by Abigail Owen
Suddenly Jaxon shook his head. “Am I nuts, or did a giant polar bear chase off the rest of those shifters?”
She grinned and turned back to her packing. “You’re not nuts. Zac is outside right now. He’s a very good friend of mine.”
Suddenly two arms landed on the counter on either side of her, caging her in. She felt the solid wall of Jaxon’s chest at her back. His warm breath tickled her ear. “You seriously called a polar bear for help?”
She suppressed a shiver and was really proud of how casual she managed to make her voice despite her pounding heartbeat. “Actually, he called me to offer me more options for my situation. And I trust that polar bear shifter with my life.”
He rested his chin on her shoulder. “You know you don’t need to run from me, right? Even if you don’t accept me as your mate, you’ll always have a place in the Keller Dare.”
Andie winced. “Good to know,” she murmured. “But without marriage, I put your dare in jeopardy and risk extradition myself. Besides, we need him right now. I wasn’t sure about your condition last night, and with the weather blowing in again, your men couldn’t come get us here.”
After a pause Jaxon said, “I trust your judgment. And he’ll definitely come in handy.” He didn’t move away. Andie was tempted to elbow him back, but then thought better of it, worried she’d reopen his injury.
“How’s your wound by the way?”
“I think I’ll live. Your quick work last night helped a lot, I’m sure. But I’m probably going to slow us down.”
“Well, we’ll deal with that.” She sort of expected him to move away. Clearly they’d wrapped up their conversation. After a few moments, when he didn’t leave or speak, she tipped her head slightly. “You going to let me go?”
He chuckled. “I know. I should.”
Andie held her breath and fought the urge to turn, wrap her arms around his neck, and beg him to stay. And she had the insane impulse to ask him if he’d remembered any more about the previous night. Like fireworks maybe? Instead she cleared her throat. “Yes. You should.”
“And yet…”
“And yet?”
He sighed. “I just can’t resist doing this…”
She sucked in a sharp breath as his lips trailed softly down the side of her neck.
She had no defense against this kind of attack. Andie closed her eyes and sank back into his chest. Jaxon groaned at the feel of her surrender. His tongue snaked out and tasted the small spot where her shoulder met her neck, and Andie let out a little whimper. She’d had no idea that spot was so… well, hot.
“So sweet,” he murmured.
He kissed and nibbled his way back up her neck to take her earlobe between his teeth and delicately suck at the sensitive skin.
Suddenly his hands gripped her waist and spun her around to face him. Jaxon didn’t have to seek her lips. She was already twining her arms around his neck and pulling him down to her. They came together in an explosive kiss that lit Andie up like a firecracker. If it were possible to spontaneously combust, this would do it. The kiss was wet and deep and incredible. Andie could only focus on the sensations rushing through her body. Nothing else registered.
With a low growl, his hands moved down over her back end, gripped, and scooted her up to sit on the counter, all while never removing his lips from hers. Andie wrapped her legs around him without being asked. The intimate contact seemed to bring Jaxon back to reality.
He pulled back and touched his forehead to hers, although he didn’t lower her to the ground or release her. They breathed heavily for several moments. Passion still blazed in his eyes, but iron control hardened his jaw.
“As much as I want to take this to its natural conclusion, I won’t do that until you’ve agreed to be mine.”
Andie stiffened. Her first thought was that there was no way he’d missed the evidence of what happened last night when he’d woken up and dressed. But her next thought was how manipulative his proposal was.
Andie opened her mouth to protest, but before she could speak, he shook his head. “I’m not making it a condition or trying to force your hand. I’m just saying you’re too important to me to just casually take what I so desperately want. What I don’t want is a one-night stand. And I also don’t want sex clouding your decision.”
Andie snapped her mouth shut. She closed her eyes, trying to clear the lust-filled fog from her mind. He was right. She needed logic right now, not whatever this crazy thing was between them.
“Now, given what Mike told me, I’ve got a pretty good idea what Zac is about to offer you. Don’t think that I’m going to let you go easily. I can protect you as well as he can, and I could use you in the dare. Please don’t make a hasty decision because of trust issues that you claim to have.”
Andie looked away. She was absolutely sure now that he wouldn’t let this go. Wouldn’t let her go. She couldn’t fight both Jaxon and herself. “I…” She took a deep breath. “I’ll join your dare. But I need longer to think about mating you.”
She opened her eyes to catch his resigned disappointment. Slowly he lowered her to the ground. Andie held in a sigh at the sensation of her body sliding down his. She thought he was just going to walk away, but he didn’t.
Instead, he took her face in his hands and laid a tender kiss on her passion-swollen lips. “All right. But don’t take too long. I have a better chance of protecting you if you marry me or someone in the dare. And don’t think I’m suggesting that second option, because I’m not.”
Chapter 23
The sound of a throat being cleared pulled her gaze from Jaxon. Zac stood in the doorway. “I can come back,” he offered.
Andie pushed Jaxon away. “No. No, we’ve got to get moving. I know we need to talk, but we’ll have to do it later. Jaxon’s up and moving around. We can’t wait any longer.” Andie knew she wouldn’t feel safe from those wolves until they were on the helicopter.
Jaxon looked between them. “What’s the plan?”
“I’ve arranged for William to pick us up at the same place he dropped Jaxon off.” Andie glanced outside at the swirling snow. “Because of the storm, driving out of here isn’t possible. We’ll have to go on foot. Having a polar bear with us, the wolves will be less apt to attack.”
“Mmmm, but they likely will come back in greater number,” Jaxon said.
“Yeah. It’ll be close, but I don’t see any other way out. If we stay, we’ll only hold them off for so long,” Zac added.
Zac and Andie exchanged a glance. The one time they’d been under attack by a large pack like this, the decision to stay and ride it out had been a huge mistake. They’d seen the wolf shifters send more and more fighters until they overwhelmed all the defenses.
Hers was as good a plan as any. She looked over at Jaxon, who still seemed a little pale. “Are you going to be able to make it?” she asked. His injury was the only thing putting them at a major disadvantage.
He gingerly touched his side. “Won’t be fun, but I can manage.”
“I’ve got a carrying pack with me. If we have to, we can strap you to my back,” Zac offered.
Jaxon looked as if he was trying not to laugh. “I sincerely hope that won’t be necessary.”
“Me too,” Zac muttered.
“Let’s finish up getting our supplies together. I’ve also got some packs, so between us we should be able to take a fair amount of provisions,” Jaxon said.
“Sounds like we’ve got a plan.”
It took them about half an hour to go through the house and pull out the gear they thought they’d need most. And every second they were still in the house, Andie’s nerves ratcheted up another level. They were taking too long. Staying the rest of the night might have just cost them their lives. Not like they’d really had a choice, though.
They didn’t take much weaponry since they’d have to drop it if they wanted to shift, giving the wolves an opportunity to pick it up themselves. And staying in human form wouldn’t work in these
conditions. They left the house together in their shifter forms with both men carrying the gear.
They walked in silence, Jaxon leading since he knew the way, Andie in the middle, and Zac bringing up the rear. Normally she’d have resented being treated like the weakest member in their party, but given whom she was with, that wasn’t exactly an argument that would hold water.
They made decent time, despite the storm and Jaxon’s injury. On the occasions when the snow was higher than the cougars’ heads, Zac assumed the lead, breaking a wider path for them. As night started to fall, Jaxon shifted course slightly. He knew the area well, and they’d already discussed where they’d hole up and rest. Cougars were naturally more nocturnal, but the wolves would be expecting that and looking for them in the dark. Better to travel by day this time.
Jaxon took them to a small, shallow cave. The top of the entrance was just barely visible above the drifts of snow, and they had to dig out a wider entrance for Zac to be able to get in.
Once inside they piled the snow back up, closing off the opening and leaving a gap at the top to allow in fresh air. The men took off their packs and shifted while Andie averted her eyes. Then they gave her some privacy to do the same. Once they were dressed, they cooked a quick dinner and sat on the cold, hard rock of the cave floor to eat.
Now that they had a moment, Andie knew the time to talk had finally come. She glanced at each of them but couldn’t get a read on what they thought of each other. She decided to concentrate on her friend first, since things with Jaxon had been sort of settled earlier. Temporarily, at least.
“Thanks for the message and for helping us out, Zac. I really appreciate it.” She gave him a warm smile, her breath steaming in the icy air.
He gave her his version of a smile, which was more on the scary side of just baring his teeth. “Just glad I got here in time to help.” He cleared his throat. “Mike filled me in on your situation with Carstairs. Doesn’t sound like you have a lot of options left.”
Andie glanced at Jaxon’s poker face. He was waiting to see what Zac was going to say next. Despite having already agreed to join the Keller Dare, she also said nothing and let Zac continue.
“I wanted to let you know that you have a home with my timik anytime you want one.” As he spoke, Zac kept his eyes on the plate of food balanced on his lap. He’d always been uncomfortable showing his feelings. Andie felt warmth bloom at this display of caring from the gruff polar bear shifter.
She reached over and covered his hand, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you, my friend,” she murmured. He squeezed back and nodded.
She glanced at Jaxon. His expression revealed nothing, but she could see the wheels spinning in his head. She returned her attention to Zac. “I have decided to join the Keller Dare. Jaxon has offered me asylum.”
Zac narrowed his eyes “As his wife?”
Jaxon held up his hands. “You have to agree that mating and marrying someone in the dare would eliminate the possibility of her extradition. The same holds true if she joins your… timik was it?”
“Timik means body in Inuktitut,” Andie informed him.
“So, like the Shadowcat Nation forms dares, the polar bears form timiks?”
Zac nodded. “We got the naming idea from you guys actually. Andie told me how dare comes from some Iroquois term.”
Andie nodded as well. Awa dare. It meant we live in.
“Well, she can just as easily be extradited from your timik. It gets much harder if she marries,” Jaxon insisted.
Zac fixed Jaxon with a hard stare. “We have no treaty to uphold with the cougars, so extradition isn’t as much of a problem with us.”
“War is though. Kyle Carstairs won’t let you stand in his way. He’ll come for her.”
“I won’t have her manipulated into a relationship she doesn’t want if she joins you.”
“She’d be paired with an Alpha,” Jaxon growled back. “That’s not exactly a casual offer.”
“But it gives you a measure of leverage where Carstairs is concerned. You can’t deny that,” Zac retorted.
Jaxon gave him an enigmatic smile. “I won’t deny that the thought crossed my mind.” He sobered. “But my greater concern is Andie. I’ve had experience with Kyle, and I wouldn’t wish him on my worst enemy. The man’s a sadist. She’ll be safer with me, especially as my wife.”
Andie slapped her hand on her thigh. “She is sitting right here and has a mind of her own, you Neanderthals.” She glared at Jaxon and then turned to Zac. “Although he’s asked me to mate and marry him, Jaxon has offered me asylum regardless of if, or whom, I marry, or don’t.”
Zac turned to Andie, taking her hands in his. “There is another option. You could marry me.”
Jaxon abruptly sat forward. If he’d been in his cougar form, his ears would’ve lain flat against his skull.
Matings between shifters of different types of animals weren’t unheard of, but they were unusual. The human genetics were still dominant, and any offspring usually ended up as shifters in the form of the stronger animal – in this case, the polar bear.
Andie tried to not let her shock show. She didn’t want to hurt Zac’s feelings or have him think she didn’t appreciate the fact that, as they were only friends, he was willing to sacrifice ever finding love in order to protect her. So she selected her words with particular care and with more tact than she typically demonstrated. “I appreciate your offer more than you know. But I think you’d agree that we’d kill each other before the first week was out.” She grinned to soften her words.
Zac chuckled, though it sounded rusty, as if he didn’t do that often. “Guess you’re right.”
Andie smiled and then lowered her voice. “And you don’t owe me anything. I thought we agreed on that.”
“I owe you everything. Regardless of what you say, that’ll never change,” he murmured back.
Andie sighed. “Besides, regardless of mating, I have a place in his dare, and I’d have equal chances either place.” She nodded toward Jaxon. “I’d honestly rather go rogue than put either you or your people in jeopardy because of me. But I have a feeling—”
“Absolutely not,” Zac snapped.
“Like hell you will,” Jaxon growled.
Andie rolled her eyes. “Like I was saying, I have a feeling that wouldn’t fly with either of you. So… the Keller Dare it is.”
Zac scratched the stubble on his chin. “And what about the extradition issue?”
“I’m working on that,” Jaxon muttered.
Zac looked from him back to Andie with raised eyebrows.
“I’m… er… still considering his proposal,” Andie mumbled. She tried to force down the blush that flooded her cheeks and refused to look across the cave where Jaxon was seated. She could see all the questions Zac wanted to ask her, but he’d wait until they were alone.
She glanced at her old friend. “There is another possibility that might buy a little more time,” she said. “Our treaty.”
Chapter 24
Zac drew his eyebrows down in a fierce frown. “I thought you’d given up that idea?”
She shook her head. “No. I wanted it for all cougars. Definitely not for Walter or Kyle Carstairs. Keller is a much better trial run for it anyway.”
Jaxon leaned forward to prop his elbows on his knees. “Anyone want to explain this to me?”
Andie faced him. “About three years ago, I was in Northern Canada catching up with a Carstairs cougar who’d gone rogue. He’d taken asylum with Zac and his timik, the first polar bear grouping ever created.”
“Before she left, she started a conversation about a possible treaty,” Zac added.
“And the rogue?” Jaxon asked.
“Shane still lives with us,” Zac answered
Jaxon raised his eyebrows. “Carstairs let him stay with you?”
Andie shook her head. “That would never happen. I convinced Walter that I’d killed him.”
“And how’d you do that?”
&nb
sp; Andie picked up her water bottle and took a swig. She still felt sick when she thought about the part she’d had to play in that whole mess.
“Shane ripped off his own ear while in cougar form. His idea. He gave it to A.J. to take back,” Zac answered for her.
Jaxon nodded and compressed his lips with distaste. Cougars sometimes lost ears in fights. The ones without ears that were still alive, those were the ones to watch out for. But more often than not, if they lost the ear, they lost that fight… and their lives.
“It’s what finally earned me the role of Commander,” Andie said with a bitter twist to her mouth. “Anyways… over the last three years, I’ve been trying to work out this pact. Not with Carstairs, necessarily. I knew Walter and Kyle would exploit the connection. My initial idea was that the agreement would be between my father and Zac for protection of the dare only in the case of direct attack.”
Jaxon’s eyes narrowed as all the implications of what an alliance with polar bears could mean. He looked at Zac. “What’s been holding you back?”
“Carstairs primarily. Miss A.J. here I trust implicitly, but her Alpha, or his son for that matter, I don’t trust them as far as they could throw me. Even if the agreement was for protection only, they’d use that to their advantage once they discovered it. Too risky.”
“Sounds about right,” Jaxon said.
Zac raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to try to convince me to enter into a treaty with your dare?”
“An alliance with the polar bears could be a game changer for the Keller Dare as well as the entire Shadowcat Nation. Of course I’m interested.”
“But?” Zac prompted.
Jaxon shrugged. “I get the feeling you’re a man driven by trust in a relationship, and I haven’t earned yours yet. Have I?”
“Not yet, but you’re closer than you were before I arrived.”
