by Dannika Dark
She took a step forward. “That doesn’t entitle you to mock me. I’ll acknowledge your kindness and courage for finding me, but I won’t put up with your callous remarks. What would your mother say? What kind of man did your parents raise?”
With lightning speed, Lakota lifted Melody off the ground and spun her behind him, shielding her with his body.
The horse screamed, rising up on its hind legs before tearing off.
Melody’s heart pounded against her chest, and she gripped the back of his shirt. “What is it?”
“A wolf.”
“One was stalking me earlier. It’s him!”
“Get off this land!” Lakota boomed, authority in his voice. His words didn’t hold the same power as an alpha, but there was no questioning his confidence. “You don’t want to mess with me.”
Melody flattened her hands against his back, still scared. Scared that he might have no choice but to shift, and she’d never met his wolf before.
He might turn on her. Not intentionally, but if he got blood in his mouth, there was always that chance.
After a few nervous beats, she stepped back with the intention of climbing the tree again. If these two wolves fought, the only safe place was out of reach.
Before she could run, Lakota seized her wrist. “Stay near me!” he hissed.
She was panting, her breath fogging the air between them.
When Lakota took a step forward, the brown wolf fled and left deep tracks in the snow.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the wolf?” he growled.
“That was hours ago. I thought he left.”
Lakota threw his head back and sighed heavily. “Now we don’t have a horse.”
There was no time to waste. Melody sallied forth. “Then we’ll hike the rest of the way. It shouldn’t be hard to follow the horse’s tracks.”
She tried to move fast. She really did. But after descending the hill and walking for ten minutes, her legs were shaking and about to give out. Poor Lakota. He didn’t have a coat on, and she had two. When she tried to give his back to him, he refused, saying his sweatshirt was warm enough.
Why did someone as annoying as Lakota have to be so gallant? Even though he was grown now, she still saw the cocky young wolf who always liked to embarrass her. Like the time at a peace party when he dragged her in front of the karaoke machine and tried to get her to sing a duet with him. She sang an entire verse without realizing he’d snuck off and left her alone on the platform. Or when she turned thirteen and he gave her a training bra, which was a joke because she didn’t develop until a year later. She was tired of being a little kid in his eyes. It was time he grew up and started treating her like the woman she was.
Melody suddenly tripped over a branch and fell. Instead of getting up, she used the opportunity to rest. Her muscles were throbbing, her back stiff, and all she wanted to do was soak in a hot tub. Lakota crouched down, and as she braced for another belittling remark, he lifted her in his arms and continued traversing through the dark, snowy woods.
“You can’t carry me,” she protested.
“But I am. Take the flashlight before I drop it.”
She reached around and grabbed the light, shining it on the path ahead. “How did you find me?”
“Your tracks didn’t show up until I was already near you, but I noticed what you did to mark your trail.”
Melody had broken branches and left markers behind, not only to make sure she wasn’t walking in circles, but also in hopes that searchers would notice them.
“What happened to your head?”
She touched the scratch and looked at her fingers. It wasn’t bleeding anymore, but she wondered if some of it had dried on her face.
“Damn shame the horse ran off,” he said. “I had a nice warm pelt of fur.”
She curled up against him. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I was chasing after Naya’s cat. I thought I saw him running through the woods, and I kept getting deeper and deeper.”
“Did you see tracks?”
Melody gave it some thought. “I don’t remember seeing any. I just followed him.”
He slanted his eyes downward. “Evil spirits like to play mischievous games in this kind of weather. Sometimes they lure the innocent children into the woods to steal their souls.”
She jerked her head back. “Stop telling stories as if I were a child.”
He leveled her with his eyes. “I’m dead serious. I listen to the tales passed down from my ancestors. My people didn’t make up folklore for entertainment.”
“Maybe they fabricated scary stories to keep the children from wandering out alone. Sitting in these woods tonight made me think about what life must have been like all those years ago when people were uncivilized.”
Lakota rocked with laughter. “I didn’t see any civilized people at the grocery store this morning.”
She smiled, but then a veil of sadness fell over her like a shroud. “I’ve ruined Christmas.”
Lakota stopped in his tracks, his strong heart beating against his chest where her shoulder rested. She could feel it all the way through the coat. He was out of breath.
“We need to rest for a minute,” he said.
She put her feet on the ground, and when he sat down on a fallen tree trunk, she draped his coat around his shoulders.
“What are you doing? You’re the one who has hypothermia,” he said.
Melody sat next to him, and he wrapped one side of the coat over her shoulders and pulled her close. She was shaking, tired, sleepy, and not able to think clearly. But despite her miserable condition, at least she wasn’t alone anymore. Somehow that made everything tolerable.
Lakota kicked away the snow at their feet. “Why do you dye your hair those crazy colors?”
“Because I’m plain,” she said honestly. “Green eyes, brown hair, freckles, no exceptional beauty. The twins lucked out and got my mom’s red hair. I know redheads have a reputation, but everyone knows that redheads produce strong alphas. Unlike my father, I can’t sing. And I can’t play an instrument to save my life. Nothing about me is remarkable, so I color my hair to stand out.”
His voice grew distant as he looked away. “You’re anything but unremarkable.”
“You’re only saying that because you have to.”
He turned to look at her. “I’m saying that because it’s true. Someday you’ll figure it out, and you’ll want nothing to do with me.”
She glanced up, a smile playing on her lips. “So nothing will have changed.”
He laughed, and Lakota had a nice smile. She used to think he was cute, but now he was in another league. Snowflakes clung to his wet hair, reminding her of the beanies he wore in winter.
“Where’s your hat?” she asked.
“One of the trees stole it. Plucked it right off my head.” When she didn’t laugh, he shined the light in her face and then stood up. Lakota left his coat wrapped around her shoulders. “I don’t like the way you look.”
“Gee, thanks.”
He crouched in front of her. “You need to get warm. This looks like hypothermia for real. Mel, I need you to trust me.”
She looked at him apprehensively. “Why?”
“Because I’m going to shift.”
Her eyes rounded. “No, you’re not! Your wolf will tear me apart.”
“No, no. He won’t.”
“How can you know that? We’ve never met.”
Lakota squinted a little. “We did. Do you remember a couple of years ago when you came over and camped outside with Hope?”
She thought back on that warm summer night when they’d grabbed their sleeping bags and slept beneath the stars, much to the dismay of Lorenzo, who was insistent that some boogeyman was going to snatch them away. “Yes.”
“I didn’t know you two were back there when my wolf had gone for a run. It was after midnight, so you were already asleep. Your head was poking out of the tent, and my wolf took a sniff.”
“How co
uld you remember that if you were in wolf form?”
“Because I walked on the property as a man when I first saw you.”
Her cheeks grew warm with embarrassment at the thought of a naked Lakota hanging around their tent.
“I don’t know what happened, but the minute I saw your head and my sister’s feet exposed like that—with no one in the pack standing guard—my wolf came out. He sat by the tent, and I don’t remember what happened after that. He knows your smell, so it’s safe.”
She shook her head. “It’s too risky. My Packmaster would tell me not to.”
“We don’t have a choice. My wolf can keep you warm, and you know it. You have to trust me.” He took his hands in hers. “On my word, he won’t hurt you. He protects women and children… even though I’m still not certain which one you are.”
The wind picked up the top layer of snow from the ground and blew it around like tiny flecks of glitter. Melody hesitated with her answer.
He cupped her head in his hands. “Do you trust me?”
Melody knew this was a dangerous risk. Her Packmaster had taught her better than that, and to do this alone without her packmates? Anything could go wrong, and she’d have no one to protect her. But if she didn’t get warm soon, she was going to fall asleep, and unlike the fairy-tale books, she might not ever wake up.
Melody had to make a choice on her own, one that would either save her life or end it.
“Yes. I trust you.”
Chapter 12
Austin
Austin’s wolf buried his nose in the snow and drew in a heavy scent that he was certain belonged to a horse. After scoping out the area by the creek, he’d followed Lakota’s scent before branching off in another direction. He and his wolf created a mental link with only one goal in mind, and that was to find Melody. Something told him to check out the tree stands and nearest bunker, and it wasn’t until he reached the third one that he picked up her scent.
It was strong.
Especially beneath the tree where there wasn’t any snow. He stood up on his hind legs, smelling the bark and following her trail to an adjacent tree. His night vision allowed him to see just enough in the dark to make out the footprints. Austin’s wolf circled the tree, restless and agitated when the scent of fear burned his nostrils. Then he trotted a few feet away and realized Lakota had also been here. Either he’d found Melody or was hot on her trail.
What Austin didn’t like was the foreign scent near the brush, and it wasn’t the horse.
An outsider had no business on his territory, so he marked a few spots as a warning. If a wolf so much as poked his head out from behind a bush, Austin was going to tear out his throat.
The scent of the horse and Lakota branched apart. Something must have happened. Lakota would have been astride the horse since going on foot would take too long. Especially as far from the house as they were. Lakota and Melody’s scent were equally strong, so they must have been heading back to the house together. For the first time, Austin felt hopeful that this night would end with his pack reunited. Kids were vulnerable, and she’d been out here for too damn long. He couldn’t imagine telling Jericho and Izzy that their daughter wasn’t coming home alive. It was the grim reality of a Packmaster to encounter unexpected losses in his lifetime, but children were always the toughest to endure. Maybe he’d gotten too confident with a midsize pack, assuming he’d be lucky enough to avoid an unthinkable tragedy. But shit happens.
Dammit, he should’ve given the pack orders to keep the kids inside. Since they were old enough to know better, it hadn’t crossed his mind that they would wander far from the house. Austin had been young once and had done his fair share of stupid stunts, but that was something he’d expect from the twins, not Melody.
Austin spotted a light just ahead. He skulked in the shadows, staying out of sight until he could get close enough to investigate. As he circled around to the left, an image near a fallen tree came into view. It was a large silver wolf curled up in the snow. When Austin caught Melody’s scent, he emerged from the thicket of trees and stalked toward the animal.
The wolf growled, and Austin let out a menacing snarl in response, summoning all his alpha power so the animal would know who the fuck he was dealing with.
Austin shifted to human form, the snow melting beneath his feet. A thin layer of steam surrounded him as his body heat collided with the frosty air.
“Melody?”
All he could see was the Shifter’s back, and whatever source the light was originating from was on the other side of the wolf. The dark silhouette made it difficult to identify him.
Austin continued his approach, scanning the ground for drops of blood. Some animals sat on top of their prey, and that lit a fire in him. “Melody!”
“Uncle Austin?” a voice whimpered.
He froze. The wolf was in a protective posture; it must have been Lakota. Wolves usually submitted to alphas, but when guarding a child, they were savage and unpredictable.
“Melody, don’t move a muscle.”
“Easy for you to say. I’m burning up in here. He won’t get off me.”
Austin’s shoulders sagged as if the weight of the world had come off them. At least she was all right. Now he had to get Lakota’s wolf to back off so he could find out if Melody was injured.
Austin didn’t have time to run back and get help—not if it meant leaving her alone out here with a rogue still on the property.
“Are you hurt?” he called out.
“No, but I’m all wet from lying on the ground. Plus I’m sweating.”
He scanned the immediate area. They weren’t anywhere near one of the underground bunkers.
A twig snapped in the shadows up ahead—loud enough that Lakota’s wolf raised his head and twisted around to look. Austin readied himself to fight to the death as a large shadow drew near. It was larger than a wolf.
“Don’t attack,” Trevor yelled out. “You’ll spook the horse.”
Austin circled around Lakota’s wolf. Trevor was on horseback, a large pelt of fur wrapped around his shoulders, which he held on to as he dismounted. His bare feet disappeared in the snow.
Austin pointed at the blood streaks on his face. “What happened?”
Trevor gave him a cross look. “I couldn’t just sit around the house. There’s a dead wolf you’re going to have to identify in the morning, and I’m not apologizing for what I did. When I shifted back, I was standing by Lakota’s horse. I spotted tracks left by a wolf. It could have been Lakota or one of y’all, but my wolf must have pulled his scent before I shifted back, because I didn’t have a shred of doubt we were dealing with a rogue. He was going after Melody, so I took care of him.”
Austin patted the side of the horse’s neck. “You did good, Trevor. Real good. I’ll back you up no matter who he turns out to be. He had no business on our property in the first place. Nobody tracks my family like prey.”
The wind blew Trevor’s long bangs away from his face, and Austin noticed the light shining in his eyes. Trevor’s ruddy cheeks got even redder as he tried to fight a smile. Austin recognized the importance of a moment like this for a packmate, when their Packmaster acknowledged them as a hero. And that was exactly what Trevor was. Had the rogue found them, there was no telling what would have happened.
“Did you find her?” Trevor asked, his breath fogging the air between them.
Austin nodded toward the soft glow surrounding the flashlight. “Lakota’s wolf found her first. He’s not getting off her either. Mind if I borrow that pelt?”
Trevor handed it over. “I’ll head back and tell everyone you’re on your way.” He shifted to wolf form and took off like a bolt of lightning.
Austin gathered the reins and led the mare toward the wolf. Most horses feared wolves, but those taken in by Shifters were acclimated to them, and it seemed as though Lakota’s horse recognized his scent. She approached the two, and after a moment, Lakota’s wolf finally stood up.
Melody appea
red, her purple hair stuck to her sweaty face. Nothing beat the warmth a wolf could provide. She’d been lying on top of Lakota’s black jacket.
Austin didn’t like the apprehension in her eyes when she met his gaze. She had nothing to be ashamed of; she was just a kid.
He wrapped Trevor’s pelt around her and kissed her forehead. “You’re safe, and that’s all that matters. You hear me? Now hop onto this horse so we can go home and eat turkey.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”
His heart clenched, and he said a few more reassuring words before giving her a boost onto the horse. She’d learn a hard lesson from this, so there was no point in making her feel even more miserable about the situation.
Austin couldn’t walk back in human form, especially without shoes, so he grabbed the flashlight and handed it to his niece. “I’m going to shift back. I want you to follow me. Can you handle riding a horse?”
She looked fraught with worry, and it was obvious she was more concerned about what might happen between Lakota and him if he shifted. “I know how to ride.” Her eyes flicked back to Lakota.
Austin shifted to wolf form and approached Lakota’s wolf. There was no standoff or confrontation. Both animals knew the gravity of the situation and what was important: getting Melody home.
Chapter 13
Lexi
Lexi filled Reno’s plate with a second helping of fried turkey and grilled potatoes. Regardless of everything that had gone wrong that day, this Christmas was abundant with love, magic, and miracles.
“Maybe you should just give him the whole leg,” April quipped, passing the dish to her mate.
Deep lines carved in his cheeks when he shot her a sexy smile. “The only legs I want are the two I’m getting later tonight.”
Instead of gathering at the kitchen table as they normally did, the pack decided to eat in the living room by the fire. After Austin had returned with Melody on horseback, Izzy and Jericho hugged their only daughter and wept tears of joy. The twins apologized for not having stayed close by her side during the day. They even ran upstairs and brought down her favorite blankets and slippers while Lynn cleaned a scrape on her forehead.