Her mothers pack had already eaten dinner upon their arrival. The food through the pass had been slim but Neira was sure they could wait till morning to stuff their gullets. Well Shade and River could. Her not so much.
Lumi had shown Shade and River to a cabin up the path, it was small but enough for the two of them. Neira didn't like the idea of sleeping away from them but she couldn't quite inform her mother that these two baboons were now her safety blanket. Besides, Shade's scent from the other night had bee blown away by the vicious wind in the pass. Now she just smelled like a mixture of the two, pack. Neira knew her mother wouldn't allow her daughter to sleep with males who were not her mate.
Even if she was a fucking adult.
It made Neira angry. She wasn't a child any longer but she was just too tired to argue. Tomorrow, she would deal with it tomorrow.
Her own visitors cabin was just as she remembered. A little carbon copy of the one Shade and River were probably already passed out in. No bathroom, but a wash basin and beautiful log rails. There was a single window at the back of the cabin to let in light, but Neira new that any more windows would just let in too much cold. It made the wall of windows back in Shades cabin come to the forefront of her mind. She missed it.
She'd filled the wood stove before crawling into bed but it did nothing to keep away the chill as she trashed and rolled in the thick duvet. Neira lay awake for hours before finally bundling back up in the fur coat her mother had lent her and stepping out into the icy wind.
She could have walked this path in the dark. She'd memorized it as a child when her and Elias would run up and down the paths as teenagers. It was funny that, being back in the area, the frozen tundra, had made her think about the lost king of the south.
Shadow walked along side her, his form flickering in the wind. What are you doing exactly?
"I can't sleep," Neira whispered. "I need my pack."
You pack? Shadows words were rushed, coming out like a different whip to the wind.
"Yes," Neira snapped in retort. "My pack. If they will have me."
And if they won't?
Neira was quiet for a long moment, the only sound the crunching of snow under her feet. "I don't want to think about that."
Why do you even want them as your pack anyways? Did you forget about your mate?
Neira let out a low growl as Judd's copper eyes flashed behind her lids. His face perfectly shaped, strong jaw clenching exactly like it did when he was displeased with her. She didn't say anything further, just stomped up the steps of the cabin like a petulant child. She watched Shadow dissipate from the corner of her eye.
She slipped inside, River's snoring covering any noise she would have made coming into the small cabin. He was passed out on the couch, his bare ass barely hidden by the quilt thrown over his body. And in the corner, the bed sat against the wall. An ebony wolf lay curled in the corner, its eyes closed.
She padded over to it, hoping she wouldn't wake him, and slowly peeled off her sweater and extra layers before sliding under the covers. She rolled, so her gaze faced out at the small cabin instead of the huge wolf at her back.
The mattress dipped and shifted. And then a warm strong hand set itself on her arm. "Can't sleep?" Shade asked, the warmth of his breath curled along her shoulder. She didn't dare roll over. She might see more of him again, and that didn't end so well last time.
Neira shook her head. "It's too quiet in my own head. I missed River's snoring."
She felt Shade's laugh instead of heard it, his chest rising in quick beats. "That makes one of us." His hand was still on her bare arm, the space between his fingers feeling too cold.
Neira tilted her head, catching his black eyes out of the corner of her own. They were even darker in the blackness of the cabin, hooded with an expression she couldn't place. "Is this alright? That I am here I mean?"
Shade's eyes creased with confusion and maybe concern. "Of course Neira." He gave her arm a squeeze. "River only stopped tossing when you came through the door."
She stared at him in the dark for a second longer. "And you?"
Silence. It stretched between then so hot and thick Neira thought she might choke on it.
"I have yet to fall asleep."
So he was the same then. Maybe she was reading too much into this. Neira looked away and nodded slightly. The mattress dipped under Shades weight as he moved around on the mattress. She felt him slide under the covers behind her, careful not to touch her. She rolled to face him then, his black eyes scanning her face.
He held out his hand for her, and Neira laced her fingers through Shades. They fell asleep, fingers tangled together.
Neira woke to the sound of dripping water. Her eyes catching the sight of Shade at the basin in the corner of the room. His back was turned to her, the thick corded muscles clenching as he raised his arms to wash his face with the cloth.
His warm skin was smooth, and it stretched tight over the deep groves and valleys of his chest and stomach. She could see his torso in full view through the mirror. Water dripped off his chin and on his tight chest. Neira swallowed.
He wore a pair of jeans, the button undone and revealing the very base of his length. It looked thick, it looked -
Neira lifted her eyes quickly just as Shades gaze caught her own in the mirror.
Her face flamed red so fast she thought she might melt of embarrassment.
"If I wasn't so hungry I would ogle at you as well Shade. You look delicious this morning." River leaned against the back of the couch, naked as the day he was born.
Neira stifled a laugh as Shade turned to glare at River. Neira had looked at River naked more in the last few weeks than she'd looked at her own hands. He was always naked. "River, I know you mean it as flattery, but quite honestly your advancements come off more perverted than anything."
Riven stuck his lip out with a mock pout. "My wounded feelings. You wouldn't say that to Neira if she said the same thing."
There was a beat of silence, and a darkening in the room as Shade's eyes turned molten. "No. No I wouldn't."
Neira felt the pink return to her cheeks.
"And there is nothing wrong with staring." River continued on, as if he couldn't feel the tension brewing in the room. "Neira and I stare at you all the time."
"I do not!" Neira snapped, sitting up too quickly in the bed. The blanket dipped low, too low on her chest.
"Oh right. I stare at Shade, and Shade stares at you." His pointed stare nailed Neira to the bed.
Neira and Shade spoke at the same time. "Do not!" River just stared with a dead pan expression. He rolled his eyes.
"Come one you two! There is nothing wrong with ogling each other."
It was a challenge. The tone was set. River knew for a fact that Neira was naked under the covers. And he was betting she wouldn't get out of bed. Betting with her hand all in.
Neira glared at him, at his stupid male bravado. Fuck him.
Still glaring she shoved the covers off and got out of bed. River's eyes didn't linger. No his gaze flashed to Shade.
And Shade was watching her. His body tight, his lips pressed into a thin line. His eyes were grey, not there normal black. Neira had seen it enough times that she knew what it was now. This was the tell all, Shades wolf eyes coming forward. It was Shade loosing control, the alpha male coming forward. And it wasn't because he was angry.
No, she caught the scent of his desire in the air. So did River, because one minute he was standing, watching Shade, and the next he was out the door and into the cold. Neira didn't even notice is he had found some pants.
Truthfully Neira was surprised she even noticed River leave. Her eyes were glued to Shade's as they flashed black, white, grey and back to white.
Neira stepped forward and braced her hands on his chest. Shade let out a low grunt, trying to gain control of his body once again. She knew from previous times that this always disorientated him. Being blind as a wolf was expected for him, easy. As a human, it was nothing but confusion.
"Shade," Neira said, peering up at his face. Eyes black again, then white. "Just breathe."
A corner of his mouth twitch upwards as Shade fingers dug into her arms for balance. "Neira if I were to breath right now all I would catch is your scent, which isn't exactly helpful."
Neira frowned. "Sorry," she mumbled, beginning to take a step back.
Shade held tight, his eyes flashing black for a final time. "Don't even think about it. I like your scent."
Neira still had her hands on his chest, his skin was so warm under her palms. "You do?"
Shade seemed to moved closer. "You smell like honey and sex."
Neira blinked as red flamed on her face. A squeak left her parted lips. She wanted to crawl under the bed and hide. Shades black eyes roamed her face and then very briefly her chest. And suddenly she remember how naked she was. Her hands left Shades chest to cover her own.
Slowly Shade pulled his hands back from her upper arms and placed them on her wrists. He ever so gently pushed down. "Please don't hide yourself just because of me. You're a stunning creature, never hide it."
Neira let her arms fall and lifted her chin. "You think so?" She asked.
Shade raised his hand, running a finger along her collar bone. "You are magnificent in all ways, Neira."