The storm had finally broke letting the sun push back the clouds and brighten the day. Four days in a small cave crushed between a pissed off mule and an annoyed wolf had not been a vacation for me but I was alive and not a popsicle. These days I'm all for taking the small victories.

But the enforced confinement with Peppercorn and wolfed out Peter had left me covered in dust and fur. My scalped and skin itched with a ferocity that I hadn't experienced since my short tenure as a Boy Scout when I fell head first into the biggest patch of poison oak my scout leader had ever seen.

Memories of his embarrassed babble to my Dad, apologetic and appalled by his inability to keep me from turning into a giant mass of red welts on what was supposed to be a thirty minute hike through the city's park, still made me smile. Dad just took in my sticky pink appearance with a knowing sigh and thanked the Scout master for bringing me home. I don't think anyone minded when I decided that I could continue on with my life just fine without 'always being prepared'.

Pushing up my jacket, I ran my nails over my darkened skin leaving streaks of pale flesh behind. I had never wanted a shower so badly in my entire life. Scratching my head sent a small shower of dirt to hover around my shoulders. Filthy, there was no other word for it. I was filthy and in this weather I had little chance of getting clean anytime soon without risk of catching pneumonia.

A shift in the wind brought new scents to Peppercorn's discerning nose. He tossed his head and whuffed into my shoulder which meant that Peter must be nearby. Peppercorn and Peter had built up a strange relationship over the last week. The brown eyed mule didn't kick or bite Peter and Peter didn't scratch or bite Pepper. It was like they were the best of buds.

Reaching back to reassure the mule I pushed through the crackling underbrush coming out on the bank of a small stream. Peter was standing naked in all his werewolf glory in the center letting the water cascade around him as he scrubbed the grime off his skin.

I wasn't planning on sitting but my legs just gave out and I found myself, mouth agape, on the slightly damp bank watching Peter. Swallowing the lump and closing my mouth I tried to look as if I was just patiently waiting for Peter to finish his impromptu bath instead of leering at him in a lust soaked haze.

Who am I kidding; there is no way that I could hide that I was staring at him with lustful eyes because DAMN the man was sex personified. Peter had his back to me so I could gaze at length on his perfect ass, it was firm and tight and I found myself having to adjust my pants after a couple of minutes of just looking.

Each drop of water that ran down his back, along the curve of his spine before pooling briefly at the cleft of his ass before dripping in crystalline perfection into the water below, had my complete and total attention.

He turned half way toward me presenting me with a view of his profile. I let my eyes wander from his strong nose and sensual mouth down past powerful shoulders and an amazing chest that tapered down to a ripple of abs and the hottest dimple above his hips. The water obscured the best part of my view but I fully enjoyed all that was above the surface of the stream.

Peter caught me in full on creeper stare as he turned to head back to shore. I think I might have felt a little embarrassed if I wasn't enjoying the view so much. Sloshing the last few feet to the shore Peter reached down and helped me to my feet, pulling me in tight for a quick kiss that I immediately took control of and deepened.

The water was cool on his skin but the flesh was warm beneath the drops. The thin coating of liquid allowed my hands to slide smoothly up and down his skin and I took full advantage of the sensual exploration of his body. By the time we broke the kiss Peter was covered in muddy brown streaks from where I had touched him, my every caress documented.

"That's a very satisfied look you have on your face Stiles." Peter's voice rumbled and I reached to touch his throat to feel the vibrations on my fingertips.

"I like having my touch so clearly marked on your skin so that the world can see that I'm the one who gets to caress you, to feel you." Stepping back to look again at the dirty smears that clung to Peter's golden skin I added, "But it's also like tagging the Michelangelo. I don't want to mar your beauty with all that dirt."

I was going to say more but Peter buried both hands in my shaggy, in desperate need of a cut, hair and kissed me until my brain cells fizzled and fried. By the time he released me I hardly knew my name much less what I was going to say.

Peter's smile made me go a little weak in the knees. I wasn't his usual smirk or the faux smile that never reached his eyes, this was a true smile making his face light up and taking years off his features. My heart never stood a chance. A double thump and a flip and I knew.

"You like the idea that I'm marked as yours? My little human is a wolf at heart." Peter leaned in and nipped my lips before heading back to wash the dirt from his skin. My handprint, perfectly formed in the reddish brown dirt, rested on the curve of his bottom.

I tried to regain control of my emotions as Peter quickly splashed away the dirt. The wayward pounding and odd tugs of my heart were almost painful but I pushed the feelings down and away, hiding them from werewolf senses and my own tumbled thoughts.

"Stiles? Are you okay?" I had to shake my head to clear the remainder of my traitorous thoughts as he splashed back to shore and dressed.

"Just wishing I could wade in there and get clean myself. At this point it would almost be worth the pneumonia and certain death to get clean. It's just not fair that you can take freezing cold baths in the middle of the freaking winter and not even get cold."

Peter's lips curled in a satisfied grin. "I was cold but feeling you looking at me, your eyes on my body, that made me so hot." His eyes did a slow inventory of my body, slowing panning from my lips down to increasing growing problem.

"OH MY GOD! You are evil. Like we can do anything out here in the middle of nowhere when it is cold enough to freeze my balls off. Stop flirting!"

Peter's only reply was a chuckle. We walked side by side with Peppercorn trailing behind for a couple of miles before Peter started to range ahead. We had found that this was the best way for us to travel. With his werewolf speed, Peter could cover more ground than me and he could locate any dangers and be back to warn and protect me before I came to any harm.

He turned and waved just before he was completely out of sight and I let out the sigh I had been holding in since the stream. "I am so screwed Pepper. It's not like I just figured out that I like him, I've known I was attracted to him from the very beginning. And I can't blame it on the sex because even though it was amazing for me it's still not enough to fall in love with someone over."

Peppercorn snorted, head tossing briefly as he pulled at the harness.

"Right! I know. That is my point exactly. I am pretty sure that I am in love with him. Like ninety – nine percent positive. God!" I stopped and let my head rest against Peppercorn's shoulder. "I am so very, very screwed."

Pepper arched his neck and nibbled at my hip as if to offer comfort. "What do you think I should do? Should I tell him how I feel?" Pepper snorted again and shook his head sending his short Mohawk of a mane undulating down his neck. "You are so right buddy. He would either laugh or keep quiet about the whole thing and then it would be uncomfortable. And then he'd leave. Fuck! I am so screwed."

Pepper and I walked along the path left by Peter in the snow until the sun was high in the sky. The calm flicker of the mule's ears was my first hint that Peter was approaching. His off tune hum, Peter tended to favor Lady Gaga, was he way of not giving me a complete heart attack at his silent arrival.

There had been too many times in the past that he just 'popped up' sending Peppercorn into a panic, hooves flying in all directions while I tried to dodge while restarting my failing heart. His humming was a compromise for the cardiac health of myself and one pissed off mule.

Peter was bounding with excitement as he came into sight, eyes bright and his perfect white teeth flashing behind his smile. Within seconds he had me scooped into his arms, swinging me in tight circles while Peppercorn looked on in disgust.

"I found a place. It's safe and close enough to a small town that I can get us the supplies we need for the whole winter. You are going to love it." Cupping my face in his hands he kissed me breathless. "I'll leave a trail so that I can get the place warmed up for you, air out the sheets and get rid of that musty unlived in smell."

With another quick kiss he was off. I stood, just a little shocked by Peter's actions, until Peppercorn nudged me into motion with his nose. "Just remember Pepper, we're going to love it no matter what it looks like. If it makes Peter that excited than it is perfect for us."

We followed the trail left by Peter who even had time to make a couple of snow wolves holding sticks in their mouths along the path. I let the laughter that was building up in my chest spill out into the cold winter air as the tension I didn't even know was building beneath my heart finally loosened.

Peter had found us a home.