Somehow it was true. Malachi had found his mate. What it meant for his pack, he had yet to discover. But denying it would be wrong.
Trevor peeked up at him. “Sorry. I know that wasn’t fair of me, but I had to do it.”
“I think you did.” Malachi set a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
“You’re April’s wolf.” Trevor’s submissive posture disappeared as he rocked from his heels to his toes, a slow smile taking over his face. “Last of the old gang to find your mate, and now here she is.”
“I…” The words felt too big for his heart. “I’ve found her.”
“I know there’s a part of you that’s happy, Mal. I can smell that too.”
He grunted as they resumed their walk toward the cabin.
“Please don’t say happiness is irrelevant.” When Malachi said nothing, Trevor sighed. “So you don’t want to be happy. How come, Mal?”
“It clouds judgment.”
Trevor’s bark of laughter was so loud it seemed to ring off the mountain. He clapped Malachi on the back again and again as he barked. Then he hooked an arm around Malachi’s back to grasp his shoulder.
“You trying to tell me you’re nothappyleading the pack?”
“That’s very different.”
“Oh?”
“It’s never uncontrolled. Or uncontrollable.”
Trevor gave a low growl. “I know, right? Sometimes I look at Kelsey and just can’t contain it. Happiness isn’t even enough of a word for it. It’s more like…overwhelming joy.”
“Yes,” Malachi said.
Trevor squeezed his shoulder hard. “Just you wait until you’ve claimed her. Just you wait, Mal.”
“I’ll have to. She’s terrified of me.”
Halfway to the house, Trevor halted and gaped at him. “Wait…that overreaction thing when Kels knocked, that wasn’t just a fluke?”
“No.” He hadn’t meant to say any of this, but the words sprang out of him as if they needed to be told. “There’s a wolf pack hunting her. She’s hypervigilant, yes, but with wolves it’s magnified. And with me, it’s…extremely magnified.”
“Well, crap.”
“I can be patient.”
The words came easily. He would wait as long as April needed him to. If it took years, one day he would prove himself safe. One day his mate would trust him.
They resumed walking, and Trevor nodded slowly. “You’ll get there together. If fate chose you for each other, then she’s best for you, Mal. And you’re best for her.” He flashed a grin. “Can’t wait to see it happen.”
Five
Thebright-purpleduffelbagleft on the floor of Malachi’s bathroom held a selection of soft and comfortable T-shirts and yoga pants, along with a pair of jeans. In order to wash her one pair of underwear, April opted for yoga pants and an extra-long, butt-covering coral T-shirt printed with a retro-styled image of a mountain and flowing white script that readhappy camper. In her case, the bra was far from optional, so she’d have to wait to wash that. She balled up her day-old clothes and left them in a corner for the moment. She’d have to ask about doing a tiny load of laundry.
She brought the duffel with her out into the living room and came face-to-face with a trim, fit woman whose long blonde hair was swept into a high ponytail.
“Kelsey?”
“That’s me.” Kelsey’s grin brightened her blue eyes as she sprang up from one of the room’s oversized chairs. “And you’re April.”
“Um, yes. Thank you. I hope I haven’t put you out.”
