Under the Panther's Protection [Black Panthers 3]

by Leah Brooke

  “She’s already worn out, but she’s determined to take care of everyone.”

  Glancing at him, Dane dug several clips out of one of the duffel bags and stuffed them into his pockets. “You going to go get her?”

  “Not yet.” Joshua retrieved his own clips. “But that’s sure as hell going to change if she keeps sounding as stressed as she did today.”

  * * * *

  Unable to shake the feeling that she was being watched, Fiona rubbed her arms and turned slowly, scanning the adjoining backyards of the retirement community.

  Seeing only two couples sitting on a patio several houses away, Fiona decided she was imagining things.

  Attributing her unease and strange mood to a sleepless night, a bad day, and a frustrating conversation with Joshua, she tucked her phone back into her pocket and went inside.

  A long hot bath and an early night sounded like just what she needed.

  * * * *

  Holding his breath, he stood motionless when her gaze moved in his direction, using the shadows to conceal him from view.

  He’d missed his chance with the other woman and had hopes for this one.

  The big one hadn’t let her out of his sight, convincing him that she was as important as the other one.

  But she’d left—and he’d seen her off.

  It made him wonder if he didn’t want her anymore.

  If that were true, taking her from him wouldn’t have the impact he wanted.

  He’d already discovered the names of the people who’d sold the house the first woman had lived in, and learned their current address. After bribing a member of the ground crew, and learning where the plane was headed, he followed, and found her at the address he’d memorized.

  Sure enough, that’s where he found the second woman.

  No one in his pack could get anywhere near the woman who now lived with their enemies, the woman who’d given birth to a shapeshifter’s child.

  No shapeshifter in his pack had ever fathered a child, and the fact that their enemies had managed to start the next generation had everyone furious.

  He and the others had been surprised to see the woman with the others when they were in panther form and even more surprised that it didn’t scare her at all.

  On one of the few times he’d managed to get close enough to their property to watch her through binoculars, she appeared to accept it with ease, even sitting outside with the infant and laughing at their antics.

  He’d seen the intimacy between her and the two Alphas.

  It was only natural that the Alphas should be the ones to take a mate, but he had no idea how they shared her without killing each other.

  Their weakness for their women amused him.

  When the second woman had arrived, he’d managed to get close enough to watch, probably because everyone in their pack had been preoccupied with the women.

  Their weakness.

  When the second woman left after only a few days, he knew he’d been right.

  Only the Alphas could have a woman.

  As the Alpha, he could find a woman and bring her to the mountains to live with his pack.

  He certainly would guard her but wouldn’t cater to her the way they did.

  He’d have the sons he needed to secure his position in the pack, and the next generation would belong to him.

  But they needed money before they moved on.

  Kidnapping the woman he’d followed to Florida no longer seemed a solution.

  If the large shapeshifter didn’t want her, he wouldn’t pay to get her back.

  Not until he’d left the hotel and was on his way home did he remember her scent.

  He’d smelled it before but couldn’t quite place it.

  It tugged at his memory all the way home.

  Chapter Eleven

  Fiona finished the dishes, wiping her hands before pulling her phone from the back pocket of her jeans.

  Her mother had gone to a neighbor’s for coffee, leaving Fiona alone to call Joshua.

  Anxious to speak to him, she dialed his number on the way to the living room, dropping to the sofa just as he answered.

  “Hello, my mate. Did you start your period yet?”

  Fiona gasped, her face burning. “Joshua! Jeez.”

  “We’re lovers, Fiona. You’re my mate. Nothing’s too personal. Did you?”

  “No.”

  “Hmm. You might be pregnant. Good.”

  She couldn’t help but smile, amused that he seemed enthusiastic about something that would scare the hell out of most men. “I’ve been a little off for several months, Joshua, and I’m not even due yet, so don’t worry about it.”

  “Do I sound worried to you, my mate?”

  Smiling at the seductive teasing in his tone, Fiona kicked her shoes off and tucked her legs under her. “Since asking you not to call me that seems to fall on deaf ears, I won’t bother mentioning it again.”

  “Good. You sound better today than you have all week. Did your father have a good day? Is he doing any better?”

  “Yes. He’s finally coming to terms with the fact that he’s not coming home until he can get around on his own. My mother’s more devious than I realized.”

  “Oh?”

  “Absolutely. Her friends have been keeping her busy at night to take her mind off of Dad and to relax a little after spending all day with him. She got invited to dinner one night this week, one night she went to play cards, and tonight she went next door for cake and coffee. When I take her in in the morning, she tells my father what she did the night before, and my father’s realizing that she’s having a life away from him.”

  “You’re proud of her.”

  “Damn right. She’s always done everything that he wanted to do, and everything had to be done his way. It’s good to see her relaxed.”

  “And you? What are you doing to relax?”

  “Well, I talk to you and then go take a bubble bath. But I don’t stay with him all day like my mother does.”

  “Oh? What do you do?”

  “You really don’t want to know.”

  “I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t want to know. You’d better not be spending time with another man.”

  Surprised and slightly alarmed at his chilly tone, Fiona forced a laugh. “Not likely, unless you count Mr. Stevens.”

  “Who’s Mr. Stevens?”

  “My father’s roommate. He’s eighty-four years old and a shameless flirt.”

  “Be careful. If you flirt back, you could give him a heart attack.”

  “Cute.”

  “I’m a man, my mate. I know the effect you have on me.”

  “Hmm. What kind of effect?”

  “I want you constantly. The sight of you, the scent of you, even your voice makes me hard. Do you have any idea how many times I reach for you during the night?”

  “I bought a body pillow.”

  “You did. Why?”

  “Same reason. I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Good.”

  Fiona smiled and stretched out. “You think it’s good that I couldn’t sleep?”

  “I love that you sleep better when you’re with me. It tells me that, deep down, you trust me, even if you don’t realize it. Trust your instincts, my mate. I would never hurt you.”

  “You make it sound so easy.”

  “It is. Now tell me how you spend your day.”

  “It’s boring.”

  “Good. I want your excitement to come from me. So, what’s this boring stuff?”

  “Let’s see. I came home once this week to do some grocery shopping and got things ready to make some quick dinners. Another day, I came home to clean the house, and today I came home to do the laundry and ironing. I also made some cookies.”

  “I don’t like that you’re working so hard.”

  Fiona sighed. “Then I don’t think you’re going to like my news.”

  “What news?”

  Irritated that his tone sent a chill through her,
Fiona stiffened. “I got a job.”

  “You what? Don’t you have enough to do? Why the hell did you have to add more to your plate by getting a job? Do you need more money? What kind of fucking job? I swear, my mate, you’re trying my patience.”

  “I’ve got news for you, darling. I don’t answer to you. I don’t want the money you gave me. I prefer to support myself.”

  “If you think I’m going to allow you to run yourself ragged, you’re sadly mistaken.”

  “Allow me? You have no fucking say in what I do!” Getting to her feet, she fought back tears, struggling to keep her voice steady. “I think it’s better if we—”

  “You finish that sentence and I’ll fly down there tonight and get you. Hang up on me again, and I’ll do the same thing. This isn’t over between us, Fiona. Not by a long shot.”

  Wiping her eyes, she took a steadying breath and dropped back to the sofa again. “Joshua, I don’t know if I can be what you want.”

  “I don’t know how to get this through that thick head of yours, my mate, but you are exactly what I want. You’re the woman I want, and I’ll be damned if I let you walk away from me without giving this a chance.”

  * * * *

  Joshua spent the next week determined to make it clear to Fiona that he expected her to come back to him, but in a way that didn’t pressure her.

  He’d spent the day working with the others on making the farm safer for her, Glenna, and Jonas.

  His packmates had all jumped in, each with their own suggestions, the excitement in the air something that had been missing from the farm for a very long time.

  He’d just finished his shower and pulled on a worn pair of jeans when his cell phone rang.

  Automatically checking the display, he smiled to see Fiona’s number.

  “Hello, beautiful. Are you pregnant?”

  Fiona giggled. “I swear, Joshua. You’ve got a one-track mind.”

  “So you’ve said. That doesn’t answer my question.”

  “I don’t know yet. What did you do today?”

  “We finished pouring the concrete on the path between our house and the farmhouse. It’ll be safer for you and Glenna to go back and forth, especially in bad weather. It’ll also be easier to push a stroller.”

  “Wow. That sounds like a lot of work.”

  “With all of us working on it, it went fast. It’s important to everyone. We’ll add more paths later. We’re cleaning up the brush where Glenna fell.”

  He hated lying to her, but until he could tell her that they were shapeshifters, he couldn’t explain why Glenna had been in danger.

  “Jonas will be running around before you know it.”

  “I’m more worried about the ravine.”

  “The fence is already up.”

  “It sounds like you’ve all been busy.”

  “We have. I’ve been doing some work in the house, too.”

  “Oh? The new coffee maker?”

  Joshua made his way to the living room, hoping that Fiona would like the changes he made. “A little more than that, but don’t ask me what. It’s a surprise, and you’re just going to have to wait until you come home to find out.”

  He had a few more in mind and had ordered the supplies he needed—the last few minutes of a conversation with her adding another.

  “How many of your friends have girlfriends?”

  “We don’t have girlfriends. They go out, but no one ever brings anyone back to the farm.”

  “You did. Leland and Joe did.”

  “We brought our mates. That’s different.”

  “Why do you all live together?”

  “A few have moved away, but the rest of us are happy here. There’s no reason to move. We work together, which makes this arrangement much more convenient, and there’s lots of room here.”

  “Oh.”

  “So how was your day, my mate?”

  “Fine.”

  “You’re not working too much, are you?”

  “No. I told you that it’s part time. I only work a few hours a day, filling in for a woman who’s on maternity leave. I sit at a desk and fill out insurance forms and talk to insurance companies.”

  “How’s your dad doing?”

  “Better every day. His therapist thinks he might be able to come home next week.”

  “Good. I can’t wait for you to come home.”

  * * * *

  Fiona disconnected a few minutes later, pleased that he hadn’t suspected anything. Turning to face her mother, she dropped her phone into her new purse and set it with her suitcase. “Are you sure you don’t mind if I leave? If I drive all night, I can be there early in the morning. I’ll spend the day with Joshua, get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll be back the next night.”

  Her mother smiled and hugged her, the closeness between them stronger than it had ever been. “Of course not, dear. Your Uncle Russell and Aunt Carol should be here in a few hours. They’ll be here until the day after tomorrow. I’m anxious to see what they want to talk to me about. It’ll be good for your dad to see his older brother. Your dad actually listens to Russell.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “No. Thank you for coming to help me. Just make sure you bring back some pictures of my grandson. I like being able to talk to them and see them on the computer, but I want some pictures to show him off.”

  “I will, Mom.”

  Excited to see Joshua, and to share her news, Fiona grabbed a bottle of water and rushed out.

  Chapter Twelve

  After his conversation with Fiona, Joshua found himself too restless to sit inside. He went outside, and drawn by voices, he walked beside the still drying path toward the farmhouse, where it appeared that everyone had gathered.

  Although they’d left off the lights, Joshua could see everyone clearly and knew that all except Glenna could.

  He made his way to the deck, accepting a bottle of beer from Joe on his way to an empty chair away from the others, smiling at the picture Glenna made feeding the baby.

  “Is that Joshua?”

  Standing beside her, Leland smiled and ran a hand over her hair. “Yes, my mate. It is.”

  Glenna grinned, dividing her attention between the baby at her breast and Joshua. “Did you talk to Fiona?”

  “I did.” Joshua sipped his beer, leaning back in his chair. “She said that your father’s doing better and might go home next week.”

  “That’s great. I’ll be glad to have her home again.”

  “So will I.” He ached for his mate, and every day without her was agony.

  He couldn’t even imagine how it had been for Leland and Joe to be separated from Glenna for months, not even knowing where she was.

  Talking to Fiona every day helped, but not enough.

  It only emphasized the miles between them, and when the call ended, he found that he missed her even more.

  He’d never had trouble sleeping alone, but Fiona had ruined that.

  Mitch came through the back door and dropped into the seat next to him. “Jonas is growing like a weed already.”

  Something in Mitch’s tone made Joshua stiffen. “There’s nothing wrong, is there?”

  “No.” Mitch lowered his voice to match Joshua’s. “It’s just that he eats a little more than the average newborn.”

  Joshua glanced at Glenna. “Is there a problem?”

  “No.” Mitch shrugged. “Leland and Joe are helping me keep track of how often she feeds Jonas, and I’m weighing both her and the baby every week. With all the calories she’s burning up, she needs to eat more, and Leland and Joe are making sure that she does.”

  Joshua cursed, scraping a hand through his hair. “Christ. Both of them were malnourished.”

  “And you’re thinking that if Fiona’s pregnant, it could affect her. Luckily, we’ll have more time to watch over her than we did with Glenna.”

  “Glenna looks better. Leland and Joe look relieved, but both of them still keep a sharp eye on her. Now I kno
w why.”

  Mitch smiled. “I don’t think you can blame it on all that. I’ve seen you watch Fiona the same way.”

  Leaning close, he lowered his voice even more. “Any news?”

  “No. She said she’s been irregular for months and doesn’t know yet.”

  Mitch nodded. “Probably due to stress and not eating enough. I need to know as soon as possible. I want to increase the vitamin dosage for her.”

  Joshua paused with his beer bottle halfway to his mouth. “Are you sure that’s safe?”

  Mitch frowned, sitting back again. “I plan to monitor her closely, Joshua. I’m not risking their health for anything, but there’s a lot we don’t know. You do realize that as soon as she finds out, you’re going to have to tell her about us. And soon.”

  Joshua glanced at Glenna again, imagining Fiona with their own child. “Something tells me she won’t take it as well as Glenna.”

  Mitch blew out a breath. “You’ll make her understand. When is she supposed to come back?”

  “Hopefully, next week. Have you noticed anything different in Glenna’s bloodwork?”

  Mitch frowned, his expression shuttered. “Such as?”

  Irritated, Joshua cursed and sat back again. “Christ, Mitch. I’m not asking you to betray a confidence or just for the hell of it. I’ve got a vested interest in this, too. I need to understand how this shit works.”

  He finished his beer and set the bottle aside. “What if she isn’t pregnant? What if she is and doesn’t want to come back?”

  Scraping a hand through his hair, Joshua got to his feet and left the deck, aware that Mitch followed. Not wanting to be overheard, he waited until the neared the edge of the ravine before speaking again. “What if she doesn’t feel…what I feel?”

  Staring out into the night, Mitch sighed. “I wish I knew more, but I don’t.” Leaning against the part of the fence that had been completed, Mitch turned to Joshua. “There’s nothing in her blood samples that seems off. I don’t know enough about how all this works to give you any definite answers—at least nothing that would help. I can tell you this.” He gestured toward the deck where everyone remained gathered. “The connection between them is strong. I don’t know how the hell it works, but she’s gotten healthier and happier every day since she’s been here. You saw the way Leland and Joe were without her. It’s like nature made the decision.”