mates at the time.”

I almost spat at my reflection. “What?”

“I mean, you were there,” she continued. “You know what a big adjustment in thinking it was.”

“I’m not—” I zipped the words shut before they could fall out of my mouth.

Nope. Not even going to consider going there.

Grant was not my mate. I didn’t have a mate, and if I did, it certainly wasn’t a playboy wolf. This was just the natural reaction to being touch-starved then having amazing sex. Nothing more than that.

My hands shook as I stared at myself in the mirror. God, I needed to pull myself together. Focus on Victoria and Luke. The real couple here.

Sylvia, either unconcerned or oblivious to my confusion, picked up two tubes of gloss. “What color would you like for your lips?”

The wedding was held in an old barn at the side of town, two great big fire engines parked outside. Soft greenery draped from weathered beams, intertwined with delicate cream ribbons. Mason jars filled with wildflowers hung at varying heights, catching the late afternoon sun and casting a warm glow throughout the space.

The guests had all arrived by the time we pulled up outside, and Victoria’s mom fussed around her, pulling the veil down over her face and making sure her bouquet was every level of perfect.

I adjusted my own flowers, doing my best not to think too much about Grant.

“Are we ready?” Victoria beamed, and I forced aside my own worries, giving her my biggest smile in return.

“Ready.”

She gestured to a lady by the doors, and at the front of the barn, a cello began to play as the doors opened and Victoria made her sedate way down the aisle. At the front, Luke turned to see his future wife, and his face lit up. He looked almost thunderstruck at the sight of her approaching him, the awe in his eyes tugging something loose in my heart.

Then my eyes caught Grant’s, and it was like the world went still. I hadn’t known, not really, how much I had been craving seeing him until it happened. Just as dressed up as I’d hoped he would be—wearing a different henley this time, a blue one that brought an almost blue tint to his gray eyes.

Broad and strong, with my boys on either side of him like they belonged there, but with eyes only for me.

I forgot to breathe. I almost forgot to walk. The only thing that kept me going was the sudden feeling of eyes on me, and Victoria’s words in my head.

Mate .

Grant couldn’t be my mate. I refused to accept it. There were so many reasons why it was more complicated than it was worth, and the two boys standing with him were only part of the problem.

At the front of the barn, the flowers in my hand, I did my best to focus on Victoria and Luke as they held hands and exchanged vows.

Luke's voice, steady and warm, filled the barn. "Victoria, from the moment I met you, I knew you were different — even before I knew we’d been set up on a date.”

I watched as Victoria's eyes welled with tears, her smile radiant.

"I promise to be your partner in all things," Victoria responded, her voice clear despite the tears. "To stand by you in times of joy and sorrow, to nurture our family with patience and understanding."

Luke’s two kids, Beth and Adam, came in close for a family hug, and Victoria kneeled, promising them that she would always do her best by them and be the best stepmom she could.

My heart broke all over again. Shattered into several small pieces in my chest, and amongst the tears of happiness were other more complex emotions I couldn’t put names to.

Seeing Luke get his family reminded me that I had lost mine. A stupid, selfish thought I couldn’t quite banish. And it was especially stupid because we were better off.

Then there was Grant. I just wanted him. And despite all my best efforts, I couldn’t quite stop wanting.

Luke and Victoria led the way down the aisle again, and I followed, determinedly not looking at Grant. The photographer was already waiting for us, and we went straight into photos.

For obvious reasons, I opted not to have Grant join me—just because I’d found a boyfriend in their eyes didn’t mean that I wanted to have him in my brother’s wedding photos, etched into history forever—plus, even the boys were only in the larger family photos. Which meant, obviously, that every time I glanced over, they were with Grant.

First he had Lance in his arms, holding him up even though Lance was big—and heavy—for his age. Then he was holding Brandon up. Then he was taking a selfie with both of them, all three pulling stupid, goofy faces. When the boys joined me for the official photographs, Grant stood to one side, occasionally making silly faces at them so they’d laugh. When finally I released them, they raced back to Grant and dragged him back to his Porsche, where he let them sit in the driver’s seat and pretend to drive.

Every time I looked over, he was entertaining them, jacket off and grinning like he couldn’t quite contain himself. And they were laughing the way they hadn’t really laughed since Jason left.

In between shots, my mother managed to whisper in my ear, “If I’d known you were so looking, I could have set you up with a nice bear.”

I glanced at her sharply, warning her under my breath. “Now’s not that time or the place.” Imagine what she would have said if she knew the truth.

She bristled but kept silent, smiling widely for the camera.

By the time the photos were done and the barn was re-outfitted for the reception, my head felt like it had been scrambled. All the reasons I’d had for convincing myself Grant couldn’t be my mate—the fact that his life couldn’t integrate with mine, and he couldn’t be expected to step up and father my rambunctious boys—had been smashed into smithereens.

He was good with the kids. And it was easy to see at a glance that they loved him in return.

The second he could, he came over, the boys hanging off his arm, and kissed me on the lips. “You look stunning,” he told me.

“You’re looking dapper yourself.”

“Dapper? Are we from the nineteen twenties?” He pressed a kiss to my fingers, the gesture absent as though he’d done it routinely, even though he hadn’t. My heart skipped several beats, heading straight for cardiac arrest.

“Mom,” Brandon said, tugging at my hand. “Grandma said there’s going to be a DJ later. Is that true?”

“He won’t play any of the songs you like,” I warned. “It’ll be old people music.”

Grant snorted. “Old people?”

“As far as they’re concerned, early 2000s hits are old,” I said.

Lance rolled his eyes. “Duh. Because we weren’t even born then. Mom, did you know that some butterflies only live for a few hours?”

I glanced at Grant, who grimaced. “My knowledge has been severely tested.”

“I didn’t know that,” I said. “What else did you learn?”

“That dolphins sometimes play with puffer fish because even though they’re poisonous to us, they release chemicals that make the dolphins feel good.”

My glance at Grant became a glare. “Is that right?”

He held his hands up, palms out defensively. “I was scraping the barrel.”

“He also said he could beat us in a race,” Brandon said. “But I don’t believe him because coach said we were two of the fastest boys he’d ever seen.”

I tipped my head back and laughed.

“I’ll prove you wrong,” Grant said to them, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me into him. “But later . I think the happy couple going to have their first dance.”

“Gross,” I heard Brandon whisper in Lance’s ear. Then he looked up at Grant. “Are you Mom’s boyfriend?”

Grant’s arm tightened around me, and I could feel the way I stiffened. Kids were never supposed to be a part of this, although I’d obviously overlooked that detail in my vain attempt to save face.

“Sure am,” Grant said lightly, and something warm spread through my chest. “Is that okay?”

Lance shrugged. “I guess so.”

I leaned closer to Grant, lowering my voice. “From Lance, that is the biggest seal of approval he could give.”

“Indifference?”

“If you don’t recognize that as nine-year-old enthusiasm I don’t think this is going to work out,” I whispered back. He raised one eyebrow and smiled.

“I’ll get to learning.”

At the head of the barn, the music started up— Can’t Stop Falling in Love played through the speakers—and Luke took to the stage with Victoria. I grabbed Grant’s hand and took hold of the boys, tugging them through the crowd so we were right at the front.

I glanced over at Luke and Victoria, who were lost in each other's eyes as they swayed to the music. "They do look perfect together, don't they?"

Grant nodded, his gaze never leaving my face. "They do. But I find my attention drawn elsewhere."

My pulse quickened at his words. I tried to maintain my composure, falling back on our familiar banter. "Careful there, Elston. People might think you're actually enjoying my company."

He leaned in slightly, his scent enveloping me. "And they would be absolutely right."

His arm tightened around me a little, pulling me into his body, and every nerve ending in my body fired. This was absolutely the wrong sort of place for lust, but apparently my bear had different ideas.

She’d always been different with Grant. More immediate, more intense, and somehow more emotionally charged.

We needed to talk about what would happen after this, but I couldn’t bear to break the moment Victoria and Luke had crafted. They twirled, her skirt dancing around her legs, and he looked down at her with such an expression of naked adoration that I felt tears building.

But this time, with Grant’s arms around me, his hard body against my back, and my two boys leaning inside my side, I didn’t have that hollow feeling from before. The sense that my happiness was somehow compromised by something I lacked.

Right then, I didn’t lack a thing.

“Us next?” Grant said, his breath hot against my ear.

“Huh?”

“Up there. Dancing.”

“I’m not very good at dancing.”

He leaned back and winked at me. “Don’t worry. I am.”

The boys lost interest, wandering off to where the caterers were beginning to set up the food, and when the music struck up again and Victoria beckoned for us to join her on the dance floor, I didn’t sit back down. The old me probably would have, unwilling to leave my comfort zone. But this was the new me, and it didn’t feel as though I was breaking free of my comfort zone as Grant slid his arms around me.

“I hope you’re wearing steel-capped boots,” I said. “Because I will be stomping on your toes.”

His mouth curled into a slow smirk. “What makes you think I’ll struggle to handle anything you have to give, sweetheart?”

“Being trodden on usually isn’t on someone’s list of favorite things.”

“You dominate my list of favorite things.” His hands on my waist, he urged me into a gentle sway. “I’ve missed you.”

“Don’t say that if you don’t mean it.”

“I never say things I don’t mean. At least not with you.”

“Everyone is staring at us.”

“Everyone is staring at you.” His lips grazed my cheek, and I had to bite back a shiver. “It smells of bear in here,” he murmured. “I thought I’d mind it more.”

“That’s how I felt about the gala.”

He gave a particularly wolfish grin. “So much for lifetime enemies. The only thing I want to do is pin you to a wall.” He tilted his head, considering. “And then make you breakfast.”

The image was oddly compelling. A sense of domesticity. “I work a lot,” I warned.

“That’s okay. Me too.”

“And I probably have a lifelong grudge against your Father for making you feel less than just because you have a different mom.”

His smile gentled, and the sight of it made something in me ache. “That’s okay,” he repeated, but his words were more gravelly this time. “Me too.”

“Thank you for coming here with me.”

“Thanks for inviting me.”

I rested my cheek against his, closing my eyes as we swayed, his body guiding mine. For the first time in a long, long time, I felt totally and utterly, inexplicably, safe.