Page 4 of Valentine's Day Treasure

CRACK.

Beckett Oswego startled awake in the darkness, eyes wide open, his hand reaching for his gun, his mind reaching for his shift. He rolled out of bed on two legs with his brother’s name in his throat, thinking,forget the gun, just shift. He landed on the floor on four legs, teeth bared, ready to fight, but then his mate, Cerise, spoke from the bed.

“Whazzat?” she asked sleepily.

Her voice soothed Beckett and brought him to reality. He was home, in, or rather hehadbeen in bed, and there was no danger, but the electricity was out. He shifted back to a man, slipped his boxers and socks back on, then climbed back up onto the bed, pulling the covers over himself, breathing steadily and easily, willing himself to calm.

“Power’s out,” he whispered.

Cerise didn’t say anything right away, then she sat straight up in bed, her eyes on the window. “Oh no!” she cried softly, as she got out of bed and hurried over to cup her hands against the glass. She was dressed only in a shimmery silver babydoll negligee that he’d given her as an early Valentine’s Day gift. It looked amazing on her and gave Beckett a good look at her legs and ass. He whistled, but she ignored him.

“I knew it,” she said, turning to him and motioning to the window. “Our Valentine’s Day plans are ruined!”

He and Cerise, plus their besties, Crew and Dahlia, all had an overnight trip planned to Serenity Falls Resort, which wasn’t far from the property. They needed a guard because all the One True Mates were being guarded around the clock, and it had taken him forever to convince Trevor to let them go, but he wanted Cerise to have a real vacation, even if it only lasted overnight—a real holiday, just for her. He’d even had to fill out paperwork, and he wasn’t going to let any stupid-ass storm ruin it.

“No worries, darlin’,” Beckett drawled. “We can still go.”

“Nuh uh, come look.”

He got up, grabbed his camouflage baseball cap from its place on the night stand, fixed it on his head, then went to the window and looked out, not sure what he was seeing at first, but then he realized it was snow, packed up tight against the window.

“It didn’t snow that much,” he said, turning and heading out of the bedroom, down the hallway, through the house to the front door. He yanked it open, trying to see in the darkness. Snow was everywhere—his entire porch was full of it and more was blowing in heavily. He slammed the door shut and shoved his feet into his boots, then changed his mind and took them off.

He hugged Cerise and said, “I’ll check out the storm, Cherry-girl. Be right back.”

She nodded and kissed him.

He took his cap, socks, and boxers off and hung them on the couch, then he winked at Cerise, and shifted into his wolf. Her eyes got big and he went down on his belly and rolled over. She laughed as he got up and went to her, giving her knee a little nip. She touched his head and ran her fingers through his fur, down his neck and back.

They went to the door and she opened it for him.

“Be careful, handsome,” she said.

He barked once—meaning he was never careful unless she was around, and then he went out into the snow. He was a large white wolf with black fur on each foot—the Booted Wolf of prophecy.

He took off, loping over the snow on the porch and out into the yard, head low, senses alert, muzzle pointed into the wind. He climbed on top of a snowdrift against the windward side of the house. The snow was packed enough to hold him in some places, and plunged him through to his belly in others. He made it up and over the drift, cutting between some trees, and around the house, where he found a relatively quiet spot protected from the worst of the wind and snow. He kept going, looping the cabin, checking on his mate, who was staring at him wide-eyed from their front window. She had a lantern near her and a flashlight in her hand. She gave him a thumbs up and he dropped her a wolfy wink.

He climbed up the snow drift again, came down the other side, then crossed the yard to the next cabin over, which was where Crew and Dahlia lived. Beckett circled the cabin, finding all in order, so he headed back to his place, sparing the main house only a cursory glance. Trevor, Trent, and Troy had it together up there—they didn’t need him. His duty was with his mate. He headed inside the tree line of the nearby forest for a quick check, then he returned to his porch.

Cerise was there, holding the door open for him. She’d put on a long jacket. With her negligee underneath and her slim feet still bare, she looked like a fairy nymph welcoming him in from the cold. He shook off on the porch, spraying snow and water everywhere, then went inside, where he shifted to a naked man in two steps and stood smoothly, embracing his mate.

“Oh my,” she said under her breath when he pressed his naked body against her.

“Maybe we can’t go, honeybun,” he said quietly into her ear, nuzzling her neck. She giggled as always at his smooth, country-boy twang. “But don’t you worry none. If we’re stuck here, we’ll have a good ole time no matter what. It’ll be the most fun Valentine’s Day this place’s ever seen.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, just hugged him back, then she whispered. “I know,” and Beckett couldn’t tell her mood by those two words. He pulled away to look at her, and she didn’t seem upset. She was still wide-eyed, staring at him like he was a superhero. He grinned. She always liked seeing him as a wolf and he would use that to his advantage, right now.

He kissed her on the forehead, then held her at arm’s length and said, “Put some warm clothes on, darlin, let’s go check out this ‘500-year storm’ folks are carryin’ on about.”

He shifted into his wolf, cocked his head, and looked at her expectantly, loving the smile that grew on her gorgeous face.

“Yeah,” she said, delight in her voice. “Okay.”

She ran into the bedroom and was out in only a minute dressed in jeans and a sweater, socks in hand. She sat on the floor in the entryway to pull her socks and boots on, then got out her warmest jacket, hat, and gloves, and pulled them all on. She turned on the flashlight, then beamed at him.

He chuffed at her, thinking she looked adorable, all wrapped up warm, with her long strawberry-blonde hair tucked under her hat and lying down the front of each shoulder. He howled playfully, moving close to her, rubbing against her, circling her, barking and whining his affection for her. He pressed his side against her hip.

“Hello,” she said, hugging him again, then she playfully pretended she was going to climb on his back. He encouraged her, getting underneath her, and when she was on him like a horse, he took her to the door on his back. She laughed and opened it. He took her onto the porch and right out into the snow.

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