by Bianca D’Arc
Tracy followed Shelly’s gesture to find that both Pax and Ari were playing with Emma, tossing her from one to the other. It was only a short distance, and Emma seemed to instinctively know just how to twist her little body to land in the right position in each of the massive, outstretched arms.
“They won’t drop her,” Hank said, coming up beside her after shaking hands with Mark. “Look. She loves this game. And cats always land on their feet. See how she’s twirling around, even in human form?”
“She’s got good instincts. Good technique,” Mark observed quietly to just their little group as they watched the game. “And, to be honest, I’m glad to see these guys are good with kids. If they come into the Clan, they’re going to have to interact with everyone. Frankly, they’re the biggest cats I’ve ever seen.”
“Believe it or not, there are a couple of juveniles in Arizona that might end up a bit taller than these two. Apparently, a recent human ancestor was about seven feet tall, and his genes have bred true in subsequent generations. They say he came to their Clan from Samoa,” Hank imparted.
“It boggles the mind,” Mark said softly, grinning. “I’d like to meet more of these part-Samoan jaguars.”
“If these two like you, they’ll probably give the all clear to their leadership, and you might just get an invitation. Unlike most jaguar Clans, the Arizona cats are very involved with their extended families. They lost a lot of the males our age and older, so these two have become a sort of de facto team of betas, who vet everything for the Clan. Like Nick does for you,” Hank explained.
“Sounds like you do something similar—vetting potential allies for your Clan,” Tracy observed when Mark said nothing.
“Sometimes,” Hank admitted. “When that’s what’s needed. Other times, I do whatever needs doing.”
“Hank’s one of the best troubleshooters we have,” Mark put in. “I depend on him, as does the rest of the Clan.”
High praise, indeed, Tracy well knew. Hank tried to play it down, but she could tell he was pleased with his Alpha’s praise. Aside from the roles they played in the Clan, it was clear these two men had a deep friendship and respect that ran both ways.
“This is really different from Pack life,” Tracy observed, speaking her thoughts aloud. “My dad is Alpha, and he doesn’t really have casual friendships. Not like you guys. It’s more of a totalitarian regime. At least, that’s the term I used to jokingly use when I was a teen. It drove my dad crazy.” Tracy chuckled at her own antics.
“From what I’ve observed, the Pack structure requires firm but fair leadership to be really successful. Like your father’s Pack,” Mark said, giving a nod to Tracy’s dad’s ability to lead. “We’re a little different. We have an Alpha, to be the public face of the Clan, but we also have important people who play other roles. The Beta position is key—out of the limelight, the Beta is our protector, doing the research the Alpha needs to make important decisions and acting as counselor and co-leader in certain respects. Nick fills that role in our Clan, as the Rojas brothers do in their own. Our ancestors set up this system, hundreds of years ago, and it works for our people, but it’s really not the same as a Pack. I don’t rule absolutely,” Mark told her. “I have a large support system, of which Hank is a crucial part.”
Tracy grew even more impressed every time she learned more about the way the jaguars lived. It was the same in some ways, yet quite different to what she’d grown up with.
A jaguar kitten came streaking around the corner at full gallop. The baby wasn’t too much bigger than Emma when she shifted. A few seconds later, a dark-haired man sprinted around the corner, chasing the youngster down. Both skidded to a halt in front of the Alpha pair.
Mark bent down to pick up the baby and cuddled him close. “Hey Mario,” he said, addressing the older male who had been following the youngster. “This one giving you a run for your money?”
Mario laughed. “You bet. I saw him escaping from the nursery as I was walking past. Figured I’d help out by tracking him down and returning him to where he belongs.”
Mark held the baby up to meet its intelligent gaze. “Miguel, I know you like to explore, but you’re supposed to be with the others, right now.”
A little kittenish yowl was his only answer, but Tracy thought the child looked maybe a little chagrinned at getting caught. Mark tossed the child to Mario, much like Pax and Ari had been tossing Emma in human form a few moments ago, and the cat-child twisted in the air like an old pro, to be caught easily by the other man.
“So, tossing children around is a thing among jaguars?” Tracy mused. Shelly laughed.
“You sort of get used to their antics after a while,” the Alpha female assured Tracy. “Then again, I didn’t grow up knowing about shifters and magic. This is all still kind of new to me, but I had a pet cat once.”
The Alpha’s muscular arm came around his mate’s shoulders, hugging her to his side. “Are you comparing me with a house cat again?”
Shelly reached up and kissed her mate on the jaw. “If the shoe fits.”
Mark growled and kissed his woman more thoroughly while Tracy smiled and looked away. It was clear to see how much in love the couple was. That boded well for their leadership of the entire Clan. When there was that much love at the top of the pecking order, it tended to filter down to every aspect of Pack life. Or Clan life, in this case.
Tracy’s parents had been like that. While her mother had been alive, her father had been a very different man. He’d hardened a bit, since his mate’s passing, but he’d always been a strong man. Most wouldn’t have survived the loss of a mate, but the Pack had been in dire straits at the time, and they’d needed him so badly. As had Tracy. She’d been just a pup, and she thought maybe her father had stuck it out for her and for his people. Otherwise, he probably would have chosen to join her mother in the afterlife.
“Hey.” Hank’s voice was soft near her ear. “You okay?”
Smart cat to pick up on her change in mood. She looked to see where Emma was and found her staring curiously at the jaguar child in Mario’s arms. The furry baby was staring back at Emma, that same feline curiosity all over his fuzzy little face. Seeing her child roused Tracy out of her sad thoughts.
“I’m fine. Thanks.” She put one hand on Hank’s forearm, meaning so much in that simple word. “Do you think we can see the nursery Mario mentioned? Emma looks really eager to play with the other jaguar children. If that’s okay…” Tracy looked first at Hank, then to the Alpha pair, who had stopped kissing and were paying attention to the conversation once more.
“Fine with me,” Mark said graciously. “I think it would be good for your daughter to meet some other kids around her age. The school is nearby, and we have a fully qualified teaching staff who see to the education of the other kids, up through high school age. The nursery is there, too, staffed by various members of the Clan who are good with children. I’m sure they’d welcome Emma to playtime.”
Mark’s prediction was true, and Emma had a ball playing with the other kids while Hank took Tracy around to a few of the other community buildings—both those that had been finished and those under construction. He introduced her to a number of people, including little Miguel’s parents, Julio and Leena.
Julio was the lead carpenter on the Clan home project and his mate, Leena, was a civil engineer who was acting as Project Manager. She wore a neon pink safety helmet that could be seen from a distance, and she welcomed Tracy with a big smile. Hank felt good watching the way the women interacted, talking about their kids and Leena telling Tracy about the amenities on the island and especially the school.
Julio’s sister, Helena, was a teacher at the school, so the family probably knew more about it than most others. Hank was glad they were able to speak with Tracy and give her another parent’s perspective on life for their child on the island.
When they picked up Emma at the nursery just before lunch, she was happy as a proverbial clam. Judy, a healer in the Clan wh
o sometimes acted as the housekeeper up at the mansion, told them that they’d been working on having Emma learn to undress, at least partially, before shifting so she didn’t ruin her clothing. That was a lesson Tracy had been trying to teach her baby but hadn’t really known how to implement because wolf pups didn’t generally shift until puberty.
“She shifted?” Hank asked.
“She did,” Judy replied with a smile for Emma who was basking in all the attention. “And she remembered to loosen her clothes so they didn’t get ruined.” Judy patted the little girl’s hair then shifted focus to Tracy. “She’s a fast learner, and she was fine with the other kittens. I helped her get dressed when she was human again.”
“Thank you so much,” Tracy said, sounding grateful. “I haven’t been able to get her to do that at home.”
“Before you leave, you should sit in on one of the nursery sessions. We teach them all sorts of basic stuff. We’ve been dealing with baby shifters a long time, so we’ve developed a few tricks over the generations that usually work like a charm.” Judy’s smile was open and warm. There was a reason she was one of Hank’s favorite people. She was a true sweetie.
“I’d like that. My kind don’t shift this early, so it’s been a real learning experience,” Tracy admitted.
“I’ll bet.”
They chatted a bit longer about the children, and Tracy realized, yet again, that she had a lot to learn about little jaguars. She also understood how important it was for Emma to be around others like herself. That was something Tracy could fix. Hank was making it easy for her to do so. She just had to figure out where she stood with him before she decided just how involved she was going to allow herself to become with him.
Who was she kidding? She was already up to her eyeballs—and more interesting places—with him. But she still really needed to be sure this was the real deal before she could commit herself all the way to everything that being with Hank entailed.
Would she have to give up her Pack? How would that even work? How could she be the lone wolf among a Clan of jaguars? They all seemed welcoming enough now, but long term, could it really work? She just wasn’t sure.
“If you want, you could bring Emma back for the afternoon session. Abuela is coming to tell stories of the Clan’s history. She’s very popular with all the children. Most of the adults too, actually,” Judy invited. “We’re happy to include Emma, and it’ll give you a bit more freedom to explore the island.”
“Thanks. I’m not sure what we’re doing this afternoon, but if it works out, I’d like that. I’m sure Emma would, too.” Tracy lifted her baby girl in her arms, and after a few moments where Emma said bye-bye to her new friends, they left the nursery.
Hank escorted them to another community building where a small crowd was gathering. “This is the dining hall. Everyone who’s working on the building projects eats lunch here most days. I figured you wouldn’t mind meeting more of the locals,” Hank said with a wink, “and this way, we don’t have to cook.”
Hank led her through the cafeteria-style line where they made selections from a great buffet, then seated them at a large table that was soon filled to capacity. Tracy was introduced around. Most of the jaguars were younger than Hank, but she soon learned that though he was universally liked by every age group, the younger set had great admiration for his sense of humor and ingenious practical jokes.
Over the delicious meal, they regaled her with some of his more infamous antics. Like the time he put shaving cream in Mark’s boots then called a fire drill in the middle of the night. Apparently, Hank’s willingness to prank even the Alpha cat made him a bit of a hero to the younger set.
They also seemed to love the time Hank had painted Nick’s favorite security vehicle pink. It had taken stealth and a lot of pink spray paint, but he’d managed to do it three times in a row before the head of security caught him at it.
The chase that took place all over the island after that was apparently legendary. Both men had shifted, and the two jaguars were seen leaping from tree to stone to ground and doing things that even the other jaguars thought were impossible.
“Fear of losing a limb was a great motivator,” Hank admitted with a chuckle. “Nick was threatening to rip my arm off, and he was mad enough that I was afraid he might follow through.” They all laughed. “But it sure was funny watching him drive around the island in a pink Jeep for a few days at a time before he could get it repainted.”
Tracy could just imagine the stoic head of security having to keep his chin up while parading around the green paradise in a hot pink vehicle. Too funny.
There was a common theme in all of the pranks they described that Hank had pulled. First, he never hurt anybody or destroyed their belongings. His pranks were not malicious in any way, and he always managed to make the person he targeted laugh…eventually. His humor was good-hearted, not mean-spirited. She liked that.
After lunch, they dropped Emma back at the nursery and resumed their tour. Hank took her around the perimeter of the designated public areas, so she could begin to learn some of the markers that denoted private territories. It wasn’t certain, by any means, that she’d stay on the island, but Hank was applying pressure, both subtle and not-so-subtle.
If she could just have a little time to think. She was dealing with information overload and an emotional roller coaster at the same time. She had to slow down for a few minutes and clear her mind. A run would be really good, but she was almost afraid to go wolf on an island full of giant, predatory cats. Besides, the wolf acted on instinct. The woman was the thinker, and she needed a little space from the very distracting and disturbing presence of the man who wanted to be her mate, in order to do it.
“Would it be okay if I just walked around by myself for a bit?” Tracy asked Hank suddenly. He’d just finished their circumference of the public areas, so she knew the general layout of where the private territories began and felt safe enough if she stuck to the community paths.
Hank looked as if she’d struck him. She didn’t need the added pressure, right now, of being responsible for his feelings, but she still felt guilty about putting that look on his face.
Darnit.
“I just need a little space,” she went on, trying to soften her words. “A little time alone to think.”
Hank stepped back from her, trying to hide his feelings, but her inner wolf felt she’d hurt him, somehow. Still, he backed off. He seemed reluctant but resigned, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She’d had a little too much togetherness for a woman used to living on her own since the birth of her daughter.
“Stick to the communal areas, and you’ll be fine,” he told her, backing away another step. “Do you know how to find the path to my territory?”
He’d only pointed it out like three times. Tracy rolled her eyes and nodded. “I can find your place. No problem,” she assured him.
“I’ll be in my office until just before the afternoon session at the nursery ends. You can find me at home, or meet me at the nursery then. Or, if you need more time, I’ll just pick up Emma and bring her back to my place. We’ll be there when you’re ready.”
She was glad he was being so reasonable about this, but she probably wouldn’t need that much time. She was still a mom, and she still wanted to be there for her daughter.
“I won’t be that long. I’ll probably meet you at the nursery, and we can go on together from there.” Surely, her ruminations wouldn’t take so long she’d miss seeing Emma’s excited little face after her day with the other cats and the Clan’s grandmother.
She walked away from him first, slipping down the path toward the town hall somewhat aimlessly. She’d seen a sort of park space with benches around a tiny pond with a waterfall near the school. She would see if it was empty, and if so, she’d start off there. The sound of trickling water had always been peaceful to her. Maybe that and the lush, green surroundings would help her think.
Tracy was sitting on one of the benches when she hear
d someone walking nearby. Not a shifter, judging by the loud footsteps. There were few humans on the island, so it might very well be the Alpha female. Sure enough, a few moments later, Shelly came over to stand by Tracy’s bench.
“Do you mind if I join you?” Shelly asked politely.
“Not at all.” Truthfully, Tracy had been getting nowhere on her own. She was still as confused as ever.
Shelly smiled and took a seat. “Thinking weighty thoughts?” she asked after a moment’s consideration of Tracy’s expression.
“How’d you guess?” Tracy gave a short chuckle. No sense hiding the obvious and pretending everything was okay. Everybody knew she was the odd wolf out here and she had to make some important decisions where her child’s future was concerned.
“You know, being one of the only humans here is a little tough sometimes. There are a lot of things I can’t participate in with only two feet. The cats like to run and chase each other, and all I can do is watch and pray nobody gets too seriously hurt. But you’re a shifter, so you have a lot more in common with everyone else than I do.” Shelly jumped right in when she had something to say. Tracy could respect that.
“I might be a shifter, but a wolf Pack is a lot different from this, and it’s not a picnic to be the only wolf in a sea of cats.” Tracy paused, then went on with brutal honesty. “Just as it won’t be easy for my baby to be the only cat in a wolf Pack.”
“Would they chase her?” Shelly looked instantly concerned.
“Only if they want to get bitten by me,” Tracy replied with a soft growl. Nobody would touch her baby.
Shelly started then laughed. “Oh, you have more in common with these jaguars than you think. Any other mother on the island would have given me the exact same reply.”
“Motherhood makes us all a bit protective,” Tracy mused with a smile.
“Humans get that way too,” Shelly assured her. “You know, I do sympathize with your position. One way, you might be uncomfortable, the other way, your child could be. It’s a tricky situation.”
