Chapter 11

Noel

To think, a few days ago, I had wondered how we would pass the time in the cabin while we were snowed in. I worried that we wouldn’t have anything to occupy our silence, and the days would drag on. We risked dying of boredom.

Turned out, fate had plans for us.

Now I felt like we didn’t have enough time.

We didn’t have to worry about passing the time because it went by all too quickly. When my heat finally broke and I opened my eyes with a clarity that had been missing for the past few days, it was to see the sun rising and melting a bit of the snow off in the distance.

Not only was my heat complete, but we were no longer snowed in.

The bed was empty, yet the blankets were still warm. I pushed the comforter off me and padded toward the window. From here I could see light from the other cabins and smoke furling from the chimneys. The blizzard had passed, and the skies were clear. It was like we were waking up to a whole new world.

Garrick came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my middle, pressing a kiss to the mark on my neck. I leaned into his embrace, soaking in the feeling of safety, security, and love for the first time in my life. A new world indeed

“Merry Christmas,” he said.

I chuckled. “We still have a few days until Solstice.”

“I know we do, and we should really talk about what it’s going to look like—driving, returning to my pack. All of those things.”

That sounded necessary and important. Only the last thing I wanted to do was talk. There was a lot we needed to discuss, because this had all happened so fast. There was a lot we didn’t know about each other. I was still recovering from my heat. I was tired and my body ached in the most delicious ways. I desperately needed food and water.

I bit my lip, and he took his thumb and gently tugged my lip from my teeth, pressing a kiss there. “Nobody mars your skin except for me,” he murmured.

The heat of his words went straight to my cock. A groan rolled out of me. How could I want this man so much? He and I had come together so many times in the past forty-eight hours that I wasn’t sure how my body still worked. I pressed my forehead to his chest. “How are you so perfect?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” He smiled. “I should make us some real food and real coffee. We’ve been drinking cold coffee for a while, and it’s getting old.”

“I won’t say no to that. I can make the food, though. I don’t mind.” I had the strangest urge to cook for my mate. I wanted to provide for him in the same way that he provided for me, and cooking was one way I could do that.

“I can grab some more wood, maybe scrape off my car, see if we can’t at least get it going and make sure we’re ready to leave tomorrow.”

“It’s gone by so quickly,” I said.

He put a hand on my shoulder. “We could stay longer if you need. My family will understand.”

I shot him a look. “And make you late for Solstice? Your inauguration as Alpha? I don’t think so.”

He tucked a finger under my chin, lifting my gaze to his. “It’ll be your ceremony as well. You will be Alpha Mate.”

I sucked in a breath. Never before had I imagined such a role for myself. I could do it—I knew I could—but I worried.

“I know that sounds crazy. Trust me, I had trouble getting used to it, and I’ve been expecting it my whole life. You’ll be amazing,” he said. “My pack is going to love you. I promise you that.”

“Well, if nothing else, I’m going to make sure you’re well-fed until we get there. Can’t have your pack thinking I didn’t take care of you.” I set to work on putting together a breakfast, while also prepping for lunch.

Later, the sound of a vehicle engine had me looking up and gazing out the window. Garrick was still working on clearing off his truck. He was dressed warmly, but I could still see the way his muscles flexed and bunched as he worked. He was the embodiment of lumberjack fantasies I hadn’t even known I had.

When an old rusted-out truck stopped near the cabin, I grabbed my coat and went onto the porch. Immediately, Garrick came to my side, standing slightly in front of me to shield me from the stranger. It was an alpha move to keep me safe, and I loved it.

“Who is that?” I asked.

“Not sure,” Garrick replied.

We had been isolated just the two of us for so long it was weird to see other people.

“Hi there! Name’s Joe. I manage the cabins for the owners. Just wanted to stop in and make sure everyone is well.” He approached slowly and bared his neck slightly to Garrick.

That put Garrick at ease. A little.

“We’re doing all right,” he said. “Just finally stepping outside after that storm.”

The older man laughed. “It was a doozy. Haven’t seen one of those since ninety-eight. We got eight feet of snow in just twenty-four hours back then. Didn’t see another soul for two weeks. We didn’t have the internet then. Had to entertain ourselves the old-fashioned way.”

“That sounds pretty intense,” Garrick said. “Hope you don’t mind, we found some holiday decorations and helped ourselves to decorating.”

“Not at all, not at all! We usually have the cabins decorated for the holidays, we just didn’t get around to it this year. If you’re looking for something to do, the town is still putting on their Christmas market, despite the weather. It’s going on all day today, and tonight, they light the town tree. It’s put on by the local bear den, so it’s shifter-friendly.”

I perked up at that. A market wholly dedicated to Christmas? I bet there would be all sorts of cool things there! Hot chocolate, Christmas crafts, goodies! Before I could stop myself, I gripped Garrick’s arm. “Can we go?”

I stilled. I should have stayed quiet. He was talking to another person and there I go interrupting him. I wanted to crawl into a hole.

Garrick put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to his side. “I suppose we could do that.”

My fear at being reprimanded for speaking out of turn melted away from the warmth of his embrace. This was Garrick. My mate. The man who was going to take his chances in a blizzard in order to protect me during my heat. He was unlike any alpha I’d ever known. I was his equal. His mate.

It would take some time, but I would unlearn the habits I’d picked up to protect myself from my family’s wrath. I was with Garrick now, and he’d never let anything hurt me.