Page 10 of Once Upon a Rec Center Wish
I rushed back to the building site. I did have time to take the scraps beyond the meadow after all. On my way, I stuck to the edge of the forest, not wanting to chance running into another outer-worlder. I never should have been there to meet Falco. That had been my first mistake.
No, my first mistake had been carving all the figurines, holding onto the thought that I would one day give them to my mate. Because no one wanted to be my mate. No one would ever be my mate when there were so many others available for the outer-worlders that arrived. I had no chance with Falco or anyone else.
After tossing all the scraps into the compost pit, I threw the carvings I made in one by one, each of them tearing away a piece of my heart as they disappeared into the mass of water, wood, and vegetation.
I vowed to no longer even entertain the idea of having a mate. I only had one purpose, and that was to build. It was the only thing I was good at and could feel proud of. Because any other feelings only led to an unbearable ache in my heart. And I never wanted to experience that pain again.
Chapter Nine
Falco
I had to get away from my house. Every time I tried to relax, a new shifter showed up at my door, trying to woo me with whatever prowess they guessed would impress me. Yet, none of them did. They all seemed too cocky, like I would automatically be enamored with them simply because they showed up. And none of them were Vern. No matter how hard I tried to give the other beings a chance, none of them reminded me of the kind, thoughtful, and sweet beaver shifter I’d met when I first arrived in the Enchanted Forest. Not even any of his brothers. Instead, they’d insulted him in front of me yet couldn’t figure out why I didn’t want them as my mate.
Maybe I would never find a mate in this world. Maybe it was never meant to be. The mate I wanted didn’t want me, and I couldn’t stomach the thought of being with any of the others.
I wandered through the woods, trying to avoid the path and anyone else who decided to visit my home. I wasn’t in any mood to entertain another suitor. As I kept walking, the scenery became more and more familiar. I ended up at Nelson and Holden’s home, Nelson outside watching their sons swim in the pond.
I paused, unsure if I wanted to be there. Would he tell me I had to leave if I didn’t pick a mate soon? But he’d found a way to be with the mate he wanted instead of the one the community assumed he’d be with. Perhaps he could give me some advice.
“Falco.” Nelson waved me over. “It’s good to see you. Though you look like something is bothering you.”
I sat on the log beside him and stared at the ground. “Will they send me back if I don’t find a mate?”
He chuckled as he ran his toes through the grass. “I’ve never heard of an outer-worlder being sent back to our world unless they requested it. But all the outer-worlders I know are mated, so I’m not sure. Why? What’s going on?”
I gulped, unsure if I wanted anyone to know the truth, to give them a reason to send me back. But I couldn’t solve my problem if I didn’t tell someone. “There’s someone I want as a mate. He’s kind and sweet and treats me well.”
“But,” Nelson encouraged when I didn’t continue.
I released a heavy breath. “I don’t think he wants me. Yet, he seems to be the only unmated shifter I’ve encountered who doesn’t.”
Nelson tilted his head to the side. “Okay, who is it? Maybe I can help.”
My cheeks warmed as I readjusted my position on the log. “Vern. It’s Vern. But he ran away from me when I invited him to spend the night and I haven’t talked to him since.”
Nelson clapped as he laughed. “That’s great! What are the odds?”
My stomach churned with the idea of my life being some kind of joke to him. I’d dealt with that in the other world and had hoped to escape that here. But maybe it was me. I was the joke.
“Sorry.” Nelson stilled beside me. “I shouldn’t have laughed, but I do find it humorous that we both fell for the first shifter we met. And I think I can help you.”
I turned to face him. “You can? Like actually help me get Vern and not just get over him?”
He nodded before leaning forward to check on his sons. “Vern is probably thinking the same as Holden did. He likely believes he’s not meant for you, that there are many others that would make better mates for you. He’s the youngest in his family, and his brothers have emphasized that hierarchy his entire life.”
“Oh.” I fumbled with my fingers. So maybe it wasn’t me. “Maybe that’s why he kept mentioning that his presence was keeping suitors away. He didn’t understand that I wanted him to be my suitor.”
“Yep.” Nelson stood and walked closer to the edge of the pond. “Oswald, leave Ellis alone. Let him swim where he wants.” He stepped back to me. “Sorry. I love being a dad, but sometimes having three is a lot.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. I used to babysit for the three kids who lived next door. I’d actually dropped them off at the rec center before I arrived here.”
Nelson snapped his head in my direction. “They weren’t abandoned there, were they? Were you supposed to take them home, too?”
I shook my head. “No. I just had to drop them off before I slept then started looking for a new place to live. Their mom was going to pick them up. Was probably going to be the last time I saw them anyway.”
He smiled. “You liked those kids.”
“Yeah.” My heart warmed thinking about them, the same as when I thought of Vern. “They made me want to be a father one day. But I didn’t believe it to be possible aside from the slim chance of adoption until I arrived here.”
