n

n

n~ ZEV ~

nSasha's head snapped up again, her eyes accusing. He put his hands up and tried to look remorseful. He cleared his throat when she continued to glare.

n

"I didn't look,

" he said.

nMuch, he added in her mind. Her lower jaw pushed out.

n

"Zev!

"

n

"It's so cold here, you needed to be in the right clothes. It was a purely practical thing, I promise! And… and I gave you one of my thermals because I wasn't sure yours were enough.

"

nHer eyes softened for a moment, then her brows pinched together again and her lips pursed.

nHe'd forgotten how adorable she could be when she was trying to be pissed.

nThen, with a suspicious glance at him, she turned on her heel and started towards the light, her boots ringing on the hard-packed floor of the cave.

n

"Wait, Sasha, you shouldn't just—

"

nBut she stormed around the corner towards the mouth of the cave and he was at risk of losing sight of her. She couldn't be out there alone. So he raced along to catch her, reaching her and swinging into step next to her as they passed through the wide, dim tunnel.

nThe mouth glowed with a low, blue-white light ahead and she frowned at it, but didn't say anything.

n

"We can take a look now, but don't leave the cave yet,

" he whispered.

"I need to get our bags and we won't start the hike until you've eaten.

"

n

"How long was I asleep?

" she asked.

n

"About nine hours,

" he said, his stomach tightening. He'd meant for her to sleep about five.

n

"Nine—?

" she stopped mid-step and turned to face him.

"Zev, what the hell is going on? Why am I in a cave wearing snow gear?

"

n

"Because, I told you, I brought you home.

"

n

"Home? Where is home?

"

nHe smiled.

"Home is out there, and it's beautiful.

" He tipped his head towards the mouth of the cave, his chest finally loosening as it became clear that she hadn't been harmed by the drug, and they were, in fact, here. Together.

nShe looked at the mouth of the cave, then her lower jaw jutted out and she turned, striding towards it alone.

nHe stayed back, just a little, to let her get the full effect when she walked out of the cave and to watch her see his home for the first time.

nHe wasn't disappointed.

nAs she rounded the final corner and the white-blue light became almost blazing—though it was only very early morning, it seemed very bright after the darkness of the cave—Sasha's mouth dropped open and she stopped dead.

nZev looked out over the land that seemed like it was bred into his bones and took a deep, cleansing breath. They were several hundred feet up the side of the mountain, standing at the mouth of a cave that curled back on the mountainside behind a crag of rocks that left it hidden from view unless you were already practically on top of it. Snow fell lazily and had already carpeted the trees and underbrush anywhere the canopy wasn't thick enough to shield the ground. Below them a deep valley spread wide until it reached the base of another mountain almost a mile away. But in the middle a thick river flowed, hemmed by mossy rocks and clear banks that would turn into lush, grassy patches in the spring.

nThe birds were just beginning to sing, their twittered songs rising slowly and in pieces as they warmed their voices. Then a breeze rustled through the trees and for a moment after it passed, as if the world held its breath, everything was silent, and glittering under the early morning sun.

nSasha did a slow turn, her eyes darting high and low, taking in all the rugged beauty of his home, and Zev stood next to her feeling as pleased as if he'd made the whole thing himself. He'd always dreamed about bringing her here. He couldn't have been happier unless she'd mated him and born him a babe already.

nThen, finally, her progress brought her eyes back to Zev. They were stunned and awed.

nSo happy that she saw the beauty of his home, he put his hands on her shoulders and smiled down at her.

"Welcome to Thana, Sash,

" he said, his voice betraying his joy..

"I've waited so long to show you.

"

n