Chapter 3

Declan finished his shift and clocked out in the security office.

Sebastian clapped him on the shoulder. “We hitting the Enchanted Oak?”

The Enchanted Oak was a bar in New Jersey that was a favorite of shifters. It was run by an old fae male who opened the doors to anyone, magical or shifter or otherwise.

“Nah, I’m heading down to dinner with the folks.”

Sebastian’s brows lifted. “Something going on?”

“Nope. Mom just bribed me to come for dinner by offering to make my favorite. She hates that we’re busy on Christmas Eve keeping watch up here.”

“What’s your favorite meal?”

“Chicken and dumplings.”

“Oh, yum. Can you bring me some back?”

“Did I hear chicken and dumplings?” Chase, one of the snow leopards, said as he walked into the security office for his shift.

“Yeah, my mom’s.”

“Oh damn. Bring some back!”

“I plan to eat every bit of it, so no dice,” Declan said.

“Rude,” Sebastian said.

“Facts,” Chase said.

“I’ll text you when I’m done, but it will probably be too late for me to join you.”

“Why would it be too late?” Sebastian asked.

“Because I’ve got first shift tomorrow, which means being out and about at dawn. Hard pass on staying up late.”

“Ha, sucker, don’t volunteer for first shift, and you can stay up late,” Sebastian said.

Declan rolled his eyes. “Have fun.”

“Did you ask for someone to escort you through the Entrance?” Chase asked.

“Yeah, Alder and Royce are going with me to open the portal and be my backup in case I need it.”

The rule in Northernmost now was that no one went anywhere alone. In the past, an elf would have opened a portal for him to go home to Howling Creek and let him walk through on his own. But since Frost’s attacks had been directed at the Entrance recently, anyone going through now needed an escort who also checked out where the portal opened and looked for trouble.

“Cool. See you later,” Chase said.

Sebastian walked out with Declan. “If you change your mind about getting drinks, holler.”

“Will do, but I won’t.”

They parted ways, Declan walking through the corridors to take him out to the Entrance, where Alder and Royce were waiting. A bitter wind blew, swirling the snow around them.

“If you could call for an escort before midnight, that would be awesome,” Royce said as he opened the main portal.

“Midnight? Why?” Declan asked.

“It’s the night before solstice,” Alder said. “Jack Frost hits the world with winter at midnight, and it sucks to be outside then.”

“Oh yeah, sure,” Sebastian said. “I’ll only be a few hours anyway. I’ll definitely be back before midnight.”

Royce walked through the Entrance and returned a few minutes later. “All clear, let’s go.”

The small group passed through, finding themselves in Howling Creek, in the woods within the pack’s territory.

“I’ll reach out when I’m ready to come back,” Declan said.

“I heard there might be chicken and dumplings?” Royce asked, rocking back on his heels.

“I can guarantee there won’t be leftovers,” Declan said with a laugh.

“Well, next time, invite us along,” Alder said.

The two males stepped back through the portal and waved as it closed. He shook his head and pulled off his stocking hat and gloves. It was cold in Howling Creek, but not even close to how cold it was in Northernmost.

He trudged through the woods to his parents’ home, knocking twice on the front door before swinging it open.

“It’s me.”

“We’re in the kitchen, honey,” his mom said.

The whole house smelled amazing. Chicken, bread, warm spices, and the hint of wood burning in the fireplace.

He greeted his dad with a smile and accepted his mom’s hug, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

His dad, Barron, was high ranked in the pack, and had been a Guardian in his youth before he mated Declan’s mom, Denise.

“Smells amazing, Mom,” he said.

He helped her set the table and then tucked into the big meal. She hadn’t only made his favorite meal of chicken and dumplings but had also made an apple pie topped with streusel and fresh churned vanilla ice cream.

As he ate his third piece of pie and ice cream, he said, “Okay, I’m suspicious.”

“About what?” she asked with a chuckle as she scooped more ice cream onto the warm pie on his plate.

“You’re setting me up for something. Do you need help around the house, Dad? This reminds me of the time that you wanted me to reshingle the roof and made barbeque ribs and potato salad, plus strawberry shortcake to bribe me.”

His parents exchanged a quiet look, then his mom said, “It’s just that the year is almost over, Declan.”

“Yeah, and?” He finished the last bite of pie and ice cream and set his fork down on the plate.

“Alpha Phoenix has offered to bring some females in from his brother’s pack. Unmated females,” his dad said.

“You asked him to bring females here for me to meet?” he asked, wariness rising inside him.

“Not just you,” his mom said. “There are other unmated males in the pack, and Alpha Phoenix mentioned that it was something he could do. Perhaps after Christmas, when you and your cousins are home for a few days.”

“Just because your arranged mating worked out and you two fell in love doesn’t mean it happens that way for everyone. I know I’m nearly thirty, but that’s not all that old in the whole scheme of life, especially if the reason I’m still unmated is because I’m waiting for my mate .”

“There’s nothing wrong with taking a mate you find attractive and starting a family,” his dad said. “Or asking for an arranged mating from Alpha Phoenix. He’d choose an amazing female for you.”

“Mom, couldn’t you go work at a daycare if you want to be around babies so badly?” he asked, feeling a little exasperated.

“I want grandbabies to spoil, Declan,” she said, rolling her eyes. “So that’s a no on the arranged mating?”

“Don’t you want me to find my mate, the one female who is really meant to be mine?”

“Sure, if it doesn’t take too long,” his dad said.

Declan took the phone from his pocket and texted he was ready for a pickup at the same location the portal had opened in the woods. He received a quick reply from Alder: We’ll be there in ten minutes.

He responded that he was on his way.

Pushing back in the chair, he picked up his plate and fork and said, “I don’t care if I have to wait until I’m fifty to meet my mate. Whenever it happens is when the timing is right. I’m not going to rush into something with a random female just because you two think I’m getting old. Be happy I want to have a great mating and be with the right female. It takes as long as it takes.”

His dad let out a little grunt. “I told you he wouldn’t go for it.”

“Yeah, you called it,” his mom said. She stood and came around to the sink, where he was rinsing off the plate and fork. Putting her arm around him, she said, “Honey, I understand. But if you change your mind, Alpha Phoenix said he’d be happy to help you find a mate.”

“I’ll take my chances on fate,” he said.

Truly, he didn’t want to have an arranged mating or choose a female from a group just because she was a wolf and available. It was done more frequently in his parents’ generation, but there were still wolves who didn’t want to wait for their truemate, and even those who didn’t believe truemates existed.

He did, though.

“Thanks for dinner and dessert, even if you did have an agenda,” he said, kissing her cheek.

“I just want you to be happy,” his mom said. “We both do.”

“I am, I promise,” he said. He’d be happier when he found his mate, though. The sooner, the better.

After saying goodbye to his parents and promising to see them after Christmas had passed, he grabbed his coat and headed outside. By the time he reached the clearing in the woods, the portal was open, and the elves were waiting for him.

“How was dinner?” Alder asked.

“Good,” he said, explaining the reason behind the invitation.

“Moms and grandkids,” Royce said. “My mom is after me to get mated too. I told her I was going to wait until I found the right female, and she’d just have to get a cat to keep herself occupied.”

He laughed as he followed the males through the portal, shivering at the drop in temperature.

“Thanks for the escort,” he said.

“Anytime,” Alder said.

Leaving the elves to their security duties, he headed to the barracks to get some sleep since he had to be up before dawn so he could be ready for his early shift.

He sent a text to Sebastian and Gabriel to let them know he was heading to bed. They had their own places in the barracks. There were three apartments attached to a gathering room for each of the Guardian shifter groups. The wolves’ apartments had two bedrooms and were fully furnished. He rarely cooked in the kitchen, usually taking his meals in the cafeteria with Sebastian and Gabriel. They generally worked the same shift, but he’d volunteered to take the early shift tomorrow to help out one of the other Guardians.

We’ll try to be quiet when we come in, Gabriel texted back.

Thanks , he texted back, very sure they were going to wake him up when they came in at some point after midnight.

How was dinner with the folks? Sebastian texted.

Good. They’d like me to pick a mate and start a family.

Wow, Gabriel said. Just like that?

Yep. I said I’d wait for my truemate, and they said they understood, but I don’t know if they do.

It’s that whole generation , Sebastion answered. They think waiting for truemates isn’t the right choice, but it is for us.

Hopefully our truemates show up sooner rather than later, Gabriel said.

Definitely. See you guys later.

He plugged his phone in, stripped, and climbed into bed. With a yawn, he turned off the small lamp on the nightstand, checked the alarm was set, and rolled to his side.

In no time, he drifted off to sleep, thoughts of truemates on his mind.