I rambled on about going to college and hot-footing it back once I got my degree. “I missed the mountains.”
“It must be nice having roots and a whole-ass community.” He added that he’d moved many times, mainly for work. He frowned. Perhaps he was thinking he’d have to move again when all this was over.
I couldn’t imagine not having a link to the land and the pack.
“Do you have any family?”
He shrugged. “My mom died when I was young, and my dad remarried and moved away. We don’t see one another much, but we talk a few times a year.”
Indigo inquired about my family, and I stumbled over the words. “Ummm, yeah, a big extended family.” The pack was everything, though it was complicated with so many different personalities. But we were enmeshed in one another’s lives, and until I met Indigo, they were the most important thing in it.
“Holidays must be interesting.”
“You have no idea.” Full-moon runs, where everyone talked at once before and after shifting, and festivals when we celebrated our ancestors were as important as human holidays, but I avoided mentioning that.
Indigo wandered to the window and inspected the falling snow. “It’s so peaceful here. I’m used to blaring horns and neighbors shouting.”
My wolf urged me to move beside Indigo. The hairson my arms stood up, and my body tingled being so close to him.
“This is my favorite time of year.” The snow blanketed not just the world but our problems until the spring, or that was how I imagined it.
“I’ve always preferred summer, but who knows, after spending a few weeks here, I might change my mind.”
There was movement through the trees. Taylor was checking the perimeter. If Antonia hadn’t already alerted the entire pack, Taylor would scent me and Indigo and report to everyone.
Indigo yawned and said he was ready to turn in. He picked up his bag and headed to one of two doors.
“Oh, there’s only one bedroom.” He swiveled around. “Do you sleep in the lodge?”
I couldn’t read his expression. Was he disappointed or pleased we might not be under the same roof? But I tossed the cushions off the sofa and pulled out the bed. “Ta-da. This is for me.”
“Is that comfortable?”
“It’s fine. I’ve slept here many times before.” This cabin was often empty, and I sometimes crashed here, though I always used the sofa rather than the bed, as I wasn’t a guest.
Lines appeared between his brow. “Oh, you’ve done this before.”
“Not like this.”
He said good night and went into the bedroom, only to reappear a minute later and walk into the bathroom. Once he was in bed and his slow breathing told me hewas asleep, I shrugged on my coat and stepped onto the porch with my phone.
Antonia answered on the first ring. “I know, I know.”
“How did this happen? That’s not the shifter witness.” I wasn’t responsible for arranging the bookings, but it was a huge F-up. But considering Indigo was my mate, it was a good mess.
“Oh no, I hadn’t noticed.” She was trying to make light of it.
“We were supposed to get a guy who’s testifying against his pack Alpha.”
“It’s a huge mistake, but the FBI agent who was supposed to call us didn’t.”
Antonia had just had a very apologetic Agent Fairbanks on the phone. He was known to us and was a wolf shifter, so he was aware of the services we provided.
“Nothing to do with me, but has anyone checked up on the shifter?” I hoped he wasn’t wandering around in the snow, though if he shifted, his wolf would keep him warm.
“We’ve taken care of him and he’s isolated. Doesn’t want to be disturbed during his time here.”
Okay, I didn’t need to think of that again. But I had to tell her about Indigo because she’d see us together and me acting like a lovesick pup. Better to do it now.
