Carly
Once Brady and I figured out we were both alphas, we should have told Donna. But my life has been crazy since Sierra and I arrived here from California in response to the call in our dreams—the call that gave me my first tattoo and a true mate.
I crack an egg, and it sizzles when the contents hit the hot pan. Within weeks of meeting Brady, I became a werebear and got pregnant. And now I’m married.
I flip my fried eggs onto a plate. Anger licks at me as I recall Victor at my wedding. I want to kill him for what he did to my friend. The moment I saw him touch Sierra, I knew his plan. He wants her for himself and tried to steal her from the Le Roux.
I stab at the yolk to release yellow liquid. While the Le Roux have a curse that made all their women barren, the Veilleux are capable of reproducing to keep their clan strong. What does he want from her? Victor doesn’t need a human woman like Sierra.
I recall meeting Marion Robichaux at the wedding and her asking about the stag pin I put on my wedding dress. When I told her it had belonged to my mother, she said “Charlotte” in my head. Is she the woman I remember reading to me when I was a small child?
I scrape the last bit of runny egg yolk up with my piece of toast. The salty flavor is delicious, and I think about making more. It's important to the Le Roux clan that we form a strong alliance with the Robichaux. I realize I should probably speak to Donna about this first, but my gut is telling me if Marion is my mother, she's the one I want to talk to.
Knowing we can communicate in our heads, I focus on sending her a message. “Marion, it's Carly Le Roux. Can we meet for lunch? I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you.”
Her reply is quick but tinny with distance. “Carly, I think it's a good idea. I'm free tomorrow if you are.”
“Yes, I can meet you at one. Do you have a favorite place?”
“There's a lovely café in Bangor called the Cat's Meow. I'll be there at one.”
“Fantastic. I'll see you then.”
Sierra and I have fight training in a half hour, and I think I'd better get ready instead of eating more breakfast. I recall Sierra’s voice in my head before Keith took her home after changing. “Make me a fucking warrior so I can kick Victor's ass.”
Determination to do Victor harm makes me stand with purpose, and the wood stairs are smooth under my bare feet as I climb toward my room to change.
After pulling on my yoga pants, I run my hands over my stomach. My skin is soft under my fingers, and I marvel at the three tiny beings lying below. I'm not starting to show yet, but with triplets, I have to wonder how big I'm going to get. If the amount of food I've been eating lately is any indication, I'm going to be huge.
Sierra's adjusting well to being a werebear, and I think she actually enjoys the physical aspects of learning to be a warrior. Our morning routine is to meet here to practice fighting with the trainer and then spend our afternoons as bears in the woods, running and doing what bears do so we become comfortable in that form.
The familiar rumble of Ian's motorcycle announces he's here, and I pull my hair back in a ponytail as I jog down the stairs to open the door for him. When I do, I reveal a man with the largest arms I've ever seen. Covered in tattoos, he looks dangerous, but warm brown eyes twinkle when he smiles, exposing the sweet man that’s inside. Just like his training, he's tough on us, but he can be nurturing when we need it.
“Hi, Ian, come on in.”
“I know I'm a bit early, but I was anxious to hear if you had any news from Lily.”
“You must be dreaming about her, too. She texted to say she'll be here this afternoon.”
Ian is also able to be Lily's mate. Sierra and I met her in Colorado on our way here, and she saw the tribal bear paw we had on our skin. Only werebear and those that have been called can see the black mark. When I gave her the same tattoo, she had an aversion to it being in a place that could be visible. The thought makes me wonder what she thinks of the werebear in her visions, because truth be told, it’s not just the sexy dreams about the guys who called us that makes us give up our lives to move here. Something else is at work that we can’t control.
Ian pulls a bandana from his backpack and rolls it in preparation for pulling back his long hair in a headband. “I'm nervous to meet her. I think she's shy.”
“She is.” I grin at him. “But if her dreams are anything like the ones I had, you'll be just fine.”
His face flushes a little, and I guess he's thinking about the naked version of Lily. I bet it's not the bashful parts he's recalling. He asks, “When can I meet her?”
“Would you like to come for dinner? Annie and I will be giving her a tour this afternoon and explaining most things. That way, when you see each other in person, neither of you has to focus on anything but your attraction.”