Page 12 of Cherished By Her Guardian

“I would definitely like that.”

She pulled off her hat and gloves, stuffed them in her pockets, and then shrugged off the heavy coat. She was wearing leggings and a long sweater in a light purple color that had glittery white snowflakes on the hem.

He took her coat and hung it up alongside his in the employee breakroom, then took her to speak with Santa and the others.

“This is the main security office,” he explained to her with a low voice. Then he said, “Everyone, this is Winterlyn Brooks. Winterlyn, you already met Santa and Bart outside. That’s Hunter and Winter, they’re polar bears, and Heath, an elf, like Bart.”

“Tell us everything,” Santa said. “Bart found her location, and we’re sending a team to her home now, but I’m not going to hold out hope that she’s actually there.”

“Sure,” Winterlyn said. Declan pulled a chair out for her, and she sat down. “I wanted to come to Northernmost because I can’t shift.” She told her story, starting with the online chat she’d found, meeting with the head of the coven, Annette finding her, and the way she’d been acting that morning.

“I’m really sorry about all of it,” she said when she’d finished. “I don’t know what possessed her to do something like that. She’s full of good magic. Why would she want to take you out?”

Santa wrapped his hand around his beard with a frown. “I’m not sure, except that my brother put Annette up to it, that much I’m certain of. I don’t hold you responsible at all, Winterlyn, so don’t worry about that. It turned out that fate had a reason for you to come up here, even if you came along with a nutcase.”

The buzz of an alert from a security team member sounded. Hunter pressed the button. “This is Ventura,” came the response.

“You’re on with the team and Santa. What’s the word?” Hunter asked.

“She’s gone. We noticed an older male in the home and broke in to investigate and found him deceased. It doesn’t appear that he’s been dead for very long, though. Do you want us to stake out the house?”

Hunter looked at Santa.

“Yes,” Santa answered. “When she returns, contain her and alert us. I’ll come down there and speak to her myself.”

“You can’t go down to the States right now. It’s not safe,” Declan said.

“It’s not safe anywhere right now,” he pointed out. “However, my brother is recovering from spreading winter around the world and he’s not doing anything right now except recharging himself. I’ll take a security team with me, but I’m not sitting on my ass while Frost is out there telling people to come stick me with knives designed to kill me.” He leveled a long, quiet look at Winterlyn, and she felt like he could read her mind. “Declan, bring your mate to my office for a chat.”

He left the office, and she looked at Declan.

“Come on, sweetheart.” He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet. When their hands were linked, he felt soconnected to her, it was genuinely amazing. They hadn’t done more than cursory chatting and he already felt their connection as mates.

He needed to talk to her. Privately.

He wanted to know everything about her.

Well, what he really wanted to do was toss her over his shoulder like a caveman and run to his place in the barracks so they couldreallybe alone. But Santa wanted to speak to her right now, so that’s what they were going to do.

They left the security office after he asked Hunter to find someone to cover his shift.

“I can’t believe that witch tried to kill him. What do you suppose she did it for?” she asked.

“I’m not sure, but if Frost put her up to it, then you can bet she needed something from him and this was his price for the help.”

They passed through the outer offices, where the elves who worked directly for Santa were settled in cubicles decorated for the holiday with tinsel, ornaments, and twinkle lights.

He paused at the door to Santa’s office.

“I’m sorry if everything feels rushed right now, but because of the witch that brought you here, we’ve got to deal with that situation before you and I can take a step back from the craziness and get to know each other.”

“I understand,” she said. “I’m glad you were at the portal when I came through, though.”

He grinned. She was so beautiful, he felt like he and his wolf had won the lottery. “Me too, sweetheart.”

He pushed open Santa’s door and found the male behind his large desk. Behind him was a picture window which faced the Well and had a great view of the Northern Lights.

“Welcome,” Santa said. “Have a seat. Can I get you anything? Hot cocoa, water, tea?”

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