Page 14 of November is for Nate

“Not at all,” Lily said.

I excused myself with a promise to come back, and Nate took the box of cookies from my hands. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Okay.” I followed him out the back door of the center. Snow had started to fall again, and I wondered why he’d be taking me outside to introduce me to someone. “Where are we going?”

He let out a low whistle and looked toward the treeline. A huge wolf ambled over, his muzzle crusted with snow.

Nate had told me about Hades, the resident wolf, but hearing about him and seeing the giant beast in person were two completely different things. I tightened my grip on Nate’s arm and took a step back.

“He’s not going to hurt you.” Nate reached out and ruffled the fur behind the wolf’s ears. The animal closed his eyes and brushed his head against Nate’s hips.

I held out my hand and grazed the thick fur on the wolf’s back. He held still, like he knew how scared I was.

“See? He’s like a big puppy dog in wolf's clothing.” Nate’s smile lit up his whole face. I’d never seen him look happier. Worry threaded through my belly, knotting my fears together that he’d be miserable in London.

“It’s not too late to change your mind.” I kept my gaze on Hades’s back. I’d started this conversation over a dozen times in the past two days.

“Ainsley…” His voice dropped an octave. “I told you, I’m not letting you go this time.”

“But there aren’t wolves in London. There won’t be friends to grab a pint with or incredible bakers who make your favorite kind of cookie just to be nice. The only person you’ll know is me. You’re not just leaving your job and your cabin behind. You’re leaving your whole life. You’re leaving your family.” I couldn’t let him do it. Not after seeing the kind of life he’d built in Mustang Mountain. Not after seeing how happy he was here.

“You’re all I need. Yes, I’ve made a life here, but it’s half the life I’d have with you.” He slid his palm behind my neck and cradled my head. “Wherever you are is where I want to be. Besides, you said yourself it’s temporary. Hopefully, we’ll be back in Montana in a few years, right?”

I nodded, both relieved that he was so insistent on us staying together, but also still worried I was making a big mistake by letting him sacrifice so much. “That’s my goal, but there are no guarantees.”

He dipped his head and mumbled against my lips. “We’ll figure it out when the time comes. Together.”

I wrapped my arms around him and surrendered to his kiss, vowing I’d do everything I could to get us back to Mustang Mountain.

When we pulled apart a few moments later, Hades was gone. He’d disappeared into the woods, but he’d left something behind. A smudge of red stained the snow.

Nate dropped the box of cookies and knelt down. “He’s bleeding.”

My heart dropped into my boots, and I looked at the treeline where the wolf had first appeared. “What should we do?”

“I need to go after him.” Nate stood and tugged me toward the door. “Let me grab my coat and a couple of things from my truck.”

“What can I do to help?” It was getting dark, and I didn’t like the idea of Nate being out in the woods all alone. “Can I come with you?”

He shook his head as we entered the big room where the party had kicked into high gear. “I’ll get a few of the guys to come. Tell Asher to be ready for us when we bring Hades back. I won’t know what we’re dealing with until I find him.”

CHAPTER13

NATE

No tellingwhere Hades might be by the time I shrugged on my coat and traded my shoes for snow boots. Jonas and Jensen ran into town to grab some gear from their shop and said they’d meet up with me on the trail. With night falling, the sooner we found the wolf, the better off we’d all be.

Miles and Ford were scouting the roads and Jackson headed back to his cabin, hoping Hades might turn up there. The rest of the guys stayed at the community center. Dean had received some info through one of his older brother’s connections that a few members of a one percent MC club had been spotted gassing up at a station not that far away.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end when he shared that news. Mustang Mountain was a quiet community. Except for the occasional bar fight or rowdy tourist, we avoided trouble and trouble seemed to avoid us. That’s the way we liked it.

My boots crunched on the fresh snow and the dead leaves underneath. Out here, I was all alone. The first stars of the night twinkled overhead, and the faint smell of someone having a fire in the hearth hung in the air. I did my fair share of trekking through the woods for my job, so I was comfortable being on my own. Only, I’d never left someone I cared about behind. There’d never been someone waiting for me to come back. Knowing Ainsley would be worrying about me made me hyper vigilant about my surroundings.

All the strange and unexplained happenings around Mustang Mountain had to be related. From the recent break-ins to the footprints. There had to be a connection. Even the report of illegal hunting in the area might fit into the puzzle we were trying to piece together.

A patch of red-stained snow caught my eye. Hades had been here, and not too long ago. I radioed the other guys to see if any of them had come across anything.

“Hey, Nate here. I just saw a footprint. I’m just east of the creek about a half a mile from the old mill. Anyone else have anything?” Static crackled, then Jackson responded.

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