A Lady's Heart (Takhini Shifters Book 3)

by Vivian Arend

  Mandy took out her phone and sent a text to another she knew she could trust implicitly.

  Amy. I think someone’s been in my apartment.

  Mandy took the stairs, clutching the railing to slow herself as she hurried downward. She rushed outside and glanced around.

  Keeping their animal natures secret in the midst of a mostly human city had made the development of certain items logical in the shifter community. Since the Takhini pack owned the apartment, they ought to have shifters stay there, ergo, there should be a place nearby where she could cache her clothes.

  She found the box elegantly disguised as a decorative post office box. For all she knew the top half of it was used for snail mail, but the bottom held a door that slid open to reveal two private compartments. The back of the box was set just deep enough into the trees that she could strip down quickly and stay out of sight.

  Standing in the nude, Mandy placed all her things into the hidden space. That included her phone, but she would have no way to answer it within seconds anyway.

  Then she closed the door and applied her thumbprint to the small pad, thoroughly impressed with the Takhini pack’s high-tech security.

  The momentary distraction gave her something else to think about other than how scared she was—unreasonably scared, probably, but with her history, unreasonable became reasonable enough in a heck of a hurry.

  She crouched low and willed the change to come over her, limbs and torso rearranging themselves quickly to her other form. Her animal side was more powerful and less delicate than her human form, but still susceptible to tranquilizer guns of human animal enforcement.

  Staying out of sight was imperative. Mandy wasn’t trying to do anything other than keep safe.

  She slipped quietly through the trees until she had a good vantage point of the back door, her apartment windows visible above her. Silently she lay on her belly and waited.

  Chapter Five

  Justin wasn’t even through the doors at the pack house when he bumped into Evan racing the other direction.

  The Alpha wolf put a hand on his shoulder and turned him forcibly, all but spinning him out the door toward the parking lot.

  Justin was in no mood to be tolerant of impulsive wolf behavior. “What the—?”

  “We just got a text from Mandy. She needs us.”

  That was enough to cause a total change of attitude and plans. In a split second, Justin was charging alongside the wolf even as he slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone to check for messages.

  Nothing.

  An unwelcome sense of disappointment kicked in along with rising concern, and he hit one of his autodial-preprogrammed texts and sent off a secret message.

  “What did she say?” Justin demanded as they ignored their vehicles and ran full speed down the path between the buildings, headed to the apartment faster on foot using shortcuts than driving and parking.

  They might have been moving rapidly, but Evan barked out a warning instead of an answer. “Advice for you.”

  Justin bit back the growl that wanted to escape.

  The wolf Alpha led his boisterous and seemingly borderline-out-of-control ragtag crew, but he did it in a way that meant very few arrests or deaths in the shifter community he cared for, which was a powerful statement in itself.

  His advice shouldn’t be tossed aside, no matter how much Justin questioned his timing. “What?”

  “You’re ready to roll in there, guns blazing. Or you’re going to do the exact opposite of what your gut is telling you, and you’ll pull your punches and control the beast because you don’t want to scare her.” They were already only a block away from where Justin had left Mandy when Evan laid a hand on his arm, pulling him to a rapid walk from their all-out sprint. “Either one of those would be a mistake. I don’t envy you the balancing act, but learn from my mistake. When Amy and I were dealing with our past, I didn’t take it seriously enough how much she needed me to be me, as well as listen to her concerns.”

  “This isn’t the time for a lecture,” Justin snapped, frantic to keep moving.

  “We’ll be there in thirty seconds,” Evan promised, “but this is important, man. I didn’t get my kick-in-the-ass until I’d already screwed things up, so from one Alpha male to another, listen to what she needs, but don’t hold back.”

  “Fine.” Justin stored the advice away for later, rushing forward at Evan’s side as they closed in on the tall apartment house at the edge of town.

  Evan took a deep breath then snapped a finger toward the trees. “Mandy’s over there, in her bear form. You wanna talk to her while I go check out the apartment?”

  Justin nodded at Evan’s retreating back before peering into the darkness, trying to spot the shifted form of the woman who’d sent his heart racing. “Mandy? Hey, pretty lady. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  He stepped forward again, following her scent to her hiding place. He paused at the edge of the clearing, offering a reassuring smile when when he finally spotted her in the shadows.

  Appreciation rose for her skillful camouflage because she had a more difficult task than most. Justin had known she was unusual, but this was the first time he’d actually seen her animal form.

  Her fur was the delicate mixture of white, grey and silver that was often mistaken at first glance for polar bear, but was instead the marker of a member of Kodiak Island. Ghost bears—rare and beautiful.

  “I don’t know what spooked you, but I’m very impressed,” he admitted. She’d done a great job hiding. “If Evan hadn’t told me where to start looking, you’d still be hidden, and that can’t be an easy task with your white fur.”

  Mandy rose to all fours, coming beside him to lean her shoulder and head against his leg.

  She was so small it only made sense to kneel at her side. “Why don’t you stay in that form,” he suggested. “Evan will be back in a minute, and we can figure out what you’d like to do at that point.”

  She nodded then dropped her hind quarters to the ground. Her head tilted back, and he followed the line of her gaze to the upper apartment where a light had just come on, the tall form of Evan clear behind the windows.

  “He’s in there now.”

  While they waited Justin thought hard about the advice the wolf had given him. What he wanted at this moment first and foremost was to grab Mandy and head for the hills. Whatever the hell was going on, he wanted her by his side—but she’d specifically asked for him not to take over.

  Which meant he had to get her to change her mind, because he wasn’t changing his. Not if she was in danger.

  He put an arm around her shoulders, her fur soft under his hands. He wanted to shift and join her, protecting and comforting her the way his bear itched to do.

  Fortunately, or unfortunately, he was distracted by his phone vibrating in his pocket.

  “Someone’s definitely been in here.” Evan started without preamble. “A couple someones.”

  “Your pack?”

  “Nope, bear. No one I recognize, either. Which means it’s not her ex, but that doesn’t mean it’s not someone connected to him.”

  Justin held back the curses that wanted to escape. “Suggestions?”

  He fully expected for the wolf to order him to bring her back to the pack house, but instead, he surprised Justin.

  “Get her out of town,” Evan said. “If you need help, let me know. Otherwise she hasn’t even unpacked. I can grab her bags and be down there in a few minutes.”

  Talk about a juggling act. This was exactly what he wanted. Mandy at his side.

  But it was exactly what he didn’t want—control taken from her, with him thrust into the position of protector.

  It was a good thing he wasn’t only strong and handsome, as she’d pointed out, but very, very smart.

  Justin lifted her chin until her gaze met his.

  “Here are the options as I see them,” he said clearly. “Someone has been in your apartment. You figured that out�
�well done—now tell me what you want to do.” He held up a finger. “You can go back to the Takhini pack house, but until we know who was in the apartment, you could be bringing trouble on our friends. Number two”—another finger rose—“you leave completely. If there’s somewhere you think you’d be safe, like back home with your family, we’ll go there.”

  Her eyes flickered as she took in his words.

  “Yes, no matter where you go, I’m going with you. And the third option is you and I take off, but I’ll set the agenda. This could all be some kind of overreaction on our part, but I have the means and ways to keep you safe. And while I keep you safe, we’re going to keep working on your list,” he promised. “Because it’s not right to let anyone steal another day from you.”

  She stared up at him as she considered the options he offered, the dark brown of her human pupils an even deeper shade in her bear form.

  Then she surprised the hell out of him and shifted on the spot, a petite, fine-boned woman utterly naked before him as she knelt on the ground.

  She raised her chin high. No fear marred her expression, only determination. “You’re a bossy bastard,” she said plainly, “but I can hardly argue with your logic. Only you should know—I’m tired of running.”

  He offered a quick nod of approval. “It’s not running when you’re going where you wanted to in the first place,” he pointed out.

  Mandy placed her hand in his and allowed him to guide her to her feet.

  “But I’m in charge,” she insisted. “I won’t do anything stupid while you’re protecting me, but…” She tapped her thumb to her chest just above her bare breasts. “I’m in charge of this. I know you won’t forget that.”

  Justin took another cue from the Alpha of the wolves, bending over her fingers and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “I think we’re on the same page, my lady. Shall we get ready for our big adventure?”

  Mandy dressed quickly and was slipping on her shoes when the door to the apartment house opened and Evan Stone appeared, her suitcases in his hands. He turned unerringly to where she and Justin were walking toward him, waiting on the spot until they arrived. And like he’d done over the past couple months every time he’d greeted her, he put the suitcases down to come forward and offer a bracing hug, protective and familiar as a brother’s touch.

  She was impressed Justin held back his possessive instincts. His growl of annoyance was barely audible this time.

  Evan stepped back with a smirk on his lips as he glanced Justin’s way. “Sorry. It’s not my fault I’m wired to protect.”

  “Right. Because hugs are so protective,” Justin grumbled.

  Mandy wanted information, not Alpha-male posturing. “Was someone in my apartment?”

  All traces of Evan’s amusement vanished. “At least two, new blood.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “Then, thank you for everything you’ve done, but I’m getting Justin to take me away.”

  Evan nodded. “I’ll send you a list of my contacts. If any of them can help at any time, call in a favour. In the meantime, I’ll get some of my best trackers in to figure out what we can about your visitors.”

  “Hopefully it’s just somebody who was curious about what I’ve been doing since the bear conclave and elections.” Mandy knew it was a reasonable explanation, just not a very plausible one.

  Evan held a hand to Justin who shook it firmly. “Anything you need, bro. It’s yours.”

  “I’ve got people around town. Someone will be in touch with you to let you know what’s happening with the projects we’re doing together.”

  The wolf chuckled. “I should’ve known you’d have backup plans and would be ready to leave at the drop of a hat. Flash.”

  “Don’t try to flatter me,” Justin warned. “We both know there are backup plans to our backup plans at this point in our lives.”

  “Of course. That’s what happens after you learn a few hard lessons about what happens when you’re not prepared…” The wolf gave a rather pointed look in Justin’s direction.

  Mandy wasn’t quite sure what they were talking about, but when Justin motioned for her to join him, she stepped forward.

  He picked up both her suitcases, one under his arm and the other gripped in his large fingers, before offering his free hand.

  “I can take care of one of my suitcases,” she suggested. “Won’t it be hard for you to protect me with both your hands full?”

  “Good point.” He moved instantly, dropping the smaller suitcase and extending the handle so she could roll it with her right hand as he took hold of her left hand again.

  They were halfway down the block before she realized she hadn’t officially said goodbye to Evan because she’d been too amused by Justin’s elaborate manoeuvering to keep hold of her fingers.

  “And how exactly is this better?” she asked. “You still have both hands full.”

  “Yeah, but I can throw the suitcase at anyone who threatens us, so it’s a perfect weapon.”

  They walked at a brisk pace as he guided them down the well-lit main streets of town. Behind them, Evan lurked in the shadows, a wolfish tail, offering double the protection.

  “I suppose we’ll have people following us all the time?” Mandy asked.

  “Not unless it becomes necessary. And if it does, you shouldn’t even notice them if they’re doing their job right.” He gestured with their joined hands toward a side street, tugging her in the new direction. “I said I’d protect you, and I’ll use whatever means necessary, but I hope you’ll let me take care of the details. If you want me to tell you everything, of course I will, but…”

  Since he’d done such a clever job making it clear her only real option was to trust him, it seemed foolishness on her part to make his job more difficult. “Tell me what I need to know, or if I have concerns, I’ll ask. If necessary, just tell me you’ve got it covered, and I’ll let it go at that.”

  They moved in relative silence for the next couple blocks. She concentrated as hard as possible on her surroundings, listening for danger, but there were nothing but the erratic noises that were always present at night in a city, no matter how small. Soon enough they were behind the pack house where Justin escorted her to a Land Rover, popping the back open and tossing her suitcases in before helping her up the steep step into the high vehicle.

  He was around the truck and in the driver’s seat almost instantly, and she remained quiet, her curiosity at high, until they were safely on the road heading south out of Whitehorse.

  “This isn’t your truck,” she pointed out. A quick glance in the back proved her bags weren’t the only ones there. “Are those your suitcases?”

  He nodded, gaze fixed on the highway. “I texted my contact. He’s loaning the Land Rover to us for a bit. Just in case our visitors have been hanging around the pack house for a while. They might know our vehicles, or have them bugged.”

  All the precautions felt over the top, but she held her tongue and refused to allow her protests to escape. If he thought it was necessary—

  She’d said she would trust him, so until proven otherwise, that’s what she was going to do. It would take less energy on both their parts if she weren’t questioning all the time.

  Mandy was in a full-on personal debate to decide if she should ask where they were going, or if that crossed the line, when he volunteered some information.

  “It’s going to be pretty clear which way we’re going to anyone with half a brain. There are only three main routes out of Whitehorse that don’t end in the middle of the bush, and no one is going to believe you’re foolish enough to get yourself trapped on one of those.”

  “Right.”

  “You mentioned you wanted to go snowmobiling. Best place for that right now is farther north.”

  Mandy twisted in her seat to stare at him. “Seriously? We’re really going to work on my list?”

  “Well, not this instant, but sure.”

  She was one second away from protesting before de
liberately slamming her lips shut. I need to trust him. He knows what he’s doing.

  She forced herself to relax back into the leather seat. “I’ve never driven a snowmobile.”

  A soft chuckle escaped him. “As you said, that’s kind of the point. Don’t worry, you’ll have a ball. We’ll give you a couple of lessons, and you’ll be bombing around in no time.”

  “And there’s enough snow?”

  “Not in Whitehorse, not yet. But up on the mountain passes, and farther north, winter arrived a few weeks ago. We’ll have to pick some routes carefully, but I’ve got a buddy who will give us a hand.”

  Curiosity struck again. “You said you texted a contact and they got the Land Rover ready. When? And when did he have time to pack bags for you?”

  Justin flashed a grin at her. “I have a set of emergency codes preprogrammed into my phone. One touch, and they know what I expect them to do.”

  “You’re the biggest boy scout I’ve ever met.”

  His grin widened. “Always prepared is a great motto.”

  Mandy turned her gaze forward and jerked in surprise, snapping up a finger to point out the front window. “Bear.”

  “Right on time.” Justin pulled off the highway onto a narrow gravel road as the black bear meandered off the main road and into the trees.

  They drove not even a mile when the road turned a sharp corner and doubled back into a clearing. They were completely out of sight of the highway, mostly covered by dense trees. Justin parked beside what seemed to be a souped-up RV.

  Mandy’s confusion increased. Camping had been on her list, but the timing seemed odd. “Are we camping?”

  “Here? No.”

  Justin was a font of information. Not.

  She poked for more details. “I kind of figured the camping was going to happen in spring.”

  He was out the door and around by her side, helping her to the ground. “It’s a pretty skookum camper. We’d be warm enough.”

  He guided her to the front of the camper, glancing down at his watch impatiently while Mandy moved toward the smoke-coloured windows in an attempt to peek inside.