Snowhawk contacted Janus some two weeks after she arrived at the cabin, but she had not made any decisions by that point. During their conversation, he assured her that she could take as long as she needed. Adian took supplies to her, and, according to his reports to Janus, he’d not actually seen her on any of his trips. He could report that he was confident the cabin had been lived in.

Snowhawk finally called Janus at the end of the eighth week and simply requested that he come see her soon. He was at the cabin within three hours.

*********

At Nytehawk’s home that same day, Nytehawk, Jerome, Onyx, Sophie, Legacy, and Hunter discussed the situation. “So, no one’s heard from her since she went up there?” Onyx questioned.

Sophie shook her head. “Not since I saw her. Even then, there was no contact.”

“There’s a rumor that she contacted Janus some six weeks ago, but there hasn’t been much else around,” Jerome added.

“What about the supplies?” Hunter asked.

“Apparently Adian has been delivering them,” Legacy replied, irritated at the thought. “She’s been leaving notes for him as to what she needs, so I’ve heard.”

Nytehawk was silent for a few moments, then commented, “It’s not like her to withdraw that much for that long. She needs contact, and her delivery man isn’t exactly trustworthy.”

“What are you suggesting, Nytehawk?” Onyx queried.

“The last I knew, Adian was little more than a walking erection. He wants toys, regardless of who they ‘belong’ to.”

“I really doubt Snowhawk would allow him to get within arms reach of her, much less lay a hand on her,” the raven furred Delphin noted.

“Adian can be very persuasive,” Nytehawk quietly responded.

Legacy snorted in disgust and looked away from the group. “I don’t believe for a moment she’d allow that. She went up there to work her feelings out, right? Why would she complicate things by getting involved with Adian?”

“That’s the most intelligent thing you’ve said in a while, Legacy,” Hunter commented.

“I think you may be reading a little too much into it, Nyte,” Onyx stated.

“Maybe,” Nytehawk began. “But I just didn’t like how he’d try to find ways to watch her. It was like he was stalking her.”

“Well, Lupino are predators,” Jerome pointed out.

“And predators like weakened prey,” she finished.

Legacy flattened his ears back. He wasn’t pleased about the thought of having something else to complicate matters. Both Onyx and Nytehawk had valid points, and he only hopped that Onyx was right on this.

*********

Adian wandered the estate, halfheartedly making his check of the grounds. He idly wondered just what Snowhawk would say. Janus should be at the cabin by now.

He had said that he never saw her over the past eight weeks, but that was a full blown lie, mostly to put his brother’s mind to rest. He saw and spoke with her on all of his trips up there. He took trips up there twice a week for supplies and to check up on her. With each trip, she seemed to be leaning more toward his brother. Not only was he trying to keep from being blamed for something he hadn’t done, but he didn’t want to give Janus a false hope. She was female after all, and such creatures can change their minds quite quickly.

He meandered the grounds for several hours, thinking. He thought about how he was truly jealous of his brother, and that perhaps his interest in keeping her safe was more than just to keep his brother happy. “Janus was wrong, I guess I do care about someone,” he said to the plants around him.

He also thought about how she seemed to have re-acquired a stalker. He wasn’t sure how long this presence had been trailing her this time, and it seemed to have followed her to the mountains now. He was quite concerned over this since she was more concerned over her decision than her personal safety. He sighed and shook his head, wondering just why, exactly, he’d gotten involved.

*********

Janus pulled in front of the cabin and stepped out of his car as Snowhawk walked down the porch steps toward him. She looked to the sky as she walked, then sighed and looked at him, smiling softly. Janus, of course, smiled in return, but wondered if it was appropriate to ask the question burning in his mind. She walked to him, and stopped just a couple of steps away. “You know how there are things in life that just are. They have to happen, regardless of what one might do to try to stop them?” she asked.

Janus nodded. “Of course.”

She sighed, momentarily looking to the sky again, then back to him. “I believe that we are one of those things.”

Janus didn’t quite get what she was saying at first, probably because he hadn’t gotten his hopes up to hear it. By the time she had closed the gap between them and put her arms around him, however, he understood. He in turn wrapped his arms around her. “Oh, love, you have no idea how afraid I was you wouldn’t say that.” He pulled her closer to him, then asked after several minutes, “But what are you going to tell the others, especially Legacy. I’m a little concerned for your safety after what he tried in the hospital.”

“Your fears aren’t unfounded, but I will have to tell him. And soon.”

********

Several days later, back in the city, Jerome sat in Sophie’s room in Nytehawk’s home. Sophie’s health had fallen rapidly over the past week. She refused to admit she was that ill, but the fact wasn’t easily hidden. “Sophie,” he quietly began, “why didn’t you tell me? I might have been able to help you before it progressed so far.”

“This is my punishment for what I did, Jerome,” she replied. “You were right, I didn’t have to do any of it. She sat up in be slowly, staring blankly at the far wall. “Why are you here anyway, Jerome? Shouldn’t you be helping Legacy get Snowhawk back?”

“Snowhawk isn’t coming back, they just don’t want to hear it. You’re more important. You need someone with you.”

“J, she’s got her whole life ahead of her. They all do. I’m not that important.”

“You’re more than ‘that important,’ Sophie.” He moved from his chair, kneeling in front of her and taking hold of her hand. “Above everything else that’s happening, beyond what’s come between us in the past, you are my mate.”

“I was--”

“Are,” he quickly corrected. “I apologize for how I acted. I was hurt. It’s an excuse, but it doesn’t make it right.”

“Right or not, that doesn’t change anything,” she responded, looking to Jerome’s hands.

“You’re right, it doesn’t. But it’s childish of me to remain angry with you.”

“Childish, but not unfounded.”

Jerome sighed, the released her hand and moved next to her on the bed. He embraced her and they sat in silence for several minutes. “Don’t push me away, Sophie. Please. I want to be here for you to try and make up for how I acted.”

Sophie didn’t know how to react. He’d let go of his anger. He was the same Delphin she’d fallen in love with years ago. “What changed your mind, Jerome?” she finally asked after some ten minutes of silence.

“I told you,” he replied. “I realized that I can’t change--”

“No,” she said, cutting him off. “I mean, what made you realize that?”

Jerome leaned back a few inches and looked down in thought. “I guess it was after Legacy returned without Nyte or Snow. I don’t know why, but that was it.”

“Don’t try to save me, Jerome. I’m not worth it. I don’t deserve to be your mate,” she said, leaning and looking away from him. “I’m sure there’s someone else waiting for you.”

Jerome leaned towards her and quietly stated, “If there is Sophie, she can wait. You are more important.” He pulled her tightly to him and whispered, “I don’t want you to go through this alone anymore.”

She tried to pull away from him. “Jerome, you need to back away. You can’t get too close--”

“Sophie, I’ve already told you what I felt. I am not leaving you again.” She gave him a defeated sigh at this, but made no attempt to pull away.