by Amy Kyle
She gasped as he grabbed her wrists. “You’re not leaving.”
“Really? Because last night you told me I could leave whenever I wanted.”
“It’s not safe, Natalie.” She froze as she stared at him. Her empathy intuition kicked in. He sincerely didn’t think she was safe.
He wanted her to be safe.
She relaxed, and he released her arm. “Can you please tell me what happened?”
“Why do you care?” she asked. “And I’m not trying to distract you. I really don’t understand why you care so much about a complete stranger.”
He cocked his head, and for the first time, she realized that he didn’t know why he trying to keep her safe. She licked her lips and sighed. “I was born with the empathy gene. I’m not powerful by any means, but it was enough to make me stand apart from the rest of my peers. They thought I was creepy and different. When I met Paul, he treated me like a queen. And I couldn’t really sense him. Not at first. I thought he was perfect for me.
She sank back down in her chair. “But then he started getting really controlling. He’d follow me around everywhere. He’d force me to spend the weekend on the territory. Let me tell you, the pack hated that. I was really uncomfortable, and then I started sensing things. There was this violent rage that simmered just below the surface.”
“Did he hit you?” Jackson asked.
“He screamed a lot and jerked me around. Once, he pushed me against the wall, and I thought he was going to hit me. But he never actually struck me. Still, I sensed that it wouldn’t always be the case. Then he started screaming that I had stolen something him.” She held up her hand. “And while you did actually catch me stealing, let me tell you. I didn’t take anything. You’ve searched my bag. There’s nothing valuable in there. I got scared. And I left. Paul is second-in-command of his pack. I had hoped that he would be to busy to track me, and if I reached the city by the full moon, I could lose myself in the sea of people.”
Jackson leaned back and stared at her. “An empath,” he said softly.
“Very weak,” she muttered.
“Can you sense what I’m feeling?”
She squirmed uncomfortably. “Some times.”
A slow wicked grin crossed his face. “And this morning?”
“Look, it’s just a natural reaction to a woman and a man being in the same bed together, “she said as she avoided his gaze.
“Brent looked into Paul. He’s left his pack. He’s looking for you, and no city is big enough to hide you. I want to protect you, but I won’t keep you here against your will. If you want to leave, you can leave. But I’ll probably just follow you.”
She opened her mouth to ask him why, but she knew he didn’t have the answer. And that bothered her more than it should.
“I’ll stay, she said softly. For reasons that she couldn’t fathom, she believed Jackson. She believed that he would keep her safe.
* * *
Jackson alerted Brent of the situation and gave Natalie free reign of the territory. He felt strangely bereft as she left, but he had pack business to attend. Brent had already called a meeting, and if he lingered any longer, he’d be late.
So he gave her directions to a few places where she could entertain herself, and he headed over to the meeting hall. Inside, the family members were already bickering among themselves. Before they got too wrapped up into things, Jackson pulled Brent aside.
“Find him?” he muttered.
Brent shook his head. “I spoke to the alpha. He said Paul took a leave of absence citing personal matters. He doesn’t expect him back for a few days, and he doesn’t know where he went. I put a few feelers out between here and there, but so far, I’ve got nothing. He’s keeping a low profile. Are you sure he’s heading this way?”
“He thinks Natalie stole something.”
“Did she?”
Jackson stared at Brent and frowned. “I know it sounds crazy, but I think she’s telling the truth. If she stole something, she has no idea what it is.”
Brent shrugged. “Okay. If you trust her, I trust her. But I’ve got to be honest, Jackson. Between the full moon tomorrow, this whole Natalie business, and the whole de’Massier thing, I’ve got a bad feeling.”
“Me too, friend. Should we get this over with?”
His friend grinned. “You used to love running meetings in Micah’s absence.”
“Yeah, but then the damn man fell in love, and now the whole pack is struggling to do the same. Too many feelings. Things were more simple when love had be within the same species,” Jackson grumbled.
There was something secretive about Brent’s smile, but he dismissed it and entered the room.
In Micah’s absence, he was allowed to take the seat at the head of the table. Brent took Micah’s seat, and Lynette, Micah’s mother, sat on the other side of him. The seat next to her, designated for alpha female, was empty. Bridgette used to sit there until she went crazy. Now it would be Stacey’s seat.
Jackson liked Stacey. He couldn’t wait to see what the woman would do when she got back. He held up his hand. “All right. I know we’ve all got things to do today, so let’s make this quick. It’s the full moon tonight, so we’re going to be restless. Keep a lid on those tempers. Micah returns tomorrow, and I want this wrapped up by then.” He pulled out the folder and opened it.
“I know that most of you aren’t happy with the treaty, but with a new leader comes a new agreement. De’Massier has already agreed to all the previous terms, but he wants to add a few new ones. Namely, he wants an alliance.”
“And alliance with the blood suckers?” one male yelled. “No way.”
Jackson put up his hand. “Let’s talk about this. We haven’t had an issue with the vampire clan in over a century. True, our treaty has always been an uneasy one, but even though the previous leader was lax with his own group, everyone respected territories. There were no disputes and no fights. This new agreement would simply mean that if de’Massier needed back up during a dispute with another vampire clan or even within his own clan, he can count on us. And we would be able to do the same.”
“We don’t need them,” the same guy yelled.
“Mark, if you talk out of turn again, I’ll remove your voting rights,” Jackson thundered. The room quieted, and Jackson pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Look,” he said finally. “This isn’t the fifteenth century. We have no reason to fight with them. Look at all the progressive changes that Micah has made. You guys can marry whomever you want, and most of you are thrilled. You weren’t in the beginning, but you are now. This is simply one more progressive move. Let’s face it, we haven’t been to war with anyone is a long time. But the very fact that he wants us to be involved with policing his own people is telling.”
He nodded to Lynette. She flipped open her laptop and hit a few keys. Immediately, the white screen lowered from the ceiling and a projection of the amendments was displayed for all to see. “Look it over. Let me know if you have any questions.”
The table was quiet as they glanced over the proposed agreement. While most of them were horrified when they first heard the news, Jackson knew what they were looking at was a logical and progressive move. A finger tentatively went up. “Mark,” Jackson said with a sigh.
“Will they have access to the territory?”
Jackson shook his head. “If they come looking for sanctuary, they can find it in the holding grounds out back. No one will enter the main territory without the express permission from Micah, Brent, and myself. If you need sanctuary, you will have access to part of their territory as well, but no one can enter their lands without the permission of their de’Massier and his cabinet.”
Mark nodded. “Looks fine to me,” he said grudgingly.
“Any other questions?” No one said anything. “Excellent. Drop off your votes, and let’s get this over with.” One by one, the members came by and dropped off the pieces of paper. Jackson gave the box to Lynette to tally the vo
tes, and everyone took their seat.
“What’s with the human staying with you?”
Jackson turned a frosty gaze to the speaker. Nora was an older woman, and she had no issues speaking her mind. Jackson thought briefly about ignoring the questions, but even Lynette had stopped counting and stared at him. He sighed.
“Natalie is a guest of mine. She’s having a problem with a bear pack member from California. I believe that she’s in danger, and I’ve offered her my protection.”
The pack shifted uneasily. It was rare that they had a dispute with another bear shifter territory, and he could tell that they didn’t like the idea of housing a human.
“She’s having issues with one pack member or the whole pack?” Nora pushed.
“I said one member,” Jackson said.
“You also said that you that you didn’t trample through my gardens that one full moon. You lied.”
“Nora. I was eight.”
“I’m just saying,” the woman said pointedly.
Another member raised their hand. “Is it a high ranking official?”
“Second-in-command,” Jackson said begrudgingly. “But we’ve spoken to the alpha. We’re not starting a war here. We’re just keeping an eye on things.”
“Everyone’s in favor,” Lynette said quickly. She snapped the box closed. “It’s unanimous. We just need Micah to sign it tomorrow.”
Jackson nodded. “Dismissed.”
One by one, the pack members got up to leave. “I know it was you,” Nora said as she walked out.
Jackson turned to Lynette. “Thanks,” he muttered. “I don’t know how Micah does it.”
Lynette smiled. “He thinks you do it better. The fact is that you’re both born to wield power, and you both hate it.” He stood up, and she wagged his finger. “Sit down, young man. We’re not done.”
“Lynette, I’m acting alpha,” Jackson said with a smile.
“And I changed your dirty diapers. Sit you ass down.” He chuckled as he took a seat. “Tell me about this Natalie woman you’ve got in the condos.”
“There’s not much to say. I caught her stealing a jacket from the store. Apparently she’s been on the run for a few days, and I guess she wasn’t prepared for our chilly nights. Paul is her ex-boyfriend, and I guess he’s a real piece of work. All reports indicate that he’s coming after her.”
Lynette cocked her head. “And she just told you all of this.”
“No. I had to pry it out of her and investigate,” Jackson said before she could accuse Natalie of lying.
“So you were in the middle of it before you realized exactly what you were in the middle of,” Lynette said slowly.
Jackson winced. “She was scared, Lynette. I can sense her fear. What was I supposed to do?”
“I’m not saying that you did anything wrong.” She gathered her things and stood. “Your mother raised you to protect others. She would be proud of you.” Lynette paused behind him. “Natalie is awfully pretty.”
Jackson clenched his teeth. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”
Lynette chuckled. “Nora’s right. You are a liar.”
She left the room and him alone with his thoughts. He sighed and sat back. When he saw the situation from the perspective of others, the whole thing seemed insane. Brent thought she was a security breach. After all, she was a thief. The pack saw her as an outsider, and he was putting them all in the middle of it by keeping her here. And he’d involved himself even before he knew what was really going on.
The whole thing was ridiculous. But he couldn’t ignore what he felt. No one affected him quite like Natalie. He felt like he was supposed to protect her. And he didn’t need to explain himself to anyone.
* * *
It was clear that the Woodland pack was wealthy. Their territory was vast and complete with its own set up of small businesses. Just along the edge were the smaller businesses including two diners, a convenience store, an entertainment hall, a salon, and a library. On the adjacent side was a grocery store, a post office, a coffee shop, and a mechanic. While it wasn’t unusual for shifters to leave their territory for their day-to-day activities, it was clear that this pack liked their conveniences close by.
Natalie slid into a table at the coffee shop and sent out tentative waves of energy. She felt no hostility. Younger shifters stared at her with mild curiosity and older shifters out right stared. It was obvious that they were still trying to adjust to the changes their alpha had made.
She kept her eyes down and slowly drank her coffee. Jackson had told her that no one would bother her, but frankly, while she felt like she could trust Jackson, she knew that not everyone could be monitored all the time. People’s moods changed for no obvious reasons.
But here, she could finally breathe. Slowly, she felt the eyes drift away from her, and she sighed. How had her life come to this?
And more importantly, why, after everything that happened with Paul, was she so willing to trust another bear shifter? It’s not like her intuition hasn’t been wrong before.
She shivered when she thought about her last interaction with Paul.
“Where the hell is it, bitch?” His eyes were wild with rage. Natalie pressed herself against the wall and tried to make herself as small as possible.
“Paul, I didn’t take anything,” she said softly.
“Don’t lie to me! What happened? How did you figure it out? Did you finally feel that something wasn’t right? Did that weird power of yours finally kick in? I’m going to kill you!”
Someone knocked on the door, and he immediately calmed down. She watched in horror as his twisted face returned to normal. “Get in the bedroom,” he hissed. “And don’t make a sound.”
She scurried to the bedroom, but rather than waiting for him to attack her, she grabbed her purse and her jacket and snuck out the window. Without a second thought, she began hitchhiking. She needed to get as far away from him as possible. And she knew that he’d come looking for her.
“Natalie.”
A jolt ran through her, and she lifted her gaze. Jackson was seated in front of her. “Are you okay?”
“You keep asking me that question,” she muttered. “I’m fine. I just needed some extra caffeine.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Because you are planning on running?”
“No,” she said softly. “It’s a full moon tonight. I imagine I won’t be getting much sleep.”
He reached across the table and took her hands. She felt a warm jolt as his thumb caressed her skin. “I don’t know what it was like with the last pack that you were with, but you have nothing to fear here. The condo is as secure as it comes in this territory. As long as you don’t leave, you’ll be fine. And even if you do, I suspect you’ll still be fine. We teach everyone in our pack how to remain as human as possible during the shift. We might look like bears, but we do recognize you. We mostly just hunt in the woods and run around like a bunch of wild animals.”
“And your alpha returns tomorrow?” she left the question she really wanted to ask unspoken, but Jackson seemed to read her thoughts.
“Micah will protect you. He’s my best friend, and trust me, he’s as fair as they come.”
She looked up from her coffee. “Jackson, I haven’t actually thanked you yet. Or apologized. I know that you don’t need me, but I’m not this woman. I don’t steal from people or piss shifters off. I was just looking for acceptance, and I got more than I bargained for. So thank you for not having me arrested.”
He smiled at her, and suddenly, she was filled with warmth. He squeezed her hand and left her without saying a word. And suddenly, she was confused. She barely knew him, and already she had mixed feelings inside her. It wasn’t like Paul. This was something entirely new.
Chapter Five
It was almost two o’clock in the morning when she felt his vibrations. Cold. Calculating. Cruel.
Her eyes flew to the door. The full moon lit her room, and she’d been watching the window all night. S
he told herself she was just keeping an eye on things, but she knew she was just hoping to keep see Jackson.
But it wasn’t Jackson on the other side of the door.
Bile rose in her throat as fear bloomed. Paul had found her.
He must have sensed her fear because he roared on the other side. It was hardly human, and she screamed. Immediately, the door began to shake. He must have been throwing himself at from the other side.
Jackson had already told her that she’d be the only person in the building, so she knew that no one was coming to save her. She immediately began scouting the room for a weapon. Paul was a powerful shifter. It was only a matter of time before he found his way in.
Panicked, she tried to calm down. There was an assortment of things she could use. The lamp. A wine bottle. The television. But nothing was large enough to take him out cold. Racing to the kitchen, she found a large butcher knife. Gripping it tightly, she slid to the floor and shook.
The door splintered and cracked, and suddenly, she could feel his waves of anger and triumph as clear as day. Looking over the counter, she opened her mouth and screamed.
Paul was mostly in human form. Though his arms and legs had shifted, he was still caging the bear. “Natalie,” he called to her in a singsong voice. “Don’t you want to give me a kiss?” His head turned and their eyes locked.
Natalie jumped up and brandished the knife. “Go away, Paul.”
“Stupid bitch. You thought you could run from me?” he roared. “You thought you could seek protection from another pack? No one is as strong as me! No one!”
He shifted fully into a bear and launched himself at her. Natalie screamed, but Paul never touched her. Out of nowhere, another bear ran at full speed at Paul, and they both tumbled on the floor.
It was clear that they were both powerful. Paul was black and grisly, but this new bear was sleek and grey. Both were angry, but one was protective. She felt his energy reach out to her and comfort her.
