Jack seemed oblivious to how much the issue was bothering Silver. At some point, after they had been walking for over an hour, Jack stopped to sit on a secluded grassy spot that overlooked a rocky trail down to the water. Once they were seated, Silver could no longer keep her mouth shut.
“Jack, don’t you worry that we’re going to wait until it’s too late to get help? What if the entire shifter world ends up in trouble, and we didn’t do anything to stop the threat while we still could?”
Silver forced herself to look over at Jack, whose face was lit up brilliantly by the full moon. He didn’t say anything for a long time, and when he finally spoke, his voice wasn’t angry. It was soft, and wistful.
“I don’t know, Silver. I worry about a lot of things. I had hoped that by moving to Chicago, I could escape my identity as a shifter. I’m not ashamed of it. It’s just that living by clan rules always seemed so limiting. I wanted to be my own person, and not have to answer to anyone for being part bear. For a long time, I thought that living in a big city gave me enough anonymity that I wouldn’t have to ever explain myself to anyone. I guess part of me is still having a hard time accepting the fact that my days of living secretly as a bear among men are numbered. Talking to our parents about it makes it seem so real. I hate that. And I know they are going to want to swoop in and bring some sort of organized plan of attack in. I just don’t think it’s necessary yet. We don’t even know exactly who we’re fighting. I mean we know about Joe’s dad, but we don’t know who he’s working with. There are just too many variables.”
Silver frowned. “You’re stalling, Jack. We don’t know all the details, true. But we probably never will. What’s the real reason you’re so resistant? There’s something you’re not telling me.”
It was Jack’s turn to frown. He drew in a long breath of air and then let it out slowly. “I just don’t want to be part of a clan anymore. It’s as simple as that. I love being a bear. I love being a shifter. But I’m something of a loner at heart. Sure, I like having all my shifter friends. But you guys are enough for me. I don’t need a big fancy clan with a bunch of rules.”
Silver didn’t speak for a full minute as she looked out over the dark water. The black waves were topped with silver edges where the moonlight hit them as they rose and fell. Finally, she looked back over at Jack and shrugged. “I don’t think that asking our parents for help means you have to go back to living under structured clan rules. Times are changing, and our parents understand that. At least, mine do. They know that I’ll probably never come back to Alaska and settle down into clan life. I like being here in Chicago. I’m not here for the anonymity of a big city, though. I’m here for the dance opportunities. I’ve always been good about hiding my shifter side, because it was drilled into me from such a young age. But, lately, I’ve been wondering if maybe that was a mistake. Sometimes I fantasize about being able to casually drop into conversation the fact that I’m part bear. I dream of a world where shifters are just accepted as normal.”
“I don’t know if that’s possible,” Jack said.
“I don’t know, either. But I’d like to think someday things will be different. And I worry that if we don’t stop Mr. Astor before he and his cronies stir up public panic about shifters, that we’ll find ourselves fighting a losing battle. We should take the initiative, and beat him to the punch. If we could somehow show the world that we’re not dangerous, before Mr. Astor convinces everyone that we are, then maybe shifters everywhere could live in peace.”
Jack chuckled softly, then reached over and grabbed Silver’s hand. “You’ve always been a dreamer, Sil,” he said.
Silver smiled to herself in the darkness. The warmth of his skin against hers felt delightful, and she wondered why it had taken them so long to acknowledge their feelings for each other. They could have had many nights like this already, sitting close to each other and just enjoying each other’s company. Maybe they didn’t agree on how to deal with the eye scanner situation, but at least they knew they cared about each other. At the end of the day, no matter what happened, they would have each other’s backs. What more could you ask for in life than a friend and lover who would stand by you no matter what?
“So, Mr. Anonymous shifter,” Silver said, after several minutes of silent reverie. “When’s the last time you shifted.”
Jack looked over at Silver and widened his eyes. “I don’t like that mischievous glint in your eyes. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of shifting right now?”
“Why not? It’s dark enough. There’s no one around right now. We could splash around and have a lot of fun out here in the lake.”
“No way, Silver. It’s too dangerous.”
“Why? No one’s going to see us. And if they do, they’re just going to freak out and run away because they’re terrified to see a bear.”
“And then call the cops.”
Silver shrugged. “We’ll be shifted back before the cops get here.”
She stood up and started pulling her clothes off with her back to Jack. She wanted to show off her lean dancer curves for Jack, and stripping so that she could shift without ruining her clothes was a cheeky excuse for letting him see her naked. He probably knew that’s why she was doing it, but she didn’t care. That was one benefit to being a shifter—being naked in front of your friends wasn’t really all that uncommon. Everyone just accepted that sometimes you had to take off your clothes to shift. It had been a normal part of life growing up.
“Silver,” Jack’s voice came from behind her, sounding slightly panicked. “You really can’t shift here. This is ridiculous. What happened to what you said a minute ago about hiding your shifter side?”
Silver glanced over her shoulder and grinned at Jack. “Come on. Shift with me. Just for a minute. Nothing’s going to happen. It’ll be fun.”
Jack frowned. “No way,” he said, but his voice faltered a bit.
Silver smiled. She knew she was breaking down his resolve. “If you don’t shift with me then I’m going to roar really loudly,” she said.
Jack let out an exasperated sigh. “You are nothing but trouble.”
“Trouble in a fur coat,” she said with a wink.
Then she let out a low growl and started to shift. Her smooth human skin quickly thickened and then became covered with soft, brown fur. Her face morphed into the face of a bear, with two perfectly round ears and a wet, black nose. Her hands and feet turned into large grizzly paws, complete with long, razor-sharp claws on the end. Silver took a deep breath in and then started running toward the water. It had been too long since she’d last shifted, and it felt good to get all the kinks worked out of her muscles. Her strong grizzly legs carried her toward the water at full speed, and she went splashing into the waves without slowing down.
When she turned around, she saw Jack on the shore, shaking his head in exasperation as he stripped off his clothes. He let out a growl that sounded similar to the noise Silver had just made, and then he started to morph into a bear as well. His skin went through a thickening process similar to what Silver’s skin had just done, but when the fur started to appear it was the thick white fur of a polar bear. His head became the large white head of a polar bear, and his hands and feet changed into fearsome paws. He padded toward the water, much less enthusiastic than Silver had been.
Slowly, gracefully, he stepped into the lake and waded out until he was near Silver, where it was deep enough to swim. Silver always marveled at how agile the polar bears were in the water. She was a good swimmer, but the polar bears were absolute experts. They had webbed paws, which made their movements in the water smooth and effortless.
Jack swam over to her and nuzzled his bear nose against hers. Silver nudged him back, and then playfully jumped up and onto his back, trying to dunk him. She managed to get his head under for just a moment, probably because she caught him by surprise. He was a much bigger bear than she was, and as soon as he resurfaced he easily dunked her under in return.
For a m
oment, the distant city sounds of the evening were completely muffled by the water, and Silver closed her eyes as she enjoyed the calm silence that filled her ears. The only sound she could hear was the whoosh of water rushing by her as her head slid downward through the water. This was heaven. Being here in the water, with one of her childhood friends, reminded her of all the good old days. Memories of summers spent splashing in Alaskan creeks came flooding over her. For the hundredth time that day, she breathed out a prayer of thanks that her parents had been such good friends with so many of the bears in Jack’s clan. She was lucky to have known him most of her life. The fact that the man who had now captured her heart had known her so long only made things sweeter between them.
Silver resurfaced, and spent several more minutes splashing around, roughhousing in the water with Jack. His dark bear eyes were filled with delight, and he seemed to have forgotten to worry about whether someone might see him. He splashed and dunked and rolled in the water, his fur plastered to his skin in wet clumps. Silver’s heart felt like it would burst right out of her chest as she watched him so full of joy. The moonlight shimmered off of his wet fur, and even though he was in bear form she could have sworn she saw him smiling. Her heart beat faster within her chest. Was this what love felt like? Silver had never felt any emotion this strong toward Joe. This was a different kind of relationship. One where her heart was truly involved. This was more than just a simple affection toward someone. This was an all-consuming passion that burned her up from the inside.
Finally, Silver could no longer wait any longer to kiss Jack. She let out a roar, not caring who heard her. With a rush of powerful energy, she shifted back into human form, then swam back through the cool water toward a spot where her feet could touch the bottom. She stood there, grinning at Jack, and waiting for him to shift as well. He followed her lead, shifting quickly back into human form and then swimming over toward her.
He had a happy, boyish grin plastered across his face, and his dark hair was sticking out every which way in wet clumps. He looked absolutely perfect.
“That was awesome,” he said. “Thanks for convincing me to do that. It’s been too long since I let my bear out to play.”
Silver winked at him. “Anytime,” she said. “I did it as much for me as I did for you.”
Jack’s eyes grew serious as he let his eyes glide over Silver’s face, and down her bare shoulders. Her breasts were hidden under the dark water, but he let his eyes wander to the spot where her nipples stood alert just below the waves. The heat and passion in his eyes left no doubt in Silver’s mind that Jack was contemplating the very same thing she was. The strength of the moment left Silver somewhat terrified.
“Jack…Jack I have to tell you. I feel things for you I’ve never felt for anyone before,” Silver said. She glanced down at the water, unwilling to meet his eyes as she spoke to him. She couldn’t bear the thought that he didn’t feel the same for her. What if she was laying her heart on the line here, and his heart wasn’t right there with hers? Silver didn’t think she would be able to bear the heartache.
But in the next moment, she felt Jack’s finger under her chin, lifting her face so that she was looking straight into his eyes. “I feel it too, Silver. It’s the lifemate bond. I can’t believe you’ve been right here in Chicago with me the whole time, and I didn’t realize you were my lifemate. But it explains a lot. It’s why I couldn’t get you out of my head, no matter how hard I tried. Even when you were dating Joe, I could never fully let you go. Now I know why. You and I are destined for each other, Silver. You may be Trouble, but you’re my Trouble.”
Silver felt her heart pounding even harder, and a rush of warmth filled her. The lake water was still cool for human skin, but she didn’t feel the chill at all. All she could think about was how close to her Jack was standing in the water, and how she wanted him to take her in his arms and make love to her. They were both naked. It would be so easy.
“Jack, please,” she pleaded, unable to form more words, but desperate for him to make her his own. He understood.
“Silver, you know if we mate, the lifemate bond is sealed. It’s unbreakable. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“I’m sure. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” Silver said.
By the light of the moon, Silver could see the heat in Jack’s eyes intensifying. With a low growl, he stepped forward and pulled Silver into his arms. The water swished around them as he moved his hands to cup her face, and put his lips against her lips. Silver gasped as she felt his erection, hard and stiff, poking against her stomach. His tongue, warm and strong, slid into her mouth and danced with her own tongue. Each movement sent a fresh wave of passion and electricity into her body. The water between them was no longer cool. Silver felt almost like she was in a hot tub, as the heat of their desire burned up the space between them. She threw her hands around Jack’s neck and kissed him with abandon. How had she never noticed this wonderful man right in front of her all these years? Every nerve ending in Silver’s body tingled and throbbed as Jack pressed himself more firmly against her body.
After holding her face for several minutes, he slid his hands down her body. He grazed her bare shoulders and then found her breasts, which were alert and full, begging for his touch. He cupped each breast in one of his palms, and then used his thumbs to massage her hard nipples. Each flick of his thumb sent shock waves of desire through Silver. She could feel pressure building between her legs as her body responded to Jack, begging for more of his touch, and begging for him to fill her.
Jack was taking his time, though. He was thorough in his kisses, and in the attention he paid to Silver’s breasts. He didn’t hurry as he slipped his tongue from her mouth and moved his mouth to the side of her head, where he nibbled on her ear and blew gently, his hot breath sending tingles down her spine.
When he eventually pulled his head back and looked into her eyes, his eyes looked otherworldly. They were dark, blazing, and full of the deepest passion Silver had ever seen.
“Are you sure about this?” Jack asked again, huskily. Just the sound of his raspy, hungry voice was enough to send a fresh wave of heat through Silver’s body. She couldn’t even respond with words. She just nodded, her eyes pleading with him to give himself to her.
In the next moment, he slid his hands down to her ass, and lifted her so that her feet left the solid ground of the bottom of the lake. Silver had been lifted off the ground hundreds of times in her dancing career, but she had never felt as weightless as she did right now. The loss of gravity from the water, and from the pure ecstasy of being in Jack’s arms, made her feel like she was floating on a cloud. Jack held her with one arm, then lifted her left leg and wrapped it around one of his hips. Then he switched arms and wrapped her right leg around his other hip.
After pausing just a moment to position her slick entrance right in front of his rock solid erection, he slid into her. Silver closed her eyes and moaned at the overwhelming symphony of sensations that she felt. Jack was enormous. He filled her completely, pushing deep into her and striking nerve endings inside of her that she hadn’t even known existed. The pressure in her core built to a deliciously unbearable level, and Jack pressed his broad chest against her soft breasts, sending fresh heat through her body everywhere their skin made contact. His arms were wrapped around her back now, and his head was dipped down so that he could nibble her ear again.
Silver was pretty sure in that moment that this must be the most blissful experience a human could have. She’d never experienced such a perfect storm of physical and emotional sensations, and she moaned as her body began to tremble. Jack slid gently in and out, thrusting deep into her and leaving her feeling like she had no escape. The pressure was too great, and there was only one way to release it.
With a loud roar, Silver threw her head back and let go completely. Her body quaked, her inner walls clenching around Jack’s erection over and over as she found her release. Wave after wave of pleasure f
illed her, and she found herself going limp in Jack’s arms from releasing so much energy.
Jack let out a low, approving growl, holding her tighter as he continued to thrust into her. With one final, authoritative movement, he drove himself deep into her and stiffened as he found his release, too. He let out one more long, low growl as he spilled both his physical and emotional self out into Silver.
For several moments afterward, neither one of them said anything. The water lapped gently against their intertwined bodies as they both panted, coming back down from the most intense high either of them had ever been on. Silver rested her head against Jack’s chest, keeping her legs wrapped around his body as he held her tightly in his arms.
Silver could feel a deep, warm heat glowing within her. She smiled as she felt the lifemate bond taking hold in her very core. She had dreamed of this day, when she would find the one whom destiny had chosen for her. She had never expected it to be Jack, but she could not have been happier. After all the years they had spent together as friends, he knew her so well. And she loved the fact that they were both shifters. There would be no need for an awkward conversation about who she really was. Jack already knew.
He knew her, really knew her. He saw deep into her soul, and he loved her. Even though he hadn’t actually said the words, she could feel the emotion pulsating out from his very being. They were bonded. From now on, come what may, they were in this together. And for the first time in weeks, Silver felt a true calm settle over her being.
Trouble in a Fur Coat (The Fur Coat Society Book 1) Page 12