Page 31 of Bear Creek Christmas
“Well, because of his school and community commitments, he won’t be able to make it home for Thanksgiving and may miss Christmas too. He’s not happy and plans to call soon to explain it. He wants to see the family, and I know how much he loves celebrating Christmas. I’ve come up with a compromise that might work for everybody.”
Knox laid out the simple plan and then asked Levi’s mother what she thought.
“My son cares a great deal for you, and now I can see why. I think it’s a terrific idea! When you get the other details nailed down, give me a call. Meanwhile, I’ll let the rest of the family know we’re doing something different this year.”
With Levi’s mom now on board, Knox called the school to ask if Principal Langtree could see him. He was free for the next hour, so Knox jumped in the truck and headed to Tri-County High. With Levi in class, he and his mate wouldn’t cross paths and spoil Knox’s surprise. Matt ushered him into his office, shut the door, and offered the big bear a seat.
“How may I help you, Knox?”
“What does Levi’s schedule look like on Friday afternoons? I’d like him to miss one on the eighteenth of November.”
“That’s an unusual request, and this is his busiest time of year. Can you tell me why?”
Once Knox explained what he wanted to do, and the reason behind it, Principal Langtree agreed to help him. He looked at Levi’s schedule and found a way to cover his afternoon classes without causing too much disruption.
“I can spring him loose by eleven-thirty on that Friday, but I need him back on the following Monday as usual. Is that enough time?”
“Perfect!. Thanks, Matt. I’ll make sure he’s back home by Sunday night. I’m not going to tell him until later on, so don’t say anything. It’s going to be tough keeping this a secret!”
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Later that week
Levi’s mind was busy as he followed some less-traveled roads to the Shaw’s home. With him and Knox growing closer by the day, Levi had questions only a mated bear shifter could answer. Calvin Shaw agreed to sit down with him for a chat, and though Levi didn’t know the man very well, he believed Eden’s mate would be a good adviser.
By the time he reached their somewhat remote place northeast of town, he wondered if he should have asked Knox about his concerns instead. He wasn’t sneaking around behind his back, but Levi also didn’t plan on mentioning this fact-finding mission to his lover. Knox was busy tending to a rash of furnace repair calls, something which happened every Fall when temperatures started dropping. He’d be too busy to call or text until late, meaning Levi wouldn’t have to worry about explaining where he was.
Eden greeted Levi at the door but re-routed him to an outbuilding behind the house.
“Calvin uses it as a quiet place when his bear needs to get away. Besides, with a house full of shifters, you wouldn’t have any privacy in here! Go on back—he’s waiting for you.”
The non-descript structure was nothing special to look at on the outside, boasting only one small window and an extra-wide door. Smoke curled above the roof from a simple metal chimney stack, filling the air with the odor of a wood fire. Levi knocked and let himself in. On the right, he found a small table, two wooden chairs, and a padded chaise lounge—all surrounding a free-standing wood stove in the center of the space.
A glance to the left startled him as Calvin, in bear form, crawled out of a literal den dug into the ground. He rumbled a greeting, stood on hind feet, and shifted. Levi turned away while the man dressed, pulling clothes off a series of wall hooks. They sat at the table, and Calvin tried to ease Levi’s nerves.
“I’m glad you came. Poor Eden had to learn things the hard way after we met, so I’m happy to answer your questions. I take it you want to know about our mating habits?”
Levi blushed. Shifters were nothing if not direct. Often blunt.
“Yes, I suppose you could put it that way. My relationship with Knox is getting more serious, and I’m not sure what to expect. He calls me his mate and says his bear wants to claim me, but I don’t really know what it means.”
Calvin’s expression softened before he answered.
“Knox probably knew you were his mate the first time he picked up your scent. It was the same way with Eden and me, though she didn’t understand it either. Shifters can sense that a person at least has thepotentialto be the one they spend the rest of their lives with. To use an outdated expression, Knox is courting you, waiting for your complete acceptance.”
“What do you mean? Like accepting a marriage proposal? He hasn’t said anything like that yet.”
“He won’t either. Marriage is an option later on, though many shifters don’t bother. I married Eden because she asked me. It makes sense for a mixed couple, but the claiming comes first.”
Levi was hesitant to be too explicit, but he needed to understand.
“Do you mean sex?”
“Not entirely. It didn’t take long for me to take Eden’s body, but it was her heart I wanted.
Sex is usually part of claiming our mates, though the most important thing is a spoken acknowledgment from our partner that they, too, want a lifetime, monogamous commitment with us. This is one of the ways our human half differs from our bears. For them, the mating drive reinforces sex without any obligation or feelings. It’s all hormones and instinct but lacks any sort of relationship or permanence.”
Levi hadn’t even considered the differing attitudes between Knox the man and Knox the bear.
