The Snow Leopard's Heart (Glacier Leopards 4)

Nina had probably thought that the pack was coming to attack her, or something. And Joel hadn’t been there. He’d run away, thinking he was doing the right thing by separating them before the mate-bond could completely overwhelm their judgment.

But maybe he hadn’t been doing the right thing. Maybe he’d just been a coward, running away from the thing he was most afraid of.

And abandoning Nina in the process.

“I have to go after her,” Joel said. “She’s running away, she’s afraid—I cannot believe you didn’t wait until I told you it was all right to come up here!” he said, whirling on Zach.

“I’m sorry,” Zach said sincerely. “I really thought it would be all right. At worst, I thought you’d tell us to get lost. I didn’t know anyone else was up here.”

“Why didn’t you tell us about her?” Teri asked, frowning. “We would’ve been happy to meet her.”

“She didn’t want to!” Joel scrubbed his hands through his hair, feeling sick. “She was afraid. I was going to try and introduce her to Cal today, but then—” Then he’d woken up and the mate-bond had chased any plans right out of his head.

Zach was frowning now, too. “Joel, how long have you known her? The other night in the diner—”

Joel shook his head. “I didn’t know her then. We just met.”

Zach looked at him sharply, leaning forward. “I haven’t seen you like this in years. You’re worked up as all get-out. Who is this girl?”

Joel stilled, and then glared at Zach. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

But Zach had seen his reaction. “You’re more upset than I’ve seen you since you were a teenager. Over a woman you met two days ago. Joel—is Nina your mate?”

“Shut up, Zach.” Joel couldn’t deal with this right now. Not until they found Nina. “I’m going to go—” He paused. “Where’s Alethia?”

Grey, standing several feet away, said, “She went after her.” He sounded completely undisturbed. “Said that more people freaking out wasn’t helping a scared woman. She wants to talk to her alone.”

“I want to talk to her alone.” Joel turned to glare at Zach, and the rest of them by association. “You all stay here.”

He shifted. Nina’s scent was as clear as day. He started to run.

***

Nina wasn’t running yet.

It was stupid. She should already be halfway across the mountains. There was no going back after something like that.

But she couldn’t. The thought of leaving Joel, of putting more and more miles between them...

It hurt too much. Even though she knew she had to, it just hurt too much.

She’d get herself together and do it. Soon. Nina knew how to push through pain and heartbreak. She’d done it before, and she could do it again.

Just not yet.

She’d found a little hollow in the forest, and curled up in it in leopard form. She’d give herself just a little while to stay here. An hour, maybe. An hour to huddle into herself, breathe slowly, and get ready to move.

Mate, her leopard was howling. Our mate is out there! Find him!

He doesn’t want us, she told it.

That isn’t right. Her leopard was filled with absolute certainty that that had to be wrong. There was no way their mate couldn’t want them. That was what mate meant. Someone who always wanted you.

I guess our mate isn’t like that, Nina thought, exhausted. She shouldn’t be surprised, maybe. After all, it had turned out that packs weren’t for her. She’d accepted that when she came to Glacier. So it looked like a mate wasn’t for her, either.

We can go on alone, she insisted. We’ve done it for a long time. We’ll be okay.

No. Her leopard was adamant. We’ll be with our mate. We belong with our mate.