Chapter Four
Idris
I read the letter one more time before going to bed and then again when I woke up the next morning.
An all-expense paid trip to a bed-and-breakfast.
No time-shares.
No strings attached.
No mention of any catches.
So I did what any person who received a strange letter would do—took to the internet to get the gossip.
There was no shortage of information. Franklin, the owner of the Bearclaw Inn, a widower who had lost his mate a while ago, made it his mission in life to bring fated mates together.
Some called it magic. Others said Franklin himself was a medium of sorts but instead of speaking to the dead or spirits, he could read and find true mates.
Couples told their stories online. Some of them were instant.
Some second chance. Alphas and omegas were mated who never would’ve been in the same vicinity if it weren’t for Franklin and his matchmaking skills.
The bed-and-breakfast’s reputation spoke for itself.
Not one person left without finding their true mate.
I closed the laptop and sat back. I glanced from the letter to the calendar on my wall and then back at the letter.
The invitation was for this weekend, and today was Friday. One more day of ignoring my mail and the opportunity would have passed me by.
There was no way I was missing this opportunity. One call to Magda and she screamed with glee at my letter. Apparently, omegas and alphas weren’t the only ones who had heard of this place.
I packed and checked the ticket, and in a few hours, I was on a plane.
The ride to the inn was filled with the colors and scents of autumn.
The driver pointed out the apple orchards in the distance and took the liberty of putting the window down so I could smell the crisp, honey sweetness in the air.
Rust, tangerine, and saffron leaves spun away from the branches of trees as they prepped for the heavy weight of the winter snow.
Getting out of the car, my shoes crunched on freshly fallen leaves.
Pumpkins and lights decorated the front door of the Bearclaw Inn.
The place was plucked out of one of my dreams. That and a Hallmark movie.
A Victorian with many windows. Marigolds and mums bloomed in the flower beds and more of them spilled from baskets along the porch.
“Here you go. Good luck.” The driver waved at me and drove away, leaving me with my bags in hand.
This was it.
My chance to meet my fated mate.
An older man opened the door as I ascended the steps. He wore a contagious smile. “You must be Idris.”
I nodded.
“Welcome to the Bearclaw Inn.”
“Thank you. This place is incredible.”
“I think so too.” The man chuckled and waved me inside. “Let me show you to your room.”
The smells of several alphas permeated my senses but this was Franklin’s home, so most of it was him. “Thanks. I almost missed the plane. I’m one of those open-your-mail-every-week-or-so people.”
That stopped Franklin in his tracks. “Really? Huh. I hadn’t considered that. Perhaps I should send the letters out sooner. Thank you for sharing that with me.”
The inn was incredible. I passed a library filled with hundreds of volumes and comfortable overstuffed furniture, but the stained glass window in the stairwell took my breath away. “It’s so beautiful,” I whispered.
“It is. My mate made that by hand. Your room is right up here.”
At the top of the stairs, we came to two doors opposite one another, and Franklin showed me into the one on the left.
“I’ll just get cleaned up and change.”
“Great. We’re working on dinner. It will be ready soon, but take your time.”
I rushed to the bay window and looked out over the back of the property.
An expanse of grass butted up to a thick forest. My bear roared inside me, wanting to run among those trees.
To feel the dirt beneath his paws and the wind in his fur.
We didn’t get out much in the city. Once in a while, I made a trip to the country and found some land to run on, but my bear stayed inside me more than what was comfortable for us both.
I took a quick shower since I smelled like all kinds of people and the airport and recycled airplane air. Once dressed, I took a long, deep breath and put my hand on the doorknob. It was time to meet my fated mate, this moment the place marker before my whole life changed.
Goddess, I hoped he liked me.