"So where's Clay?"

"Took off. I wasn't keeping up. Next thing I know, he's gone and I'm trudging through snow up to my knees, searching for a path, a road, anything. Then I heard you."

"In other words, you got lost in the woods. Again."

He shot me a mock scowl. "No, Clay lost me in the woods. Again. And he's probably lost himself by now, the way he was going. Do you want to hunt for him? Or keep going and hope for cell service?"

I wanted to find Clay. Even the thought that he was out here was enough to make my eyes prickle again. Nick was a decent substitute, but I needed Clay-to see him, know he was safe, show him I was safe, tell him everything, then get to work.

And I wanted a hug. A long one, inhaling his scent, proving to myself that everything really was okay. There was a time I wouldn't have admitted that, much less planned to act on the impulse. Today I would.

What I had to do, though, was option two: trust that Clay was okay and keep going until we could make radio contact. If both Clay and Antonio were out of range, then I'd contact Jeremy or Karl-maybe even Hope-and have someone keep trying Antonio and Clay for me while we headed back into the forest to search for them. That was the sensible plan, so that's the one I told Nick. He didn't argue; he never did.

So we walked. I took the radio and he kept the cell phone, and we continued checking for service as I explained everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.

Nick accepted the existence of Shifters with little comment. It interested him no more than any minutiae of the greater supernatural world. What did get his attention was the tremor in my voice each time I mentioned Travis Tesler.

"What did this Tesler guy-?" Nick stopped himself. "No, I think I know what he did. Or tried to do, because if he'd succeeded… "

"I'd be an emotional wreck?"

"No, I was thinking more 'covered in blood and bits of the bastard.' But, yeah, after that settled, you'd be in rough shape. You'd get through it, but I'm glad you don't have to."

He tucked his glove into his pocket, and slid his bare hand into the massive mitt over mine, taking my hand inside it, that last bit of chill vanishing as my fingers entwined with his warm ones. We walked in silence, hand-in-hand. I've always liked this about Nick, a physical closeness I don't allow myself with anyone except Clay. It's a safe intimacy that some part of me craves.

It's not asexual-nothing is asexual with Nick-but it's completely nonthreatening. I'm his friend and his best friend's wife, and while that doesn't stop him from kissing me or slipping into our bed and getting friendlier than a friend should, he means nothing by it, would never push the boundaries. If Clay isn't threatened, then I know I don't need to be, because it's nothing more than it appears to be-another level of the physical play and intimacy that cements Pack bonds.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he said after a few minutes. "I know you'll talk to Clay but… maybe there are things you'd rather discuss with me?"

I nodded. "I might. And I probably will. Later. For now, I'm holding up. It just… It made me so… "

"Angry."

"Sure. It pissed me off. That's part of being a woman, I guess. If some son of a bitch wants to hurt us, he knows how to do it, and there's really nothing we can do in return, nothing on that scale."

"I don't mean you're mad at him. Of course you are, but you're more angry with yourself for letting it get to you. For not being perfect."

I didn't answer. I didn't need to. The Pack might tease Nick for not being the quickest on his mental feet, but there's more than one kind of intelligence, and when it comes to seeing through people, no one was better than Nick. It just wasn't an ability I liked him practicing on me…

"I'll be fine," I said.

"I know you will."

We checked our devices, then kept walking, the dark sky ahead now streaked with gray.

"Everyone has a button, Elena. This guy found yours."

"And, apparently, he's not the only one who sees it, meaning I'm doing a shitty job of hiding it."

He gave me a look. "I've known you for twenty years. If I hadn't figured it out, there'd be something wrong with me, especially considering I've brushed that button a few times myself."

"It's not the same."

His hand tightened around mine. "I know."

We walked some more. Checked again. Still nothing.

"You're allowed to have a soft spot, Elena."

"I'd rather not."

"I know."

More quiet walking. More futile checking.

"How far did you get before you lost the signal?" I asked.

"No idea. Clay had driven in as far as his rental truck would go, and we met him there. At that point, we had radio but no cell. After we split up, there wasn't any reason to call each other, so we didn't think to check."

"Any idea whether we're heading in the right direction?" I caught his look. "Okay, dumb question. But I know the highway is west, and the sun is coming up behind us, so we're at least heading into a cell phone area. I hope. Now let's just hope they-"

The howl of a wolf brought me up short. I followed the sound, then shook my head. It wasn't Clay or Antonio.

"Could be Reese," Nick said. "Maybe I'm not the only werewolf who gets lost in the woods."

A chorus of howls answered the question.

"Wild wolves?" he said.

I nodded. "But I'm sure even they get lost now and then… when they've taken a hard blow to the head."

He jostled me, threatening to send one of those hard blows my way. We goofed for a few steps, trading shoves and trying to trip each other, then we slowed to listen as the wolves broke out in full song.

"Something's got them going," I said.

"Those Shifter things?"

"Could be. I-"

The radio in my hand chirped, the sound so loud and unexpected I almost dropped it.

"Goddamn it, Nick," Clay's voice hissed. "Where the hell are you? I don't have time to be chasing you all over the fucking Alaskan wilderness. If you freeze to death-"

I pressed the button. "Nick's with me. We're okay."

Silence, then. "Who-? Is someone there?"