The wind tore at my gown as I braved the mountain path. The lower I descended down the mountain, the colder it grew. The sun was shining when I left the cabin I shared with my mates, but here each gust held a tinge of winter, even a few flurries of snow.

I frowned. It was not even autumn. Why was it so cold?

When I reached the foot of the mountain, a fog, thick and vile-smelling, draped over the path. Shadows grew from the mist and I shrieked, almost dropping my basket.

“Stop.” Two large warriors stepped into my path, blocking it. “What are you doing here?”

I felt their eyes on me as I answered, keeping my gaze on my feet. “I’m here for my mate.”

A long pause passed, but I didn’t raise my eyes.

“Muriel?”

I turned at Wulfgar’s deep voice. My mate hastened up the path, his great brow creased.

My relief at seeing him melted before his hard frown. “You should not be here.”

I raised the basket. “I brought you some food.”

Wulfgar took my offering without looking at it. “Quickly. It’s not safe here.” With a large hand at my back, he hustled me back up the path. When I stumbled, he scooped me up in his arms. His stride barely registered a burden as he put on a burst of Berserker speed. When we broke away from the fog, the sun shone and birds chirped as if nothing was wrong. When we reached a sunny meadow, untouched by the wind or mist, I was shivering.

“You’re cold,” Wulfgar said gruffly as he set me down, and wrapped the pelt he wore around his shoulders around me. “You should not be here. It’s not safe.”

I bowed my head at the anger in his tone. “I’m sorry. I did not know.”

“You should’ve asked before you came.”

The chiding in his tone froze me more than any weather. “I-I tried. It has been over a night and a day, I haven’t heard from you or Fergus—”

He cursed. “The Corpse King breaks the pack bonds.”

My lower lip trembled. Wulfgar cursed again and hugged me to his great body. “Come here, lass. Forgive my rough words. You startled me.”

I clung to him, savoring his hold. It had been days since I’d seen my giant mate, and months since he had held me like this.

All too soon he eased me backwards. His blunt fingers caught my chin gently. “You must stay away from the lower reaches and the boundary of the protection spell. Promise me.”

“I-I promise.”

Fergus! Wulfgar called for my second mate using our shared mind link.

Coming, the bond echoed with Fergus’ faint reply.

“You will stay with Fergus. Do not stray. You must promise me.”

I nodded against his hand, eager to please my gruff mate. His face softened a touch, and he pulled me forward, kissing my forehead just as Fergus arrived.

“Don’t let her out of your sight,” Wulfgar ordered before striding away.

“Muriel? Why are ye here? And so barely dressed? Ye must be freezing.” Fergus shrugged off the pelt over his shoulders and placed it over the one Wulfgar set on me.

“It is still summer,” I protested.

“The Corpse King has spells to control the weather. His attack on the mountain is constant.” An arm about my shoulders, Fergus led me away. “Why did ye venture so near the foot of the mountain?”

“I did not know. I have not heard from you or Wulfgar. I’m sorry.”

“Och, lass. Ye miss us. ‘Tis no crime.”

“Wulfgar was so angry,” I whispered.

“Not at ye,” Fergus said quickly. “He has been fighting these past few days without rest.”

I bit my lip. It wasn’t only the past few days. For the past few moons, my older mate had withdrawn from me. Fergus was just as loving, but it had been a long time since Wulfgar had shared my bed. Until I felt the chill of his disapproval, I didn’t realize how lonely I was without my second mate.

Fergus must’ve felt my melancholy, for he stopped to hold me close. “It will be all right, lass. The Alphas are calling the witch. We are to watch the bairns while they speak to her.”

“Things are very bad, aren’t they?”

The strain around Fergus’ mouth and his silence told me the answer.

I bit my lip, looking past him down the path. I could not see far past the poisonous fog bathing the base of the mountain, choking out the forest and foothills beyond.