shovel if you’ve got the room,” Keil shouted as he swung at a furious pace. It was only a few more shovelfuls before he broke into the
human-sized air pocket that contained the smal er wolf-sized body that was TJ. Keil watched as his brother scrambled out of the hole and, in his wolf
body, circled around their legs in thanks.
***
TJ sat in front of the fire in the cabin sipping a steaming cup of hot chocolate. He’d run beside them al the way to the cabin as a wolf, his gear buried
somewhere back on the hil .
“I stil don’t get it. What part of ‘stay away from the right, the snow is unstable’ did you not understand?” Keil complained, dropping an extra blanket around
TJ’s shoulders.
“Enough, I’m sorry. I got my lefts and rights mixed up. No harm done since Robyn made me put on the tracer. You found me, I’m fine.”
“TJ, that’s the third set of skis you’ve lost this year!”
The sound of logs crashing to the floor made both of them look up at Robyn’s stunned expression. She lifted a trembling hand to show three raised
fingers, a questioning expression on her face.
“Yeah,” Keil said, “this is the third time Mr. Disaster has been in action this winter. His record is six times in a single season. I’m thinking of having a tracer
permanently implanted—”
“Umm, Keil, why is Robyn glaring at me like that?”
Keil glanced up and he could have sworn he saw steam pouring out Robyn’s ears.
Just before she leapt across the room, grabbed TJ by the throat and shook him.
Hard.
“Whoa, there, Robyn.” Reaching around her, he gently grasped her forearms and loosened them from TJ’s neck. Muttering soothing words even though he
knew she couldn’t hear, he settled her under his chin as her body continued to shake. “My guess is she’s a little shocked that we had to rescue you in the
first place, TJ, and learning this is a typical experience in the bush with you might be more than she needed on top of everything else today.”
TJ had the grace to look embarrassed. He shuffled over and squatted to peer up at Robyn where she hid in Keil’s arms. “I’m sorry I scared you. I don’t
think sometimes. I won’t do it again.”
“Ha!” Keil snorted. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, little brother. The sauna should be hot by now. Go get warmed up al the way. Robyn and I need
to talk.”
TJ shot another concerned glance at Robyn before gathering his clothes and heading out the door.
Keil settled down on the chair by the fire, stil holding Robyn in his embrace as they sat quietly together. Having her in his arms felt wonderful. She was
smal enough to treasure yet strong enough to react in a quick and fearless manner when faced with the emergency on the mountainside. She was going
to be a fabulous mate for him.
She smelt wonderful too. He took in a deep breath and fought down the urge to throw her on the sleeping platform and rip off her clothes.
Her fingers slipped up and traced the edge of his jaw, and Keil shut his eyes to enjoy the sensations tingling through his blood. She wiggled and he
looked down to see she was shaking silently, tears trickling from her eyes.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He tilted her head back to reassure her and stopped at the expression on her face.
Sheer delight.
“What’s up, little bird?”
Robyn wiped at her eyes and crawled off his lap, stopping only to plant a kiss on his cheek. She returned to his side with her notepad, dragging up
another chair so they could face each other but both stil enjoy the fire’s warmth.
It may seem insane but I’m so happy right now , Robyn wrote.
“Happy? Having to rescue my brother makes you happy? Leaving him buried for once would make me ecstatic.”
A snort of laughter from Robyn made Keil smile.
“Tel me, how can having your whole world turned upside down like we’ve done to you today make you happy?”
Robyn stared at him for a minute and bent her head to write. She handed him the
human-sized air pocket that contained the smal er wolf-sized body that was TJ. Keil watched as his brother scrambled out of the hole and, in his wolf
body, circled around their legs in thanks.
***
TJ sat in front of the fire in the cabin sipping a steaming cup of hot chocolate. He’d run beside them al the way to the cabin as a wolf, his gear buried
somewhere back on the hil .
“I stil don’t get it. What part of ‘stay away from the right, the snow is unstable’ did you not understand?” Keil complained, dropping an extra blanket around
TJ’s shoulders.
“Enough, I’m sorry. I got my lefts and rights mixed up. No harm done since Robyn made me put on the tracer. You found me, I’m fine.”
“TJ, that’s the third set of skis you’ve lost this year!”
The sound of logs crashing to the floor made both of them look up at Robyn’s stunned expression. She lifted a trembling hand to show three raised
fingers, a questioning expression on her face.
“Yeah,” Keil said, “this is the third time Mr. Disaster has been in action this winter. His record is six times in a single season. I’m thinking of having a tracer
permanently implanted—”
“Umm, Keil, why is Robyn glaring at me like that?”
Keil glanced up and he could have sworn he saw steam pouring out Robyn’s ears.
Just before she leapt across the room, grabbed TJ by the throat and shook him.
Hard.
“Whoa, there, Robyn.” Reaching around her, he gently grasped her forearms and loosened them from TJ’s neck. Muttering soothing words even though he
knew she couldn’t hear, he settled her under his chin as her body continued to shake. “My guess is she’s a little shocked that we had to rescue you in the
first place, TJ, and learning this is a typical experience in the bush with you might be more than she needed on top of everything else today.”
TJ had the grace to look embarrassed. He shuffled over and squatted to peer up at Robyn where she hid in Keil’s arms. “I’m sorry I scared you. I don’t
think sometimes. I won’t do it again.”
“Ha!” Keil snorted. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, little brother. The sauna should be hot by now. Go get warmed up al the way. Robyn and I need
to talk.”
TJ shot another concerned glance at Robyn before gathering his clothes and heading out the door.
Keil settled down on the chair by the fire, stil holding Robyn in his embrace as they sat quietly together. Having her in his arms felt wonderful. She was
smal enough to treasure yet strong enough to react in a quick and fearless manner when faced with the emergency on the mountainside. She was going
to be a fabulous mate for him.
She smelt wonderful too. He took in a deep breath and fought down the urge to throw her on the sleeping platform and rip off her clothes.
Her fingers slipped up and traced the edge of his jaw, and Keil shut his eyes to enjoy the sensations tingling through his blood. She wiggled and he
looked down to see she was shaking silently, tears trickling from her eyes.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He tilted her head back to reassure her and stopped at the expression on her face.
Sheer delight.
“What’s up, little bird?”
Robyn wiped at her eyes and crawled off his lap, stopping only to plant a kiss on his cheek. She returned to his side with her notepad, dragging up
another chair so they could face each other but both stil enjoy the fire’s warmth.
It may seem insane but I’m so happy right now , Robyn wrote.
“Happy? Having to rescue my brother makes you happy? Leaving him buried for once would make me ecstatic.”
A snort of laughter from Robyn made Keil smile.
“Tel me, how can having your whole world turned upside down like we’ve done to you today make you happy?”
Robyn stared at him for a minute and bent her head to write. She handed him the
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