Chapter 39 Alaric
Alaric
Itrudged through waist-deep snow, following the polar bear shifter and his wolf. The creature snapped at falling snowflakes, reminding me of Raven’s familiar. The kitsune also seemed to enjoy playing in the snow. Unlike me, who fucking hated the cold, white stuff.
The wind cut through my coat in sharp gusts. High above, the clouds had cleared to reveal a glittering sky filled with stars.
So many stars.
I was so busy marveling at the number of stars in the inky sky I tripped over a log and fell face first into a snowdrift. A huge hand grabbed my collar and yanked me back out.
“Careful,” the bear advised with a smirk. “I don’t wish to be the one to explain to my cousin that his bond-mate died on my watch.”
“I doubt he’d care,” I sniffed, brushing snow from my jacket and hair.
Thorrin stared at me for a moment before shaking his head.
“Come. Not far now.”
Thank fuck. I’d lost contact with my feet a few meters back. I probably should have cast a warming spell before leaving the inn, but I’d had too much on my mind. Gritting my teeth against the cold, I soldiered on, and as promised, a log cabin appeared, nestled in a copse of snow-laden pine trees.
When we reached the door, the wolf nudged it open and trotted inside. Thorrin stamped his feet to remove the loose snow and gestured for me to follow the wolf.
No sooner had I stepped into the cabin than the wolf shifted into a man. A tall man with russet hair and broad shoulders. He grinned when he caught me staring at his pierced dick. What the actual fuck? Why would anyone choose to have a metal bar in their crown?
I winced at the idea of a needle anywhere near my dick.
“You’re missing out, dude,” the male laughed. “Skyla loves my dick accessories.”
“She doesn’t love it when you leave snow all over her clean floor,” a feminine voice scolded. A petite female leaned over the rail across the mezzanine level above our heads. To my surprise, she had pale gossamer wings.
What was she? I’d never seen a female with wings before.
Thorrin caught me staring in wonder.
“Skyla is a wood sprite. There are very few of them, and they don’t normally live this far north, but we came here because the island is safer for her.”
The female fluttered her wings and flew down to stand in front of the wolf shifter.
“That’s Rex,” Thorrin grunted before shedding his snow-soaked overalls and retrieving some sweatpants from a basket by the door. Then he strode over to the fireplace and tossed a huge log onto the burning stack, sending sparks bursting up the chimney.
Skyla scowled at the puddle around my feet where snow had melted.
“Sorry!”
“The mage probably has magic cleaning spells, baby,” the wolf chuckled while tugging Skyla into his arms. She froze, all color leeching from her rosy cheeks.
“He’s a mage?”
Thorrin rumbled and went to her, yanking her away from the wolf. He pouted before trying to steal her back, but the bear roared.
“Put some fucking pants on, Rex. We have a guest!”
The wolf rolled his eyes. “Such a fucking prude.” Then he winked at me and sauntered over to the basket and pulled out some pink sweatpants with a sparkly logo on the butt.
Juicy.
I almost choked.
“The mage is my cousin’s bond-mate, my little flower. He won’t hurt you.” The bear threw me a toothy smile that was way more teeth than grin. “If he tries, I’ll gut him.”
“Fucking try it,” I huffed, fed up with people trying to kill me.
Skyla shoved the bear away and narrowed her eyes at him. “You can’t threaten guests, Thor. It’s rude.”
“He’s always an asshole,” Rex scoffed loudly. “You love it when he gets all growly and territorial.” He opened his arms for Skyla and she went to him with a giggle. I had to avert my eyes when the asshole started stroking her fluttery wings and she bit back a moan.
“Rex! Quit that shit right now!”
“Yes, Daddy Bear.” The wolf winked at me before dragging the female away.
“Fucking wolf,” Thorrin muttered under his breath before sighing loudly. “Hungry?”
I’d eaten a bowl of stew the innkeeper grudgingly produced earlier, but it had barely touched the sides. My last decent meal was pizza, but I couldn’t afford to think about that night with the witch. The memory of what happened after was much too painful.
Seeing the witch bleeding out on the snow made my magic flare. Outside, thunder rumbled and a sudden gust of wind shook the cabin, sending more sparks racing up the chimney.
“Take a seat, mage. I’ll fetch you some food and then we can talk.” I swallowed my pain and nodded.
A hot meal and some decent conversation would help distract me from the torment of knowing I couldn’t be with the woman I wanted more than life itself.
“Demons?”
I nodded. Thorrin’s brow furrowed with concern. He glanced over his shoulder to where his mate sat on the wolf’s lap.
“Rex, go fetch some more logs. There’s a storm brewing.”
“Can’t you do it? I’m kind of busy here.” Skyla giggled and fluttered her wings as the wolf whispered something in her ear I couldn’t quite catch.
The bear did, however. “Rex! Unless you want to sleep in the woodshed, do as I say.”
“Grumpy bear,” the wolf grumbled before gently lifting Skyla and setting her down on the sofa. The wolf stretched and then disappeared through the kitchen. A sharp gust of cold air blasted through the open door, reminding me my witch was out in this awful weather.
Not my witch.
Was she warm and safe?
I don’t care.
Those fuckers better not let anything happen to her.
Not my problem.
“Skyla, honey, go run a bath. I’ll send Rex up once he’s done fetching logs.”
The little female scampered over and smiled sweetly before she kissed her mate’s hairy cheek. The size difference between them was almost comical, but the way the bear’s gruff demeanor softened when he gazed at his mate made me wish I could have what they had.
I can’t.
Skyla chewed her lip. “Are you coming to bed soon?” Her wings fluttered as she gave the bear a coy smile.
“Yes, little flower. The mage and I need to discuss some things first, and then I’ll be there. Now go.” Skyla pouted but did as she was told. A few minutes later, scented steam drifted downstairs.
“There’s a hot spring in a cavern a few miles from here,” Thorrin explained as he poured me a glass of elkwine.
“If the weather weren’t so bad, I’d have taken her there and we could have spent the night.
But it’s safer here. Less chance of us being buried in an avalanche.
” The wolf reappeared with a stack of snow-dusted logs in his arms. “Although I wouldn’t complain if the wolf got buried for a few hours. ”
“You’re just jealous because Skyla prefers me,” Rex said with a smirk, not offended in the slightest.
“Go keep her company for a bit. I need to talk to the mage.”
Rex stiffened. “Are we in danger again?”
Thorrin shook his head. “Not that I know of, so go. Make sure you keep her busy for a good hour.”
The wolf relaxed. “I’ll keep her busy alright. All night.” He winked at us and bounded upstairs. We heard a loud splash a few seconds later, followed by a peal of laughter.
“Fucking wolf.” Thorrin rolled his eyes and then turned to me. “Now tell me about the demon attacks.”