Xias’s eyes narrowed. “How good of a friend?”
Zhuang chuckled as he continued back to the stove. “Not that good.”
He’d known Tao a very long time, but he’d never known him intimately. They were just too good of friends to take their relationship in that direction. Besides, Zhuang was finding himself attracted to a little wisp of a man with beautiful pale-green eyes.
Zhuang smiled when flames leapt to life inside the potbelly stove. It would take a little bit for the entire room to warm up, but at least they would be warm. He leaned down and grabbed the edge of the blanket, then pulled until Xias and the cubs were close to the stove.
“Get some rest. I need to grab my stuff and then find us something to eat. I shouldn’t be long.”
“You’re leaving?”Pure panic laced the voice that threaded through their mate bond.
“I won’t be gone long, Xias. I promise.”
Xias’s eyes watered. “But…”
“Hey.” Zhuang smiled as he stroked his fingers through Xias’s fur. “I’ll be right back. I promise. But you aren’t going to make it very far if you don’t get some nourishment. You know that as well as I do.”
“I guess.”Xias’s gaze dropped. He didn’t look convinced.
“I promise to stay close to the cabin.”
He wasn’t going to let anything happen to his new family.
Chapter Five
Xias tucked the last cub into the small box they’d found for them to sleep in before glancing across the room. Zhuang was leaning against the wall, staring out the window. His brow was furrowed as if he was deep in thought. Considering the situation they were in, Xias was hesitant to ask what he might be thinking about.
He walked over to stand next to Zhuang. When he glanced out the window, all he saw was snow. It was daytime, but it was hard to tell. The snow was coming down so hard it looked dark outside. He had no idea how they were supposed to get the cubs through that chaos.
“I don’t think the cubs can make it through that, Zhuang.”
The alpha turned toward him, a small smile moving across his lips. “They won’t have to. When I went outside, I grabbed my bag. I have winter clothes in there. I’ll be able to carry the cubs out of here.”
That made Xias feel a little better.
“You should get some rest,” Zhuang said. “We need to head out in a couple of hours.”
“What about you?”
“I’m fine, mate.”
But he wasn’t fine. Xias could see little lines of stress around his eyes. Those blue eyes weren’t quite as vivid as they’d been when Zhuang had walked into the cave so many hours ago. Guilt swamped Xias. This was all his fault.
“Hey, stop that.”
Xias dropped his eyes when Zhuang grabbed him and pulled him close.
“None of that, Xias.”
“None of what?” Xias asked, although he was pretty sure he knew. Zhuang seemed to be able to read his face.
“None of this is your fault, Xias.”
Xias lifted his head to look up at Zhuang. “Isn’t it? If I hadn’t picked that cave to hide in, you wouldn’t be in danger, trying to run through the woods with three cubs during a blizzard.”
The corner of Zhuang’s mouth curved up. “You’re worried about me.”
Xias frowned. “Why do you sound so surprised? You’re my mate.”
