As Aidan walked in front of me, leading the way towards a dimly lit room at the end of the long hallway, I noticed the gallery of framed photographs hanging on the roughly-hewn wall. Some of the photos appeared to be at least a hundred years old. There was a hand-drawn map, and the skull of a moose over an arched doorway.

Before we crossed the threshold of the room, Aidan checked inside to make sure everything was safe, before he guided me into the space. The room was empty, except for an enormous nest of pillows on the floor in the corner of the room. It wasn’t exactly a mattress or even a couch. Instead, it was a cozy nook where one might curl up and read a book before falling asleep after a leisurely cup of tea.

The room smelled like sage and lavender. I inhaled its pleasant aroma, and searched for a place to sit. The only spot available was the nest of pillows.

“After you,” Aidan said assertively.

I settled into the pillows, grateful for a chance to get off my aching feet. So much had happened today. I felt utterly wrung out.

Aidan sat down across from me. His eyes quietly raked over my features. An intense, awkward silence hung between us as his penetrating gaze captivated me. My skin tingled when I imagined what it would feel like to have his hands on me. What would it be like to glide my fingers across his firm, muscular physique? I giggled a little as I thought about it.

“What’s so funny?” He studied my expression.

“It’s nothing.” I bit my lip. I wasn’t about to let him in on my dirty little thoughts. “Do you think they’re talking about me at the meeting?”

“Probably. Want me to go out there and find out?”

“No. I like you here,” I smiled. My face flushed suddenly with heat.

I tried to shake off the attraction I felt for Aidan, but I couldn’t deny the way he looked at me, and the intoxicating way he smelled. His rich, masculine scent was enough to drive me to the brink of insanity. I scooted closer to him, so that my leg brushed up against his. I hoped he’d take the hint.

He did.

Aidan’s hand glided up my leg to the curve of my kneecap. He cupped it with his palm, while his fingers lazily traced a pattern across my skin. Every touch from his silky hand set my nerves on fire.

It wasn’t just the way he touched me that aroused me, it was everything about his commanding presence. I wanted him, even though logically, right now certainly wasn’t the right time or place.

“You’re stressed,” he said matter-of-factly. “Your muscles are so tense.”

“Mmmm,” I said softly.

Aidan inhaled deeply, taking in my scent, as he worked his magic massaging my legs. His hands traveled up my sides, smooth against my skin, while I tried to keep myself from passing out from the pleasure of his touch. With his one hand, he scooted my hips forcefully and turned me around. Then, he cradled me between the V of his legs. I leaned back into the grooves of his strong, muscular chest. The warmth of his breath against my skin was both invigorating and pleasurable.

“So, how did you end up in Bond, Alaska?” He sighed and tightened his arms into a comforting cocoon around my trembling body.

It was a simple question, but answering it wasn’t easy. It was complicated, and I didn’t want to burden Aidan with the details of my private life. I had to keep things professional between us. Although, with him rubbing my back and the feel of his hot breath against my neck, being near Aidan felt anything but professional. I was pretty sure I’d crossed the ethical lines of professional conduct when I’d climbed onto his back and let him carry me to the Lodge.

“I came to Alaska because I wanted adventure. That’s all,” I said quietly.

“Hmmm.” I could feel his cheeks smiling against the crown of my head. My hair cascaded down my back, and he brushed it aside tenderly. His lips grazed my ear as he whispered.

“Tell me the real story. I know there’s gotta be more to it than that.”

I tensed. What good would it be to lie to him? I wasn’t ashamed of my history. I’d worked it out in therapy for the past decade. I’d told the story so many times, it almost felt like it’d happened to someone else. I was able to distance myself from it, like I was telling him about something I read in a newspaper.

“My house burned down when I was fifteen. I was spending the night at a friend’s house when my sister left a candle burning in her bedroom. By the time the firefighters arrived, it was too late. My parents and my sister died in the fire. I was alone after that. Some relatives took me in until I graduated high school. I worked my way through college, then law school.”

His jaw tensed, and he swallowed uncomfortably. I continued.

“I jumped through all those hoops because I thought it would make me happy again. But then I woke up one day, and I realized that none of it did. I wanted to get away from people, and their pity. I wanted to come where nobody knew my sad story. The end of the road is Alaska, so that’s why I came here.”

I sighed. I hadn’t meant to tell him so much. I shook my head, wishing I could take the words back. Even though it felt so far in the past, it still hurt like hell to think about it. I’d lost my baby sister, my parents, and our home all in one night. I’d lost it all. The stuff didn’t matter, not the journals that burned or the baby pictures that went up in flames.

What hurt was the fact that I’d never hear my sister laugh again, or play cards with my dad. I wanted to go back to that time of innocence, when the worst thing that I had to deal with was getting grounded by my parents. Life had been simpler then.

But now, when I tried to relate to other people, I couldn’t. I felt like an outsider in my own life. Nothing much mattered to me anymore. Well, except justice. If I could help others, then maybe I could pull myself out of the grief and depression that’d been hounding me this past decade. Maybe I’d have a reason to live again.

Aidan’s breath, warm and comforting, brushed across my neck. I leaned into him instinctually. I didn’t want to find comfort in him so quickly, since he was practically a stranger. But our chemistry was undeniable.

“Thank you for telling me that,” he said quietly. “My mother was killed in an attack. It was a long time ago, right after I was born. She died defending me. I don’t think you ever get over something like that, even if you’re too young to know it at the time.” He paused. “I know it’s not the same…”

He squeezed my arm affectionately, and steadied me as I leaned back into his embrace. Our breaths synced as we both slowly exhaled.

It was the first time I’d opened up to anyone like that. I’d put up emotional walls around me in the years since the fire. I knew people meant well, but I’d been too hurt by well-wishers who’d unintentionally made my pain worse. They’d wounded me with their comparisons and with their platitudes. But Aidan was different. He seemed to understand, at least a little.

“Thanks for not freaking out,” I said through a sheepish grin. The truth was, I missed the carefree, innocent girl I used to be before my life went up in flames. Being with Aidan and riding on his back earlier tonight gave me a fleeting glimpse of that old life. If he could make me feel that way, then maybe there was a chance I could peel off my defensive layers and become happy again. It was worth a shot, anyway.

“Likewise,” he said as he squeezed my hands.

I heard heavy footsteps approaching from down the hall. I tensed, my body suddenly gripped by the realization that I was in a den of wolf shifters. Aidan sensed my fear and stroked my hair, placing a stray tendril behind my ear.

“It’s just Jameson. He won’t bite. I promise.”