Page 62 of HaL

“I would never live it down.”

Jeton answers, his voice strained. “You are not going to live long enough to be embarrassed.”

“I will lie here and let the frost take me first.”

“Gelid, you know I am right. If you do not get your stubborn ass up, you will die here.”

I step around the last mammoth and there they are. Gelid is half-buried in snow, one leg twisted awkwardly beneath him. Blood stains the white around his side and his fur. His face is flushed, his breathing shallow.

Jeton is beside him. One arm hangs uselessly against his chest, his wrist already visibly swelling. He looks exhausted, but he is standing.

“Gelid, you old fool,” Jeton mutters. “Who will take care of your so-called babies if you freeze out here?”

“That is none of your concern! You are not at the compound enough to have an opinion.”

Jeton crouches beside him. “Grab hold of me, NOW.”

“I told you⁠—”

“I heard you.”

Jeton shifts his good arm beneath Gelid’s shoulders. “I cannot lift you with this broken wrist; you are going to have to help me.”

Gelid groans. “Stop! You are only making it worse.”

“Then stop arguing.”

I almost laugh, then whistle. Their heads snap toward me. Jeton’s eyes widen. Gelid’s mouth drops open. For a moment, neither of them says a word. Then Gelid looks at Dawn tucked securely against my arm.

His eyes narrow.

“Is that…”

I step forward through the snow.

“Yes.”

The relief on his face when he first saw me only lasts a heartbeat before irritation replaces it.

“You brought her … your human mate out in the frost? Foolish young male, leave this instant and do not risk her life for the likes of either of us.”

Before I can say a word, the mammoths shift their sensitive ears, picking up Gelid’s distress. Then a low rumble rolls through the pass, and the temperature drops fast. The frost has found us. Both males look up at the frost coming over the top of the ridge, then back at me. I set Dawn down.

“Stay right here. Do not move. I need to get Gelid up, and I am already fighting my beast with them being this close.”

Dawn nods, looking around, her eyes wide. Even though I know she is trying to hide it, I can see she is scared. I make my way to the others quickly and with Jeton’s help, we clear the rest of the snow and rock from around Gelid’s leg, and then I gather him up in my large arms even though he is protesting every breath. My beast only hears parts of what he is saying as he is still going on about the fact that I put Dawn down for him.

Jeton starts to move toward her, but the sound that leaves my throat stops him in his tracks. He holds up his hands and steps back. I am torn, and for once, I do not know what to do. I cannot carry both of them out of here, and there is no way my beast will let Jeton assist.

Just then, my world practically stops as a calf breaks away from its mother, making its way toward Dawn. I want to scream for her to run. I know the mother, if agitated, will stomp her to death, but Dawn just stands there with her hand out.

The little one approaches like they have been friends forever, nudging her playfully. The sound of Dawn’s laughter breaks through my foggy thoughts. None of the large mammoths seem upset as they watch.

“They must think she is a youngling, HaL. The calf is imprinting on her and her unique smell. That is the same little fracker I was chasing because he got loose from the outer shelters. He is the little idiot that put me in this predicament.”

“Are these mammoths around us not wild?”

He looks like he is counting the herd before answering me.