Lucy walked up the hill behind Dan, trying not to feel completely overwhelmed by the events of the day. She'd found herself as an official employee, given complete creative freedom and a budget to boot. Even though she hadn't been with the pack long, Jo, Savannah, and the others all seemed more than happy to have her officially as part of their team. It was almost unbelievable.
There wasn't much conversation between her and Dan, not until the blanket and a couple of cushions had been laid out on the grass, and they were sitting with their backs against the bench they'd sat on the night before.
“Here’s yours,” Lucy muttered, digging through the bag of food. “I bought a couple of drinks too, and there should be some prawn crackers in here somewhere.”
“Great,” Dan said, digging into his food almost straight away. “Sorry, I’m really hungry.”
Lucy grinned. “Me too.”
“Lots of work today?” Dan asked, in between mouthfuls.
Nodding, Lucy looked up at him. Obviously, he hadn’t heard her news. “Jo gave me a job.”
He froze, staring at her for a moment before his mouth split into a wide smile. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Lucy replied, happily. “Interior designer.”
“Wow!” Dan exclaimed, leaning over and kissing her cheek. “That’s brilliant news, Lucy. I’m so pleased for you.”
“Thank you.” Turning back to her food, Lucy smiled to herself before she carried on eating. “If I’m honest, I’m really happy about it. It feels like I belong here now, you know?”
Dan smiled, putting one hand on her knee. “That’s because you do belong, Lucy.”
“Even though I don’t shift?”
Her question hung in the air, as a sudden tension sparked between them. Eventually, Dan shook his head. “If it’s important to you that you don’t shift, Lucy, then the rest of us will understand.”
Lucy let out a slow breath, her appreciation of him growing even more. Even when he had the chance to start questioning her again about her decision, he didn’t. He respected her. Something began to burn slowly in her soul, spreading heat through her limbs. “Thank you for understanding, Dan.”
He grinned at her, breaking the tension. “I might try and change your mind one day though.”
“I know.”
They ate the rest of the meal in silence, enjoying the quiet and the view in front of them. The sun would be setting again soon, and Lucy was sure it was going to be another spectacular evening.
Chapter Sixteen
Dan sat back heavily, leaning his head against the wooden bench and looking up at the sky, which was now filled with pink and orange hues. He was happier than he had been in a long time. Finding out that Lucy had now got a job at the mechanics – and that she’d accepted it – meant more to him than he could say. He’d have to remember to thank Jo later. It meant that Lucy was going to be staying with them for a good long while, which, in turn, meant that their relationship could continue.
He glanced over at Lucy, who was lying on the picnic blanket with her head on a cushion. Her face was calm, with an almost serene smile on her face. She was happy. Dan sighed contentedly, as his bear did the same. Even though Lucy wasn't shifting yet, Dan was sure she would one day. He would hold out until then. Until she was ready.
“How does it feel?” he asked, lazily.
He caught the confusion in her eyes. “How does what feel?” she asked, looking up at him.
“How does it feel to finally be in charge of your own life?” he asked, softly. “The moment you made the decision to leave Dominic put your entire life into your own hands, and look at you now!”
Lucy's face lit up with a slow smile, as though she'd not considered things that way before. "It feels pretty good," she murmured, her eyes darkening just a little as she kept looking at him. "I suppose I didn't realize that before, but you're right. I am making decisions for myself. I decide what happens to me, no-one else."
“Exactly,” Dan replied, closing his eyes and settling his head back. “You decided to take that job, Lucy, which means you’ve decided to stay with us for a while.” He opened one eye a crack, with a grin on his face. “I hope that means you’ve decided to spend a bit more time with me. I don’t think I could do without you now.”
Her cheeks dusted red, but that only made him smile even more. “You know I care about you,” he continued, his grin fading. “I’m really glad you’ve chosen to stay.” He closed his eyes, catching her soft ‘me too’.
Lucy lay back, thinking hard. Dan was right. She was able to choose things for herself, for the first time in a long time. Dominic had always basically ordered her around, but now she was the one making decisions for herself. It was incredibly freeing.
A sudden tension welled up in her chest as she looked at Dan, who was sitting back with his eyes closed. Examining her feelings for a moment or two, Lucy admitted to herself what she wanted. Him.
What would he do if she said something? Would he haul her into his arms and respond in the way she’d hoped?
Frowning to herself, Lucy realized that she was basically waiting for Dan to be the one to act. Why wasn't she doing something about how she felt herself? Heat rushed into her cheeks as she pushed herself up on her elbows, seeing Dan's eyes still closed. It would be so easy to sit astride him and kiss him senseless. Perhaps she'd be able to show him what it was she wanted without even having to say anything.
Before she could change her mind, Lucy pushed herself up onto her knees, moved closer to Dan and swung one leg over his thighs. His eyes shot open the moment she touched him, but Lucy kissed him before he had a chance to say anything.
Passion roared through her body, setting it on fire. Throwing away all her restraints and her worries about going too fast too soon, Lucy let herself go with her desires. She wanted Dan and she hoped he wanted her too.
“Lucy,” Dan whispered, his breathing ragged as he pulled back.
For a moment, Lucy wondered whether or not he was going to ask her to stop but, after a few seconds of looking into her eyes, he pulled her close again.
There was something raw, something almost animalistic roaring inside her, as Lucy tugged her top over her head, fully aware that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Dan’s eyes scorched her skin as he looked at her, but Lucy dropped her mouth on his again. She liked the sensation of being the one to take the lead, to show Dan exactly what it was she wanted. Running her hands down the front of his chest, she pulled at the bottom of his t-shirt, which was off in a moment. Licking her lips, Lucy let herself take him in, her heartbeat increasing with every second that passed. His skin was almost golden in the decreasing sunlight, and she couldn’t help but run her fingers down his chest. Lucy heard Dan catch his breath as she touched him, evidently as aroused as she was. Wiggling her hips just a little, Lucy grinned when Dan let out a soft groan. He wanted her, that was for sure.
Dan could barely breathe, as Lucy carefully got to her feet and peeled off the rest of her clothes. He swallowed hard, willing himself not to jump to his feet. She’d surprised him, that was for sure, but he wasn’t about to stop what was happening between them. He’d wanted to ask, to be certain she was sure about them taking the next step in their relationship, but he’d seen the heat in her eyes and the question had died on his lips.
“Now, you,” Lucy smiled, reaching out a hand to him.
Dan didn’t hesitate and soon they were both standing, completely naked in the open air. The sun was sending beautiful colors across the sky towards them and Dan caught his breath at just how beautiful Lucy was.
“I’m one lucky guy,” he murmured, reaching for her. Pushing one hand into her hair, Dan pressed his lips to hers, he felt the searing heat and his entire body burst into flame.
Before he knew it, he was lying back on the blanket she’d brought, and she was on top of him. He kissed her cheek, down the line of her throat and towards her collar bone, as Lucy arched back, a sigh escaping from her mouth.
To his surprise, Lucy pushed herself forward so that her breasts were near his face. She was really taking control, letting him know exactly what she wanted. He couldn’t do anything except oblige, his hands cupping them, brushing his fingers lightly over her nipples. Lucy let out a soft cry, arching back even more. Dan’s breathing grew quicker as he let his mouth move down her collar bone and towards her breasts, feeling the way she tensed.
She was electrifying. Letting one hand slip further down her body, Dan pressed into her soft core, making her gasp. His mouth worked hard at her nipples while he forced himself not to push up and into her. Her breathing came faster and faster as he worked his fingers gently until she was panting.
“Lucy,” he groaned, as her entire body tensed around him. “I – ”
In one swift motion, Lucy pushed his hand away, before sliding onto him. It was so fast it made him groan with shock and pleasure, but she was moving already, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut so he could control himself. Her heat was pushing him closer to the brink already, and Dan wanted this to last.
Finally getting a modicum of control, Dan let out a long breath, managing to open his eyes. Lucy was stunningly beautiful as she sat astride him, her hair flowing freely as she moved. He ran his hands down her arms, as she began to move faster, panting and moaning as she did so.
She exploded around him soon after, and Dan wasn't able to hold on any longer. Her body tightened around him and Dan felt his own passion hit the brink. With a groan of pleasure, Dan felt his entire body go taut before a wave of heat rushed through him over and over again.
Lucy quivered as she lay in his arms, still completely naked. Dan could hardly believe what had happened, and how quickly they had gone from simply enjoying the sunset to this. Lucy had made the first move, and Dan was surprised at how much he’d liked that. It felt right, for her to do that. It was another way she was taking control of her life.
“Lucy,” he murmured in her ear, tugging the blanket over the top of them both so that she wouldn’t be cold.
“Mmm?”
He swallowed, pressing his lips together as he wondered whether or not he should say what was in his heart. “I – I think I love you.”
There was silence for a few seconds, and Dan cringed inwardly, thinking he’d gone too far too fast.
“That’s good,” came her eventual reply. “Because I think I love you too.”
Chapter Seventeen
Three days later, and Lucy was still getting used to waking up in Dan's bed. Not that it wasn't wonderful to wake up next to him, but being in a real relationship was taking some getting used to. This was a relationship built on trust, respect, and love. It was different from everything she'd experienced before but Lucy knew it was right. How Dominic had treated her had been wrong, and she’d known that for years.
“Good morning,” Dan mumbled, as he rolled over and kissed her gently. “How did you sleep?”
Lucy grinned, nudging him playfully with her elbow. “I didn’t exactly get a lot of it, thanks to you.”
“And here I thought you enjoyed it,” Dan replied, with a mischievous look on his face.
“I did,” Lucy said softly. Leaning forward, she kissed him hard, as Dan’s hands slipped around her waist, pulling her closer. With a laugh, she pulled back, breaking the kiss. “If we don’t get up now, we’ll be late,” she warned, as Dan groaned loudly. “And you know we’ve already embarrassed ourselves once already by being late.”
That had been pretty embarrassing if she was honest. They'd both crept out of the bedroom, fully aware that the others were already at work. It was one of the downsides of living at the office.
With a mutter of complaint, Dan threw back the duvet and walked out of the bedroom towards the shower, making Lucy laugh.
“I think I’m going to go for a quick run,” she called, as she pulled on her workout stuff. “I won’t be long.”
“Come join me when you’re back,” Dan replied, making Lucy giggle. “I’ll wait for you.”
Heat rushed through her body, making her question whether or not she really did want to go for a run or not – but, in the end, Lucy forced herself outside.
Going for a run seemed to be the only thing that kept her bear quiet enough to manage. Lucy knew it was still restless, wanting her to let it push through her skin and tear through the woods on its own four paws, but she always managed to push it back down, even though it was a struggle. Beginning to jog, Lucy tried not to let the bear's need to be free force her to shift. She'd battled against it this long and she wasn't about to let it win now.
Running into the woods, Lucy followed a familiar path, still concentrating on keeping her bear down. The wind in her face and the cool air in her lungs slowly began to help until the bear was soothed.
Putting her hands on her knees, Lucy drew in a deep breath, closing her eyes as she got her breath back. There were a lot of questions about shifting that had begun to make their way to the surface, questions she was going to have to ask Dan about. Part of the reason she’d grown to love him was because he’d kept his word and not asked her about shifting, even when she knew he wanted to. He respected her decision, even if he didn’t agree with it.
Lucy stood tall, pressing her hands into her lower back and bending until her face was tipped towards the sky. She was still afraid that shifting meant that, no matter what happened, one day she would turn into the kind of shifter her brother was, but Dan was slowly beginning to change that belief. Lucy couldn’t imagine Dan being anything like Dominic. Perhaps he’d been right all along, not all shifters were like Lucas and Dominic. Maybe she’d let him take her into the woods and they could shift together.
“There you are!”
Dominic’s hard voice caught her off guard, spinning around to face her brother.
“Wh – what are you doing here?” she stammered, backing away. Dominic looked the same as ever, except with a much darker look on his face. “I’ve said all I need to say to you, Dominic.”
“You don’t get to tell me when to leave you alone, little sister,” Dominic bit out, his eyes filled with fury. “You’re coming with me.”
One hand reached out for her, but Lucy stepped even further out of reach. “No, I’m not. I thought I made it very clear that I wanted nothing to do with whatever it is you’re planning.”
One of Dominic’s eyebrows rose. “Do you really think you can escape, Lucy? It doesn’t matter what you say or what you want, you’ll do as I tell you. That’s the way it’s always been. I made a mistake walking away from you before and giving you the opportunity to live your own life for a while, but it’s a mistake I plan to rectify.”
Lucy tried not to be afraid, tried not to have any other expression except disdain or her face, as she stepped back again, out of Dominic’s reach. Her mind was working furiously as she tried to come up with a solution, one that would keep both her and Dan, as well as the other shifters, safe from Dominic. She just hoped someone might come looking for her. Lucy knew she couldn't take on Dominic alone.
“Good morning Dan,” Nick called, as he stepped out of the truck. “Where’s Lucy?”
Dan ran a hand through his still damp hair. "I don't actually know, -" he said, worriedly. “She went out for a run this morning, around an hour ago. I wasn’t expecting her to be this long away.”
Nick opened his mouth to respond, only to freeze as Tom ran up to them both. “What’s the matter?”
“Lucas,” Tom growled, his hands already clenched into fists. “Can’t you smell him?”
Both Nick and Dan paused and sniffed the air. Alarm began to thread through Dan’s veins. “If Lucas is around, and Lucy’s not back….”
"Then I think we should go look for her," Nick finished, frowning, as Tom ran in to get Savannah. "I can get another scent t
oo. Something I don't recognize."
Dan’s heart began to beat faster. “Maybe it’s Dominic,” he muttered, his bear already growling in warning. “If Lucas is nearby, and Dominic went to his pack then that would make sense.”
“It would,” Nick replied, uneasily. “I’ll tell Jo to stay here and keep the place locked up, and then we’ll go together.”
Pacing the grounds, Dan looked up as Savannah and Tom came out, their bodies tensed and ready to shift.
“Don’t worry, Dan,” Savannah said, softly. “We’ll find her.”
Dan nodded, giving her a tight smile. “We’d better,” he growled, itching to let his bear out. “She’s got no-one else.”
Running out towards them, Nick shook his head tersely. “Jo’s going to take the truck.”
“I thought you were asking her to stay here?” Tom growled. “It’s safer.”
Nick blew out a long breath. “Yes, but you know Jo. She’ll follow us. Let’s go.”
Dan was ready. His bear was ready. Standing tall, he threw his head back and roared aloud, as the bear pushed itself through his skin, tearing his muscles and stretching his bones. Dan welcomed the pain, using it to fuel his anger. Dominic and Lucas had Lucy, he was sure of it, and his bear was going to find her.
Around him, the other shifters changed, until the pack was ready. Dan heard the sound of the truck starting up, just as Nick growled and began to sniff the air.
Dan sniffed hard, pressing his nose to the ground for any scent of Lucy. Would she have run into the woods? Moving slowly, he froze, sniffing over and over again. He'd found her. She'd gone this way, towards their part of the woods, where they'd spent last night.
This way.
Chapter Eighteen
Within seconds, the pack was following him, following Lucy’s scent. The truck roared behind them, as they ran. Dan used every part of his instincts to keep a hold of Lucy’s trail, hoping desperately he wouldn’t lose her scent.
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