Chapter 2
MICHAEL
The wolf inside me paced restlessly under my skin. With just a few days left until Christmas, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something. Or lost it. Or maybe I hadn't found it yet.
My claws itched to dig into the fresh snow outside and leave tracks that no human would ever see. The plan had been to meet up with my buddies for our annual Christmas run, but they all bailed at the last minute.
When I got the messages that could have ruined my week off work, I was disappointed.
Rick was the first to flake. Sorry, guys. No flights getting out of Denver. This storm is insane.
Then Drew was right behind him. Told you we should've left yesterday. Stuck at O'Hare till at least the 26th.
Ted, my rock and the one I thought I could count on for anything, was the final nail in the coffin. Guess you're flying solo this Christmas, Mikey. Try not to scare the humans with your howling.
But instead of calling off the trip altogether, which I definitely considered, I started running. The seventy miles of forest to the lodge was a great way to clear my head. Besides, my wolf needed to burn off some energy, and I needed...something I couldn't quite name.
Broody, my ass. I wasn't broody. Restless, maybe. But lots of unmated alphas were restless until they found their mate. My wolf had been clawing at me for months now, wanting something I couldn't give him.
What could I do about it, anyway? It wasn’t like I could just ask Santa for a mate for Christmas. If it was gonna happen for me, I had to be patient. At thirty-two, I wasn't exactly old, but my wolf didn't care about reasonable timelines.
He wanted what he wanted.
And if I was being honest, I kinda wanted it too.
We stayed in cabin 7 at Winter Wonderland Wilderness Lodge every year.
We always paid for the following year when we checked out on New Year’s Day to make sure it was always available for us.
The location on the river was perfect for playing at any time of the day or night.
The cabin itself wasn’t huge and only had one actual bed, but we didn’t go there to sleep as humans.
We took advantage of our week in the woods to get in our fur and run and hunt as much as possible.
Sleeping in our fur was a luxury we only chanced when we were together as a pack.
Even as apex predators, there were certain vulnerabilities that a wolf in the city had compared to our human counterparts, so when we were together, we gave in to the urges that we ignored for the rest of the year.
Now that it would just be me, I could stretch out on the bed in my skin or my fur and just be alone with my thoughts for a week in the mountains. Perfect.
My clothes and essentials were in a waterproof bag hanging from my teeth as I trotted through the quiet woods. It was perfect running weather and made me wish I had someone to enjoy these moments with.
The forest welcomed me like an old friend. I kept to the game trails and let my paws sink into fresh powder. As the flurries picked up, I pushed harder, reveling in the burn of exertion that I couldn’t get in a gym. That was true freedom. It was what I needed to reconnect with my wolf.
My nostrils blew out steamy clouds as I navigated the familiar wilderness between my home and the mountain resort.
As the hours passed, the storm intensified. Snow was driving horizontally but it pushed me forward, giving me some extra speed. My wolf was happier than he’d been in a while. The challenge of jumping and running, dodging nature at the same time as conquering it.
We were built for this. Thick fur, powerful muscles, and keen senses made the freezing landscape a playground for us. I leaped over fallen logs, splashed through icy streams, and climbed steep ridges without breaking stride.
The best part of a run like that was the mental clarity I couldn’t achieve at any other time. My mind emptied of everything but the present moment. No expectations or pressure. Just the rhythm of my breath as my heavy paws beat against earth.
The sun had just set when I reached the outskirts of the resort property. The wind was calm, but the snow continued to fall in thick flakes. I slowed my pace and circled around to a small clearing to shift back into my skin.
Once I was on two feet again, I stretched my limbs and pulled some clothes from my pack.
I packed light for the trip. A pair of jeans, two thermal shirts, and a single sweater.
I was nothing if not practical. My hair was damp when I ran a hand through it, but it would dry fast enough once I got in front of a crackling fire.
The lodge appeared through the trees with smoke curling from multiple chimneys. Lights glowed from every floor, and despite myself, I felt a pang of something I tried hard to ignore. It wasn’t quite sadness, but it was something. Something that was still missing, waiting to be found.
Christmas had never been a big deal for me, but there was something about the warmth and happiness implied from holiday decorations that made me feel the absence of...a partner.
Mate.
My wolf didn’t play dumb the way I liked to. He went right for the kill. Yes, fine, the absence of a mate was becoming a more significant part of my discontentment in life. But that was a problem for future me.
Present me needed to get the key to my cabin, drop off my bag, and maybe go for a quick hunt.
With my boots crunching through fresh snow, I approached the main entrance. The wooden door opened and a rush of heat assaulted me in a comforting way. This was gonna be a great week.
My wolf perked up again at the new scents. Always curious. Always assessing.
There was a massive Christmas tree in the lobby, but that was okay. Once I got into the cabin, I didn’t plan to spend much time in the common areas.
I shook the snow from my boots and headed for the guy at the reception desk.
"Welcome to Winter Wonderland Wilderness Lodge! Checking in?"
I nodded. "Michael Gray. I have a reservation for the next week."
The guy tapped at his keyboard. "Ah, yes, Mr. Gray. We received messages from the rest of your party about their cancellations. So sorry they couldn't make it."
I shrugged. "Weather. Can't be helped."
"Indeed."
His brow furrowed and he sighed. “Hmm.”
“Everything okay?”
The man nodded and cleared his throat. “Yeah, just realizing you booked last year. Prior to us switching to this new system.”
“Yup.” I leaned on the counter and tried to take a peek at what he was looking at. “Is that a problem?”
“Probably not.” He glanced at me and grinned. “Looks like we had a mix-up and didn’t transfer your booking into the current system, but that shouldn’t be an issue. Hopefully.”
I slid over my ID and credit card, and that's when it hit me. The scent was so unexpected and compelling that my wolf surged forward, nearly taking control.
Omega. Not just any omega, but one whose scent called to something deep within me.
My whole body tensed, and I turned slightly, trying to appear casual as I checked out the man behind me. He was standing a few feet away, just waiting his turn at the reception desk. I didn’t usually go for humans, but this one was…intriguing.
Even several inches shorter than me, he carried himself with a commanding presence. And when his eyes locked with mine, his cheeks flushed. Maybe from the cold, but there was a distinct heat wafting from him as well.
He smiled politely before looking away and hugging his bag closer to his body.
My wolf was prancing. Mine. Ours.
Not now, bud.
I forced my attention back to the man who was handing me my cards and a traditional room key on a keychain.
"Alright, sir. Here’s your key to Cabin Seven. It’s a five-minute walk from the main lodge. Just follow the lit path toward the water. You won’t miss it."
“Thank—” Before I could even thank him, the man behind me interrupted.
"Excuse me.” The omega cleared his throat and stepped closer and craned his neck to look at my key. "Did you say Cabin Seven?"
"Yes, sir." The clerk sounded nervous. "Mr. Gray here is staying in Cabin Seven."
The omega shook his head and started to hyperventilate. "There must be some mistake. I'm supposed to be in Cabin Seven. I have a confirmation email and everything." He pulled out his wallet and started emptying it on the counter.
My wolf went still, completely tuned in to this man’s distress.
The clerk looked panicked. "Let me check your reservation, sir. Your name?"
"Davey Carter."
I watched as the man behind the counter pulled up the omega’s reservation.
“Oh, dear.” He looked between me and the omega. “I was hoping this wouldn’t be the case…”
“What’s going on?”
"I'm so sorry, gentlemen." He took a step back and looked bothered by what he was about to say.
"It appears we have a scheduling error. You're both booked in Cabin Seven for the week.
" He looked at me. “Your reservation was made in our old system and didn’t get transferred over…which allowed Mr. Carter to book the same cabin.”
“No, no, no.” The omega clenched his fists on the counter and then lowered his head to rest it on them. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“I can take a different cabin. It’s fine.” I hated seeing the omega in such distress, and I wasn’t picky. It was my favorite cabin, but he obviously wanted it more than I did.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible. We're completely full. Every cabin, every room." The clerk shook his head. “I’m so sorry for your inconvenience.”