“No one will be asked to leave this pack,” Rafe boomed over the mumbling in the lodge. “We are a pack and we will face pack problems together.”
Grayson added, “We have all heard what happens when wolves find their mates.” He exhaled. “Although I haven’t found mine yet, the drive to protect is supposed to be stronger than any other call.”
Victoria made a small sound of disappointment, which she then tried to cover by clearing her throat.
Damon caught Grayson’s eyes. Thank you.
“We cannot fault a wolf who lives according to our nature,” Rafe added.
While the unmated wolves appeared to stare at Damon perplexed—and perhaps with a bit of judgment—the mated wolves appraised him with a gentler look, as if they understood. Damon was humble and appreciative—especially since his unmated alpha hadn’t banished him for threatening the peace between the packs.
“Where is your mate now?” Rose, a shifter with graying hair in her fifties who ran a cafe in the main lodge and was mated to Sebastian, asked.
“She’s here on the mountain.”
“You’ve accepted your mate, that’s wonderful.” Rosa clasped her hands together and exchanged a warm glance with Sebastian before returning it to Damon. “We all know how reluctant you were.”
His jaw tightened. “We’re not mated. She’s only here for one more night.”
“One night?” Rosa repeated with incredulity. Her expression turned sympathetic.
A wolf rejected by his mate would be lost, tormented. According to pack legends, Damon could be destroyed by finding the other half of his soul—and then losing it.
He gazed out one of the picture windows in the lodge to the snow-covered peak. Would he turn just as mad as his father? Eventually leaving the pack to wander the wilderness alone?
Damon exhaled and dropped his head back. “And she doesn’t know about us. She’s human.”
That revelation hung heavy in the lodge as everyone stared at him.
“You must be careful,” Rafe warned. “We know the dangers of humans knowing of our kind.”
“I will,” Damon promised. “My loyalty remains with the pack.”
“So what happens now?” Sebastian asked Rafe.
“Grayson will set up a meeting with the Sacco pack,” Rafe replied.
Guilt wrapped around Damon like tentacles. This precarious situation was all his fault.
He pictured Sophie lost and wandering in the snow and swallowed. He couldn’t have abandoned the call to go to her. No doubt he would have made the same choice again, even with these consequences.
“We will keep you informed,” Rafe declared and then dismissed them.
Damon acknowledged Rafe and Grayson with a solemn nod before he left the lodge. And after all the tension, he already longed to be near Sophie. Nothing could provide a wolf more comfort than a mate—even if he didn’t want one in his life.
Damon rubbed his temples. No matter what, he was screwed.
At dinner that evening, Damon couldn’t keep his eyes off of Sophie. He’d suggested a Greek restaurant in the village, one owned by the Pappas, a human couple in their fifties who moved to the mountains five years ago. They quickly drew a following, both with locals and visitors. It was one of his favorites places to eat when he went out for a nicer dinner. He typically grabbed a quick après-ski bite at one of the pubs and then let his wolf out to hunt once night fell.
Tonight, he could barely keep his mind on the food as he was far too distracted by the beautiful woman across from him. Her hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders in the sexy dark red dress. Her lips were painted a similar shade, drawing his attention to them.
“How’s your scrod?” he asked.
“Just how I like it,” she replied. “Lots of lemon and the perfect amount of breadcrumbs on top. And these lemony potatoes are delicious.”
“It’s good to see you eat and replenish your energy.” What was with him wanting to dote on her and make sure she was well-fed? He wasn’t her caretaker. “You’re looking refreshed.”
“I had an easy day. Relaxed in the condo with a bath and then went shopping in the village for something to wear tonight. You like?” She motioned to her outfit.
A moan stirred in his chest as he pictured her naked in the bath, but he stopped it from coming out of his mouth. He couldn’t stop his gaze from falling to her full breasts, though. “Very much. You’re gorgeous.”
A shy smile spread across her face before she nodded towards his plate. “What about your steak? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone eat a steak quite so rare.”
He arched his brows. “That’s what makes it just right.” Like all the wolf shifters he knew, he liked his meat as rare as he could get it, cooked just enough to keep all the flavors from a fresh kill. Not that he would tell her any of this. She was human and wouldn’t understand his way of life.
A twinge of guilt poked at his ribs. She mentioned seeing wolves and had been terrified by the fight. She wondered if she’d imagined the entire thing. He’d skirted the truth.
He was one of the wolves.
It wasn’t something he could reveal to her. His pack had just reminded him of the danger of humans knowing of their existence. And as a pack enforcer, he was responsible for protecting the pack. To put his trust in the wrong person could be disastrous.
If humans came to investigate reports of strange wolves here in the mountain, it could ruin the entire way of life his pack had worked so hard to establish. They had to be careful with whom they trusted.
And humans were at the bottom of that list.
Which was why his mate couldn’t be a human.
But you know she is, his wolf insisted.
Damon suppressed a groan. The draw to her was undeniable. His instincts had gone on hyperdrive since finding her in the
