I didn't get my wish. Gabby woke just a few hours after I put her to bed.

Since Rachel was home, I was back in my fur, lying in my usual spot, when I felt Gabby move. She reached for her phone and checked the screen. I knew what she'd see. Sam had called it twice since we'd left.

"Crap," she mumbled when she squinted at the display.

I thought she was referring to Sam until she left the bed saying, "I'm going to be late."

Did she seriously think she was going to school? I hopped off the bed and planted myself in front of the door.

She didn't notice as she grabbed clothes. When she turned and saw me, she paused.

"Clay, I have to pee so bad it hurts. Can you move, please?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. Did she really think she had me with that? Although I couldn't hear a lie, I knew her well enough to guess what she was doing. I stepped away from the door, letting her believe she'd fooled me, and watched her grin and leave.

As soon as she'd closed herself in the bathroom, I hid her keys in the towel drawer. She needed more rest to recover, not a day on campus.

When the bathroom door opened, she didn't walk into the kitchen as I'd expected. Instead, she went to her bedroom and brushed out her hair. It took her awhile, and I regretted not brushing it for her after her shower. I watched from the doorway. Each stroke moved slower than the last. She was so tired. Why was she so determined to leave?

She set the brush aside and left her room. In the kitchen, I heard her pause. I took my time joining her. She turned to glare at me as soon as she saw me.

"Clay," she whispered. "Give 'em to me." She couldn't yell because Rachel was still asleep.

I sat down in the archway.

Gabby sighed and looked around once more. I wanted to shake her. Gently. Instead of looking for her keys, she should eat something. Then, go back to bed.

"Please, Clay. I think I'm figuring out what's going on with me but won't know for sure until I talk to Nicole. At school. I need the keys."

I remained mute and unmoved. She could ask Nicole tomorrow. Meanwhile, I could hear Rachel stirring as Gabby continued to stare at me. I knew it wouldn't be long before Rachel would be coming into the kitchen.

"If I can't find my keys," Gabby said, "I'm going to walk."

Rachel passed behind me just as Gabby finished speaking.

Gabby's expression was hilarious, and I almost laughed.

"Gabby, you need to get out more and stop talking to the dog," Rachel said, closing herself in the bathroom.

Gabby glared at me; and I sighed, knowing I'd lost. I didn't want her walking. Standing, I went over to the drawer, shifted my hand, and grabbed out the keys.

"Thank you," she said.

Then she left.

I considered following her but Rachel was still in the bathroom and would notice if I was missing. So, I heaved a sigh and lay on the floor by the door.

It didn't take Rachel long to finish her morning routine, which still included touching me way too much, before she then headed out the door. Once she left, I shifted and dressed for work. Gabby would be at school already, and Dale was probably wondering if I'd show up today.

A chill wind whipped around me on the walk to the shop, and I hoped Gabby had dressed warm enough. The right bay door was half open. Ducking under, I found Dale working on a single car. He didn't hear me, so I went to the desk to look at the orders. There were more than usual. It meant that my absence had put him behind.

I picked the hardest one left over from the day before and grabbed the keys.

"Didn't know if I'd see you today," Dale said from across the shop.

"Gabby was sick."

"Ah. Yeah, well, I'd want to take care of her too...if she were mine."

He turned back and started working on his car before I could decide how to take his comment. Brushing it off, I went to get the first car. I had other wolves to worry about. I couldn't start worrying about human men, too. But I did. All morning, and all afternoon. Gabby was run down. Would she be able to fend off men like she usually did? Wait...would she need to? She'd said she lost her pull the last time this happened.

After finishing the jobs left over from the day before, along with half of the current day's jobs, I decided I'd done enough. I looked around and noticed Dale was sitting in his chair, filling out his last order. Perfect timing.

"Need to head out," I said, returning the keys to the rack behind the desk.

He glanced at the clock, then opened his cash drawer.

"Don't worry about it," I said. "We'll settle tomorrow." I just didn't want to wait for him to figure out how much to pay me.

He stopped and glanced at me.

"She that sick?"

I shrugged.

"Go. Take care of her, man. You two call me if you need anything."

I nodded then hurried home. The house was empty. Gabby would be home in an hour, and Rachel might not be home at all. It'd give me enough time to clean up and make something for dinner.

I grabbed some fresh clothes and went to shower. While the shower still ran, I heard the back door open. A grin spread on my face. Good thing I came home early. I quickly shut off the water, dried, and dressed. When I stepped out of the bathroom, the house was quiet. She was probably putting away her books. I went to the kitchen and opened a cupboard to see what I could make for dinner. We had some onions and potatoes on the bottom shelf. I grabbed an onion just as I heard her walk into the kitchen. I turned with a smile on my face. Then froze.

Rachel and I stared at each other.

Shee't. Busted.

My smile fell, and I started to panic. I hadn't been in my skin around her since...I struggled to think back. She glanced at my hand; and slowly, she started grinning at me. That worried me more.

"Making dinner?" she asked, looking at the onion I held.

Was that bad? I gave a single, hesitant nod.

Her smile broadened. "I'll help."

Help?

"What are we making?"

My panic skyrocketed. If I spoke, she'd say something to Gabby. I went to the freezer, pulled out our bag of frozen chicken, and held it out to Rachel. She took it.

"Chicken, then?"

I nodded again.

"What do you want me to do with it?"

I pointed to the microwave. Every time I pointed or nodded, she grinned; and I realized my muteness amused her. She started to defrost the chicken while I quickly diced the onion. With the onion browning, I got out four potatoes.

"What's next?" she asked, turning with the thawed meat.

Trading the potatoes for the chicken, I pointed at the table. She sat and started dicing. I seasoned and sliced the chicken.

"So is Gabby feeling better?"

I shrugged.

"It's sweet of you to come here and make her dinner. Are you here often when I'm not home?"

I glanced at her unsure if she was upset by the idea. Her expression was closed but her scent sweet. She was amused.

Instead of answering, I washed my hands then took the diced potatoes from her.

"I'm glad you're keeping her company. She doesn't get out much."

Moving to the stove, I added the potatoes and a bit of oil. Everything sizzled as Rachel kept talking.

"It's not good for a person to close themselves off from other people. Without social contact and communication, a person's mental health could deteriorate."

Rachel stood and came to lean against the wall near the stove. She studied me for a long moment. I kept my eyes on the browning potatoes.

"How's your mental health, Clay?"

I glanced at her. If she was thinking of taking me to another doctor...

A car rumbled into the drive. Gabby was home. I'd never been so relieved in my life.

Rachel pushed away from the wall with a smirk and moved to the cupboards. I added the chicken as she set the table.

"Do you work around here, Clay? Live nearby? I know nothing about you. Tell me a little about yourself."

I kept cooking. Where was Gabby? I strained to hear her footsteps as Rachel kept up her one-sided conversation.

"Shy? Don't worry. How about I tell you a little about myself? Let's see...I'm a nursing student, which I'm sure Gabby's mentioned. I'll be graduating next spring. I love summer and can do without winter."

Gabby finally opened the door and stepped inside. She looked pale again. Definitely exhausted. She glanced at Rachel then me before moving into the room and closing the door. I remained focused on the food in the pan while Rachel walked past Gabby to get silverware.

"You didn't tell me he could cook," Rachel said.

"He cooks, he cleans, he warms up my feet at night, and he keeps the toilet seat down...so hands off. He's mine."

My heart flipped. Rachel laughed good naturedly, but I barely heard. He's mine. The words warmed my insides. Did she realize what she'd said? I turned to look at her. She met my gaze for a moment before Rachel distracted her again.

"How you feeling?" Rachel said, touching Gabby's forehead. "I asked Clay, but he didn't say."

Rachel gave me a pointed look, and I shrugged and went back to cooking. Everything was almost done.

"Not the best, but it's getting better. I think it's mental exhaustion, nothing contagious."

"Mm," Rachel said. "I still think you should go to the doctor. Could it be something you didn't think of yet? Pregnant?"

What the...?

My heart seized, and I dropped the spoon. It hit the stove, spattered me with potato shrapnel, and bounced back at me. Swallowing hard, I tried to catch it and fumbled a bit before my brain started working again and I was able to close my fist around the wooden handle.

Gabby. Pregnant. The thought consumed me in the best way. A family. I wanted that. I swallowed again and caught the silence behind me. Without looking, I went back to stirring the food.

"No," Gabby said with a hint of humor. "Now, behave."

I turned off the stove and brought the pan to the table. Rachel thanked me as I scooped a portion onto her plate. Gabby smiled when I did the same for her. The remaining food, I dumped onto my own plate.

It wasn't bad eating with Rachel there. She kept up the conversation, asking Gabby questions about her weekend and her day. Her scent told me she really did worry about Gabby. So did I.

After Gabby finished, Rachel shooed her out of the kitchen with orders to rest while we cleaned up. Rachel turned on me with a grin and started talking about a cute pair of shoes she'd found. As I washed off the stove, I wondered how Peter put up with such a talker.

By the time we had everything clean, Gabby was lying asleep across the bed on top the covers.

"Good night, Clay," Rachel called from her room just before she closed her door. It was way too early to go to bed. At least I didn't have to hide the fact I was spending the night.

Gently picking Gabby up, I pulled back the covers. Then I removed her socks. She'd be more comfortable without her pants, but I wouldn't be. I pulled the covers up, tucked her in, and kissed her forehead. Her nose wrinkled in her sleep when my whiskers brushed her skin. I chuckled and reclined next to her. Not yet ready to sleep, I read for a while. She didn't move much, but I glanced at her often. I had to. With two words, she'd made it impossible to look away. He's mine.

I read for a while, slept a bit, then woke and read some more. The sun rose and still she slept. That was what she should have done yesterday.

Finally, she yawned, stretched, and opened her eyes.

"Good morning," she said, pulling the covers up to her chin.

I closed my book and studied her. She had more color back.

"I want to talk to you but keep falling asleep. If I do it again, wake me up."

Not a chance. I slid an arm around her and pulled her against my side. She smiled and relaxed.

"During the Introduction, when I said my head hurt, I saw a man step away from the line. I know how your kind views Introductions. It didn't seem right, so I peeked at his spark. It hurt like hell, but I saw he had the same color light as Elder Joshua and the wolf that'd attacked us. I thought maybe it could be the same guy‒that he needed to leave because you'd recognize his scent. Then, I saw three more, further away. Something's going on, but I can't figure out what.

"I know you didn't stay with the pack full-time, but did you ever notice any of them acting differently?"

I shook my head, and she sighed. Smoothing her hair back, I wished I had the answers she wanted.

Her phone vibrated, but she didn't reach for it. Usually, only one person called her. Sam.

"If only I could trust Sam. If I could ask him questions about Elder Joshua without him repeating them, I might be able to figure this thing out."

After the way Sam had handled the Introduction, I wasn't willing to trust him, either. He'd jeopardized Gabby's wellbeing with his need to adhere to our customs. I wondered how long it would take for the challenges to resume.

Would he keep them away long enough for her to fully recover?

* * * *

After almost a full week of silence, Gabby finally answered one of Sam's calls.

We were in her room sitting on the bed reading, as usual, when her phone rang. She stared at it for a moment, sighed, and picked it up. I stayed where I was and listened to the stilted conversation. I wanted to know if he'd push the Introductions again.

After he asked if she was feeling better, he asked if she'd come back to the Compound over the long Thanksgiving weekend. She avoided a direct answer, and he tried apologizing for his actions. She made non-committal noises, obviously still mad and not yet ready to forgive. Then, he asked what had happened to her during the last visit.

Our gazes met briefly, and she answered vaguely that she had been sick. A long moment of silence passed. When he spoke, he didn't comment on her answer but asked again that she consider coming "home" over holiday break. She said she'd think about it then hung up.

I thought that call was a signal that life as we'd known it would resume. However, for the next few weeks, no challengers approached me, and Sam continued to call Gabby daily. Most of their brief conversations touched on weather, school, or investments. Anything pack related stayed off limits. He was genuinely concerned about her, but Gabby had lost whatever trust she'd once had in him.

She talked to me often, trying to reason out her ability. She felt certain that the answer lay in the transfer. So I kept a close eye on her to ensure she didn't pull that stunt again. I didn't leave for work until she left for school, and I made sure I returned home before she did. I was tempted to follow her, too, but resisted. It seemed less likely she'd use her abilities on someone at school. She wanted to study the effect. That made Rachel the most likely candidate. So, when Rachel was around, I stayed in my fur. Mostly because I could get away with more as a dog. But partly because I thought she'd eventually notice the missing "dog" when I was around. Plus, that woman talked too much when I was a man.

On one of the rare nights Rachel stayed in, she started talking to Gabby about me. I lay curled on the floor next to Gabby, listening and amused.

"You are so weird about him. What is it about the guy that keeps you coming back?" Rachel sat on the couch, folding her clothes.

Gabby smiled slightly and turned the page of the book in her lap before answering.

"You don't know him like I do."

"How can you know him at all when you two don't talk?"

"You don't need to talk to get to know someone. You just need to listen," Gabby said.

I watched as her eyes stopped moving over the words in her book. Her gaze met mine, and a smile twitched her lips. I wondered what thought put it there.

"But that's what I'm saying. He doesn't talk. What are you listening to?"

Gabby laughed. "Actions speak louder than words. He's there when I need him, he's kind and caring, he keeps me safe; and as you've seen, he cooks and cleans. What's not to like, Rachel?"

Yeah, Rachel, what's not to like? I wanted to hug Gabby. Rachel's grumbling told me she disagreed with my suitability for Gabby. So I stood, walked over to her, and lay down on one of the blouses she was trying to fold. Take that.

She laughed and tried to move me, but I just laid my head on my paws. I caught Gabby's wide grin and winked at her.

Shaking her head, she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. I was glad she was looking for more food. She didn't eat enough. I'd been stopping at the store after work trying to tempt her with different things. Mostly, what I bought went unnoticed. Tonight, though, I was pretty proud of what I'd found, a big double-chocolate cake. Sure enough, Gabby honed in on it.

"Can I have a piece of your cake?" she asked.

"I thought it was yours. It was here when I got home," Rachel called back.

I moved off Rachel's clothes to watch Gabby. As she continued to stare at the cake, her expression softened.

I smiled. I just needed to be patient a little longer...

* * * *

My patience paid off when the snow started to fall the week before Thanksgiving. The wind howled, and despite having the heat on, it was still chilly inside.

I lay at the end of the bed in my usual spot. Gabby had just crawled under the covers. Even with her feet under me, she shivered. I didn't see how. She wore two or three layers.

"Screw this," she said, sitting up. Then, she pulled off her sweatshirt and tossed it toward the closet.

I lifted my head, watching her and wondering what she was up to. She lay back down but started wriggling under the covers. A minute later, her sleep pants sailed across the room.

"Clay, will you keep me warm tonight?"

What? Hell, yes!

I shifted as I jumped off the bed and grabbed a pair of shorts to yank on. A second later, I pulled back the covers and slid in next to her where I belonged. Hopefully she couldn't see my toothy grin in the dark. I just couldn't help it. She wasn't sick and she wanted me in bed with her. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. She snuggled in. I grunted when the ice cube she called a nose pressed against my bare chest, but I didn't let go.

"No more fur at night. Deal?"

My heart felt like it had exploded in my chest. She was telling me I should sleep with her every night. As a man. Sure, I knew she only wanted me for my body heat. But I didn't care. She could have me in whatever way she wanted me.

She fell asleep quickly while I stayed up most the night enjoying the feel of her wrapped around me. It was different from when I'd slept next to her when she was sick. Her hands moved often, finding a new spot on my chest or waist to warm themselves. I didn't want to miss a moment of it.

When her cell rang early, I wanted to groan. It was Sunday, the day Gabby usually slept in. Bonus snuggle time. Hiding my disappointment, I quickly reached over her, grabbed the phone, and handed it to her.

She glanced at the display and frowned.

"Hello?" she said.