4. Blake
Chapter 4
Blake
I didn’t know his story, but I knew it had to be rough. I’d had a pretty easy life with a mom who still doted on me to this day, so I couldn’t claim to know how he felt, but I hated that he was in such a rough spot.
We pulled up to my cabin, and Riley sat up a little straighter in the seat. “You live here?”
“Yeah, I know it’s a little cliché. A mountain ski chalet. But I bought it from some couple who were getting a divorce. I paid pennies on the dollar for their winter getaway.” I pointed toward the back of the house. “Do you ski?”
Riley shrugged. “I went a few times when I was a kid.”
“There’s a chairlift down the backside of the hill. I keep it maintained because some of the neighbor kids use it when they think I’m not around, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“Cool.” He wiped his arm across his forehead, and I guessed his fever was only rising. “Never heard of somebody having a chairlift in their backyard.”
“I’ve only used it a few times, but you’re welcome to try it out tomorrow, if you want.” Shit, what was I saying? He wasn’t going anywhere tomorrow. “Sorry, you’ll probably need to be locked inside for the next few days. But after that, you’re welcome to explore a bit.”
Riley didn’t respond as I killed the engine and opened my door. It was probably all still overwhelming for him. “Grab your backpack and let yourself in. At the end of the hall, head down the stairs. I’ll get the basement heater turned on so you don’t freeze down there.”
I didn’t wait for him to agree before hurrying out of the car, desperate for a breath of fresh air. His aroma had only been growing stronger during the drive, and it was getting harder and harder for me and my bear to ignore what was happening.
Riley was our mate.
I didn’t know how we knew it, but we did. Unfortunately, right as he was going into a heat and an hour after we met was not the time to try to explain the phenomenon to a human. Riley just needed to be comforted and comfortable during what would likely be the most miserable time of his life.
Once he was past the worst of it, I would sit down with him and have a talk about the future.
Riley seemed to think he didn’t have one, but he was wrong.
His future was tied to mine now, and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with us over the next few days, but I didn’t plan to let him go now that he was safely in my care.
As I walked through my house, I turned on all the lights and then went down to the basement.
There was a separate heating and cooling system down there because I rarely used it, so the air was quite chilly. The thermostat said it was fifty-two degrees, but I had a feeling it was even colder than that.
I hadn’t been down here in a while, so I went into the bathroom and flushed the toilet and checked to make sure there were plenty of supplies. When I stepped out, Riley was right there, standing in front of me as if he wasn’t sure where to go next.
I held my arms out. “Well, this place is yours for as long as you need it. Get comfortable. Take a shower. I’ve got all the streaming channels on the TV, so watch whatever you want.” I cleared my throat, knowing what he might likely want to watch as his heat deepened. “I’ll run up and get the heat accelerators that should help move this process along, but it’s gonna get a lot worse before it gets better.” I slipped my hands into my pockets, pulling the fabric away from my growing length. “I can pick up some other…supplies tomorrow, if that’ll help. I don’t have a lot of toys that you might be able to use, but if there’s anything in particular you want, just say the word.”
Riley swallowed hard and wrapped his arms around himself. “Um, I think I’ll start with a shower and go from there.”
I glanced down at his small backpack. “Do you have something warm to change into? If not, I can find some sweats or pajamas or something.”
He sighed, and I could see his cheeks flush with embarrassment. “Not really. And nothing clean.”
“No worries.” My intention wasn’t to make him feel bad or self-conscious about his situation. “Hop in the shower, and I’ll bring down some clothes and leave them on the bed. There are towels in the cabinet.” I thought about it for a moment. “Actually, I’m pretty sure there’s a robe in the closet that you’re welcome to use. In fact, anything that you find in here, you’re welcome to use. My mom made me stock this room as if I had guests over on a regular basis, even though I’ve never had a single guest stay here.”
“Yeah, my mom was the same way when I was a kid. Always prepared to make a good impression on a stranger or friend.” Riley rolled his eyes as if he wasn’t impressed by such things. “But thank you. I’m sure I’ll be fine with whatever.”
I nodded and took a deep breath, regretting it as soon as his musky scent hit my taste buds. Fuck, I wanted to tear into him.
Without another word, I jogged up the stairs and went up to my bedroom suite.
Since I was little, my mom bought me silly Christmas pajamas every year. I dug through my drawer of clothes that didn’t fit anymore but that I didn’t have the heart to get rid of and found a pair of thick flannel PJs with a Christmas bear print.
Of course, Riley wouldn’t get the joke, but it made me and my bear happy as we slipped into the room and left the clothes on the bed. His dirty clothes were on the floor, so I grabbed them and took them to the laundry room.
I shouldn’t have dug through his pockets without his permission but they were all empty, so my guilt was assuaged as I turned on the washer. At least, he’d have clean clothes in the morning.