“It was a good run.”
“See anything good out there?”
“Yeah. There was this beautiful clearing—” I began to describe the glade in all its glorious detail.
Dale gave me all his attention, listening as if truly interested. As I talked, I fell into the comfortable coziness of our shared cabin. Everything was perfect.
8
Dale
The cold was bitter. I knew Aspen’s reindeer could handle it, but I still worried, especially knowing Aspen was taking all his clothes off outside before shifting.
While he was gone, I went inside and got the blanket, leaving it for him by his pile of clothes. It was the only thing I could think to do to give him some sort of warmth when he returned. Pants and a sweater weren’t enough.
I thought about how fond I’d grown of him in such a short time. Maybe it was merely alpha/omega vibes. But if that were the case, I’d feel this way about any omega who crossed my path at work and in my life in general. It wasn’t so. I rarely had the deeper need to fulfill alpha yearnings, such as making sure comfort came first. My relationships had been mostly physical hookups which I could count on one hand. I liked being a bachelor, not committed to anyone.
Aspen was bringing out forces in me I thought I’d buried.
What was going on with me?
Nothing, I told myself. It was the close proximity, that was all. And the fact that Aspen was a great guy. Nothing more.
I’d picked him from the lobby at random. On instinct. He had instantly felt like a person who wouldn’t mess with my relaxation plans.
Now, Aspen sat beside me quietly describing a glade in the woods that sounded otherworldly. I loved how his voice turned melodic as his emotions became more reverent. My focus was entirely on him, never wavering. He was mesmerizing.
I had to check my thoughts. I didn’t think this way about people. Not normally.
“It sounds fantastic,” I said when he’d finished. “Makes me wish I’d been born a shifter.”
“Yes. It would be hard to walk there. It was miles away. Untouched.”
“I’m glad you got to see that.” I took a sip of my cocoa, which was mostly cold dregs now. “What’s it like being able to shift and to run with your animal like that?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Freedom.”
The way he said that word made me sit up straighter. I wished for that more in my life. I made good money at my job. It gave me freedom for many things, like this vacation. But what Aspen described was something money couldn’t buy.
“That’s amazing.” Then out blurted a deeper confession. “And so are you. And your reindeer.”
A slightly stunned expression crossed his features. “Nice of you to say that.”
“I didn’t mean to be so forward. I can’t get the scene of you standing in the snow in front of that lit-up pine tree just about to take off. Raw and wild and real.” I rubbed at my forehead. “Maybe it’s because I spend too much time in the city.”
“Could be.” He widened his eyes. “I do notice when I leave the city it’s like a weight lifts from me.”
“I had a friend who called it a psychic pressure. She swore she could physically feel it and after college she moved to the desert.”
“That’s exactly how it feels. But my job keeps me pretty citified full time. And I love my job.”
“Me, too.” It was true. But I always looked forward to my Christmas vacation away. I booked places that were remote and quiet on purpose.
When Aspen finished his cocoa, he shut his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Are you tired? Are you hungry?” Through the crack in the curtain by the front door, darkness had settled over the mountain.
“Both.”
