Carolina Moon

Heart Pine and Holy Water: K.C.

This wasn’t what I had imagined the first time bringing Tess to my cabin would be like. I had pictured comfort, safety, and warmth, not uncertainty, doubt, and werewolf enforcers. I had hoped for a quiet, romantic weekend, not an escape from someone trying to take over the town with another version of Darian’s grid.

Being back at the cabin did bring a certain type of relief though. The air was thin and clean, devoid of the electronic hum that had poisoned my senses before. The moment I had stepped out of the truck, my wolf had finally stopped pacing. He recognized the dirt.

I recognized the two men: Finn and Gabe. They were younger than most of the enforcers, but they were good with technology. Of course Leon would send them for a security sweep. They helped me when I first built the cabin; they had set up my perimeter sensors themselves.

I didn’t bother with any formal Alpha posturing. I was exhausted, and a big part of me simply didn’t care. I just gave them a solid nod as they approached.

“The whole place is clean,” Finn said, his voice low. “Not even a stray signal from a cell tower reaches here. We’ve tied the perimeter sensors into a closed-loop pager. If anything breathes — even a squirrel — within five hundred yards of the property, we’ll know.”

“Thank you,” I nodded again, clamping a hand on his shoulder for a brief moment of gratitude. I dropped my hand and looked at the four men: Holden, Grant, Finn, and Gabe. “Stay in pairs, stay out-of-sight, and keep eyes on the road. It’s the only way in and out unless something comes through the woods.”

As the men broke off, I led Tess up the steps. I could feel her hesitation — not out of fear, but out of a sudden, overwhelming exhaustion. I opened the heavy oak door, and we were immediately hit with the scent of cedar, linseed oil, and the stale coffee I’d left in the pot two days ago.

For a moment, I was able to discard the Alpha mantle and show her the carpenter. I couldn’t hide my pride as I pointed out the hearty pine floorboards and the kitchen island I had hand-planed from a single slab of walnut. I watched, beaming, as she noticed how every joint was flush, every number had been calculated to ensure the house would stand for a century. At least. It was something that could be passed down — if we survived this.

I took her to the master bedroom. It was simple, for now. Just a large bed I had built from reclaimed timber, and a massive window that let in the morning light and looked out onto the water. “This is it,” I whispered. “The place where the world can’t find us.” I turned to her, and saw the softness in her eyes that had been missing ever since the diner date. “There’s a couple more bedrooms too, but they’re not furnished yet. They’re kind of just… storage at the moment.”

“This is perfect, K.C.,” she said, her voice low and thick with exhaustion. She looked ragged. There was a ghost-grey smudge on her jawline, and the smell of the basement still clung to her, clashing with the smell of the marsh.

I led her into the bathroom and started the water for her. I didn’t have any fancy candles, but I did have an antique clawfoot tub that I had spent three months restoring. I found a tin of herbal salts my mother used to swear by that smelled of lavender and eucalyptus. I filled the tub for her, letting the steam rise to fog the mirror.

She sat on a hand-carved bench to pull her boots and socks off, and I walked over to her. “Tess,” I said her name softly, cupping her face in her hands. “Take all the time you need. Don’t worry about the audit or the books or the grid. Just relax.”

She didn’t say anything, she just simply nodded. I leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead before leaving the room, and shutting the door behind me.

While Tess soaked, I stepped back outside. Holden and Grant had moved the truck back into the barn. The other two Kingsport boys were out of sight. I stood on the edge of the porch looking at the golden light reflecting off the porch. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could breathe without tasting copper.

The peace was a loan, not a gift though, and I wasn’t going to convince myself otherwise. Stroud was still out there. The “Alpha 01” tag was still alive in his database. But for right now, the only thing that mattered was the sound of the water and the woman upstairs.

I went back inside to find Tess had finished her bath. She was wrapped in one of my oversized flannels, her hair damp and smelling of the bath salts. She was curled on top of the covers of the big timber bed, her breathing deep and even.

I sat on the edge watching the rise and fall of her chest. A damp lock of hair clung to her cheek, and I reached out to tuck it behind her ear. Later, once she had slept and everyone was fed, we’d sit down with the data mirror and find the crack in Stroud’s foundation.

I leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, then got up to go take my own shower. The coffee pot still needed to be cleaned, but for now, my only concern was satisfying my most basic needs — hygiene and sleep.