All the air seemed to suck itself from her body as thought about him. Her attraction to him had been intense, but if he was a killer, then she wanted nothing to do with him.
Setting her shoulders, Lucy took in a settling breath. There was only going to be one way to settle this – she was going to have to talk to Dan and just ask him outright what had happened. If she discovered that this pack was involved in killing other shifters, no matter what the reason, then she’d leave immediately. There was no way she was going to stay here if that was the truth.
Glancing at her watch, Lucy heaved a sigh. It would be a good few hours until Dan was free to talk to her. Until then, she’d just have to hang around here and try to keep busy until he was able to speak to her. She couldn’t allow her attraction to him to grow, not until she’d found out what had happened.
“Oh, wonderful!”
Savannah’s voice interrupted her thoughts and Lucy jerked her head up to see Savannah smiling at her.
“Fresh coffee!” she continued. “Just what I need this morning.”
“Sure,” Lucy replied, handing her a cup. “Not much else I can do around here!”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Jo interjected, just walking in. “Dan just mentioned that you were quite open to helping me redecorate this place.”
Lucy gave her a quick smile. “I’m not sure how much good I’ll be but sure, I’d be happy to help.”
Jo grinned. “That would be fantastic. Seriously, you should have seen this place when I first arrived! It was pretty bad.”
"So you haven't always lived here?" Lucy asked, realizing how little she knew.
Shaking her head, Jo shared a quick smile with Savannah. "No, not at all. Actually, I was involved in the art industry before I came here. When Nick and Tom agreed I could stay, they said I could help out with this place, because apparently, they could ‘do with a little bit of help'." She laughed. "Turns out the business was doing well but in terms of running smoothly…" She trailed off and shook her head.
“Everything was on bits of paper,” Savanna added. “I do the finance and I’m still trying to work out who still owes what and how much we owe the taxman from the last few years!”
Lucy felt her heart grow warm at the obvious friendship between the two women. It wasn’t something she’d ever had before and she found herself almost jealous of what they shared. Perhaps she might stay and end up being a part of it. “So you came along after Jo?” she asked Savannah.
“Yes, I did.” Savannah’s smile dimmed slightly. “If you can believe it, I was actually a member of the Northern Wind pack. I mean, it’s a long story, but I ended up falling in love with Tom and staying here.”
“Wow,” Lucy replied, completely surprised. “So you know first-hand what that pack’s like?”
“Yeah, I do.” Savannah grimaced. “It’s not a good pack to be a part of. Just ask Dan, he’ll tell you what it was like.”
Lucy stared at her for a moment before recovering herself. “You mean, Dan was part of the Northern Wind pack too?”
Savannah nodded. “He was a part of Lucas’ pack for longer than me, and he was here before I came along too,” she replied.
“But not willingly,” Jo broke in, laughing.
“That’s true,” Savannah grinned, turning her attention back to Lucy. “Just ask him about it. He’ll be more than happy to tell you.”
“I will,” Lucy replied, slightly dazed at what she’d learned. “I certainly will.”
Chapter Ten
Unfortunately for Lucy, it was three days until she managed to speak to Dan alone. The pack had tried to make sure she felt welcome, but Lucy simply didn't manage to get a quiet moment with him. They still spent time together – and she still couldn't stop her gaze from drifting towards him – but it had always been as part of the pack. This evening, however, Lucy was determined to have him to herself.
“Dan,” she asked, once everyone had finished eating and were busy clearing up their dishes. “Could we take a walk?”
She saw the surprise in his eyes, which was quickly followed by a grin.
“Of course,” he replied, his eyes glancing over at the window. “It’s pretty dark, though.”
“That’s okay,” she smiled. “We don’t need to go far. I just want to ask you a few things.”
He studied her for a moment, as if trying to guess what she was going to say, but eventually shrugged. “Sure. Just give me a few minutes.”
Soon, Lucy and Dan were out walking along the edge of the woods, away from the cabin. They walked in silence, the only sound the crunching of leaves and twigs under their feet.
“So,” Dan said, eventually. “What did you want to ask me?”
Lucy glanced up at him, seeing his face bathed in the moonlight. He was looking at her with a slight smile on his face and her stomach flipped. She couldn’t help her attraction to him, despite what she had to ask him. Electricity sparked between them, making her shiver.
“Are you cold?” Dan asked. “I can go back and – ”
“No, no,” she interrupted. “I’m fine. It’s just – well, everything is great here so far, and the pack is so welcoming but I have a couple of questions.”
“Then ask them,” Dan replied, quietly. “You could have asked Nick too, Lucy. He’s more than happy to talk to you.”
She stopped walking and looked up at him, seeing his concern on her face. "I know that," she said. "But there's something about you that makes me trust you. It's not that I don't trust Nick but I just feel more able to be open and honest with you." Giving him a rueful smile, she shook her head. "I know that sounds silly since we've only known each other for a few days."
“It doesn’t sound silly at all,” Dan replied, warmly. “In fact, I feel the same way.”
Lucy’s breath caught in her chest as he touched her hand, heat racing up her arm.
“Talk to me, Lucy,” he encouraged. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”
Drawing in a deep breath, she turned and began to walk again, as Dan fell into step beside her.
“I guess I’m wondering about this pack,” she began. “Savannah told me that you were part of the Northern Wind pack once.”
“Yes, I was, and so was she.”
Lucy nodded. “Lucas told me that someone from another pack killed one of his shifters.” She stopped again and looked up at him. “Was it you?”
“Me?” he asked, frowning. “Did I kill someone?”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I meant.” Closing her eyes, she calmed herself down and tried again. “Did someone from this pack kill someone from Lucas’ pack?”
“No, they didn’t.”
“Oh.” Relief flooded Lucy as all the tension she’d been feeling washed away.
“I mean, Jo tried, but she didn’t manage,” he replied, with laughter in his voice. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be standing here!”
“Wh – what?” Lucy gasped, barely able to understand what he was saying. “Jo tried to kill you?”
Dan laughed at her expression, before putting one arm around her shoulders and beginning to walk through the woods again. “I think I should start from the beginning.”
“Please do,” Lucy murmured, trying not to react to the way he held her so closely. Listening to him carefully, she heard him explain how Lucas had ordered his pack to kill either Nick or Tom, and how Jo had rammed him with a car so that he couldn’t do what Lucas had ordered.
“Lucas thought I was dead,” Dan finished. “But, Nick and Tom took me back to their place and looked after me until my leg healed.” He looked down at her, smiling. “Once that happened, I’d been there long enough to decide that I didn’t want to go back to Lucas’ pack.”
“And Savannah?”
He grinned. "She was meant to be the ‘inside man' – pretend she needed their help before leading them into a trap. You should have seen her face when she first saw me!" His laughter echoed through the trees, lifting Lucy's spirits.
“Long story short, she decided to stay too.”
Lucy thought for a moment. “I’m guessing Lucas is pretty mad about that.”
Dan's voice grew serious. "Yes, he is. We think that's why he's recruited Dominic, to help get his numbers back up. He probably realized that his pack would never be able to attack the Alliance since we have two alphas and they have none."
“But now they have Dominic,” Lucy sighed. “He’s not an alpha, but he could be. He’s pretty strong.”
“Yup,” Dan murmured, rubbing his head where he had been hit, the memories bringing him slight pain. “He is.” He looked down at her. “Do you feel better now?”
“Yes, I do.” Swallowing hard, Lucy slipped her arm around Dan’s waist, aware of how he jerked in surprise. “Sorry,” she muttered, but Dan shook his head.
“No, don’t back away now,” he said, hoarsely. “Lucy, I’m not going to pretend that I’m not attracted to you, because, in case you haven’t noticed, I am.”
She chuckled, remembering how he’d asked for her number at the bar, even though he’d knocked her clean off her feet. “Yes, I’ve noticed,” she murmured. Her heart began to thump in her chest as he gently squeezed her shoulders. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
He laughed, his chest rumbling. “That’s good to know.” Stopping, he turned to face her, catching both of her hands in his. “I want to be able to shift with you though, Lucy.”
Shaking her head, Lucy’s excitement disappeared at once. “No, I can’t.”
"You can," he replied, gently. "You know that not everyone is like Dominic and Lucas. Haven't I just shown you that?"
“You have,” Lucy admitted. “But still, you guys are involved in a battle. I don’t want to be a part of it.” The last thing she wanted was to be part of a pack that was at war with another pack. She’d seen enough violence from Dominic to last a lifetime.
"It's a battle we don't want," Dan continued, still speaking gently. "There's so much more to being a shifter than just fighting, Lucy. It's freedom. It's power. Why won't you let me show you the different side of being a shifter? I guarantee it'll be a side you've never seen before."
Lucy's heart ached. She wanted to say yes, wanted to let him show her what being a shifter was like, but still, her fear held her back. Her bear growled, desperate to be let out and Lucy had to grit her teeth to push it back down. Her skin rippled as the bear continued to fight, her entire body tensing with the need to change.
“Let me see your bear, Lucy,” Dan whispered. “Please. Trust me.”
"No!" she shouted, twisting away from him. "I made a vow, Dan. I won't go back on it." She could see the hurt in his eyes, but knew he could never really understand what she as going through. "I'm going back to the cabin," she muttered, her anger slowly spiralling away. "Thanks for talking with me, Dan."
Chapter Eleven
Dan threw back his head and roared, the sound practically shook the trees. He let out all of his frustration with one single sound, only ending it when the last bit of disappointment left his heart.
Feel better?
Turning around, Dan saw Tom's bear approach, his eyes fixed on him. Obviously, he'd heard his roar.
I guess so.
Tom snorted, letting his breath come out in a few short puffs. What’s bothering you?
Dan paused, before walking alongside Tom further into the woods. It was a beautiful day but that still didn’t lift his spirits. It had been a week since he’d last spoken to Lucy about shifting, and the Northern Wind pack and still he was upset with how she’d reacted. He couldn’t understand why she was so against shifting. Okay, so she only had her brother to go on but he’d been trying to show her that this pack, the Alliance, was completely different from Dominic and Lucas, but so far she hadn’t responded.
Tom snorted again, making Dan realize that he was still waiting for an answer. It’s Lucy.
She still won’t shift?
Dan figured his silence would be all the answer Tom needed, dropping his head low as they carried on through the woods. Birds chirped and the air was filled with wonderful scents and smells, but Dan didn’t notice any of it. All he could think of was Lucy, and how she was choosing to miss out on all of this.
You need to be careful, Dan.
Turning his head, Dan looked at Tom who was now busy sniffing the air.
Why?
Tom stretched up onto his back legs, standing tall for a moment before falling forward onto his four paws. There’s always loyalty between family. She might choose him, not you.
Dan didn’t believe that for a moment. He’d seen how Lucy was when she’d been with Dominic, and there was no way she’d defend him. She’d tried to get away from him, hadn’t she?
If it came to it, she’d choose him, not you, Tom warned.
Dan immediately wanted to disagree but chose instead to stay silent, thinking about what Tom had said.
I’ve got to go, Tom continued, sniffing the air hard again. Savannah’s out here somewhere.
Inwardly groaning, Dan turned around and began to walk away from Tom, wandering back through the woods towards the mechanics. Tom and Savannah would often disappear into the woods and Dan didn’t want to be around when they found each other.
His bear disappeared slowly, as Dan pulled himself back into his human skin. It wasn't as painful this time as if the bear knew he had enough to deal with already. Stretching, Dan let out a groan as the final bone snapped back into place.
"At least Lucy's missing out on this bit," he muttered, crossly. Looking around for his clothes, Dan realized he'd left them a little bit away from where he'd shifted. Grumbling under his breath, he tried to make his way through the woods back to where he'd left them. Branches snapped under his bare feet, making him wince.
“Dan?”
Heat shot to his face as he attempted to cover himself with his hands. “Lucy?” he gurgled, looking around for her. “Just give me a minute.”
“Nick said you were out here,” came her voice again. “I was hoping we could talk.”
Dan felt frozen to the spot. He couldn't tell where she was. He still wasn't used to using his bear senses when he was in his human skin and, even if he could, he wasn't sure he'd be able to find her. His instincts were going haywire as it was. It sounded like Lucy was coming nearer and he was still completely naked.
“Lucy,” he shouted, growing more and more embarrassed by the minute. “Can you stay still for a minute?”
The sound of her footsteps came to a halt. “Why?” she asked, sounding as though she was quite upset with his request. “What’s the matter?”
“Uh…I was shifting,” he explained. “I’ve only just changed back.”
There was silence for a few seconds.
“So?”
Dan rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. Apparently, Lucy had already forgotten what happened. "I need to find my clothes," he finished, growing hot all over.
He stood completely still, trying to listen for her reaction. He didn’t hear laughter or a gasp of shock. Instead, there was just silence.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, eventually. “Just - just wait here.”
“Okay,” he heard Lucy reply, sounding as though she was smothering a laugh. “Sorry, I totally forgot about that bit.”
Dan didn’t reply, stalking through the trees as best he could, in an attempt to keep as much dignity as possible.
Finally finding his clothes in a pile beside an old tree stump, Dan put them on as quickly as he could, throwing his t-shirt over his shoulder as he tied the laces on his shoes.
“That was close,” he muttered, turning around and walking back towards Lucy. Pulling on his t-shirt, he tried to keep his chin lifted, wishing that the heat would go from his face.
“Hi,” he said, as he found her again. “Sorry, I didn’t expect you to be here.”
She shrugged. “It’s the weekend. I thought we could maybe do something together? Everyone else is, uh, busy.”
Dan gave her a wry grin. “Right, so they’re all hooking up and you’re feeling lonely. Welcome to my world!”
Thankfully, she laughed, breaking the tension. “Have things been like that for you for a while, then?”
He nodded, remembering all the weekends he'd spent either hanging about in the town bar or letting his bear run in the woods. Anything to be away from Tom and Savannah or Nick and Jo. Seeing them together always just made him realize how lonely he was. Now, apparently, Lucy was feeling exactly the same way. It was almost a relief to finally have someone who understood what he'd been dealing with, even though he was still grateful for being allowed to stay with the Alliance. "It's nice to have some company now," he replied, seeing the way she gave him a slightly shy smile. "Where would you like to go?"
She shrugged, although he spotted a laughing smile playing around the corners of her mouth. Narrowing his eyes, he fixed her with a look. “What’s so funny?”
“I’m sorry,” she grinned, her eyes darting away from him. “It’s just that you’ve got your shirt on back to front.”
“Great,” Dan muttered, feeling completely foolish. “I was trying to dress quickly, you see.”
“I do see,” Lucy murmured, as Dan quickly whipped off his t-shirt, attempted to turn it the right way around, before putting it back on again.
He looked at her then, seeing the way that heat had turned her cheeks a dusky pink. It made her even more beautiful, to the point that his breath caught for a moment. Electricity sparked between them.
“Uh, it’s on back to front now.”
The Dragon's Charm Page 125
