Laurie's Wolves by Becca Jameson

avoided you two like the plague for as long as I could put it off. I would be at the base of the slopes now changing for my date for this evening.” He cringed.
    “It’s not your fault, you know.” She needed to be closer, and she crawled onto her hands and knees and inched forward between them. “I know her feelings will be hurt, but you didn’t plan this.”
    “Yeah, somebody explain that to the human. Gah.” He leaned his head back a second and stared at the ceiling. “I’m not looking forward to that confrontation. I can’t even call to cancel from here. No cell service in this storm.”
    “I’m sorry.” She kneeled between them and reached a hand to stroke his cheek. “I know this is shocking.”
    He faced her again, a smile taking the place of his serious straight mouth. He set his hand on top of hers and held it against his face. “Every second I’m with you, I feel calmer. Why is that?”
    Zach spoke. “The same thing happened to me this morning. In fact, it got me through the day. She has that effect on people, I guess. Plus, she’s a weather genius. Never doubt that. If the woman tells you to bring an umbrella, listen to her.”
    “Ha ha.” She swatted playfully at Zach’s chest with her free hand. His bare chest. The one he hadn’t bothered to pull a shirt over. He wore nothing but his thermal pants.
    “Do you have Melinda’s abilities? I know her grandmother does. Mimi, right?”
    “Yep. That’s her. And it remains to be seen if I have any of her talent. If I do, it has lain dormant all of my twenty-five years. However, in the three days since I arrived here—on tribal land at first and then this resort today—I have experienced several paranormal instances.”
    “Please tell me you haven’t seen any of Melinda’s black auras.”
    She drew back, pulling her hand from his face. “Please tell me you aren’t a non-believer. You’re part of the tribe, the half of me that can hone in on that side.”
    Corbin shook his head. “Not at all. I went through enough with your two families last year to know better than to poke fun. Clearly Melinda has some precognitive skills. I only mean to imply that it can sometimes be a burden to her, and I wouldn’t wish that on my mate.”
    “And you’ve never seen the spirits she speaks of?”
    Corbin shook his head. “No, but I’ve heard all about them.”
    “Well, then you know the sightings aren’t strictly witnessed by members of my family. Many others from the tribe, and even from this side of the lake, have seen similar paranormal activity. Some have come forward and told my grandmother. But how many have kept the knowledge to themselves? Embarrassed to admit they’d had such a vision or perhaps unbelieving?”
    “Good point. And I, for one, am a believer. Don’t worry about that. Have you seen one of these black cloudy things yourself?”
    “Yes. It’s what drove me to go flailing into the tree line and got us stranded.”
    Zach grabbed her hand. “Did you talk to Melinda about that?”
    She turned to face him and set her hand on his rock-hard chest. “Yes. And I should point out that we were never really in any danger. Shifting and traipsing down the mountain was always an option.”
    “I know that. But leaving our gear and clothes behind and taking a risk that someone might see us in lupine form in the middle of the day is always a last resort.”
    “Of course it is.” She giggled, picturing someone coming along later to find all their clothes and no bodies. “I wonder how many humans have found themselves considering the possibility of an apocalypse when they’ve encountered piles of clothing.”
    “Plenty over the years, I’m sure. I don’t want to contribute to that insanity if I can avoid it.” Zach wrapped a hand around her neck and drew her closer, his gaze on her lips. “Enough talking for now. My turn.” He closed the distance, taking her mouth at an angle, swooping between her lips with his tongue.
    She moaned