Chapter 7
Slade was proud of Sheri for finding the campers in distress. He just hoped they wouldn’t have any more trouble on the way to the cabin. But at least emergency services would be able to get to them more quickly and easily there. In the meantime, they all needed to warm up before hyperthermia set in, and inside the cabin they would be able to see to Morgan’s injuries and Lionel’s too.
Andy finally said, “Hey, I got ahold of Trenton’s and my snowshoes. But we also need Lionel’s.”
Slade helped Trenton to look for another pair of snowshoes in Morgan and Lionel’s tent and finally found them. “Got them,” he said.
Once everyone had water and warm clothes, they were going to head out, but Slade considered how pale Lionel looked and he smelled like he was in pain. “Hey, why don’t we take another sled, sleeping bag, and blankets, in case someone else needs it.”
Everyone else looked at Lionel. He shrugged. “Yeah, we might have another disaster befall us and someone else will need to be carried out.” But he acted like that truly meant someone else . Not him .
They got the other sled packed up and Slade called the rescue service. He told them who had called before, where they were now, and where they were headed.
“Is anyone injured?” the emergency operator asked.
“Yeah, one of the men might have a broken leg, and another man might have bruised or cracked ribs. We’re carrying the one out on a sled. It will probably take us a couple of hours to get there.”
The operator told them she was sending a rescue team to their cabin, and if they hadn’t made it there by then, they would help them on the trail. They would check the men out and take them to emergency care if they needed it.
“Okay, let’s go,” Slade said. “We can take turns pulling Morgan.”
“I’ve got you, Morgan,” Andy said.
“I’ll pull the other sled,” Trenton said.
“I guess that leaves you, me, and the dog to lead the way,” Lionel said to Slade.
“Yeah, let’s do it.” Slade was keeping an eye on Lionel for sure. He was afraid Lionel would need that other sled before long. Slade just hoped Lionel didn’t suffer further injuries because he was being stubborn about admitting he was hurt. Slade worried about moving Morgan too and injuring him further. He realized he needed to pretend he was calling his girlfriend to let her know what was going on. “Hey, Sheri, honey.”
She smiled up at him, panting, her breath frosty on the air.
“Yeah, listen, two men were injured and I’ve called emergency services. They’ll meet us at the cabin. All right, honey. It’s slow going but we’ll get there as soon as we can.”
They hadn’t gotten very far before they heard another tree crashing too close to them for comfort. Everyone immediately crouched down low on the trail, but the tree didn’t reach them. Once they were reassured they were as safe as they could be, they started on their way again. Sheri woofed at Slade, and he knew she wanted to run ahead and return to the cabin, shift, dress, and rejoin him. He shook his head at her. If she just went back and stayed there, he would feel better about it.
Then he said to her, “If you’ll go to the cabin and stay.”
She shook her head.
“Man, has she got a great personality,” Lionel said. “I swear she is disagreeing with you and knows just what you mean.”
She sure did and she was.
They came down to a large fallen tree and Sheri jumped on top of it and waited for them. Slade helped Andy lift the sled and carried Morgan up on top of the tree. Then Slade climbed over the tree and waited for Andy to join him. The two of them lifted the sled over and set it on the snowy trail. Slade was going to go back to help Trenton with the other sled, but Lionel said he would. No way. Slade was afraid he’d aggravate the injuries he was hiding.
“I’ve got it.” Slade helped lift the second sled on top of the tree. He figured they would have to lift Lionel too.
Lionel tried to reach up to climb the fallen tree and groaned, holding his ribs.
“Okay, bring the sled back down. Let’s put Lionel on it. You can’t climb these tree trunks. You’re hurting too much. You might have bruised your ribs or, worse, broken a couple,” Slade said.
“Mary would kill us if you died because you wouldn’t let us take care of you,” Andy said.
“Hell. All right, all right,” Lionel finally conceded.
Slade and Trenton pulled the sled down and put it on the ground. Then they got Lionel settled and strapped him on it.
Lionel shook head. “This is so unnecessary.”
“Right, but it will make us feel better about it,” Slade said.
Then Slade and Trenton lifted the sled up on the trunk and Andy steadied it while Slade and Trenton climbed over the tree and down on the other side. This was going to take them forever to navigate all the downed trees on the path.
Once they had carried the sled to the ground, Trenton hauled it while Andy pulled Morgan.
“Do you need me to swap off with either of you guys?” Slade asked.
“Maybe you could do so for one of us in a little bit.” Andy had been towing the heavy load carrying Morgan all along.
“Let me know when and we’ll take a water break and I’ll pull Morgan,” Slade said.
“Man, is your ex-wife going to be pissed, Morgan,” Andy said, sounding amused.
“Why?” Trenton asked.
“Morgan is supposed to have his three kids all week,” Andy said. “His ex, Ginny, is going on a cruise with her sister to Jamaica.”
“Maybe Ginny will take Morgan back when she learns he has been injured,” Lionel said, sounding breathless.
The guys all looked at Morgan. Trenton and Andy both said, “Nah.”
After two and a half hours of climbing over fallen trees on the trail in the wind-driven snow, Sheri barked at Slade, telling him she wanted to take a turn pulling the sled. If the sled had been lighter, not pulling around a one-hundred-and-sixty-five-pound man, then she might have.
He shook his head at her. Then she raced off ahead of them.
“I hope she’s not chasing a rabbit or something,” Andy said. “It would be awful if she lost her way in this weather.”
“She’s going back to the cabin.” Slade didn’t blame her for wanting to get there and shift before help arrived. She would get a fire started and be ready for them. He just hoped she wouldn’t come back to help them once she had shifted and dressed.
***
When Sheri reached the cabin, she thought she heard someone coming and hesitated to shift. But when she realized it could have been just the noise from the storm, she shifted, put in the code, and entered the cabin and shut the door. She raced upstairs to the bedroom. Even though it would take some time for Slade and the others to get here, she thought the emergency rescue team might be here first. She hurried to dress warmly, then went downstairs to start the fire in the woodburning stove. She sure hoped Morgan and Lionel would be all right. Well, and Slade and the others in this storm. But if they got themselves in trouble, she would head out for them. For now, she was staying here.
She went outside on the porch out of the wind and called her mom on the satellite phone to see how Hans was. She had to tell them what was going on with them because the newscasters might be reporting the storm and maybe even injuries in the BCWA, and she didn’t want her family to worry about her and Slade. She needed to call Slade’s parents too.
“Hey, Mom—”
“Oh, goodness, Sheri. Are you and Slade okay? We’ve been watching the news and they’ve rescued campers at Lady Boot Bay of Lac LaCroix already. How is it in your area?”
“It’s bad. We were bringing a couple of men who were injured back to our cabin. We didn’t expect the storm, or we wouldn’t have gone for a wolf run tonight.”
“Or found the men, right?” her mom said.
“Correct. I heard them shouting for help. Anyway, Emergency Rescue Services are coming here to pick them up.”
“Are you going to cancel your trip?”
Sheri was watching the road for any sign of help arriving, listening for a vehicle’s engine. “No, the winds seem to be dissipating now.” Some, thankfully. It didn’t mean more trees that were leaning over and ready to collapse wouldn’t fall, even after the storm settled down. It was still snowing.
“You let us know if you need any help.”
“We sure will. How’s Hans?” Sheri asked.
“He’s still sick, staying hydrated the best he can. I left the chicken soup for him. Dad said he would stay with him. Hans was more worried about you and Slade though.”
“Yeah, who would have figured it?”
“Exactly. Okay, well, I’ll let you go. I’m headed home.”
“All right, Mom. I’ll keep in touch.” Then she called Slade’s mom. “Hi, it’s—”
“Oh, Sheri, are you and Slade okay? We’ve been watching the reports on the storms, and we were worried about the two of you,” Lolita said.
“Yeah, we’re okay.” Then Sheri told her what had happened and why Slade wasn’t here calling his mother or father himself. He most likely was pulling a sled by now to relieve one of the guys of the burden. But he probably also didn’t want to tell his parents that everyone was fine when he wouldn’t know that until they reached the cabin. “We’ll call you as soon as he arrives. We’ll have to take care of the men until help can come for them.”
“There’s no rush. I’m just glad to know you and he aren’t injured.”
Sheri knew half the wolf pack would be coming for them if they had been. They ended the call, and she went back inside, but she was watching out the window for any signs of the men.
Then she heard them coming, Slade shouting, “We’re nearly there!”
She went outside to greet them. Slade was pulling Morgan. “No emergency crews have arrived yet, but I called our families to let them know that we’re safe. They’re hearing about it all on the news.”
“Can we use your satellite phone to call our families?” Andy asked. “My satellite phone died after I called this in to begin with.”
“Yeah, sure, you can use both our satellite phones,” Sheri said.
“You must be the girlfriend,” Morgan said, smiling at her.
And the dog. “I’ll start hot cocoa for everyone. I imagine you’ll need to warm up a bit. The fire is going.”
“Did Sadie get home all right?” Morgan sounded worried.
“Yeah, she let me know you were coming.” Sheri opened the door for them, and Slade and Andy hauled Morgan inside. She hoped they didn’t ask to see their dog.
Then Slade helped Trenton carry Lionel inside. Sheri wasn’t surprised to see Lionel on one of the sleds. She went in last and shut the door. Andy pulled off his gloves, hat, and parka and began removing the blankets and sleeping bag from Morgan to check him out.
Sheri began making cocoa for them while Slade and Trenton were stripping out of their outerwear and then removing the coverings on Lionel to see what they could about his injuries. Both injured men were wearing pajamas and wool socks, though Lionel had put on his parka over his pajamas and boots. Trenton unzipped Lionel’s parka, then unbuttoned his shirt.
Lionel groaned and Sheri knew he had really been hurt.
When Trenton opened Lionel’s shirt, Slade said, “You’re bruised. You could have broken or bruised ribs. Let’s get some water in you, and then some hot cocoa. Your lips are a little blue.” Then he covered Lionel back up.
Sheri brought the hot cocoa into the living room and went back to grab warm bottles of water for the guys. She set a pillow under Lionel’s head and helped him to drink some water. After that, she helped him manage the cocoa.
“Have you got your knife handy?” Andy asked Slade.
“Yeah, here you go.”
Andy took the knife and cut Morgan’s pajama pants leg while Slade looked on and Sheri called her parents and Slade’s to let them know they were all here and safe.
“It looks like it could be a fracture,” Slade said. “There’s lots of bruising and swelling. At least if it is a fracture, it’s not a compound one. But it could just be torn ligaments, which can be worse because they can take longer to heal.”
“Maybe they can put you in a walking cast and you can still take care of your kids while your ex-wife’s on vacation,” Andy said to Morgan. He helped him to drink some water and hot cocoa after that.
Trenton was drinking his cocoa too, and then Slade finished his off.
“Thanks, Sheri.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “This is not exactly how I had expected us to finish off the night.”
Sheri kissed him back. “I’m just glad you’re all safe here now.”
“Thanks for helping us out back there,” Andy said.
“Yeah, we would have still been stuck out there with nowhere to go,” Trenton agreed.
“And freezing too,” Lionel said.
“We were glad to help. Does anyone want any more hot cocoa?” Sheri asked.
Everyone wanted more and Sheri was glad she was making them feel a little better until they got picked up.
“This is a nice cabin,” Lionel said. “Maybe the next time we should rent one like this.”
The guys all laughed.
Sheri didn’t blame them about not wanting to be in the forest on another camping trip if they were going to get into a storm of this magnitude. They would still need to get all their gear once they had help clearing the trees off their tents.
She fixed them more cocoa and then everyone was enjoying their second cup. “Help is coming,” she said, hearing it off in the distance because of her heightened wolf senses.
“I don’t hear anything.” Andy looked out the window. “I don’t see anyone either. Are you sure?”
“Yeah, she’s right,” Slade said. “I hear someone coming.”
It didn’t take much longer before the other guys heard the vehicles coming. Slade got bundled up and went outside to wave to them and Sheri watched through the window, relieved beyond measure that help had arrived for the injured guys.
Then the emergency vehicles and a couple of police cars parked. Slade came inside with four guys with the Emergency Rescue Services and a couple of deputy sheriffs. The ERS techs began checking the injured men out first. They called in that one of the men had a possible fractured leg, and another man possibly had broken ribs, then packed the two men up to take them to the hospital.
The men from the sheriff’s office gave Trenton and Andy a ride to a hotel and they thanked Slade and Sheri and their dog again.
They waved goodbye to the campers and closed the door. It was really late by then, and they were all for hitting the shower and going to bed.
“We made a great team.” Slade locked the cabin door, and they turned out the lights, made sure the fire was out, and headed up the stairs. “We’ll have to make s’mores tomorrow night.”
“Yeah, it’s too late for it now. And way too dangerous.”
When they reached the bedroom, Sheri started stripping off her clothes. “I know you wanted to be the one to stay with the guys initially as a wolf, but I needed you to get the first aid supplies. I figured you would make it over those tree trunks better because you have a longer jump and you run faster than me. I also know you didn’t want me to be out in that storm, but we needed to do the rescue mission together but separately.”
“I agree. It all worked out perfectly, and you coming to their aid as a dog and digging them out was the smart thing to do.”
“I had to do something because I’d howled as a wolf first, and they’d worried I was one.”
“I’d wondered about that.”
“Plus I wanted to help them in the worst way—both to help rescue them and to be doing something.”
“Yeah, we’re both that way.”
“Exactly. I’ll hop in the shower. Pick whichever bed you want to sleep in.” She grabbed a pair of her pajamas.
“All right,” he said.
She took a fast shower and dried off, then pulled on her snowman pajamas and left the bathroom. He was sitting in his boxer briefs on the queen-size bed, waiting to take his shower. “Enjoy your shower,” she said.
“After all that work, I’m ready for it,” he said.
“I know. You had a job of it.”
“You too.”
She climbed under the covers on the queen-size bed. If he was going to sleep in it, she was going to join him. When he finished his shower and came out wearing a pair of pj bottoms decorated in Christmas candy canes, she pulled the covers aside for him.
“Are you sharing that bed with me?” he asked, smiling, all warm and sexy-like.
“Only if you’re sharing your candy canes with me.”
He chuckled and joined her under the covers.
“Will they let us know how they fared?” Sheri snuggled with Slade.
“Yeah, I gave them my number and they can call us when they learn about their injuries.”
“Good. I like to have closure.”
“Me too.” Then he kissed her, brushing his fingers along her jawline with tenderness, turning her on, and she parted her lips for him, inviting him in.
“Are we going to—” Slade asked, kissing her cheeks, her eyes, her jaw, her throat.
“Yes,” she said, and began to kiss his mouth while she worked her hands under his pajama bottoms to cup his butt and felt his smooth, muscular cheeks, and squeezed. “Hmm, nice. Super nice.”
He slid his hands down her pajama bottoms. “Yours are too. Sexy and perfect.” He slipped her shirt over her head, baring her breasts, and massaged them, making her feel heavenly. She moaned, loving the feel of his large hands on her skin, her nipples tightening and becoming more sensitive, tingling with need.
Then he was kissing her, leaving her breathless.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his, kissing softly at first, then pressuring, opening to him, and touching her tongue to his and stroking. She could already feel his burgeoning arousal pressing hotly against her body as he moved against her, rubbing her mons, and she was ready to just capitulate and ask him to mate her now. But she still thought it might be too soon for him.
She nipped at his ear, and he licked her lips, but then he moved his mouth down to her breast and sucked. She groaned out loud. God, his exquisite touches sent her to the moon. He smiled and stroked the other breast with his hand, taking pleasure in tweaking her peaked nipple. Then he captured her nipple in his mouth and took his time skimming his fingers against the other breast, molding his hand to it.
He finally slid his fingers down the front of her pajama bottoms and found the feminine slit between her legs and began to stroke her swollen nubbin so good. Oh, heavens, he was terrific at this. Yeah, they were definitely ready. Heartbeats were ramping up, blood was heating, pheromones were calling to each other, and she felt she was on cloud nine. She was so wet for him as she surrendered to his touch.
The pulsing heat rippled through her as the climax hit. Wave after wave of pleasure washed over her.
He kissed her mouth with genuine love, and she knew he was the one for her without a doubt. Then she slid her hand down to his arousal, felt how massive it was, silky, jumping to her touch, and she smiled and began to pump him, eager to make him come.
***
Slade listened to Sheri’s thundering heart, loving the way she touched him and kissed him with alternating tenderness and passion. Her sweet jasmine scent and she-wolf musk swept around him in a silky, sensuous way. Her soft sighs and moans caressed his ears, and he loved hearing them. Her luscious lips pressed against his and opened to encourage his exploration. Tongues swept over each other while she stroked his arousal, and he was lost to her touch. She was so precious to him, and he didn’t want to delay a mating much longer.
She was making the moves on him in the most perfect way. No matter how he tried to hold on to the erotic feelings consuming him, he came in an explosive way. They kissed each other again passionately until he broke free and said, “I guess we should have taken our shower after we made love.”
She laughed. “Yeah, come on, hot stuff. Let’s shower.”
He got out of bed, lifted her off it, and carried her into the shower. She was laughing and he loved this new exploration of intimacy between them. And then it was a new adventure all over again. Wet, wild, sexy, and fun.