Everything in me wanted to say no. I wasn’t ready to let her go. Not yet. Not when it felt so damn right with her in my world. My cabin would feel too empty, and so would my bed.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive in with you?” I asked hopefully one more time as we approached the garage. “Might be a good idea in case your ex shows up.” I hated using that to try to convince her. It felt manipulative. But I was running out of ways to keep her close. “You can tell your family I’m just there to prevent any problem during your drive.”
Just for a second, her gaze flicked to mine, and I thought maybe that had convinced her. But my hopes were dashed when she spoke.
“How about this: if we are still seeing each other next year, I’ll invite you so you can do more than just drive me in.”
Ifwe were still seeing each other. If. Even though I knew I was going to do everything in my power to continue seeing her, even give up my cozy little cabin in the woods, it felt like she was already slipping out of my grasp.
But I couldn’t push anymore because she was human, and she didn’t understand things like the mate bonds. She didn’t comprehend what she was to me. I didn’t want her to think I was a creep; she already had enough experience with those.
So, with a fake smile and one final kiss we parted ways, and I watched, standing next to my truck, as her vehicle disappeared down the street.
Chapter 13
Ella
I’dforgottenhowloudthis house could get when everyone was home and the oven was full. Two rowdy brothers would do that.
Mom was in the kitchen, humming along to a holiday playlist streaming from her phone while she pulled another tray of cookies from the oven. The Bluetooth speaker kept glitching, but she didn’t seem to care. She had flour on her cheek, her hair was in the world’s messiest bun, and her apron looked like it hadsurvived a powdered sugar explosion. But she was completely in her zone.
Dad was halfway up the stairs, stringing lights around the banister and muttering under his breath about knots and whoever packed the decorations last year. That would’ve been me, and I wasn’t about to tell him that.
My brothers and I were sitting cross-legged on the living room floor, exactly the way we had as children, making popcorn garlands for the tree. It was a tradition we’d kept since we were kids, even though Kyle always ate more than he strung, and Pete’s garlands looked a bit ragged. The two kept fighting over the “best” pieces in the bowl, even though they all looked the same to me.
Kyle had already eaten half his popcorn strand, and Pete had a pile of popcorn crumbs on the carpet in front of him. Mine were neat and perfect as always.
Earlier, Mom had asked about the ranger who’d rescued me from certain frozen doom. She’d tried to keep her voice casual, but I’d seen the look in her eyes. She was hoping I’d fall for someone nearby and move back home. Or at least somewhere closer.
I kept my answers short and sweet, avoiding giving away too much information. She let it go, for now. But at least they hadn’t really mentioned anything about Blake. To be honest, I’d much rather talk about Axel.
And while Mom had let it go, my brothers weren’t so easily satisfied.
“So,” Pete said, threading a piece of popcorn with exaggerated care, but still managing to get a small piece onto the carpet, “who’s this lumberjack that you stayed with?”
Pete didn’t even try to be subtle. “We don’t have to beat him up, do we?”
I snorted. “First, he’s a ranger, not a lumberjack. And second, you’d probably lose. And third, it’s none of your beeswax.”
“He isn’t another one of those shifters, is he?” Pete asked. “The pack lives out that way.”
“No,” I said. “But even if he were, what’s wrong with wolves? Just because Blake’s an ass doesn’t mean they all are.”
Mom cleared her throat. We hadn’t even realized she was standing there, hands on her hips. “Nothing is wrong with wolves. Levi is a wolf, and he told us you were safe. He started coming by a few years ago, every time it stormed, to make sure we were good.” Her eyes landed on the pile of popcorn crumbs on the carpet. “Pete! My carpet!”
“I’ll clean it up,” Pete said.
“You'd better. Now, can one of you boys bring me in more potatoes from the root cellar?”
“I’ll do it,” Kyle said, already standing.
“Take your coat,” Mom called.
He pretended not to hear. He opened the side door and the cold air rushed in, making me shiver, before the door clicked shut behind him.
We kept chugging along with our bowl of popcorn. I tied off my string and reached for another roll.
Minutes passed, but Kyle never came back. The cellar wasn’t that far, just on the side of the house.
