The next morning, as the sun was no more than a glow on the horizon, Brayden slipped out the back door of his cabin and shifted into a bear.

He needed to get over to the lodge to check on things and maybe see if he could fix the snowmobile. He didn’t like the idea of them and their guests being stranded here without a way out. It was always possible that someone could get sick or hurt and need a way to get to the hospital. Even with Doc Cooper here, things could happen.

He would be at the lodge in no time as a bear. The snow had slowed to light flurries. He hoped the sun didn’t come out today if only because he’d gotten behind Taylor and supported her prediction.

Taylor.

He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Before he’d left the cabin, he’d peeked in on her. She’d been sleeping peacefully, curled up under the blankets, her dark hair splayed across the white pillowcase. The instinct to join her – to climb into the bed and tuck her body against his had been strong. Brayden was certainly no saint. In fact, as he’d hinted to Taylor, he had a reputation for being a ladies’ man. He felt the title was unjustified. He’d just had his share of girlfriends.

But with Taylor, it was different. He didn’t want to scare her away, and he didn’t want her to see him that way. He wanted things to be perfect with her.

Contemplating this new protective sensation, he padded along the familiar path, the snow crunching beneath his paws. Though he was well-insulated in his fur, he could feel his heart rate slowing and the instinctual pull to curl up and go to sleep for a few weeks.

He kept his focus on getting to the lodge. He went first to the pool house, shifted back into his human form, and put on clothes that he and his brothers kept there.

When he came out of the pool house, the cold wind struck him in the face. He hurried to the back door, went inside, and, using the keypad, let himself into the private area of the lodge reserved for family.

He found his sister, Skylar, in the dining room eating oatmeal. She had the Weather Channel on.

“Hey. You walked,” she said, doubtlessly noticing that he wasn’t wearing a coat. “In the cold.” She didn’t bother to hide the disapproval in her voice. It was risky to be out like this in the cold, and his family knew this.

“Yeah. You the only one up?”

“Pretty much.” She picked up the remote and switched to the local channel. “When is the snow gonna clear?”

“I don’t know. Depends on which forecast you go with.”

“That’s the thing.” She glared at the television. “Where is Taylor Stone? She’s the only one that gets our weather right.”

He picked up a scone. Walking as a bear always worked up an appetite. “She said it’s going to keep snowing today.”

Skylar looked at him sideways. “Taylor hasn’t been on in two days.”

He shrugged. “Oh. Well, I’m sure someone said it at some point.”

“Hmm.” Skylar reached out and picked up a scone, tore off a bite, and chewed. “Brayden.” She narrowed her eyes at him.

He looked up and reluctantly met her gaze. His sister was relentless when she had the scent of something interesting. Being a mountain lion shifter, her human personality mirrored that of a mountain lion. And now that he’d slipped up, she knew it. “You don’t watch any other weather than Taylor.”

“Sometimes I do. I was watching the Weather Channel just yesterday.”

Skylar narrowed her eyes. “You just quoted Taylor’s forecast.”

“Maybe I got confused.” He finished his scone and washed it down with some orange juice.”

“You know where she is.” Her eyes narrowed.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He kept his gaze toward the window away from his sister’s piercing stare.

“We found her car.”

Brayden turned and glared at her. “You did not. If you did, you’d have a search party out.”

“Too soon. No one’s reported her missing.”

“How do you know it’s her car?”

“Wyatt ran the plates.”

“Since when did Wyatt start running plates on guests’ cars?”

“Since we had a snowstorm, and there was a car stranded on the side of the road.”

“Sounds like an invasion of privacy to me.” My privacy. And Taylor’s.

“I think we should shift-up and go look for her.”

Brayden shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Ah ha.” Skylar grinned. “You do know where she is.”

Brayden took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. His sister was nothing if not persistent. She would gnaw on this until she found out anyway. “She’s safe.”

“You have her.”

“I wouldn’t say I have her. She’s staying in my cabin until the roads clear.”

“So… tell me about her.” Skylar leaned forward, her eyes bright.

Brayden turned toward the window. Shrugged. “She’s just a girl.”

“You like her.”

“She’s likable.”

“Is she your mate?”

“What?” Brayden turned back to face his sister. “I don’t have a mate.” But his gut twisted, and he felt the pieces of a puzzle shifting into place.

“Of course, you do. Everyone has a mate.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Seriously? How can you not know?”

“When you find a mate, I’ll ask you the same question.”

“Nope. When I find my mate. I’ll know. I have no doubt.”

“The optimism of youth.”

Skylar lifted her chin. “I’m twenty-one.”

“Youth.” Brayden persisted. Anything to get Skylar’s focus off of him. “How do you expect to find your mate? You never go anywhere.”

“I’ll find him. It works like that.”

“How? You’re going to let him put in all the work in finding you?”

“You’re a fine one to talk.” Her voice held an uncharacteristic defensiveness.

“You can’t say that I don’t get out.”

“Yes, you do. But you aren’t looking for a mate.”

“How do you know?”

She scrunched her face. “You’re just looking for pleasure.”

“Who isn’t?” he said absently. Maybe I don’t have to look anymore. The thought came unbidden. And was surprising. He heard his sister talking, but he didn’t hear what she was saying. Shaking off the odd sensation, he focused on Skylar. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I said I’m working on a plan. Why are you here anyway?”

“I came to fix the snowmobile.”

“I think Cooper’s working on it.”

“Doc? Guess he had the same concerns I have.”

She nodded. “Being stranded.”

“I’m going to see if he needs any help. Would you put together a bag of fruit for me?” He smiled as he felt her scowl at his back.

He went through the crowded lobby. With the snow, only a few braved going outside this early. Most people were gathered inside either at the restaurant or around the fireplace. One couple was playing Scrabble.

He found Doc Cooper out in the garage tinkering with the snowmobile.

“I thought you all were going to order some more of these.” He said.

“I am.” Brayden decided then and there that he was going to take care of that himself. “What’s wrong with it?”

“I don’t know. I think it needs to go into the shop.”

“Or the junkyard.” Brayden suggested.

“Might be the best idea.”

“Let me take a look. I think it did this last year.” Brayden lifted the hood and checked the oil.

“I just checked the oil.”

“Okay. This thing’s funny.” He checked the spark plug wires. Jiggled one of them. Turned the key and it started.

“Is that all it took?”

“Yeah. I’m telling you, this thing is funny.”

“Damn. I should stick to working on people.”

Brayden laughed. “Why are you here anyway? It’s a perfect morning to stay inside with your mate.”

Cooper shrugged. “I don’t have a mate.”

“Victoria?” Cooper had been happily married for two years now. Surely being happily married meant he had a mate.

“She’s been with her mother in Denver for a week. I’m not so sure she’s coming back.”

“What the hell? Victoria’s your fated mate.”

Cooper shook his head and wiped his hands on a rag. “Apparently, she isn’t.”

“A false mate, then?”

“Looks like it.”

“How can you tell?”

Cooper scoffed. “It’s the damnedest thing.” He looked up and met Brayden’s gaze. “I don’t miss her.”