10. Ellis

10

ELLIS

I stood in the kitchen of the cottage, carefully pouring batter onto the hot griddle. The sweet scent of blueberry pancakes filled the air. Serenity stood beside me on a stepstool, her little hands gripping the spatula like flipping pancakes was the most important job in the world.

“More bubbles!” she shouted. “Is that enough?”

“Not yet.” I chuckled.

I’d forgotten how exciting even the smallest things could be to a child, but she was reminding me.

“Now?” she asked half a second later, her eyes zeroed in on the pancakes cooking on the griddle.

“Okay, now turn it,” I said.

She carefully slid the spatula under one of the pancakes and flipped it over. It wasn’t perfect—it landed a bit off-center with one of the edges tucked under a bit—but the way her eyes lit up made it feel like she’d just performed magic.

“I did it!” she exclaimed. “Did you see me?”

“I sure did. That’s the best flip I’ve seen all morning,” I said, returning her smile.

“Thanks,” Serenity said, a sense of pride in her tone. “Here. Your turn.” She held the spatula out to me.

My bobcat purred as I took it from her, perfectly content to be right here, in this kitchen, with her, making pancakes together this morning. I hadn’t gone back to my place last night, but Rachel had made it clear she didn’t want Serenity waking up to find me in bed with her. I understood.

So, I slept on the couch.

While it wasn’t where I wanted to be, it was still under the same roof as her, and for now, that was enough for my bobcat and me.

As I flipped the other pancake, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned, and there was Rachel, leaning against the doorway. She looked like she’d just woken up. Her hair was tousled, but she was smiling.

The woman was beautiful. Even first thing in the morning without a stitch of makeup and wearing flannel pajama pants with an oversized sweatshirt.

“Morning.” I grinned. “We’re making blueberry pancakes.”

Her smile widened as she moved closer. “I see that.”

“Watch me!” Serenity insisted, holding out her hand for the spatula again. I passed it over and she quickly flipped a pancake that didn’t need flipping yet, but I didn’t say anything. “See?”

“She’s a pro,” I said, which earned a grin and a nod from Serenity as though I’d never said anything truer.

The confidence kids had in everything they did was amazing.

“You’re doing such a good job, sweetheart.” Rachel placed a kiss on the crown of Serenity’s head.

“Thanks, Mommy!” Serenity replied, carefully sliding another pancake onto the growing stack without needing to be told.

I was impressed by this little girl’s cooking skills.

Rachel’s eyes drifted around the kitchen. “Where’s Aunt Maribel?”

“She left early. Said she had some errands to run.”

“That’s odd. I can’t imagine what she would need to do in town this early,” she said, before shifting her attention back to Serenity. “I’m proud of you. Look at you cooking me breakfast.”

The way Serenity’s face lit up was priceless. She stood there, practically glowing, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest I hadn’t expected to feel. Everything about this moment with these two felt right. It felt like the start of something I’d never dared to believe I could have. My bobcat stirred, feeling the same sense of hope rising within me.

As the three of us sat down with the stack of pancakes, syrup, extra blueberries, and butter, there was nothing but smiles. Serenity’s excitement was contagious as she eagerly piled her plate high with three pancakes. I passed Rachel the syrup so she could pour it on Serenity’s stack, and our fingers brushed. That tiny spark of skin-to-skin contact made my mind shift to thoughts of last night.

This woman was my mate.

My bobcat hummed with satisfaction while Serenity giggled at something Rachel said, and my gaze drifted between them. I couldn’t help feeling like I could get used to this kind of morning.

“Ellis said he has a surprise for us today if we don’t have anything to do,” Serenity said suddenly.

Rachel’s eyes widened. “Oh, did he now?”

“I told him we don’t,” Serenity said, practically bouncing in her chair. “Right, Mom? We don’t have anything, right?”

Rachel laughed, shaking her head. “No, I guess we don’t.” Her gaze shifted to me and curiosity shone in her eyes.

Serenity grinned, triumphant. “See, I told you!”

I chuckled. “You did.”

“So, can you tell me what the surprise is now?” Serenity asked, eyeing me.

“There’s a free kids’ painting class at The Gallery on Main Street today,” I said, keeping my tone light. “I thought it could be fun. Do you like painting?”

Serenity’s eyes lit up, and she practically squealed with excitement. “I love painting! Can we go, Mom? Please?”

Rachel’s smile softened, and she nodded, her eyes meeting mine. “That sounds perfect.”

I loved it when she looked at me like that.

After we finished eating, Rachel secured Serenity’s booster seat in my truck and I drove us to town. The Gallery’s front windows were decorated with vibrant paintings and ambient lighting. Serenity skipped in front of us as we made our way inside.

Inside, a woman with dark brown hair and warm, chocolate-brown eyes greeted us, her attention mainly focused on Serenity.

“Hi there! I’m Tara,” she said, her smile bright and welcoming. “You must be here for the painting class.”

“We are,” she replied, nodding.

“This little artist can’t wait to get started,” Rachel said, gesturing to Serenity.

Tara chuckled. “Well, you’re in luck because we have all kinds of colors and brushes waiting for you.”

She gestured for us to follow her, and Serenity gave a little squeal while we started that way. The class was in a back room that was filled with tables lined with small easels, brushes, cups of water, and rows of vibrant paints. The room buzzed with the energy of the other kids setting up their canvases, and Serenity immediately grew more animated. Once she settled in a seat, she turned to me, flashing another wide grin.

“This is amazing!” she shouted.

I couldn’t help but smile back. “I’m glad you think so.”

Rachel helped her tie on an apron, her hands gentle as she adjusted the knot at the back. The way she interacted with her daughter, the softness in her eyes and her gentle touches, struck me. There was a warmth there that spoke volumes about the type of woman she was—the type of mother.

“All right, let’s get painting!” Tara said from the front of the room, grabbing a brush and dipping it into a bright yellow.

The class was even more entertaining than I’d hoped it would be. Serenity attacked her canvas with enthusiasm, splattering bright colors across it without any rhyme or reason. Rachel and I watched as she created her masterpiece.

At one point, Serenity handed me a brush, demanding that I help paint a rainbow, and when I turned to ask Rachel what color I should use next, I noticed she’d been staring at me. There was something in her eyes, a kind of quiet happiness that I hadn’t seen before, and it made my bobcat purr.

For a while, everything else faded away. There was no Xander, no looming danger, no uncertainty. It was us, a canvas, and a room full of laughter and color. It was a simple, perfect moment, and I realized I’d do just about anything to have more days like this.

As we left The Gallery, Serenity clutched her painting proudly in her hands.

“Can we get ice cream?” she asked, giving me a wide-eyed look that was hard to resist as we walked along the sidewalk.

I grinned, already nodding before Rachel had a chance to say anything. “Absolutely. Ice cream it is.”

Rachel laughed, shaking her head as she walked beside me. “You’re spoiling her, you know that?” she teased, but there wasn’t a hint of real reprimand in her tone.

I shrugged, giving her a playful smile. “What can I say? She’s easy to spoil.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile grew. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”

We headed to Celestial Scoops. The sugary-sweet aroma greeted us as we stepped inside.

Behind the counter, a young woman with wavy golden-blond hair and sea-green eyes greeted us with a warm smile.

“Hey there! Welcome to Celestial Scoops,” she said, her voice as bright as the shop itself. “I’m Lily. What can I get for you today?”

Serenity pressed her nose against the glass, scanning each bin of ice cream with the kind of serious concentration only a child could manage. “I want… um… can I try that one?” she asked, pointing to the strawberry cheesecake as though she hadn’t had some already the other night.

“Of course!” Lily scooped a tiny bit onto a pink plastic spoon and handed it over. “Here you go, sweetie. Tell me what you think.”

Serenity tasted it, her face lighting up. “Mmm, I love it!” she said, bouncing on her toes. “Can I have it in a big cone?”

Lily grinned and nodded. “Coming right up,” she said, then turned her attention to Rachel and me. “And for you two?”

I glanced at Rachel, letting her go first. She hesitated, then said, “I’ll take a scoop of the peanut butter cookie crumble, please. In a cup.”

“Good choice,” Lily said, then looked at me. “And for you?”

I didn’t even need to think about it. “Mint chocolate chip, in a cone,” I said with a grin. “I’m a creature of habit.”

Lily chuckled as she began scooping our orders. “Nothing wrong with that. It’s one of my favorites too.”

We watched as she assembled our treats. Once we all had our ice cream and I’d paid, we found a small table by the window.

“You know,” Rachel said, glancing at me. “I can’t remember the last time we had a day like this—a fun outing in town.”

I took a lick of my ice cream, letting the cool, minty flavor melt on my tongue. “Well,” I said, leaning in. “We’ll have to make more days like this. Consider it a promise.”

“I’d like that,” she said softly, and it felt like my whole world shifted a little bit closer to hers.

“Mommy, can we come back here again?” Serenity chimed in, her mouth smeared with strawberry cheesecake ice cream. “I love this place!”

“I think we can make that happen,” Rachel said, reaching out to wipe her mouth.

“Definitely.” I winked.

This felt light. It felt easy. And I didn’t want it to end.

My gaze drifted back to Rachel. Something flitted across her face, but it was gone before I could name it.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned that memories of her late husband might be making her feel we were moving too quickly.

“I just wish all days could be like this,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Relief worked its way through me.

“They can be.” I turned to her, hoping she could see how much I meant it. “The pledge of a bobcat is already carved into my soul for you—both of you. It’s a vow of loyalty and love that will outlast the stars.”

Her eyes widened, filling with a mix of surprise and tenderness, as if she were holding onto each word, letting their meaning sink in.

“Even if you want to keep things strictly platonic between us,” I added when she didn’t say anything.

She reached out, her fingers curling around mine, and I felt myself relax.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, her gaze never wavering from mine. “But, I think I’m finally ready to open my heart again.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket, interrupting our moment. I fished it out and saw a message from Dean. He’d finally responded to the text I sent earlier about meeting up. Apparently, he’d been covering shifts at the diner all day, but he confirmed he could meet at Last Drop at seven tonight along with the others.

I typed a reply, then turned to Rachel. “That was Dean. He wants to meet tonight at Last Drop. I was planning to update the others on everything that happened. Would you like to come?”

“Sure. I’ll see if Aunt Maribel can watch Serenity,” she said, wiping at some ice cream Serenity had dripped on the table top.

I smiled, glad she’d agreed to come. After all, she was my mate, and it was time to introduce her to my crew—the Misfit Shifters.