Chapter 10 #2
A few minutes later we were pulling off the road again, evergreen branches screeching as they dragged against the sides of the SUV. Rhett stopped in the middle of the narrow lane, parking and squeezing between the door and the seat as the foliage blocked us in.
“Put on your hat and gloves. We’re going to have to walk from here.”
I scanned the road ahead, trying to figure out where exactly we were walking to. As far as I could see, there was nothing but trees and snow.
“Is this the part where you add me to the higher than average list of missing people?”
Rhett frowned, helping me past a leafless shrub as it grabbed the slick fabric of my coat. “What list?”
“That was a casual way of asking if you’re taking me out to the woods to kill me.”
His frown didn’t budge. “We need to get moving. You don’t have the proper gear, and the snow is going to slow us down.”
“I get that, but what I’m trying to say is that I’m a little terrified to go prancing through the Alaskan wilderness—in a blizzard—without even knowing where I am.”
Rhett pulled out his cell phone, turning the screen so I could see an image of a map. He pointed with his thumb. “We’re about here, right on the edge of pack territory. There should be a cabin at the end of this road, but I don’t know how far we have to walk to get there.”
“Whose cabin?”
“It belongs to the pack. No electricity or running water, just a simple cabin with emergency supplies in case a shifter runs into bad weather while they’re out running, or one of the Wildlings in our pack needs shelter.”
“You have Wildlings in your pack? Aren’t they the ones that live as animals instead of people?”
“It’s more complicated than that. I’ll explain when we get to the cabin.”
I nodded, letting Rhett take my hand. Vicky would call me crazy for doing this, but I trusted him.
My legs sank deep into the snow with every step, making me pant from the effort. At least the exercise was warming me up. I was sweating under my coat, my hair plastered to the back of my neck.
It felt like the sun had only been up for an hour, and it was already setting again. Shadows formed around the base of trees, moving in my periphery and making me jumpy.
“Are you sure it’s safe to be out here in the dark? What about bears?” And wolves and mountain lions and whatever else lived here.
“Most natural predators stay away from pack territory. We’re pretty territorial.” He looked back to see I was lagging behind him. “It’s really the moose and the caribou we should be worried about out here. They’re scared of shifters, but they’re more likely to attack when they feel threatened.”
A branch jerked in the wind, casting a shadow like antlers onto the snow, and I shuddered. “That doesn’t actually make me feel better.”
“I can take a moose if I have to.”
“On two feet? As a man?”
“Technically, my wolf has better odds.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek to keep my teeth from chattering. “Wonderful.”
Rhett stopped so fast I bumped into his chest. He caught me by the shoulders.
“Would you feel safer if I shifted?”
“Right now? Here in the snow?”
“I shift in the snow all the time.”
“Yes, I would feel better. A lot better.” Which was crazy because just last night he shifted and I almost peed my pants. Funny what you could get used to.
He didn’t put up any argument, just started taking off his layers and handing them to me one by one. I realized halfway through that I was just staring at him with my mouth hanging open, watching those tight muscles around the tops of his hips work as he stripped.
Blinking to clear my vision, I turned to the side with my arm out to accept the rest of his clothes. His jeans were warm through my glove. I hugged them to my chest, trying to force my attention away from the corner of my eye as he dropped to his knees.
Did I just discover a new kink? Because kneeling naked in the snow was suddenly a huge turn-on.
I shook my head to clear the dirty thought, almost screaming when a wet nose tickled my neck. My feet slid and crunched through layers of snow as I turned, staring down at the wriggling wolf that had taken Rhett’s place.
I’d already seen it with my own eyes once before, but I still found it so unbelievable. It was real-life magic.
And when he wasn’t trying to maul me—or whatever he was doing last night—he was kind of adorable. Giant and dangerous but also adorable.
“That was fast,” I whispered.
Rhett shoved my arm with his nose again. This version of him was much more lighthearted, prancing around me in the snow before lifting his snout and stalking through the trees.
I followed as fast as I could, the heat from earlier seeping out of me as my feet grew clammy and cold. My boots were absorbing snow as it melted, and my entire face was numb. How long did it take to get frostbite?
Rhett circled back every few feet, checking to see I was behind him before charging ahead again.
I did my best not to complain, panting heavier with each step. It wasn’t like I really had another option.
Exhaustion tugged at my movement, slowing me down until I was worried I really wouldn’t make it. Walking several miles in the snow was nothing for a wolf, and I wasn’t sure he realized how tired I was.
Then the gray silhouette of a tiny A-frame appeared in a clearing ahead of us, and I almost cried out in relief. The wolf bounded up to me, and then arms were sweeping under my legs. I didn’t hesitate to press my cheek to Rhett’s chest, sighing as the warmth brought some life back into me.
“I’ve got you now.” His words rumbled against me. “You did so good.”
Rhett set me on a small covered porch, holding up a hand for me to wait as he entered the cabin. He emerged a moment later, taking my hand and leading me inside.
It was so dark I could barely make out the single room, and the air was cold enough that my breath fogged in front of me.
“Sorry, I had to make sure we were the only ones here. This place belongs to the pack, but Wildlings can be territorial.”
“S-so how do we keep from f-freezing to death in here?”
I realized I was still holding his clothes in my arms. A spark lit the room and revealed his naked form. More sparks flashed in front of a black stove, and then a tiny fire caught in a stack of logs. Rhett nurtured the flame until it was bright red, licking over the logs and lighting the room.
Standing, he beckoned me over with his hand. I followed automatically, forgetting the cold as firelight danced across his skin. He was pale and perfect, and the jolt in my chest kick-started like a motor, warming me from the inside out.
I almost whined when he took his jeans from me, sliding them over his legs. Then his hands were on my coat, undoing the zipper and the buttons and hanging it on a hook by the wood-burning stove. My hat and gloves were next, and all I could do was stand there as he fussed over me.
His fingers kept brushing mine, smoothing down my hair, and cupping the side of my neck.
He dragged an Adirondack chair from the corner of the room, sitting me in it so close to the fire that it almost hurt.
Blankets were procured from somewhere, and though they were icy cold, the weight of them felt wonderful on my legs as I curled into the chair.
“Thank you,” I whispered, not knowing how to respond to his selfless care.
Rhett wasn’t even bothered by the cold, too focused on searching through an old wooden cabinet.
“These cabins are usually well stocked, but it’s harder to get supplies out to all of them at this time of year.
” He smiled to himself, making a triumphant sound as he pulled out a box and showed it to me.
Hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.
In no time he had a kettle on top of the stove, fresh snow melting inside. Two cups with cocoa powder waiting on a small coffee table. There was also beef jerky, cups of instant noodles, and ingredients to make s’mores.
“This is actually amazing,” I said, snuggling deeper into my collection of blankets. “It’s like a backpacking adventure.”
“I’m glad you’re having a good time.” Rhett didn’t look as pleased, scowling at the cup of noodles like it personally offended him. He crouched beside my chair, readjusting my blankets. When he was done, his hand skimmed down my covered shoulder. The touch was natural, like he’d always done it.
“Aren’t you cold? You can have one of my blankets.”
“Don’t you dare take those blankets off.”
“What’s bothering you?”
“I can’t seem to get you a decent meal.” He was genuinely distraught over the noodles and jerky.
“You should see how I eat at home. I can’t cook anything, unless you count boiling pasta as cooking. Anyway, I’m not that hungry.”
“We could be here a while. I need to have enough to feed you.”
Why was he so hung up on this food thing—
Holy shit.
The jolt in my chest went off like an old-fashioned alarm clock, vibrating and bouncing inside me. I replayed that first night in the hotel room.
I thought about the way he fixed my plate at dinner.
His hands constantly finding mine.
At the time, it seemed like it was part of the show. But we had no witnesses here, and he was still reaching out to me, sighing at the brief contact like it warmed him as much as the fire warmed me.
I jerked up from the chair, blankets pooling around my feet. I tripped over them, falling to my knees beside him and gripping his forearms like my life depended on it.
How could I have been this oblivious?
“Rhett?”
“What’s wrong?” His eyes flashed in alarm, gold bleeding into his irises as my pulse kicked into overdrive.
“Am I your mate?”