Clark

Hate her? How could they hate their ideal woman? If she hadn’t been sent by the Paranormal Dating Agency, he’d swear the gods themselves had designed her for them. Perhaps they had, in fact. Just looking at her standing on the edge of a cliff, taking pictures of the moon rising over the mountains, the breeze ruffling her hair, showing not an ounce of fear, and he knew for sure she was theirs.

But when he parked in the carport, and Ty helped her out while he grabbed her bags, he experienced a moment of worry. They’d had all winter to fix the place up. And they’d done a little. But winter was, of course, their busy season, both for work and play. They spent the months out on the slopes and the backcountry trails, only coming in to eat and sleep. And not always even for those things. Spring, summer…they’d have more time when they weren’t dealing with avalanches and pack members who frolicked too far in the snow.

Heavy clouds were boiling in from across the valley, and the first flakes fell. Spring was in no rush to arrive.

Still, as they helped her up the snow-covered steps and onto the porch, he wished they’d made time to pretty the place up. It wasn’t as if the healer hadn’t warned them. Clark held the door open and waved Jenni inside. “Welcome to our humble home.”

Ty grunted. “Emphasis on the humble part.”

“Aren’t we going to Polar Lodge?” She stood in the dark as the two of them scurried around lighting oil lamps and Ty stirred up the fire in the huge fireplace. “I hoped to get changed before dinner.”

The mellow glow lit the center of the room but left the corners shadowy. Just as well, since they were probably full of cobwebs and dust bunnies. “This is Polar Lodge,” he said, watching her face. The lamplight made her look even softer and more appealing, but her narrowed eyes didn’t convey happiness at what he’d revealed.

“Oh. Your house? I’m staying at your house?”

Ut oh. “Yeah. I thought you knew.” Had he really thought that? He tried to remember the Skyped conversation he’d had with Gerri, he and Ty. They’d just returned from days in the far backcountry dealing with an avalanche situation in another pack’s territory when she called. Exhausted and hungry, they’d have agreed to anything she said, just happy to have their mate on the way. Not that Gerri promised a mate… But they knew she’d be special.

And she was.

“Ummm…” Jenni turned in a slow circle, taking in a cabin that looked even worse in comparison with her beauty. Would she demand to be taken down the mountain to a real hotel? If they even could, with the snow falling heavier by the minute and the wind kicking up. “What’s the spider situation here? I might have a little fear of the beasties.” Her self-deprecating smile sent his heart soaring.

“Spiders? Well, it’s winter, and the cabin gets pretty cold when we’re out on the trails so I don’t think there are any right now.” He wanted to cheer. “That’s your only comment? I know the place isn’t what you’re used to.” Hell, it wasn’t what anyone in the twenty-first century was used to.

“Well…” She bit her lip then released it. “You have this big gorgeous fireplace, and I noticed the porch stacked with wood, so we won’t freeze. Provided you have food and haven’t kidnapped me, I think we can enjoy our date. I gather dinner is here, not in some restaurant, right?”

What a trouper. “Right.”

But Ty couldn’t let well enough alone. As usual. He moved closer to her and murmured, “What makes you think we haven’t kidnapped you?”

She lifted her face to him, the firelight reflecting off the two of them, leaving Clark content for the moment just to see them together, talking about what they would have for dinner and other small things. He’d be content to make this his world forever, but would she?

Gerri had warned them that their date was not a shifter and indeed had no knowledge of their world. Her friend Matilda, a wolf shifter, had hired the agency for her. Few in their pack had ever gotten involved with ordinary humans, but there was little ordinary about this woman.

How many women who got off that plane from Los Angeles would have taken the accommodations in stride. She, however, deserved better. Striding toward the kitchen area, he determined to do what he could to make it so. At the very least, he’d sweep out any spiders that had managed to survive through the winter. Despite their assurances, the cobwebs told another story.