Loner…yes.
Antisocial…yes.
Can shift into a wolf that doesn’t play nice with others…absolutely, yes.
There are reasons wild wolves avoid humans, stay out of cities, and never remain in one place long enough to call it home. Nick Pearson understood those reasons better than most, which was why he’d spent most of his life living as a drifter. A life that was upended when he inherited a partnership in a rundown mountain resort along with a brother and sister he hadn’t known existed.
The last thing he expected was to have Mandy Jenson, a gorgeous, wrench-wielding plumber, walk into his newly acquired existence. She was his mate and a temptation he couldn’t resist.
When a menacing evil plagues his home and threatens her life, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe and claim her as his own.
For some reason, walking into the living room of the old cabin felt as if I were entering someone’s home uninvited. I strained to listen, to see if I could hear even the slightest noise to confirm that my uneasy feeling wasn’t anything more than my active imagination. Even though the only sound that greeted me was the creaking of floorboards under my feet, I wasn’t completely reassured.
The Seneca Falls Resort had been closed for business for the last few months, and all the rentals, including this one, were supposed to be unoccupied. Realistically, I knew the building was empty because it was being renovated, and I was one of the people hired to do some of the work.
READ MOREA musty smell lingered in the air, and, judging by the thin layer of dust on the half wall separating the kitchen from the living room, I’d say the place hadn’t seen any decent cleaning in a while. Although there was plenty of light to find my way, I was tempted to open the blinds covering the picture window to let in some of the early morning sunlight and dispel my nervous tension.
Instead, I shrugged off my imaginings, crossed to the other side of the living room, and headed down the short, narrow hallway leading to the back of the house. Once I’d located the entrance to the small bathroom, I ran my hand along the wall until I found the switch for the overhead light and gave it a flick.
The bathroom had a vanity-style sink and a bathtub that also served as a shower. The almond-colored toilet sitting in the corner appeared out of place compared to the remainder of the room, which was equipped and accessorized in white. It wasn’t overly large, and two people could fit in here comfortably with only a minimal amount of elbow rubbing.
I placed my rectangular black-and-yellow toolbox along with the short plastic bucket I’d clasped in one hand on the floor against the only unused wall. Next, I pulled the bundle of dry, clean rags and towels I’d tucked under my other arm and dropped them in the same spot. I liked being prepared and always brought along extras in case any of my jobs got messy. And being a plumber/handyperson meant there were times when messy wasn’t an exaggeration.
I examined the dilapidated cabinet that housed the pipes for the bathroom’s single sink. Long, thin cracks marred the faux wood finish, and the porcelain inside the bowl had been badly chipped. The destruction was obviously due to human mistreatment and abuse, not the usual wear and tear expected over time.
As in several of the other units I’d visited with Reese Reynolds, one of the new owners of the mountain resort, this one would have to be replaced. The repairs weren’t going to fix themselves, so I could either continue to stare at them or get to work. With a resigned sigh, I snagged one of the towels from the stack and stretched it out on the vinyl floor tiling in front of the vanity to protect my bare knees.
COLLAPSE
