Chapter Twenty-One – Sian

“Here we are, this is your new home.” Sian stroked Cracker on the head as she switched off the engine and looked at the animal shelter. It was dark outside, but the lights from the reception building were still on, like a beacon guiding them home. “You’ll like it here.”

She opened her car door and got out. Cracker sat looking at her, not sure of the situation at all. He’d left his home and his old owner, and wasn’t sure he liked this new life. Sian could sympathize with him. When she’d left Peter, she’d been scared. But things turned out better than she could ever have imagined.

“It’ll be okay. I promise.” She leaned back into the car and took hold of the leash. “I’ll be with you every step of the way. I promise.”

Cracker sighed heavily and took a step forward, then another. With another deep sigh, he jumped down on to the ground and took a look around him at his new home. A lump formed in Sian’s throat. Sharon, his owner, had been broken-hearted at having to give up her beloved dog. As Sian watched the two say their farewells, Sian had promised to do what she could to reunite them after Sharon had finished her treatment.

She had a plan. But she wasn’t sure if she could carry it out on her own. Perhaps she was foolish for trying to interfere. She knew she couldn’t help everyone who had to give up their pet. Sometimes situations were far too complicated. But she was certain she could help Cracker and Sharon.

“Come on, boy. It’s late, we need to get you checked over and settled in.” She spoke with an upbeat tone, and Cracker pricked his ears and followed her toward the reception office.

There was still a lot of activity around the back of the animal shelter, Will’s men were working overtime to get the house ready for Ronni and Lucas. None of this seemed to bother Cracker, who even managed to wag his tail when one of the workmen stroked his head.

“He’s a bonnie dog,” the guy spoke with the soft burr of a Scottish accent.

“Yes, he is. He’s here for a while because his owner has gone into the hospital,” Sian explained.

Cracker wagged his tail and sniffed the man’s hand. “Well, that sucks big time.” He crouched down and stroked Cracker some more. “How will he take to being in a kennel?”

“I don’t know. We’ll support him in any way we can, but it’s difficult when they are used to a nice bed and a constant companion.” The lump in Sian’s throat swelled. “I need to get Cracker settled for the night.”

The guy stood up, he must have been six-foot-five at least and his chest was broad, his arms strong and a scruffy blond mane of hair. A shifter if she wasn’t mistaken. Now that she knew about shifters, she looked at people differently, particularly those who lived in Bear Creek. She was trying to hone her skills at spotting a shifter amongst ordinary people.

Ordinary people. She gave a faint smile. Nothing in her life was ever going to be ordinary again. In fact, it was extra-ordinary, just like her mate.

“I’ll see you around, Cracker.” The guy stood up. “I’m Hamish, by the way. I know, my mom wasn’t exactly original when she named me.”

“I like it,” Sian grinned. “And it’s good to meet you, Hamish.”

He nodded and walked off toward the house, while Sian went to the reception area to check in with Ronni. Cracker trotted along obediently by her side.

“There you are.” Ronni stood up as Sian entered. She looked a little nervous and a little guilty. The sense that something was going on behind Sian’s back returned.

“Here we are. This is Cracker.” Sian bent down and stroked the brown and tan dog. He was a crossbreed of some kind, but Sian had no idea exactly what breeds had been added into the mix.

“Hi there, Cracker.” Ronni came around the desk and hunkered down in front of him, offering the worried dog her hand. “It’s okay.”

“Is it?” Sian asked, gulping loudly to swallow her tears. “Today was incredibly hard for him and Sharon.”

Ronni placed her hand on Sian’s arm, offering her comfort. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have sent you.”

“No, it’s okay. I can do what needs to be done,” Sian reassured her. “It’s part of the job.”

“The hardest part,” Ronni replied. “At least one of the hardest...” Her voice trailed away.

“Shall we get him checked in? I have to go and pick the girls up in an hour or so.” She checked her phone, she was waiting for a text from Ella or Rachel to say what time they needed picking up from her friend’s house.

“Why don’t we go take him to be checked over first,” Ronni suggested. “Then we can get him settled before it gets too late. I can do the paperwork afterward.”

“Sure, that sounds like a good idea.” She eyed the coffee pot in the back room, but Ronni was already ushering her out of the door.

They crossed the yard to the building where her grooming parlor would one day be open for business. Sian had forced herself not to think about Peter or the money he owed her all day. However, now faced with the prospect of going inside the building, a wave of disappointment swept over her. Maybe she should let Ronni do this alone, but she’d come this far with Cracker and she would stay with him and reassure him.

Ronni went first and held the door open for her. Sian entered the room and switched on the light.

“What happened?” she asked in shock as she took in the freshly painted walls and the brand-new equipment she could not afford.

When she turned back to look at Ronni, the doorway was filled with the faces of her two wonderful daughters, her amazing mate, and her best friends. “Surprise,” they chorused quietly, so as not to scare Cracker.

“You did all this?” Sian asked in amazement,

“We did.” Ella rushed up to her and threw her arms around her mom’s neck, “We wanted to pamper you and we decided this was the best way.”

“You’re right, it is the best way.” She turned around and took in the whole room. It was set up exactly as she’d planned. Sian had spent many hours talking over the best layout with Ronni. She was so grateful her friend had taken time out of her busy day to help. At least she could return the favor by ensuring Ronni’s house was perfect for her when Will had finished the building work. “Thank you all so much.”

“Come and have a look at everything.” Rachel came into the room and pulled Sian forward before she noticed Cracker. “Oh, who is this puppy?”

“This is Cracker,” Sian told them as Cracker wagged his tail, happy to be distracted by all the people around him.

“Hello, Cracker.” Ella and Rachel were completely absorbed in saying hello to the new arrival.

“Did you have a part in this?” she asked Matthew, who stepped into the room and came toward her, taking her into his arms.

“I might have had a small part in it,” he admitted.

“Are you being modest again?” Lucas teased.

“Maybe a little.” Matthew grinned. Something about him had changed, his expression looked lighter, less serious.

“You had fun doing this, didn’t you?” Sian asked.

“I did. Except for the part about going behind your back. That was difficult. More than I thought it would be.” He wrapped his arms around her possessively. “So, do you like it?”

“I like it very much.” She took a step forward, and Matthew went with her as if he never wanted to let her go. If she ever doubted how completely he loved her and wanted her in his life, those doubts were gone. “And you paid for it all?”

Matthew’s arms stiffened. “We were trying to figure out how we could pamper you since you have such a hectic life. And we came up with this.” With his arm still firmly around her shoulders, he turned her around, so she could see everything they’d done while she was in Reamington. “Ella and Rachel told me how important starting your own business was. The money can be a loan or a gift.”

“And since you two are true mates, it could be like a moving-in gift. Or a wedding gift, once you are divorced from Dad,” Ella said from the floor where she was seated next to Cracker, who seemed to be loving all the attention.

“Wait, you know about mates?” Sian asked.

“Rachel saw someone turn into a bear at school today,” Ronni quickly explained. “So we kind of had to have that conversation.”

“Although we haven’t seen Matthew’s bear yet,” Ella cut in.

“Some other time,” Matthew said. “Once we’ve finished here, I have a reservation for us all at The Catherine Hotel. Gus told me the food there is amazing. Taking your mom out to dinner was the other part of the pampering day, right?”

“It was and I’m starving.” Rachel pushed herself up from the floor. “What about Cracker?”

“We need to get him settled in his kennel,” Sian said sadly as she looked down at the little dog who seemed to be part of the family already. “Or maybe we can foster him?”

“That’s up to you all,” Ronni said. “But he does seem to have fallen in love with you guys.”

“Just like me.” Matthew’s words were filled with raw emotion. “I didn’t know what love was until you let me into your lives. All of you. And I want to thank you for that.”

Lucas clapped him on the back. “Love trumps everything in life, doesn’t it?”

“It sure does.” Matthew looked around the room. “Today has been an incredible day. The sense of achievement for doing something for other people, not for profit, took me by surprise.”

“Good, because I have one more thing I’d like to ask you to do for me,” Sian said nervously. She didn’t want Matthew to think she was only after him for his money. Nothing could be further from the truth, she’d live in a freezing cold house with barely enough money to get by if she had to. Love, family, and friendship truly did mean more than anything else in the world.

“Which is?” Matthew asked.

“Cracker’s owner...” She paused, unsure of asking Matthew for help when despite them being mates, they hadn’t known each other more than a week.

“You want us to reunite Cracker and Sharon?” Matthew asked. “I think I’m getting the hang of this empathy thing.”

“Yes.” She turned to look at Ronni. “I know we can’t help every owner and every pet that come to us for help. But I truly believe we could help them stay together.”

“Then we should try,” Ella got to her feet, her face set firm. “Cracker and Sharon are family to each other, and families should be together at Christmas.”

“Do you have a plan?” Matthew asked, slightly bemused.

“Well, if you move into the house with us...” She paused, waiting for objections, but there were none. “Then she could move into the house we rented, after the boiler is fixed, of course.”

“Sharon gave up Cracker because she had no one to care for him after her operation,” Ronni explained. “So if we all pitch in and help, she could have Cracker with her and hopefully make a speedier recovery.”

“Yes. It’s a proven fact that animals help people feel better.” Tears choked her throat once more. “She was so upset when I left with Cracker. This would be an amazing thing for us to do for them both.”

“Then we should do it,” Matthew agreed. “As long as you don’t mind me moving in with you.”

“Are you house-trained?” Ella asked cheekily.

Matthew let out a belly laugh. “My bear says emphatically yes. He can’t wait to meet you all.”

“I would love to meet him,” Ella enthused.

“Someday soon,” Matthew promised. “Today is all about your mom.”

Sian smiled through her tears as she hugged Matthew and then held out her arms for her daughters. “This makes me happy. So very happy.”

“Does that mean you’ll accept the equipment as a gift?” Matthew asked.

Sian’s pride prompted her to say no and refuse his gift, but if she respected Matthew’s desire to change and grow as a person, then she had to accept his kindness. “I will.”

His face cracked into the most beautiful smile, his eyes lighting up as they danced merrily. This was her future now, these people, her family, and friends. Her lover, her mate, and one day soon, hopefully, her husband.

They had so much to look forward to, making a home together with the girls, building her business and helping Ronni and Lucas with their new home, while also helping Cracker and Sharon continue their lives together.

And together they would make it. Together they could do anything. Whether it was because of mate magic, or Christmas magic, Sian didn’t know. Or maybe love had a magic of its own.