Chapter 13
The ticking of the clock in the corner of the room was suddenly unbearably loud.
He’s not my mate after all.
A small, acidic voice in her head responded. Of course not. Because mates don’t exist. And nor do shifters. These people have been taking you for a ride.
Poppy wasn’t completely sold on the idea that Levi and Margot had been deliberately trying to mislead her – Margot in particular looked devastated, her hand raised to her mouth, and Levi looked even grimmer than usual.
Maybe they truly believed what they’d told her…
or they were just really good actors. Either way, what they’d told her had clearly been garbage.
It’s not like it even matters, she told herself fiercely, struggling to keep her expression steady. An hour ago, you had never even heard of any of this nonsense, and you were head over heels for Max. This changes nothing. Your relationship is exactly the same as it was before.
Although even that wasn’t entirely true.
She couldn’t believe that Max had just left her here in the company of strangers, without something having happened to make him do it.
Maybe they’d only known each other for a couple of days, but he’d already put himself on the line for her – he’d dug her out from under an avalanche with his bare hands, for crying out loud!
Not to mention the fact he’d obviously – well, she’d thought, anyway – been extremely keen to see her again every time they’d met up. He hadn’t exactly made a secret of that.
But there was clearly something going on with him, and suddenly she was desperate to get to the bottom of it – whether he was her mate or not.
Poppy had no desire to hear Margot and Levi’s stories about magic avalanches, or flying lions, or whatever else it was they had come up with – and quite frankly, she couldn’t believe that she’d bought into any of it.
People that could turn into mysterious beasts?
Fated lovers? Small towns full of strange, magical people who were apparently just leading regular human lives with their human partners?
What next – is a unicorn going to prance through the door?!
Poppy laughed quietly, not unaware of the bitter edge to it. She’d let herself get played. True, she felt like she had at least some sort of excuse for it, given that she’d been buried under an enormous pile of snow, but now her mind was excruciatingly clear.
She was going to find Max and find out why he’d left her here with these two very odd strangers, and they were going to talk things out, and she was going to put all this magical bullshit out of her mind and concentrate on the magic that she and Max already shared.
Seized by a desperate need to get out, she shoved the thin blanket back, swung her legs around, and stood up. The sudden movement had her feeling a little wobbly, but then it cleared up, determination making her strong.
Levi and Margot stood up and moved back a little, looking worried.
“Are you okay to get up?” Margot asked.
“Absolutely,” Poppy said, picking up her shoes and winter layers from where they’d been laid out next to her bed and pulling them on.
They were nice and toasty warm, not wet in the slightest, and she thanked whoever was listening for small mercies.
Because, as pissed and frustrated as she was, she could still recognize that going out for a walk in the snow in wet clothes would be a terrible idea…
but she couldn’t wait one more second. She had to see Max.
“Can we drop you off somewhere?” Levi asked.
Poppy must’ve made some sort of face in response – what, is he going to fly me to the B&B with his magical powers?
– because Levi winced a little and clarified, “We don’t have a car with us, but there are plenty of people in Girdwood Springs who would be happy to help you get where you need to go. We could call someone for you.”
Poppy supposed that the people she’d met here had been pretty nice, and indeed she had gotten a free ride from Kira and Caleb when she’d been stranded in Gunter’s Gulch… but still, more than anything else, she just desperately wanted to be alone for a while. And she knew that she was okay to walk.
“I’m fine, but thanks,” she said, picking up her purse. “Truly. All I’m going to do is walk back to where I’m staying, and then I’m going to rest.”
Neither of them looked convinced, but she wasn’t about to budge.
Trying not to let her annoyance into her voice, she added, “And thank you both again for bringing me here so that I could get medical attention – I really appreciate it. And for that hot chocolate, as well.” She rummaged in her purse. “Can I pay you back for that?”
“Oh, no, no,” said Margot, waving her hands. “Please, think nothing of it. A little token to apologize for our town burying you in an avalanche.”
Poppy couldn’t help but crack a small smile. Fraudster or not, Margot really did just seem to be a naturally odd person.
And Poppy did appreciate their help. She had to try to remember that without Margot and Levi, Max might still be trying to carry her through the snow.
She still didn’t quite know how they’d done it, given that they claimed to have no car, but, well, maybe they’d called a cab or something.
Or maybe they were just overly dedicated to keeping up the whole ‘flying’ ruse, and their car was actually sitting in the parking lot.
“It was no problem at all,” said Levi, still looking uncertain, but clearly unwilling to try and stop Poppy from leaving. Which was good, because she was more than happy to pop him one on the nose if he got in her way. Provided she could reach his nose, anyway.
After a couple of false turns, she found her way out of the building and into the glare of the afternoon sun, her anxious guardians left behind. It was still cold out, but not terribly so, and she didn’t feel any aftereffects from being buried under the snow – it really was uncanny.
She hardly remembered anything from that time, but she definitely remembered being so cold that it almost ceased to register as cold anymore.
Now, she felt warm and cozy, the chill of the air against her face a pleasant contrast. Her feet were almost too warm in their boots.
It was like someone had wrapped her in a lovely heated blanket.
Taking a moment to orient herself, she turned in the direction which she knew would eventually lead back to the B&B – but not before a glance over her shoulder revealed Levi and Margot peering out of the front window of the clinic.
The two of them jumped back, the venetian blinds hastily sliding down and getting jammed at an angle, and Poppy laughed a little.
She was still mad at them for the little tale they’d told her…
but more than anything, she was mad at herself for having believed it.
For wanting to believe it. What she already had with Max should have been more than enough.
She wandered down the street, taking it easy. While she felt energized, she did know that she’d had a rough day, and the last thing she needed was to collapse in the snow. Without Max around to rescue her, she’d be in even bigger trouble than before.
Max.
There had been so much going on that she hadn’t been able to fully process her feelings, but now that she was out here by herself in the cold air, the hurt and confusion came flooding back, tumbling over her and threatening to leave her completely overwhelmed.
Surely there had to be a good reason why he’d left her at the clinic. There had to be. But she couldn’t for the life of her think of what could possibly be so important.
Maybe he got an urgent work call he had to deal with, she thought. He never did tell me what he does for a living. And I suppose I can’t expect him to put his life on hold for someone he’s known for, what, a couple of days?
It felt weird, saying it like that. It felt like she’d known Max forever – it honestly was a bit of a shock to remember that it had been less than forty-eight hours since they’d met.
She trudged off the main street of Girdwood Springs and down the snowy road that led to the B&B, the forest’s charms feeling somewhat muted. All she could think about was what she would say to Max… and honestly, she had no idea what that could possibly be.
It all depended on his reaction to seeing her. Would he be worried? Relieved? Happy? Annoyed? Indifferent?
A shiver went through her. The thought that maybe all of this really had just been a fling as far as he was concerned, and now that they’d faced an obstacle, he’d changed his mind…
No. No. I know his heart. I saw the look in his eyes. No one could fake that.
She shook her head to dispel the idea, but it still gnawed away at the back of her mind even as she hastened her steps.
Of course, she wasn’t sure that he was even at the B&B. It was fully possible that she would get there, burst into the kitchen, bang on his door… and get absolute silence in response.
But she couldn’t think of where else he might be, and, well, she had to start somewhere.
If he wasn’t there – or wasn’t answering his door – then she would probably just lie down and have a snooze, and hope that somehow when she woke up Max would be waiting there for her with a perfectly reasonable explanation.
After we’ve sorted this out, I have to get his cell number, she thought wryly. That would solve a lot of problems.
She wondered if maybe he was having doubts about himself for some reason. Margot and Levi had said that he couldn’t shift. Not that she believed what they said about shifters existing, but if – if – there was any truth to the matter, then maybe he felt inadequate about it?