Epilogue
Incredible. Just incredible.
You keep saying that. There was humor in Lars’s voice.
Amanda spun in a slow circle. Lars had described the views from up there in the mountains, but no words truly communicated what she was seeing.
The sky was an infinite dome of blue overhead, with a few streaks of puffy clouds scudding by so close, she felt she could touch them.
The rugged snowcapped peaks that surrounded them were even with her feet, and they extended for miles.
In the distance, the deep azure of the fjord sparkled in the sun.
I don’t know what else to say. Breathtaking?
Lars moved closer, his massive, white-furred shoulder nudging gently into hers as they stood together. You asked if I ever got used to seeing things like this. I didn’t think I had, but maybe I was wrong. It’s a whole new experience with you, seeing it through your eyes.
She leaned into him, still having a hard time comprehending just how much peace and joy she’d been able to find in another person.
Amanda was living the experience every day, no matter where they were, and every day, she paused to think about how lucky she was.
If their circumstances had been even a little different, they might never have met each other at all.
Her stomach rumbled loudly, completely ruining the moment.
Sounds like it’s time to head back. Alva will be finishing up dinner, anyway. Lars led the way toward the rocky path.
When the two of them had first ventured out of Longyearbyen’s city limits on foot, it hadn’t taken much time at all to find enough solitude to shift.
Being on all fours had made the climb into the mountains easy, and it was even easier now that they were heading back downhill.
The two bears ran, looping along the trail.
The sun was on her shoulders, and the wind zipped through her fur.
She caught the scents of the wilderness all around them, and for once, she truly felt more bear than human.
As they approached the town again, they returned to their two-legged forms and worked their way toward the Olsen family home.
Amanda took in the long lines of the modern houses that clustered on the edge of the water.
There were no grassy yards or shade trees.
The only thing that delineated one person’s property from another was where they parked their scooters or snowmobiles.
The homes closer to the water all had private boats that they’d pulled up onto the rocky shore.
“It’s so different here, this modern settlement on the edge of the world,” she noted.
Now she could see larger ships that were still out in the fjord.
The rest of Svalbard curled around the little town as though keeping it tucked close, protected against one of the last true frontiers.
“It must’ve been strange to come to a place like Salem after living here all your life. ”
“Strange, yes,” he acknowledged, “but nice. There’s a lot of history there, and so many things to see and do. It has a completely different energy than Longyearbyen, but that’s one reason I like it. The other reason is because you’re there.”
She slipped her hand into his as they approached the back side of the house. It was set a little apart from the town itself, with large windows that faced out onto the water. “Whoever built this place knew a bit about real estate and how important location is.”
“It’s a good thing they got it right, too,” Lars noted as he opened the back door.
They were in a mud room, where they could take off their boots.
“There are a lot of regulations here when it comes to selling land and building houses. Not to mention the expense of shipping all the materials up here. We’re very fortunate to have what we do. ”
He said it as though he was grateful for a small, humble abode, but Amanda had been there with him for two days and was still marveling at the beautiful home.
It was large enough to suit Erik and his mate Alva, even while Amanda and Lars were visiting, and there was even space for a few other cousins when the need arose.
Many of those cousins had come flooding in for a large family dinner the previous evening, but that night, it was just the four of them.
“Ah, there you are!” Alva said, looking over her shoulder as they walked into the kitchen. “Did you have a nice time?”
“It was…” Amanda hesitated, feeling like she really needed to increase her vocabulary, “incredible.”
“I hope you worked up a good appetite. Wash up and have a seat. It’s almost ready.” She gestured with her spoon toward the door.
“Can I help with anything?” Amanda offered.
“Not at all! Go on!” Alva shooed them out of the kitchen.
A short time later, the four of them sat at the dining table as Alva dished out hearty bowls of stew. It steamed in the cool air, and Amanda’s stomach rumbled all over again. “This smells delicious.”
“Thank you,” Alva said as she sat down. “Have you had reindeer before?”
Amanda had known she’d encounter some different foods there, but she’d been too busy getting things organized with her practice before she left Salem that she hadn’t really done any research. “Reindeer? As in…reindeer?”
Lars laughed. “They weren’t pulling Santa’s sleigh or anything. Reindeer is a sustainable meat source for us, and that’s something we have to be very conscious of when we’re so remote. I promise, it’s very good.”
Amanda had always been the kind to try a new food at least once. The others politely made small talk, not staring at her as she lifted a spoonful. The tender meat melted in her mouth and exploded with flavor. “Oh, wow!”
“You like it?” Alva asked hopefully.
“I love it! This is amazing. You really know what you’re doing!” Amanda enthused.
Erik put his arm on the back of his mate’s chair. “You’re right. I think I’ll keep her.”
After dinner, Amanda insisted on helping Alva clean up. “I know I’m your guest, but if I’m going to be here for a few weeks, you have to let me pitch in, at least a little.”
“All right. I’ll wash, and you can rinse and dry.” Alva handed her a towel with a smile. “Actually, I wanted to find a moment to talk to you, anyway.”
“Oh?” Amanda’s stomach jumped as Alva handed her a plate. She’d been so nervous about making a good impression on Lars’s family. Everyone seemed so nice, and she wanted them to like her.
“Yes, there’s some talk you just can’t share in front of the men.” Alva glanced over her shoulder and then back at Amanda. “I have never seen Lars this happy!”
Amanda’s face warmed. “Really?”
“Oh, yes! I’ve known him for several years now. He’s always been a good man, and I think of him like my own brother. I wanted to see him find a mate. He deserved it, and I can tell that he’s found her. I’ve never seen him smile so much! You should see the way he looks at you!”
She couldn’t help but blush a little as she rinsed a bowl. “He’s not like anyone I’ve ever met before. Every day I wake up and look at him, wondering if this is for real.”
“Let me tell you, when these Olsen men decide to open their hearts, they love fiercely,” Amanda promised her. “There’s no halfway with them. They make a commitment, and then that’s simply the way it is. We’re very lucky women.”
“Yes, we are.”
The four of them had dessert and coffee in the living room. Amanda lounged with her leg stretched out along the length of Lars’s, happy that she could be so close to him even while visiting with family.
“How do you like Longyearbyen?” Erik asked. He was several years younger than Lars, but the resemblance was impossible to miss.
“It’s great,” Amanda told him honestly. “I don’t know exactly what I expected, but it isn’t this.”
“Not exactly just a row of shanties!” Erik laughed.
“Longyearbyen is a very young place, by comparison to the rest of the world, just over a hundred years old. It’s mostly been a mining town, and for much of that time, it was all run by the mining company.
It’s changed a lot since then, but of course, some of that was helped along when World War II almost destroyed the place. ”
Amanda’s mouth fell open, and she consciously closed it. “I had no idea the war would have an impact all the way up here!”
“Everyone wanted their hands on the coal mines, and we’re rather strategically placed for radio signals.
There were only a handful of buildings that survived the bombing,” Erik explained.
“We rebuilt, though, and perhaps we’re better for it.
This is a good community. It’s the perfect place to raise our family. ”
He and Alva exchanged a soft look, and Alva touched her belly.
“Are you serious?” Lars jumped to his feet.
“Yes!” Alva said, her face truly glowing. “We’re expecting a little one!”
“We found out while you were on your trip to America,” Erik explained, “but we wanted to tell you in person.”
“I’m so happy for you both!” Hugs were exchanged back and forth, and Amanda was pulled right into them as part of the family. “I can’t believe it! I’m going to be an uncle!”
“Well, this is part of why we knew we were making the right decision to take over the clan,” Erik told him. “We want to raise our child right here, and this truly means we don’t ever plan to move.”
Later that night, Amanda slipped between the covers and snuggled up close to Lars. “Can you believe Erik and Alva’s news?”
“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” He kissed the top of her head and put his arms around her. “The timing couldn’t have been better, but I suppose fate has a way of doing things like that, doesn’t it?”
“It sure does. You know, I was thinking.” Amanda settled in, warm and snug, despite the chilling cold outside. “We should make plans for when we’ll come back.”
He chuckled. “You haven’t even gone back home yet, and you’re already planning our next visit?”
“It’s nice here, and I like your family.
” Amanda rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows so she could look down into his face.
“And whether you think of it this way or not, you made a big sacrifice to stay in Salem with me. I don’t want you to miss out on anything.
We could come back a couple of times a year. ”
Lars smiled as he reached up and brushed her hair back from her face. “I’d like that. I’m lucky to have a mate as special as you.”
She kissed him and then cuddled back in against his chest. “And here I thought I was the lucky one.”
His hands began roving over her body. “We can debate it all night if you want to.”
She raised her brows as he trailed kisses down her neck. “I’ve got the time.”
THE END
If you enjoyed Amanda and Lars’s story, read on for a preview of Kristy and Grant’s story, Midlife Wolf Daddy!