The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  “I’m going to go find out, stay here,” he said. The candle had since burned out leaving Tess in the dark. If there really was trouble up ahead she would be hard to find. She nodded.

  Connor climbed up over the hill, running quickly toward the house. In the tents and makeshift houses beside him, bears were already stirring from their sleep. Some of the men walked out with tired eyes. Connor’s heart beat loudly in his ears. He didn’t need to see the attackers face to know who it was.

  A blood curdling scream resounded from the house, filling the now quiet night. He leapt to the top of the patio, bounding through the front door. The inside was dark but his eyes were used to the night. He ran up the stairs, skipping several at a time. When he reached the top he saw the door to the alphas room. It was cracked open. Samantha was on the other side, holding a body in the darkness.

  No!

  Connor pushed open the door. The light of the moon spilled into the open space through an open window, revealing the Henry with two giant shotgun holes filling his chest. Henry stirred slightly, spitting blood as he did so.

  “Samantha… take care… of everyone...” He managed.

  “Just stay calm grandpa, the doctor is coming, just wait,” her eyes were searching Connors face in panic. He could sense her fear.

  “Eli… Kill Eli…”

  With those last words the Henry’s body fell limp in Samantha’s arms. A Strong and powerful alpha, loved by all, brought down by that bastard. Connor swore he’d rip Eli’s throat out.

  Tears streamed down Cynthia’s face, she was unable to control her emotions any longer.

  “Eli!” Samantha shouted, “That bastard! He… killed him…” Connor sprinted to the open window and sniffed for any trace of Eli. He had to have jumped, or Connor would have ran into him as he came through the house. The window overlooked a grassy field and in the distance he could make out a trio of shapes running. Eli didn’t have any allies, unless…

  “I’m going after him,” Connor said. Samantha lowered her grandfather to the ground then stood.

  “If you’re going, I’m going.” There would be no arguing with her. It was clearly spelled out in the grim determination in her young face. Connor nodded.

  Alex smashed through the door as well, almost knocking Connor over.

  “I caught a fresh whiff of him. Let’s get that piece of shit before he gets too far!”

  Connor already had that idea. He was bolting down the stairs with Samantha already. Alex followed close behind. Cynthia stepped from one of the bedrooms opposite the space. Her arm still in a cast, Alex held up a hand as though to tell her this wasn’t her fight. She understood.

  Once they were outside, Connor sifted through his pocket for his keys. They might be fast, but his truck was faster.

  He tore open the driver’s side door and hopped to his seat. The truck howled in the night. Alex jumped into the bed, standing with his hands holding to the cab tightly. If he was to guide them he’d get the best possible chance with the open air. Samantha slid into the passenger seat as the Truck lurched forward.

  There was no going slow this time. His foot was planted to the ground on the gas pedal. The truck bounced over muddy grass and into the dense forest across the clearing.

  Alex slammed a hand down on the cab of the truck.

  “Over there!” he shouted, “He’s close, I can smell it.” Connor followed his directions. The truck hammered through a rotted out tree stump, slivers flew everywhere and Alex had to duck to avoid getting a chunk in his face. Then he splashed through the river that coiled around the property.

  “That way!” Alex shouted, pointing his hand. Connor nodded again and wrenched the steering wheel in the direction. The headlights fought against the darkness. The canopy of trees blocked out the moonlight.

  Connor wrestled with the wolf in his head. He had to keep cool to stay human. Eli had killed Henry, just after Connor was getting to like him, too. His vengeance needed to be had and Connor would be the one to dole it out.

  There, just ahead. A glint of chrome. A trio of figures huddled around a pair of motorcycles. The engine of the truck screamed for him to stop but Connor urged it onward. The makeshift repairs that Samantha made were coming undone. Fire spewed from the engine pouring oily smoke into the air. But, still he pushed on.

  He pointed the truck at the pair of motorcycles. The shadows in the dark had barely enough time to leap away. A loud thud was heard as they ran into one of the people who didn’t jump out fast enough. It was followed by the sounds of metal clashing as the truck plowed through the set of bikes. Alex flew from the bed, landing a short ways away. Connor and Samantha were shaken in the cab but no worse for the wear.

  “Dammit, you just never know when to give up, do you!?” said the familiar voice of Eli. “Shit, I think it’s time we end this.”

  You’re damn right it is!

  The headlights of the truck tilted up against a pair of trees. Eli sifted through the wreckage of the motorcycles to pull out his shotgun. When he stood up he cracked his neck. A small trickle of blood pooled around his shoulder from where the truck struck him. He had to work to raise his shotgun, which he brought to bear at Connor first.

  “Two alphas, with the same gun,” he laughed. Connor ducked just in the nick of time as the shot shattered the glass of the windshield. Samantha was pinned by twisted metal against her healing leg. She tried to pull it out but it was stuck fast. “Come on out little pup, it’s time to take your medicine!” He pumped his gun again and unloaded the silver shot in the engine bay. Shards of metal showered around the cabin.

  Eli stumbled his way over to Samantha’s side.

  “Oh, lookie here! Got myself an easy kill,” he said. He drew his knife from his leg holster. Samantha’s eyes went wide when she saw it, but she narrowed them right back and growled at the asshole that was threatening her. “You know, if you weren’t such a crazy bitch, a guy could have quite a nice time with you.”

  Samantha chomped her teeth at him. It was clear she was trying to shift. Her mouth was already full of razor sharp teeth, ready to clamp down and end Eli.

  “Well that’s just not nice, little girlie,” he said. Eli lifted his gun with one arm then shot a load blindly in the direction of Connor who was trying to make his way around the truck.

  Things went from bad to worse when a bear started charging at Connor. There was no way to duck away from its attack so he decided to meet it head on. He cried out for his inner beast to join the fight and it did so gladly. His jeans shredded as his muscles bulged. His muzzle snapped as it protruded from his face. As his muscle finished snapping into place over his new body he set about charging back at the bear.

  They smashed into each other with enough force that the ground shook beneath them. The bear’s sharp claws tried to dig into Connor’s flesh, while holding Connor’s attacks at bay.

  “It helps to have allies,” Eli said, “You and your friends cost me a lot of mine. This was supposed to end it all. I was finally going to be rid of all you stupid wolves. There was no way the bears would have overlooked the death of their own alpha. They would have grinded all of you into the dust. And, when it all settled there would have been none of you left.” Eli cocked his gun again and aimed it at Samantha. She was in no position to avoid it.

  “Night night, sweetie,” he said.

  Samantha stared down the barrel with both eyes open. If this was her time to go then she was ready to accept it.

  Click.

  But, it wasn’t her time to go.

  “Dammit,” Eli said. He sifted through his pockets for more shells. Samantha wasted no chance at escaping from the vehicle wreckage. She felt around for anything that might have helped her while Connor dealt with the bear. Under the seat she found a crowbar, just out of reach. She stretched her fingers as far as she could but it was still inches away.

  In her distraction she didn’t notice Eli return. His knife stabbed deep into her shoulder and she cried out in the night. T
he blade staked her through the car seat and into the metal of the cab.

  “Just wait, right there,” Eli said. He continued to search his pockets but was coming up empty.

  Samantha grabbed the knife, with bloodied fingers she tried to pry it free from her shoulder, but it was stuck far too tight. Connor may have been able but he was too busy to assist.

  “Guess I’ll just have to kill you the old fashioned way,” Eli said.

  “You’ll have to go through me first!” shouted Alex, who struggled to his feet.

  “Ah hell, not you too,” Eli smacked himself in the head, “You’d think Mutt could do ONE damn thing.” He ripped the knife out of Samantha’s arm. Her blood spattered to the floor of the cab as she wailed in pain. “What’s the old adage again? If you want something done right do it yourself.”

  Alex hunched over to all fours. His black fur made him almost invisible in the dark space. Once he was fully shifted the only thing you could see was his glowing vibrant blue eyes. The hunter wasn’t dissuaded. Alex charged. He was fast. He darted across the distance between them in seconds, leaping with a heavy bounding stride.

  Eli raised his knife, stabbing clean into Alex’s stomach. “It doesn’t matter how fast you can dodge when you’re in mid-air.” He pulled the knife out of Alex.

  Connor growled, as he wrestled with the bear that gave him no ground. He could only watch as his friend and ally fell to the floor with blood oozing from his mouth.

  “Alex!” Samantha shouted. She lowered her head. Connor wondered if she’d given up entirely. The hunter was too strong. Whether she did or not didn’t matter to Connor. He’d seen Alex take worse beatings than that. This wasn’t over yet.

  “You hurt my friend,” Samantha said. Her voice was low. It had a rumble to it that Connor had never heard. “Do you know how hard it is for me to make friends?”

  “Lucky for you, you won’t have a chance to make a new one,” Eli chuckled. He leaned down to Alex, knife in hand. “You might want to look away for this,” he quipped. He held the knife up to Alex’s throat. The tip of the blade started cutting into his fur, down to the skin.

  The metal in the truck groaned. Samantha exhaled a scream that shook Connor to his core. He would never forget it for as long as he lived. Her hand jutted out of the cab of the truck. A thick coat of brown fur grew to cover it as it grew. Her other hand pressed into the roof, as it increased in size it sliced right through the steel of the body. Brown fur wrapped itself around her Samantha’s head as it ripped and tore into something else.

  Connor had seen her shift before; she was large then, but now she was growing larger. Her shoulders tore the roof of the truck off at the seams. Then, as her legs changed, the metal of the truck groaned. Her muscles bulged, freeing her of her bonds. She was the same size as Henry. She was an alpha.

  Eli stood, looking up at the massive hunk of fur that loomed over him. A flash of fear came over him and he looked like the runt he always believed himself to be. He dropped his knife at her feet. No matter how fast he could run, there was no escape.

  A wave of her paw caused Eli to fly. Ten feet, twenty feet, then crunch, into the tree that the headlights were fixed on. If he had any life left in him, it would be gone soon. Samantha stomped over to him on all fours and buried her large furry paw into his face. The crunch of bone let Connor know of Eli’s fate. The other bear gave up his fight. He released Connor to make his escape, but not before Connor took care of him. There was no sympathy for traitors. With the taste of blood still in his mouth, Connor sauntered over to Alex and Samantha.

  Sam’s arm was about as big as he was. She nuzzled her nose against him and he stirred. Connor exhaled. A weight fell from his shoulders as reality set in. It was finally over.

  She licked at Alex’s wounds, happy that her friend was still alive. Alex, still in a daze closed his eyes and accepted his fate. There weren’t enough showers in the world to get bear saliva out of fur.

  “I’m … uh … sorry about your truck,” Samantha said. She held a blanket tightly around her chest. It spilled to the floor, covering her feet. She seemed to hover over the ground like royalty.

  Did Connor feel bad that it was destroyed? Sure. It was one of the last things that he’d received from his father. He had more memories in that old hunk of rust than in almost everything in his old den. But, he saw its loss as something else. He wasn’t losing an old friend; he was making space for new ones.

  “Don’t mention it,” Connor replied. They were walking back to the house. Connor carried Alex in his arms. His side wound was bound with the remnants of Samantha’s dress. It was a good thing that Connor kept a spare blanket in the truck for picnic emergencies with Tess.

  Although, thinking about it, if he were to tell Samantha how many times he’d had sex on that blanket, she might just decide to leave it. He laughed to himself.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” Connor replied. They were greeted on their way back by a welcoming party of Cynthia and Tess running at them through the grass clearing.

  Tess.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay!” she shouted. She latched her arms around Connor with a vice like grip. Whatever air he had in his lungs left him. Alex yelped in his arms, he was feeling it too.

  “Medic!” Cynthia shouted.

  The light of dawn was pushing through thick gray clouds. Morning’s dew filled the air and gathered on their sweaty, blood stained skin. As they approached Henry’s house, the glory of battle left them, they realized what had happened.

  Samantha lost the last of her relatives. She was all alone now. Connor remembered the story she told him when they were travelling together. The pang of loss struck him deep in his breast again. He reached out his arm to Samantha but she fell to the ground and started crying with her face in her hands. Nobody said a word, with each one of them losing a close loved one, they’d all sympathized with her. Connor lifted her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight and close. Tess too joined in the embrace, then Cynthia and Alex.

  Samantha couldn’t stop from crying. She sputtered out a thank you. A drop of rain caught Connor on the head, then another.

  “We should probably get inside,” he said. Nobody argued. They all ran for the front door as the rain pelted harder. The canopy of trees did well to shield them, but nothing beat being indoors.

  CHAPTER 14

  “It isn’t hard to become an ordained minister,” Samantha said, “I just went online and was done in like … ten minutes.”

  “Yeah, but she’s my sister. I should be the one who officiates the wedding,” Alex replied. Tess walked downstairs to join them. She had a radiant glow that seemed unnatural but showed her inner beauty. Connor couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms.

  “Shutup, both of you. Alex, you’re the best man. Cynthia is the maid of honor, so that left Samantha to officiate. So just quiet down. This is my wedding day, dammit!”

  Samantha stuck her tongue out at Alex who just rolled his eyes. Marcus leaned against his walking stick while waiting for his daughter to join him.

  “Seriously, she is gorgeous,” Cynthia said.

  “I told you to pipe down. I can see that.”

  “Why do we have to have the wedding inside Sam’s house?” Alex asked.

  “Because, that was her only requirement to create a truce between the bears and the wolves,” Connor whispered loudly, “Now shut it.”

  Samantha giggled at the makeshift altar. It was true. She wanted to see Connor and Tess married before she followed through with a truce. It had been two weeks since the bears had lost their alpha, but also two weeks since the end of their fighting. A few days after her grandfather passed, Samantha was made pack alpha by a unanimous decision from the rest of the pack. She was young, but that didn’t make her any less experienced than the rest of them. Being raised by her grandfather, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that she would be a fine leader. Not only did her grandfather leave her with the pr
oper skills to lead, but he had also left her a small fortune.

  Tess walked along the hard wood floor to take her father’s arm.

  “You’re just as beautiful as your mother,” he said. She was already close to tears but hearing about her mother put her over the edge. She’d always imagined wearing her mother’s wedding dress; the long gown flowed behind her as she hovered over to her mate.

  Marcus offered her to Connor. She hopped into Connor’s arm, excited.

  “Wow, I guess we know what’s happening tonight,” Samantha joked. A laugh stirred about the room. “You know this formal crap is fun but it’s kinda boring, don’t you think?”

  Tess stood beside Connor, his tight shirt barely containing his physique.

  “Tess,” Samantha said, “Do you love Connor?”

  “Of course!” she shouted.

  “And, Connor, do you love Tess?” she asked. Connor turned his head to view the woman he’d fell in love with.

  “Absolutely.” Samantha smiled broadly. Alex slapped Connor on the shoulder.

  “Then by the power invested in me by the internet, I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the-” Neither of them waited for the end of that sentence, they were already kissing.

  “Of course you still have to sign the marriage form…” Samantha continued.

  “I think they’ll be like this for a while,” Alex said. “We better just leave them be.” Cynthia agreed, and then joined her boyfriend just across the way. Samantha tip-toed away from the newlyweds then joined Marcus who was waiting just behind them.

  “I guess that means this whole war thing is over. Right?” She said. She offered a hand to Marcus and he shook it vigorously. The fighting was finally over.

  EPILOGUE

  “Stop hitting your brother!” Tess shouted, “Ugh, I can’t wait for the day that you two can understand me.” She rubbed at her belly which was already pregnant with another set of pups. Everyone was surprised when they’d heard she was having twins on her first go, but a second pair? This was ridiculous.