And tell her we are mates,his bear added.
And you don’t think that would startle her?Daniel asked as he stepped out into the biting cold, the snow immediately clinging to his hair and jacket. Walking carefully toward her, he kept his movements slow and deliberate, even though his bear urged him to reach her faster.
The cold slapped him in the face, making the warmth inside the truck feel like another world entirely.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice gentle, pitched to carry through the wind without sounding threatening.
Her cheeks were flushed pink from the cold, and her dark hair was dusted with snowflakes, making her look as if she were wearing a tiara. Her wedding dress was soaked at the hem, the delicate fabric dragging in the snow. She hugged herself tightly, as though trying to physically hold herself together.
But what struck him the most wereher eyes. Wide with uncertainty, they held more resignation than panic. As though she weren’t afraid of the storm, but of everything she’d left behind it.
“My car,” she gestured weakly to the vehicle behind her. “It just... stopped. I don’t know what happened.” Her voice cut through the howling wind, and Daniel felt a strange tug behind his ribs, as if some invisible string had just pulled taut between them.
His bear went utterly still, listening with primal focus.Our mate.
“I’m Daniel,” he offered, not asking why a bride was driving alone in a snowstorm. “Let me help you get somewhere warm. This storm’s only getting worse.”
She hesitated, her eyes searching his face. Whatever she saw there must have reassured her, because she nodded. “Holly,” she said simply, and the name felt right in a way that made his bear hum with satisfaction.Names shouldn’t feel like destiny. And yet hers settled under his skin as if it belonged there.
Because she belongs to us, his bear said.
Without hesitation, Daniel shrugged out of his thick winter coat. The garment was well-worn at the cuffs, softened by years of use, but still heavy and warm—exactly what Holly needed right now.
“Here,” he said, holding it out to her. “You’re freezing.”
Holly’s eyes widened slightly, her gaze moving between his face and the offered coat. For a moment, she seemed ready to refuse, that same stubborn independence he’d noticed earlier flickering across her features.
“I’m fine, really,” she started, but her body betrayed her as another violent shiver ran through her.
His bear growled with protective concern.She’s cold. Vulnerable. Needs us.
“Please,” Daniel said, his voice gentle but firm. “Just until we get you somewhere warm.”
After another moment’s hesitation, Holly nodded, reaching for the coat with trembling fingers. “Thank you,” she whispered, the simple words carrying more weight than they should.
Daniel watched as she wrapped the oversized coat around her shoulders, practically disappearing into the fabric. Something primal and possessive stirred in his chest at the sight of her in his clothing, her curvy body engulfed by his coat, surrounded by his scent.
His bear rumbled with satisfaction.
“It’s so warm,” she murmured, pulling it tighter around herself, her wedding dress a stark white contrast beneath the dark material.
“Come on,” Daniel said, offering his arm for support. “Let’s get you to the truck before we all turn into snowmen.”
Daniel extended his hand, steadying her as she took a step toward him. Her fingers were ice cold in his, and he resisted the urge to envelop them completely in his warmth. Instead, he guided her carefully to his truck, opening the passenger door.
“Dad, she really is a princess!” Teddy whispered loudly as Holly climbed in.
“Are you going to a ball? Or are you getting married?” Maisie asked eagerly. “Why are you alone? Where’s your prince?”
Daniel winced, glancing at Holly for her reaction. Pain flickered there, quick, but unmistakable.
“Okay, kids. Let’s give Holly some room,” Daniel warned gently as he slid back into the driver’s seat, but Holly’s soft laugh eased some of the tension. It was warm,apologetic, and sparked something inside him. So this was how it felt when you met your mate. He’d never expected the connection to be so profound.
“Not today,” she answered through chattering teeth. “I was supposed to, but... plans changed.”
Daniel turned up the heat, needing to get her warm, to chase away the chill. All while trying to ignore the fact that his mate had nearly become someone else’s wife.
But she didn’t,his bear reminded him.
