“I appreciate the thought, but I’m not in the market for a mate,” Samantha said, putting her fork down. Her appetite seemed to have deserted her and her nervousness had returned in full force, making her stomach clench. “I really should call my boss. I don’t want her to be worried.” The truth was Samantha had never even considered having a mate of her own. A mate meant comfort and security. Samantha’s life held none of those things. She’d been on her own her whole life.
Mating had never been an option before.
Cody laughed and put his fork down as well. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Samantha. I just wanted you to know, I’m throwing my hat in the ring. I know once we get you in the skulk, every single fox in the town will be after you. I just wanted to make sure I had the first claim.”
“As I said, I appreciate the offer, but I’m quite happy where I am. I’m not joining the skulk.” Samantha barely registered her words. Her thoughts pounded as they tossed around in her head.
“All right, all right,” Cody soothed.
Samantha was still a bit uncomfortable but she found herself relaxing slightly. He was handsome with his shaggy red hair and striking emerald green eyes. He had sharp features but an easy smile and confident demeanor. Truthfully, if she wasn’t in love with Jason, she could easily see herself becoming attracted to Cody. But she was in love with Jason.
Despite her uncertainty, her heart broke just from being separated from him. She’d take however much of him he would give her and hope she could pick up the tattered pieces of her heart after he finished. Until then, she was his. On the other hand, this offer for permanency, true permanency, wasn’t something she could throw away lightly. She needed more time to think everything through.
“The phone’s on the wall behind you. Feel free to use it to call whoever you need to call.
But before you leave, I hope you’ll at least clue me in to why you don’t want to join the skulk.
If you’ve got a job, I assume you plan on staying for a significant period of time. We’ll help you find another job if that’s the concern.”
Samantha sighed, chastising herself for her distrust. Cody had done nothing but try to make her comfortable, feed her, and offer her help. Meanwhile, all she’d done was be suspicious of him and insult his skulk.
“I’m sorry. It’s not anything against your skulk. I’m comfortable in Alpine Woods. And I’m currently seeing someone,” Samantha said self-consciously, hoping he wouldn’t ask for more details. She certainly didn’t need anyone else to point out how implausible her relationship with Jason really was. “I’m just going to use the phone real quick.” Samantha got the number for the bookstore from Information and asked to be put through.
When the phone rang for the third time, Samantha worried no one would answer. She needed to get home, if only to sort through her tumbling emotions. She’d been counting on Laurie being at the store today.
“Hello?” Jason’s frantic voice exploded out of the earpiece.
“Jason, for God’s sake, I’m still running a business.” Samantha heard Laurie’s voice in the background, as well as the sound of the phone being grabbed. “Sorry. This is Books and Crannies.
How can I help you?”
“What’s Jason doing back?” Samantha asked, momentarily forgetting why she’d called. He was supposed to be away for another day at least. She was hoping he wouldn’t find out about this morning’s adventure. Somehow, she didn’t figure he’d be too happy about it. Not to mention she was a bit embarrassed. What kind of a grown woman couldn’t even go for an early morning romp in the woods without getting lost?
“Samantha! Where the hell are you? We’ve been worried sick!”
“Samantha! Give me the phone, Laurie,” Jason’s voice commanded.
“Jason, will you hold on a second? I won’t be able to hear anything with you screaming in my ear. Samantha, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Laurie. I’m sorry to have worried you. I was feeling a bit anxious so I went out running this morning and got a little turned around. Well, a lot turned around, actually. I ended up at the Vulpes shifters. I was wondering if maybe someone wouldn’t mind picking me up?”
“What’s your exact location? We’ll leave right now.”
“I’m in their Premier’s house.” Cody called an address out and Samantha repeated it to Laurie. “Did you get that?”
“We’re on our way. We’ll be there in twenty minutes, tops.” The phone line went dead.
Samantha stared at it for a moment before replacing it in its cradle.
“They hung up before I could ask them to bring something for me to change into. I don’t suppose you’d let me wear this home? I’ll wash it and return it to you.”
“Don’t worry about it. Besides, I kind of like seeing you in my clothes.” His wink caused Samantha to blush and she tried to pull down the hem of the shirt again. Her breasts were small enough she didn’t actually need a bra, but there was something about not wearing one that made her feel exposed.
“Tell me more about this guy you’re dating. Is he shifter or human? That town is so overrun by humans, it’s almost hard to tell half the time.” Cody’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“He’s one of the wolves. And I know fox and wolves and all the cross-breed arguments, but it seems to be working at the moment. I’m willing to wait and see what happens.” Samantha knew she was starting to ramble and immediately closed her mouth, biting at the corners.
“I know most of the pack. Who is he?” Cody pressed. His gaze was sharp on her, almost as if he sensed she didn’t want to tell him. He probably did. Foxes had extremely good detection of emotions, more than other shifters, and right now Samantha’s were in turmoil.
“Jason Callahan,” Samantha said with a raised chin. At first there was no change in Cody’s facial expression. Then unexpectedly, a smile broke over his features.
“You’re kidding, right? I mean, Samantha, he’s the pack’s Premier!” When Samantha continued to look Cody in the eyes with a determined look on her face, his features fell. “Oh, hell.” He rubbed his face with his hands before continuing. “He’s playing with you, you must realize that. He’s a wolf and you’re a fox. What’s more, he’s Premier of a pack and you don’t even seem to have one. He’s going to use you until he’s had his fill, and then he’s going to dump you.” Samantha knew logically all Cody said was true, but her heart wouldn’t accept any truth that meant leaving Jason. She wasn’t living in delusion. She knew the realities of the situation, but when she was with Jason her world seemed to focus and everything felt right. It was like a missing piece of her soul slid into place. For the first time in her life, she felt wanted. She felt like she had a home.
She didn’t know what the future held, but then again, she never had, and it had never bothered her before. So why was all this talk making her want to curl up in a fetal position and bawl like a baby?
* * * *
“Would you stop brooding? You’re giving me a headache,” Jason heard Laurie say as he stared out the windshield of Laurie’s Escape, willing the car to go faster. Laurie had insisted on driving, a fact that annoyed Jason until he realized he’d be able to hold Samantha the whole way home. Even knowing she was safe, his wolf was restless after the scare this morning. It had taken him an hour to complete the normally two-hour drive back to town after Laurie’s call. He fully expected Samantha to be waiting for him when he got there. He’d thought maybe she’d played some horrible practical joke, or maybe Laurie had forgotten to call him when she found Samantha sleeping at his house. Instead, he’d found his clueless siblings no closer to finding Samantha than they had been when they called earlier.
As more time passed, Jason became more and more anxious to have Samantha back in his arms where she belonged. His need for her was a palpable thing living and breathing inside him. Hearing Samantha was okay appeased the man but did nothing for the wolf. Only when he could feel, taste, and smell Samantha would the wolf rel
ax. He didn’t bother answering Laurie’s complaint, but stared straight ahead and continued to brood.
“Geez, Jason, she’s fine. We’ll be there in another ten minutes, tops.” Jason’s only response was a growl. Hearing Samantha was with the foxes didn’t lessen his anxiety much. What if she decided she wanted to be around her own kind? Jason knew he could never be happy if he wasn’t around other wolves. What happened if Samantha felt the same way?
As Premier, he had the freedom to mate with any member of his pack, but if Samantha chose the foxes over the wolves, he would never be able to have her. And he needed her as much as he needed his next breath.
Last night without Samantha had been horrible. He’d tossed and turned and finally crawled out of bed at six AM and gone to the gym in the hotel. He’d put his body through a brutal workout trying to wear out the restlessness inside him. He’d gotten used to having Samantha curl against his side at night, inhaling her scent with each breath he took in sleep. It had soothed his wolf into a tranquil comfort unlike anything ever had. Now he had to face the possibility Samantha might rather be with her own kind than with him.
He didn’t realize he was growling aloud until Laurie snapped at him, “What is wrong with you?”
“Just get me to her,” Jason spit out as they entered fox territory. There were less full humans in this town. The foxes tended to keep to themselves and other shifters. Jason never understood it, personally. Being a wolf didn’t make him less of a man. It added a facet to his personality but it didn’t take away who he was.
A few foxes waved at them as they drove through the main strip of town. The two communities were close enough they often coordinated together on shifter matters. Jason focused on counting down the moments until they got to the Premier’s house, until they got to Samantha.
Jason threw open his car door before Laurie came to a complete stop and stormed up the porch steps. He was about to pound on the door when Samantha threw it open and came barreling into his arms. Her hands snaked around him and she pressed her face against his chest.
Instantaneously, his anger and fear were replaced with protectiveness and love. The wave of relief almost drowned him and made him stagger as he clutched her tightly, burying his face in her hair. Her scent was stronger, probably due to the recent shifts, and Jason took a gulping breath.
Something was off.
Jason pulled back and held Samantha at arms’ length. “What the hell are you wearing?” he all but growled. She smelled like the damn alpha fox. Rationally, he knew nothing had happened.
Despite his history with Samantha, she wasn’t the type to jump into bed with someone immediately after meeting them. Even if he had doubts, his nose could tell the difference between intimate encounters and the subtle wisps coming off of Samantha. Still, he couldn’t escape the overpowering jealousy swamping him as he gazed at Samantha in another man’s clothes. His scent should be the only one marking her.
Samantha looked surprised until she glanced down at her clothing. Blushing lightly, she looked at him sheepishly. “I didn’t exactly wear a dress when I went out hunting this morning.
And I couldn’t very well ask for help as a fox.”
Red-hot rage burned in his gut. “He saw you naked.” He was going to kill him. Friendly or not, no one looked at his mate naked but him.
“No! God, no. He lent me the clothes and left the room while I shifted.” Samantha stepped closer and ran her hands up his chest. She seemed to sense his inner struggle with his wolf and knew exactly how to pacify both man and beast.
Jason gazed into Samantha’s eyes and let his anger drift away. He was so happy to have her back safe and sound. That was all that mattered. She was all that mattered and he had her back.
Jason buried his face once again in her hair.
“Those clothes are coming off the moment I get you home,” he rumbled against her neck.
A clearing of a throat behind him reminded him where they were and that they weren’t alone.
Gently easing away from the embrace, Jason pulled Samantha against his side with a gruff grunt.
“Yes, Captain Caveman. Woman back, man happy,” Laurie teased. “Hey, Cody. Thanks for picking up our runaway.”
“It’s not like I ran away on purpose,” Samantha grumbled.
“It was no problem. Samantha, can I have a quick word with you before you leave?” Jason didn’t like the calculated look Cody gave Samantha.
“Sure, you can, we’re in no rush,” Jason stated as he pulled Samantha tighter against his side, refusing to let her leave. If Cody was going to cause trouble, he could do it out in the open with all three of them listening.
“In private.”
Samantha looked up and gave him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be right back.” As she pulled out of his arms, Jason tamped down the urge to grab her back. He clutched his arms to his sides and looked on helplessly as Samantha talked to Cody. After he got her home, he’d strip her bare and find out exactly what the fox was telling his future mate.
* * * *
“I want you to consider it. You belong here with us, not there.” Samantha glanced over to where Jason was waiting less than patiently. She didn’t know what had brought him back to town early, but she was incredibly grateful. All the anxiety and worry of the day melted as he held her securely in his arms, and her whole soul lifted and sighed to have her wolf back. Her brain cautioned her not to believe he was hers, to remember the facts. “He is mine.” It was true, she realized. Whatever her future brought, Jason was her wolf. He might not be hers to keep, but he was hers right now. She didn’t realize she had spoken out loud until she looked at Cody and saw him gazing at her with sympathy and pity.
“He’s not yours, Samantha. And he won’t ever be. But I can’t make this decision for you. I want you to know my offer to join the skulk is open-ended. You’ll always be welcome here. You know how to reach me if you need me.”
Samantha thanked Cody and walked back to Jason feeling beat down. She wondered how much time she had left with him. Would Jason allow her to stay in Alpine Woods after he was finished with her? She hoped so. Even without Jason, the town felt like home. And who knew, maybe one of the lesser Beta wolves would want a small arctic fox mate. How odd. She’d had to travel thousands of miles away from her birthplace to find her home.
Jason latched onto her again as soon as she reached his side. She giggled in surprised pleasure when he followed her into the backseat of the car and pulled her into his arms.
“Sure, make me feel like a chauffeur, sitting up here all by myself,” Laurie joked as she slid behind the wheel.
Samantha blushed at the reminder of why they were here. Not only had she missed the entire morning of work, but Laurie probably had to close the store to come pick her up.
“I’m sorry, Laurie. You can dock my pay for the hours lost coming to pick me up. I don’t know what happened, I just got turned around. Stupid mouse.” Although Samantha grumbled under her breath, Laurie and Jason both pounced on it.
“Mouse?”
Blushing, Samantha told them the whole story of how she got turned around while chasing a mouse. Both Jason and Laurie burst out laughing.
“Oh, man—” Laurie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I hope you know you’re never going to live this one down. It’s going to be a long running joke at family gatherings, I’m sure. I hope you’re prepared for that.”
Warm pleasure rushed through Samantha at the words “family gatherings”. Samantha knew Laurie didn’t intend to include her in the comment, but it still gave her a happy feeling. She allowed herself to pretend, if only for a moment, she was a part of Jason’s family.
“I’m glad you’re safe.” Jason snuggled closer to her in the backseat and bit her shoulder hard enough for a small yelp to escape.
“Hey, no hanky-panky in the backseat of my car unless it involves me and a hunky blond!” Laurie cautioned from the front seat.
“Laurie, I don’t want to hear
this,” Jason groaned, causing Samantha to giggle again. It felt nice to be sheltered in Jason’s arms in the company of friends. Snuggling more securely in Jason’s embrace, Samantha let his scent surround her and her worries drifted away.
* * * *
Jason looked at the sleeping woman in his arms. She appeared to have slept no better than him last night. As selfish as it seemed, Jason felt a surge of joy thinking she had fared no better being away from him than he had. Laurie pulled into Jason’s driveway and glanced back. “I’ll let you inside. Tell her not to worry about work, I’ve got her covered,” Laurie said before opening the doors and allowing him to carry his precious bundle inside. Laurie quietly shut the door behind him and left without another word. She really was a great sister. He’d have to think of some way to thank her in the near future.
True to his word, as soon as he laid Samantha on his bed, he removed the offending clothes.
Once she was completely naked, he gently pulled back the covers and tucked her inside. He was tired. Not only had he not slept, his soul was weary from the scare he’d received this morning. He knew it couldn’t have been any less traumatizing for Samantha, being caught in a strange shifter town in her animal form. Jason remembered her abject terror a few weeks ago when discovering she’d stumbled into a wolf den. It was no wonder she passed out in the car.
Pulling off his own clothes, Jason crawled into bed in his boxers and pulled Samantha into his embrace. Comforted by the feel of her curling into him, her hand resting over his heart, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t forgotten about Cody or his private farewell to Samantha, but there was plenty of time to get to the bottom of that mystery later. Right now, there was nowhere else he wanted to be but next to his little fox.
Chapter 11
Arctic Winds Page 8
