The Panther's Rival

by Emilia Hartley

  “Wow,” she gasped, inhaling deeply over the food before glancing up at him. “I know you said you cook, but this is something else.”

  Dan chuckled as he sat down, beaming with pride. “Don’t tell me how impressed you are until after you taste it. It might not taste as good as it looks!”

  Lucy laughed. “I’m sure it tastes fine,” she replied confidently. “The fact that you went to such effort to create a meal for us is more than enough to impress me.”

  Dan lifted his shoulders. “You’re worth it,” he said easily, and he meant it. “After making a complete fool of myself today, I had to make it up to you, somehow.”

  “Nothing about you that I saw today was foolish,” Lucy retorted, her eyes trailing slowly down Dan’s torso, and for a moment she’d convinced him that she wasn’t only hungry for pizza.

  Swallowing hard, he focused intently on the plate in front of him before he did something stupid. “Fair enough,” he muttered before taking a big bite of his food.

  Silence fell between them as they ate, and Dan was grateful for it. He wasn’t afraid of the intimacy, but he was worried that moving too fast might excite his bear. All his bear wanted was for Lucy to give in to her other half. Thoughts of her first change in the pack kept Dan up at night, and when he could finally get a bit of sleep, he dreamed of it too. But he had a penchant for screwing things up; if he was going to approach the subject again, he had to do it slowly. Anything else was a set up for failure.

  “So,” Dan began, wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “What do you think Dominic’s up to right now?”

  He winced at the topic of discussion that he decided to fall on, but Lucy didn’t seem to mind. “Nothing good,” she grimaced. “But I know that’s not what you really wanted to ask me, is it?” She looked into his eyes intently, and Dan knew he had been found out.

  He sighed. “Am I that easy to read?”

  She smiled, but it was a bit sad. “A little.” Her face fell serious. “If we’re being honest here, I don’t really want to talk about it. Nothing we discuss will change my mind.”

  Dan’s heart sank a bit at the declaration, but he still held out hope. “Not even if I can convince you that not all shifters are like your brother?”

  She shook her head, taking a big bite of pizza.

  “Well can you at least try and explain to me why?” he asked gently. He could see the hesitation on her face as she chewed. “Maybe if I understood more about your reasons, I could finally shake off this feeling that there’s something I can do to change your mind.” He was growing closer to her, despite all the mistakes he’d made. He didn’t want this to stop that progression into something that could last between them. “I won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do, but I’m losing sleep over this. I need to know. Then I’ll stop asking afterwards.”

  The silence was endless before she finally spoke again. “Maybe someday soon,” Lucy said quietly. “But not today. I’m sorry, Dan.”

  He nodded his understanding. The answer wasn’t what he’d wanted, but it was better than an outright no. “I get that. I know Dominic really took a toll on you before you came to us,” he murmured.

  Something like anger flared in her eyes. “That’s putting it lightly.”

  Dan chewed a bite of food slowly, not sure how far to take this line of questioning. She seemed more open to talking about her brother than shifting, so he’d give it a shot. Maybe she just needed a bit more warming up to him before she talked about her bear again.

  “Did he ever hurt you, Lucy,” he asked as memories of Dominic’s wicked punch echoed in his mind like a truck. “Physically, I mean.” A hint of heat ignited in his chest, anger beginning to form at the very thought. If Dominic dared to put a hand on her, Dan wouldn’t hold back. He didn’t care whose brother Dominic was.

  She didn’t speak at first, hesitation pulling at the corners of her mouth. “Not really,” she replied, softly. “Verbally and maybe psychologically, yes, but he only threatened to hurt me physically.” She looked away. “I mean, he’s put his hands on me, like that night in the alley when you saw him snatch me up by the arm, but nothing as brutal as what he did to you. Though if you hadn’t come along when you had, I’m not sure how things would have played out.”

  Rage flooded Dan’s veins as she spoke, swamping him from the outside in. His bear stood to attention, ready to take on anyone and anything to protect Lucy from harm. He wanted to let the bear tear from his skin and charge directly into Lucas’s territory to rip Dominic apart.

  Something must’ve shown on his face, Lucy suddenly giving him a stern glare. “Look, don’t go doing anything stupid,” she warned. “I appreciate that you’re willing to help me, and I like that you care, but we’ve already discovered that you can’t take my brother on alone. If we have even the slightest chance of besting this pack now, we’ll need to work together.”

  Dan knew it was true, but logic was hard to come by when his bear was roaring for blood inside of him. He finally managed to calm himself by reminding the bear that this savage behavior was precisely the reason why Lucy wouldn’t change now. The bear begrudgingly sat down. “I don’t like it,” he spoke, voice still hard from his receding rage.

  “As you’ve said before,” she replied, voice dry. “I don’t like it either, but this is how it has to be for now.” He could see some sort of emotion warring in her eyes as she chewed the inside of her cheek.

  Realizing that Lucy had a lot she needed to work through on her own, Dan finally settled his standoffish behavior. She needed better than that right now. “Listen,” he said, softly. “Why don’t we talk about something else for a while?” He reached across the table and held out his hand. After a moment of hesitation, she took it. “I know there’s a lot of change and new developments going on in your life right now. I can’t imagine how fast your mind must be moving to process it all, so I’ll try not to add any more complications, okay? Not until you’re ready.”

  Her eyes widened slightly. “Really?” he hadn’t noticed how much of a strain he’d been putting on her until that moment when he saw the hope in her eyes. He mentally kicked himself for being so pushy.

  “Of course,” he said with a decisive nod. Shifting and understanding her terrible family life could wait until she trusted him fully to keep her safe and make her feel whole. “I don’t want you to think I don’t respect you. I overstepped my boundaries by asking about personal matters you didn’t want to talk about.” He smiled. “If you ever want to speak about anything like that, I’m here. I’ll just need for you to start the conversation if that time ever comes.”

  Finally, Lucy smiled. “Thanks, Dan. It’s nice to know that someone is there for me every once in a while.”

  Dan chuckled. “I’ll be there for you as long as you need me to be. Even if that means forever.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Quite a few days had passed since Lucy and Dan’s pizza dinner, and she felt like it was the beginning of her journey to truly become a part of this pack. She and Dan spent much more time together, talking about whatever they felt like, and when conversation strayed too close to the things that made her the most uncomfortable, Dan stayed true to his word and steered the topic away once more.

  The office was coming along nicely, and stripping off the paint and switching décor had become something that Lucy quite enjoyed. Jo suggested that once the house for Tom and Savannah was finished, maybe they could lend a hand in decorating their walls as well. Lucy rather liked that idea. She might even make a habit of this newfound hobby of hers, once all of the pack drama was over.

  Life in the cabin couldn’t have been better, all things considered. Nick was the face of kindness; he offered her anything she needed and never made her feel like she was unwanted. She imagined that it wouldn’t be hard to call this man her mate, but she quickly discounted the notion. And Jo was always a joy to be around. She’d fallen into somewhat of a routine with Jo in the mornings, making coffe
e and setting the table while Jo whipped up breakfast, or cleaning up and tidying selves while Jo ran to the store to restock. They never made her feel like a third wheel, always allowing in the conversation if she was in the same room as them. And what’s more, they never seemed to care about her unwillingness to shift. Maybe it was the unconventional nature of their relationship that made them so open. Lucy appreciated them all the more for it.

  Still, she couldn’t help but think that it would be nice to have a place of her own, someday. Even if she stayed, she needed to start rebuilding her life. She couldn’t do that with only a small room to call her own.

  Her mind wandered idly to the bed that would be empty once Tom and Savannah’s home was finished. Maybe her new life had some room for Dan as well? Her cheeks flushed at the thought. She couldn’t imagine taking that vacant room, living so close to Dan without things spiraling out of control way faster than either of them could handle.

  But maybe a little less control was a good thing.

  “Lucy?” Dan called, walking over to where she was daydreaming. She tried to hide her flush, but knew she wouldn’t be able to in time. His face showed mild confusion before breaking out into a huge grin. “Thinking of me again, I see.”

  She groaned quietly. “Hi, Dan,” she replied, feigning casualness. It wasn’t all that convincing, Dan’s grin only grew bigger.

  He leaned forward, the scruff of his chin stubble tickling her cheek as he kissed it. Against her will, a shot of desire curled dangerously in her belly. “It’s not a bad thing to want me, you know,” he growled lowly in her ear.

  “I know, I know,” she admitted as he pulled away. “It’s just… we’re at work, so…” Her words trailed off as something nefarious flashed in Dan’s eyes. It made her feel warm, happy, and more than a little bit aroused. He’d been having more and more of an effect on her as the days wallowed on, and she was excited to see how much these feelings grew as time passed. Dan Hart was clumsy, goofy, and dense at times, but then he had these moments were he oozed pure appeal. She couldn’t get enough of him.

  Her bear settled contentedly within her, as if everything was right with the world. It made Lucy frown.

  It wasn’t often that her bear didn’t protest against her. Though she’d gotten really good at keeping it from dominating her life, there was always just a little bit of resistance. Now? Nothing. It was completely silent, and when she and Dan touched, it almost seemed to purr.

  “Is something wrong?” Dan asked, his face a mask of concern.

  She shook her head, taking another step away. “No, I…” she began, letting her voice trail off when she couldn’t find the proper words to explain how she felt. She thought of asking him if his bear was acting strange, too, but anything after would veer the conversation into territory that she wasn’t okay with talking about. It didn’t seem fair to Dan to bring it up, only to shut him down once more, so she just stayed quiet.

  “Well,” Dan segued, smiling even though his eyes still showed concern, “Got any plans for tonight?”

  Thankful for the change in conversation, Lucy shook her head.

  Dan grinned. “Great!” he said. “There’s this place I want to show you. I found it back when I was on patrol a few days ago. It’s a bit far for a walk, but I think it’s worth it.” Her brow furrowed, hoping that this long walk wasn’t an attempt to egg her into shifting.

  “Or we can drive,” Dan continued, noticing the change in her expression. “Your call.”

  Immediate guilt coursed through her and she mentally chastised herself for doubting him. “No, walking’s fine. I need to get out more and enjoy these warm days while I can,” she replied with a rueful smile.

  He gave her a playful nudge with a small smile. “No need to look so guilty, Doll. I forgive you.” He winked and it made Lucy feel even more foolish. Now she was the one who’d become easy to read.

  “I’ll bring dinner and Nick’s lent us his truck for the night if you change your mind. See you after work.” He gave her another quick kiss, this time on the lips, before setting out.

  “Bye,” Lucy called softly, her voice hoarse with desire as she watched him walk away towards his mechanic duties. He always knew how to make her feel better, even when she didn’t deserve it. She appreciated that most about him.

  Jo walked in with a few more renovation supplies, flashing Lucy a quick smile. “Everything okay?”

  Lucy nodded, looking back to a pile of documents she’d offered to sort for Savannah while she helped Tom with their house. “Fine. Dan and I were just arranging something for dinner a little later.”

  “Ah.” Jo didn’t say anything more, but the knowing look on her face was all Lucy needed to see. She lifted one suspicious eyebrow at the human.

  Jo looked back innocently. “What?” she asked, spreading her hands.

  “I know you’re secretly ecstatic that Dan and I are spending so much time together,” Lucy replied. “He’s a friendly guy, who wouldn’t want to be around him?”

  Jo shook her head. “Whatever this is between you two, it’s not friendship,” she said with a smirk. “We’re not blind, you know.”

  Lucy sighed deeply. “I’m know, I know. I like him too. Like, a lot.” It’s not that she was trying to keep their relationship a secret, but rather she didn’t want to put any labels to anything until she was sure this was a place she could call home.

  “So why the big sigh?” Jo asked, her trademark expression of concern already appearing on her face.

  Lucy shrugged, not sure Jo would be able to understand. “He’s a shifter. I’m not.”

  “You are,” Jo corrected, confused.

  “I mean, technically, yeah,” Lucy amended. “But what I mean is that he shifts and I don’t. I might as well be a human, same as you. Heaven knows I wish I was.” She sighed. “Dan doesn’t understand that.” Saying those words to Jo felt infinitely easier than when she’d tried to talk about shifting with Dan. Maybe it was because she was human. Surely she’d understand.

  “Mmm.” Jo tipped her head back, eyes wandering as she contemplated how to best reply. Lucy was more than happy to give her the time to think. In the time she’d come to know everyone in Mountain Haven, Jo was the most willing to listen of them all, and able to follow up with amazing advice to boot. Lucy figured it must be because she was outside of the shifter mentality, and it made looking at things objectively easier for her. It was probably why the other shifters valued her opinion so much.

  With a small nod, it seemed Jo found a point to focus on, and Lucy leaned in. “I couldn’t think of a better relationship for me than the one I have with Nick. A life without him isn’t worth living, but it’s not perfect,” she began. “Do you know the one thing I find the most difficult about our relationship?”

  Lucy shook her head, wondering what the answer could be. Like Jo had said, she and Nick were like a power couple; they worked perfectly together, for each other, and they were so obviously in love that it made Lucy a little jealous to see sometimes.

  “It’s that he’s a shifter and I’m not,” Jo answered with a sad smile on her face. “The way he sees the world is so much more different than I do, and he can do a million things that I can’t. He has this vast, overwhelming part of his life that he couldn’t share with me, even though I know he so desperately wants to. It makes me feel a bit detached from the life we’ve built together, and while it doesn’t mean we love each other any less, it certainly can be hard at times.”

  “It’s not all good,” Lucy retorted, hearing the defense in her voice. “And though I know Nick is kind and benevolent and embodies all of the things I wish I could be as a bear, even he’s currently in a feud with another pack.”

  “Oh yes, I know,” Jo agreed, never losing her calm tone. “But a battle fought in defense is not a battle fought in anger or hatred or search for power, Lucy. He didn’t ask for this battle. Lucas and your brother—they did. That’s the difference. That nature is in them; it’s who they are. They
only seek to dominate and control; they don’t care about those who care about them. Savannah and Dan left that pack behind them because of how different we’ve proven ourselves to be, and how different they are themselves. Do you really believe they’d have felt the need to sever ties so cleanly if every pack—every bear—was the same?”

  Her gaze drifted off, looking someplace that couldn’t be seen by regular eyes. “The fact is, if the Northern Wind weren’t here right now, trying to terrorize us out of house and home, this pack wouldn’t have a single care in the world.” She smiled. “We’d probably be out in the woods somewhere most days, lazing in the sunlight or swimming in the lake.”

  She finally looked back at Lucy, the smile falling away. “That’s the type of future I envision when I look passed all of the trouble that Lucas has caused for us. But right now we aren’t afforded the luxury or time to lounge about and twiddle our thumbs. We only have Lucas to blame for that. And it’s not because he’s a bear who has the instinct to fight and dominate.” She shook her head for emphasis. “It’s just because he’s an asshole.”

  Lucy could hear the sadness and regret at what could be in Jo’s voice, and she immediately felt guilt-ridden. For as long as she could remember, Lucy had always been a bit jealous of humans. They didn’t have to live out their lives wondering if their thoughts were their own, or the product of some beast inside of them, and yet Jo was saying she’d give that freedom away to be more like… her?

  It made sense that a human would see her abilities as something of a gift, but it also meant that she didn’t fully understand the risks and the consequences of using those ‘gifts’. The violence that always seemed to follow behind anyone who used them was too big a burden for Lucy to bear. “At least if I keep playing human then you won’t have to worry about feeling alone anymore,” she replied meekly, trying to lighten the mood.

  Jo shook her head fervently, her eyes stern. “This isn’t about how I feel, Lucy. Your reasons are entirely your own, and I’m not here to try and change your mind. I just want to tell you that none of us can change who we really are.”