Vern
With a collection of tools in my belt, and a log over my shoulder, I headed to Falco’s house.
Though I was positive I always built sturdy tables for the homes in the village, he claimed his rocked when he put weight on it, as if the legs weren’t the same length.
Perhaps one of my brothers had built the one in Falco’s home.
But I refused to let anyone believe that I had crafted a faulty table.
Part of me dreaded going to the outer-worlder’s house.
I didn’t want to see him with anyone else.
I knew one day he would pick a mate and start a family with that being, but the less I knew about any of that, the better.
Plus, I was still hurt that he’d tossed away the gift I’d given him.
Why had he come to me to get his table fixed if he didn’t respect my craftsmanship?
Regardless, I couldn’t say no, and when I reached his door, I released a heavy sigh before I knocked.
It didn’t take Falco long to answer, as if he’d been waiting for me to get there.
But his smile and the delicious scent wafting from inside caught me by surprise.
I glanced over my shoulder to see if another being was coming up the path behind me.
Perhaps he’d been waiting for a suitor and he thought I was that man.
“Um, hi. It’s just me. I’ve come to fix your table. ”
His smile widened. “I’m so glad you’re here. Everything is just about ready.”
“Ready?” Aside from cleaning off the table and allowing me space to work, there was nothing else Falco needed to prepare.
“Yeah.” His cheeks reddened. “I thought we could eat first. Before you take a look at my table.”
I glanced behind me again. “Are you sure it’s me you were waiting for? I’m Vern. I’m not one of my brothers.”
He chuckled and reached out to squeeze my arm. “I know who you are. And I purposely asked you to come over. I just thought it would be nice to eat with you again. I’ve missed you.”
He gestured me inside, though I remained reluctant about the encounter. There was something I was missing.
I made my way over to the table, and sure enough, it did rock when I rested my hand on it. Yet, I didn’t get a chance to examine it, the top covered in a long cloth that almost reached the floor. Plus, Falco held a spoon in front of me, his hand underneath to catch any droppings. “Taste it.”
I opened my mouth, hoping the concoction tasted as delicious as it smelled. When it hit my tongue, I was assaulted by flavors I’d never experienced before. “What is that?”
He drew back, a sudden pout overtaking his lips. “You don’t like the stew?”
“No.” I shook my head. “No. Yeah, it was unexpected. Caught me by surprise. But it’s the most appetizing thing I’ve ever tasted.”
His cheeks flushed again. “I’m glad you like it. I made this stew especially for you.”
“Why?” I ignored the flutter of my heart, the hope trying to push its way into my mind.
Letting him fill me with unrequited longing would only hurt when I left again.
“Why would you make a special stew for me? Why not one of your suitors? You’re supposed to be looking for a mate, not entertaining me. ”
His bottom lip trembled before he stared at his feet. “I…I already found the person I want as my mate.”
“That’s great!” My gut twisted and I prepared to leave. I would just take the table with me. “Then what’s the problem? Why am I here and not the man you want as your mate?”
He shook his head, and though he didn’t meet my eyes, I could see the anguish in his. “He doesn’t want me. No matter how hard I try, he pushes me away.”
“Well, he’s a fool. He doesn’t know what he’s missing. I would love for a chance to be your mate.” I instantly regretted saying those words. I wasn’t supposed to have feelings for Falco, but they seemed to bring a sparkle back to his eyes as he tried to hide a smile.
“You would? You’d want to be my mate?”
I fumbled with my hands as I tried to think of a way out of my mess-up. I went with honesty instead of a lie. “Of course I would. But I’m not suitable for you. That’s why I don’t understand why you’re spending time with me, cooking for me, why you asked me to spend the night that one time.”
Falco shuffled closer, holding my arms and running his hands up and down the backs of them. “You know outer-worlders get to choose who they want as their mate, right?”
I nodded. “Some don’t like that rule, but I think it’s the way it should be. Especially since you leave your entire world behind to be here.”
Moving even closer, until there was only a breath between us, he gazed up at me. “What if I choose you?”
I jumped back. “You can’t. I’m not—”
He clutched my hand. “Not what? You just said you would love for the chance to be my mate. And I’ve had so many suitors over here, but none of them make me feel the way I do when I’m with you.”
My heart raced as I tried to contemplate Falco’s revelation. “But I don’t know how to court you. I don’t know how to be a mate.”
He smiled and squeezed my hand. “Neither do I, but we can figure it out together. And you can start by coming to my house every evening for dinner.”
“I…I…” His confession felt like some kind of dream and I worried I would ruin it all if I said the wrong thing. Yet, there was one thing that still bothered me, something that didn’t fit with his admission. “If you say you want me to be your mate, why did you toss away the flower I gave you?”
He glanced over at his mantle. “I didn’t. It disappeared one day. I don’t know what happened to it. I thought you’d come back and taken it.”
I shook my head. “I found it in the trees when Onyx was over. I thought you hated it and hated me.”
He reached up and cupped my cheek. “I could never hate you. You’ve been nothing but kind to me since I arrived here. I honestly don’t want anyone else for my mate. I only want you.” With his hands on my chest, he pressed up on his toes and kissed the corner of my mouth. “Will you be my mate, Vern?”
For a moment, I was so overwhelmed, I lost control of my magic and started to shift back to my beaver form. “Sorry,” I said, reabsorbing the magic. “Yes, I would like that. I would like to be your mate.”
“Good.” He kissed me again, this time with more power and movement from his lips.
I didn’t know what to do at first, but then a force unlike any other took over, and I pulled him closer while reveling in the contact with the outer-worlder who wanted me as his mate.
Me. The youngest of the beaver dam. The one who had accidently run into him when he arrived.
If I hadn’t been there, would he have still chosen me?
When he pulled away, he smiled and squeezed my arm. “I’m really glad it was you there to meet me. Seems like it was Fate.” His eyes twinkled before he chuckled. “Now, let’s eat.”
“What about the table?” I just remembered the reason I’d come in the first place.
After lifting the tablecloth, he pulled a wood shim from under one of the legs. “There was never anything wrong with the table. I just needed an excuse to get you here.”
My heart fluttered at the effort he’d gone to simply to bring me back to his house. Yet, it was worth it. I was going to have a mate much sooner than I ever expected. I just had to figure out how to court Falco properly and how to be a proper mate so he wouldn’t change his mind in the future.