The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  “I don’t know where to start,” Tess started, “Everyone knows what he’s like now. Powerful, commanding, prideful, and…” Her words trailed off as she fell further into her memories, all the way back to the first time she’d met Connor.

  “It was about two years ago,” she said, “my dad gave Alex an idiotic punishment and I protested. He didn’t listen to me, though. He never listened to anyone. Looking back, I know Alex deserved what he got but at the time I was frustrated dealing with my dad. I was so mad at him for what he’d done that I decided I’d had enough and was going to run away.”

  Tess laughed at herself, at how she’d grown in the last two years. She massaged her forehead with her hand and rolled her eyes at her old self.

  Gloria poured another measure of liquor into her drink, leaving Tess a little jealous she couldn’t join.

  “I ran. I didn’t care what direction, I just picked one and ran. The night was mostly clear at first but the further I ran the heavier the clouds got and eventually it started to rain.

  “I hunkered down under a tree to get some cover from the rain. It overlooked a stream that was flowing hard from the sudden rainstorm. I remember I was shivering from being cold and wet and I cursed at myself from under my breath at how stupid I’d been. I could have tracked my way home if the night had stayed clear, but the rain made it impossible to find anything at all.”

  A few of the younger pups in the room started to draw closer to Tess as she spoke. Tess wondered how much she would need to edit from her story.

  “That’s when I saw him for the first time. Connor strolled up slowly, slogging his way through thick mud and pools of water. The heavy rain didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest; he just sat at the edge of the stream and took a drink.”

  Tess, having finished her tea, held out her cup for Gloria to pour another glass. And, when she did so, Tess held the cup closely to warm her chilled hands.

  “I hid behind my tree and only glanced when I felt safe to. He was a wild wolf and I wasn’t even sure if he was friendly at all. Then I watched him shift.” Tess held the memory close and didn’t want to share. She could still remember the sounds of his bones cracking against the pattering of the rain. The man tore his way out of the proud wolf to stand in perfect silence beside the small stream.

  That wasn’t the only memory, though. Those perfect thighs that led up to the little v shape above his perfect butt made her breathing quicken. His sharp hips were covered in raw muscle that led up to his chiseled back and bulging shoulders.

  When he turned around, Tess quickly ducked behind the tree but his footsteps grew closer and closer. Peeking around the tree again, she saw him tug on a pair of tight fitting jeans that did little to protect against the rain, and a long sleeve grey shirt loose around the collar.

  “And then?” Gloria asked.

  The memory was still more than enough to turn her on. The rush of excitement was building up inside her as her cheeks began to heat up.

  “Right,” she said, wiping the drool from her chin, “he was, in a word, magnificent.”

  Gloria laughed raucously; the liquor must have been having a heavy effect on her already.

  “Anyway, I was hiding behind the tree and he dressed himself in some clothing that didn’t do much to keep him dry. I was nervous to ask a stranger for directions, but it would have sucked if I got stuck out there all night. So I shifted, still hiding behind the tree.”

  “‘Can you give me a hand?’ I asked him. He growled at me at first but when I poked my head out, his attitude changed. He marched up to the tree to see the rest of me but I kept walking in circles around it to avoid him seeing me. I felt like an idiot for not bringing a change of clothes along with me, but then again I never intended to get lost either.”

  “He held out a button up shirt that was much too large for me but I snatched it from his hand and put it on quick. When I came out from behind the tree he was facing the other way like a gentleman.”

  Tess’s audience had grown a little larger, the young pups that sat beside the fire before had sidled their way in closer to hear the story.

  “What happened then?” asked one of the younger girls.

  Tess smiled and with a whimsical sigh decided she might as well finish the story. They’d already heard the beginning.

  “I was scared of him at first,” Tess continued, “His growl was quite intimidating if I’m being honest.”

  Still, the way his wet shirt clung to his pecs and those gorgeous blue eyes that seemed to glow, maybe it would be best not to tell them about hitting her head on the tree branch. Yes, better to let them just hear the pertinent details.

  “‘I told him I was lost, and he offered to help me home. Of course I had to tell him I was from the Night Howler den. But, he grunted at me and crossed his arms. He stood there trying to decide what to do with me while water dripped down my hair.” Tess had a fond feeling in her breast. The water from the rain was so thick that it turned the button up shirt she was wearing see through. It must have been a pleasing sight to Connor because she could see a noticeable bulge appear in his pants.

  “’You’re in the wrong neck of the woods,’ he told me, ‘but I’ll get you out of here. You’re in Moon Runner territory.’

  “It was strange. I remember being scared that I was in their territory but I wasn’t scared of Connor. He had his pride to worry about. Letting an enemy pass through his territory could make him an outcast.”

  The crowd around Tess had grown larger still and she had to speak a little louder with each word so people in the back could hear. She still felt embarrassed to tell her story, but at least she omitted the naughtier details; those were memories she would always keep to herself.

  “He showed me the way to the main road. I was glad for his generosity and wanted to pay him back, so I stood as tall as I could and gave him a kiss on the cheek as I walked past.

  “I don’t think he was expecting it because he had the goofiest surprised look on his face. I would have stayed longer but I knew my father would be angry and probably take it out on my brother. So, I shifted fast and sprinted down the road.”

  “When did you see him again?” Gloria asked.

  “It wasn’t long,” Tess replied, laughing. “He followed me home. He showed up at my window at three in the morning with a bundle of hastily picked wildflowers. I wondered how he’d made it past the sentries on the grounds but never bothered to ask him. We’ve been together ever since.”

  Tess smiled and sipped at her tea. The younger girls giggled and started asking questions. Tess did her best to try to answer them all. She was happy that she’d managed to distract them from the situation in which they’d found themselves. Tess’s hand found itself to her belly and she rubbed it slowly.

  She wanted to see Connor again.

  CHAPTER 3

  The truck twisted through the narrow roads. Water from the day’s rain pelted the roof with loud tings while drips accumulated around the tiniest of cracks and splashed Connor on the cheek routinely. He punched at the cracks to make them stop, but his efforts only made them worse.

  Dammit.

  Nothing was going right. It was such a beautiful morning only to turn into a gloomy afternoon. Worse still, his gas gauge registered close to empty.

  He tried his best to push everything aside and focus on his destination: the Cliff Walker den. Tess would be waiting for him there, he knew she would. He could already feel soft contours of her skin and smell her sweet scent.

  A passing car honked as Connor pulled the steering wheel and the car back into his own lane. He shook his head to snap from his memories and saw a gas station just up ahead which he begrudgingly pulled into.

  The place was ancient. Old wood served as siding and most of it was showing signs of mold or rot. The awning over the gas pumps had several holes that pooled water up and poured it down on the patrons below. Along-side the service station a trio of motorcycles sat with a tarp hastily tossed over the top.r />
  He pulled the truck into the only available gas pump and splashed his way into the station. The inside of which wasn’t much better than the outside. Mismatched shelves with rows of candy and other consumable goods lined the racks and a single cooler sat in the back of the station, advertising alcohol and soda.

  The trio of bikers who must have owned the cycles outside leaned against the far wall, chugging on their beverages when Connor entered. None of them smelled like wolves.

  Good.

  “I hear Mutt is on a warpath,” said one. Connor paid it as little mind as possible. A bunch of idiots talking wasn’t something he was interested in.

  “Pfft, who cares? The guy lost half his gang the day after that fight,” said another, “nobody wants to roll with a loser.”

  “Yeah, but I never saw him this angry. I hear he’s thrown down a bounty on that kid he got in a fight with,” said the third.

  “Really? How much is the bounty for?” Asked the second.

  “Ten large. Quite a chunk of change if you think you can take him out,” said the third.

  “Ha, no thanks. I don’t fight against guys that can dodge a shotgun at point blank and throw Mutt around like a ragdoll,” replied the first.

  “I heard there’s some crazy guy that took the bounty already, anyway,” said the third.

  “That guy must be nuts,” laughed the first.

  Dodging a shotgun at point blank? Throwing someone bigger than him? That sounded suspicious. Connor didn’t realize he’d been standing in front of the clerk without saying a word this whole time.

  “You goin’ to order something?” the clerk asked.

  “I gotta fill up outside, twenty should do it,” he said, handing the clerk a fresh bill. The clerk nodded and clicked a button on the register. Connor couldn’t shake his interest in what the bikers were talking about. He turned, strolling casually over to join them.

  “What the hell do you want,” asked the first biker.

  “Information,” Connor said, “I heard you say there’s a bounty going out for some kid. What did the kid look like?”

  “What’s it worth to you?” Asked the biker, rubbing his fingers together.

  Like I’m going to pay you shit…

  “Fine, do you know where I can find the guy that put the bounty out?” Connor asked instead.

  The bikers looked him up and down.

  “Get lost, scrub,” the second replied.

  “Wrong answer,” Connor said. They were asking for what was coming. Connor wrapped his hand around the neck of the first biker, and slammed him to the ground. Even without the added strength of his shifter heritage he was more than a match for the man wriggling beneath his grasp. The clerk reached for a shotgun that was hidden behind the register. Connor whipped his head around and growled.

  “I’m going to ask one more time,” Connor growled, “What did he look like and where the hell can I find the guy that’s lookin’ for him?”

  “You better let him up now while you still have a head,” the clerk said, racking his gun.

  I don’t have time for this.

  Connor could feel the call of his wolf. It was ready to pounce on everyone in the station. But, these guys were all human. If he shifted here and one of them got out, who knows what would happen next.

  If.

  Connor pushed the thought down, holding the wolf at bay. He returned the biker to his feet, but still held him against the wall, his feet dangled to meet the floor. He stared daggers into the remaining bikers who were all too ready to bolt.

  “Talk.”

  “Alright, alright,” the biker said, almost pissing himself, “It was some tall, gangly bastard. Had a smokin’ hot girlfriend. They showed up and busted up Otto’s a few nights ago. Mutt put a bounty out on ‘em and he’s been ridin’ around the mountain. I hear he’s found himself a new gang at some lake on the other side of the mountain.”

  Connor lingered a moment, staring them down; he was satisfied with their answer. His blood was returning to normal, the wolf was satisfied for now.

  “One more question,” Connor said, “did you get a look at the man that Mutt hired?”

  The biker he released doubled over and coughed.

  “I got an okay look at the guy, he didn’t look nothin’ special but there was a claw mark that ran along the left side of his neck. Guy gave me the spooks just lookin’ at him, Mutt called him Eli. Somethin’ about him bein’ a hunter.”

  A hunter? Could it be the hunter? The one that that killed those bears back at the den? Of course that dumb little mongrel Alex would get us in trouble with a hunter. Not even part of the pack anymore yet still his shit came back to Connor. He clapped the biker on the back and smiled through his teeth.

  “I’m glad we could have this friendly chat,” he said, “We are friends after all, right?”

  The bikers looked to each other, only to turn back to Connor and nod quickly.

  “And, friends don’t go blabbin’ to nobody about friendly matters, right?”

  Again, the bikers all nodded in unison.

  “Good,” Connor said, “You boys have a nice day.”

  Connor walked past the clerk, who still had his gun shouldered. His finger had the trigger half pulled; Alex didn’t want to wait around for him to finish what he started. He sloshed his way out of the small station and back into the rain. The bikers didn’t take their eyes off him until after he finished filling up his truck and was long gone down the road.

  That hunter means trouble. Alex was quick but there was no way he’d outrun a bullet, especially not one from a hunter.

  Dammit, why do I have to save that little self-righteous piece of shit?

  He was Tess’s only brother. Even though he wasn’t part of the pack anymore that still stood for something. Once Connor could get his hands on the hunter, he’d make sure to take the hunt out of him.

  It would be another hour drive before he’d get to see his beloved Tess. The Cliff Walker den was a pain to get to, and for good reason, it was safe. He would have run the entire distance on his own four legs if there were no other option.

  I need to get to Tess quick.

  CHAPTER 4

  Tess sat by the window, drifting between daydreams. It was late in the day in the cottage and the sun was already set behind the mountain, but the remaining hint of daylight still illuminated the fresh snow.

  The smell of food wafted from a large pot in the kitchen caused her stomach to growl. Her head leaned back and rested upon the wall behind her.

  How much longer could she wait before returning home to the farmstead she’d grown up on? How much longer would she have to keep guessing the fate of her lover?

  Tess snapped from her thoughts to the sound of crunching snow. A path of footsteps etched their way through the hillside and she leaned against the glass to identify the stranger.

  As the door opened, the cottage woke up. The children by the fire pit untangled themselves from their half sleep and stared at the new stranger who was just out of sight from Tess.

  “Connor!” they shouted.

  Tess couldn’t stand fast enough and tripped over the blanket at her feet, catching herself with her hands. She rolled her eyes as she stood to her feet to greet him. Connor was covered in young pups trying their best to climb over him as though he were a living jungle gym, it seemed she wasn’t the only one excited to see him.

  “I guess you have fans,” Tess laughed as she winded her way through the young crowd.

  Connor lifted a young one over his head to screams of delight only to catch her as she fell close to the floor. Another skittered up his back and straddled his shoulders, begging him to take her for a ride around the room.

  Tess’s heart melted. He was such a good man. Anyone able to play with kids like that would make an amazing father. She wrapped her hands around her stomach and allowed herself this moment to feel contented.

  “A little help?” he asked.

  She didn’t want to let it en
d so soon. Yet, she yearned to spend some time with him, alone. With a hearty sigh she stepped in the middle of the crowd.

  “Dinner’s almost done,” she shouted, “Time to go get cleaned up!”

  The youngsters let out a collective groan but Tess gave them no quarter. She straightened her grin and clapped, pointing them toward the sink to wash their hands.

  “They’re worse than the bears,” he chuckled. He lifted the pup from his shoulders and set her gently on the ground. She scampered off to join the rest of the children.

  Tess ambushed him from behind, coiling her arms around his tight abs.

  “I missed you,” she said.

  Connor turned to face her and they locked eyes. She was lost in the deep blue marbles that smiled back. He kissed her on the forehead and after a time they decided to sit by the roaring fire in the middle of the room to both warm up and talk.

  “How was the drive?” she asked.

  “Do you really care about that,” Connor asked.

  “Not really,” she replied, truthfully, “I just like the sound of your voice.”

  For the brief moments they sat by the fire, her fears dissipated and she could feel him start to relax. Instead of being in the middle of this terrible feud with the bears, or rival pack members, Tess felt like she was back in the forest on the first night they’d met.

  “Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” he asked, stroking his hand through her hair.

  She responded silently by snuggling into the crook of his arm.

  His eyes scanned the room and she wondered what it was he was really looking for. “Is there somewhere more private we can go?” he asked.

  Tess pushed herself up to sit and thought for a moment.

  “Well, the alpha here said there are a few cabins in the area that are mostly unused at this time of the year. Maybe he’ll let us have one of those for a while,” she said with a coy smile, “I’ll go find out.” She readied herself to stand but was stopped short by Connor.

  “I got this one, you just relax,” he said.

  Connor took a pillow from nearby and tucked it under Tess before rolling to his feet. The pack alpha was in the kitchen, starting to dole out the evening meal. Tess watched the two converse for a brief moment. It was still crazy to think that this sexy man was not only the alpha but her lover.