Page 18 of Knot a Chance in Hell

“Okay, I’m going.” Ezekiel backed up, eyes on me the whole time. He clicked his tongue and the dogs followed. “Just know I only came in to comfort you. That’s all I wanted.”

The bulge in his pants said otherwise. I stood my ground until he left with the huskies and shut the door behind him. Once it closed, my strength fled my body and I stumbled back against the frame of the bathroom door and braced myself so that I would keep from falling to my knees. I quivered as I took several deep breaths.

I didn’t know what to do. Would I have to put a lock on the door? Would that be enough if any of the Alphas wanted to get in? I flicked on the bathroom light and did a quick examination of myself. There didn’t appear to be any evidence of anything untoward having happened. We’d both been fully clothed. Maybe he was honest in saying he only came in to comfort me.

But the point was that he came in without my permission. I couldn’t let that slide by.

Wide awake and full of adrenaline, I ran a hot bath. I rifled through my collection of essential oils and ended up putting a little bit of everything in. I needed all the calming I could get.

I soaked for a long while. Maybe I fell asleep a little too. Who knew. By the time I was dried, dressed, and sorted out what boundaries I was going to set with the Alphas, the sun was up. My phone said it was nearly ten.

The dogs trotted up to me wagging their tails as I left the bedroom, but no one else greeted me. The house was empty.

There was a note waiting for me in the kitchen from Ezekiel. He apologized for scaring me and hoped we could talk about it later. Oh, we would. The Alphas had gone to work and would be home in the evening.

Then it slammed into me. I was alone again.

I swallowed heavily and put on the kettle for tea. They’d just be gone for the day. They had to work. It would be good for me to have time to think about things. Yet the weight of isolation closed around me as if the house itself were pressing against my body. It made it hard to breathe.

Bursting out the front door, I let the dogs run out as I took in deep breaths of the cold air. But it didn’t help. No one was out there. I was alone on top of a mountain.

No. Wait. Kodiak’s father lived nearby, and he was retired. They mentioned Savva needing help with his greenhouse. The tension eased in me. That was a wonderful reason for me to introduce myself and help out.

The kettle whistled and the dogs came running back. Trying to put the events of the morning out of my head, I had a light breakfast with my tea and bundled up for a walk. It couldn’t be that far away. Shae had mentioned Savva lived up the other fork in the driveway.

My spirits were high, and the walk wasn’t that long. Atka and Kavik knew exactly where to go. Yet when I knocked on the cabin’s door, no one answered. Only then did I notice the tire tracks in the snow from a truck. He must have gone to town, anda wave of sadness washed through me that he hadn’t stopped by to see me.

Savva’s home was nowhere near as grand as his son’s. It was a simple one story with a steep slanted roof. A few of the logs oozed sap from splits. A workshop and a garage sat on either side of the cabin. The greenhouse was just behind the workshop. The glass was up, but it didn’t have a door and it was a mess inside.

I didn’t want to start anything until I met Savva. It was ridiculous to think of waiting around in the cold for him to return. I didn’t know how long he’d be gone, but I didn’t want to spend all day alone at the cabin.

Shae! She said she lived a few miles down the road. That wasn’t too far.

I made a stop back at the house to put a few pieces of pie in a container as a thanks for picking me up from the airport yesterday and warmed up with another quick cup of tea. Then I was walking down the road with Atka and Kavik happily trotting along with me.

Up and down, and twist and turn. At the top of the third big hill I’d climbed, I was regretting my decision. I needed a car, or I could get one of the guys to show me how to drive a snow machine and a four wheeler.

I huffed and removed my beanie since it felt like I was overheating. The dogs sniffed the trees and logs, not even breathing heavily. “You know, I can dance for hours, but walking up mountains, it isn’t my thing.”

Surveying the way ahead, I couldn’t see where the road went or how far Shae’s place might be. She’d said anyone would be able to hear her dogs barking from miles away, but there was only the rustle of trees and a thousand drops of melting snow. “Maybe her definition of a few miles was more like ten.”

Atka looked at me and gave a small ruff.

I laughed. “More than that? I’m not surprised. We should turn around and get home. I can make some dinner and hope the guys are home soon.”

Turning to look in the direction I’d come, I sighed. I couldn’t see how far I’d come, and the thought of walking back up those hills made my feet ache. The road twisted to the west. If I took a shortcut through the woods, I could shave off a lot of time. My sense of direction was good. My friends always had me navigate when we were at the mall.

I couldn’t remember the last time I hiked through the woods. Had I ever? My outdoor life was spent on tropical islands, and the vast majority of it on the beach.

“My first hike through the woods. This is exciting.” I grinned at the dogs as they bounded ahead of me, jumping through the snow and over logs.

I picked the tallest pine tree in the distance and made that my marker. It would take me up to the top of the next hill, and then I could see where to go from there. “Easy. I should have been a girl scout.” Finding it helped me not to feel so alone to talk out loud, I continued my ‘conversation’ with Atka and Kavik. “None of my sisters were in the scouts, so I never thought about doing it. I had ballet, jazz, and tap, and piano. Those kept me really busy. I wonder what the kids around here do for fun. Do they all fish and play in the snow?

“My dad would fish every day all year if he could. And when he retires, he might just do that. You two would like him. He spoils everyone in his life. Imagine all the dog treats and toys he’d give you.” I laughed as I continued to walk. The snow crunched underfoot and the many drips as it melted were becoming like a symphony.

I did a pirouette, a small jump, and spun again. “My own stage with my beautiful audience.” Giggling, I bowed for thedogs, but they weren’t paying attention. “Maybe I’ll teach you two to dance and make you an internet sensation.”

To occupy my mind, I considered it. I knew dogs could be taught to dance, but after watching Atka chase a squirrel and ram his head against a tree trunk trying to get it, I decided against it.

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