The storm had passed. Olga grimaced. She found herself already dressed in a wool sweater and jeans. She could hear the door slamming against the side of the house and loud talking outside.

She stomped over to the doorway.

"Good morning, angel!"

Olga glared against the sun's reflection on the snow.

A group of lumberjacks were chopping trees down just outside the house. Ulrich resumed ordering them around.

He looked ridiculous in his white snowsuit.

She could see him walking her way and waited for him to come in the house.

"What happened last night?"

"We use each other for warmth. I dress you since I had to open door. Too many men with wandering eyes. I'm sure you know this."

"You dressed me?"

"Because you would freeze to death if I not. It cold again in here. Too cold for you," he fussed. "Electric come on in afternoon. Door be fixed later. I so glad you up now. Let's go get breakfast."

She didn't like his new cocky smile. It made her feel like she did something that she didn't know about.

Whatever. I didn't bite him and that's all that matters, she thought.

"I'm not going anywhere. Where's my car?"

"Buried right now. They dig it out soon," he said. He started walking off toward the men but turned off and headed to his snowmobile. "I give you lift. Jax is here."

She shouted feeling him lift her off the ground.

He placed her on the seat in front of him.

"I cannot be late, angel, sorry."

"No! You're not sorry," she shouted with a heavy gulp.

She was sitting on him more than the seat. Ulrich grabbed the handles of the machine. They weren't wearing helmets. She screamed when he accelerated without warning. She didn't know where the break was. All she knew was that he was not using it. His hand throttled the gas the entire trip down.

Ulrich would swirve at the very last second as if to purposefully scare her before turning sharply away from trees. He seemed to be making a point to go over each little ramp of snow so Olga could be air born. He used his other hand, that was supposed to hold the break bar, as Olga's seatbelt strapped against her chest. She didn't know if he intended to grab her boob but his hold was the only thing keeping her from flying out of the vehicle.

Snow and snot still covered her face as they came to a stop.

Jax stood by his truck. He took in the two. They did look good together but all mates did.

"Good morning, alpha of Frost Lock," Ulrich greeted awkwardly. He made sure to hold Olga extra close. "We had such a cold night. I come keep Olga warm, no worry."

"No worry," Jax echoed while watching Olga. She didn't even flinch when Ulrich kissed his bite mark on her neck.

Olga did swat Ulrich's hand away when he tried to hold her hand.

"He locked me in the cabin the whole night!"

"No," Ulrich argued. "I kept cold out. Did Jax not tell you he has asked me to look over your new home?"

"You nailed the door shut after you broke it."

Jax felt like he was getting a headache. Sashka offered Olga a mug of hot chocolate. Ulrich apparently already had his drink. Beer. Jax had no idea how he managed not to spill it during their trip down.

"I want to apologize for accusing you of raising ferals. It seems we got off on the wrong foot. I'm glad to welcome new competitors in the ring...I think it's best your pack stay up here though."

"Yes," Ulrich agreed. Olga rolled her eyes.

A few burly men came out of the office building of the mill. They walked around the building with Ulrich.

Jax dusted some snow off his jacket newly alone with Olga. Sashka had gone back in the car.

"You're welcome to live with us-"

"Yes!" Olga said in a heartbeat. "I'll go get my things."

Part of Jax wished his mate would care a little more. Sashka didn't mind at all though that the woman claimed him. It was definitely frowned upon in their community.

He was more worried about Ulrich anyway.

The alpha had agreed, upon his release, that it was Olga's decision to live where she pleased. He wanted to let Olga see the new cabin though and give her the opportunity to change her mind since Ulrich was her mate. It would make things easier if she decided to stay with him.

Ulrich's walk was short. He had already returned too soon.

"Where going?" he asked roughly seeing Jax shut the car door behind Olga.

Jax folded his arms.

Ulrich was surprised to see Olga roll the window down.

She could feel his anger and confusion, even if he was terrible and a murderer. Just upright abandoning him felt wrong when she knew how violent he could be. That anger had already turned on Jax. She didn't want anyone else put at risk.

"I'm going to the store," she lied. "Have the cabin fixed when I get back."

"When getting back-"

Jax cut him off. "Don't you have her number by now?"

"No," Ulrich growled.

He was thinking about tearing the car door off its hinges.

There was no hesitation since he was around like minded individuals. He grabbed Jax by the collar speaking through his canines.

"I know exactly what you want," he growled in a low voice. "If I smell you in my house again I will rip out your heart. Olga can do what she wants. I trust you will not take advantage of that knowing the moon goddess is always right."

As far as Jax knew, the moon goddess screwed him over. Mates weren't perfect. He was beginning to believe less and less in the deity...especially upon meeting Ulrich.

"It is nice to dream," Jax replied. Ulrich followed him around the car. "But this world isn't perfect and neither are your skewed instincts. Don't you think that's why she's still running from you?"

Olga felt uncomfortable in the car. She wanted to know what they were talking about. Jax got in the car and slammed the door shut.

"Drive," he told Sashka.

***

Bernard moved off the couch seeing his alpha return.

Fernando set down his drink on the kitchen island watching Olga with open skepticism.

She's going to get someone killed, Fernando sneered through their mind-link.

Carmen, his girlfriend, grabbed him by the elbow. Jax had asked them to introduce themselves. They did. It was the first time they were really meeting Olga having been in the den during her first visit to the pack house.

Sashka's attention was on her daughter. Carmen passed the child over to her mother.

It was hard to ignore how short most of the werewolves were with her. Olga knew she wouldn't be welcome. She also didn't realize how much of a jerk Jax could be to his supposed closest friends. He was cold and bossy to the members of his house.

He left Olga with Sashka saying something about going to his office for a call.

"Men," Sashka mumbled while grabbing Olga's suitcase. Olga was more than a little surprised to see the woman haul it up the steps ahead of her.

"Th-thank you!" Olga hurried after her.

She was given the same room as before. Sashka shut the bedroom door.

"I want you to feel welcome here. Jax and I are separating soon. I could never leave the pack...we've been sleeping in different rooms now. I'm sorry if you feel uncomfortable around me. It's just..." her voice turned into a whisper. She looked over Olga slowly. "I'm not sure what I want now."

Olga got a funny feeling. She wanted to leave the room feeling uncomfortable under the tall woman's stare. Sashka could get any man she wanted. Jax was definitely up there.

"I thought mates were for life?"

"Some people just don't get along," Sashka replied with a sardonic grin. Her voice lightened as she dug into her purse, "Gum?" she offered.

❄️

A/N: Thank you for reading!