by Anya Nowlan
“Jackson,” he said, inclining his head slightly while keeping a close eye on the redhead behind him. Tess, much too aware of the hunger in his gaze, squared her chin and tried to stand up taller. He was the kind of man that could make a woman feel completely naked and vulnerable in five seconds flat, and he seemed to have no qualms about doing just that, despite the presence of the fuming warden.
“Ryder,” Jackson said, his voice cold as ice. The other man stopped a few feet from Jackson, the two measuring up to each other. Tess felt as if she was witnessing something she shouldn’t. It was like two natural powers coming together, wordlessly bucking against one another. She couldn’t help the tremble that ran through the length of her body, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Tess half-expected them to lunge for each other, roaring with rage. Instead, they glared at one another silently; though Ryder seemed to prefer looking at her. She wanted to sink behind Jackson’s back, but it felt like an incredibly childish thing to do in the company of adults.
What the hell is it about these two… she wondered, the intensity of the moment knocking her off her feet.
“Don’t you think you’re much too far, Ryder?” Jackson asked, a thinly veiled threat lingering in his tone. Ryder’s smirk hung on his expression, barely giving the ranger the attention he deserved. He licked his lips making Tess feel almost violated.
Get a grip, she told herself, taking a deep breath and extending her fingers. She hadn’t even noticed that she had balled her hands into tight fists, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.
“No, I don’t,” Ryder replied, finally turning to look at Jackson. “I think you’ve got it a bit backwards, Arder. It seems that you’re the one who’s come too far. I thought we had this conversation last week. You should get used to the fact that some of these areas aren’t open to you anymore. Wouldn’t want you to get in trouble, now would we,” Ryder said, his voice as sweet as honey. Yet, the malice was not hidden very deep under the saccharine. He quirked a brow at Jackson, and the dark-haired ranger seemed to suddenly grow bigger and more menacing. His aura was hard to miss, but the blonde devil that had come from the darkness of the forest was no less of a beast.
“You know that I’ll never accept that. These are our lands, not yours, and I don’t want to see this get any uglier than it has. I was fine with allowing some of your people in here as a courtesy, considering your situation, but I think you’re stretching my kindness thin now.” She could almost feel the growl rumbling through his body, barely held back in his throat. Tess bit her lip, feeling like she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she couldn’t look away. There was something about the duo of men that made her stare in slack-jawed amazement; something primal and powerful that reminded her of predators.
Ryder shrugged his shoulders, his white teeth flashing as he smiled widely. When Jackson made her feel warm and safe, the sharp-toothed blonde made her stomach twist with icy coldness. Yet, there was something incredibly similar about the two of them, as if they were cut from the same stock.
“I’ve never minded a little trouble,” Ryder replied, the honey tone now swapped for something much darker. He took a step closer to Jackson and Tess, the men facing off against one another. Tess wanted to shrink into nothingness, feeling like a kitten stuck between a rabid dog and raging flood. “What about you, sugar? I bet you would like to get yourself in a bit of trouble with me,” Ryder said, his blue eyes boring right into her. Her expression shifted, but before she could bite back, Tess was rendered momentarily speechless by what Jackson did next.
What the hell is going on here?
The ranger took two quick steps forward, moving much faster than she would have expected of someone of his size. They were inches from one another, both almost snarling. Jackson’s words were nothing short of a growl now and she could see a vein throb on his neck. Everything about their body language said that the only thing restraining them at that point was the slightest bit of self-control, both seconds away from lunging at the other. Tess shook off her indecisiveness and rushed forward, shoving the two men away from each other by fitting herself between them. She wanted to faint into Jackson’s arms, and she had the feeling that this particular encounter would play a pretty prominent role in her fantasies from now on, but it was no time to get further distracted by the two incredibly sexy men who seemed to be at least in part fighting because of her.
“Gentlemen, cool it.” Tess looked up at Ryder, feeling her cheeks blazing with heat as she found her palms resting on both of their chests. She pulled back her hands awkwardly and cleared her voice. “I’m perfectly fine without any trouble, but thank you. And if we want to get anything done today, then we need to get going. I wouldn’t want to get stuck here in the dark.” She quirked a brow at Jackson and shooed him back a couple of steps, creating distance between the two riled up men. “Maybe you two can continue this… whatever this is, behind a glass of whiskey or something. But not now. It was nice meeting you, Ryder, have a nice day.” With that, she grabbed her heavy backpack from the ground and shoved it into Jackson’s arms, who was still glaring daggers at Ryder.
The blonde man chuckled and hung his head for a second, eyeing Tess with the kind of look she would have preferred from Jackson.
“As the lady wishes. I’ll be seeing you around, Jackson,” he said, tossing Tess a wink before twirling around on his heel and heading in the direction he had come from. Only when the rustling of the foliage had quieted did Jackson relax. His shoulders visibly slumped a bit, and Tess smirked to herself as she piled her gear back into the backpack in his lap.
Boys. She couldn’t deny that the whole confrontation had left her heart pumping and adrenaline coursing through her veins.
“Who was that, anyway?” she asked as she zipped up the backpack. Tess looked up at Jackson, whose expression had softened. His deep dark eyes reflected back at her with worry and a flash of gentleness that he tried to hide from her.
“That was… nobody either of us should concern ourselves with. Thank you,” he said quietly, and Tess grinned widely in reply. She went to grab her bag from him, but he slung it over his shoulder instead. “I’ll take that. I didn’t want you to see that, but you handled yourself well. Some people are just not… well, nice,” he said, cracking a smile.
So he can smile! Tess thought mirroring him. Jackson’s reaction and the way he had stepped in front of her when Ryder had become a bit too much to handle was not lost on Tess, and it had done nothing to lessen her infatuation with him.
“You’re welcome. I don’t particularly enjoy jerks. Can we go now?” she asked, receiving one of his trademark short nods. They fell in step again and the small clearing disappeared behind them, definitely not to be forgotten.
CHAPTER FOUR
Get a hold of yourself, Jackson, the tall man grumbled wordlessly as the heavy door to the lodge fell shut behind him. The fresh air rushing into his lungs cleared his head a little, but it was nowhere near enough. Ever since Tess had shown up, his world had been in a constant state of turmoil. He didn’t feel right unless he was near her, and as much as it shocked him to admit it, he was almost certain that he was developing a soft spot for the sassy redhead. Jackson sighed under his breath as he squared his shoulders and walked down the few steps of the porch, nodding to Keely and Derek who were standing by their car in front of his home.
Clan matters first, girl troubles later, he chided himself, and the corners of his mouth wanted to creep up at the silliness of it. He was like a cub in love, not at all his usual calm, collected and demanding self. Jittery hearts and plush sensitivities didn’t fit the Alpha of a prominent werebear clan, he thought. But, the heart wants what the heart wants.
“Keely, Derek. What’s up?” Jackson asked, resigning himself to the bad news that was sure to come. Keely glanced up at her tight-lipped husband, the man grouchy as a storm cloud in the middle of a sunny day.
“It’s Ryder. He came by the house. I think you’ll be hearing fro
m the others soon. He’s been threatening us to leave.”
“I swear, I’m going to rip him to shreds one of th...” Derek’s angered words were hushed quickly by Jackson raising his hand and shaking his head, a clear message etched on his expression.
“No, Derek. We won’t stoop to his level, not unless we have to. I hoped he wouldn’t take it too far, but it seems I can’t trust my old friend much these days. He found me and the scientist girl in the forest the other day, and he didn’t leave me any doubt that he was going to continue being a nuisance,” Jackson said, trying to avoid the small knowing smirk on Keely’s lips at the sight of his blush. Clan business was important, but he couldn’t keep his chest from tightening at the merest thought of the daring redhead. If he didn’t catch himself, his mind would quickly wander to the soft curve of her hips, the lush curls of her hair, the swell of her…
Jackson, focus.
“So, what are we going to do?” Derek asked, putting a hand around his wife. The werebear couple were his closest neighbors and prominent members of the clan. He trusted them completely, and it pained him that the return of his once close friend had brought such turmoil into their lives. But an Alpha sometimes had to make tough decisions, and, at the time, letting Ryder and his people set up at a remote corner of his clan’s lands had seemed like the only right thing to do. Their bear blood made them brothers and sisters, no matter how distant, and, as Jackson remembered all too well what it was like fighting for his family and his lands against a well organized, ruthless werewolf pack, the tragedy of their recent loss had cut to the bone.
“I think it’s time to start calling the outliers. Find out where they are. Don’t tell them to come back yet, but tell them to be ready if the call comes. You and I both know that we don’t want this to come down to an altercation between the clans – werebear blood is too precious to be spilled amongst ourselves. But we have to be ready if they decide to take it in that direction.” Jackson felt a chill at the pit of his stomach, thinking of a possible battle between his clan and Ryder’s. They would be equally matched, if both were at full force, and the outcome could be gruesome. His only option was to make sure that things didn’t go that far.
Derek nodded in response and Keely joined in reluctantly. They hadn’t had a clan war since Jackson’s father had been lost and even though the wound was still far too fresh, times had been good for the clan since and they had even dared to spread out a bit. Some had left the mountains, most prominently Jackson’s brothers, but they all knew that the safety and wellbeing of the pack came before personal satisfaction. Jackson was sure they’d be back in an instant if called, so he wanted to make sure that he only gave the order if it was necessary.
“Spread the word. And let me know if anything else happens,” Jackson said, giving Derek another stern look. His second in command while his brothers were away was a bit too prone to making rash decisions, but things had got much better since he had settled down with Keely. The sweet, centered werebear smoothed his edges in a way that decades of life hadn’t managed to. Jackson felt a twinge of jealousy looking at the two. He’d been looking for his mate for a long time, in the hopes of finding happiness like theirs, but it was difficult finding the time away from his clan and his lands.
But maybe she found me instead? Jackson questioned himself, the sudden thought hitting him out of the blue. He inhaled sharply. It was a possibility that hadn’t struck him before, but one that had the uncomfortable and, at the same time, thrilling prospect of being true.
Derek jumped into the car, leaving Keely alone with Jackson for a moment. She grinned up at him, and he couldn’t help but mirror the infectious smile. Keely grabbed his hand and gave it a friendly squeeze, knowing her Alpha much too well for him to be able to hide anything from her.
“Don’t you go scaring her off, Jackson,” she chided him, before clambering into the jacked up pickup next to her husband.
Right. So. How does one make sure that a woman is the woman?
***
Jackson fumbled with the plates, almost dropping them on his way to the sink. He’d been trying his best to think of something to talk to Tess about all evening, but it seemed harder than pulling teeth. So, instead of rousing the gorgeous woman with dazzling conversation and finding out more about her, he had sat at the table like a brooding lump, flicking glances at her when he thought she wouldn’t notice. He couldn’t stop looking at her. The first time she had shown up on his yard, he had felt a perplexing tug in his heart that should have told him that Tess Laurelton was no ordinary woman. But, being irritated by a possible hapless bystander during a time of conflict between clans, he had brushed aside the budding emotion and acted like a jerk instead. In retrospect, he wasn’t very pleased with his actions.
When she had diffused the situation between himself and Ryder in the forest that day, it had felt as if blinders had been taken off his eyes. Suddenly, he saw the short, curvy scientist in all her glory, along with her giggly disposition and her bright-eyed love for Montana – something that Jackson felt rather strongly about as well. He’d caught himself staring at her, trying to make sense of what drew him to her so powerfully, while ignoring the easiest and, at the same time, most complicated option.
What if she’s the one? He’d wondered, the track of thought keeping him up at nights. Werebears mated for life, that’s just how it was. Sure, they could have flings or even fall in love with someone, but when the right mate came along, everything else shrunk to the background. It was an inexplicable, undeniable bond that drew a werebear and his mate together, and it was not something that could simply be shrugged off like useless baggage. A bond between a mate and a bear needed to be nurtured, protected and strengthened, but its welcome grip was evident nonetheless.
Jackson dropped the dishes into the sink and rinsed them off, hearing Tess get up and pour them both new drinks. She was attentive, sweet and playful around him, even when he was tongue-tied and came off more like a cold brute than anything else. But she made his blood boil with need, and his hands wanted nothing more than to snake around her and pull her into a long, tender kiss, before he swept her off her feet and took her with all the ferocity of a lifelong of need. In short, it was really hard to concentrate on conversation when all he wanted to do was rip her clothes off and bury his head into her ample bosom. Damn hard indeed.
His bear had taken an instant liking to the willful woman. While the man was hesitant, the bear had known right away that there was something special about the doe-eyed, deliciously curvaceous redhead. Jackson felt like he was suddenly stuck between his two halves – the rational man and the demanding, aggressive bear – both of whom wanted the same thing but couldn’t make up their minds on how to attain it. He kept reminding himself that just pouncing on her like a man who hasn’t seen a woman in years isn’t exactly the way to woo, but at the same time the option seemed so entirely enticing. His cock throbbed each time he saw her first thing in the morning, her wild hair mussed and her lush curves covered in comfortable sleeping clothes. She seemed so delicate and inviting like that – all heated emotions and soft early-morning yawns.
Jackson caught himself rinsing the same plate for the fifth time, lost in thought about how to approach Tess without scaring her off or coming on too strong, when Tess leaned on the counter next to him. She balanced on her elbows and Jackson inhaled sharply, an automatic reaction to the presence of her scent. His muscles tensed at the closeness, the bear wanting to grab her and kiss her with a passionate need for the touch of his mate, but he managed to subdue the urge to another teeth-gritting twinge in his cock.
“So, you seem to be well-domesticated, hmm? Don’t you think that plate is clean enough?” Tess asked, holding a glass of whiskey up to him. Jackson nodded, glancing at her quickly. He wasn’t sure whether she had noticed the way he kept staring after her whenever they were together, but it was getting harder and harder to maintain a façade of innocent cordiality around her.
She’s so close. G
od, I just want to kiss her, Jackson thought to himself, drying his hands and accepting the tumbler of whiskey.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she chirped with a grin, twirling around and heading back towards the fireplace and couches. She plopped down on one and Jackson followed, his eyes glued to that plush ass of hers. When she sat down, he hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to her. He could see the surprised arch of her eyebrows, as it wasn’t usual for him to sit on the same couch as her. Instead, he tended to land in a big recliner and commence with an evening of reading, until she would eventually distract him with conversation and draw his attention to her. Of course, every time he pretended to read, he barely got through a few pages over the course of several hours. His mind kept going to weird and wonderful places, imagining how they could live together in the cottage, how he’d have to expand it to make room for the cubs, what kind of mother she would be and so on, until his consciousness was full of nothing but Tess. And to his surprise, he loved the feeling of being so entirely smitten with someone. For a withdrawn, silent man, he found himself surprisingly giddy around her, even if he didn’t dare show it much yet.
Screw it. You can’t let her get away. Just open up to her.
“So, tell me about yourself,” Jackson said, surprising Tess once again with his newfound openness. “How did you end up in California? Family there?” he asked, throwing one arm across the backrest and angling himself towards her a bit. Her smell was clogging all of his logical thought processes and there was nothing left but to throw himself at the mercy of his instincts. Luckily, the combination of his human and bear halves had never lead him astray; but then again, he had never tried to tempt a mate before.