Kelley Armstrong - Frostbitten

What would I have done if someone told me to stop seeing Clay when we were dating? They couldn't have told me anything I didn't already know. I'd spent years telling myself that Clay tricked me, deceived me, but he hadn't. I'd seen the warning signs and I'd worried about them and, in the end, I'd decided to do what was best for me-stay with him.

I'd spent years dealing with my choice, and the consequences, and went right back to where I'd been. Did that make me weak? No. I'd realized that what I needed wasn't necessarily what the world thought was right.

For me, this worked, and no one had the right to interfere. No more than I had the right to interfere with Adine now.

So I gave them my blessing. If this was the life she chose, if it made her happy, that was what mattered.

THE SHIFTER ALPHA and I stepped from the cabin, leaving Eli and his father inside with Adine. Reese stood beside the window, where he must have been peering in. As I came out, he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Everything okay?" he asked. "I wanted to go inside, but they-"

"I'm fine."

"I whistled for the others," he said, as much to the Alpha as to me, as if warning him. "Someone whistled back, so they're coming."

"Good, thanks."

I turned to the Alpha and told him that I'd taken care of Tester's pack, as per our deal. I'm sure he already knew, but he listened politely. Reese hovered at my elbow, playing bodyguard, which would have been just fine except for the awkward glances he kept shooting at the Alpha. He was trying so hard not to stare it would have been better if he'd just taken a good, hard look and gotten it out of his system.

"Reese? I think I hear the guys coming. Can you run and warn them, so they don't come barreling in, ready for trouble?"

He hesitated, gaze shunting again to the Alpha. "I'm fine," I said. "Go." And he did, but slowly, shuffling off with plenty of checks over his shoulder, making sure I wasn't in imminent danger of being devoured. A week ago, the guy ran every time I came near. Now I couldn't get rid of him.

At a noise, Reese whirled, fists raised. It was Noah, rounding a corner in the path, walking a few steps ahead of his captor.

"He is yours now," the Alpha said.

"Hey there," I said.

Noah smiled weakly. Reese pulled off his glove, extended his hand and introduced himself, I could see the wheels turning in Noah's brain, running through the names he'd probably heard from Dennis-Pack names-and not recognizing this one. I was about to explain when he took Reese's hand in an awkward shake, and felt the bandages.

"Oh, you're the guy… " Noah said. "Travis told us. Sadistic bastard."

Reese gave a wry smile. "Yeah. But he's worse off now than I am, so that's some consolation." He thumped Noah on the back. "Elena's got some business here, and I can smell Nick coming. Let's go see if we can sneak up on him."

Terror flicked across Noah's face. Obviously he didn't consider scaring the crap out of a senior Pack member a good way to make a first impression. I sent Reese on his way and motioned Noah over, stepping from the Alpha and lowering my voice. The Alpha nodded and went back into the cabin.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He nodded. "I went back for you, but they grabbed me. I tried to fight, but… " His face reddened and I could see a bruise along his jaw, probably only one of many hidden by the oversized parka they'd given him.

"You weren't the only one who got captured. And I didn't fight. Took one look at them and didn't dare."

A shout to our left. I glanced up as Clay loped through the trees, Reese on his heels. I don't know who looked more worried-Clay hoping I was okay or Reese thinking of how Clay would react if I wasn't.

"Everything's good," I called as Nick, Antonio and Morgan jogged up behind Reese. "Guys, this is Noah."

When Noah didn't budge, I took his arm with my uninjured hand and pulled him forward. I could feel him trembling through the parka, and the mother in me wanted to let him hang back, not push too hard. But the Alpha-to-be knew how important this was. So I only held him steady when it seemed his knees might give way.

"This is Noah," I said again. "Joey's son."

Clay stepped within inches of Noah, towering over him. I could only imagine what stories the Teslers had told him about Clay, what stories even Dennis might have told. I can only imagine what fate Noah thought might lie in store for him now, after joining the enemy in his misguided attempts to protect his father. So I can only give him full credit for not turning tail, but standing firm, even if he was shaking so hard his teeth chattered.

Clay's nostrils flared, taking in Noah's scent as he surveyed him head to foot. When he reached forward, Noah flinched, but didn't fall back. Clay took his arm and drew him over to the others.

"Noah, this is Antonio Sorrentino… "

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS LATER, I was still in Alaska, back in those woods, in a huge clearing, watching the rest of the Pack play touch football in the snow with the twins. My bruised and battered body-and broken finger-kept me sidelined, but I was enjoying the rest and peace.

There'd been little rest and peace in the last day. Less than Clay and Jeremy wanted for me, anyway.

Joey was gone. He had returned to the hotel; I gave him credit for that. He'd left a message with a hotel clerk, saying it was urgent and Clay had to get it right away. That was about the same time that Jeremy convinced someone to wake Clay. They gave him the note, which explained what had happened, and provided a map to the last place Joey had seen me. Then he asked for forgiveness and promised he wouldn't trouble us again. When Noah took us to Joey's condo, we found it empty.

While a happy ending, full of forgiveness and mercy, would be wonderful, I think this was the best solution for all. At least for now. If anyone remained of the Tesler pack-some lackey who hadn't come to Alaska but knew the story-and spread the word that Joey betrayed us and Clay had done nothing… Clay would have had to make an example of his old friend. Maybe Joey knew that. Maybe that's why he ran.

I looked out at the field. Logan was at Jeremy's side as they tried to get Antonio to pass them the ball.

Jeremy was concerned about any Tesler pack members still at large, so he'd had Jaime and the twins take the next plane out. I'm sure a long plane ride with toddlers wasn't her idea of heaven, but she didn't complain. Arriving to find that Jeremy had booked her a day at the spa helped. That's where she was now, Jeremy having suggested it, knowing that an afternoon in the Alaskan wilderness really wasn't her idea of a good time.

Karl was here, too, with Hope. They were off on the sidelines, Hope sitting on a tree stump, leaning back against Karl as she tried to persuade him to join the game. He'd insisted Hope come to Alaska, in case we needed her trouble-sensing skills. She wasn't entirely comfortable with that, no matter how many times I told her she was welcome.

Hope and I were going to visit Lynn Nygard later. That was a contact I wanted to keep, in case Adine decided Shifter life wasn't for her. After her experience, handing her over to a paranormal enthusiast might not seem wise, but at least she'd find support and a sympathetic ear. No one else would listen to those stories, and Lynn would be the first to tell her so.

Karl finally gave in and joined the game, dragging a protesting Hope behind him. He stole the ball. When he passed it to Hope, she stared down at it, a tiny figure swallowed by an oversized parka. Then she noticed the half dozen big guys bearing down on her and took off running, ball in hand.

Nick, Reese and Noah pulled a fast surround maneuver. Nick got the ball, and the three of them raced down the field, passing it back and forth. Yes, it seemed Noah was staying with us. Whisking him out of the state while on parole was far from ideal, but he couldn't exactly go to the authorities and explain why he'd broken parole… and why his newfound father and grandfather had disappeared. So he'd disappear, too, and the authorities would presume all three had gone into the forest and met some mysterious fate. Out here, there were a lot of mysterious fates to be met.