Page 6 of Awakened By Her Guardian

Only good magic users lived in Northernmost. The only shifters here were the Guardians. Humans weren’t allowed to live within the magical perimeter that protected Santa’s territory and the Well. One of the Guardians – Storm, a polar bear – had found his truemate in a human, and they’d moved down to his home territory. He’d been replaced by another polar bear named Orin.

Gabriel didn’t care if his mate was a shifter, a magic user, or human. He only cared that he found her, sooner rather than later.

Nearing the security office, he saw someone he didn’t know walking with Santa, Mother Nature, Tooth Fairy, and a couple males he also didn’t recognize.

He moved aside to let the small group pass, nodding at Santa and the others before resuming his walk to the office. Once inside, he found Ventura, an elf, at the main desk, who greeted him.

“Hey, who was that with Santa? There were three guys I didn’t recognize along with Mother Nature and Tooth Fairy.”

“One of them is a new security guy. Santa will introduce him at some point,” Ventura said. “You’re on with Chase? He already checked in and said he forgot to grab hot chocolate, so he’ll meet you out there.”

“I hope he brings me some too,” Gabriel said.

He reached for the walkie Ventura held out to him when something sparked inside him, and his wolf let out a deep howl that made his bones vibrate.

“Whoa, you okay, man? Your eyes are amber,” Ventura said.

“I… shit, I have to go.”

Gabriel raced from the security office without a clue what was driving him. He followed his wolf’s instincts, and those instincts were leading him outside.

He hit the nearest security door hard enough to make it swing fully open, crash against the outside wall, and slam shut just after he leaped into the cold darkness.

His wolf howled, head-butting him from the inside to keep moving.

Without a coat, the cold air tried to seize him where he stood, but he didn’t wait for that. He moved as fast as he could through the cleared walkways and found himself heading toward the Well and the Portal, which should have been dark with disuse, but instead glowed brightly.

Since Santa had closed the Portal for the month, whoever had opened it must have had an emergency.

Two figures walked through, and the Portal closed behind them, the white bones of the ancient beast slowly fading as the magic dissipated.

He recognized the male – Sandman.

But the female?

He didn’t know her.

Except his wolf did.

As he pushed himself faster, rushing through the wind and blowing snow toward the Portal where other security team members were speaking to the two, he realized why he felt as if he knew her.

Moonlit honey-blond hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, framing a cherub face and a radiant smile.

He skidded to a halt mere feet from her.

His gaze clashed with hers – the most enchanting liquid-gold color he’d ever seen.

Holy shit, she was his truemate.

Her eyes widened, her lush lips parting.

He caught the scent of her, like sweet dreams and warm nights.

He almost fell to his damn knees with the knowledge that he’d found her at the top of his world, when only moments earlier he’d been wondering if that was even possible.

“It’s you,” she whispered.

“What now?” Sandman asked.