Carrying her to where his clothes were hidden proved to not be as easy as he’d thought it would be. Whether because he was exhausted from his night prowls, or because he was battling the emotions that being near her roused in him, Rusty was trembling by the time he reached his destination.

He laid her down gently, checking once again to make sure her breathing was regular, and was relieved to find it was. He noticed the cut on her head still oozed blood, but not as badly as it had at the beginning. Overhead, the storm still raged, but here, the canopy of trees was thick enough that it protected them from the worst of the rain that was now turning to sleet and would soon become snow. He shivered in the chill damp air, wishing once again he were wearing his wolf pelt.

He quickly brushed away the layer of leaves and twigs that covered his waterproof backpack and unzipped it. He pulled out his clothes, dressing quickly with furtive glances at the woman, making sure she was still unconscious. He really didn’t want to have to explain that she’d been carried through the woods by a naked man who had been the wolf who’d caused all the trouble in the first place. Oh, and then there was that bump on her head.

But now, he thought as he squatted down next to her, what am I to do with her?

His phone, retrieved from the bag, was not showing any reception, which was odd in itself, as he had often made calls from this part of the woods without difficulty. He had to believe that the storm probably interferedwith the reception out here, even though weather had never affected it before.

Instead of panicking, though, Rusty considered what he should do next. Obviously, he needed to get her some help. She might have a concussion, or at the very least, a really bad headache when she woke. He was closer to his cabin than to the town, but would she suffer too badly if he took her there first and gave her first aid there? He could take her to town in his truck once she regained consciousness or he finished his rudimentary first aid on her wound. His hesitation to turn her care over to the doctor in town played at the edge of his thoughts, but he put aside the deeper consideration of his reasons for wanting to keep her with him.

Then he had a startling thought. If she were not who she was, would I still want to bring her to my cabin? He decided that was a thought best left for later.

Before Rusty could ponder any longer, the air around him dropped another few degrees. Snow fell, slipping like icy fingers down the collar of his shirt in an ever thickening cloud of whiteness.

He reached down and gently picked her up. Taking her to his cabin it would be. At least there they would be out of the elements, and he could call for help from Havenwood Falls. Getting her warm was his first priority. The head wound looked to have finally stopped bleeding, but her unconscious state still had him worried about the possibility of a concussion.

Carrying her was somehow easier now. He curled her body into his for warmth, and within a half hour, they’d traversed the distance to his cabin. In that short span of time, the intermittent flakes that had first fallen had become a mini-blizzard that had him wiping snow from his eyes as he walked, not an easy proposition as he carried her. Snow had accumulated along the path, and he left footprints behind him as he walked.

Hard to believe it was spring, but that was Colorado for you. Wait a few hours and the weather would change, the locals said. Today was definitely proof of the vagaries of Mother Nature’s mind.

When he reached the cabin, he sighed in relief. The wood was stacked to the left of the door, and he noticed the rack was half full. He made a mental note to cut more. His front porch, holding two rocking chairs and a few half-hearted attempts at greenery that were just twigs in dirt right now, was the most welcome sight he’d seen in a while.

As he passed, he noticed his truck—a beat-up Ford issued by the park for his use as a ranger, the job he occupied in his human form—listing to one side.

“What?” he asked no one, inspecting it as he walked. One of the tires was flat. “Oh, that’s great. How did that happen?” This would put a monkey wrench in his plans to take the woman into town.

They might just have to stay here for a few days after all. At least until he could get Joshua out here with either a tow truck or a new tire.

Once they entered the cabin, Rusty walked to the far end where his bedroom was and set her on the bed. After wrapping two layers of quilts around her, he left the room to find his first aid kit.

When he returned a few minutes later, he found her snuggled into the covers, snoring lightly. She looked adorable, and he couldn’t resist reaching out and smoothing her hair off her face. She moaned at his touch, and he drew his hand back, afraid he’d hurt her. She muttered something under her breath, and he thought he heard the words “my angel” before she fell back into a fitful sleep. Watching her for a few minutes more, he felt a strong desire to join her under the covers. The thought of her body against his bare skin roused him once again to desire.

He treated her head wound as best as he could and bandaged it. She never moved under his touch. He rubbed her cheek, the feel of her silky smooth skin overwhelming him, and he had to draw back several times to maintain control over his body. He could still feel the wolf inside him.

Once her wounds were treated, he stepped from the room and closed the door, leaving it slightly open so he could hear if she stirred.

He shrugged into his coat and went outside to retrieve some wood for the fireplace. The storm had picked up in intensity. There was no way anyone was getting to his cabin tonight in this weather. His arms full of wood, he leaned down to the fireplace and settled the fire into a rush of flames. He tried to stop thinking about what might have happened had the woman continued to walk toward town in this storm, dressed inappropriately for the weather as she had been.

He set about preparing some leftover stew for dinner, hoping she might wake soon and knowing she would be hungry when she did. While he waited for the stew to cook, he checked his phone and noticed there was still no service. Now what was he to do?

This woman appeared to be on the mend, so once she woke up, he could check her for a concussion, but until then, he had to pray she was okay.

His thoughts turned to whom she might be as he settled into a chair near the fireplace. He picked up a book and read three pages without remembering a word. Keeping his thoughts off the woman and his strange reaction to her presence was not going to happen if this book couldn’t hold his attention.

He stared into the flames and pondered this development.

Who was this woman? Why was she occupying so much of his thoughts? What had his strange need for her meant? Was he losing himself to his wolf side? Was his need for companionship as a human translating itself into animal desire when he was a wolf?

What would have happened if he’d given into those desires on the hillside when he’d held her in his arms? He shivered at the thought of the consequences of his actions if he hadn’t been able to control himself.

What if she was his perfect mate?

There were consequences to that, too. Consequences that could do her more harm than good. Being with someone like him wasn’t as simple as going to a justice of the peace to get married.

His eyes traveled to the room where she slept and widened in surprise.

She stood in the doorway, holding one of his guns, and it was pointed at him.

“Who are you?” she said in a soft voice, her hand trembling. “And what have you done to me?”