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North had been gone for over twenty minutes. For the hundredth time, Skye walked to the kitchen window and peered out but all she saw was swirling snow and darkness. A deep disquiet spread through her. Something wasn’t right. She could feel it all the way to her core. If her wolf had been calm, she might have chalked it up to being locked up with the vampires, but her wolf paced, the animal’s agitation skimming close to the surface. As the minutes passed, it became harder to keep her shifting restrained. Her wolf wanted to launch into the storm and go find North. Frankly, so did she, but something about checking on him smacked of caring, and she just couldn’t give into that quagmire of emotions and reality.
Certain she was being overly concerned, she turned away from the window. Her wolf unleased a tormented howl that stopped Skye in her tracks. Her own musings she could rationalize away, but not the desolate cry of her animal. Stupid or not, she needed to find North.
She glanced into the dining area. The flickering flames in the fireplace provided the only light, but it was enough for her to do a quick scan. Everybody seemed settled and were either talking in low tones or sitting quietly.
Deciding to use the back entrance, she pivoted and strode through the kitchen and into the storage room. An array of oversized coats hung on hooks next to the door. Grabbing the closest one, she shrugged in and zipped it. A box of knit hats sat below the rack. Warmth being her main concern, she picked up the first one and tugged it over her ears.
A locked metal door sat at the end of the room but had boxes piled in front of it. She shoved against the stack. It moved an inch. Leaning into the task, she pushed, sliding the boxes just far enough to unblock the door. The bolt scraped against metal as she twisted the knob, giving off a high-pitched squeak. She flinched, glancing over her shoulder. Even though she wasn’t trying to hide the fact that she was going to search for North, she didn’t want the others coming out to help. If he was fine, she’d never hear the end of it. Still, her pacing wolf and gut instinct fueled her need to find him and had her racing against an imaginary clock.
A two-foot pile of snow blocked her path when she opened the door. The icy wind scraped across her face and gnawed at her exposed skin, but she ignored the assault and plunged out the door. She’d barely cleared the first step when a violent gust slammed the door shut behind her. Startled, Skye jumped at the bang and lost her footing. With a hard thud, she landed on her butt and slid down the four snow-packed steps, coming to an ungraceful stop at the bottom.
Pain radiated through her hip, but she shook it off and struggled to her feet. Muttering under her breath, she swore she’d kill North if he wasn’t already hurt. Tipping headlong into the punishing storm, she shuffled toward where she thought the generator building stood. Snow drifted across her route, gathering against anything blocking its path. She tapped into her wolf’s sense of direction and let the animal guide her. After a minute, she noticed a dim light. As she drew closer, she could make out the building and the light glowing from under the door. Relief swept through her. He was probably still trying to get the damn thing started.
Yanking on the door, she hauled it open and slipped inside. The smell of diesel slammed into her. She pressed her hand over her nose and mouth, but that did nothing to alleviate the overpowering odor. Next, her gaze snapped to the flashlight lying near the generator. Fear crashed through her as her eyes darted to the dark corner and North’s slouched body.
“North!” She launched toward him and dropped to her knees. “North, can you hear me?” Her fingers sought his neck, and relief poured over her as his pulse beat strong under her fingertips. When she pulled away, her fingers stuck to his skin and the smell of blood rose above the diesel fumes. “What the hell?”
She plucked the flashlight off the ground and shined it on his neck. Two inch-long gashes ran along the right side of his neck, and blood smeared the area. Luckily, shifters healed fast or he might have bled to death. Though the lacerations still wept, they were already closing up. Who had done this to him and why? Leaning in, she examined the wounds. It was difficult to tell if they were vampire or shifter made. Had one of their visitors attacked North, or was there someone lurking in the night, waiting to attack again? Her gaze darted around the small room, but her senses told her it was empty.
A groan shuddered from North, his eyes opening, and his gaze unfocused.
Skye cupped his face and crouched into his line of vision. “North, can you hear me?”
“Yeah.” He shifted and winced. “What happened?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
“The last thing I remember is somebody choking me out.” He shook his head. “And a lot of pain in my neck.
“Yeah, you have some pretty nasty gashes on your neck. It looks like you were bit or clawed.”
His eyes locked with hers. “One of our guests?”
“That’s what I was thinking.” Releasing his face, she sat back on her heels. “When you didn’t come back, I got worried.”
“You got worried?” A dazed smile curled his upper lip. “I must be dead.”
She frowned at him. “Why?”
His smile curled higher. “Because there’s no way in hell Skye Seward would be worried about me.”
She harrumphed. “Well, at least there’s nothing wrong with your memory.” She shifted to sit next to him and draped his arm over her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you inside before we both freeze to death.”
“We’re probably going to freeze to death anyway. Someone sliced the fuel line on the generator. Without electricity, the heat can’t circulate.”
“That’s why the smell of diesel is so strong.” She looked at him, her mouth mere inches from his. “How do you want to handle this?”
“I don’t know.” As he moved to stand, he grimaced against the pain, his hand going to his neck. “But stay close to me.” With her help, he managed to stand. “In case they decide to do this again.”
“Why? Are you going to protect me??
He angled his body toward her and laid his hand against the side of her neck. “Of course, I’m going to protect you.” His words licked across her skin, sending heat spiraling through her. “You’re my mate.”
Deep inside, her wolf gave a contented growl. She should make a smartass remark, but the way his dark gaze peered straight into her soul drained away her resistance to the idea of them being fated. “Come on, you’re clearly delirious.”
A low chuckle rumbled from him, but he let Skye help him across the room and outside. Though his steps were unsteady, they made quick progress to the back door. After a quick battle with the wind, they slipped inside and bolted the door. Warmth seeped through her skin, chasing away the chill, but her body hummed with tension. Whether from being this close to North or a lodge full of paranormal beings, she didn’t know. Probably a lot of both. Neither situation could be ignored. The storm made that impossible.
As they limped across the storage room, Skye’s hackles rose. Anxiety pulsed through her, her wolf pacing close to the surface. The need to protect North swelled. No matter how much she fought it, he’d become her focus. Someone had attacked him. Why, she didn’t know, couldn’t fathom the reason, but she knew she wouldn’t let it happen again.
“How do you want to handle this?” she asked again as they approached the kitchen.
“Straightforward.” He strained away from her, bracing his hand on the door frame. “Whoever did this to me either leaves on their own or in a body bag.”
She sized him up. Seeing the seriousness in his expression, she nodded. “I got your back.”
“Good.” With a deep inhale, he gave her a sheepish grin. “Because I might need your wolf. I’m still pretty shaky.”
“Wait, North Johnson admitting to being weak? Where’s my phone? I want to record this.”
“Okay.” A snort of laughter huffed from him. “There for a minute I thought your frozen heart was thawing toward me.” His words held none of their usual bite, instead, sounding more hopeful.
She shook her head. “Your ego is still as big as ever.” Admitting that her distaste for him had nearly disappeared made her vulnerable. That was an advantage she wasn’t willing to give him—yet.