Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 1

the home I had grown up in. The two bears that had been with me since my bond went silent followed us in and positioned themselves out of the way.
    My parents asked no questions.
    I looked around the family room. It looked the same as I remembered from the dark wooded wall panels to the raggedy couch that was so comfortable. I sat in my old seat on the right end. I spent a million hours in this seat, watching TV, playing Nintendo, and laughing with my family. I would love to show this place to Kyle. I needed Kyle.
    My mother handed the baby to me. She spoke in a voice I couldn't interpret. Was she angry at what I had done? "This is Isabella, your sister. This is what it's all about. Family, children." She walked away from me before I could speak.
    Isabella barely fit in my arms. I feared I would accidently crush her delicate frame in my large hands. Her arms and legs flailed a bit like she didn't have control yet. She couldn't have been more than one or two months old.
    My father spoke. "You have another brother as well. Tyson is five." I did a mental count. Eight. My parents had brought eight bears into the world. Every bear knew we must have children. I planned to have bear cubs. Until Kyle. How could I go the rest of my life without him? Why was I chosen to be his mate? Did God or fate want to destroy the bears? It made no sense.
    My father came and sat with me.
    "We missed you."
    "I missed you, too." That was easy to say. It was true.
    "Your mother and I fought for you. We never gave up." I searched his face, trying to determine if he meant it. I assumed they had been disgusted with me.
    "You fought for me?"
    "With the council. To allow you to return. To find a way for you not to choose a mate." I never imagined my parents trying to help me. "They say you have chosen wrongly. What's your mate like?"
    A smile bloomed on my face as I thought about all I had learned about Kyle. "He's a wolf and a doctor. He's better than I deserve. I keep leaving him. He can't even choose another. They don't choose." I dropped my eyes to study my hands in my lap.
    My father put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. I looked up at him as he spoke, "You didn't leave him this time. You were taken."
    "I know." Why didn't that feel like it mattered? "How did you?"
    He shrugged. "We were informed. We got regular reports about you. It was the only thing that kept us from contacting you ourselves."
    "I… I don't want the bears to die, but there is more to mating then being bred like an animal. They can't make me love another." A slow fire of anger burned inside me.
    "Do you love him?" My father asked gently.
    I thought about that. "I don't know. I think I can, I think I will. I have had so little time with him."
    "I'm so sorry," my mother said as she entered the room. "I don't want this for you. I want you to be happy and not forced to be with someone."
    I looked up at my mother. Tears were in her eyes. If she had been angry, it wasn't at me. "I know, mom. What am I gonna do?"
    ****
    I spent the rest of those two hours before the end of everything in tears and laughter catching up with my brothers and sisters. I even had nieces and nephews.
    When the representatives from the council came, I stood and went with them because I had no choice, flanked by the two bears that silently escorted me.
    We walked down the path to the ceremonial cave where the council held its meetings. I wanted to fight, to run, but my family walked with me, and we were surrounded. Instead, I screamed in my mind– Kyle!
    A whisper of touch feathered over me. Did I imagine it?
    Kyle, baby, are you there?
    A tickle, a twitch, a little stronger this time.
    I leaned into it, closing my eyes, trusting that my family would lead me. I reached with all I could, with every fiber of my being.
    Kyle, please, I need you. I NEED YOU!
    My two shadows grabbed their heads, doubled over in pain.
    Devlin, a welcome whisper caressed my mind.
    How long would I have to explain? Oh, thank God. Kyle, they say they're going to break our bond. Oh God.
    His thoughts filled me. We're here. The whole pack is here. We've been following your scent since we arrived in the Sleuth's lands. But now I know where you are. Listen.
    The leaves started rattling. I knew the wolves could move silently in the woods. They were warning of their approach, and then we were surrounded.
    Kyle and Rupert padded out from the rest. My eyes were glued on Kyle as his fur receded, and he reared up on his hind