Chapter 21
The Delaware Room restaurant
Believing that an open dining room full of strangers would be too distracting for the children, Dash had reserved one of the private party rooms for their group lunch.
Each family unit had their own table for some ‘just us’ time, with Tasha joining Zuzu and the Cunninghams. The children received their own menus, filled with colorful pictures of hearty meals fit for shifter appetites.
Zak helped Rayn choose something she could handle, and while they waited for the food to arrive, she asked him a question.
“Will the big bear come back?”
Eyes wide, Kip clearly wanted to know what Zak was going to say.
Because it would raise difficult questions, the children weren’t told that the animal had been captured shortly after being chased away from the Cub House, declared a nuisance by the authorities, and euthanized.
Zak glanced at Orrin before sharing the less detailed answer they’d agreed on.
“No, honey, the big bear will never come back, so you don’t need to worry. Most wild bears are shy and stay away from people, and if we don’t bother them, they won’t bother us.”
Given acute shifter hearing, the rest of the room had heard the exchange and the children at each table were now chattering away about the event.
Zuzu, Griffin, and Fort weren’t even at home when it happened, but chimed in with their own questions and comments.
Rayn hadn’t intended to open Pandora’s box, but her inquiry came from lingering fear, not excitement.
Thankfully, Dustin came over to share a story about his first visit to the Watershed while being the only human in the place.
He assured Rayn that it would be fun and she’d have plenty of non-shifter company today.
She was smiling again by the time the servers arrived with their food, and the adults purposely steered the conversation toward other topics.
No shifter meal is ever complete without something sweet for dessert, and Aiden had used his pastry chef experience to create a treat that would satisfy any ursine craving.
Rich, dense portions of Honey Cake were served warm, sprinkled with sliced almonds, soaked in delicately flavored honey syrup, and covered with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The room filled with contented growls as they ate, and the staff hustled to bring in seconds until there wasn’t a single sticky piece left over.
Dustin, always on the lookout for unique baked goods, could be heard making a deal with Aiden to sell Honey Cake exclusively at the Red Barn.
Dash was so pleased with his mate that he kissed the man senseless while everyone hooted and clapped.
The couple had just celebrated their second wedding anniversary on the twelfth; married in the resort’s grand ballroom amid paper hearts and scores of red roses.
And, if things moved along as expected, they might soon be welcoming Griffin and Fort to their household, giving Dash the family he’d always wanted.
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Soon after, the shifter guest wing
While nearly the same size as the waterpark, the Water Shed was designed specifically for bears, with cozy dens for snoozing, real trees, wide walking paths, and unobstructed sunshine through the overhead dome.
The water features were different too, and included a meandering stream, waterfalls, shallow soaking pools, a large central lake for swimming, and a play pond with floating toys for the cubs.
Even the water was chemical-free to mimic nature, continuously filtered, warmed for comfort, and safe for bears to drink.
It was quiet and peaceful here, filled with the soothing sound of flowing water, bear growls, and realistic recordings of birdsong from hidden speakers.
No raucous laughter, shouting teens, or the hum of myriad conversations to spoil the illusion of nature.
This was truly a place where shifters could relax and leave their human concerns behind for a while.
It was also ideal for humans to observe and interact with the ursine half of their mates, friends, or loved ones—all without concern for changeable weather, stinging insects, or natural bears crashing the party.
At the moment, Zak and Rayn were sitting at the edge of the play pond next to Dustin, Aiden, and Levi—all watching ‘their’ cubs play with the floating toys.
While those without fur could participate, it was safer if they remained on the sidelines.
Bear claws were sharp, and the cubs were having too much fun to watch what they were doing.
Every so often, Kip would bring Rayn one of the big, colorful balls, pushing it with his snout as he swam.
She’d giggle, throw it for him, and he’d go retrieve it.
Zuzu, overdue for her nap, had fallen asleep on Gruff’s belly as the pair floated along the far edge of the pond.
Meanwhile, Scout, Birdy, Griffin, and Fort were rolling, splashing, and chasing after the toys like a bunch of frisky otters—closely watched by Orrin, Tasha, Knox, and Dash.
While a bunch of wet bears might look alike at first glance, Zak realized that he had no difficulty identifying the adults.
Orrin’s light brown coat set him apart instantly, and Tasha, as the only female, was noticeably smaller than the others.
Dash’s white chest blaze, and Gruff’s facial scars, made both of them easy to recognize.
Knox seemed to be the only one with no distinguishing features—a classic black bear in every way, though a handsome specimen.
About the time Zuzu awakened from her nap, the group split up to go exploring.
Dash and Aiden took their boys down to the lake, while Knox, Levi, and their cubs decided to float down the river.
Gruff, Dustin, and Zuzu went on a waterfall tour, leaving Orrin, Zak, Kip, and Rayn to investigate the bubble pit.
The round pool, flush with the floor, could be accessed by descending ramps on either side, and was filled with warm aerated water.
Natural bears were known for availing themselves of neighborhood hot tubs, and Dash had insisted on including one for his ursine guests.
A large, paw-sized button turned on the air bubbles, and a startled Kip made a beeline for Orrin.
Rayn, who adored bubble baths, loved it—splashing around and laughing as the air made the decorative skirt on her ballerina swimsuit rise to the surface.
Eventually, she managed to coax Kip into the water.
“Get in, Kip. It tickles!”
They played together near one of the ramps where the water wasn’t quite as deep and the bubbles wouldn’t carry them away.
Meanwhile, Orrin had trapped Zak against the side of the pool, licking any skin he could reach until he got bopped on the nose.
Orrin growled but relented, and Zak had him purring in no time by caressing his thick fur under the water.
Before long, the Cunninghams wandered over to see what was going on, and Zak waved them in.
“Join us—there’s plenty of room.”
Gruff ambled down the ramp, followed by Zuzu and Dustin.
When Zuzu reached the roiling water, she attempted to scent it.
The popping bubbles tickled her sensitive nose, resulting in a series of mighty sneezes.
Now irritated, she batted at the bubbles like a cat playing with mice.
Obviously, she’d learned some things from Baxter and decided that if it worked for him it was good enough for her.
Zuzu eventually gave up and began wrestling with Kip.
With a pleased groan, Gruff dipped and bobbed in the effervescent water, enjoying the odd sensation. Dustin waded in and joined Zak, both positioned where they could watch the kids, and started a conversation.
“This place is fantastic! Dash told me there’s nothing else like it in Pennsylvania, and the resort is supposed to receive an award next month for ‘Best Shifter Accommodations’ in the state.”
Zak wasn’t surprised.
“I believe it. He really went all out here, and I haven’t even seen everything. Say, how are you and Zuzu getting along?”
Dustin’s expression softened and a smile appeared.
“It was love at first sight. Gruff and I have turned in the official paperwork to adopt her, and we can’t wait to have Zuzu at home full-time.
Next week, we’re taking her to pick out bedroom furniture.
Everything happened kind of fast, but when you know, you know.
Eventually, we’d like to adopt a few more and have a houseful. ”
Zak was impressed that someone so young and recently mated could be that confident about his future.
Actually, Orrin’s plans to form a family, with or without a mate, were eerily similar and left him feeling uneasy.
Would Orrin move on without him while Zak vacillated and questioned everything? Was there a point of no return?
Zak’s ambivalent scent brought a growly Orrin to his side, madly sniffing the air. He shifted and wrapped his arms around the man—nakedness disguised by the frothy, waist-high water.
“What is it? Talk to me.”
Zak kissed him, stalling for time.
“I… I was just thinking about some things, and… sorry. You know that I love you, right? You, and Kip, and Rayn? You mean everything to me.”
Having overheard his brief conversation with Dustin, Orrin had a good idea what was going through Zak’s mind.
“I know, and we’re not going anywhere because we feel the same way about you. When the time is right, we’ll make it official, but I won’t pressure you.”
Relieved and grateful, Zak kissed Orrin again. He’d have considered more, but he suddenly found Rayn patting his thigh while a growly Kip paddled around them.
“You okay, Papa?”
While Orrin picked up the cub, Zak lifted Rayn into his arms.
“Yes, little one. Papa Zak is more than okay.”
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Later, at the lake
What began as a joke about who could swim the fastest, had now become The Great Race.
Tasha was designated as judge, and after shifting and putting on their swimsuits, the little ones became the cheering section.
Dustin, Levi, Aiden, and Zak all swam out about thirty feet, spacing themselves out in a straight line, facing the shore.
While they tread water, Gruff, Knox, Dash, and Orrin, all in bear form, waited on the beach for the signal to begin. Tasha explained the rules.
“All right, guys, your job is to swim out there, pick up your man, and return to shore. If he falls off, or you interfere with another team, you’re disqualified. Got it?”
Heads nodded on land and in the water, and the bears lined up for a straight shot toward their targets. Tasha gave the final word.
“Ready? Set? Go!”
Moving fast, each of the bears ran until they were buoyant and started swimming.
Knox had the most experience, but all bears were good swimmers and these four were motivated to get their mate/boyfriend and win the race.
The men were cheering them on as they approached, while the cubs hollered, waved, and clapped from behind.
Knox reached Levi first, but it took him too long to get on board and the initial lead evaporated.
Gruff managed to pick up Dustin, but turned too fast and tossed his passenger overboard.
Learning from the others, Aiden and Zak turned around in the water, spread their legs, and let their ride dive under, pick them up, and turn around for the return trip.
Knox had a slight lead, pulling ahead of Orrin and leaving Dash in third place.
Wanting his lover to win, Zak leaned forward to provide more motivation.
“If you win, my ass is yours!”
Orrin had been waiting to top Zak and pulled out all the stops.
He quickly gained on Knox, paddling his legs furiously to maintain an even pace with him and Levi as they neared the shallow water.
Levi, however, wasn’t prepared for the transition from water to land, and when Knox’s paws hit lake bottom, Levi lost his balance and fell off.
Zak simply held on for dear life, and the pair hit the beach amid triumphant cheers.
Kip and Rayn got to them first, jumping for joy and giving their papas hugs and kisses.
The bears were winded and the men were all smiling by the time everyone was out of the water.
It was a great way to end their day at the resort, and the cubs were still talking about the race on the way home.
Kip and Rayn also wondered why Orrin hadn’t stopped growling at Zak or why both their papas were grinning.