Col stared at himself in the reflecting glass Naomi had called a mirror. It was like someone had captured the clearness of the water’s surface and locked it into a rock.

He’d never seen something that looked so perfect. He touched his finger to the mirror in the dressing room again and shook his head.

Uncanny.

The clothing was strange. Heavy. Warm.

Naomi had assured him he was more than welcome to change back into his tosa—or kilt as she called it—once they were back at the cabin and out of the public eye.

If these clothes pleased his mate, he’d learn to wear them. He was on earth now, not Reylea.

The boots were thick and warm, much better for treading through the deep snow and ice than his thinner softer leather ones. The shirt was red and white and orange in a pattern Naomi called plaid.

It’d taken him ages to get the small buttons on the front aligned and connected correctly.

He pushed open the dressing room door and peered out.

Naomi was standing next to Tor, Kann, and Saul. They were all dressed like him, with different colored shirts. Big heavy black boots and puffy black snow pants on over what Naomi called jeans. Personally, he thought they were rather constricting.

His mate smiled and clapped her hands excitedly. She was in a new pair of jeans and a dark purple shirt he’d insisted on after seeing it on the wall.

She looked delectable. The jeans clung to every curve. He wanted to strip her out of everything the second he got her alone again.

A pair of dark blue snow pants hung over her arm, along with a pair of boots she hadn’t put on yet. The woman from the shop stood a little to his right.

“Good fit,” she said.

“Excellent,” Naomi said. “Gloves, hats, and everything else are on the counter already, along with duffle bags for you guys to carry your stuff in.” She handed a small black square to the other woman—a cellphone—and motioned for him and the others to follow her back to the front counter. She sat down and wiggled into her snow pants. Then shoved on her boots.

He waited at her side until she was done lacing everything up.

“It’s weird not really needing these clothes.” Naomi kept her voice soft.

Tor and the lions were at the counter laughing with the clerk about something. All three men had been enamored with the woman, and she with them.

“It is as you said…better to not draw attention to ourselves by wearing what is expected. Your inner body heat will adjust. You won’t be uncomfortable.” Col offered his hand and she smiled up at him as she took it. He pulled her up from the chair and tugged her close to his side. “I will enjoy peeling every layer off of you later tonight.” His voice dropped to a growl, pleased with the pink flush that crept up into her cheeks.

She smiled coyly.

The woman at the counter motioned for her to come, and Naomi gave him a quick wink before wriggling away to tend to whatever needed to be done to pay for their clothing and gear as she called it.

“Thank you so much, sis.” Naomi directed her voice at the cellphone. “I’ll talk to you tonight, once I get back to the cabin.”

“Sounds good, Nai. I gotta run. You going to be good after this?”

“Yep,” she answered.

The clerk put the phone down and handed his mate a long strip of white material. “Here’s your receipt. If something doesn’t work correctly, you have thirty days to come exchange it for a different size or brand.”

“Great, thank you so much for your help. I know we tore apart your shop trying to find everything the guys needed.”

“Not a problem.” The woman smiled up at Tor the whole time. “If you need anything else, just let me know.”

Col shook his head.

The woman was obviously interested in the tiger shifter, but Tor was barely paying attention and playing with something on the bag Naomi had picked out for him.

Col grabbed the blue bag from the counter that had his tosa and other belongings in it and slung it over his shoulder.

The three men followed suit, each thanking the shop keeper for her help.

Tor moved a few steps ahead of their group and held open the door.

They stepped out onto the boardwalk. The sky was clear, and the sun was shining.

The crisp refreshing smell of the surrounding forests filled Col’s lungs. He couldn’t wait to see the countryside when it wasn’t blanketed by snow and ice.

“Mr. Curtis,” Naomi called out and waved at a man down near the road.

He was wearing a bright blue hat and a big brown coat. He stood near what Col now knew was called a car.

The vehicle was black and had four wheels and four doors.

“Ah, Ms. Parker,” he called back, waving her over.

They approached the man who Naomi was renting her cabin from.

The stranger gave Col a once over and then took his time looking over the other three men as well. “You collected yourself some friends?”

“I did,” his mate said, laughing lightly. “Thank you so much for finding a place for them. I know it was very last minute.”

“Of course, it’s a bit rough, but if they don’t mind doing the repairs, it would help me out for next season to have another functioning cabin. I just don’t have the time myself to put into it.”

“We would be happy to put any work into the cabin you wish, Mr. Curtis.” Saul stepped forward. “Thank you for your generosity.”

The older man nodded. “You’re very welcome, boys. You sure you’re going to be okay, all of you staying there together? It’s a big cabin, but old.”

“We will make it work,” Naomi said quickly.

“Fair ‘nough,” Mr. Curtis answered. He opened the door on the back of his vehicle and gestured to them. “Put your bags in the back. I’ll get you out to the cabin you’ve got for another week, Ms. Parker. And then I’ll show you boys the trail that’ll take you right over to the other one.”

“Your help is most appreciated, Mr. Curtis.”

Col’s mate was incredible. She was upending her entire life to stay here with him. Hell, she wasn’t even mad that she’d been turned into a dragon. Despite not knowing that would happen, he couldn’t say he wasn’t pleased, but she was terrified of flying and clumsy in her full-grown dragon form. So, it would be slow going for a while to get her adjusted to sharing a body with the spirit of an animal.

On top of being his mate, she was helping the entire group find a place to live and work.

The drive to the cabin took about three hours. The conversation was mostly Mr. Curtis, telling them all the things that needed to be fixed in the cabin he was going to let them stay in and how he dreamed of having even more cabins to have enough steady income to retire soon.

Col watched the landscape out the window of the vehicle, trying to memorize positions and placements so he wouldn’t get lost if they needed to come south to this place again—McKinley Park.

“You know it’s not much, but Mystery is a great town to live in. It’s not big, but there’s a mechanic and gas station, a diner, a post office…” The man’s voice trailed off. “Several water pump stations, and a small grocer slash hardware store. If you need something specific, it’s likely that the Jenkins’ can get it ordered in for you. There’s a landing strip just outside of town too and they have a good relationship with lots of wholesalers down at the coast.”

“It’s going to be an adventure.” His mate leaned against him.

They were in the back seat of the van.

Kann and Saul were in the middle.

Tor had taken the front seat next to Mr. Curtis.

Col nodded and kissed the top of Naomi’s head. He slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her even closer. “You are my adventure.”

“I like the sound of that. You know I’m still not going to fly with you.” She kept her voice low so no one else would hear.

“Give it time, shuarra. Eventually you will be comfortable.”

The van stopped, and he looked up.

They were back at the cabin.

“Do you want to see the other cabin? The bigger one where you’ll all be staying?” Mr. Curtis asked from the driver’s seat.

“I need to call my sister before it’s too late tonight in New York, so show them everything, and if you wouldn’t mind writing down a list for me so I can keep track. That would really help.” She leaned in the window where Tor was sitting.

Col felt his dragon flex and growl. She was too close to the tiger. Even though his brain knew she wasn’t the least bit interested in Tor, instinct didn’t want her anywhere near an unmated male. If Tor had a mate, it’d be a different story, but he didn’t. Therefore, Tor was a threat.

“Of course, Ms. Parker,” Mr. Curtis said. “Will do.”

“Wait.” He growled and climbed from his seat. Col got out of the van and joined Naomi. “I need to check the cabin. Make sure she’s safe before we go.”

Mr. Curtis gave him an approving nod and waved them on.

“I’ll be okay, Col.”

“And I will be satisfied after I’ve checked the cabin and made sure you are safe.” he answered, following her up the steps to the door.

She opened the lock box first with the code, retrieved the key and then opened the door. They stepped into a dark room. Naomi flipped a switch near the door and the light in the center of the ceiling burst to life, illuminating the living area. “Go check,” she urged. “I’m getting on my laptop.” She walked a few steps to the right and sat at the desk. Opened her device and began typing.

Col took a deep breath. No unfamiliar scents. He checked the washroom and the bedroom in the back before returning to her at the desk. “I will return shortly. Do not leave the cabin until I get back.”

“What about the outhouse?”

He growled, remembering her close call with the Wolf Tribe at the other cabin. Still, he couldn’t expect her to never walk outside without him again. She was a dragon now. If something happened, her animal’s instincts would take over, although Naomi probably didn’t know that yet.

“Well?” she asked and peered up at him with a coy smile.

She was testing him. Sneaky mate.

He ruffled her hair and shook his head. “Just be careful if you do. Scent for anything as soon as you open the door and keep your eyes and ears open. Your dragon will help you if you let her.”

“Sounds good,” Naomi answered. She puckered her lips and closed her eyes, waiting for a kiss.

One he very much wanted to give her. He captured her mouth and tasted her sweetness. She was warm now—like him—but soft and sweet. Col would never tire of touching and tasting and loving her as long as he lived.

She moaned, and he reached for one of her breasts, cupping it and mixing his groan of need with hers.

Naomi was the first to pull away. Her lips were pink and swollen, and her cheeks flushed.

He could smell her arousal in the air.

“You need to go,” she said. “They’re waiting.”

His displeasure rumbled through the quiet space.

“I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Very well.” Col sighed, then walked to the door. He looked back at her once more before stepping out. Beautiful curls. Smiling face. He’d turned her into a dragon and she still loved him. Still wanted to be with him. His heart swelled in his chest and for just a moment his vision blurred. He blinked it away.

Naomi glanced over her shoulder and met his gaze. For a second, she paused, the excitement in her expression changed to one of adoration. Love. Understanding. Something more than he could have ever hoped for. Dreamed for. Definitely more than he deserved.

She mouthed the words I love you.

He mouthed them back. Her face lit up. Her eyes sparkled with flecks of gold he was only just beginning to get used to seeing. She waved and turned back to the computer.

He watched a moment longer. She was putting in her earbuds and bringing up the Skype app to speak with her sister. Or mother. Or brothers. He’d lost count of how many people loved her. How could they not? Everyone that met Naomi loved her.

Stay. His dragon growled, but he needed to do his part. They were a tribe now.

He and Tor and Kann and Saul and Naomi. More if they could find them. But right now, this job and the larger cabin Mr. Curtis said they could fix up to live in was their start. His mate was depending on him to make sure this worked out for them. She was giving up her home. Her family.

She’d chosen him.

And he would choose her back every single day of his life.