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Dannika resumed her human form, looking around the clearing. Other than the singular tree, only small shrubs and dense grass covered the ground. “This is your home? There’s nothing here.”
Colton pointed to the thick branches halfway up the tree. “That is.”
Her gaze moved up the tree. It was obvious someone had pruned the lower branches, leaving a few handholds, but the middle was full of thick stocks and lush evergreen. His home nestled amongst the branches, cleverly concealed by nature. Had he not pointed out the house, she would never have noticed.
“A tree house?”
“I’m a cougar. I like to climb. You will find all the clan members have similar homes.”
She pointed to the ground. “Building around the tree trunk is ingenious. Even a plane or helicopter flying over wouldn’t see it. Why did you remove the lower branches?”
“It’s a type of security.”
“Cougars can climb. The smaller branches would allow a human to climb up,” she said.
Colton nodded. “Our children cannot use the shadow pathways. Small branches act as handholds in the event they need them. While efficient in their cougar forms, the young cannot always hold their animal form for great lengths of time.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand why the sparse limbs would act as security.”
He cleared his throat. “It won’t on a cougar or a bear.”
She gave him a dirty look. “Wolves can’t climb, but a shadow wolf would use the pathways.”
“Yes, but a trained shadow can tell when his pathway is being used.”
“His pathway?”
He pointed to the single shadow produced by the lone tree. “The reason we remove the trees around our home is to remove the other pathways during the day. At night, the entire world is vulnerable, and so are we.”
“I understand the daytime security, but why were the cougars concerned about the wolves? Especially since you just aligned with them.”
Colton sighed. “That’s what you’re here to find out. We have never had a working relationship with the wolves. This alliance makes no sense.”
Dannika pointed to the house hidden amongst the branches. “How are we getting up?”
Colton winked, then shifted to his cougar form. He bounded across the clearing and leaped to the base of the tree. His claws punctured the soft bark as his powerful muscles propelled him upward.
Tawny fur rippled along her arm before her cougar took shape, and she sprinted toward the tree. She followed him, reveling in her ability to scale the massive evergreen with ease. While the smell of freedom couldn’t erase the one of betrayal, she basked in the power her animal gave her. The reprieve from her heart wrenching reality.
She resumed her human form on the deck of his house. It wrapped around most of the structure. While the branches were dense at the rear of the house, the mountainside views were incredible.
Colton opened the door to his home, leading her inside. “I have a spare bedroom. We have already moved your things.”
She arched an eyebrow. “How?”
“Steele had one of our members retrieve your belongings from Raine’s room. There wasn’t much, so he used the shadow pathways.”
“Impressive. I can barely shift my clothes and my dagger, let alone other items.”
“That is the case for most warriors, but Jacob can shift anything into the shadows. It’s his talent,” Colton said.
The front room was open with large picture windows along the main wall. The decor was sparse but modern and neat, with white leather couches and a glossy pine coffee table. It took her a moment to realize what the house was missing.
“There’s no kitchen.”
Colton arched an eyebrow. “And what would I use it for?”
She blew out a breath. “Sorry. I’m not used to the not eating food thing. I should warn you—I’ve only hunted once.”
