There was no hard evidence to prove Ulrich was raising ferals. The alpha of Frost Lock couldn't keep a business owner hostage when plenty of people visited the kennel. It would raise unwanted attention.

Olga felt nauseous driving up the mountain. The chain-link fence was open. Inside, the mill was busier than she ever remembered it being.

Sawdust sprayed through the air. Men in several rows cut through the ancient pines.

She drove by the office building. Large trucks sped over the snow hauling the timber. Her family's two large storage facilities had their gigantic doors open revealing the mass of timber stockpiled up for shipment.

The road got bumpier as she veered off the main path of the mill yard.

The trees around her grew thicker as she entered the shady woods left untouched by the lumberjacks just a mile away. Rollo's trailer looked dark. She sighed in relief as she drove further and found him snowblowing his little fenced-off lawn.

"Uncle!" she hollered while stepping out of the car.

"Olga! I'm so glad you stopped over. Thought you told me you were flying out tonight?"

Her cheeks were red. The old man couldn't believe his two eyes. She was walking.

"H-how are you walking?"

Olga froze up, she stepped back folding her arms against the freezing snow blowing around.

"I found a...doctor. I had it done in the city."

Rollo was an old man. He wiped a tear away believing her words even though they didn't make sense. Any real city was hundreds of miles away.

"I suppose you did! Do you know he done paid five hundred grand? I know he must be one of 'em dogfighters. Hell, I don't care!" her uncle howled with laughter. "I got myself a nice new truck. See you got a new car, boy, is that a nice car. Oh, look who it is!"

Five hundred thousand? That was ten times what Ulrich initially offered. She wrinkled her nose feeling doubtful as she pulled her furry wool hood up. As Rollo pointed out, someone was riding up the drive in a black snowmobile. The rider was dressed in a completely white snowsuit.

She smiled politely at her uncle.

He wandered off back over to his home leaving Olga alone. The next, and last, stop was to see her newly built cabin. She got back in the car seeing the snowmobiler slowing down.

She kept her head turned away while driving by them. The bite mark on her neck throbbed dully. She didn't have to look to know who it was.

Jax said Ulrich agreed to have her cabin rebuilt.

Down the mountain she went, miles further behind pines, eventually, she found her way to her rusty mailbox. She followed the snowplowed driveway with open curiosity. Her eyes bulged seeing the new cabin. Some miles away, saw blades could be heard faintly in the distance as she hopped out of the car. Never had the mill workers cut timber so close to her cabin. Their presence went ignored as she walked up to the house.

It was the same design as her old cabin but significantly bigger. Jax said the door would be unlocked. It was.

Inside, it was warm and cozy.

Everything looked as she remembered. The kitchen was bigger though and her cot was gone. Instead, there was a large set of double doors.

She opened them, finding a huge master bedroom. Olga took in the fancy quilts that matched the curtain and rugs. There was even a master bathroom with a wooden sink, tub and shower.

She walked back into the bedroom in a daze as she entered the walk-in closet. She didn't think Jax was this wealthy. Every piece of clothing inside was designer and in her size.

"This is too much..." she mumbled.

She heard someone come in the front door.

"How do you like the cabin?"

Olga smiled at Jax. There was one thing about the house that bothered her.

"I love it! The bedroom is just kind of over the top. It's not like I'll be sharing the cabin..." she trailed off seeing his expression downturn.

Jax ran a hand through his dark hair.

"Well, uh, you do know Ulrich is staying here, right? It was part of our agreement."

"You've arranged for a murderer to live with me?"

"I know you two have been sleeping together. Any wolf a mile away could smell that in his little mobile home down at the kennel. He's your mate, and thankfully, he is being very upfront about his way of dealing with the warlock. Some of his pack have been acting like ferals. The law of our people allows bad werewolves to be put down in their packs...with due cause of course."

"What's a feral?"

"A werewolf who refuses to behave like a good-natured human. Essentially, when they turn, they're unable to be human anymore."

Olga bit her lip. Now was the time to get her suspicion out.

"Ulrich said two werewolves came for me the other night. I think he killed them."

Jax nodded. "That isn't uncommon since you're in heat. An alpha's job is to draw the line between ethical and unethical behavior for those in the pack. You do realize humans get off easy for far worse."

"I don't know, Jax. Murder is murder."

"I know, Olga. Just because we let him go back to business doesn't mean this is over. He's actually down with my pack now. We found Aster...Ulrich wasn't lying about him. Both of them will be in the den for a few days."

Olga sat down on the new leather couch.

"Do you think I can somehow undo this mate thing?"

Jax tried not to be too forward. "I could bite you but I really do not want you to feel that way toward me. Plus, Ulrich would literally lose his mind. This is a very serious bond we are talking about. Not to mention, you've already done the dirty a few times with him."

"Just hear me out," Olga sighed. She lifted her chin as if above the words she would say, "I do find him very attractive...just not his personality. I can't help it when he touches me or looks at me. It's like he knows what it does to me."

Jax sat beside her. "He can't control you."

His eyes were a deep ocean blue. Olga wanted to kick herself. She didn't hear what he said because she was too busy looking at his sexy face.

Jax couldn't help pitying her.

"Just do it, it'll make him lose interest, right?"

"It's not that simple. Don't forget you have to bite me too."

He watched her face turn white as a sheet.

"I never bit Ulrich."

Jax stared at her in shock. He wanted to laugh with joy, instead, a heavy feeling settled over him. The two were already sleeping together without completing the bond? They weren't even official mates.

No wonder she had been in heat for so long with no pup. Ulrich was trying to make it last as long as he could.

He felt at a loss. Why did the alpha not let her claim him?

Jax tried to stay calm. "Did you two ever, uh, talk about making pups?"

"Um, it has come up, but are you kidding me? I'd never want any child around him," she scoffed.

"And you told him this?"

"Yup!"

Jax was still watching her like she had grown another head.

"Guess he isn't much of a feral, well, still an asshole, but he's been honoring you."

Ulrich, honoring her? Olga wanted to throw up.

"Please explain," she said.

She watched his face turn a little red.

"Werewolves usually claim each other the day they meet. Otherwise, females are made vulnerable to others in the pack. Claiming means you both bite each other. Then you'll be able to make pups. Otherwise, the male will continue to hide your scent through intercourse to keep other wolves away."

"Thanks for the Animal Planet recap."

"I know it sounds crazy...he's actually letting you do what you want."

Jax rubbed his face. In his head, he knew what needed done. He had waited too long. It wasn't too late though. The claim wasn't complete. He already talked to Sashka.

***

Olga woke up. The room was dark. Her jaw hurt. She thought it was bleeding. It felt sore.

"Go back to sleep."

She couldn't listen. Not when he refused to give her what she wanted. He always was so eager...and such an animal. Relentless. Olga twisted her legs as she fell a little into memory.

She opened her eyes a moment later in frustration. He was still turned away from her.

Feeling giddy, she pressed herself into his back. Her mood fell flat when he quickly sat upright as if in annoyance.

"Stop that. Go to sleep."

Still, she didn't listen.

"Let's do what we did last time," she said.

Promptly, she crawled onto his lap pressing her lips into his. Olga closed her eyes again, she wanted him so badly. His chest felt red hot beneath her hands. She imagined him licking her all over like he always did.

Unfortunately, he still had yet to even open his mouth or remove an article of clothing.

The lamp turned on.

"What?" she breathed out. It wasn't the crazy animal she bossed around in the dark. It was Jax. Her excitement crumpled up quickly as she rapidly moved off of him. "I'm so sorry!"

He had to try hard to not laugh at her little act. "No, I agreed to this."

She saw a book in his hand. He had been staying up reading to watch over her. She had bitten him in hopes of getting out of heat. Jax said he wouldn't try biting her because he was still trying to make things right with Sashka. Plus, he didn't want to scare Olga away.

He didn't have any bad intentions. He wasn't dirty and he wasn't Ulrich.

"Is that how he likes it?" Jax accidentally said out loud. Olga stared at his red hoodie feeling shameful. "Some alpha...letting his woman call the shots. Sounds more like a beta to me."

She felt annoyed by his comment. Olga didn't really know why. It was true Ulrich let her tell him what to do. She blushed knowing that she didn't dominate in that area of the relationship. Somehow, Ulrich got off on her little commands and it just made him go even crazier.

Because he is crazy, she reminded herself.

Her throat felt dry. "Oh god," she whispered finally looking up. "Please don't look at me like that. It's not what you think."

Jax laughed while moving off the bed.

"It sounds like you're already getting over the bond."

"What about you?"

Jax lied, "I'll feel a little more attracted to you since you bit me."

It was more than a little. He had taken a few pills to drowse himself up so nothing would happen. While Olga slept, he had talked to Sashka on the phone through most of the night as a way to monitor himself. He did read some too.

The drugs were wearing off.

"Where are you going?"

"I gotta get back to the den...and check on Aster."

She watched him sluggishly leave the room. He bundled up in a rush leaving her confused as he headed out.

Olga couldn't go back to sleep when she still felt embarrassed.

❄️