Delivered to My Elves (Mail-Order Matings #18)

Chapter Eleven

Callon

We arrived early. I couldn’t help myself. I’d woken at the crack of dawn for the second day in a row. If I had it my way, we would’ve arrived hours ago.

Misty was on her way. We’d made all the preparations, including dinner in the Crock-Pot that would be ready when we arrived back at our home. Our home. That our had a whole new meaning now. Was I getting ahead of myself and assuming things I had no business assuming? Sure. Was I going to stop being hopeful? Probably not.

We stepped out of the freshly cleaned truck, my idea, not Aerin’s. I grabbed the bouquet of red and white roses on a bed of Christmas tree branches. The local elf florist had picked them out for me, saying that any female would love to receive them. There were some raised eyebrows over our order, especially since everyone in the colony knew we didn’t have a mate—and also, none of them knew we were going to pick up a female.

We left them with no answers to their questions.

They would find out soon enough. But that brought up another situation. Would we introduce Misty to people as our mate? She would be in most ways.

Another thing we’d have to discuss. Even though we’d gone over some of the basics, there were issues that had popped up in conversation or in the time since we’d talked to her that morning. She scoffed when we asked her to text when she got to the train station safely. And then again when she was halfway.

Couldn’t be helped. I wanted to know that she was safe. While I could be cold and rigid, telling myself that it was only because she was our breeder and I cared about her health, that wasn’t true. I cared and wanted to make sure she was safe because I already had growing feelings for her. Feelings that may never be reciprocated. Ones I had no business having.

Aerin came to my side of the truck and checked his hair in the side mirror. “Do I look okay?” he asked, stepping back. We’d both chosen a sweater with jeans. I didn’t want to look too comfortable, but Aerin had to convince me that a vest and tie was too much. It might make Misty feel uneasy if we showed up like we were going to the prom—his words, not mine.

“Aerin?” I said, noticing a light emanating from his body.

“Is something wrong?” He checked his reflection again.

“You can’t see it?” I asked.

He turned to face me. “Um, Callon, you’re…you’re glowing.”

That’s what I was trying to tell you! You’re glowing!”

“And you can see it? And I can see you glowing? Shit. Why are we…it’s because of Misty.” Usually only the fated mate could see the glow, but since we were going to share ours…if we…if she…

I shook my head, trying to make heads or tails of the situation. “Elves only glow when…”

“When they are in the presence of their mate. Their fated mate. For fuck’s sakes, Callon. Are you telling me that we came to pick up Misty, and our fated mate is here?”

I laid my palm flat against my forehead. “I’m not saying that at all. Get your head on straight. I think the reason we are glowing is because of Misty. Sure, we haven’t met her in person, but we are excited and nervous and on a bit of an emotional roller coaster about everything we’ve decided.”

Aerin nailed me with his blue eyes. “Elves don’t start glowing because of exciting situations or nervousness, Callon.” The train horn interrupted us, and we realized we were still standing in the parking lot instead of waiting in front of the train for the female who had already turned our world upside down in the best way possible.

“We have to get to the train. I don’t want her to wait,” I said, still in shock about what was happening to us.

Elves only glowed when their fated mate was near. And the train’s whistle reminding us that Misty was almost here might be more than coincidence. Maybe there was a reason we’d found her on the first match, or even signed up for a breeding female in the first place.

Fate had her ways. I’d never trusted it before but my curiosity was sparked.

Aerin caught up to me and we stood side by side, waiting for the passengers to get off. My best friend let out a growl of frustration as person after person got off the train, but none of them were Misty.

“She got on, right?” I asked even though I’d gotten the same message as him.

“Yeah. And she texted an hour ago telling us she was almost here. Goddess, that’s her.”

A female was getting off the train. She wore a white sweater and jeans that hugged her every curve. Her blonde hair blew in the cold wind. A faint smile graced her lips as she made her way past an older woman surrounded by small children.

Misty turned her head a bit. Did she not recognize us?

“Tell me you’re seeing what I am.” Aerin nudged my ribs with his elbow.

“I see her. She’s glowing.”

Aerin’s breaths were shallow. “We are glowing. She is glowing.”

She walked over to us and bit down on her bottom lip. Her face had gone pale, and a slight blush dusted her high cheekbones. “Are you okay?” I asked, stepping up to her and putting my hand on her cheek. An intimate gesture, but it happened without my permission. I had to touch her. Make sure she was okay.

“I…yeah. I am now.”

She mentioned she had bags, and we talked her into letting us carry them. Didn’t take a lot of convincing.

We opened the passenger door for her and when it was shut, I looked at my best friend.

“Aerin? Is she?”

He nodded. There was resolve shining in his eyes. “Misty is our mate. Never been so sure of anything in my life.”