Frost Bite

by Marissa Dobson

  “You’re right it did affect them.” Grandy paused, letting his words sink in. “It brought them closer together. My brother was trying to live in the human world, he took a job that forced him to travel more than he was home. Between the traveling and the secret of being a shifter the stress was tearing them apart. Things changed that night. They returned to Colorado, where we were raised. Those kids are safe, and the family is happy. I’ve never seen them happier.”

  “Just because it affected Evie in that way doesn’t mean it would affect everyone the same.” Alicia ran her hand along his arm. “She lost her parents.”

  “Your mate is right. Evie lost part of her family, and you were pushed into a parental role. That changes things.” Grandy rubbed his hands together. “My family is thankful you were there that night. We’d have lost my brother and his family if not for you. For that, we’ll always be in your debt. If there’s anything we can do let me know. As far as we’re concerned, you, Alicia, and Evie are family, you’ve always been. We wouldn’t want you to carry this guilt.”

  Alicia’s gaze was on him, as if telling him she was right. At least to her credit she remained silent. Taking her hand into his he squeezed it gently. He didn’t give his mate enough credit.

  “In two weeks, Theodore is taking nursery furniture to them in Colorado, and I’m going with him to visit. Come with us.” Grandy glanced at Alicia. “Both of you and bring Evie. Meet them and see for yourself those girls are as happy as any other their age.”

  “No,” Frost answered before even thinking about it.

  “Why not?” Alicia stepped away from him and joined Grandy at the table. “You’re so sure you’ve ruined their lives and now you’re handed an opportunity to see for yourself, yet you turn it down. It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Evie…”

  “What about her?” Alicia pressed when his words trailed off.

  “Bring her,” Grandy suggested. “I saw her earlier, she looks about fourteen. She’s about Alba’s age, I’m sure the girls will get along great.”

  “Thirteen.” Frost grabbed the chair next to Alicia, pulled it out, and dropped onto it. The tension lingering in the air since Grandy arrived seemed to dissipate as Frost began to accept things. “I don’t know if I’m ready for the teenage attitude.”

  “I don’t think anyone is.” Grandy’s deep laugh echoed off the walls. “I know my brother said the same thing. Maybe he can give you some tips. I sure as hell can’t. Unless you want to gag her until she outgrows it.”

  “Men.” Alicia shook her head. “Teenage girls are going through a lot. She needs you to be understanding. After all, it’s only a few years.”

  “A few years?” Frost stared at her with wide eyes. “I don’t know if I can do it for a year, let alone a few years. A long few years at that.”

  “You can.” Placing her hand over his, she squeezed gently. “We can.”

  The thought of having Alicia by his side not only to help raise Evie, but through everything, eased the knot in his stomach he’d carried for longer than he could remember. Nothing worth having came easy, but he was willing to fight for Alicia, Evie, and his new clan.

  Chapter Eighteen

  More than an hour passed as they sat in the dining hall talking, the tension and worry that had nearly overwhelmed Frost before was gone. Grandy was a good man, and there was no doubt he was telling the truth. It didn’t eliminate the guilt Frost carried, but it helped him push it to the side. He wasn’t sure about making the trip to Colorado to officially meet the family, at least not yet, but it was something he didn’t have to decide now.

  “I don’t want to break this up, but maybe you should find Brooklynn and tell her things are okay.” Alicia turned her gaze to Frost. “I mean the possibility of tension between two teammates when she just reformed the team might be weighing on her mind.”

  “She’s right.” Grandy nodded. “The Shifter Peace Keepers is important to Brooklynn. She’s a workaholic when it comes to the team, and I have no doubt she’s wondering what’s happening here.”

  “You were in the gym when she went to get you, so if you want to go shower, I can go talk to her,” Frost offered.

  “Sure.” Grandy nodded, rising from the table. “I’d kill for a quick run and a shower before lunch. It was nice meeting you, Alicia.”

  “You too, Grandy. I’m sure we’ll see a lot of each other.”

  “No doubt.” He glanced at Frost. “The team is close—we have to be when we don’t know what we’ll be up against. I hope you come to realize you can count on me. I’ll have your back. Always.”

  “And I’ll have yours,” Frost nodded.

  “Never doubted it.” Grandy pushed in his chair but didn’t move away from the table. “About Colorado…I’m just going to say I know they’d love to meet you. Think about it, won’t you?”

  “I think the trip will be good for both sides.” Alicia added, glancing toward Frost. “You’ll think about it.” From her tone, it was obvious to him she wasn’t going to give it up. She thought it was a trip he needed to make, and she was willing to fight to convince him.

  With his gaze on Frost, Grandy tipped his head toward Alicia. “This is why I think I’ll hold off on finding a mate. My leopard is demanding enough. I’m not sure I’m ready for a mate who’s strong headed and knows what’s best.”

  “She’s a pain in the ass.” In one quick move, Frost pulled her out of her chair and into his lap. “Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

  “Women always know what’s best.” Alicia teased sliding her arm around Frost’s neck. As Grandy headed for the door, she settled into his embrace. “Speaking of showering, shouldn’t you get one before lunch, too? I saw you hitting the gym an hour before you had to be at the dome.”

  “After I find Brooklynn. I suggested it yesterday, but I screwed things up, why don’t we grab something to eat and see where things go?” He pulled her hair away from her ear and leaned closer, his breath teasing along her collarbone.

  “Like we don’t know where they’ll go if given the opportunity.” She arched into him. “Frost…”

  The need in her voice made him want to continue. He pressed his hand along the curve of her back and brought her close to his chest. “Fuck, baby.”

  “Soon.” Tangling her fingers through his hair she stared into his eyes. “We both want this, so stop fighting it. Let’s find Brooklynn and then…” She rose off his lap, took his hand into hers, and tugged gently until he started to rise.

  “Damn, woman, are you always so headstrong? I want nothing more than to take you somewhere private and make you moan my name again. Instead, you want to go find Brooklynn.” Standing, he pulled her back against him, locking his arms around her so she couldn’t pull away.

  “I told you before women know best, you should listen to us. The sooner you get moving the sooner we can be alone.”

  The door at the end of the dining hall banged shut, and Frost glanced over Alicia’s shoulder to see Brooklynn standing there.

  “Didn’t mean to interrupt.” Brooklynn strolled toward him. “When I hadn’t heard from either of you, I wanted to check and make sure things were okay.”

  “We just finished cleaning up the blood.” Alicia pulled back from Frost and turned to face Brooklynn. “You could have shown up sooner, it would have been nice to have help.”

  “Alicia,” he snapped, unable to believe he heard her correctly.

  “Come on, she knows I’m joking.” She shot him a grin. “It didn’t come to blows, and Grandy is still alive and uninjured.”

  “I know I saw him on my way here.” Grinning Brooklynn strolled toward them.

  “Everything’s fine.” Frost assured her. “Actually, better than fine. I guess you could say Alicia was right, and I’ll have to make it up to her later.”

  “Good. How about we go back to my office. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

  “Come find me when you’re done.” Alicia let go of his han
d and stepped back.

  “Join us. As his mate there’s no reason you—”

  “We’re not mated yet,” Alicia interrupted.

  “Close enough.” Brooklynn’s lips curled into a smile her gaze shifting between them. “It’s unusual for his polar bear to already imprint on you, at least partially, without sex. Still I suspect it will be official soon.”

  “As long as she hasn’t changed her mind.” Frost took hold of Alicia’s hand and pulled her closer. He might have been messing up things since they arrived in Alaska, but he wasn’t going to allow it to continue. His mate had been willing to risk herself to bring him peace. She was more than he deserved. It was time he stepped up to the plate and prove to her he was worthy.

  “Never.” The single word was breathless as she melted into his embrace.

  “Then come on. We’ve got plans later.”

  Instead of going back the way Brooklynn had entered, they headed through the dining hall into the rest of the main building. He’d met with the Elders in one of the conference rooms, but beyond that, he hadn’t explored this area.

  “I have an office down the hall from the conference room you were in yesterday. It will make it easier for us to plan the missions there instead of the cabin Carran and I share. It also allows me to be close to the Elders when I need to consult with them,” Brooklynn explained as she led the way.

  “Grandy mentioned the rest of the group lives in a cabin together.” Frost wasn’t sure how to bring up his question, instead he hoped she could gather where this was going.

  “You’re wondering why you were separated.” Brooklynn stopped in front of an open door and glanced back at him. “It was planned because of Evie, but now with Alicia part of the equation it would have happened anyway. The cabin is for unmated members of the team. Ambrose and his daughter, Kyra, have a cabin nearby. Neither of the girls need to be around the team constantly. With you having your own cabin, Evie has a retreat anytime she wants one. I don’t live in the cabin either, Carran and I are next door. You’re on the other side of me. You’re still close enough to establish a strong bond with everyone.”

  “Thank you.” He hadn’t considered her reasoning, but it made sense with Evie. “This is all new for Evie, and I worry how she’s going to adjust to all of it. We were sharing a studio apartment in New Jersey, so having her own space is a big thing for her.”

  Brooklynn nodded. “Come in and have a seat.”

  Stepping into the office, Frost could see touches of Brooklynn around the room. She had been a police officer before, and she had her badges in a display box on the wall, next to a picture of an older man in uniform.

  The door clicked shut behind him, and Frost shifted to glance back at her. “Normally I have an open-door policy. My door is always open unless I’m having a private conversation, or I’m not in the office.”

  “A closed-door private conversation…well that doesn’t sound good for me.” Frost tried to lighten the mood, but he couldn’t stop the unease from tingling up his spine.

  “I’m going to come straight to the point.” Brooklynn came further into the room to stand in front of her desk, her gaze focused on him. “I want you to be my second-in-command, the Lieutenant for the Shifter Peace Keepers. It’s a shared position with you and Tad. Each of you have something to offer that the team needs and with Tad’s focus as pilot I need someone on the ground with me.”

  “What?” Shocked he let go of Alicia’s hand. Had he heard her correctly? He was the newest member of the team and weeks behind the others when it came to the training they’d already received. Now she was talking about a promotion.

  “I knew from the moment your application came through you were the one I needed. Seeing you in action in New York and this morning I became certain. You acted as an enforcer for the group of solitary shifters. You helped protect all the families. You also have the medic experience, which is something no one else on the team has.” Brooklynn’s gaze centered on him. “Are you interested?”

  “The others have been part of the team for weeks. You’ve worked with them longer,” he reasoned.

  “True, but they don’t have your natural skill. No one has the experience you do, or the training, and no one has worked harder than I know you have. The time you’ve put into training and preparing for this opportunity shows. You have the ability to help me lead them.” She leaned back against her desk. “I’ve spoken to Carran and Styx; they both agree.”

  “What about Ty? As Alpha, has he weighed in on this decision? He hasn’t witnessed a training session.”

  “Ty is the Alpha, but he also allows me to run my team as I see fit. However, this morning while you were working with Styx, we watched you on the cameras. At that time, we had a conversation about your position within the team, and I asked for his input.” She paused, as if wanting to hold the suspense longer. “He agreed.”

  “What about Ambrose?”

  “Are you going to list everyone?” Alicia shook her head. “Shouldn’t you be thrilled with the promotion?”

  “I am but…” His gaze focused on Alicia for a moment before he turned back to Brooklynn. “Truly I am, I’m just wondering, why me? I spoke with Ambrose this morning, and he has similar training. He’s been with you longer, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s been assisting you so far.”

  “He has, but he’s never wanted the role once we’re deploying for missions,” Brooklynn explained. “Ambrose lost his mate and is raising his young daughter alone. While he’s an important part of the group, he’s focused on doing right by Kyra. This position is going to take extra training and time. Both of which he doesn’t want to take on. If you take the position, you will join me on two additional training sessions each week. Most of the time it’s with Styx. We need to be prepared to face anyone, including Elders. Who better to prepare us for that possibility than Ty and Raja?”

  “Umm…”

  “Really, Frost? Umm is all you’ve got? How about a yes, I’d be honored?” Alicia sat down in one of the two chairs in front of the desk and shook her head. “So, Iceman, what’s it going to be?”

  “You don’t have to give me an answer now.” Brooklynn straightened from where she was leaning against her desk. “Think about it.”

  “I have.” He took a step forward. “I’m honored, just shocked. But yes, I’ll take the position.”

  “It’s going to mean more time Evie’s going to be alone. Are you okay with that?”

  “She won’t be alone.” Alicia brushed her hand along the tips of his fingers. “I’ll be with her. Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure everything is fine.”

  “I have no doubt.” He glanced down at her. “Maybe I should at least introduce you two first.”

  “That’s going to have to wait a bit longer.” Brooklynn glanced down at her watch. “We have a meeting with the Elders in twenty minutes. You might want to grab a quick shower and change.”

  “I can find her while you’re in the meeting.” Alicia rose from the chair.

  “I’m afraid not. You’re expected to join us.” Brooklynn’s attention turned toward her. “Ty’s request.”

  “Why me?” Surprise rose Alicia’s voice a notch, and Frost reached out to comfort her as unease rose within her.

  “I don’t have all the details. I’m assuming it’s about Lou and the ongoing situation.” Brooklynn tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “We’ll be in the same conference room as last night. Frost, do you remember how to get there?”

  “Yeah. Once I’m showered and changed, Alicia and I will be there.” With his hand on her back he drew her toward him. “Come on. We’ll find out soon enough.”

  With his arm around her waist, he led Alicia from the office. Her anxiety rushing off her, bringing his bear closer to the surface. He wanted to pull her into his arms and promise everything would be okay.

  How did things change so much? Two days ago, all he had to worry about was Evie. Now he was practically mated and second-in-command
of the Shifter Peace Keepers. His life had completely changed. Normally his bear who disliked any change would be antsy, and yet he was calm, as if knowing this was the path they were supposed to be on.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Needing another minute, Frost slowed his pace and glanced over at Alicia. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, making him want to snap the band and allow the long strands to flow down around her shoulders. As his gaze traveled over her, his bear growled within him, demanding he claim her as his mate officially.

  “What?” She sucked her lower lip between her teeth, nibbling it with uncertainty.

  “You.” He spun toward her, pushing her up against the wall. “I don’t deserve you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you. Shit, Alicia…”

  “I know.” Reaching up she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer. “I feel your bears urging. We need to finish this.”

  “Screw the meeting.” Even as he said it, he knew they couldn’t. This was bigger than them. If he was going to protect Alicia and Evie, they needed to be at the meeting. Let alone the fact he could lose his promotion. It was selfish but also tempting.

  “After.” Her fingers teased in the short hairs along the base of his neck. “You have responsibilities to the Elders, to Brooklynn, and I won’t ever stand in the way of that. You know you need to be there. You have to know what’s going on to keep Evie safe.”

  “And to keep you safe.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “I shouldn’t have said what I did earlier about Lorcan coming after you.”

  “Why? You were right.”

  “No.” He teased a finger along the curve of her cheek. “I’m going to take care of this.”

  The fear that rolled off her earlier when he snapped came back to him. He never meant to hurt her. He spoke without thinking, trying to get her focused on anything besides his own past. There was no doubt Lorcan would come after her if he didn’t handle it. Frost wasn’t about to let her get hurt. Not again.