Page 4 of Fearless Bond

“Barclay? What now? Don’t tell me you’ll be late. Run here in fur with your undies in your muzzle, I don’t care. You promised…”

“No time for that now. You’re on speaker,” I warned before he got even more riled up. “I found a freezing human in the forest and got him home on the four-wheeler. He’s exhausted and cold as hell. What do I do?”

It took my cousin a couple of seconds to reply. “Shivering?”

“Not anymore. He’s pale and sleepy.”

“Get him out of any wet clothes. Remove shoes, socks, and gloves. Everything that’s damp must be off. I’ll be there in ten.”

I set the fleece blanket aside and crouched by Calvin. After removing his jacket, I took his shoes, jeans, and socks off. He looked like he was trying to help but moved slowly and clumsily.

His light-blue boxer briefs had wet patches on them.

“We need to take these off,” I said. “They’re wet from the snow.”

He blinked, confused.

So I covered his middle and hips with the blanket and reached underneath it.

“Not looking,” I said as I grabbed the waistband and dragged them off.

Calvin gawked at me, bleary-eyed and afraid.

“Hunter, you there?” I called in the direction of the phone.

“Yes.” I heard Hunter start his car.

“What next? Rubbing with dry towels?”

“No. Just cover him with a blanket. You have to warm his chest and neck. Don’t try to heat his limbs first. Got any heating pads?”

“No.”

“Barclay, how can you not have basic equipment? You’ve lived here for a decade!”

“I don’t get cold.” And it wasn’t like I got human guests or spent my days prowling the woods for lost omegas.

“Do you have an empty plastic bottle? A large one. Fill it with hot water and wrap it in a towel.”

“Ah. Clever.” I put a pillow under Calvin’s head and ran to the laundry room. I found an empty bottle of detergent and filled it from the tap.

When I got back, Calvin’s eyes were closed.

“Tingles,” he mumbled.

“What?” Hunter said loudly over the sound of his engine.

“Hands and feet,” Calvin murmured. He didn’t open his eyes, and his cheeks were still frighteningly pale.

“Barclay?” Hunter said. “I didn’t hear him. What did he say?”

“He said his hands and feet tingle.”

“Good. He’s warming up. Give him the bottle so it warms his chest.”

I looked at the tiny omega in my lounge chair and at the big bottle of warm water. Then I helped Calvin lie on his side andput the bottle in his lap so he spooned it. He hugged it with a sigh. I adjusted the fleece blanket over him.

“He’s got the bottle, and I wrapped him in a blanket. I’ll start the fire.”

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