Chapter One #3
Shaking her head, she pulled her suitcase behind her and made her way through the city she knew like the back of her hand.
“Kiera! Good to see you home, how long are you back for?” Mr. Compton yelled as a form of greeting.
She gave a wave. “Back for a while. I did pretty good with my last job, so I really want to visit with the kids for a while.”
He smiled. “The Goddess sent you a surprise,” he said, then winked.
Kiera felt her breath catch. For the past month she had been dreaming of her mate.
Tall, built and gorgeous. Another reason why her scummy, cheating ex-boyfriend was a thing of the past. She had no idea who her mate was, but if he wasn’t a warrior, their people were missing out.
She giggled nervously. “It wouldn’t happen to be a nice young man, that is tall and carries himself like a warrior, would it? ”
He just smiled. “You really lucked out young lady.” He winked, then headed back into his small house.
Feeling like she had a swarm of butterflies fluttering around her stomach, she walked toward her uncle’s house. She was one street over when she heard a deep voice calling her name.
“Kiera?”
She turned and standing across the street was the man from her dreams. “It’s you,” she whispered.
He broke out into the brightest smile she had ever seen and hurried over to her. “Thank the gods you’re back. Meryn said you’d probably return today.”
She turned and looked to where he had been sitting. “Were you just going to wait for me?”
He nodded. “Ever since I figured out who you were, I’ve been keeping an eye on the kids. I don’t like how quiet they are, so I’ve been watching from a distance.”
She felt a growing panic creeping around her heart. “What do you mean they’re quiet?”
Hunter frowned. “I haven’t known many kids, but you know Caiden raised Amelia, right? So, the Nu unit watched her grow up.”
She nodded. All of Storm Keep knew how Caiden doted on his baby sister.
“Well, she was always talking and running around. Your brother and sister are quiet and stick close to one another.”
She looked around and her eyes landed on her uncle’s house. “Did you see them today?”
He pointed to the front door stoop. “They sat there for a while watching people go by.”
She sighed. “Gods, they’re waiting for me to come back.”
Hunter wrapped an arm around her and relieved her of her backpack. “Let’s go get them, honey. My parents have all but demanded they be brought to the Armstrong home so they can meet their grandkids.”
His arm around her was heavy and warm. With any other man, it would have felt threatening and unwanted. But, with him, she felt safe and protected. “Grandkids?” She took a deep breath. Things were moving too fast. “Hunter, we literally just met.”
He smiled. “I know.”
“I come with so much baggage it’s not funny.”
He frowned. “Kids aren’t baggage.”
“I meant the circumstances surrounding them. Technically, I don’t have custody, my uncle does, he has been raising them since my parents died. I want to petition for custody so they can live with me from now on. That’s not exactly conducive for getting to know your new mate.”
Hunter snorted. “Why not? They are a huge part of your life, and it sounds like you want them to be a huge part of our life together, why not include them from the beginning? Why do it alone when you have me?” he asked jerking his thumb towards his chest, smiling down at her.
“Let’s go grab them and get them something to eat. They look thin and… small.”
Hearing him admit they were thin concerned her, but his observation they were small made her smile. “Most adults are smaller than you, much less the kids.”
He turned her to face her uncle’s house. “You’ll see. Just remember, my Ma has muffins and soup ready to go.”
She hesitated. “You’re as eager to see them as you were to meet me.”
“You and your siblings are my family now,” he said, as if that explained everything.
“Is it that simple?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” he asked, looking confused.
“Most men wouldn’t want to be saddled with two kids,” she started.
He held up his hand. “Most, human men wouldn’t want to be saddled with two kids. Fate gave you a bear shifter, not much means more to us than family and loyalty.”
She blinked, then blushed. “I’ve been gone too long.”
“That’s okay, because you’re home now.” He removed his arm and took her hand. “What are their names?”
She exhaled. “Keran is the elder of the two, he’s nine. Nicol is eight.” She smiled. “They both look just like our father, I take after our mother.”
Hunter squeezed her hand. “You’ve only recently lost your parents, right?”
She felt her smile wobble. “Yes, five years ago. They took a contract on the east coast and died in a car accident when their taxi was hit by another car. Uncle Ellar arranged for the funerals and took us all in.”
“Hmm.” Hunter said, trying to sound neutral. Too bad his face clearly showed his doubt.
“I’ll introduce you, you’ll see.”
“After you,” he said, bowing.
Smiling, she sent a prayer up to the Goddess for sending her such a warm mate.