“Ready for the grand tour?” he said, gruffly.
Savannah nodded, and followed after him, ignoring the chuckle she heard come from Nick. They obviously knew something she didn’t, but she was pretty sure it was directed at Tom and not at her.
Walking outside, she let her eyes linger on Tom’s form. He was tall and strong, and she could just imagine the kind of bear he was. This pack was already so obviously different from the Northern Wind pack. She wasn’t afraid here.
Reminding herself that she was doing what Lucas wanted so that, somehow, they would get revenge for Dan's death, Savannah was forced to recognize the stab of guilt in her heart. Why did this already feel so wrong? With a heavy heart, Savannah followed Tom into the workshop, trying to focus on what he was saying.
CHAPTER 5
Tom thumped around the upstairs bathroom, wishing he could punch a hole through the wall. He wanted to shift, to let the bear run free and get his anger and frustration out that way, but he couldn't. Savannah was downstairs in the living room, and they were waiting for Jo and Nick to come back with takeout. Dinner at the cabin had sounded like a great idea until he'd realized that Jo had not only invited Savannah but also that she'd decided to go with Nick to get the food – leaving him and Savannah alone. Jo had done it on purpose, he was absolutely certain, under some misguided idea that he was attracted to Savannah.
His bear growled, but in a contented way, as though it was glad Savannah was here. Tom didn’t agree. He’d been too uptight, too aware of her and had needed to take some time out – but the bathroom had been the only place he could go. After he’d shown her around the mechanics, he’d handed her over to Jo without another word to her since. Jo was frustrated with him, but he’d ignored her completely. Savannah was just his employee now, nothing more. Besides, he still wasn’t sure they could trust her. Her story seemed a little too convenient for his liking.
Catching the sound of a car pulling up, Tom practically ran down the stairs, strode to the front door and flung it open, the sound echoing through the cabin.
“Chinese,” Nick grinned, as he shoved a plastic bag at Tom. “Here, take this. I’ll get plates and stuff.”
Tom rolled his eyes as Jo gave him a quick smile. “Did you and Savannah get along okay?”
Shaking his head at her, Tom walked over to the table with the food. He and Savannah hadn't said much at all if he was honest. There was just some kind of weird tension between them.
“Can you tell Savannah we’re ready to eat?”
Tom didn’t reply, just let out a long breath as he wandered over to the book corner at the back of the cabin. It was as if she was hiding, but he didn’t know what it was she was hiding from. A slight trickle of guilt made its way into his conscience. He hadn’t exactly been friendly – although he told himself it was with good reason. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to appear a little more relaxed as he approached her.
Savannah was standing by the shelf full of books, her arms wrapped around her waist. She looked terrified, and Tom was suddenly struck by just how big her brown eyes were. There was something quite lonely about her, as though she didn’t know where she belonged in the world. Despite himself, a great swell of sympathy rose in his chest – but he pushed it away almost at once. He didn’t need this. He wasn’t going to feel anything for this woman. That was for sure. He could be civil, sure, but that was all he was going to feel, no matter how happy his bear seemed to be when she was around. Tom had seen how his brother had changed with Jo around, and he’d swore that wasn’t going to be him. Nick seemed softer these days, less aggressive, less likely just to burst out in anger at any moment. Tom wasn’t sure he liked that change so much. He enjoyed ripping into his bear skin any time he wanted, letting the rage pump the blood into his veins. It made him stronger.
"Food's ready if you want to join us?"
Savannah glanced up at him and Tom could hear her swift intake of breath. Was she scared of him? Even though he’d tried his best to be nice? Why didn’t he like that?”
“I hope you like Chinese takeout,” he continued, a little more lightly. “It’s the best food we have in town. Though, there’s not much else to offer.” He tried to smile, gesturing her to walk though.
Savannah swallowed, and attempted a smile back. She felt so confused, being left here alone with Tom. He’d said very little to her, eventually going upstairs and leaving her by herself. It was obvious he didn’t like being around her, so she’d wandered around the cabin and found the hidden book corner. She’d stayed there, even when Jo and Nick had come back, feeling confused and alone. They’d been so kind to her, but she was only here on Lucas’s orders and that meant that, one day, they’d find out that she was really from the Northern Wind pack. Her emotions were already all over the place, but she tried to convince herself that it was only because she was tired and exhausted from her day. Getting the job had been a relief, now that she knew Lucas wasn’t going to be angry with her – but it was her awareness of Tom that she hadn’t been expecting. “Thanks,” she mumbled, walking past him. Their arms brushed and Savannah jerked away, walking quickly towards the others. When they’d touched, a spark had made her bear jump in surprise, and now it was curious. Forcing herself not to imagine what Tom’s bear looked like, Savanah tried to smile as Jo and Nick handed her a plate.
Tom watched her walk away, a sudden desire to slip his hands around her gentle curves surprising him. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he heard his bear begin to growl. He was confused and upset. He needed to go out in the woods and let the bear run. Then he'd be able to sleep, completely exhausted, without Savannah haunting his mind. Once they'd eaten and Savannah had gone home, he'd shift and head on into the woods.
He couldn’t help himself from wondering what her bear was like as he walked up to the table, his eyes lingering on Savannah again. She was picking up cutlery and going to serve herself food, but he couldn’t keep his eyes from her. There was something about the way she was moving that told him she was tired and upset and, for some reason, Tom wanted to help.
“Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll get the drinks,” he murmured, catching the surprise in her eyes. Ignoring Jo’s grin, he set about getting drinks for everyone, wondering why he’d offered to help. It wasn’t like him.
“I just need to wash my hands,” she murmured, excusing herself for a moment.
Tom forced himself to not watch her climb the stairs, eventually turning his back when the need became too great.
“You’ll need to take Savannah to the store tomorrow.”
He rounded on Jo. “What? Why?”
Nick laughed. “Don’t start grumbling, Tom, you’re going anyway. She just needs a few things for the office.”
“Nick, why can’t you take her?”
“Because I’m busy.”
“That’s not a good enough excuse,” Tom growled. “Jo could take her.”
Jo shook her head. “No, I can’t. I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.”
Tom tensed, knowing she wasn’t being truthful.
“And don’t start growling at me either,” Jo continued, looking up at him. “Just do it, Tom. For goodness sake, she’s going to be starting work tomorrow, properly. You need to show her where we get our office supplies from.”
He frowned. "It's not exactly hard, Jo. There's one store in town. One. That's where we get our office supplies from. I'm sure she's seen it since she's been living here for a couple of weeks."
“Quit complaining and just take her,” Nick said, cheerfully, clapping his brother on the back. “Come on, Jo, let’s eat.”
Savannah was quite surprised to find that she enjoyed the evening, even though Tom was quite uncommunicative. Nick and Jo made up for his silence, asking her lots of questions and telling her about their lives. She had to make up a few things, of course. Luckily they’d accepted everything she said. Occasionally, she’d catch Tom looking at her to which she’d glance back at him, only for him to look away. Nerve
s still wriggled in her stomach every time their eyes met, but Savannah wasn’t sure why. Was it because she was afraid he’d find out?
“Coffee?” Jo asked, leaning back in her chair.
Savannah got to her feet at once. “I’ll get it.”
“You sure?”
She nodded, wanting to be helpful and to show them that she was a thoughtful person. Anything she could do to get them to trust her was going to help.
“Thanks,” Jo smiled, throwing a quick glance at Tom. “The coffee pot’s in the kitchen but you might need to make up a fresh pot.”
“No problem.” Walking over quickly, Savannah listened to the ongoing conversation behind her, feeling a sense of warmth rising in her. This pack was so different from her own. They were all equals, even the human, which was the biggest surprise. There was no dominance from either Tom or Nick, at least, not that she’d seen. There was a respect between them that wasn’t in the Northern Wind pack. A wave of envy rushed over her, and she clenched her fist for a moment. Was Lucas wrong in how he treated the pack? Why couldn’t they be more like this?
Nick practically threw his plate at Tom, lifting an eyebrow as Tom growled at him.
“Don’t start with me, Tom. You need to start being nice to her.”
“So I have to do the dishes?”
Nick shrugged. "Unless you'd rather stay here and watch me and Jo get all… cozy."
Rolling his eyes, Tom got to his feet, grabbing the plates so hard they almost cracked. Clearing his throat, he walked into the kitchen to find Savannah attempting to make a pot of coffee. Her back and shoulders were raised as she visibly tensed at his footsteps. All his senses were on fire as he took her in. Red hot heat swept through him as his eyes lingered on her curves, finally glancing away as his face grew hot. He couldn’t be attracted to this woman, not now. He didn’t know anything about her and, for all he knew, she could be trying to get into their pack for some reasons of her own.
“You getting on okay there?” he managed to say, his voice low. “I’ll take a coffee too if you’re making.”
Savannah didn't reply, merely picking up another cup by way of a response. She waited until she heard him walk back to the table to get the rest of the dishes before letting out a long breath. Tom still didn't trust her and didn't like her being here. What would he do if he ever found out the truth about who she was and what she was doing?
CHAPTER 6
Tom had thought he'd find peace back at the mechanics, but the scent of Savannah was still there. He was going to have to get used to it, that was for sure. There was something about the way she smelled that threw all kind of sensations at him. He'd been longing for the dinner to end, so that he could run into the woods, but he had to check on Dan first. Dan had eaten his food with relish and taken the next lot of his painkillers without complaining. His leg would be better soon, to the point that he'd be able to walk, so they'd have to tell Savannah about him soon.
Now that Dan was sleeping, all of Tom’s emotions hit him at once. He was confused over Savannah, and the way his bear was reacting to her. He didn’t want to be attracted to her, but he couldn’t get the way her honey brown eyes had looked at him out of his mind. Slamming open the front door, he ran outside and across the field, the darkness surrounding him completely.
His bear ripped out of his skin so fast it pulled the breath from his body, forcing him to take a couple of deep breaths. A growl tore from his throat as he let the wildness of the bear take over immediately, running deep into the woods.
His whole body was rippling with anger, his teeth bared as his paws ate up the ground. Jo had been trying to push him and Savanah together, even though they’d’ only met today – and that made him mad. He didn’t want to be pushed. Didn’t want to have any kind of feelings towards Savannah. Why couldn’t Jo just leave him alone?
Suddenly, he stopped short, his sides heaving as he took in great gulps of air. He could smell something. It was Savannah.
What was she doing out here, in the middle of the night? Tom was forced to take her home earlier that evening, although their ride had been mostly silent. He’d made sure she was safely home, thinking just how badly run down the place was. Had she really come out into the woods for a run around? Or was she meeting someone?
Immediately suspicious, he walked forward, sniffing the air. There was water nearby, and Savannah’s scent was all around the outside of the deep lake that was in the heart of the woods. A slight splash caught his ears, and his eyes narrowed. Savannah was clearly enjoying the water. Tom shrank back into the trees, his eyes catching sight of her. She hadn’t run off or gone back to the pack, she'd gone swimming. Guilt flared, and he blew out a quick snort of frustration.
Are you going to come in?
His eyes flaring with surprise, Tom walked out of the trees, his paws making no sound on the grassy earth. He hadn’t thought she’d seen or heard him.
No.
The water’s lovely.
He sat down on the bank, letting the water trickle into his back paws. I’m fine.
Savannah swam over to him, her paws moving effortlessly through the water. She’d been terrified when she’d become aware of him, but had forced herself not to panic. She needed to act normal, pretend that everything was okay. All she was doing was swimming. Why are you here?
Tom looked away, unwilling to answer.
You don’t trust me.
No, I don’t.
Savannah pulled herself from the water, shaking her fur. Looking at him, she took in his huge bulk, and the way his gray eyes were staring at her, unblinking. He was an alpha bear, in every sense of the word. There was an air of authority about him that had her ready to bow her head in front of him, recognizing his power. He could protect himself, she was sure of it.
Had those big paws been the ones to kill Dan? The thought shook her to her core. She never thought of that before, a wave of anger rushing through her and forcing a rattle from her throat.
Tom snorted, pushing the air from his lungs. I’m not going to hurt you, Savannah.
Savannah quietened her anger quickly, knowing she couldn’t put herself in danger. Then why are you here?
He turned his head and looked up at the moon that shone through the trees. I needed to run.
And I needed to swim.
Tossing his head, Tom began to turn away.
I can see that.
Beginning to walk away from her, Tom forced his bear not to stay. The bear was happy with her beside him, and his awareness of just how honey brown her eyes were had shaken him completely. They were almost golden. The bear’s eyes were just a slightly different shade from her human eyes, but they still made his senses swim. This wasn’t the peace he’d been looking for. He needed to leave Savannah behind.
Savannah flung herself back into the water, throwing the water up everywhere. If Tom wanted to walk away, then she’d let him. Words weren’t going to convince him that she could be trusted, but maybe her actions were. She just hoped Lucas wasn’t going to appear out of nowhere and blow everything up. If Tom caught even the slightest hint of Lucas’ scent, then there would be no way out.
You’re not exactly graceful.
Tom’s words came into her head, but she didn’t respond. Choosing to ignore him, Savannah carried on swimming across the lake, letting her bear enjoy the water. The only reason she’d come into the woods was because she was unable to sleep, especially since she wasn’t used to being in her human skin for so long. It was funny how Tom had reacted to her human form, though. Savannah hadn’t missed the way he’d looked at her, although clearly he wasn’t exactly looking to make friends with her. Was that the way to get him to trust her? Reaching the bank on the other side of the lake, Savannah pulled herself up and watched as Tom’s alpha bear walked off into the woods, leaving her alone again.
CHAPTER 7
Savannah walked to the mechanics to start her first day on the job, thinking hard about her time last night with Tom. His alpha bear w
as strong, its muscles rippling under his dark coat. The way he carried himself was almost noble, as though he anticipated respect. Thinking about what it would be like to have Tom protect her, Savannah felt heat creep into her cheeks.
She barely slept last night, tossing and turning until the early hours of the morning when she eventually gave up and chose to get up for the day. For some, inexplicable reason, she couldn’t get Tom out of her head. There had been times when the nerves she’d felt had changed into something more… pleasurable, but she was unable to work out what. It had only been this morning, when she had time to sort through her emotions, that she eventually admitted to herself that she was attracted to him, in both his forms.
It was an attraction she was going to have to ignore, that was for sure. Since Savannah hadn’t really met other shifters, apart from the Northern Wind pack, she told herself that her attraction to Tom was probably the way most shifters felt when they met an alpha. There was something about them being so dominant, she guessed. Savannah had never met an alpha before. Lucas was a large bear, sure, but he wasn’t an alpha, as much as he wanted to be. Alphas were different. Although, that being said, his human skin wasn’t exactly bad looking either, if she ignored the way his lip constantly curled when he saw her. She hated that he had exactly the same response each time he saw her. It was as if his hackles rose. She’d thought her bear would be equally as hostile, but to her surprise, it had just been interested. There wasn’t any fear or any anger either. Just…interest.
Shaking her head, Savannah walked up to the office door, determined to get all thoughts of Tom out of her head. The last thing she needed was to feed her attraction to him. She had to remember why she was here, and the very important fact that Tom had, most likely, been involved in Dan’s death. The only reason she was here so that Lucas, in whatever way he chose, could have his revenge on Tom and Nick. There was no point in getting close to him – or to any of them.
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