Page 16 of Tis the Season for Sass
“What are you doing? He is our friend!”Chance shouted to his wolf.
“Why does he smell like our mate? He is covered in her scent!”
Chance knew there had to be a logical explanation as to why Lars carried the scent his mate.“He’s mated to Sofia. There is no way that he would ever do anything to hurt her. Think about it! Lars is our friend, and his wolf is honorable.”
His wolf paused, seeming to think about what Chance had said. Everything that he stated was the truth. He knew Lars, and Lars would never hurt Sofia. He would rather die than harm his mate in anyway.
“Then why does he run?”
Chance looked up just in time to see that Lars had shifted into his wolf form and taken off like someone had lit a fire under his ass.
“Fuck!”
Chance had hoped for the opportunity to discuss this like a human, but it seemed like that was going to be out of the question. His wolf took off after Lars at a blinding speed, wanting answers as to where their mate was and why he smelled like her.
“You’ve got the wrong idea, friend,” Lars said through the pack connection.
“Then why are you running?” Chance asked.
“Because I think I know where your mate is, and I’m going to take you to her.”
“Liar!” Chance’s wolf snarled.
12
“Ginger, are you sure there isn’t something you want to talk about? You seem so…distracted or something since you got back from the mountain. Did Chance say or do something stupid? Because I swear—”
Ginger slumped into the chair, staring out the window, still haunted by the ghostly riders and the shattered memories they delivered. “No, it’s nothing like that.” Although truthfully, she knew Chance did have at leastsomethingto do with her distracted state, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle.
“But it was something then.”
“First off, you know I’m not crazy, right?”
“Meh, that’s debatable. But if you’re asking if I think you’re a raving lunatic, no. I don’t think you are.”
Ginger brushed the sarcasm aside. “All right. Well, this is going to sound completely nuts. But…have you ever had an experience, that was like a dream, but wasn’t? Like majik was in the air and you were witnessing…I don’t know…spirits? Specifically, spirit warriors looking like they just broke out of Valhalla, riding wild-eyed black horses through a blizzard? Oh, and with a wolf pack running alongside and being led by a golden god and some sort of dark ice queen. Because that is what I saw in that storm, up on that mountain last night. I’m dead serious.”
Sofia drew in a deep breath and exhaled as she attempted to absorb the shards of a fantastic scene which had been thrown her way. If it would’ve been anyone other than Ginger making these wild claims, she’d recommend a straitjacket and a strong tranquilizer.
“Well, you’re right about one thing, it does sound nuts. But who am I to say you didn’t see it? What about Chance? Did he witness it?”
“Nope, he slept like a baby, right through it. But there was something more…I’ve been trying to put my finger on it. The only way I can describe it…well, it’s like those riders, they gave me something, pieces of memories. I knew they were memories of mine, but ones that I’d lost a long time ago. The thing is, they were just broken up. The bits and pieces are all there, but I can’t rearrange them into anything that makes sense. It’s like a kaleidoscope in my head.”
“Is there anything, anything at all you might recognize?”
“Maybe faces and places? They seem familiar.” She replied, her hands trembling.
“Listen, I can tell you are dead serious about this, and it’s really bothering you. Now, I don’t have any answers for you. But I know someone who might. We’re going for a run.”
An hour later, their wolves emerged from the forest and slowed to a walking pace.
“Where are we?” Ginger asked as they approached an enormous log home.
“I wanted you to meet our Alpha. I hope that’s okay.”
“Uh…sure.” Ginger didn’t know why, but a sense of dread filled her. Almost as if she were in high school again and had been called to the principal’s office.
“Don’t worry. He doesn’t bite. Well, I’m sure he does, but you have nothing to worry about. I promise.”
