Shifting onto her elbow, she leaned over, hovering her mouth near his. “Did you know I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen?”
His eyes widened, and his swift exhale warmed her lips.
“I never would’ve believed you’d ever love someone like me. Back then I was so wrapped in fear about not being able to shift, I pushed you away. Over and over again, for years.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but she placed a finger over his mouth to silence him.
“I let my insecurities and doubts keep us apart too long, but you were always there, waiting for me to understand what was between us. Even after we mated, you still waited for me to open my eyes and see what was right in front of me. And, still, I let doubt cloud my judgment and nearly ruin this special bond we share. But not anymore. I’m awake now, Stephen James Dorsett. And you’re mine every bit as much as I’m yours.”
Closing the distance, she seized his lips, pouring every ounce of passion thrumming through her veins into the kiss. Her tongue swept inside his mouth, teasing and tasting. With a sharp nip to his bottom lip, she pulled away to meet his earnest gaze.
He lifted a hand to cup her cheek. “When I don’t think I could love you any more, you go and say something to make me fall head over heels for you again.”
Kate’s heart melted. “It’s only fair. You do it to me all the time.”
Chapter Ten
Tapping her foot, Kate glanced at her watch for the tenth time since she’d arrived twenty minutes ago. She pulled the hood of her coat up to cover her head from the frigid wind. As Gee predicted, a light dusting of snow had fallen earlier in the day, around noon, with more expected later. The big Bear’s omniscience still continued to baffle her. Was there anything the shifter didn’t know?
Shaking the thought from her head, she scanned the crowd of pack members and their mates who’d gathered near the town square. As she skimmed over each face, searching for one in particular, she couldn’t help but notice their small town resembled a winter wonderland.
Wreaths and decorations hung from storefront shops doors and windows. Strings of lights wound around lampposts on every corner. The centerpiece, a huge spruce Drew’s mate, Betty, and Ryker’s mate, Saja, had picked out for the square, gleamed like a beacon in spite of the low-slung clouds overhead.
Not even the overcast weather could dampen the pack’s spirits today. Faces beamed with excitement, each shifter anxious to free their animal and dig their claws in the earth. Drew Tao had given them something to look forward to, a purpose, which hadn’t happened in as long as Kate could remember.
Ever since the Alpha had overthrown his bastard of a father and taken control of the Black Hills pack, he’d brought with him an unlimited supply of positive energy. Along with a determination to see their pack flourish once again. There was no more fear of earning the Alpha’s wrath. Instead, several faces in the crowd wore an emotion she hadn’t witnessed in ages—hope.
Now, if Stephen would hurry his ass up, she could share the heartfelt sentiment with him. Growing impatient, she checked her watch yet again. He should’ve been here by now. There’s no way he’d miss the pack run after he’d gone on and on about it since Drew and Betty announced their plans.
Initially, she’d flat-out refused to attend, but she understood how important it was for Stephen, and there was no damn way she would let him down this time. At first, the thought of shifting in front of everyone had rattled her nerves, but not anymore. She and her Wolf had come to terms with one another. Finally, they were one and the same, as they should’ve been from the start.
She’d chosen to come today to support Stephen, to stand by his side and run with him as his mate. Now, here she stood, freezing her ass off, but where the crap was he?
At last, she spotted her brother and his mate across the square. Careful not to slip on the icy pavement, she gingerly weaved in and out of her packmates, heading for Jace and Michelle. When she was close enough for them to hear her over the noise, she yelled their names to snag their attention before they had the chance to move farther away.
Jace glanced over his shoulder, his surprised gaze easily finding her in the crowd. With an arm around his mate’s waist, he steered her through the throng, meeting Kate halfway.
“Hey! You’re here.” Smiling, Michelle pounced, tugging Kate into her arms for a hug.
Which was quite all right with her. She’d learned early on Michelle was a hugger.
“I thought you were home sick.” Jace gave her a quick one-armed embrace and a peck on the forehead.
“Sick?” At a loss, she scrunched her nose. “No, I’m completely fine. Hey, have either of you seen Stephen? I thought he might’ve stayed in town after you guys finished with work today.”
Jace lifted a brow. “He told me and Wes you were sick so you guys weren’t going to make it for the run.”
“What?” Kate squawked. Why the hell would he say such a thing?
For a split second, she almost exploded in anger, annoyed he’d bailed on her, until the reason for the lie clicked in her head. Her loving, supportive mate had lied to his friends and Alpha to cover for her.
Wanting to surprise him, she hadn’t mentioned she’d changed her mind. Apparently, some surprises did not work well between the two of them. She almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of the situation.
With yet another glance at her watch, she spat out a curse. Time was running out. Dusk fast approached, and the run would get underway.
She glanced between Jace and Michelle. “I have to go.”
Michelle gaped. “What? Why?”
“The run’s starting soon,” her brother interjected.
“I know. I gotta haul ass.”
Jace scowled. “What the hell could you possibly have to do now?”
Kate grinned like a fool. “I have to go get my mate.”
Heedless of the slick pavement, Kate took off at a dead run. Screw the ice; she was a woman on a mission.
***
Stephen paced back and forth over the bare living room floor, darting repeated glances at the present he’d tucked beneath the decorated tree in the corner. To say he was full of doubt would be an understatement.
No, scratch that.
He’d never been more certain of anything in his life. However, how Kate would react to the gift was another matter entirely.
Speaking of his mate, where the hell was she?
He’d made his excuses to Jace, Wes, and Drew after work and come home to an empty house. At the thought, he squinted at the nearly bare living room. Yeah, okay, so it was pretty damn vacant in there, but it wouldn’t be for much longer. Thank God.
Nevertheless, he’d expected to find her at home, but she was gone. He’d driven over to her house, and still no sign. Sure, he could’ve headed into town for the run, and Kate wouldn’t have minded in the least. But he did. There was no way in hell he would leave her home alone.
Of course, he was the one pacing an empty house, debating the damn gift he’d had an opportunity to wrap and stick under the tree from hell.
Outside, car tires crunched over the gravel driveway and a car door slammed. About damn time. Barefoot, he padded to the foyer and pulled open the front door as Kate fell into his chest, her keys dangling in her hand.
“Whoa, babe.” He grabbed her shoulders to steady her. “What’s going on?”
Righting herself, she scowled up at him. “Why are you here?”
Bemused, he lifted his brows. “Um, I live here?”
“No.” She sighed. “I mean, yes. I know you do. But why aren’t you in town with the rest of the pack?”
“I decided not to go.” He shrugged. “No big deal. I can catch it next year. Besides, I figured you and I would have a nice quiet night in together.”
She poked him in the chest. “I was there…waiting for you.”
What the hell was she talking about?
Stephen narrowed his eyes
. “Where?”
“In town.” Her voice rose.
“It’s freezing out here. Why don’t you come inside, and we’ll talk about it?” He reached to grab her arm, and she jerked away. What the hell? Okay, well this was going nowhere fast. “You told me you didn’t want to go, and I didn’t want to go without you.”
“Well, I changed my mind.” She crossed her arms and lifted her stubborn chin in the air.
He almost laughed at her defiant stance. “Kate, babe. You don’t have to go for me. I’m perfectly happy to stay home with you.”
“I’m not doing this for you.” Annoyed, she rolled her eyes and dropped her arms at her sides. “Well, I am. But I’m doing this for me, too. I wanted to prove to you, and to myself, I’m strong enough to stand by your side tonight.”
Touched by her words, he reached for her again. “Aww, baby. Come here.”
In a huff, she swatted his hand away and jammed a finger under his nose. “Look, if I have to drag you to the car and put you in it myself, you’re not missing this damn run. Now get your shoes on, grab your jacket, and let’s go. We don’t have much time before it starts.”
Evidently, his spirited she-Wolf had bared her teeth, and damn if it wasn’t hot as hell. Stephen grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
He stepped inside to the hall closet and grabbed his boots and jacket.
“Hey, don’t forget to put on socks,” she called after him.
What was her odd fascination with socks? The woman was forever on his case about a damn pair of socks. Of course, he’d admit it was rather cute. Chuckling to himself, he padded through the house to the laundry room and grabbed a clean pair. He stuffed his feet into them and his boots then shrugged on his coat and met her at the door, where she stood waving him outside.
“Happy now?”
“Yes,” she replied in a crisp tone.
Locking the door after him, she trailed him down the porch steps, shoving at his back for him to hurry.
“Dammit, I know you love to run, so run your ass to the car.” She slapped him on the butt, hard. “Move it.”
Stephen burst into laughter and spun around, catching her as off guard as she’d done to him. He grabbed her hips and tugged her against his chest. “All right, all right, but first give me a kiss. Oh, and make it count, Sunshine.”
Chapter Eleven
Kate sucked in a huge sigh of relief once she and Stephen made it to the square as dusk fell. It took no time for the two of them to slip in with the pack members gathered around the bonfire where their Alpha spoke. His clear, concise voice rang out, offering the pack words of encouragement and building their anticipation.
Leaning against her mate’s chest, she watched the flames emphasize the light fall of snow from the shadowed sky overhead. Yards away, the giant decorated spruce in the center of town beamed with a soft glow. Wrapped presents of all shapes and sizes lay tucked beneath the heavy boughs. The only thing missing was Santa.
She peered around at the assembled crowd, browsing over each person’s face. Many of these shifters she’d known all her life. Her gaze landed on her brother, who stood with their parents and Stephen’s family on the other side of the bonfire.
Several newer faces melded into the group. Some were lone shifters who had joined the pack in recent years, seeking refuge and a place to make a fresh start. Kate’s gaze landed on Michelle and Damien’s mate, Mike, and she smiled. A few others, humans who’d stumbled into the pack’s world, had learned the significance of the mating bond.
A notion struck her as she peered around her pack. This was the first time she’d ever witnessed them gathered together in such a relaxed state. One defining characteristic radiated from each face in the blended crowd—happiness.
There was no more fear. No reason to cower and hide. Magnum’s reign of tyranny had ended. Future generations would never experience the dreadful world they’d once known. With Drew Tao at the helm, the Black Hills pack was free to live and thrive again.
Perhaps it was hormones, but a warm fuzziness settled in Kate’s chest and stray tears slipped from her eyes. She lifted her arm to place a protective hand over her abdomen, where a tiny life lay nestled deep inside. Her little one would enter their world swathed in love and understanding, with a supportive pack who’d always protect him or her.
Stephen ducked his head near her ear. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“Nothing.” Absolutely nothing. She craned her neck to meet his gaze and smiled. “Everything’s perfect.”
He threaded their fingers together along her stomach and lowered his mouth to hers. The soft brush of his lips caused her belly to flip in excitement. He pulled away with a grin.
“Look up, Sunshine.”
She did as he asked then gaped at the sight. Attached by his coat to the talons of his odd avian-shifting mate, Stewart hung several feet in the air. In his arms, he lugged a huge red bag. A laugh tumbled from Kate’s throat.
It seemed there was a Santa after all.
As they flew closer over the spruce, he upended the bag and a bundle of toys and wrapped packages spilled out to land in the snow around the Christmas tree. Excited cries rose from the children, and they scrambled in closer to look over the new gifts.
Chuckling, Drew spoke over the commotion. “Okay, we’ll thank Stewart and his mate later for the toys. I don’t know; maybe we’re having a new tradition. All right, everyone. Let’s do this. Time to run. As a pack. You’re my family. Now and forever. So let’s have a great time.”
With one last encouraging squeeze to her shoulders, Stephen kissed her cheek. “I’ll be with you the whole way, babe.”
Kate turned in time to catch his shift into a large brown wolf. Despite the transformation of her packmates around her, she focused solely on Stephen. Inhaling a steadying breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated on her animal spirit inside, calling the she-Wolf to the surface.
Currents of energy rushed throughout her body, prickling her skin. The change overtook her in one swift, smooth motion. One moment she stood on two legs. The next, four strong paws supported her weight. Apparently, practice made perfect.
Stephen padded closer and affectionately licked her muzzle. With a sharp bark, he shoved into her side and then sprinted after the hundred or so other shifters who’d trailed their Alpha outside of town into the surrounding forest. The beast urging her to follow, Kate darted ahead to catch up with her mate.
As one large, uniform group, the pack loped after Drew and Betty into Black Hills territory. Navigating around trees, rocks, and winter vegetation, the pack moved along one of the main trails, slipping deeper into the woods. The pad of their paws and their pants filled the quiet, hibernating forest. Moonlight peeked through the overcast clouds, casting a faint glow over the frozen earth.
Sucking frigid air through her open mouth, Kate ran alongside Stephen, matching his pace with ease. Opening her senses to her surroundings, she listened to the crunch of twigs and snow beneath her paws. She caught faint traces of wildlife burrowed underground. Her heart pounded in sync with the beat of her paws, and the wind pushed through her snow-dampened fur, cooling her warm body.
Some odd, inexplicable need compelled her to push her body, to test her Wolf’s limits. She sank her claws deeper into the earth and charged ahead, packing the snow between her toes. She scanned the terrain for obstacles and leapt over any fallen logs and rocks blocking her path. The taut muscles in her shoulders and hindquarters strained, but she’d ignored the burn.
Finally, she understood Stephen’s desire to run. Unhampered by the weight of doubt, she’d never felt more alive.
***
As soon as Kate broke off from the pack, Stephen loped after her, allowing her space to stretch her legs. Not once had he taken his eyes from her. The mesmerizing view of her sleek Wolf barreling through the forest captivated his attention. At last, she’d given in to the call of her Wolf, allowing the animal to free her from human restraints
. His heart swelled with pride. It was a beautiful sight to witness.
In tune with its mate, his Wolf sensed when she grew tired, but she showed no signs of slowing down. Unwilling to let her continue and possibly hurt herself, he picked up his pace and caught up to her. He nudged her hindquarter with his nose, throwing her slightly off-balance. She responded with a snarling snap and tried to push ahead of him.
The little she-Wolf wanted to play, did she?
His mate had no idea how much he loved a good chase. His Wolf was seasoned at sprinting over long distances for extended durations of time. There was a strategy to endurance, a concept she didn’t understand yet. He’d wait for her to exhaust herself then seize the opportunity to overtake her.
It took several minutes, but soon her panting increased and she nearly stumbled over a branch. Her pace lagged, and they ran side by side once more. When he sensed she had worn herself out, he moved in close and opened his mouth to grab onto her neck.
The sly she-Wolf evaded his hold by skidding to a halt, her legs scrambling in the snow to keep her upright, and darted in a different direction. Unprepared for the sudden change in course, he slipped on his side as he turned to chase after her.
Stephen would’ve laughed if he could. Kate had surprised him. He hadn’t anticipated the move.
Anxious to get hold of her, he urged his Wolf forward. In no time, he’d gained on her shorter stride and loped alongside her. Her tongue lolled to the side as she struggled to pull in her air to calm her racing heart. She couldn’t go on much longer.
When she would’ve tried another sneaky maneuver, he lunged. He locked his teeth onto her shoulder, careful not to puncture the flesh, and brought her to the ground. They landed together in a tangled heap of limbs in the snow.
Kate yelped and struggled to free herself, but he growled low in his throat and increased the pressure of his hold. Within moments, she ceased wiggling and stilled, aside from the rise and fall of her chest as she sucked in air to catch her breath. When he was certain she wouldn’t bolt again, he released her shoulder, sat back on his haunches, and licked her muzzle.
Winter Secrets Page 6