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Ella, still in her kitchen, scooped the last bit of stew out of the crockpot and ladled it into a food container. She put the lid on and placed the container into a box with six others, then she stacked paper bowls, napkins and spoons on top.

She turned to the bearen waiting in the hallway, his eyes on the floor. He held his hands together and alternated looking at the floor, the wall, and at Trevor, who was sitting at the kitchen table, eating stew.

“You’ll get half of this to Bob and Sharon and Lillian?” Ella asked him.

“Yes, ma’am,” the male said, his voice deep but soft. He’d been acting nervous since he came in the door.

“And you can feed the rest of the team, too?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She nodded at him but he still wouldn’t look at her. She stepped away from the counter and motioned at the box, telling him, “Come back if you need more.”

The big male came timidly into the room, snatched up the box, and made a beeline out the front door.

Ella watched him go, then asked Trevor, “What’s his name?”

“Who?”

“The bearen who just took the stew.”

“I don’t know,” Trevor said. “He must be new. I’ll have Troy find out.”

“Never mind, it might make him more nervous.”

Troy came down the stairs. He was on guard duty over Dahlia, who was sleeping in the upstairs guest room, while Crew had been off doing something for the last hour or so. Troy made his way up and down the stairs every few minutes, while Trent patrolled the perimeter of the house outside. They took guard duty seriously.

That’s Hugo, Troy said. You make him nervous, Ella.

“Me?” Ella asked, surprised.

Yup. He’s fascinated that you’re half angel, and that you went to the Pravus and fought Khain, but Trevor terrifies him, so he’s scared to talk to you.

“Shit. I’ll give him something to be scared of,” Trevor growled from the table.

Troy ignored him. Plus he’s nervous about your power, he told Ella, though Trevor could overhear. He thinks if he says the wrong thing, you’ll blast him into oblivion.

Ella gaped at him. “I would never,” she insisted.

Troy chuffed a laugh. Yeah, but he doesn’t know that.

Troy disappeared up the stairs, but now he was laughing in her head.

Ella looked over at Trevor, throwing her hands up, wanting him to do or say something.

He nodded at her. “If he looks at you funny, you better blast him before I do.”

“I wouldn’t,” Ella said again, shaking her head, noticing her feet hurt. She made herself some toast with butter, some stew, and a glass of water, then went to sit down at the table.

Trevor, looking handsome as could be, held up his spoon. “This is pretty good stew,” he said.

“Thanks.” She gave him a smile. “Troy said it was the best thing he’d ever eaten.”

“Troy says that about everything you make, but this is good.” He finished the bowl, then repeated, “Damn good.”

“Mac had three bowls.”

Trevor shook his head, a scowl on his face. “Greedy ass.”

Then, as if they’d summoned the man himself, the door opened, and Mac came into the kitchen, empty bowl in hand. He went straight to the stove and looked in the pot, then groaned.

“Empty?!” he said, looking around accusingly.

Ella pointed to the second crockpot. “There’s more.”

Mac opened the lid and looked in, then broke into a broad grin. “Thank Rhen.” He scooped out some stew and put it into his bowl, then said, “You saved my life, Ella. I hadn’t eaten all night.”

Trevor rolled his eyes.

“Glad to help,” Ella said, laughing.

The back door opened, and Crew, Beckett, and Cerise came in. Crew looked Trevor in the eye and said, “Mission accomplished. You’re going to be happy.”

Trevor wiped his mouth with his napkin, then turned to Crew. “Good. I like to be happy.”

Beckett and Cerise went into the kitchen. Ella motioned for them to get bowls of stew for themselves, which they did.

“Let me check on Dahlia, and then I’ll tell you everything,” Crew said, heading up the stairs. In just a moment, he was back, and Troy was following him down the stairs. Trent came silently inside the doggy door with Smokey, the black cat who was also his echo, just behind him. Trent took up sentinel in the living room, quietly watching everyone in the kitchen, while Smokey disappeared under the couch.

“The resort is open,” Crew said, sitting at the table. “They’ve got a generator, and they’re honoring our reservation. They’ve got other guests that are already there and can’t leave, so the buffet and activities are open. The Presidential Suite is available, and it has a movie theater.” He pointed at Ella. “You get the Presidential Suite since your male is paying.”

Ella looked at Trevor. He was grinning at her and nodding like the cat who ate the canary. “We’re going to a resort?” she asked.

“Serenity Falls Resort,” he said, clearly proud of himself. “We don’t even have to stay the night, if you don’t want to, but there’ll be dinner and dancing and you won’t have to cook anymore today.”

“I love it,” Ella said. She liked to sleep in her own bed, especially since she was pregnant and sometimes didn’t sleep well, and sometimes woke up with morning sickness, but she was excited about going out to dinner, and she was excited about snowmobiling, too. She held her stomach, asking herself if she felt safe on a snowmobile or not, and decided she did, as long as Trevor was with her and as long as they went slow.

“We’re all going,” Trevor said, “except we’ll leave a small team here at the house and at Bob and Sharon’s.”

“I’ll stay here and guard the stew,” Mac said, lovingly scraping his bowl with his spoon.

“You’re coming, Mac,” Trevor said. “Bruin, too. I don’t think Ella’s going to want to stay the night—” He looked at Ella and she nodded, “—so we’ll need to leave Trent and Troy with the four who are staying the night, but Ella and I will need you and Bruin to come back with us.”

What about Graeme? Trent asked.

“Graeme and Heather are off-property on an assignment from Rhen. I’m hoping they’ll be back by the time we want to return. It would be good to have them with us.”

Mac mopped up the last of his food with some bread. “What about the stew?” he asked.

“What about the stew?” Trevor said, his voice suddenly hostile.

“I think we should bring it.”

“Bring it?” Trevor said, getting up from his chair, facing Mac, irritated. “We’re not bringing it.”

Mac snarled and Trevor growled. Ella got up and walked between them on her way to the sink, saying, “Lieutenant, Sergeant, is this how you settle a disagreement?”

Trevor relaxed a little, but not Mac.

“We’re going to have to haul gear anyway,” Mac said. “So why not the pot of stew? That hotel ain’t gonna be serving anything that’s got ten fucking meats in it.”

Ella shook her head while she washed her bowl, laughing a little. She didn’t know whether to make the stew again often… or never again.

Behind her, Trevor surprised her by saying, “You’re right—we will have to haul gear. Beckett, how many snowmobiles do you have?”

“Only two, and neither has a tow assembly.”

“Bruin’s can tow a sled,” Mac said quickly.

Ella turned around to watch the males as they started to work together. Trevor had his hand on his chin, his eyes on the ceiling.

“The females will all ride,” he said, ticking off three fingers on one hand. “Two on one snowmobile, and some gear can go behind the single rider.” He pointed at Mac. “Mac, you and Bruin get the sled out of the garage and hook it up. You can take the stew, and everyone’s uniforms. The rest of us are going in wild.”

Ella felt a rush of excitement. She was going to snowmobile and Trevor was going to run as a wolf?

The day just got interesting.