The past four weeks since Link had taken over the Dawson pack had brought big improvements in Link’s condition. He’d spent the first week tracking down each McCall that Clayton had approved a kill order for, and between him and the Silver enforcers, they’d wiped out the man-eaters. The humans were safe from their violent destruction now. And for the few remaining McCalls who had gone rogue like Link and who were trying desperately to hold onto their sanity, Vera was working to cure them.
Link was only taking the McCall Reset every five days now instead of daily. Today was the last day before he would take another shot, and though he would be sick as a dog tomorrow, today was what Nicole called the Honeymoon Day. He was strongest on day five, and each Honeymoon Day, he did better—growled less, talked to himself less. His eyes had lost their sheen of madness, and even Link showed signs of hope now.
She grinned to herself as, from the kitchen, he sang the chorus of a rock song, directly followed by the sound of cracking eggs on the pan. Breakfast in bed sounded heavenly, but she was helpless to stay away from him when he was like this. Today would be amazing. She could tell just from his mood.
Nicole threw the covers back and slipped into her warmest pajamas and slippers, then padded into the kitchen where Link was still humming the song. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she kissed his back, right between his shoulder blades. “How are you so warm?”
Link lifted her hand to his lips, then pressed her palm over his steadily thrumming heart. “One of the pros to being a shifter. Do you want me to build the fire up?”
Nicole released him and strode for the door. “Nah, I’ll do it.”
“I thought you wanted to lounge around in bed today.”
She turned and gave him a naughty grin. “Bed isn’t as fun without you.”
Link’s deliciously deep chuckle followed her out of the cabin.
Holy crap, it was cold out here. Nicole rushed to pull a couple logs off the woodpile, but when she turned to glance at the yard, she straightened up slowly and took a deep breath. It had stopped snowing in the night, and the sun was cresting the horizon now, casting the blanket of white in glittering sparkles. It reminded her of a snow globe Aunt Rita had given her for Christmas one year. It had a mountain covered in evergreen trees with piles of white on each branch, and instead of snow floating around in the water, it had been filled with glitter. In front of the mountains was a small plaque that read Alaska. She didn’t know why she’d thought of that snow globe after so many years, but at the time, it had struck her as strange because Aunt Rita, to her knowledge, had never visited Alaska to pick up a souvenir like that. But now, looking back, perhaps Aunt Rita was trying to give her something of her birthplace where Mom had refused.
Link slid his arms around her from behind, warming her instantly. “What are you thinking about?”
“How beautiful this place is. And,” she admitted quietly, “about my family back home.”
“Families are complicated,” he murmured, leaning forward until his cheek was against her temple.
She couldn’t help the laugh that left her throat. “Link, our families got so messed up.”
“Sooo,” he drawled, swaying slightly with her in his arms. “Maybe we should make our own family. We’ll do it better than our parents were able.”
With a tiny gasp, she turned in his arms just to look into his eyes and make sure it wasn’t Wolf teasing her. “Link,” she said on a frozen breath. “Are you serious?”
“I’ve gone back and forth about how to do this. Gone back and forth about whether I even should because I look at you and can’t help but wonder what you’re doing with someone like me. Before you came along, I thought I was unsalvageable, but you’re constantly reminding me that I’m not. You’re steady. You never grow impatient. You never lash out at Wolf or me when my balance is off. I was freefalling, and you caught me.” Gaze locked with hers, Link lowered himself onto one knee on the thin layer of snow that covered the porch. He pulled out of his pocket a thin, white gold band with a single, sparkling diamond in the center. With a steadying breath, he held it up as his offering.
Shocked, Nicole dropped the logs she’d been holding and pressed her fingertips over her mouth.
“Nicole,” Link murmured, his voice steady. “This ring is my pledge to be here for you. It’s my promise that Wolf and I will always be yours. I’ve had it for weeks, but I didn’t want to give it to you until I was sure I could do this. I’m in this. From here on, it’s me and you.” He grinned. “And Wolf.”
Nicole laughed thickly and nodded her head. “Yes.”
“Well wait, woman, I haven’t asked you yet.”
“The answer’s still yes.”
“You’ll marry me?”
“Of course I will!”
Link slid the ring onto her shaking finger, then launched himself upward and crushed her against him.
Laughing, she kissed his face all over. “Link, Link, Link,” she chanted, overwhelmed with happiness. “I’m so proud of you.”
“For proposing?”