The Dragon's Mate

by Emilia Hartley

  Jo shook her head, as though he could hear her. The moment the roars had stopped, she'd managed to uncurl herself from the blanket and climb the stairs, frantically grabbing her things and shoving them into her bag. She didn't care if she left most of them, she just wanted out of here. Her mind was whirling, and she knew she couldn't stay here. She needed to get away, get back to her normal life. A life where people didn't just turn into bears at any moment.

  Wrenching open the bedroom door, she pulled on her coat and walked down the stairs. Nick was still hammering on the door, asking her to open it and let him explain, but she couldn’t do it. Pocketing her car keys, Jo sat down on the sofa and waited for Nick to leave.

  “Please, Jo, let me in.” He could both smell her and hear her, knowing that she was downstairs and able to hear him. “I know this must be really weird for you, but it’s not something I ever meant for you to see. Please, let me explain.” She didn’t move, didn’t speak. Growing desperate, Nick sagged against the doorframe, leaning his head on the wood. “Fine,” he said, softly. “I know you can hear me, Jo, so I’m going to explain anyway. Whether you’ll accept me or not after that is your choice.”

  Inside, Jo leaned her head back on the sofa, blinking away sudden tears. She had begun to fall for Nick, but what she’d seen threw all of that into confusion. The least she could do was listen, but Jo knew it wouldn’t change her mind. She wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

  “Tom and I,” Nick began, his words reaching her through the door. “We’re what’s known as shifters. Bear shifters, obviously. We were the bears that damaged your car.”

  Jo swallowed, her eyes widening as she realized this must be the reason that the brothers had been so kind to her. They'd been paying her back for what they'd done to her car. Closing her eyes again, Jo pressed a hand to her mouth. This was crazy.

  “The bears you saw, the ones that attacked us, they’re shifters too,” Nick continued. “They want us to join their pack.”

  Jo shook her head to herself, hardly able to believe what he was saying.

  “The Northern Wind pack are known for being aggressive and hostile. They stay in their bear forms for a long time, hardly ever using their human skin. Instead of living quietly like most of us do, they want to make the biggest, strongest pack in the state. So, they want us to join them. We’ve said no, but they keep trying to get us to join. I guess now they’ve started using violence." He closed his eyes, wishing she would let him in. "I'm so sorry that you got caught up in all that, Jo. I never wanted you to see it. That's why Tom fixed your car, he knows that shifters and humans can't really be together, no matter how they feel. And I feel something for you, Jo." He could smell the salt in the air, and his heart broke. She was crying.

  “I do,” he continued, honestly. “This hasn’t just been a quick fling for me, Jo. There’s something about you that I need, something that my bear needs too. I know that sounds really strange, but when I’m with you, I’m happy. Satisfied. Even though you’re not a shifter like me, that doesn’t seem to matter. I’m really starting to care about you.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Jo raised her hands over her ears, not willing to take in anything that he had to say. She didn’t know what to think or what to feel, her mind screaming that she needed to get out of here.

  “Just go, Nick,” she shouted, not wanting to hear another word. “Please, just go.”

  Outside, Nick thumped the door with his fist, completely frustrated. “I don’t want to go,” he said, quietly. “I want to see you, Jo.”

  She didn’t reply, the silence telling him more than she could with words.

  “If you want me to go, then I will,” he said, eventually. “I know this must be terrifying for you, Jo, but I want you to talk to me. Please, don’t leave before we have a chance to talk.”

  Jo waited until she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, before bursting into fresh tears. Nothing made sense. By the time her tears dried, she was ready to go. Not caring if she'd left anything behind, she picked up her bag, and walked to her car, leaving the cabin door key under the front doormat. All she wanted was to get out of here.

  Tom swore loudly the moment Nick walked into the shop, the look on his face warning him of what was on his brother’s mind. Mentally and physically exhausted, he backed away, holding his hands up. “Please, Nick,” he began, quietly. “What’s done is done. I know you didn’t mean for her to see us change, but –”

  “If you hadn’t come by, that wouldn’t have happened,” Nick growled, his fists clenching.

  “It might have,” Tom contradicted. “The Northern Wind pack are determined to get you – get us – any way they can.”

  “You didn’t have to fix her car.”

  “I know, but it’s for the best. Really.”

  Nick slammed his fist down on the counter, making Tom jump. “Since when is it your business to tell me how to live my life, Tom?”

  Tom could feel the tension coming from his brother. “It’s not. I’m just trying to protect you.”

  “I don’t need protecting!” Nick roared, spittle flying from his mouth. “She’s my mate, Tom! Don’t you get it?”

  Tom’s mouth fell open. “Your mate?” he stammered, his eyes wide with shock. “She can’t be, Nick. You’ve made a mistake. Jo’s not a shifter, she’s a human.”

  Closing his eyes, Nick nodded. “I know that,” he said, more quietly. “It doesn’t make any more sense to me, either, but all I know is that the bear has found its mate.” His anger ebbed away, leaving him feeling exhausted. “I’ve been trying to stay away from her, Tom, but the bear has only called for her more and more.”

  Finally, Tom realized what a struggle Nick had been facing. Finding a mate, only for her not to be a shifter? That was almost too difficult to understand. "So that's why you couldn't stay away from her."

  Nick nodded, running a hand through his hair. He was more than just upset, he was almost distraught at the thought of Jo leaving him. She was his mate, he was sure of it now. There wouldn’t be someone else, not ever. “I was with her,” he explained, simply. “The bear was quiet so I went for it. I couldn’t help myself.”

  “And you didn’t hurt her?” Tom asked, surprised.

  “I didn’t. Not once. The bear was quiet, almost peaceful. It was like we were meant to be together. She’s the only one for me, Tom.”

  “Then I’m really sorry,” Tom replied, honestly. “I didn’t know.”

  “How could you?” Nick sighed, closing his eyes and almost groaning with misery. “It doesn’t make sense. Shifters don’t touch humans.”

  “At least now she knows who you really are,” Tom said, after a moment. “You don’t have to hide that part of you anymore.”

  “She wouldn’t talk to me.”

  “What?”

  “She locked the cabin door and wouldn’t talk to me.”

  Tom sighed, his mouth twisting into a rueful smile. “Can you really blame her, Nick? Just give her a chance. She’s seen something she was never meant to see and it must be terrifying for her. Let her think about things for a while and then try again.”

  Nick glanced at his brother. “You think?”

  “Yeah,” Tom shrugged. “I’m sure she just needs some time.”

  Nick wanted to believe him, but the sound of a car caught his ears. Striding outside, he waited as it drew closer, his eyes catching sight of Jo’s car as it drove towards him. His heart lifted, hoping that she was coming to talk to him – but instead, she just drove straight past, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.

  “No!” he shouted, sprinting after her. “Jo! Come back!” His bear was roaring, wanting him to catch up with her, never to let her go again. Your mate is leaving. Running as fast as he could, Nick waved frantically, hearing the sound of the engine revving harder. She was driving away from him as fast as she could and in the end, he had to let her go.

  Jo checked into a hotel room for two nights, with both dinner and br
eakfast delivered to her room. There were going to be no more motels. If Brian wanted her to drive instead of fly, she was going to stay in style. Charging it to her work credit card, Jo thanked the receptionist and walked to her room.

  Flopping onto the plush bed, Jo wanted to curl up into a ball and cry, but she’d done far too much of that on the way here. She’d caught sight of Nick in her rear view mirror, saw the way he chased after her with a desperate look on his face. Instead of stopping, instead of talking to him, she’d pressed the accelerator harder, leaving him behind.

  Now that the pain and panic had begun to die away, Jo was beginning to think that she'd made a mistake. She'd never faced up to her problems, running away from them the way she'd run away from Nick. That was why Brian was able to take advantage of her because she never stood up for herself. Was that really the way she wanted to end things with Nick?

  Sighing, Jo pulled herself up and began to sort her luggage out, thinking that she might have a bath later in the evening. Her cell phone rang, and her heart jumped in her chest. Was it Nick? Had he called?

  It wasn’t Nick. It was Brian. Sighing, she answered. “Yes, Brian. What is it?”

  “I’ve just seen your recent transaction,” he said tightly. “A little expensive, Jo.”

  She shrugged. “And?”

  There was short silence. “I beg your pardon?” His voice began to go into a slightly higher pitch. She was annoying him.

  “Brian, I’m staying in a nice hotel. What’s the problem?”

  “The problem is that we are on a budget,” he exclaimed.

  “And that’s not my concern,” she replied, calmly. “I’m staying somewhere reasonable, Brian, not some crummy back road motel.”

  “The cost is ridiculous!”

  “Then you should have paid for me to fly,” Jo said, firmly. Her stomach was churning, but she kept her voice calm and determined. “If you expect me to drive to meet clients, then I’ll be staying overnight in a decent hotel. That’s all there is to it.”

  Brian spluttered for a few moments, while Jo waited with bated breath for his response. Was she going to be fired? And if she was….did she really care?

  “Fine,” he muttered, eventually. “Since you’re available a little earlier, I’ll phone the client and have him meet with you tomorrow.” Back to business, he was now all professional. “I’ll text you the details.”

  “Thanks,” Jo replied, hanging up immediately. Her lips curved into a light smile as she looked down at the phone. Nick had been right, she shouldn’t let him treat her like that. And look what had happened when she’d stood up for herself – she’d kept both her job and her hotel, making it very clear that she wouldn’t be doing the motel thing again. “What would have happened if I’d stayed with Nick?” she murmured, putting down her cell phone and wandering back to the bed. Would she still be there? Would they have managed to sort things out?

  Putting on the small kettle, Jo shook her head to herself. He’d told her – through the door – that he was beginning to care about her, but at the time, she hadn’t wanted to listen. Admitting that she felt the same was terrifying, but now she had calmed down, Jo couldn’t hide the truth from herself. Yes, there had been a physical attraction to Nick, but it had been the way he’d helped her sort herself out, listened to her when she talked about Brian and held her when she’d cried, that had made her fall for him. He’d told her that she needed to stand up for herself, made her question her life and what she was doing - and then she’d run away from him.

  “But he changed into a bear,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head. She could still see him change, his skin ripping open to reveal dark fur. It had been completely terrifying to watch, but for some reason, she was beginning to accept it.

  “Maybe I should go back and talk to him on my way home,” she said aloud, making herself a cup of tea. There was a lot she wanted to ask and perhaps it was the only way she’d get him out of her mind. Physically and emotionally exhausted, Jo switched on the tv and sat back on the bed, coffee in hand. She’d think about it all again tomorrow.

  CHAPTER 17

  Jo woke when it was still dark, her phone beeping with a message. Brian had just texted her the details of where and when to meet her client but had deliberately sent it early in the morning. Too early. Glancing at the clock, Jo flopped back into bed with a groan. He wasn't happy with her, that much was obvious, but if he was going to start making her life difficult in other ways, then Jo knew she needed to get out.

  She wouldn’t get back to sleep now. Flicking on the light, Jo sat up and rubbed her eyes. This was ridiculous. Her life was ridiculous, doing whatever Brian wanted because she was afraid of what he’d do if she didn’t. Living in fear wasn’t living at all.

  Yawning, Jo flung opened the curtains, hoping she could watch the sun rise from behind the buildings. There wasn’t any sign of it yet. Shaking her head, she went to fill the small kettle again, and even though the coffee wasn’t great, it was better than nothing. Sitting down in the small overstuffed chair, Jo stretched her feet out onto the edge of the bed, her cup of coffee warming her fingers. She would need to look over the client’s information again soon, to make sure she was ready for the meeting. Tension began to swarm up her throat, her stress levels rising. If Jo didn’t get this client, there would be hell to pay. She was already feeling the pressure.

  Freezing in her seat, Jo felt a rush of heat flood her as she realized what was happening. She was turning back into her old self – and she didn't like it. Her city self. The one who stressed about Brian, who hated what she had to do but did it anyway. The one who was harassed and tense almost all the time, because she never had any time to do the things she wanted to do.

  “What am I doing?”

  The question echoed around the room. Jo stared blankly at the wall, realizing that she hated her life. She hated her job, hated the way Brian treated her, hated everything about her life. When she'd been with Nick at the cabin, she'd turned into a completely different person. She had been relaxed, more positive. Was that because of Nick? Or because he'd shown her that she could have a different kind of life?

  Pulling herself to her feet, Jo snatched up her cell phone from beside the bed, slamming down her cup of coffee with the other. Dialing Brian's number, she held the phone to her ear, her pulse racing.

  “Why are you calling me this time of the morning?” Brian whined, even though he’d sent her a text message only half an hour ago.

  "Brian, I quit," Jo declared, feeling as though she would burst with excitement. "I'll get this client for you as discussed, but after that, I'll be handing in my notice."

  “What?” Brian stammered, taken by surprise. “You can’t quit, Jo, you – ”

  “I quit, Brian,” Jo repeated, louder this time. “I’ll email you my resignation letter this morning.” And with that, she hung up.

  Staring around the room, Jo felt like jumping up and down with happiness. She’d done it. She’d quit her job, quit Brian – and now she felt free. “Nick would be so proud of me,” she whispered, a sad smile crossing her face. That did it. Deciding that she would go and see Nick on her way back home, Jo wondered what he would say when he found out what she’d done. Most likely, he’d be really pleased that she’d started to take control of her own life. He’d been the one who’d forced her to question what she’d been doing with her life and the least Jo could do was thank him.

  “How are you feeling?”

  Nick rolled his eyes at his brother. “Since when have we started asking each other that?”

  Tom shrugged. “Maybe not often enough. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

  “I guess.” Walking over to the counter, Nick checked what jobs they had to do today. There weren’t too many.

  “So, you’re okay?”

  "I'm okay," Nick confirmed, walking away from his brother. "I'm going to go back to the cabin, tidy it up a bit." He hadn’t gone back there last night after Jo had left. Everythin
g had been too raw. This morning, though, Nick knew he had to just get on with it. He just wished he'd thought to get her number before she'd left, but he didn’t expected things to turn out this way.

  Tom glanced down at the list. “I can get on with things here,” he said, quietly. “You do what you have to.”

  “Thanks.” Nick left immediately, not in the mood to stay and chat. Deciding he’d walk to the cabin, he strode into the wind, letting it bite at his skin. He hated what had happened with Jo, wishing that he could sort it out but there was nothing he could do. Maybe she’ll come back, he thought to himself, hoping that something, anything, might draw her back to him. She was part of him now, a part that he could never get rid of.

  Tom sighed heavily as he watched Nick walk away. He had been mostly silent, saying very little and only when he had to. "This is all my fault," he mumbled, thumping the desk with his fist. Jo had meant more to Nick than Tom had realized, and now Tom didn't think that things could ever really be the same again. Nick had found his mate and needed her to be by his side. But because of him, Jo was gone.

  Stopping suddenly, Nick stared ahead, his nose catching the scent of the Northern Wind pack. They’d been back here again, looking for them, wanting another fight. Sighing heavily, he walked closer to the cabin, his eyes narrowing and fists clenching. There was no sign of them anywhere, but he could tell that they’d been here. They’d been looking for him.

  “This has got to stop,” he said to himself, his temper flaring. No matter how many times he said that he didn’t want to join them, they refused to accept his answer. They were constantly pushing, hoping that they could wear him down – or beat him down, whichever was easiest.

  The cabin door sat crazily on its hinges, having been beaten down by large paws. Windows were smashed, but there was no damage inside. Nick growled as he took in the damage. Windows and doors were going to be expensive to fix, but the fact that they hadn’t touched the inside said enough. They would destroy his cabin if they had to. This was only a warning.