Tristian pulls in front of a nice-sized cabin with all its lights turned off. When the engine cuts, the night feels peaceful yet somehow charged. Jabari quickly climbs out, then reaches back to help me. His large hands grip my hips firmly as he lifts me from the backseat, gently guiding me until my flip-flops touch the ground.
I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp night air. “It smells like pine.”
He smiles, grabbing my hand and pulling me around the truck to where Tristian stands, watching us with an amused expression.
“So your woman is Headmistress over a bunch of supernaturals?” I ask Tristian, trying to wrap my mind around everything I’ve learned about Wintermoon in the few hours.
A proud smile lights up Tristian’s face. “Yes. And she does an excellent job with them.” His chest puffs out slightly, clearly bursting with pride. “I look forward to you meeting her. You’ll really like Ebony, and your cubs too. Caleb, my son, is stubborn, but has a strong bear.”
I smile at his obvious love for his family. It’s both touching and a little intimidating—this is the world I’m stepping into now.
“Welcome home,” Tristian says, putting a fist to his chest in Jabari’s direction. Jabari returns the gesture, a sign of respect between the bear shifters that I’m still learning to understand.
As Tristian climbs back into his truck and pulls away, Jabari guides me up the stairs to the porch of our cabin. I look around the quiet clearing, taking in every detail of what will be my new home. The word still feels strange in my mind. Home. With Jabari.
He opens the door and stands aside, allowing me to enter first. I walk in, my eyes adjusting to the darkness until he flips a switch, bringing the room to life. The emptiness strikes me immediately—just a small sofa in the living room by the fireplace and a lamp in the corner. At least all the windows have curtains—that’s a good start.
I turn to look at him, who’s dusting his bare feet on the small rug by the door. He hasn’t worn any shoes since he shifted into his bear, and it’s clear he’s more comfortable this way.
“I can tell from the looks of this cabin you don’t come here much,” I say, running my finger along a dusty shelf.
He walks into the kitchen, and I follow, turning on another light. “I haven’t had a reason to until now,” he says.
The simple honesty of his words warms something deep inside me. I smile, watching as he searches through the cabinets until he finds a pitcher. He goes over to the sink and starts running the water.
I approach and gently pull the pitcher from his hands. His face falls, a look of almost childlike disappointment crossing his features.
“I need water badly,” he tells me.
“Okay, I’ll make sure you have it.” I examine the pitcher, holding it up to the light. “Just let me wash it first—it’s covered in dust.”
He steps back, still watching me. A silly, sheepish grin spreads across his face, almost like he’s blushing, as I grab some soap and give the pitcher a thorough washing before switching to cold water and filling it for him.
When I hold it out, Jabari takes it eagerly, gulping down the water in just a few seconds without coming up for air. It’s surprising to watch how quickly he drains it. He starts to refill it himself, but I take the pitcher from him again, filling it and handing it back. I remember now that Leah had reminded him he’d need to do this.
He takes two more refills before he’s finally satisfied. I place the pitcher in the sink, then walk over to the fridge, saying, “You probably need something to eat.”
When I open it, I’m greeted with an empty interior. The freezer is the same—completely bare.
I look at him and raise an eyebrow.
“I’m fine,” he assures me. “When my bear wakes, I will hunt.”
“He’s still sleeping?” I ask, noticing how he winces slightly as he rubs his temple.
“Yes, but he won’t stay out for long,” he says, massaging his forehead. “I will fill the kitchen with food first thing tomorrow.”
“You’re going to the Wintermoon market?”
He winces again from what appears to be a minor headache. “Yes.”
“I want to come with you,” I say, walking past him to the small table where I spot the bags—the same ones Leah teleported with. So that’s where she went.
I start going through them while he stands behind me, watching like an adorable puppy dog. After a moment, I turn to him.
“Well, go relax or something. I’m going to take a shower. I think I need one after everything.”
“I want to stay with you,” he says immediately.
