Chapter Three

Life was good and peaceful in Paxton, for the Bradford’s and their mates alike. The only one who seemed to have difficulty coping with the change of his surroundings and his work environment was Joe. No surprises there; a city-raised lawyer who could no longer practice law inevitably found himself facing problems. One doesn’t simply turn from a middle-upper class professional to a lumberjack in a day. His previous job required him to use his brains, not his muscles. Although his arguments with Melissa were rather frequent, their love for one another kept them together, much to Raul’s relief. He was already missing Helena too much to worry about his sister’s potential breakup.

The Alpha and his brothers spent the entire autumn focusing on their work. In a way, they had to. Only weeks after they had rebuilt their workshop, new motorcycle orders began to pour in, and not just from their hometown. The news of the destruction seemed to act as a motive for Raul’s fellow citizens. Thankfully, many of them desired to assist the Bradford’s in their new endeavor. The Alpha might not have much time for his mate, but he welcomed the change. Working late almost every day distracted him from Helena’s absence. Indeed, there were days that the witch did not even cross his mind. More than that, he was able to save some money for the birth of his daughter.

Sadly, however, the arrival of winter signaled the end of the excessive workload. The number of new orders dropped, and the brothers were limited to repairing motorcycles, the normal occurrence of workflow that happened in the colder months of the year. This natural development had never bothered Raul in the past. Riding in the freezing cold did not appeal to many people, and he knew that. Still, the effect it had on him this winter was profound. He wasn’t worried about money; after all, the brothers had made enough to last them until early spring, and the occasional repairs were still a good source of income. Unfortunately, Raul had plenty of time in his hands, time that was often dominated by thoughts of the loss of his beloved witch. Reminiscing about the hardships she had helped him and his family through, he would shed a few tears, at the same time wondering about her whereabouts. This last issue was the hardest, and the one that made the pain cut him even deeper. Helena could be virtually anywhere. He had no way of tracking her down. Furthermore, she had not provided any hints as to where she could be, adding to his overwhelming sense of helplessness. Whenever he knew that he couldn’t handle the agony, the Alpha would storm out of his cabin, shift, and run up the hill, seeking her scent in the air, or Helena’s footsteps in the snow. However, her scent had already started fading in the autumn. Now, it had been completely wiped out, covered by the fragrances that the snow had brought along: fresh snow and moist soil. It seemed like Helena had never even been in the forest, or in Paxton.

Sometimes, Raul would wonder what he missed more about her. Was it her powers, those incredible abilities she had acquired over time that could bring down some of the most formidable enemies on this earth? Was it her strong persona, the fearless witch who laughed in the face of death? Yes, he did miss these two qualities, but what he needed most was not at all supernatural. On the contrary, it was one of the most natural things in this world: the loving look in her eyes, whenever she addressed him or his siblings; the feeling of security he would get, upon discussing anything urgent with her. Her voice always held confidence, not malice, and always a silent promise that she would be there for him. In Raul’s heart and mind, this kind of support was more precious than all of her powers combined. Her maternal attitude would set his fears at ease. Helena’s cold approach, something he had frowned upon more than once, would often compensate for his hot temper, and indicate more suitable ways of dealing with problems. Without a shadow of a doubt, Raul missed her friendship and counsel, much more than he missed the witch.

Nevertheless, as Monica’s belly grew larger, so did his anticipation of being a father. Much to everybody else’s pleasure, his outbursts lessened, as well as his complaints about Helena’s abandonment. With each passing day, the dream of parenthood was drawing nearer, filling Raul with excitement. Raul caught himself wondering if his daughter would take after him or her mother, and often discussed this with Monica. Luckily for him, she had been patient with him the entire time. She hardly talked about Helena. Whenever he ditched her and went looking for the witch in the forest, she didn’t even complain to him. His mate understood his pain, not only because she loved him, but also, because it was a feeling the two of them shared. Helena had helped her adjust to her new life in Paxton, and often advised her on how to handle Raul. She might not have been as close with her as her mate, but she did consider her a friend.

On a cold, mid-February night, Monica and her mate were waiting for the pizza in her oven to be done, as she looked out her kitchen window. The hard rain was lashing against the glass, as Raul sauntered towards her from behind. Circling his arms around her waist, he bent his head down, and kissed her on the cheek, as she tipped her head back to rest her head on his chest.

“This reminds me of the night we met,” he whispered, caressing her belly over her sweater.

“It sure does,” she purred, closing her eyes, as she reached back to cup his cheek. “I prefer thinking about what followed, though. It was nowhere near as scary.”

“Doc…” Raul gave a short laugh. “I’ve apologized for that glare a million times already.”

“Once was enough,” Monica murmured, as she turned around to face him. “Should I describe to you what followed, or would I…” she paused, her lips curving into a sexy smile, as she leaned in towards him. “Tempt you too much?”

Under any other circumstances, Raul would have appreciated her teasing. Still, they had not had sex in months, and getting an arousal was the last thing he wanted. Besides, everything was still very clear in his mind. He had absolutely no need for a reminder.

“You don’t have to,” he uttered, his voice low and deep, as he gazed deep into her eyes. Monica’s smile widened, as he tilted his head down. But, before he could taste her lips, his mate’s eyes snapped open.

“Raul…” She whispered as her eyes filled with unmasked excitement. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to skip dinner tonight.”

“Skip dinner?” He raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Um…” Monica faltered, dropping her eyes from his stare. Raul followed her gaze, only to discover that there was a large stain on the crotch of her pants. His heart fluttered, as a gasp of shock left his lips. At last, the moment he had been so eagerly waiting for was there. In a split second, every other thought was pushed out of his mind. This was the realization of a dream. Everything else felt like a triviality.

“Ok, wait here.” Raul spoke too fast while his heart thumped against his chest and as a blissful smile spread across his face. “I’ll go get our coats.”