Frostbitten (2 page)

The door opened at her back, as she knew it would. She didn’t turn from where she stood at the sink washing dishes, humming to herself. “Well, shut the door. You’re letting the warm air out.”

Shuffling behind her indicated the man had at least stepped inside. A snick sounded as the winter was closed off from them. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

Good, she had humbled him. She had decided half an hour ago to take the upper hand in this…thing between them. Huge white male wolves in the wilds of Siberia could be very domineering.

Adonia wasn’t one to be pushed around. It was time to see what she was up against.

She turned from the sink and leaned against the short counter, crossing her arms under her breasts. With an intentional scowl, she narrowed her gaze at the newcomer and gave him the onceover from the bottom up, pausing an inordinately long time to take in his package on the way and making him squirm under the scrutiny.

She wasn’t disappointed. The clothes he’d conjured up to shift in were a good choice—well-worn jeans that hugged his cock to perfection and a white V-neck muscle shirt that left no room for doubt about his pecs and abs.

Oh, hell yeah. You’ll do just fine
.

When she reached his face, she paused to study his expression. Regardless of her intense perusal, he was grinning at her, still trying to hang on to the upper hand. “Are you pleased?” His voice was deep, probably deeper than it would be if he weren’t so aroused.

She could scent his need. It matched her own. And she knew he would be well aware of that fact. Neither of them would be able to conceal their desire for the other. It was the way of wolf mates.

“I could do worse.”

His mouth dropped open at her shrug, but she couldn’t hold her form. Before he could retort, she started to giggle. Her mirth relaxed his expression and broke the standoff. “Imp.”

“Cocky Alpha.”

Now
he
grinned. Thank God. She was beginning to think his face was chiseled into a scowl.

“Sit.” She pointed at one of two chairs next to the fireplace. She took the other. It was plenty warm in her tiny cabin, but she enjoyed sitting in front of the fire most nights, watching the flames jump around. It soothed her. She didn’t need the heat—both sides of her heredity were able to withstand very low temperatures—but she still loved the feelings it evoked. Home. Hearth. Heart.

“How did you find me?” She still had no doubt she’d been “found” rather than accidentally stumbled upon.

“It wasn’t easy. Why are you living so very far away from civilization?” She could feel his gaze on her, boring into her, but she kept her eyes trained on the flames.

“I didn’t choose this spot. My mother did. Many years ago.”

He glanced around, and then his gaze landed back on hers. “Interesting location to set up camp.” He spoke as though she were only there for a brief stop. In reality she’d been there her entire life.

“Did my mother send you?” Adonia narrowed her gaze at him. How had he managed to find her?

He shook his head. “No. Your father.”

“My father? You’ve spoken to him?” She widened her eyes. He’d managed to shock her.

The man laughed. His thick blond hair fell across his brow. His deep blue eyes burrowed under her skin. “I work for your father. I have for many years.”

The admission made Adonia pause. Perhaps this man wasn’t trustworthy after all. Nothing in his demeanor spoke of ill intent, but what little information she had about her father wasn’t admirable.

“Your father gave me very few details. In fact, he failed to mention you were half snow wolf.” He smiled, an endearing dimple popping out on each cheek. “The vague directions he knew about your location made it difficult to find you.”

“I’m wondering how he even knew anything about me at all. To the best of my knowledge, he never knew I existed.”

“Frost knows everything. However, in this case he overheard some of your snow wolf family discussing the bastard child of his who’d been banished to live alone in the wild. Where is your mother? He expected me to find both of you. Please tell me you don’t live out here alone.”

How much could she tell this stranger? A man who worked for Jack Frost? It wasn’t really any of his business that her mother had raised her out here alone with very little assistance. “She went to town for supplies. She’ll be back tomorrow.” She narrowed her gaze, daring him to mess with her in her mother’s absence.

Suddenly, he chuckled. “Damn. I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Zephyr.” He stood and held out a hand. “And I suppose I should at least verify you are indeed Adonia.” His grin was infectious. “Hate to think I’d drag the wrong woman back to meet her father.” His hand hung in the air, waiting for her to take it.

Adonia stared at his large palm, rough from hard work. She finally remembered her manners and tentatively reached her smaller hand toward his larger one. “You’ve found the right woman, but you’ve lost your mind if you think I’d let anyone
drag
me anywhere.” As her skin touched his, she sucked in a sharp breath. His warmth radiated through her fingers and traveled up her arm, filling her entire body with…peace. She jerked out of his grasp when something awoke deep inside her. Lust?

Although Adonia had met few men in her life and had limited experience with other people, shifters or human, she wasn’t ignorant. Her mother had raised her well, educated her both academically as well as worldly.

Zephyr chuckled again. “Perhaps
drag
was a poor word choice. I’m not in the habit of coercing women against their will.”

“Good to know.” She rubbed her hands on her jeans. She couldn’t shake the feelings he’d evoked just moments ago. She squeezed her legs together. Her sexual awareness had made itself known as soon as she’d first caught his scent in the wind, but now that he’d touched her, she was shaking with the desire for more.

“Tell me about yourself. Why are you way out in the middle of nowhere all alone?”

“I’ve never been alone,” she corrected. “I’ve been with my mother my entire life.” She felt defensive. Why? Was he judging her? Or was she making it up in her head?

He nodded. “Where is your pack?”

“We don’t belong to a pack anymore.” She wasn’t sure how much to reveal.

Zephyr leaned back in his chair and crossed one ankle over his knee. He stared intently at her. “I’m not your enemy. Even if I had come here with bad intentions, ever since I first picked up your scent, I’ve been humbled by you. You’re mine, Adonia. I have no idea if your father sent me here because he knew that or if it’s just a coincidence, but nevertheless, you’re my mate.”

“How could he have known?”

“He’s a man of many talents. His abilities extend beyond what either you or I could ever comprehend. I would never doubt him. Were you truly banished? Why?”

“My pack was rigidly opposed to my mother having fucked that man and conceived me. They considered me an abomination and we were exiled soon after my birth. I’ve been here all my life. When I was small, my mother’s family brought us supplies. In recent years, my mother has gone to town herself.”

“You never go with her?”

She shook her head. “My mother thought it best. She worried about the reception I would receive anywhere.”

“Reception?”

“Because I’m only half wolf.”

He looked at her quizzically. “Why didn’t your mother simply tell your father about you? He would have provided for you. You didn’t need to have lived like this for all these years.”

Adonia looked around.
Like this?
As far as she was concerned, she’d led a perfect life. She’d had a mother who adored her and raised her right. She had all the space in the world to roam free. Nothing and no one could hurt her out here.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”

She straightened her spine. “According to my mother, my father is a louse of the worst sort. He lured her in for a night of fucking and she never heard from him again.”

Zephyr visibly swallowed. He set his elbows on his knees and nailed her with his gaze. “I won’t deny the man enjoys women, but under no circumstances would he have abandoned a child.”

“My mother was heartbroken over the exile. They offered her this cabin and she wasn’t about to risk that small achievement by traipsing off to find Mr. Frost in the hopes he might possibly take her in and offer her something better. As far as she’s concerned, he’s a womanizer. She could have been left with nothing and no one if she hadn’t moved here with me and had instead gambled on the goodwill of Frost.”

Zephyr held her gaze. His voice was thin when he finally spoke. “You’re right. That was a tough decision, and not one to be taken lightly. I can totally understand why your mother chose this option.”

“It was on the table. There was no guarantee it would stay there if she defied the pack even more by running off to hunt down the very lover they were punishing her for having.” Adonia sighed. At least he wasn’t mocking her. Zephyr seemed genuinely concerned, and he’d listened closely, not judging.

The storm picked up outside, making the tiny cabin creak as a gust of wind shook the frame. Adonia flinched. She’d been through hundreds of winter storms, but this one seemed particularly ominous. Storms of this size rarely occurred this early in the season. Had the weather itself brought this man to her doorstep?

Zephyr glanced at the door. “I should bring in more wood before we get good and trapped in here. I’ve been watching the sky. I think we’re going to be here for a while.” He stood.

Adonia jumped up and rushed toward the door. “I’ll do it.” She grabbed her parka, intent on stuffing her arms into the sleeves. “It’s my house.” The last thing she wanted was for him to assume she was some demure helpless female. Her mother had not raised a woman who would sit back and be coddled.

One second she was staring at the armhole of her coat, the next she was flattened against the door, a chill running down her back as it made contact with the colder wood.

“I’ll do it.” His large hands landed on either side of her face, his body inches from hers. His mouth dipped and aligned with her own. “I get it. You’ve been fending for yourself your entire life. And I get that you’re capable of taking care of yourself. But I’m here now. You don’t have to posture for me. I will bring in the wood.”

Adonia held her breath against his pheromones. He was so close to her, his air mingled with her own, scrambling her brain and making her lightheaded. She stared at his full lips, wishing he would kiss her. Whatever else they’d been discussing flew out of her brain. Her entire focus was on reaching out to feel his mouth on hers. She licked her lips.

Zephyr moaned. “Don’t do that.”

She flicked her gaze up to meet his eyes. “Don’t do what?” She shoved against him, making him stumble backward. Whatever she’d done, she didn’t really want to know about it.

With her parka still gripped in her hands, she remembered her purpose. Firewood.

Zephyr moaned, the vibrations seeming to shake the cabin. Surely that was her imagination. The small house would be creaking under the storm’s wraths anyway. He took the coat from her hands and helped her put it on. “Are you always this stubborn?”

“Are you always this bossy?” she retorted.

He grinned. “You think I’m bossy?” He reached around her for a warm hat and pulled it onto her head.

“Very Alpha. My mother didn’t raise me to be reserved.” She snatched her gloves from his hands and stuffed her hands into them.

“I see that.” He kept grinning.

Adonia opened the door, and the storm raging outside blew snow into the cabin. “It’s going to be ugly out there. I hope my mother made it safely to town.”

Zephyr set his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure she’s safe. And I doubt the storm is natural. I’m betting its center is directly overhead.” He stepped past her as he spoke and seconds later, he returned with an armful of wood.

“What do you mean by that?” She followed him back out, her voice carried away in the wind. She doubted he even heard her as she scrambled to keep up with him, carting an armload of wood inside and stacking it next to the front door.

They worked fast, bringing in several loads of wood before shutting the door against the now blizzard-like conditions.

As Adonia shed her outer layer, she repeated her question. “You don’t think this storm is normal?”

Zephyr slipped his boots off and set them by the door. “Not likely.”

She shivered. “Are you saying someone’s controlling the weather?” She followed him into her kitchen area and watched him make himself at home with her coffee pot, pulling out a filter and coffee grounds as though he owned the place.

“Your father, most likely.”

“He can cause a storm?”

“Of course. He’s the king of winter.” Zephyr leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles as he stared her down. “You don’t know much about him, do you?”

“Nothing. Except that he lured my mother in, slept with her, got her pregnant, and landed her in exile out here in the middle of nowhere.”

 “How old are you?”

“Twenty-seven.”

Zephyr turned back toward the counter and grabbed two mugs. As he poured the coffee, she inhaled the aroma. It unsettled her to have him taking over her kitchen, but her heart rate slowed at the promise of coffee.

His ass fit perfectly in his worn jeans. She stared at it as he worked.

Her gaze flinched upward when he turned back around and handed her a cup. He winked. “These are my favorite jeans. You like them?”

Adonia flushed. She loved them, but the question didn’t warrant a response. She was glad for the steaming mug in her hands and tipped her face to blow on the edge of the coffee before taking a sip.

Thankfully he let her indiscretion go. “Please tell me you’ve met others before. I’m not the first wolf to visit, am I?”

“Of course not. I told you. A stipulation to my mother’s exile was that her family has been allowed to bring us supplies.”

“Yes, but that’s just family. You’ve not met any men who weren’t family?”

She shook her head and took a seat at the table.