The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  While Zoe and Mitchell got into what Amara termed their daily argument, she went to Nova. “Not that I’m unhappy to see you—because I’m not. At all—but what are you guys doing up here?”

  Nova grinned that grin that made Amara weak in the knees, and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I came to keep you company. And to send Mitch home because I’m willing to bet you’re devising a dozen ways to kill him right about now.”

  Amara snickered. “This is true. But why did you bring everybody else with you? This is supposed to be the Neighborhood Watch, not the Neighborhood Soap Opera. I mean, come on. Mitch and Zoe are fighting, Sadie and Kal are making out. I want to shoot him in the face, I’m betting you’re trying not to tear him limb from limb. This is a freak show!”

  Nova pressed his mouth to hers, effectively silencing her. It made her head spin. “Relax, Amara. Everything will be fine.”

  “Oh, hey,” Sadie said, coming over to them. “Mom wanted me to remind you that both of you,” she stared pointedly at Nova, “are expected at dinner tomorrow night.” Her smile was bright and excited. She grabbed Kal’s hand. “We’ll see you then!” Turning, she headed for the ladder and eased herself down. Thankfully, Mitch and Zoe went down after her.

  Kal stood his ground, leering at Nova. “Looks like we have more in common than you thought, Lowery. You may have gotten the older version, but I got the younger, new and improved, model.” Both Nova and Amara glared at him. “See you at Mommy’s house.” Laughing, he turned to leave, and Amara grabbed Nova’s arm to hold him back.

  “You can’t fight him now,” she cautioned. “No matter how much you might want to.”

  “Why not?” he growled.

  “Secret? Now come on, Wolfman. Come keep me company while we stare at empty streets.”

  Obliging, Nova followed her back over to her perch. “Can I at least call one of my pack to keep an eye on your sister?”

  “Oh, definitely.”

  Chapter 8

  It was nearly three in the morning when they finally made it off of that roof. Luckily, they were both used to late night shifts, so neither of them were overly tired, but those tedious hours on top of that building were so full of worry and tension that both Nova and Amara were on edge.

  Neither of them spoke on the short drive to Amara’s house, but Nova could feel his teeth grinding as he thought about Kal and the Valley Clan. As if the border skirmishes and attacks on Strathford’s citizens weren’t enough, now Kal was dating Sadie. Nova had little room for doubt in regards to Kal’s motives. He had failed to get Amara, to finish the job he had started when he attacked her ten years prior. Both Nova and Amara had stopped him. Twice. So now he was going after Amara’s little sister as the ultimate revenge. Though what his end game was, Nova had no idea. Was he only going after Sadie to get to Nova and his girlfriend? Or was it possible that Kal actually had feelings for Sadie? If he were being honest, he wasn’t sure which one was worse. Neither scenario would end well for Sadie, which meant it also didn’t end well for Amara. Nova knew how much she adored her little sister, and how devastated she would be if anything ever happened to her. Which, of course, made protecting Sadie a priority in Nova’s book.

  He pulled in behind Amara’s car in her driveway and threw the truck into park, while still letting it idle. He glanced over at her in the passenger seat. For someone who claimed she wasn’t tired, she definitely appeared to be fading. “Remember, just grab some clean clothes tonight. I know you want to be home, but I really need to talk to Nemoy tonight. In person. I promise we can stay here tomorrow after dinner with your family.”

  Amara’s answer was a warm smile and nod. He took a moment to wonder if maybe she was more upset about things than she was willing to show…even to him. In truth, he wasn’t exactly happy about bringing Amara back to the compound either, but he had no choice.

  Frowning, Nova peered out the window to the front porch. There was a package resting on the front step.

  Amara had seen it too. “What is that?” she wondered, opening the door and climbing down from the cab. Nova followed. As they got closer, he could tell that it was a package of some sort; elongated and pointed at one end. Amara gave what could only be described as a squeal, and despite himself, Nova smiled. She was just too cute. “Roses!” she exclaimed, lifting the package and turning to face him. She held out the bouquet of red roses. She buried her face in the blooms and inhaled. Even from a few feet away, he could smell their perfumed fragrance. “You got me flowers? Oh, Nova, that’s so sweet! You shouldn’t have.”

  His brows creased into a frown once more. “I didn’t,” he said, but she wasn’t listening.

  “But why would you leave them here instead of just bringing them to me? Or even just giving them to me later? Why leave them on my porch?”

  Bewildered, Nova shook his head. “Amara, I promise you, as much as I would like to say I bought these for you, I can’t. The roses aren’t from me.”

  “Oh.” Confused, she looked from Nova to the flowers she still held and back again. “Well, if they’re not from you, who are they from?”

  He reached out and combed his fingers through the blooms, searching through the velvety soft petals for a note. There wasn’t one. Defeated, he sighed. “I have no idea. And whoever it was, they apparently didn’t want you to know either.”

  “Do you…” Amara hesitated, clearly not wanting to articulate whatever thought was going through her head. “Do you think they’re from Kal?”

  Nova thought for a moment. It was an interesting theory, but red roses were usually more for romance of some kind. They were cliché and traditional, and Nova knew they weren’t even her favorite flower. Amara loved dahlias. Yes, she was a woman who liked flowers so she could appreciate the beauty of a rose, especially a dozen of them, but if Kal was trying to romance her, it seemed more his style that he would do his research to make an impact, particularly if he was trying to remain mysteriously anonymous.

  “I don’t know,” Nova finally conceded, taking the flowers from her so she could open the front door to let them inside. “But right now, roses are the least of my worries. Get your stuff, beautiful. We’ve got to get back to the compound.”

  It didn’t take long for Amara to fall asleep on the drive back to the compound, and Nova mentally kicked himself for letting her get stressed enough to do so. She had never fallen asleep in the car before. The Amara he knew and loved was alert even when she was on the verge of passing out. So she must be feeling pretty overwhelmed if she were willing to make the drive unconscious. Nova made a note to pamper her sometime soon.

  When they reached his house, he lifted her from the truck and carried her inside. He settled her in his bed, making sure she was warm enough. He had to admit, seeing Amara in his bed, her lovely gray eyes closed in sleep, was a sight he loved to see.

  Too bad he didn’t have time to sit and enjoy it tonight.

  Satisfied that Amara wouldn’t wake, Nova slipped from his cabin and set off at a brisk jog toward the Council Chamber. There was a meeting going on tonight and he was already late.

  All around him, the compound was quiet. Men and women of his pack were settled into their homes, their children nestled in their beds. They were worried about the increasing danger from the Valley Clan, of course, but they were able to trust that their Alpha and Beta would take care of them like they always had.

  Nova envied them their peace of mind even in troubled times such as these.

  The Council Chamber stood in the center of the compound like a huge wooden longhouse. Smoke curled from the chimney into the midnight air. The only light Nova could see made a yellow arch around the door. As quietly as he could, he opened it and stepped inside, easing his way along the back wall toward his Alpha.

  There were more people in attendance tonight than he had thought. Usually, Council meetings were boring. Just rudimentary, every day reports. Every few months there would be an exciting one, and Nemoy would declare the second half of the me
eting to be Council only and closed to the rest of the Pack to discuss whatever attack or danger the Mountain Clan was currently facing. As far as Nova knew, this particular meeting should have been closed as well, but it appeared there had been far too many interested parties to keep attendance at a minimum. Nova supposed he and Nemoy had their mother to thank for that.

  The man who was speaking was named Ivan. He was assigned to the Eastern border patrol. In fact, if Nova recalled the schedule correctly, Ivan was supposed to be on patrol tonight. So what was he doing here?

  “There was nothing I could do,” Ivan said, addressing Nemoy. “There were at least twenty of them to our five. We were overpowered and they seized the border. The four of us barely made it out alive.” Ivan hung his head. “We lost Coah.” The regret and grief in the man’s voice was palpable. Nevertheless, it provoked a rage in Nova he was having trouble controlling.

  He should have been there. It was Nova’s job to lead the security for his Pack. It was his job to protect his people. And every day, Kal and his Pack of murderers got closer and closer, ingraining themselves into the very lives of the people Nova was trying to protect.

  Nova clenched his fists and fought for calm as he watched his brother stand and place a hand on Ivan’s shoulder. Nemoy’s face was grim. “It is a grave loss,” he said, projecting his voice into the crowd. “Attacks like these have doubled at the very least since the battle here in the compound two weeks ago. We must stay vigilant.” Nemoy turned and locked eyes with Nova. Nearly every head in the crowd followed his lead. “We need to up patrols. Assign double shifts if necessary. No less than ten to a team.” Nova nodded in agreement. “Good. What is the news from Strathford?”

  Nova cleared his throat. “There was another attack the other night, as you are all aware. Nate and Ian were able to stop the Valley wolf in question. He is in our possession as we speak. Amara convinced the Mayor to instate a town watch at night. They are armed, but that won’t be enough. However, the extra eyes won’t hurt. As Amara is spearheading this particular campaign, the humans report any sightings to her, and in turn, she relays them to me.”

  For a moment, Nemoy continued to stare at him. Nova could feel the deductive powers of the Alpha slide over and around him like a heavy blanket. Then, just as quickly, they were gone. Finally, Nemoy nodded and the meeting continued. It lasted probably another hour.

  Nova waited until there were only a few people left in the Council Chamber before he approached his brother and pulled him aside. From across the room, he could see his mother eyeing him. Even though he turned away, it was like he could still feel her gaze. “She’s still furious with me, isn’t she?”

  Nemoy glanced past Nova’s shoulder and smirked. “Mother? Of course she is. You’re shacking up with a human. You had to know she was going to be upset.”

  “And you?”

  “You have my permission, brother. There is nothing for me to be upset about. Now, what did you want to tell me?”

  Nova took a moment to appreciate what his brother’s support actually meant to him. Then he forced his head to get back in the game. “It’s about Kal,” he said quietly. He looked furtively around. “He’s recently started dating Amara’s little sister.”

  Nemoy’s brows shot up into his jet-black hairline. “You’re joking.”

  “Trust me, I wish I was. Amara’s beside herself with worry. But he’s got us by the balls, Nemoy. We can’t say anything without breaking our secrecy laws, and he knows it. He knows we can’t tell Sadie the truth.”

  “And going after him directly would be too risky for the sister.” Nemoy tapped his chin with one long finger. “No, you’re right. This is a problem.”

  “Yeah,” Nova agreed wryly, “it is. So what are we going to do about it?”

  Nemoy thought for a moment before heaving a heavy sigh. “For now, we do nothing.” Nova’s jaw was set and Nemoy could sense his frustrations, “Nova, I’m serious. Do nothing. You said it yourself, there isn’t much that we can do. So instead, we’re going to keep an eye on her. Encourage Amara to keep her sister close. Make sure she’s protected until we can figure out a way to keep her safe.”

  “And then?”

  “And then? Well.” Nemoy’s dark eyes lit with danger and lethal excitement. Nova couldn’t help but shudder. “And then we watch that bastard burn.”

  Chapter 9

  “Don’t worry, this won’t be painful,” Amara assured Nova. Then she paused, her hand on the door knob. “Well, at least not terribly.” Her grin was mischievous at best. It only widened when Nova rolled his eyes.

  “I’m not worried, Amara,” he replied, shifting the bag of groceries to his other arm. “I have met mothers before.”

  She cocked one manicured brow. “Yes, but have you ever faced my mother?”

  “Well…” Nova’s voice trailed off, and she could tell he was beginning to get nervous. Good. “Okay, so maybe your mom is a little bit different but that’s just because I want to make a good first impression.”

  Amara swallowed hard. If she were being honest, she was quite nervous as well. She wasn’t exactly sure what to expect with both Nova and Kal being there tonight. If only her mother knew the reality. Her mother had become agoraphobic after Amara was attacked just three short years after her husband, Amara’s father was killed. She rarely left her house anymore, and when she did, she was a nervous wreck by the time she got home. Just the thought of her mother not knowing the truth of this night made her stomach turn.

  “Alright. Come on, Lover Boy. Let’s go inside.” Taking a deep breath, Amara opened the door. She loved her mother’s house. It was filled with bright colors and cozy furniture. And it always smelled like freshly baked something. Today it was corn bread muffins.

  Amara set her purse on the scrubbed wooden table. She motioned for Nova to place the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. “Mom?” she called, reaching for Nova’s hand. She led him through the rounded archway to the living room. “Mom?” she called again. This time, she heard voices.

  Her mother and Becca were sitting on the couch going through a cook book. Becca’s father, Dan, was reading a book in the arm chair beside them, his hand resting on Becca’s cane. Amara stopped short and glanced over her shoulder at Nova. Did he recognize her? It was he and Nemoy who had saved them ten years ago.

  Nova, to his credit, had gone a little white, but kept his cool none the less.

  Amara’s mom looked up. “Hey, kiddo!” Closing the book, she stood and rushed over to her daughter. She threw her arms around her.

  “Hey, Mom. This is Nova.” She gestured behind her. “My boyfriend. Nova, this is my mother, Cathleen.” They shook hands, and Nova turned on the charm. It didn’t take much, she knew. One smile, and that was it. And, if she didn’t know any better, she’d say her mom was smitten.

  She couldn’t blame her.

  Nova leaned forward to shake Dan’s hand as he and Becca were introduced. Amara watched with pleasure as Becca’s tan cheeks flushed a beet red. She so rarely got out anymore to see anybody. It was just too hard for her to get around. And what with all the scarring around her face and throat…well, she understood why Becca kept to herself and her small circle of people most of the time. Still, it was nice to see she was still the same sweet Becca, even when meeting strangers.

  “We were just about to leave,” Becca apologized, reaching for her cane. Amara rushed forward to help her up.

  “Don’t be silly,” Cathleen replied. “You’re more than welcome to stay for dinner.”

  Amara started to agree before she remembered Kal would be joining them as Sadie’s guest, and clamped her lips down tight. There was no way she was letting that bastard anywhere near Becca. If only she could get him the hell away from her sister, too.

  Becca smiled, but shook her head. “That’s so sweet of you, Mrs. Townsend, but we really do need to be going.” She shared a warm yet exasperated look with her father. “My mother starts to worry whenever we’re out too long. E
specially me.”

  Dan chuckled and Cathleen blushed scarlet. She knew exactly how Becca’s mother was feeling, Amara knew. “Another time then,” Cathleen conceded.

  “It was lovely to meet you,” Nova said, taking Becca’s hand again.

  Becca flushed and murmured something that sounded like “you too,” but Amara couldn’t tell. Amara smiled and threaded her arm through her friend’s. “Come on,” she said. “I’ll walk you out.”

  “He’s so cute!” Becca exclaimed once they were out of earshot. “I thought Zoe was exaggerating, but nope! He really is the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. And look at those muscles! I wish Brandon had muscles like that,” she grumped, referring to her own boyfriend. She lowered her voice further still. “Speaking of Zoe, have you talked to her much lately?”

  Amara frowned. “No, why? Is everything okay?”

  “I’m not sure. She’s been a little strange lately.” Worry creased Becca’s brow. “I think she and Mitch are having problems. She won’t admit it, of course, but I don’t believe her.”

  “Really? They seem to be working together alright to me.” Amara thought for a moment. “Then again, I did just take a couple weeks off with Nova, so I’m not entirely sure that’s correct.”

  “Would you mind keeping an eye on her for me?” Becca asked.

  Immediately, Amara softened. “Of course I will. Anything for you, Becs.”

  By then, Dan had joined them, so the two women said their goodbyes and Amara opened the door. Sadie and Kal stood on the porch. Kal’s lips turned up in a cold, cruel smile as he stared from Becca to Amara, and back again. He recognized her. He must have. The lumps of scar tissue along her jaw and neck were sure to give it away.

  Amara clenched her teeth together and forced a cheery smile for her sister’s benefit. She was almost certain it came out as more of a grimace.

  “Excuse us,” Becca said politely. She and her father pushed through the door. Her voice was uncharacteristically timid, and Amara had to wonder if it was just because she was shy, or if on some level, she recognized Kal for the dangerous monster that he was.