When I pop my human head back in, Riyah’s eyes are still closed. Her teeth chatter.
“Clever.” I crawl into the den the falling snow has created around her. “Nice way to keep yourself warm and safe until I found you.”
“I hate you,” she says without opening her eyes. She’s either too scared or too cold to fight me now.
“I can be a real ass. Can you forgive me? Hurting people is so contrary to who you are. I knew you weren’t responsible for the traps, but sometimes your mate can be a bit thickheaded.”
“A bit?” She opens one eye. My hat is drawn down tight, covering her eyebrows. From the accident, she already sports bruising under her eyes that will probably deepen into hideous colors. “And don’t think you’re ever getting this hat back.”
“It looks much better on you anyway. Will you forgive me? You hold my heart and my soul. I promise to never doubt you again.”
Riyah asks from behind her closed eyes, “What are your plans for warming me up? If I’m going to freeze to death, it might as well be in your arms.”
“I won’t let that happen. I promise. Now let me see what I can do about warming you up.” I cover her with my body.
Doubt creeps in. I can’t lose her. I just can’t. This is all my fault for being such an idiot. How could I even have believed Brody for a moment? Can I keep her warm enough until help arrives? And why do I smell wet dog?
Even Riyah rouses more as the odor intensifies. “You stink.”
“It’s not me, I swear.” I punch a hole in our snow cave. Definitely smells like a damp dog—or dogs?
I hear sleigh bells draw closer. “Whoa! Whoa!” A dogsled team slows before it can run over us. “Jax, you crazy bastard! Where are you?”
Evan.My twin brother and silent partner at the inn.
“Here.” I widen my snow cave hole. Evan being in Sleepy Briar is close to impossible but I know I am not hallucinating. His one condition for giving me the money to rebuild Sleepy Briar was that I never ask him to visit our former hometown again.
His head pops into the hole. “When I didn’t find you at the cabin, I followed your scent. Didn’t quite expect to find you like this, though.”
Whereas I am in my usual bare skin, my twin’s attire is ridiculously expensive outerwear. Just looking at all his clothing is making me feel overdressed. “Give me your clothes.”
Evan’s eyes narrow at Riyah huddled against me. “Nice hat.”
I ignore my twin. “She’s freezing and concussed. We gotta get her warm and medical help. Strip now.”
Sighing, Evan undresses and begins tossing his clothes to me. I cover Riyah with his clothing.
“Fuck. It’s cold out here. I don’t know how you run around naked.” Evan busies himself seeing to his sled team.
Pleased Riyah is marginally warmer, I glance his way. “Pussy. You forget you are half wolf?”
Satisfied his dogs are fine, Evan returns and squats next to me. Nowthatis naked. Riyah rouses herself slightly for a better look and grins. Yeah, my mate is feeling better.
“Don’t get any ideas,” I whisper into my knit cap. “You’re mine. Besides, I'm the more handsome twin.”
“Just curious whether you really are identical twins,” Riyah slurs.
Someone needs to check out her head.
“I gotta get her back to the cabin, then to Augustus for medical attention. She’s the town doc.”
Evan’s eyes widen. “Take her in my sled back to the cabin. I’ll meet you there, then fly you down before I leave.”
Relief floods me. If I can keep Riyah from freezing or losing too much blood, then Augustus will take care of her. For once I’m thankful for my brother’s expensive toys.
As we load Riyah onto the dogsled pallet, Evan shivers. I tuck asking why he’s in Sleepy Briar away in the back of my mind. That can wait. Riyah needs me.
“Brother, she’s my mate. I’m not going to leave her in Augustus. As long as she’s there, I’m there.”