Page 13 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
Bite her. Claim her.
The urge was powerful and smacked me with such force that my head shook as if struck. Another handful of barkcrumbled beneath my hand as I tried to grip the tree to anchor me to my logical self.
“That’s fascinating. Sad, but fascinating.” Mariska lifted her head to meet my gaze. Her eyes widened and dilated. She swiftly stepped back and placed a hand on the side of Artemis’ neck. “Can the trees be saved?”
Her voice trembled with the words. Those cherubic lips of hers were meant to be tasted, kissed like there was no tomorrow. If I leaned in…
Fuck. What was I doing?
I cleared my throat and focused on the tree. Nothing had been harder before in my life. Crouching down, I cleared away some of the snow from the base to expose tiny bare branches. “The number of new shoots here shows that there is great injury to the tree. The infestation is at least a year old. Borers can take down trees in two to four years. Good thing that this one is older and maybe will respond to treatment. I don’t see any injection points, so it hasn’t had any injections from a tree surgeon yet.”
“None. According to the file.” She affirmed my observations, still with a shyness in her tone. A tiny shiver of pleasure at it traveled along my spine.
“You can put in a request for your usual arborist to do it, but I will add in my report that I’ve been working on a more potent serum for these infestations which may help since it is so far along. All of the ash trees here will need to be treated.” I stood and wiped the snow off my lower legs before making a note of my own. “We have an ash grove at our farm, and I’ve been fighting to get rid of the infestations. Some of the trees are over one hundred years old. It would be a great loss if they fell to the bugs.”
“A great loss,” Mariska echoed, nipping at her lower lip as she continued to type on her tablet. “Do you think you wouldbe able to treat the trees? I know the Kraus family would greatly appreciate it. I think they have an old ash by their house too.”
For you, anything. I swallowed hard. “I would gladly help.”
“Thank you.” She smiled and I would treat a million trees just to see her happy like this. “I know I won’t be here to see the results of your work, but I’ll pass on the file to another tech who I know will appreciate your help. These copses are vital to the welfare of the wildlife in this area, and it’s important we keep them healthy.”
The reminder that Mariska was leaving Wisconsin squeezed at my heart and lungs. I could barely breathe. I could only nod as she put her tablet away and led us back toward our vehicles.
The crunch of our boots in the snow and the distant slow whump of the turbines had my stomach twisting. I couldn’t stand the thought of this being the last time I saw Mariska. But how to make her stay? I needed more time.
My mind scrambled and tossed out the first thing I could think of. “It’s about noon now. Would you like to join me for lunch?” Shit. Did I sound like a schoolboy asking out a girl for the first time? “My treat.”
“Oh.” Mariska looked down at the ground and to the sides. Anywhere but at me. “I don’t think…” She wrapped her arms around herself. “It isn’t a good idea, you know? We shouldn't be alone together as it is.”
I wanted to say fuck the Omega laws, but I knew they were for her safety. Hell, there were a few times back there I didn’t think I could trust myself with her. That fact wasn’t stopping me though. “How about dinner later this evening then? I could bring someone to be an escort if you didn’t have anyone available. I know the best supper club in the area.”
She put a few more paces between us, burying her face deeper into her coat’s collar. “Thank you for the offer, but I have a busy weekend ahead.”
I was ready to beg, but what sort of Alpha did that? She probably already thought I wasn’t worth the time. Balthazar would have growled, stating he’d pick her up at six, whether she said yes or not, and Jasper would have had her eating out of his hand, licking and sucking his fingers as he lured her back to his bed. Me, I was the strange Alpha who wanted to hug the sick trees.
My father’s voice snarled in my head:Take what you want. You’ve never been Alpha enough.
I’d heard that constantly since I was a boy.
He’d been an asshole. Once I found my pack, Jasper and Balthazar had made me feel I had nothing to be ashamed about, but still my father’s ghost sometimes whispered in the darkness of my mind.
We arrived at our vehicles. Mariska stopped by her Jeep’s door. “It was good working with you, Lucian. I’ll put a recommendation in that they use you again if Antonia isn’t available.”
I took off my beanie, suddenly feeling too hot. “Yeah, I really liked talking with you. You’ve convinced me to go with turbines at the farm. Definitely the best choice.”
Mariska beamed. “I’m glad I could help.” Her smile then weakened and turned down. She removed her gloves as she dug her keys out of her pocket. “I guess I should be going now. I have two more sites to visit on the other side of the county today.”
Don’t go! I took off my gloves and ran a hand through my hair. Dammit. I needed to be strong like Jasper and just let go of her. “Well, drive safely and take care. That goes for you too, Artemis.”
At the sound of her name, Artemis wagged her tail and leapt away from Mariska who only had a loose hold of her leash. The dog jumped up with her front paws on my chest, and I laughed as I scratched behind her ears and on her sides. “Such a good girl.”
Once she lowered down, I took her leash and held it out to Mariska.
“Thanks.” She reached out and her fingers brushed mine as I handed over the leash.
It was as if a bolt of electricity zipped from her to me. Not as in a painful, frying your nerves type of way, but a jolt that awakened every cell in my body. A rumble vibrated my chest as she jumped back and swiftly opened her door.
My chest heaved as I breathed in her now more potent sweet scent. My head cleared and fogged at the same time, and my vision focused solely on her.
