Page 28 of The Baker and the Kraken

“That’s amazing,” Adam said, eyes wide and bright.

Calder smiled. “It’s certainly come in handy over the years. I’ve traveled a lot over the centuries.”

“Oh,” Adam said. Calder wasn’t sure what he’d said wrong until Adam asked, “Are you… thinking about moving?”

Calder reached over the containers of food to squeeze Adam’s hand. “No, not at all. One of the primary reasons I moved was to try a new location to see if my mate was there. Having found him, there is nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Adam flushed a rosy pink, and his, “Oh,” this time was abashed and pleased. “You’re really sure that I’m your mate? Like, you were looking for me?”

“I absolutely was, sweetheart,” Calder agreed. “Over the centuries, witches and shifters seem to have lost the connection that lets them feel that tug to their mates. But I’ve always been aware that possible connection is out there. I let the Magic guide me until I ended up here with you.”

“Wow,” Adam said. “That’s kind of a lot.”

Calder wasn’t totally sure how he was taking this, and he hastened to clarify, “It’s not a compulsion. It’s a strong possibility, and we have to figure out what we want to do about it.”

Slowly, Adam nodded. “So I could have stayed stubborn and wrong and rejected the bond?”

Thankfully, he didn’t sound like this was something he wanted, and Calder could continue to breathe.

“Exactly. That’s obviously not the outcome I desired, and I would probably have tried to change your mind. But you still have free will to choose the path you want. And as you saw, being fated mates doesn’t mean that we suddenly get everything right or have no misunderstandings or arguments. It’s just the Magic nudging us towards someone who could be an excellent match for us.”

Adam looked contemplative now. “Does that mean that if you hadn’t met me, you would have met someone else?”

“I’m not sure,” Calder confessed. “I’ve always felt like I’ve been waiting for the right person, but does that mean you’re the only person ever who could be right for me? Or is this simply the first time that I’ve actually been in the right place at the right time?” He shrugged. “I’m told the pull tends to be stronger even for regular shifters than for witches. Maybe they’re still a little more in touch with their instincts. But I haven’t talked about mates in quite a while. Many don’t believe in them anymore.”

Slowly, Adam nodded. “Yeah, not to get too unromantic about it, but it feels like shifter familiar bonds are more about the benefits witches get than anything else these days.” He made a face. “I think that’s part of why my dad was so bitter. He was left feeling like he wasn’t enough, not just as a husband but as a species, like there was something inherently lacking in him that Mom found with her shifter familiar husband. Are you saying that was meant to be? That they were fated?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Calder was relieved to be able to report. He knew this was still a wound for Adam, and he didn’t want to make it worse. “I don’t believe that every shifter and witch pairing is a fated one. I don’t think shifters and witches listen to the Magic well enough for that. And I believe that fated mates don’t have to be shifters and witches, either. I think your parents probably weren’t fated because they didn’t stay together, but that’s also my assumption based on what you’ve told me long after the fact. I don’t think your mother’s new bond is fated, either, but if I’m being perfectly honest, that’s in large part due to how unhappy it made you. I can’t imagine anything being fated to make you unhappy.”

Adam smiled at him and leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. “You’re very sweet.”

Calder grinned. “I’ll have you know that I’m the terror of the seven seas.”

Adam’s smile grew broader. “I can see that, actually. You certainly looked shocking and majestic and awesome today.”

Calder practically puffed up with pride. All his tentacles wanted to come out to play, and Calder carefully reined himself in. Tentacles were not needed to eat this kind of dinner.

Still sounding a little shy, Adam asked, “Can I see you in your squid form? Your little one, I mean.”

“Of course,” Calder agreed immediately, delighted by the request. “But we’ll need to save that for a day we can get to the ocean, since squid need saltwater.”

“Oh, of course!”

Adam looked like he’d been envisioning Calder swimming in his bathtub.

“As a shifter, I could survive it,” Calder clarified. “But I would be more comfortable in saltwater.”

“I definitely want you to be comfortable!” Adam said hurriedly. “You don’t have to show me!”

“I’d be so happy to show you,” Calder assured him. He smiled. “Fortunately, you live quite close to the ocean. We’ll definitely be able to manage an outing.”

Adam relaxed again and started eating once more. “True. Knew there was a reason I wanted to be near the coast.”

This was the first time that Adam had referenced any aspect of his life like he also believed their connection could be fated. It warmed Calder to his toes (and the tip of every arm and tentacle).

They ate for a few more minutes, and then Calder cleared his throat. “I’m sorry that you keep being surprised by my shifts. Although I did hide it from you in the beginning, it was always my hope that picking the time and place of the revelation would make everything easier for you, not harder.”

Shaking his head, Adam said gently, “You’ve been reacting to people in danger. I can’t ever blame you for that. And we both know I didn’t react very well before, but that’s not your fault. If I hadn’t been so resistant, you’d probably have told me everything to begin with. But we’re okay now.”