Page 9 of Curvy Girl and the Mountain Man Wolf
And somehow, I know Kane is right. It won't hurt us. I don't understand how I know this, just as I don't understand why the wolf's eyes seemed so familiar, or why Kane speaks of it with such certainty.
But as sleep finally claims me, one impossible thought surfaces from the depths of my exhausted mind: The wolf wasn't watching the cabin. It was watching us.
Chapter 4 - Kane
The forest is quiet after a storm, sound muffled by fresh snow, the world scrubbed clean. The run helped calm us both, running as wolf always does, but not enough. Not when her scent still fills my lungs with every breath, not when she looked directly at me through the window, her green eyes wide with wonder and fear.
She saw me. My wolf. And she wasn't supposed to.
"Don't go outside alone. Not until I've had a chance to... make sure it's safe."
What I don't say: Don't go outside because my wolf might come to you, might reveal what I am.
She nods slowly. "Okay."
When the bedroom door closes behind her, I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding. This is unsustainable. Two more days, maybe three if the county plows are slow, and then they'll be gone. I just need to keep my wolf under control until then. Keep my secrets buried.
I move to the window, looking out at the pristine snow covering the clearing. The sun is just beginning to rise, painting the white landscape in shades of pink and gold. Somewhere in the distance, a real wolf—not a shifter like me—howls a greeting to the dawn. My wolf stirs at the sound, wanting to answer, but I suppress the urge.
Instead, I busy myself with practical tasks. I rebuild the fire, put coffee on to brew, check my supplies. I have enough food for a few days, but I'll need to hunt if the roads remain impassable longer than expected. The thought of hunting while they're here makes me uneasy. What if Lois sees me leave without a rifle?What if she watches me return with a deer carcass over my shoulders, no visible means of having killed it?
More secrets to keep. More lies to tell.
The coffee begins to percolate, its rich aroma filling the cabin. I grab a mug from the shelf, pour a cup, and through the bedroom door, I can hear Lois's breathing finally deepen into true sleep. The child stirs every once in a while, mumbling something in her dreams.
I settle into the chair by the window, coffee in hand, watching the sun climb higher. The day promises to be clear and cold, the sky a piercing blue above the snow-covered pines. In town, plows will be clearing the main roads first, then working their way out to the smaller communities. My access road won't be touched. It's not on any county map, and that's by design. But the road Lois's car broke down on will eventually be cleared, though it might take days.
Days with her scent in my cabin, her voice in my ears, her green eyes watching me with questions I can't answer.
My wolf growls low in my mind, frustrated with my caution. He recognized her instantly for what she is—our mate. The one human meant for us, the one person who could accept both man and beast. My wolf wants to claim her, to mark her, to keep her here on our mountain forever.
But my human side knows better. Knows the impossibility of it. Knows the danger I represent to her and her child.
A noise from the bedroom pulls me from my thoughts. The child is awake, her small feet padding across the floor. I hear her whisper, "Mommy, I'm hungry," and Lois's groggy response. Then more movement, the sounds of them getting dressed, preparing to face the day.
I stand, refilling my coffee and pulling out pans for breakfast. All this feels like I'm playing a role in someone else's life. The mountain man cooking breakfast for his unexpected guests. A normal human interaction that has nothing to do with the beast that lives beneath my skin.
The bedroom door opens, and Lily emerges first, her hair sticking up in all directions, her green eyes—so like her mother's—bright with curiosity. She stops when she sees me, her head tilting to one side in a gesture so reminiscent of my wolf that it startles me.
"Good morning, Mr. Kane," she says politely. "Is that coffee? Mommy needs coffee in the morning or she gets grumpy."
Despite everything, I feel my lips twitch in what might be a smile. "It is coffee," I confirm. "And there's plenty for your mom."
Lois appears behind her daughter, looking embarrassed. "Lily, please don't tell strangers about my coffee dependence." Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, her face freshly washed. She's wearing the same clothes as yesterday, but they've been smoothed out as best as possible.
"Kane's not a stranger," Lily says with a child's simple logic. "He's our friend who has a giant puppy."
Lois's eyes widen, darting to me. "Lily, we talked about this. That wasn't a puppy, it was a wild animal."
"It didn't look wild," Lily insists. "It was just sitting there watching us. Like it was protecting us."
I busy myself with the stove, keeping my back to them, aware of Lois's gaze on me. "Wolves are territorial," I say, the explanation on the tip of my tongue. "It was probably just curious about new scents in its area."
"See, Mommy? Mr. Kane knows about the wolf," Lily says triumphantly. "Can we see it again? Is it your pet?"
"Lily, enough questions," Lois says firmly. "I'm sure Kane doesn't want to be interrogated first thing in the morning."
I turn, placing a mug of coffee on the table.
