The Jaguar's Romance

by Emilia Hartley

  “Not again,” the alpha brother moaned. “Why does this keep happening to us?”

  “Tom!” Savannah chided sharply, but Dan could see the amused smile she was trying to hide as she jabbed him in his side. “Don’t be rude.”

  “Why does what keep happening?” Dan and Lucy asked in unison. Their eyes met and Dan could feel a wide grin spread across his face, a mirror image of hers.

  “Hi,” Savannah greeted, breaking away from the other bears and ascending the steps to shake Lucy’s hand. “I’m Savannah. It’s nice to meet you, Lucy.” Dan saw her work to ignore Tom’s dark muttering as he lamented to Nick about how much he hated change.

  Savannah leaned in jokingly. “Don’t mind him,” she said in a mock whisper. “Tom’s just an old stick in the mud who doesn’t do well with flux, especially when it comes to rogue shifters.”

  Dan’s heart lurched as his brain rushed to compute Savannah’s words. Rogue shifter? Lucy? “Hm?” was all he could say, leaning his head forward as if he’d surely just misheard. “Shifter?”

  Savannah’s gaze shifted from Dan to Lucy and back, eyes thoroughly confused. “Yeah?” After a beat of silence, her eyes shot open wide, her face the picture of complete shock. “Wait, you mean you didn’t know?”

  “I… well…” Dan tried to reason, but he could already feel the telltale blush of embarrassment beginning to color his cheeks.

  “Come on, Dan!” Savannah teased. “What good are all those bear senses if you never use them?”

  “Look, this whole day has just been once big exhausting distraction, okay?” Dan retorted limply, trying to hide how foolish he felt. How many more times would he completely fail his innate bear senses before he finally learned to use them properly?

  Lucy’s giggle joined Savannah’s teasing, and he looked over to see her covering her smile with a delicate hand. “You honestly didn’t know?” she asked.

  “Some bear you are,” Nick jabbed lightly, joining everyone on the porch as Tom trailed behind.

  “Not you, too,” Dan groaned. “You know me and my human side don’t really get along.”

  Nick opened his mouth to retort, but Jo made herself known in the doorway. “The food’s getting cold,” she announced firmly. “Can you guys please discuss this inside while we eat?” she looked past Dan to where Savannah and Tom stood. “Snacks are in the fridge if you guys want to sit in with us, but I’ll die before you guys finish teasing poor Dan about his weak nose.” She shot an apologetic but amused smile Dan’s way. Even a human could notice how completely inept Dan had been today. Great.

  “Good idea,” Dan muttered, quickly passing by everyone to stalk inside before they could pelt him with more jokes. He took extra care as he lifted his and Lucy’s food from the bag. He’d already pushed her over, got punched out by her brother, and completely overlooked her bear. The last thing he wanted to do was make an even worse first impression by dumping the food he’d promised her all over the cabin floor.

  Jo took Savannah and Lucy into the kitchen to get dishes, and Dan could already see that Lucy was fitting in nicely with the others.

  And she was a shifter.

  Dan shook his head. Though there was something comforting and peaceful in learning that she was one of them, for the time being it didn’t change things. The pack had much too much to worry about without Dan trying to throw his feelings into the mix. He was much too clumsy to juggle it all, anyway.

  “So,” Tom began, sneaking up on Dan as he let his mind wander. “Are you planning on explaining any of this, or…”

  “At least explain how you walked side by side with a shifter and thought she was human,” Nick added with a wide grin. Dan groaned inwardly, but underneath it all he was just happy that Nick was taking everything so well.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Dan muttered. “I get it. I dropped the ball on that one.” He knew there was no excuse for it, so, he’d just take the jokes and jabs until they found some other blunder of his to pick on.

  Nick shot him a knowing look. “Yeah, I get it, too.”

  Dan scratched the back of his head, giving Nick a confused look. “Huh?”

  Nick grinned. “A beautiful girl with nowhere to go asks for your help, and you’re too busy tripping over your own feet to notice she’s a shifter. That can only mean one thing.”

  “You’ve got it bad, man,” Tom finished with a raised eyebrow.

  Dan let out a long whoosh of breath, his heart beating a little faster at the thought of it. He was never opposed to sharing something between him and Lucy, even when he thought she was human, so he couldn’t help but agree with Nick’s observation. He just shrugged in lieu of a committal answer, slightly averting his gaze.

  “You’re not going to deny it then? You dog!” Nick laughed, slapping Dan on the shoulder before his face grew a little more somber. “Listen, I really don’t mind that she’s here for the night. In fact, I’m happy to see that you’re making friends, but if she’s looking to stay for any longer than tonight, I’m going to need some serious back story before I can even consider it.” He gave Dan a strong look that left no room for debate.

  Tom snorted. “I don’t like it.” He ran a hand over his face, muddying his steely gaze before continuing. “But I’m not going to get in the middle of your love life, or whatever you’re calling this. If Nick gives her the go ahead to stay, what you two do is none of my business until it becomes a liability to the pack.” He shrugged, his gaze trailing back to where his mate was still collecting dishware with Lucy. Dan could tell Tom wasn’t on board with having Lucy anywhere near Savannah, not just yet, and he couldn’t blame the alpha for his wariness. Lucas was due to strike any moment now. Any shifter that wasn’t a part of the pack was seen as a threat.

  Nick rolled his eyes. “I get your sentiment, but you really need to start being more trusting, Tom. Not every bear is out to get us.”

  “I wouldn’t eat a steak from a poisoned cow in hopes that my cut didn’t get tainted, brother,” Tom rebutted quietly as the women exited the kitchen, deep in a conversation of their own. He raised his hand in a limp wave and set off to help Savannah with the stack of plates she held before either of the other men could respond.

  “Thank you, Nick,” Dan murmured apologetically. He hated that his decision had pitted the brothers against one another. “For what it’s worth, I appreciate your trust. I’m sure Lucy does, too.”

  Nick grinned, nonplussed by the words he’d just exchanged with Tom. “No problem at all. I’m just happy to see you putting yourself out there. What’s a little blind trust if it means you’ll find something like what Tom and I have with our women?”

  Dan fought more building embarrassment as he glanced over at Lucy. She didn’t appear to be listening in on the conversation, thank goodness. “I’m not sure it’s anything like that at all. She was in a pretty rough spot and I just wanted to help.” He let a grin spread across his lips. “The fact that she’s drop dead gorgeous is just a bonus,” he added quietly enough that she couldn’t overhear.

  Nick barked a laugh. “Atta boy! Oh, and thanks for the food,” he continued as they made their way to the dining table. “Way to save the day after I nearly burned the place down.”

  Jo rolled her eyes. “Oh, you probably did it on purpose so that I won’t ask you to cook anymore,” she jabbed lightly at her mate.

  Savannah wrinkled her nose. “Did you see that pot he dragged out into the woods? I don’t think even Nick could produce such a deep char on purpose. And the smell...” she shuddered. “It’s still clinging to my nostrils.”

  Lucy laughed at the repartee the pack shared while they ate, and Dan couldn’t help but let his mind wander as to what it could be. He hoped fleetingly that, whatever her reasons for being in Woodhaven, Nick would allow her to stay for at least a little while longer.

  “Oh yeah,” Nick spoke as he sat. “What the hell happened to your face?”

  Dan groaned. “Nothing, don’t worry about it.”

  Chapt
er Seven

  “So, Lucy,” Nick began as everyone finished up their meals. “What do you think of Dan not knowing you were a shifter?”

  She grinned at the question, taking in the groan Dan sighed as he covered his face with his hands. Truth be told, it was quite shocking that he didn’t know. She’d known he was a shifter almost immediately, as most other shifters would, and the fact that he didn’t was baffling to say the least. However, it did explain away her confusion at some of the things he’d said and done earlier in the night. Commenting on her hearing and confronting Dominic the way he had weren’t things that shifters said to other shifters, but Dan had been seeing them as humans the entire time. Still odd, though.

  She turned to Nick. “With all due respect, I reserve judgment. The poor fellow’s been embarrassed more than enough tonight.”

  Laugher rang out across the table as a scarlet hue tinged Dan’s cheeks. There was something in the way that he showed vulnerability that made Lucy feel at home, though she promised not to make a habit of it. Humor at the expense of others was probably not the best crutch to lean on for happiness.

  The laughing died to chuckles and some of the mirth melted from Nick’s eyes. She could tell that he was moving on to a more serious topic of discussion as his pack mates quieted around him. “So how long are you in town for?”

  Lucy’s eyes passed over the other people at the table before settling on Dan. “I’m not really sure. That’s not to say I really knew before all the stuff with my brother, but now I really don’t know.” She shrugged. “It’s not an exaggeration when I say I have nothing to go home to anymore.”

  Nick nodded his understanding, his eyes somber but honest. “You aren’t the first bear here who’s been in that situation, and I sympathize.” He leaned forward against the table from where he sat. “Look, I’m happy to let you stay here as long as you need to get back on your feet, but I hope you understand that I need more from you first. We’re going through some tough times right now and open-armed trust isn’t something I’m willing to risk for strangers these days.”

  Lucy bit her lip, conflicted on how much of her story she could openly share. She wasn’t the type to spill her life’s story at a moment’s notice, but at the same time, she understood this pack’s alpha and his need to exercise discretion.

  She thought loosely of her loyalty to her brother. Sharing much of anything at all would likely put him at risk. Was that something she was willing to do, even after the night they’d had? She fidgeted at the dinner table, painfully aware of all eyes upon her.

  She inhaled deeply and decided to let instinct do the talking for her. “I followed my brother to your territory,” she began, feeling the first stirrings of uncertainty as she thought of the best way to continue as she witnessed the flash of interest sparkling in Nick’s eyes. She glanced worriedly at Dan and he shot her an encouraging smile, urging her to continue. “He was the only home I knew, but he’s never been exactly the easiest to live with. Tonight was just the last straw; I don’t want the darkness in his heart to affect me anymore.” She shook her head for emphasis.

  “I met Dominic,” Dan interjected with a scowl, gesturing meekly to the bruises and swells that colored his face. “Not a particularly nice guy.” Lucy smiled up at him. Not a nice guy was putting it kindly, but she couldn’t agree more.

  She turned back to the others. “Of course, leaving someone who’s not used to being told no isn’t ever easy. Luckily, that’s when Dan stepped in to help out, for which I’ll always be grateful.” Her smile fell, a bit of apprehension returning to her chest as she dipped into the meat of her secrets. “But that definitely won’t be the last I or Dan will see the last of Dominic, unfortunately.”

  She saw Dan start at her declaration, and the importance of her next words became readily apparent. She had to choose her words carefully if she wanted any chance to hide under the safety of this pack.

  Looking Nick directly in his eyes, the nerves churning in her stomach were mere butterflies in comparison to her instinct to remain safe in all things. “I chose to leave Dominic because I was tired of being swept up in his endless cycle of thuggery and violence, but if I’m to remain safe from him for good, I’ll need your pack’s help.”

  Nick’s gaze was unwavering in sharp clarity. “And why do you think we’d help you fight your personal battles, Lucy?”

  Her fist clenched nervously under the table, but she kept her face strong and blank. “Because it’s not just personal. I may be on outs with my brother, but before that happened we got a call from our cousin to help deal with a pack that was causing him trouble. I’m convinced now that the pack he was referring to was yours.” She looked from face to face as understanding slowly dawned in each of their expressions. “My cousin’s name is—”

  “Lucas.”

  ***

  Tom was the first to snap into action, the chair he was sitting on toppled over with the force of how quickly he stood up. “Get the hell out.” His voice was venom as he bared his teeth at Lucy, and she could feel the full weight of his alpha influence. It made her want to run and never look back.

  Dan shot up, staring down the angry alpha with a calm, but fearless gaze. “Remember that she made the conscious decision to leave all of that trouble behind. I watched it myself, Tom. Please try to think past your distrust and give her some credit.”

  “Like hell!” Tom bit back. “She’s one of them, Dan. Who’s to say they didn’t stage that whole encounter in an attempt to infiltrate our pack?”

  “Infiltrate?” Dan repeated, bewildered at the extent of Tom’s wariness showing clearly on his face. “Tom, come on, who would go to such lengths?”

  Tom tilted his head to the side as if Dan was truly dense. “Savannah did.” Lucy saw the small woman next to Tom flinch slightly at the declaration.

  “Exactly,” Nick interjected, finally rising with the other men in the room. “And look at Savannah, your own mate now. She’s allowed a place at this table to laugh and love just like the rest of us,” he said to the other alpha with disappointment in his tone. “I thought you of all people would understand how people can change for the better, Tom.”

  Tom’s nostrils flared as he stared down at his brother, and finally Lucy stood to join them all. “Listen,” she began in an attempt to get their attention. “I don’t want to cause any friction in your pack. If Tom wants me out, I’m okay with leaving, no argument. But bear to bear, I want to make it completely known that I want nothing to do with Lucas or his pack. I have no loyalties to my cousin and none anymore to my brother who insists on helping him.” She let her gaze waver from Tom to Nick, hoping to see some clarity in their eyes. “You’re both alphas, I know you can tell that I’m not lying, so I’ll let you guys talk amongst yourselves, but please, don’t fight over it. I’m not worth the trouble.” She let the certainty of her words settle in the room before backing away from the table. She figured now was as good a time as any to get some fresh air. The tense atmosphere of the dining area had become much too stifling.

  With a sigh, all the tension left Nick’s body. “You’re right. We shouldn’t be fighting over this.” He looked to his brother and Dan, then back to Lucy. “Let’s all just sit down and talk this out like the adults and shifters we are.” The two males sat immediately, and after a bit of reluctance, Lucy followed.

  When Nick was sure everyone was calm enough, he finally sat as well. “Okay, so you say you’re not allied with the Northern Wind, nor are you loyal to your kin brother any longer,” he began. “I’m not guessing there’s any way you can prove this, is there?”

  Lucy shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”

  “Well do you have anything you can provide?” Tom chimed in, face still in a guarded scowl. “Any insight on what your brother or Lucas is planning? When might they attack? What do their numbers look like?”

  “I don’t know any of that stuff,” Lucy replied uneasily, holding her hands up in a physical signal to halt the torrent of que
stions. “I didn’t want to get involved with any war and battle stuff, and even if I did, it’s not like Dom would tell me anything important.” She shrugged her apology, knowing that nothing she had to share would be enough to sway the younger alpha. “I’ve never even met Lucas before, and I never planned to, so I can’t speak on anything about him personally. But I do know my brother, and I can give you a bit of insight on him if you think it’ll help.”

  “Please,” Nick said with an encouraging look. “Anything at this point would be helpful.”

  Something tense unclenched deep in Lucy’s belly. Finally, she was getting through to someone. “Alright,” she nodded. “Well, first off, he’s arrogant. He craves control and has the power to take it at a moment’s notice. Whatever he’s planning with that pack, I wouldn’t be so quick to assume that Lucas is pulling the strings. Everything Dom does, everything he agrees to is solely for his own benefit. Expect a power struggle in that pack within the coming days. There’s a good reason Dom decided to leave everything behind and come here. I’m pretty sure it has something to do with that pack.”

  “It sounds like you don’t really trust your brother at all,” Jo commented, leaning forward with eyes full of concern.

  Lucy pressed her lips together to quell a wave of emotion within her. “I don’t, not in the slightest. He’s always up to something, and he doesn’t care who gets hurt or what gets devastated in the process. I’m understand that this Northern Wind pack is a huge problem for you guys, and probably this whole town. If Dom has leadership of that pack in his sights, nothing good will come of it, for you guys, or the humans of this town.”

  Lucy watched as Nick worked over some thoughts in his mind. He finally looked at her. “Your brother,” Nick spoke. “Is he an alpha?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “But he makes for a good imitation,” Dan interjected. “In human form he’s bigger than me by a head or so; bigger than Lucas by about the same, I’d guess.” He looked over to his alpha. “Pretty sure he’s bigger than both Tom and you, as well, in both height and width. I’m not exaggerating when I say the guy is massive.”