Falke’s Peak

No, no one had said anything about marriage or a lifelong commitment, but she’d still run. From commitment, from them, from the strong emotions they so easily ignited inside of her.

She didn’t belong with Axel and Gunnar Falke.

They were not human.

No, that wasn’t true. They were more than human, shifters. Exotic, exciting, unbelievable men who’d asked her to stay, to give any potential future with them a chance, and she’d stupidly walked away.

But it was for the best, wasn’t it?

Then why do I feel…hollow? Why couldn’t she resume her life as usual? Why did something every single day remind her of what she’d given up?

Her friend’s wedding had been the worst. A beautiful ceremony in a traditional church, as opposed to one of the abundantly available wedding chapels.

The bride glowed with joy. Surrounded by family and friends, her groom had eyes only for her. While wedding guests laughed and ate and had a good time, Dakota didn’t miss the couple casting desirous glances toward each other—that shared understanding and need to get away and be alone. Shared looks similar to those exchanged in an isolated cabin, at a snow-covered trailhead and outside the lobby of a ski resort.

Her mind occupied with what might’ve been, she arrived home with little memory of the actual trip that brought her there. After parking her car, she got out and checked her mailbox. As she thumbed through the junk mail, her frustration level grew.

Scared. That’s what she’d been. She’d been too afraid to commit to them after just a few days together.

They didn’t know her, not really. How could they? And she might’ve been privy to their greatest secret, but what more did she know about them?

Not much, she decided.

In her ground-floor apartment, Dakota tossed her keys and purse on the table, grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and dropped into her recliner to stare at the black TV screen.

She hadn’t given herself a chance to learn more about them either. Whether it was because they could do things no normal humans could or the idea of having not one but two men interested in her—and willing to share —she didn’t know. Maybe it was both.

Regardless, she’d run away from the opportunity to find out more about them. Denied herself the chance to see if a relationship could work.

Of course, it was too soon to talk about love. She’d told them that, and now told herself every time they entered her thoughts. But she did care about them and wondered what they were doing now.

Had they found someone else? They were big boys, grown men. They were fine. They’d probably forgotten all about her by now.

She drank half the bottle of water and closed her eyes with a disgruntled sigh.

“Get over it!” she snapped at herself. Move on.

Her gaze landed on the new picture frame that sat atop her TV next to an older college graduation picture of her with her parents. The new frame held a montage of four pictures. One of her before a beautiful sunrise, another of a big elk and two more of her with Axel and Falke. She smiled at the shot of Falke licking her cheek, but the smile softened, faded, when she stared at the last shot. Two pairs of hazel eyes looked back at her—one in the face of a handsome man, the other in the face of a cougar. The camera had captured three happy faces, hers and theirs, in front of an idyllic backdrop of snow and nature. She wished she’d thought of taking a picture with the three of them while both men were in human form.

She got up and went to the bedroom, took a long shower and prepared for bed. It was early, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t hungry, and she wasn’t in the mood for news or sitcoms or some stupid awards show.

Flipping back the bed linens, she’d just begun to climb in when the doorbell rang.

For a half second Dakota thought about ignoring it, but curiosity won out, so she threw on a silk wrap and headed to the door.

The doorbell sounded again.

“I’m coming. Just a minute.”

Peeping through the eye-hole, she looked and saw no one.

Ticked that it might be children playing pranks, she hollered, “Who is it?”

Something scratched at the door.

Oh, damn it. Someone better not have left a stray puppy or kitten on her doorstep. Her apartment didn’t allow pets, aside from the occasional goldfish.

With a huff, she unlocked, opened the door, and gaped.

A full-grown puma in a black leather collar sat outside her door, his long tail swishing lazily.

Meow.

She stared, afraid to blink, expecting her hallucination to vanish.

“Can we come in?” Axel stepped into view.

“Oh, my God!” She grabbed the cat by the collar, Axel by his shirt, and pulled them into the apartment.

He laughed.

“Are you crazy?” she asked Falke…Gunnar. It had to be Gunnar. “You could get yourself killed or wind up in some magician’s stage act. This is Vegas for crying out loud!”

“We weren’t sure of the reception we’d get,” Axel said, “dropping in on you unexpectedly like this.”

Telepathically, Gunnar added, We figured if at least one was a ‘pretty little pussy cat,’ you wouldn’t shut the door on us.

She narrowed her gaze on him for using her own words against her, but damn it! He was a sight for sore eyes. They both were. How often had she dreamed of seeing them again? And here they were. She dropped to her knees and hugged the cat.

“I would never shut the door in your faces.”

He purred.

“That’s a relief,” Axel said. “We apologize for disturbing your sleep.”

She followed his glance down to her silk wrap, and then she fiddled with the lapels. “Oh, no, you didn’t…” She cast a look at the clock. “I mean, it’s not late. I wasn’t asleep, just…getting comfortable.” Alone on a Friday night. She fought a grimace at that thought and forced a smile. “I’m glad you stopped by.” Ugh.

She was rambling.

Axel pulled off the small backpack he held over one shoulder and tossed it on the floor next to Gunnar.

“Got a bathroom where he can change?”

She glanced up at him, took his hand and climbed to her feet. “Sure. Down the hall…door on the right.”

Her gaze held Axel’s.

She wanted to hug him too, but hesitated. The cat bumped her hip as he passed, nudging her closer to his brother. Why did hugging a cougar seem safer than the man before her?

Axel decided for her by pulling her into his arms.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of his embrace, the renewed longings. He didn’t move, merely held her close, her head on his chest. “It’s good to see you again, Dakota.”

“You too.” Her loneliness vanished, and she wanted to cry. He felt so…right. What had they done to her to make her want them so much?

Reluctantly, she eased herself out of his arms. An awkward silence filled the space between them. “Can I get you something to drink?” She turned for her kitchen.

“Sure.”

She opened the refrigerator and grimaced at the realization that the options available were few. “I don’t have any alcohol. Would you like some milk, juice or bottled water?”

“Water’s fine.” His answer came from the living room.

She grabbed three just in case Gunnar wanted one and hurried back into the other room. Axel’s back was to her as he stood before the television.

“Here you go.” Setting one on the coffee table, she held the other out until he turned and took it.