My Captive Valentine

by Elyce de Reefe

  ***

  Bridget trudged along beside the tracks of the sled. In the last five days she had become very skilled at walking on snowshoes, but it still took considerably more effort than regular walking. His thighs were like iron. Up in the distance she caught a glimpse of Cray and the two young wolves they’d gathered so far. It was so different from a normal scientific expedition, since Cray could actually communicate with them.

  Gage said it was an unusual skill, more common in those packs with Native American heritage. Gage couldn't do it himself. Oh, he could make his meaning known quite easily using body language, especially if he was in wolf form, but actual mind to mind communication? No he couldn't do that. Or so he said. But apparently Cray could. Which was pretty mind-blowing. But when compared to the fact that the two of them could change into wolves— yeah, it was safe to say her acceptance of the fantastic had undergone a significant shift.

  They found the first wolf three days ago, on the third day of their expedition. A thin, tannish-grey specimen about a year and a half old, similar to Gage's coloring in wolf form. They'd been following his trail for two days by then, and it was a profound relief to wake up on the morning of the fourth day and find Cray had located him and brought him back to camp in the night.

  For some reason, the little wolf had seemed to want to climb every single rise in the ground he could find, and Bridget's legs ached just remembering it. Gage said it was so he could get a good vantage point to scent the air and searched it for game.

  They had caught up with second wolf only yesterday, and he was still very skittish around Bridget. But that might be because Gage growled at him every time he got closer than twenty feet to her. He was a rangy grey, slightly older than the other, and maybe just a little less emaciated. Still, he was all sharp hip and shoulder bones, with large feet he hadn’t quite grown into yet.

  Up ahead, Cray came out of the trees and yipped. He stood tall and majestic, nearly twice as large as the two young wolves, his black coat vivid against the pristine white of the landscape. Sometimes Bridget still had to pinch herself. She never thought she'd get to see wolves in the wild like this, so up close and personal.

  Gage dropped the rope pulling the sled and turned to her. “Cray wants to tell me something. Wait here, will you? It's about time to stop for lunch anyway.”

  “Sure,” Bridget said, sinking down to sit on the edge of the sled. “No problem.” That was another thing she was getting used to. Cray had to shift back to human form in order to actually talk to Gage, which involved nudity, so she'd learned to give them their privacy. She wondered how much longer it would take to find another four wolves.

  A few minutes later she had her answer, sort of, as Gage came trotting back to her.

  “He found the trail of a young mated pair.” Gage seemed excited. “If we can get them to relocate, that would go a long way to starting our own pack.”

  Bridget glanced up ahead at the two rangy males trotting along behind Cray’s larger black form. “Kind of tough on our young males. Aren’t they a start?”

  “They’re a start. But it’s the females that hold a pack together.” He winked and gave her that sexy half-grin. “It’s the same with the People.”

  She rolled her eyes. But she had to admit, somewhere along the way, she’d really started enjoying Gage’s teasing. “Did someone say something about lunch? The female in this pack is getting hungry.”

  “Slave driver,” he said, but he was whistling as he started pulling things out for their mid-day meal.

  The next morning Bridget watched Gage’s form retreat into the distance, tall and straight against the white landscape. She was tempted to pull out the valentine and read it over again, but she didn’t want to get caught if Gage should return unexpectedly. She shook her head. She still couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t even remembered today was Valentine’s Day.

  He’d ducked into their tent this morning, shortly after Cray had left with the young wolves.

  “Bridget, can I come in? I have something I want to give you.”

  “Uh, sure. Come on in.” She couldn’t for the life of her imagine what it could be but…

  He poked his head inside the tent and then the rest of him followed. The tent was low to the ground to prevent it from getting blown away, and you kind of had to crawl in on hands and knees. “I know it is a tradition to give a love token on this day among humans. That is,” he broke off and unzipped his jacket. “—A card.” He produced a large pink envelope. “I didn’t want you to think I don’t value human customs.”

  She took it automatically, unable to speak for a moment. “What is this?” Although it was quite obvious what it was.

  “That is called a valentine,” Gage said with some authority. “Ah. And there is chocolate.” Like a magician, he produced a red foil heart from inside his coat. It wasn’t a large one, but it wasn’t tiny either. Where the hell had he been hiding that?

  He nodded, like he had completed some task, and wormed his way backward out of the tent without a word.

  Bridget just stared after him, not sure what to think. After a minute, she opened the card. Inside was a handmade white card with a big pink heart cut from what looked like wrapping paper. Across the top was written:

  My Captive Valentine

  She felt a little flutter deep in her belly. She didn’t really feel like a captive. Gage and Cray certainly didn’t treat her that way. They were more than respectful, giving her privacy when she needed it and courteously allowing her to get changed in the tent each night before bed, while they had to do it outside in the snow. It felt more like she was exploring a previously unknown opportunity. But in truth, she guessed she was.

  It was beginning to dawn on her that Lucas would probably never let her go. She took a deep breath and tried to shake off that thought. Releasing it in one long slow exhale, she opened the card. Time enough to worry about that later. What she read inside had her heart beating faster.

  My dearest Bridget,

  Please allow me to apologize for the way we came together.

  My people have Laws that I cannot ignore,

  And when your car was in trouble, my only thoughts were for your safety.

  But I know it is my fault entirely that you find yourself in this situation.

  I hope that in time, you will forgive me for that, and come to accept me as yours,

  The way I have known you were mine from the moment I first caught your scent.

  Hyacinth and sea foam and bright yellow daffodils.

  From the moment I set eyes on you, the sun glinting on your hair,

  Your cheeks a pink with the cold, I knew that the Maiden had truly blessed me.

  Understand, my love, you captured my heart long before I ever captured you.

  Forever yours,

  Gage

  Even now, she could hardly believe the words he’d written. It wasn’t quite a poem, but he’d tried. It seemed honest, from the heart. And the idea that he’d prepared it before they left, had it ready to give to her on the ‘human’ holiday—

  Lest she think having a ‘werewolf’ lover would mean she’d have to give up such romantic trappings… She shook her head, but she was smiling. It was such a Gage think to think about. He tried to pretend he didn’t take things seriously, but inside was a very thoughtful, sensitive person. It brought a lump to her throat.

  The way he willingly took all the blame, even though it was an accident—she truly believed he’d only wanted to help—was another point in his favor.

  And that adorable ass. She grinned. And the rest of him…

  She stared out into the cold snowy landscape, the sky a dull whitish grey, threatening more snow before nightfall. This trip, hiking by day, making camp and sitting around the fire by night, had been more enjoyable than any research trip she’d ever taken.

  And there had been many. Most with ecologists and scientists of similar interests, who she’d known for a long time, people she was friendly with. Even
so, there was almost always someone who she couldn’t wait to get away from by the end of the trip.

  But Gage was just fun. She smiled. He was playful by nature, and he had no problem being silly at times if it would make her laugh. Then he would flash that mischievous grin at her with that dimple winking in his cheek, and it was almost enough to make a girl swoon.

  The rest of the time, he was just easy to be with. And always, always watching out for her. Her safety. Her wellbeing. A girl could get used to that kind of attention.

  She sighed and gazed around at the wild landscape, wishing she could make sense of her tangled emotions. Because there was a lot to like about Gage Ardennes.

  ***

  Gage sat by the fire, carefully feeding it sticks until it was well established. He could hear Bridget moving around behind him, collecting whatever it was she would use to make dinner tonight. She was a skilled camper and had produced hearty, satisfying meals each night with minimal fuss and no complaints. He had a feeling that was because he pulled the sled each day.

  He smiled to himself, remembering her determination to pull her share that first day. She’d been adorably pink with exertion, but so winded, he’d become concerned. She was a strong woman, but she still wasn’t suited to such heavy tasks. They had all the supplies for an extended winter camping trip loaded onto that sled. But she wanted to. And Gage admired that.

  So each day he pulled the sled without comment and each night, he gathered the wood and made the fire. Then, while she got the meal going, he shifted and helped Cray teach the young ones how to hunt as a pack. Mostly they’d found rabbits, but yesterday, just as the light faded, they’d come across a plump woodchuck and the younglings had actually caught it themselves. Gage smiled, imagining what Bridget would say if he’d offered her that. She’d categorically refused the rabbit he’d brought back on the third night.

  “I thought you might like some fresh meat,” he explained when she gave him a look of incredulous disgust.

  “We have frozen hamburgers. I’ll pass.”

  “We might need to supplement our supplies at some point,” he warned. And then just to see her reaction, “Squirrel stew is quite tasty. We have potatoes and carrots, don’t we?”

  “I am not eating squirrel stew, so you can just forget about that. I’ll have carrots and potatoes.”

  He chuckled softly, remembering. She was very pretty when aggravated. Or when she was pleased. The sweet flush on her face when she emerged from the tent this morning was something he would remember forever. She looked slightly embarrassed, but also pleased. She’d even thanked him. And she was beautiful with the fire flickering across her face…

  He shifted slightly and added more wood to the fire. Tomorrow was the new moon. He couldn’t expect her to understand what that meant, and in truth, he deliberately hadn’t told her about it. He didn’t want her to feel pressured. She should come to him in her own time, when she was ready and understood for herself that they were truly meant to be together.

  He glanced up at the night sky, the stars brilliant against an inky black backdrop. Dear Maiden, please don’t let me be wrong about that.

  He didn’t know what he would do if that were the case. If she never came to him—

  He couldn’t think about it. Especially not so close to the new moon. It was too painful. Too— unsettling. He might be tempted to force the chase, just to get things moving… And that would never do.

  She was human. She needed time to understand the ways of the People. He wanted to be sure she was comfortable with them, when the time came. Because… yes. He was pretty sure the mating rituals of humans didn’t involve biting. And he didn’t want to do that if she wasn’t expecting it. He could only imagine her reaction.

  Pushing to his feet, Gage dusted his hands on his jeans. Cray was already off with the young ones. It had to be hard for him, spending so much time in wolf form. But he was an enforcer. He was used to long periods spent alone, much of it in wolf form. He must be experienced in avoiding the danger of losing himself into the wolf. That was a much simpler existence, and many People had been seduced by it over the years. Not that Gage knew of anyone who had— but the Lore Masters always warned against spending too much time in wolf form.

  Cray generally joined them for dinner, then shifted and spent a bit more time with the young ones afterwards. He would creep into the tent well after midnight, hours after he and Bridget had gone to bed. Gage didn’t mind a bit. Bridget had decreed that first night that he stay on his side of the tent, and she would stay on hers. But that only lasted until Cray joined them. Then Gage would slide over until his sleeping bag rested against hers, his back to hers. Once she had even rolled over and snuggled into him in her sleep. No hardship there.

  “Do you need anything before I go help Cray?”

  Bridget looked up. She was a little shy around him since the valentine, and her scent spiked with nervous energy every time he spoke to her. But she had liked the human token. He was almost certain.

  “I’m fine here. You go do your thing.” She looked back down at the celery she was dicing on their plastic cutting board. He’d thought she’d been out of her mind when she’d added that to the cart, but she’d been adamant. And one hundred percent correct. She’d used it for every meal so far except pancakes.

  “We won’t go far. Give a shout if you hear anything, and if a bear comes—”

  “I know, Nervous Nelly. If a bear comes, I just let it have the food. And yell. And you guys will come and save the day.” She gave him a look. “Are we going to have this little discussion every night?”

  Gage ginned at her. “Probably. You do it so well.”

  She threw a chunk of celery at him and he laughed. But duty called. As much as he’d like to spend more time alone with her sitting around the fire, he had to go. He wanted to ask her things, like what were her biggest hopes and dreams, but didn’t want to bring up the whole—you can’t do any of that until you’ve accepted a mate—thing. That made for awkward conversation…

  He took one last look at her, leaning over, chopping vegetables on a convenient rock. She had pulled her hat off and her hair was tied back in a ponytail. The clean lines of her cheekbones and the delicate curve of her jaw shone in the smoky grey light of evening. Purple shadows crept in under the trees, turning the snow a beautiful indigo that faded into cerulean where the last of the light hit it.

  She looked at home by the fire, like she was in her element, and he inhaled deeply, catching the scent of her contentment. He made himself turn away and follow the tracks into the woods. The younglings needed instruction on hunting as a pack if they were going to survive.

  Later that night, Gage watched Cray wind the hand-crank charger on his cellphone, the way he did every night. The battery was drained each day by the cold, and with nowhere to charge it… But Cray was determined to keep in touch with Elizabeth, so each night, the same ritual.

  Reception was spotty, but sometimes text messaging was possible, if they were up high enough and the wind was right. Cray’s face was intent, and Gage could smell his resolve. It had been two days since he’d gotten any word. It had to be wearing on him. Day by day, he could smell Cray’s disquiet grow.

  Gage glanced over at Bridget, wondering how he would feel if he had to leave her behind. He didn’t like the idea. It gave him the impression of something rubbing just under the skin, where he couldn’t get at it.

  Suddenly Cray stopped cranking and sat up.

  “What?” Gage sat up too. Clearly something had come through, and it didn’t look good.

  “There’s been another attack.” Cray’s voice was flat. His face was grim. “This came in yesterday.” He looked up, meeting Gage’s eye. “You’ll have to bring the younglings in.”

  “Attack?” Bridget’s tentative question made them both still.

  Cray made a face and then shook his head, looking disgusted. “Never mind.” Cray glanced away from the fire, staring into the darkness.

 
; “What do you mean, never mind? Who’s been attacked? Not one of the women? Someone in the… pack?” She sounded so worried, Gage felt a welcome surge of hope. If she was already starting to think of them as Pack…

  “No. No one you know. This was a distance away. It’s just something I have to take care of.” He gave Gage a look like it was his job to get Cray out of this.

  “Pack business,” Gage said breezily, and Bridget instantly made a face.

  “And just when is pack business supposed to become my business?”

  “When you officially become a member of the pack,” he said calmly, wanting to wring Cray’s neck. This was not a discussion he wanted to be having just now.

  “Which only happens after I mate one of you.” She sounded testy.

  Gage felt a little testy himself. He didn’t like her use of the words ‘one of.’

  “Correct,” he said. Cray wisely kept silent. “And are officially welcomed into the pack. By Lucas.”

  “Ah… yes. The official welcome. How did I miss that? It’s not enough that I’m out here in the cold and dark in the middle of winter helping you achieve pack business…”

  “And we appreciate that very much,” Gage said smoothly. He gave her a sideways smile. “You do it so well…”

  She rolled her eyes. “Here we go. Not this again. When do you have to leave, Cray? I hope no one was seriously injured?”

  Cray stood and regarded Bridget, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I can’t tell you about the attack, Bridget. But know you are an asset to the pack.” His lips quirked up in a tiny smile. “I consider you Pack now, even if it isn’t official.” His smile turned sardonic. “But that doesn’t change the fact I can’t tell you anything.”

  “Great. People are being attacked. I can’t know anything.” She shot Gage a look across the fire. “And lover boy here thinks it’s all fun and games.” She got up and stomped off into the woods.

  Gage watched her go, his mouth tight. He should go after her, but she might want privacy right now. He shot Cray a hard look.

  “Sorry.” Cray mouthed. “I will leave now. There is a change of clothes in the car. Be careful with Smoke On Water around Bridget. I’m not sure he considers her Pack.