13. Sean

13

Sean

S ean and Sawyer went outside, ducked into the tree line, and shifted. Both of them were feeling restless and claustrophobic.

As they trotted through the snow, Sean thought about Xyla and their encounter in the cabin. He wasn't one to kiss and tell, but he trusted Sawyer and needed someone to talk to. Sawyer must have felt Sean's angst because Sawyer's voice popped into his mind, starting their telepathic conversation.

"What's bothering you?" Sawyer asked.

Sean watched a rabbit hop in front of them and stop to stare at the two wolves as they passed by. "The little guy is taking his life in his hands." He caught up to Sawyer and loped beside him. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yes, but only because I know you."

Sean hesitated for just a minute. "Xyla and I had sex in her cabin yesterday. She was a virgin."

"Oh, damn."

"For the record, Xyla initiated the encounter and didn't tell me that she hadn't ever been with a man before. I didn't know until it was too late to stop."

"That explains why Elliot was all up in your face ready to take you out." Sawyer chuckled and shook the snow off his head. "As if he could."

"I don't think that Elliot has a clue that we had sex. He thinks that she and I went for a walk. His problem is that I'm spending time with her at all."

"He would probably have a heart attack and die on the spot if you told him that his precious human daughter seduced the big bad wolf shifter," Sawyer said.

"I wouldn't wish ill on anyone, but I don't think there are too many people in the world who would miss him – especially William."

Sawyer looped around a tree so they could head back. It was still snowing and even though Sean didn't think it was possible, it was getting colder.

"True enough," Sawyer acknowledged. "How do you feel about Xyla?"

Sean jumped over a large tree that had recently fallen. "Honestly, I don't know. A few days ago, I would have cheerfully dropped her off the side of the mountain and waved as she bounced all the way down."

Sawyer laughed, which sounded like a wolf yipping in the cold afternoon air. "Yeah, right. That's why you helped save her life."

"Okay, so I didn't necessarily want her dead, but I certainly didn't want her near me. My aversion to her and her family was strong enough to make me want to hole up in the cabin and drink all day and night."

Several more yips rang through the air. "Yeah, right. I don't see you doing that, either. Seriously, though, she changed her tune quickly after the rescue. You warmed up to her pretty quickly."

"Now, I've taken her virginity, which I don't take lightly."

"She didn't inform you of her state of chastity. That's not on you. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Once we get off this mountain, she'll go back to her life and you'll go back to yours."

"I reckon so," Sean agreed, although there was something about never seeing her again that bugged him.

Even though they had stashed the bag with their clothes in a tree, it was still almost completely covered with snow by the time they got back. The storm was picking up again and the wind made it impossible to see more than a couple inches in front of their faces.

"It's a good thing we have such a good sense of smell or we'd be lost out here forever," Sawyer said.

"No kidding. Of all the ways to die, freezing to death is on my top ten list of nope."

"You have a list of ways you don't want to die?" Sawyer asked incredulously.

Sean looked at him and smirked. "Yeah. Don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess so, although I don't really think about it and it's not like I have them numbered."

Sean laughed. "Now you have something to think about when you're bored. I bet that when you get back, you'll be sitting at your desk, and you'll start making a list. You're welcome for putting the thought in your head."

Howard opened the door as they arrived. "Glad you're back. We were starting to get a little worried about you fellers."

Sean patted him on the back. "No need to worry about us. We have a great sense of direction."

The wind started to pick up and Sean grabbed onto one of the pillars so he wasn't blown down. Darren and Tristan stepped onto the porch, pulling the door shut behind them.

Howard held up a couple of hammers. "We are going to board up the windows from the outside. That wind is getting pretty strong again, and we don't need any broken glass. Feel like lending a hand?"

Sawyer took one of the hammers. "Lead the way."

Sean and Sawyer worked together, and Darren and Tristan paired up to nail plywood over the windows. Howard ran back and forth between the two teams, carrying the wood they needed. The wind blew against the large boards, kiting them, making it almost impossible to get them up.

Sean held a board to the wall, while Sawyer hammered. When the board was up and they were sure it wasn't going anywhere, they stepped back to move on to the next window. A loud crack exploded in the air. Sean looked up to see a huge tree falling toward him.

"Holy crap." He jumped out of the way, just as the tree landed right where he had been standing.

Howard was just coming to them with another board while Tristan and Darren had finished covering the window next to Sean and Sawyer. All four men stared at Sean and then at the four-foot tree trunk that lay right next to him.

Dropping the board, Howard rushed up to Sean. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I think a couple of twigs might have broken on my head and back, but it didn't knock me down. The trunk missed me."

"Barely." Sawyer's eyes were wide and his face was pale. He seemed more terrified than Sean. "If you hadn't jumped, you would be dead."

Sean laughed, although his heart was beating a million miles an hour and his hands shook. "And that's not even on my top ten list of ways I don't want to die. I guess the Fates were looking out for me today."

Sawyer shook his head. "It's your guardian angel, who is likely perpetually drunk."

They all laughed uneasily, and then the icy wind that felt like blades against their faces reminded them that they had a job to do.

Sean pounded in the nails and said, "You know, my guardian angel has it easy. I'm a good boy, and I rarely get into trouble."

"Yeah, right. That's why you are always the first one in the pack to go on search and rescue missions or in any other dangerous situations in and around Angel's Creek."

Sean shrugged his shoulders. "What can I say? I'm trying to be just like Bruce Wayne, although I'm not a millionaire, I don't have an Alfred, or a basement full of outfits and cool cars." He finished pounding in the last nail on that board. "However, I do have a Jade and the portal to the shifter world in the basement of my bar. That's got to count for something."

"It's a start," Sawyer said, taking the hammer from Sean.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, all of the windows were boarded up.

The five men brushed off as much snow as they possibly could before going inside the house. Howard had to push hard against the door to get it shut.

All of them were frozen half to death and the women helped them pull off their coats, gloves, hats, and boots. Xyla helped Sean. Then, while they were all sitting near the fire, Xyla brought him a cup of coffee.

Elliot was staring at him with laser eyes. If looks could kill, Sean would be a dead man.

Maybe it would be better for all of us if I stayed away from Xyla while we were stuck here. The problem is that we are in such close quarters, that would be virtually impossible.

Sean was positive that Xyla would catch hell from her father once they got back home.

Xyla is a big girl and makes her own decisions, just like you pointed out to Elliot. Plus, she does have her own place.

The person Sean felt sorry for the most was Edward. There was no escape for him.

"Sean was almost murdered while we were outside," Howard announced dramatically.

Everyone gasped and stared at Sean wide-eyed.

"The wind knocked down a big ole tree and it almost squashed him like a bug. Sean barely jumped out of the way. As it was, he got cracked on the head with some branches."

Sean laughed. "I think Howard is being a little overly dramatic. The tree came close to clobbering me. I think the snow is deep enough that it would have just pounded me into the snow and given me a headache."

"Too bad," Elliot muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Sawyer looked at Elliot as though he was about to punch the man in the nose. William beat him to it.

"Elliot, leave the room," the old man said, pointing his cane right in Elliot's face.

Elliot stared at William for a minute before snarling at him and walking into the room he shared with Edward.

The tension was thick and the silence was deafening.

Sean was so relieved when Franny walked in. "Lunch is ready. There are cold cuts, bread, condiments, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese laid out for everyone."

Everyone stood up at once. Sean waited a few minutes for everyone to stand in line and make their sandwiches before going into the dining room. He quickly made a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches, grabbed a soda, and sat down at one of the tables. He was soon joined by Sawyer, Xyla, and Edward.

Xyla smiled at him and briefly covered his hand with hers. A bolt of electricity exploded through him.

He mocked himself. Yeah, right. Just stay away from her.