The Panther's Rival

by Emilia Hartley

“And I don’t doubt that,” Jo replied, “But Nick’s right. It’s only for a few hours a day, and I’ll be with her the whole time. What’s the worst that could happen?”

  “She could tear your throat out?” Tom retorted, incredulously.

  “I doubt she’d do that and risk facing the wrath of two angry alpha bears,” Jo assured confidently.

  Tom ran a rough hand through his hair, ruffling it so it stood on end in all directions. He couldn’t answer. There was something about Savannah Danvers that made him wary, but Jo and Nick were right. She could be Lucas himself in disguise and would still be nothing they couldn’t handle as long as she were by herself. She’d never be working alone and they didn’t have to babysit her but for only a few hours a day. There really was nothing to worry about. Even he had to admit that. “Fine,” he growled. “I guess I better go tell her the good news.”

  He stormed away without another word. Admitting he might be wrong had struck a chord within him, but more so than that, the accusation that he might feel something for the bear in the office had him reeling in confusion. Where did Jo get that idea? Was he exhibiting some of the emotions that she had when she’d first met Nick? Tom wasn’t sure. He gritted his teeth as he walked, promising himself that he’d shift later and take a long run through the woods. That usually got his frustrations out.

  Chapter Four

  Savannah watched with piqued interest as the conversation wrapped up outdoors. As she sat thoroughly engrossed in the body movements Tom used to properly express his anger, a slight sound caught her ear. Frowning, she turned from the window, listening hard and scenting the air for any signs of a disturbance. The sound came again, muffled, but abrupt. Was someone coughing?

  Slowly, Savannah got to her feet, forgetting about Tom and Jo and the fate of her mission as it unfolded outside. Someone else was here, someone that she hadn’t been briefed on. The question was, who?

  She allowed her ears to guide her, leading her to the back end of the office near a door with a couple of locks on it. She sniffed hard, her chest rattling in a silent growl.

  The front door suddenly swung open, bouncing roughly against the hinges. Savannah shrank back as Tom strode in, his glare accusatory and cold.

  “What were you doing?” he growled.

  Savannah shrugged, quickly feigning nonchalance as she walked back to her seat. “Just browsing around the office. It got boring in here by myself.”

  She only barely met his gaze, the sheer intimidation of his glare sent shivers of alarm down her spine. She could already feel the confirmation of her failure on his lips as he opened them to speak. She’d failed before she’d even started.

  “You got the job,” Tom said, voice bleak. “Congratulations.”

  Savannah gasped, hands moving to her lips in surprise. “Really? Oh, wow! Thank you so much!” She stepped forward holding out her hand for him to shake.

  Clearing his throat, Tom took her hand briefly before stepping away. It didn’t stop the tingling sensation that Savannah had felt when their fingers touched, but it was fleeting enough that she could just barely ignore it.

  “Can you start tomorrow?” he asked, gruffly.

  Savannah gave him a relieved grin. Lucas would have no reason to punish her now. “I can start today, if you’d like! I’d love to look around a bit more.” Her eyes wandered inconspicuously to the locked door at the rear of the room.

  The sound of Jo and Nick’s conversation moved closer to the entrance. “Uh, yeah, sure. I’ll let Jo and Nick congratulate you, and then I’ll show you around.” He rounded the counter. “Just let me check on a few things back here, then I’ll be back to get you settled.”

  “Thank you so much,” Savannah repeated, gaze intent on him as he worked on the locks of the door.

  Nick and Jo entered the office as Tom slipped into the back room. She watched as he walked out of sight, eyes trained on the spot where he’d just been standing. As the door closed firmly behind him, a sudden scent passed her nose.

  Savannah shook her head, trying to sort out the different scents. There had been raw meat of some kind, maybe some blood, and definitely bear. Did they have another bear back there? Or was it just the lingering scent of the two alphas that already lived here? Was that sound she’d heard a cough? Was it coming from that room? She couldn’t tell.

  Her bear growled impatiently; it was more curious than she was. It was almost familiar, that scent that wafted to her, but she couldn’t quite place it. It made her bear restless to find out more.

  “Are you okay?” Jo asked, snapping Savannah out of her thought-process.

  “Oh, I’m fine,” Savannah replied, giving herself a mental shake. She needed to keep her instincts under control or else Jo would learn for sure what she was. Regardless of what the human knew, Savannah wasn’t okay with the idea of humans knowing about her. The very thought of a human knowing shifters existed at all made her nervous. Humans were such unpredictable creatures when faced with the unknown…

  “So Tom’s told you, then?” Jo continued. “The good news?”

  Savannah nodded. “Yes he did, though I don’t think he’s too happy about it.”

  Jo smiled. “Don’t take it personally. He’s not exactly the most forthcoming person at first, but he’ll warm up to you, you’ll see.” Savannah tried to smile despite the nerves knotting in her stomach.

  “You’re okay to start work, then?” Jo said.

  “I am. Tom actually volunteered to show me the ropes a bit when he returns.”

  “Oh?” Nick said. Savannah watched him share an inquisitive look with Jo.

  Savannah nodded, her stomach churning with anxiety. What did that look mean? They seemed so friendly and kind, but she was sure they also had their fair share of secrets. Lucas wouldn’t have assigned her to this place if he didn’t believe so. Whatever they were, she was certain it couldn’t be good. But until she found out, she had to remain cautious. She couldn’t let her guard down for anything or anyone. That’s what she told herself despite the rippling sensation that drove through her core and radiated outward to the tips of her fingers when Tom returned from the back room.

  “Ready for the grand tour?” he asked, his voice curt.

  Savannah only managed a nod afraid her voice would betray the feelings she hid. She followed after him, catching a quiet chuckle from Nick as he discussed something intently with Jo. If she didn’t know any better she’d assume they were talking about… her. She tried not to think about it.

  Walking outside, she let her eyes linger on Tom’s figure. He was tall and strong, the defined musculature making it easy for her to imagine just what kind of bear he was. He was definitely awe-inducing, unlike any bear she’d ever seen before.

  She stifled a shudder, mentally reminding herself that Lucas had send her there on a mission, a mission that would aid in amending Dan’s death. Guilt stabbed her heart; her pack brother was dead at this pack’s hand and she’d been too distracted by some muscles to keep her eye on the objective. Yet, even as she recalled her assignment, something still felt off. Why?

  She didn’t know.

  Chapter Five

  Tom ran the sink water on high in the upstairs bathroom, glad that the ruckus of faucet water could hide his frustrated groan. He mentally kicked himself for agreeing to have dinner with Jo; she’d had some odd fixation with him all day since Savannah had arrived, no doubt because of some misguided idea that he might feel some attraction for her. He should have known that Jo would try something sly, and that Nick would go right along with it, but he hadn’t thought that far ahead at the time. Now he was shut in the cabin with Savannah right downstairs while Jo and Nick ran off to get Chinese.

  “Why even invite her to dinner?” Tom grumbled. “We only just met her.”

  His bear growled, shifting uneasily inside, but it didn’t seem on edge. It almost felt… nervous? It was a new emotion that Tom didn’t agree with or like in the slightest. Escorting her around earlier in the day had been
fine enough; he knew Jo and Nick were nearby, too close to slip up, but he wasn’t a fool. He recognized how attracted he was to her, how aware of her he was. From the moment Jo and Nick had gone, tension had begun to build within him when he was around Savannah, wound up by her very presence. He didn’t know what it meant. He only knew that he needed some space. The bathroom was his only refuge.

  The distant sound of a car pulling up caught Tom’s attention, prompting him to bolt out of the bathroom and down the stairs in panic. He threw open the front door with a sigh of relief.

  “Chinese,” Nick greeted, shoving a full plastic bag into Tom’s hands before walking inside.

  Jo gave him a quick smile. “Did you and Savannah get along okay?”

  Shaking his head in mild incredulity, Tom turned to walk inside. He didn’t have words for what had or hadn’t happened while they were gone, and even if he did, he wouldn’t want to entertain Jo’s weird human amusement anyway.

  “Why don’t you have Savannah help you set out the food? I’m sure she’d be delighted to help,” Jo prompted.

  Tom chewed the inside of his cheek, willing himself to remain silent. He wouldn’t ask anything of her, but there was no harm in simply letting her know dinner was here, right? Satisfied with the justification, he wandered easily to the book corner where he knew she’d sought refuge after they were left alone. She wasn’t reading; she wasn’t doing much of anything. As he rounded the corner, she stared up at him with big honey-brown eyes, and for a moment, he could sense a hint of fear and something like loneliness before she locked her emotions down. Before he could stop himself, he felt a bit of sympathy slip past his façade, empathy rising in his chest. Immediately, he forced it away. He didn’t need this. He didn’t know her; she didn’t deserve his compassion. Sure, he could tolerate her, and maybe even be cordial, but despite the affirmative rattles his bear was letting out, he’d offer her nothing more. She was an employee at best now, a complete stranger at worst. That was it.

  With a carefully blank expression, he held up the bag in his hands. “Food’s here if you want to join us?”

  Savannah gave him one nod, and he could tell she was corralling come weird emotions of her own. She opened her mouth slightly to speak, but nothing came out.

  He shrugged, a tingling sensation manifesting itself on the back of his neck. The way she looked at him made it hard for him to think clearly. “I, um, hope you like Chinese takeout,” he continued. “It’s the best food in town, though it never really had much competition to begin with.” He tried to smile, but it was wobbly and fleeting.

  He watched as she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she stood. He took a step back, beckoning her past with a light gesture and trying with all his might to let off an affable vibe. He didn’t want her to think he hated her—he didn’t. He just didn’t trust her.

  She shuffled by, moving quickly as if she’d expected him to reach out and touch her. “Thanks,” she mumbled. A shiver rumbled softly through Tom’s body at the word, and his bear raised its head in curiosity. He fought to ignore it as they met back with Jo and Nick at the dining table. His bear let out a low, angry growl, restless and eager for more control. Tom stayed his ground, silently promising the bear a run through the woods later to try and relieve some of the stress.

  The bear quieted, but Tom still found himself watching the bend of Savannah’s arm as she served herself some food, the curve of her slender waist as she leaned over the table. She looked tired and maybe even a bit upset. He wasn’t sure what was plaguing her, but even strictly as her boss, he should at least try to help, right?

  “Why don’t you sit,” he murmured. “I’ll go grab the drinks.” He caught the mild surprise in her eyes and his bear growled contentedly. He shooed the emotion away, ignoring the look Jo was shooting at him as he walked into the kitchen. Whatever was going through Jo’s mind, it was false.

  “Excuse me, I need to wash my hands,” he heard Savannah murmur to Jo as he reentered the dining area, watching too intently as she slipped nimbly up the stairs to the bathroom.

  “You don’t mind escorting her to the store tomorrow, do you?” Jo asked, a smug look in her eyes telling him that his staring had been obvious.

  “The store?”

  “Yeah,” Nick said. “Nothing big, just a few things for the office.”

  He rounded on his brother. “Why can’t you take her?”

  “Because I’m busy doing important boss things.”

  “That’s a weak excuse,” Tom growled. Nick shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. With a frustrated groan, Tom turned to Jo. “What about you?”

  Jo shook her head. “No can do. Have you seen that office? I have a lot of work to do, myself.”

  Tom tensed, knowing she wasn’t being entirely truthful. A rattle rumbled in his chest.

  “Don’t you start that growling with me,” Jo tutted. “Gathering supplies was your thing before I came along wasn’t it? You know what to do and where to go—you’re obviously the person most equipped to train her and get her settled. So just do it. The sooner she’s set, the sooner you’re done.”

  Tom frowned. “It’s not exactly hard, Jo. There’s one store in town. One. It’s kind of hard to miss. I’m sure she’s at least seen it a few times.”

  Nick clapped him on the shoulder. “Oh, come on, Tom. Surely this isn’t too difficult a task for you?” His brother grinned, but Tom could hardly stop his scowl from deepening. “At least pretend to be nice like you normally do and stop complaining.” Before Tom could protest further, Savannah descended the stairs.

  Jo clapped her hands together. “Time to eat!”

  ***

  Savannah couldn’t help but feel a bit of surprise at how mildly the evening had gone. Tom had largely avoided any form of communication with her, which was fine with her. Things had been tense between them since Jo had escorted them to the cabin, and she’d been worried about things getting worse. Jo and Nick filled the empty space between her and Tom easily enough, making idle chat easily with her as they explained life in Woodhaven. Occasionally she’d feel a tingling of nerves deep within and she could tell Tom was looking her way, but otherwise she was able to keep up conversation easily enough without raising any eyebrows.

  “I know it’s getting late, but I’m making some coffee if you want a mug?” Jo asked.

  Savannah stood. “Oh no, you treated me to dinner. Let me get coffee for everyone.”

  “You sure?”

  Savannah nodded, the urge to help rising. Her words had been sincere; their kindness went to lengths she had never expected. The least she could do was grab a couple mugs of coffee as thanks. Plus, a small gesture like this went a long way to gaining their trust.

  “Thank you,” Jo smiled, throwing a glance at Tom. “Tom could you show her how everything works?”

  “Oh, no thank you,” Savannah reassured quickly. “Surely, I know how to work a simple coffee maker.”

  “I don’t know, ours can be pretty tricky,” Nick rebutted. “Plus, as thanks for dinner, my brother is on dish duty anyway. I’m sure he was headed in that direction any moment now.”

  She saw Tom’s eyes flash, but in nothing more than sibling anger. She was surprised to not see any challenge between the two brothers. It was as if they treated each other as equals, something she’d never expected to see from a leader, let alone two leader-destined alpha shifters. More shocking than that, even Jo seemed equal to them. A human! She threw out suggestions and they were considered fairly. This odd pack was different, to be sure, and Savannah found herself envious of the rapport they shared. Why couldn’t she have something like this with the Northern Wind?

  “Oh behave,” Jo chided lightly with a smile.

  “Dishes?” Tom growled. “On top of everything else, dishes, too?”

  Nick shrugged. “Consider it recompense for giving Savannah a hard time all day.”

  Tom opened his mouth to retort, but he caught Savannah’s gaze and fell quiet. �
�Fine,” he conceded grumpily, stalking toward the kitchen and beckoning impatiently for her to follow.

  She was tense and awkward as he pointed out the various nobs and dials on the coffee maker. Nick was right, it was quite advanced. She reached for a dial as Tom pressed a button to start the percolating, their fingers brushing in brief contact as he pulled away. Sparks suddenly sizzled down Savannah’s arm, her senses snapping to high alert as she snatched her hand backward. Their eyes met, locking in a panicked embrace, and Savannah wasn’t sure she was calm enough to hide the flurry of emotions that were stampeding about within her.

  After what seemed like an hour, Tom let out a small, taut breath. “I’ll take a coffee too, if you don’t mind.” His voice was soft and careful, unlike anything she’d expected from him.

  She could only nod, merely picking up another mug by way of response. He turned abruptly and began busying himself with the dirty dishware before things got too awkward. She noticed she was holding her breath, waiting for Tom to run the faucet water on high before letting the air out in a hoarse, mortified sigh.

  Savannah knew he didn’t trust her, but what they’d just exchanged wasn’t distrust. It was something deep and intimate… and completely terrifying.

  What exactly was it? Could she use it to manipulate his trust?

  I think so, she thought as she poured coffee into the mugs, but as the fragrant scent of caffeine wafted around her, she found herself wondering if she even wanted to.

  Chapter Six

  Tom thought he’d find peace back at the mechanic shop, but Savannah’s scent seemed to mark every wall and table, evidence of her earlier visit lingering behind. He knew it was something he’d have to get used to, but in that moment, his bear was nervous and impatient, the smell of her only making his unease worse. He needed that run. Now.

  “Wait, there’s something I need to do,” he muttered aloud. A responsibility at the shop. He and Nick hadn’t scheduled to work on any cars tonight though, so…. Dan. Dan needed his meds, and probably some fresh bandaging, too. He contemplated making Dan wait just a short while, just long enough for a lap or two around the shop…