“It’s not your fault.” Elvie placed the clean sheets down and began making up the bed.
Hannah wearily stood up and helped. “It must be easier, with you both being shifters.” She glanced sideways at Elvie. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked such an intrusive question.”
Elvie straightened up. “In some ways yes. I suppose.” She brushed Hannah’s hair back as it fell forward when she bent down to pull the sheet over the bed. “O’Malley is one of the good ones. I hope you can see that.”
Hannah stood up and looked Elvie in the eyes. “I can. I’ve only known him….” She arched her eyebrow. “I’ve known him less than a day and he has dropped everything for me and come halfway around the world to help me look for my brother.” She wiped her hand over her eyes. “This is crazy.”
“No, it’s not. You love your brother and O’Malley loves you.”
“Loves me?” Hannah shook her head. “You heard the part about us knowing each other for less than a day.”
“You two are mates. You know it in your heart. He knows it in his heart. It’s love. You just don’t recognize it as such.” Elvie went back to making the bed. “At least not yet. But you will.”
“And there is no mistaking that feeling? For a shifter?”
“Oh, no.” Elvie’s face lit up, her eyes were filled with love. It was like a pure light that shone from her. “If that is what you are worried about then forget it. There is no mistake. None.”
She said it with such conviction that all Hannah’s doubts and fears were brushed away. “I wish I could feel that way.”
“You just need to open your heart and believe in him. Believe in what you truly feel.” Elvie cocked her head to one side. “You are Army stock, am I right?”
“Yes. My grandfather, my dad, my brother. They have all served their country.” Hannah swallowed down the lump of emotion welling in her throat. “My mom died when I was just out of high school.”
“I’m sorry.” Elvie pulled her into a warm hug, reminding Hannah of when her mom used to hold her.
“I picked up the pieces. I tried to put them all back together.” Hannah hiccupped as she fought her tears.
“And you are still trying which is why you are here to find your brother,” Elvie murmured.
“Yes.”
Elvie took a step back and placed her surprisingly strong hands on Hannah’s upper arms. “Did anyone ever help to put you back together?”
The air puffed out of Hannah’s lungs. “No.”
“O’Malley will. He’ll gather up each small piece and make you whole if you let him.” Elvie gave a small laugh and let Hannah go. As she continued to make the bed, she said, “The pieces will never all go back the same. You must have found that with your family. Parts get lost, they get misshapen, but you learn to be whole without them.” She looked toward the two men. “Until the liquor lets the demons loose.”
“Thanks, Elvie. For the bed and for the talk.” Hannah hadn’t ever opened up to another person about her feelings. Perhaps O’Brian’s alcoholic brew hadn’t loosened her tongue but it had loosened something else. The part she kept hidden away. Her emotional self.
When her mom had died that was how she’d coped, she’d quashed her own feelings and emotions as she helped her father and brother cope with theirs.
“You are most welcome.” Elvie smoothed her hands over the clean bed and then walked toward the door. “As you look for your brother, you will walk the same walk he walked. The walk countless pilgrims have taken as they try to find themselves.”
“And maybe I will find myself?” Hannah asked, unsure of who she really was.
“Maybe. You’ve already found a part of yourself. You and O’Malley will do just fine.” Elvie slipped from the room, leaving Hannah alone with the bed.
One bed. Hannah walked around that one bed. It wasn’t big. There would be enough room for her and O’Malley, but it would be a squeeze.
“I can sleep on the floor.” O’Malley stood in the doorway.
She jumped, flustered by the man who was her mate. Embarrassed that he had read her thoughts. “No, I’m sure we can fit.”
Hannah couldn’t look at him. She didn’t completely understand this whole mates process. What was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to behave? If he knew that she believed they were mates, would he expect them to consummate their relationship?
Mated. Her cheeks flamed red as she imagined being in bed with O’Malley, of his hands on her body, his fingers stroking her skin.
“I’ve slept in worse places,” he assured her as he stepped into the room.
“I’m sure you have but we have a long day tomorrow and I’d rather we both got a good night’s sleep. Anyway, I think the tent is probably smaller than this bed.” She busied herself doing nothing. Plumping up the pillows and then straightening the quilt as she hid her flaming red cheeks from him. “So we’d better get used to being in such close proximity.”
“I’ll go grab the packs.” O’Malley slipped silently out of the room and Hannah let out her pent-up breath. She could do this. She could lie by his side and sleep.
Or would she be tempted to touch him, to stroke his skin pulled tautly over his toned muscles?
“Here are the backpacks.” O’Malley dumped the two packs on the floor and crouched down to open his up.
Hannah stood as if frozen, watching him move. Maybe she should step outside into the cold mountain air. That would be the same as taking a cold shower, right?
She shivered and O’Malley glanced up at her. This wasn’t going to work unless she forced herself to behave naturally. Hadn’t she done that after her mom died? She’d forced herself to act normal, to sound normal, even as her heart broke and her soul shriveled up.
Hannah shuffled forward, grabbed her pack and pulled it toward her as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Unclipping the clasps holding the flap closed, she took out her toothbrush, although she had no idea where she was supposed to brush her teeth. Did the house have a bathroom?
“This way.” O’Malley stood up. “O’Brian showed me where they wash…and everything.”
Hannah gave a small laugh. “Outside plumbing?”
“Not quite.” O’Malley inclined his head toward the door. “Come on.”
She followed him out of the bedroom. There was a small room with a door leading into it from both inside the house and outside. It was basic but functional. Hannah needed to get used to basic once they were trekking across the mountain.
A sudden panic caused her heart to flutter and her stomach to flip. Sleeping in a bed next to O’Malley would soon be the least of her worries.
They went back to their room. Sleep was already creeping up on Hannah as she quickly undressed while O’Malley went to fetch a couple of glasses of water. She slid into bed and pulled the covers up around her chin just as he reappeared at the doorway.
“Here, drink this, it’ll hopefully counteract the effects of the alcohol in O’Brian’s homemade brew.” He handed her a glass of water.
“Thanks. It was strong. I didn’t drink it all, I hope he isn’t offended.” Hannah shuffled up the bed and sat up, her back against the wall. Sipping her water, she tried not to stare as O’Malley stripped down to his shorts and slid under the covers.