One Night With the Shifter

by Theresa Meyers

  He was all smiles until he saw Ty, then his expression sobered quickly. “Hey, Commander. What are you doing here?”

  The four elder Brierlys all turned their gazes to Ty.

  “You know him?” Davis asked, jerking his thumb in Ty’s direction.

  “You know him?” Jess said, shoving Ty’s arm and pointing at Riley.

  “Yes,” both Riley and Ty said in unison.

  “It’s supposed to be classified, but Riley is in my current training unit.”

  Edgar kept glancing at Ty with suspicion. Apparently dating his little sister was bad enough, but endangering his youngest brother was an even greater sin.

  Paul looked relieved and grinned. “You’re that guy with the outdoor survival outfit that started up a few months ago.”

  Ty gave him a stiff nod.

  “That’s brought a hefty amount of extra business into the local economy,” he said, glancing at his brothers.

  The tension in the room seemed to ease slightly. At least the odds were evening up, three Brierlys in his favor against two.

  “Are you wearing my sister’s pajamas?” Riley said, his voice squeaking slightly before he burst into laughter that doubled him.

  Ty knew a cue to exit when he heard one.

  Chapter 4

  When you were in an awkward situation, the best option was to take charge. Ty decided to treat Riley’s question about his atypical attire as rhetorical. “Brierly, where’s Johnson and Campbell?”

  Riley wiped the tears of laughter from the corner of his eye, trying to repress his snicker. “They dropped me off here and headed back. I figured I’d get something to eat, then get a ride from one of my brothers.”

  “I’ll give you a ride back to camp. Your furlough was only good until midnight. You’re late.”

  Jess sucked the last bits of sauce off her finger, making Ty’s stomach clench with longing. “Give me a sec to change and I’ll take you to pick up your car.”

  “Nice to have met you all,” Ty said, not expecting or waiting for any kind of response in return. He nodded to the Brierly men as he exited stage left, snatching up his clothes as he went.

  He ducked into the downstairs bathroom to change. Ty had never had what normies would consider a regular teenage experience. This was as embarrassing and close to one as he’d come, he thought as he exchanged Jess’s flannel pajama bottoms for his jeans. At twelve, when his voice changed, he’d joined up with the pack. Part of becoming a man was to be inducted into the pack by the bite of the Alpha. Bracken had done it. The pack bond had been so tight, so complete, that from that moment on, the pack could hear him and he could hear them.

  Being separated from that closeness after having been conditioned to it for so long was like being stuffed into a sensory deprivation tank to live out the remainder of his life. That was, unless he put a new pack together. He tucked in his shirt and slid on his socks and boots, then took a deep breath and stared at himself in the mirror.

  No wonder her brothers seemed suspicious. He looked like the disreputable sort. The bruise was starting to fade from his jaw, but it was turning a sickly yellow as it healed. His hair was a shaggy mess—it had grown out since he’d buzzed it short when he’d left the pack and he’d been too damn busy to get it cut.

  Ty opened the door to find Jess staring mutinously at her brothers. From the tension shimmering in the air, he could bet what the talk was about. Her damp hair was caught up into a ponytail, but renegade wisps formed little curls to frame her face. Her hand was fisted around her keys.

  She turned to glance at Ty, her cheeks coloring. Edgar snatched the car keys from Jess during her momentary distraction.

  “I got this,” he said, his voice too smooth, too rational for Ty’s taste.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t ask you to.”

  Edgar tweaked her nose as though she was twelve. “No problem. You can thank me later.”

  Jess huffed and crossed her arms. There was preciously little room left in the immense entry hall with four Brierly brothers filling the space. Ty bet he wasn’t going to get a good-night kiss.

  He nodded toward her. “Thanks for a nice evening.” The understatement of the century. It had been a spectacular and memorable evening, one he’d never forget.

  A small smile touched her lips. “Good night, Ty.”

  Neither Riley nor Edgar said a word as they headed out, bypassing Jess’s truck to get in the sensible gray four-door sedan parked behind it. They climbed in and Ty was actually grateful they weren’t crammed together shoulder to shoulder in the front of Jess’s truck.

  He waited until the doors were all shut before he voiced his question. “So why’d you take her keys if you were going to take your car anyway?”

  “Insurance. I’m a cautious man by nature, Mr. Grayson.”

  Ty glanced at the house. He thought he saw a flutter of the curtain at Jess’s window, as if it had been stirred by a breath, or perhaps a quick movement, like her pulling back.

  Maybe the Mesmer was screwy since he wasn’t part of a formal pack. Maybe it was just him having gone too long without some serious female company. Either way, Jessica Brierly was not a good choice for a Were mate. First off, she was too ingrained in this community. Anything that happened to her would be noticed by everybody and their mother. Second, she had too many damn bodyguards in the shape of her older brothers. She didn’t need another protector. She needed— Hell, what did she need? She had a roof over her head. A good job. Security. A home...a family.

  He might have everything she wanted, but nothing that she needed.

  Edgar cleared his throat, breaking into Ty’s thoughts. “Look, you seem intelligent enough to get this the first time around, so I’m going to make it fast. Stay away from our sister.”

  Ty glanced up in the rearview mirror at Riley. No eye contact. The kid was staring out the passenger window in the backseat. He wasn’t going to be any help or hindrance in this situation.

  He locked his gaze back on Edgar’s profile. “Short, sweet and to the point. I appreciate that. But don’t you think it’s up to Jess?”

  Edgar glared at him. “Not really. Jess is the kind of girl that’d be easy to take advantage of. She’s sweet that way. Always looks at the good side of people. And you’re not her type. And I’d hate to have to meet you under professional circumstances.”

  Since Edgar was a coroner, Ty could only assume he meant in the county morgue. “You threatening me?”

  “Let’s consider it a friendly warning. Stay away. You’ll only end up hurting her, possibly ruining her career.”

  “How do you know?” Riley spoke up from the backseat, a bitter edge to his tone. “Commander Grayson’s been better than any sergeant I’ve had so far. He actually gives a damn about each of us. Isn’t just putting us through the paces. He might be just what Jess needs.”

  The temperature inside the car clicked up an easy five degrees with the tension alone. Edgar glared up at the rearview mirror at his little brother in the backseat. “When I want your opinion, Riley, I’ll ask for it.”

  They fell into an uneasy silence as the streetlights flicked past. Up ahead Ty could see the red neon sign reading OON.

  Ty kept his words to a bare minimum. “That’s our stop.” Gravel crunched beneath the tires as they pulled into the parking lot. He put his hand on the door handle, but couldn’t seem to open it until he said his last words to Jess’s older brother. “For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt your sister. You’re her family. You protect each other. I get that. I know what it’s like. She’s an amazing woman. You’re right to want to protect her.”

  Edgar’s eyes softened slightly. No matter what else the man was, he cared about his younger siblings. “Take care of my brother.” His gaze flicked to Riley. “You listen up and keep yourself safe
out there. Don’t do anything stupid.”

  “Yeah, yeah, if I die, you’re going to come kill me.” Riley grinned. Edgar’s lips twitched slightly, but it couldn’t be called a smile. “Night, Riley.”

  “Night, Ed.”

  They shut the doors and watched the car turn back onto the main road and out of sight.

  Riley rocked back on his heels and caught Ty’s gaze. “I bet you need another beer after meeting my family.”

  “Beer? Kid, I need something way stronger than that.” Ty walked over and opened the door to his black pickup. “But we’ve got to get back. Hop in.”

  * * *

  Jess walked downstairs in the morning to find her three older brothers waiting for her. Not good.

  She shoved her hair into a haphazard bun, or messy bun, as her kids called it at school. Her body was sore. Okay, perhaps sore was an understatement. She’d done things she didn’t know she could do last night, and the thought left her breathless and a little light-headed. Maybe she was hungry.

  Only the smell of crisp bacon and warm cinnamon buns from the oven had tempted her enough to brave the gauntlet of her brothers the morning after. She suspected the only reason they’d left her any breakfast in the first place was to lure her into the kitchen. They knew her well enough to know she’d want to avoid them for a few days. Perhaps if she acted as though nothing had happened, they’d just let it go.

  “Morning.” She tried to sound chipper and ended up sounding strained, even to her own ears.

  “Jess, we need to talk,” Davis said before she could even grab a cup of coffee. His dark neat hair and well-pressed uniform made him look as if he was getting ready to lead an interrogation.

  She held up a hand to stop him. “Seriously? At least have the decency to let me get caffeine in my system before you start your lecture.”

  His mouth thinned into the disapproving line she’d memorized since she’d been fourteen and he’d been in charge. Jess did her best to ignore it as she pulled out a mug, filled up her coffee cup and added the necessary three packets of sweetener and generous splash of half-and-half, stirred and sipped. The familiar warmth trailed down her throat. She cradled the cup between her hands, letting it warm them, and rested her hip against the counter as she took another fortifying sip. How did anyone live without coffee in the morning?

  Edgar didn’t wait any longer. “We’re worried about you.”

  “How do you know you can trust a guy like that?” Paul added.

  Davis was far more grim and final. “He’s not for you.”

  They fired off comments in such rapid succession it was like a firing squad. Jess could have gone along with the concern. She could have handled reason, but to be told flat out what she could or couldn’t do chafed like no one’s business. She locked gazes with Davis.

  “Look. For the last time, I’m an adult. And just like the rest of you, I’ll see who I please when I please. You don’t ask my permission and I shouldn’t have to ask yours.”

  Fine lines of tension appeared around Davis’s eyes. “And what about your career, Jess? Have you considered what somebody like that might do to your reputation? How it could ruin a job you love?”

  She set the coffee cup down on the counter and crossed her arms. It was hard enough to battle with her brothers confidently, harder still when she wore a fluffy robe with kittens cavorting over it. “You’re one to talk, Davis.”

  He winced.

  “You remember Shelby? How smart was it to get involved with her?”

  “That was different.”

  “How?”

  “She lied about being single.”

  “And yet you stayed by her side for months. This was just a fling. One night.”

  “You sure about that?” Paul interjected.

  “I’m telling you. You guys are preaching to the choir here. There’s no reason for us to keep seeing each other.” Jess picked up her cup and took another drink. “As you say, he’s not my type. I’m not going to jeopardize teaching for some mountain-man jarhead, no matter how attractive. Don’t worry your pretty little heads. I’ll never see him again.” After all, it wasn’t as if he’d come looking for her, was it? What had been brain-melting sex for her could have been just another night out for him. She really didn’t know.

  Edgar snorted. “Don’t think he sees it that way.”

  Her stomach did an uneasy roll. Jess speared Ed with a glance over the steaming rim of her cup. “What did he say?”

  “Nothing. Didn’t have to. God, Jess, it was written all over his face. Even you had to see that. The guy has it bad for you.”

  Jess’s heart pounded at the thought. Did he? Surely he didn’t think she did those things with everyone she dated. She’d dated guys before, but no one had brought out her wild side like Ty. She was like a different woman when she was in his arms. Wanton. Insatiable. “You guys are way overreacting. Trust me. One date was it.”

  Paul looked over at Davis. “Isn’t that all Mom and Dad had before they got hitched?”

  Davis nodded, his mood still surly.

  As if that ever happened nowadays. Nobody believed in love at first sight anymore. They were just being the same overprotective brothers she’d always known. Jess sighed. She couldn’t blame them for being who they were.

  “It doesn’t matter. He’s got his survival school to run and I’ve got my class to think about come Monday.”

  She set down her coffee and grabbed the last plate set out by the stove, picking up several pieces of bacon and ignoring the cinnamon rolls. For whatever reason, she was craving the bacon, but the thought of eating the sweet, sticky rolls no longer sounded appetizing. “You three don’t have to worry,” she said as she bit into the bacon and chewed. “I’m a big girl. I’ll guarantee you, Ty’s already forgotten the whole thing.”

  * * *

  Ty looked over his group of recruits. He hadn’t slept when they’d gotten back to the compound. He’d packed Riley off to his barrack, then sat staring up at the moon until dawn had streaked in brilliant fingers of fiery red and glowing orange over the horizon in the east, turning the moon into a pale imitator of her original glory.

  He scrubbed his hands over his face, and found the scent of her still lingering on his hands. Her peppermint kiss on his skin, the intimate spice of her body on his fingers. Gods. He was screwed. Well and truly screwed. The Mesmer had to be stopped now before it got any stronger. Otherwise he’d never have a chance at building a decent pack.

  If a Mesmer fully formed, he’d never want another mate and would chase every female away from the pack territory out of instinct alone. And a pack full of bachelors didn’t last long—if it lasted at all. Eventually order broke down. Brother turned against brother. All hell broke loose.

  He needed a mate who would handle who and what he was. And Jessica Brierly was too damn complicated to fit that bill. Besides, she hadn’t even given him her damn phone number. All he’d been to her was a one-night stand. Maybe she was the smarter one.

  It was time to get back to work. He pushed his recruits hard, himself harder. He did what they did, all day long. They did a rock climb and hiked ten miles with their full gear packs, then they built shelters from whatever they found in the woods until sweat poured into his eyes and his muscles twitched with fatigue. But not even the physical effort could erase the image of Jess seared into his brain.

  “Commander, can I have a word with you?”

  Ty glanced at Riley and gave one quick nod. The kid’s face was streaked with grime, his hair plastered to his head with sweat. He needed to remember these recruits weren’t Weres. Their bodies wouldn’t repair and recover as quickly as his did.

  “This about the workout or your sister?”

  Riley looked nervous. Sister. Definitely.

  “Do you think you’ll see her
again?”

  “Doubt it. Your sister didn’t even give me her phone number.” Not that there weren’t a dozen ways of getting it.

  Riley had a devious spark in his eyes. “Not that hard to get if you know the right people.”

  Ty bit back a smile. “Not the point, kid. If your sister wanted to see me again, she’d have made it clear.” He pulled his canteen from his hip and took a long drink, then offered it to Riley.

  Riley took it, slugging down a drink, and rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth. “My brothers do this all the time, you know. She hasn’t dated a guy longer than a month before they start picking him apart and warning him off of her.”

  Ty took back the canteen and placed his hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Got to respect them for protecting your sister. They just want somebody good enough for her.”

  Riley let out an irritated sigh. “Problem is, in their opinion, nobody’s good enough for her. It’s not fair to Jess.”

  “When you’re the youngest in the family, kid, nothing’s fair.”

  Riley nodded. “Ain’t that the truth.”

  “If we’re going to eat tonight, blue team needs to get firewood.”

  Riley saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

  Ty watched the kid jog back to his team. A few days out in the wilderness and a good hunt would do Ty good.

  * * *

  Monday came and went. So did Tuesday, followed by Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in a boring, predictable order that made Jess feel as though she were walking around with weights tied to her feet all week. She found herself daydreaming in the middle of class—more typical for one of her sixth graders than her.

  She’d felt off all week, had a low-grade fever. Maybe she was just coming down with the crud that always seemed to circulate around the school this time of year. Maybe she was just heartsick.

  “Miss Brierly, Evan won’t give me back my calculator.” Jess glanced at her student Mila. Evan did everything he could to get the girl’s attention, in the most irritating, stupid fashion. Pulling on her hair. Putting used chewing gum on her desk. Taking her things or shoving into her at recess. Boys really had no clue. Too bad most men didn’t, either.