“What the fuck was that?” I asked John over dinner in West Yellowstone. I’d pointedly avoided ordering beef, and now I regretted it. John’s steak looked amazing.

“That’s called recruitment,” John said, with a sigh. “Also, being a decent human being. The calf that wolf killed probably cost the family eight hundred dollars, and you saw where they live.”

“Not the wolf’s fault,” I snapped, stabbing at my chicken parmesan. “People shouldn’t be ranching this close to the park.”

“Right.” John rolled his eyes. “You want to know how long that family’s owned that ranch? Five generations, Karen. Five generations.”

I took a bite of chicken. It was terrible. “And you want to know how long wolves roamed free in North America, before we showed up and slaughtered them all?” I said, jabbing my fork in the air for emphasis.

John shook his head. “I really don’t want to have this argument again. Can we please fight over something else? Departmental politics? Anything?”

I sighed. John was kind of cute, in a vulnerable, nerdy sort of way. It really was a shame he was married.

“Listen,” I said, “I don’t mean to be such a—”

John raised an eyebrow.

“Well, I don’t mean to be difficult. It was a rough week in the park. I think my nerves are still frayed. Can I get you another beer to make up for it?”

John shook his head. “Nah, I’m driving back to Bozeman. You too, right?”

“No. I’m staying here. I got a room across the street.”

John raised both eyebrows at that.

“It’s Saturday,” I stammered. “And it’s a—” I hesitated. I couldn’t really say long drive. By Montana standards, a ninety minute drive is practically next door.

“Okay,” said John, slowly. “You want to spend a rocking Saturday night hitting the bars in West Yellowstone. Got it.”

I laughed. “Not quite. Actually, I’m going to bed early.”

John looked even more confused. I ordered us both a second beer and tried to change the subject.

****

MY HOTEL ROOM WAS TINY, and it smelled bad, like someone burned a lifetime’s supply of Ramen noodles in the sad, gray microwave. Since I decided to spend the night when I was already halfway here, I’d left Bozeman with just my purse. No toothbrush. No sexy pajamas. Not even a change of clothes for tomorrow. I took off everything but my underwear and my MSU T-shirt, pulled the paper-thin curtains shut, and lay on the bed, trying to will myself to fall asleep. And trying not to worry about whether or not this hotel room was even close enough to the Lamar Valley to reach Vali. Or if Vali was still around at all.

After an hour of tossing and turning I gave up and turned on the TV, flipping through channels until I settled on the most boring thing I could find, a televised bowling tournament. I turned to volume down low and leaned back, waiting for sleep.

****

MY EYES OPENED TO DELICATE spring sunlight, filtered through the pale green of aspen leaves. I was back in the dream forest. Finally.

I ran through the trees and burst into the meadow so quickly it surprised me. My legs staggered as I pulled up short to look around. The same flowers were blooming, that unrealistic mixture of wildflowers from every season. The sky was a clear, translucent blue, like the smooth curve of a robin’s egg.

I was alone.

“Vali,” I whispered, walking the edge of the meadow, staring through the trees. “Vali!”

I cupped my hands around my mouth, calling to the forest. “VALI!”

“Hello, beautiful Karen.”

He’d entered the meadow silently. Now he stood directly behind me, so close we were almost touching. I clamped my mouth closed to stifle my moan. Of course, he was completely naked, and damn, he was so fucking hot. Relief crashed over me, flooding my body with heat and forcing the breath from my chest.

“Oh God, Vali, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

He wrapped me in his powerful arms and pulled my body to his. “Why would I not be?”

I met his eyes. “Listen, I have to warn you—”

He stopped me with his lips on mine. I opened my mouth to his hungry kiss, pressing my chest against his, my body shivering as his hands ran down my back to cup the curve of my ass. His scent surrounded me, and I was suddenly acutely aware of my thin T-shirt separating our bodies.

“Warn me later,” he growled, dropping to his knees.

He yanked my underwear to my ankles, wrapping one arm around my hips as he buried his head between my legs. I hardly had time to gasp before waves of pleasure crashed over me, knocking me off balance. His moans rippled through my entire body, escaping from my lips. I sank my fingers into his hair, clinging to him for balance as my body burned under his touch.

“Oh, Vali, I’m—” I gasped, expecting him to pull back, to stop.

He did not stop. His fingers tightened around my hips as he pulled me closer, his tongue thrusting inside me as his lips devoured me, sending great red waves of pleasure soaring through my body, each one more intense than the last.

“I’m—” I panted, my hips rocking against his mouth, my hands digging in his hair.

He shook his head against me, his lips and tongue deep inside me. My orgasm tore through me like an explosion. I cried out, something loud and wild and animal, as my head rocked back and my mind drowned in a haze of ecstasy.

I was only dimly aware of Vali lowering me to the ground, and the tickle of grass against my thighs. My eyes slowly refocused to find Vali’s full lips and high cheekbones, his dark curls against the cerulean sky.

“My woman,” he said, his voice hoarse.

I opened my mouth to speak, but my lips seemed to have forgotten how to form words. He grabbed my hips, flipping me over. My face pressed into the ground, and I could smell the earth, and the green scent of broken wildflower stalks. He shoved my T-shirt down over my back to pool under my arms; then he pulled my waist up and spread my legs.

“Oh!” I gasped.

Vali moaned as he thrust inside me. He filled me so quickly it took my breath away, his hips hitting my thighs, his breath coming in quick pants above me. I dug my fingers into the dirt, grabbing for purchase among the thin, little roots as his thrusts rocked my entire body. He was so big, so damn big, he hit every pleasure center I had—

Vali leaned over my back and I could smell him, his wild, sweet scent. “My woman,” he whispered.

His arm curved around my waist and his fingers traced the apex of my sex, sending shivers rocketing through my body. I opened my mouth to say it was too much, too soon, but all I could do was moan as my hips rocked against his and pleasure rolled through me like breakers against the shore. I let my cheek fall to the grass as my eyes closed, my vision swallowed by euphoria.

I came again, my body clenching around him as I moaned his name into the ground. His fingers pressed against my clit, drawing out my climax, until the pleasure was so sharp and intense it was almost pain. When I finally stopped screaming he released me, panting, and I collapsed onto my back.

His hands traced my breasts as I waited for my head to stop spinning. When I opened my eyes, his face was just above my chest. He grinned at me and kissed the hard tip of my nipple, then ran his tongue around the edge of my areola. I sighed at the flood of heat between my legs, surprised my body had any nerve endings left.

“My woman,” Vali whispered.

“My wolf,” I replied.

His laugh filled the aspen grove. Then his hips shifted, parting my legs, and he was inside me again, moving slowly and sweetly. I stretched my arms, letting the grass and wildflowers brush against my skin, my body rocking against Vali’s without thought, without effort. This time the pleasure grew slowly, almost like a dance, until we were both gasping and panting as our bodies rose and fell, rose and fell against each other.

We came at the same time, both crying out as our hips crashed together, his cock spasming deep inside me. He fell forward onto my chest, his head pressed against my neck, his sweet, wild smell surrounding me. For a long time we lay like that, arms and legs entwined, our chests rising and falling together.

“What was it?” Vali finally said as his lips nibbled at my ear.

I blinked at the bright sky. “Hmmm?”

Vali rolled onto his side, one arm still resting across my stomach. “Your warning?”

“Oh.” I tried to fight my way through the endorphins flooding my brain to form a coherent thought.

And I failed. Miserably. “Uh. I don’t—”

Vali’s laugh rolled across the meadow as he bent to kiss me. Our lips danced together for a very long time, and I wasn’t sure there had been a warning. I wasn’t even sure there was another world; all that seemed to matter was right here, pressing his naked chest against mine.

He pulled away, still grinning at me. “That can’t be comfortable,” he finally said.

“What?”

Vali glanced at my chest and I realized I was still wearing my blue MSU T-shirt, bunched up under my armpits. I felt my cheeks flush as I sat up, pulling off the shirt and tossing it into the grass. “I didn’t even notice.”

“I apologize for my haste,” he said, his eyes on the crumpled mess of my discarded shirt. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again. I wasn’t sure you’d want to return.”

My heart surged. “Oh, I wanted to come back! I searched for you, Vali!”

“As I searched for you, beautiful Karen. Once I even thought I heard you.”

Tears bit at the corners of my eyes. To cover them up, I leaned forward, kissing Vali’s soft lips until I felt them curve into a smile.

“Oh, God, I’ve missed you,” I said. And with that admission, the rest of the world came flooding back to me.

“Listen, I remember what I wanted to say,” I said, shifting in his arms. “When you’re...not here. Not dreaming. Look, you’re safe as long as you’re inside Yellowstone. When you’re in the park. But outside of it, you need to know that humans are dangerous.”

Vali smiled at me, his hand tracing the curve of my cheek. “Humans are always dangerous.”

“Well, yeah, I suppose. But listen, please. Those ranchers, they’ve got guns. And it’s not always clear where the park boundaries end, and—When I heard a wolf had been shot—”

Tears slipped down my cheeks, and I tried to brush them away discreetly.

“Beautiful Karen,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “I appreciate the warning, but it is unnecessary. I can take care of myself.”

I took a deep breath and tried to pull myself together. “Just...be careful. Please.”

Vali shrugged and pulled me close to his chest. His back tightened under my arms and his breath caught in his chest. I had just enough time to wonder what I’d done wrong when he spoke again.

“I also have a warning for you,” he said.

I pulled back, suddenly feeling cold. Vali hesitated; his wild, golden eyes looked lost. “I...I enjoy you, Karen. Very much. But you shouldn’t come here again.”

It was so far from what I expected him to say that I felt like I’d jumped in the stream in Yellowstone again. A dark, cold shock sank into my arms and legs, chasing away the post-orgasmic bliss.

“What?” I stuttered.

Vali stared at the sky. “I’ve appreciated the companionship. But it would be best if you did not come again.”

“You’re dumping me?” I started to blink furiously against a fresh flood of tears. “Wouldn’t it have been better to dump me before you fucked me?”

Vali frowned in an adorable way that made me feel seriously pissed me off.  “What do you mean? Did you not enjoy yourself?”

“That’s not the point,” I snapped, pulling away from his touch.

“Let me explain—”

“Stop. Don’t even fucking say it. It’s not me, it’s you, right?”

“No,” said Vali, sounding confused. “It’s not me or you. It’s—There’s something wrong here. Don’t you sense it?”

I wiped my cheeks and turned to him, my heart hammering against my ribs. “What are you talking about?”

“Not here. Not in dreams. Out there in...what do you call it? The ark?”

I took a deep breath as my heart stuttered. “The park? You mean Yellowstone?”

He nodded. “Something’s gone wrong. I may be able to help, but Karen, it’s very unstable right now. You should leave this place. Go somewhere far away.”

“Vali, I can’t leave. I live here. I work here. I mean, I study the wolves—”

My voice cut off as I remembered Zeke’s charts with those overlapping circles. The black emptiness in the middle of the park, in what should be prime wolf habitat.

“Oh, shit.” A cold shiver ran the length of my spine and the hairs on my neck prickled. “Vali, is this why the wolves are leaving Yellowstone? Is it the volcano?”

“It’s more than that.” His golden eyes darkened. “I’ve warned my brothers and sisters to leave this place. And now I’m warning you. If I can’t correct what’s gone wrong, I at least want you as far away as possible.”

I tried to breathe as a maelstrom of conflicting emotions churned my heart and mind. “But...if you’re still here, you’re in danger.”

“I’ve lived a thousand years. I’ll be fine.” His smile was not very convincing.

“Can you...can you change?” I whispered. “Come home with me?”

My head spun as I remembered his naked body in the Lamar Valley, pressing my lips against his as the thunderstorm rumbled over Druid Peak.

“I could find you in the park,” I said frantically. “I could shoot you with another tranquilizer dart. I could be there by this afternoon, in the valley—” 

“No. No, you don’t understand.”

“But, if you’re in danger here, you would be safer—”

“No!” Vali leapt to his feet, backing away from me. “Karen McDonald, I don’t want you near me!”

I felt like the air had been forced from my lungs. My head dropped to my knees, and I hoped Vali couldn’t see my shoulders trembling.

“I—I apologize.” His voice sounded oddly thin. “Karen, listen to me. If I can’t stop this, I want to at least know you escaped. That you’re safe.”

His hand touched my shoulder, and I lifted my head. Vali crouched in front of me, looking pale and miserable.

“Karen, my beautiful Karen, I—”

His face began to fade, pulling away from me into a thick, white mist. I reached for him but my hand was caught, tangled in something rough and scratchy. I yelped, opening my eyes to see the mottled yellow of the motel room ceiling above me.

“Goddamn it!” I screamed, sinking my fist into the anemic pillow next to me.

What’s crazier than having a boyfriend you can only meet in your dreams?

Losing him.