Chapter 25
Levi awoke to an empty bed and noises coming from the kitchen.
Knox was no doubt making breakfast, assisted by Scout and Birdy.
His lazy weekend mornings of sleeping in were numbered now that the cubs were part of their lives—though he wouldn’t have it any other way.
They’d brought both joy and purpose to the McCoy home, and Levi admired the way Knox had included them in everything he did.
His mate may not have a formal degree, but he was a born teacher, and the curious cubs loved learning about nature, woodworking, repairs—whatever the man was doing.
Levi’s relationship with the children was on a different level, and he secretly worried that they found him uninteresting.
They seemed to care for him just as much as they did Knox, and they’d enjoyed attending the Spring Concert recently.
Maybe he simply had the new parent jitters, made worse because he didn’t have shifter senses that revealed how the little ones felt.
Now that Levi thought about it, both Dustin and Aiden were in the same predicament, though their jobs involved sweets—the sure way to any shifter’s heart.
Levi startled when the bedroom door opened to reveal Knox carrying a breakfast tray and a wide smile. Scout and Birdy scurried in and crawled up on the bed to scent and hug him while Knox explained what was going on.
“Good morning, mate. Our little ones wanted to surprise you, so I taught them how to make one of your favorite breakfasts—French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, and coffee just the way you like it.”
Well, if that didn’t chase away some of Levi’s doubts, nothing would, and he gave all three of them smooches.
While he ate, the cubs described what they’d learned in the kitchen, declaring that the best part of French toast was the maple syrup.
Levi couldn’t argue with that, and even let the little ones taste his coffee.
By the odd looks on their faces, he wouldn’t have to worry about them stealing his morning java anytime soon.
As Levi finished up the food with a satisfied sigh, he thanked his mate and the children for a delicious breakfast, and Knox set the tray on the floor. Curious as always, Scout reached out to run his little fingers over Levi’s smooth chest.
“Where’s your fur, Papa?”
Levi blushed, even as Knox growled at his sexy mate.
“Not everyone has a hairy chest like Papa Knox. Someday you probably will, Scout. I look a lot like my brother and father—here, let me show you.”
Knox climbed in to snuggle Levi as he grabbed his phone from the nightstand and searched through his photos until he found the right one.
It was a snapshot of the Green family from last summer at the beach, and he pointed out his younger brother, Jett, and his father, Ted—dressed only in swim trunks and all blond and smooth.
“See? None of us have hair on our chests, and even some shifters are like that, too. It’s just one of the things that make people different.”
Knox drew in his mate for kisses while the cubs giggled and tried to pull them apart.
Tickling ensued, with lots of laughter and squeals as they enjoyed a bit of fun.
Levi’s earlier doubts took a back seat, and he realized that both he and Knox had something to bring to this parenting gig like every other family.
As soon as their adoption application was approved, they’d be living together full time, and love would help them deal with whatever life brought their way.
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Early afternoon, that same day…
Cora exited the interstate after only thirty minutes, arriving at her new hometown without fanfare.
Everything she owned was packed into the vehicle with her, mostly clothing and a few boxes of mementos.
Heading through downtown, she spotted the distinctive oval sign for Delicious and smiled.
Aiden was a winsome man, and his candies were something she would now get to enjoy on a regular basis.
Before her interview, she’d never visited Bear Creek or been to Dash’s resort in Blakeslee.
The job offer had come along at the perfect time, and this new position seemed like a good fit.
Her previous post had lasted twenty years, but the four Carmichael children were now all grown and gone and their parents no longer needed her.
The family had presented Cora with a generous separation bonus that she intended to use as a down payment on a place of her own.
According to Dash, the tiny home community of Scarlet Oaks would begin building soon, and she could have her pick of lots and available home designs, or wait for something to appear on the market.
Meanwhile, she’d been offered a furnished home as temporary lodgings, and the directions led her to a medical clinic address.
Pulling in, she noticed two parked vehicles by a sidewalk that led to an attached home.
Cora parked and got out as the front door opened to reveal Dash, Aiden, and two young cubs.
Leaving everything in the car for now, she was greeted warmly by the adults and then introduced to the children by Dash.
“Cora, this is Griffin and Fort.”
What the boys saw was a typical middle-aged female shifter with graying hair and a friendly smile.
What she saw were two precious cubs to spoil and care for, around five years of age and obviously unrelated.
The orphans reminded her of the cubs she’d given up at the unmated age of sixteen.
A regret that haunted her to this day but hadn’t dimmed her love for children one iota.
Cora leaned down to scent the little ones, noting their features.
Griffin’s straight hair was on the longer side and covered his forehead and the tops of his ears.
His right cheek boasted the cutest dimple, and he had the air of mischief about him if her radar was working correctly.
Fort, on the other hand, was slight of build, had messy, lighter brown locks, and gave the impression of a cuddler who liked to please.
The little scamp chimed right in with a comment.
“You smell like flowers!”
Though unusual for a shifter, Cora enjoyed spritzing on a little artificial scent, and she smiled at the boy.
“That’s called perfume, Fort. If it bothers you, I won’t wear it at the house.”
Griffin cut off whatever his companion was about to say.
“I like it. Do the lines on your face hurt?”
Cora laughed, accentuating the crow’s feet, furrows, and creases.
“Not at all, Griffin. When your papas are my age, they’ll have wrinkles, too. Now, I have a very serious question for you and Fort—what’s your favorite cookie?”
They blurted it out in unison.
“Chocolate chip!”
Cora winked at them.
“Wonderful! That’s my favorite, too. Every Wednesday is cookie day, and if there’s any left over, I’ll put them in the freezer for the weekend.”
Both men were grinning when she stood up, and Aiden added his two cents worth.
“If you’re in need of some high-quality chocolate, I happen to know a guy.”
Dash uttered a rumbly growl, kissed his mate’s cheek, and then turned to introduce the man waiting in the background.
“Cora, this is Doctor Zachary Hall. He owns the house and runs the clinic next door.”
Zak stepped forward to shake her hand, and she hesitated as his muddled scent confused her. Quasi-shifter? He must be, though she’d never met one in person.
“Welcome, Cora, and please call me Zak. I recently moved in with my partner and our two children, which is why the house is empty. Feel free to use anything I’ve left behind, and to make yourself at home.
If you have any problems at all, give me a call or leave a message at the clinic.
Why don’t I show you around the place before we help you unload the car? ”
The tour lasted only a few minutes, and when they ended up in the kitchen, Zak handed over a set of keys and the garage door opener before pointing out the security door that led into the clinic.
“It’s locked from both sides at all times, so you never need to worry about your privacy.
The clinic isn’t open on the weekends, though I or Jessica McKnight may occasionally be there to see an emergency case or catch up on paperwork.
You may notice the lawn service around, though their schedule varies.
I’ve also added a separate box at the curb, so our mail doesn’t get mixed up.
The home is rent-free as long as you need it, though I do ask that you cover the utilities. ”
Cora was floored. Who offers a perfect stranger their home for next to nothing? Dash and Aiden had told her that Bear Creek was a friendly community, but this…
“I don’t know what to say, Zak. You’re being more than generous, and I promise to care for your home as if it were my own.”
The boys lined up outside with everyone else to help unload Cora’s car, being given small things that were easy to carry.
Once they were finished, Zak gave Cora his number, and the clinic’s, before taking off.
With nothing in the fridge or cupboards, the whole entourage made their way to Wallin Market to kill two birds with one stone.
Not only could Cora get what she needed, but she’d see exactly what her new household wanted in their cupboards.
With her phone, she took photos and recorded comments on favored brand names, quantities, and sizes as they visited every department in the store.
It wasn’t only food items, but cleaning and laundry products too—mostly unscented, which shifter folk preferred.
The air in an average human home was a miasma of strong odors that would bother most of her people, and her employers were no different, despite Aiden’s presence.
Apparently, he had already adapted to his mate and didn’t have any problem with the restrictions.