Saved by the Alpha Bear

by Emilia Hartley

  She swallowed, trying not to be disappointed. “I understand.”

  “Why don’t you come up to the office once you’re….dressed,” he continued. Her closeness was making it hard to think straight. His body was screaming at him that he was making a mistake while his heart told him he was doing the right thing. “I’d like to get to know you a bit better.” His gaze landed on her lips and he smiled softly. Their first kiss was going to be a good one, he could tell, but right here, right now, was not the place for it.

  Savannah smiled, glad that he wasn't entirely pushing her away. "Sure, I can do that. I can bring takeout if you want?"

  He nodded. “Sounds good. See you soon, Savanah.”

  Savannah watched him with a heavy heart, turning her gaze away when he pulled himself out of the water. She heard him shift again before his bear went running through the woods and back towards the shop.

  Her whole body was thrumming with heat. Pushing herself completely under the water, Savannah surfaced with a gasp, letting the water stream from her face. In one way, she was glad that he hadn’t taken things further, but in another way, she was hugely disappointed. Her feelings were completely confused, but she was glad she was able to see him again tonight. It would just be the two of them back at the shop, and maybe things would happen there.

  “I see you’re making good use of your time here.”

  Savannah shrieked, spinning around in the water to see Lucas grinning at her. “What are you doing here? Tom might smell you.”

  “He won’t. I stayed downwind. I just wanted to see how you were getting on.”

  “I’m fine,” Savannah replied, ignoring the shaking in her limbs as she tried to cover her breasts with one arm, whilst her other hand held onto the bank. “I’m just trying to get Tom to trust me right now.”

  “And you’re doing that any way you can, I assume,” Lucas murmured, his eyes raking down her as far as he could.

  Savannah sank a little further into the water, only barely managing to meet his eyes. “I’m just getting used to being back in this skin,” she replied, quietly.

  Lucas chuckled, sitting down beside her and letting his long legs rest in the water. Savannah swallowed hard, knowing she couldn’t move away. Lucas, even in his naked human form, was still her pack leader and still intimidating.

  “Listen to me, Savannah,” he purred, his fingers running up her bare arm. “You get that man to trust you any way you can.” His hand tipped up her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “And I mean, any way.”

  Savannah wanted to scream as his hand dipped into the water, his finger just touching the slight curve of her breast before he slowly pulled it away. His meaning was clear but Savannah felt sick to the pit of her stomach.

  “Don’t forget that you’re part of our pack, Savannah,” Lucas growled, his face suddenly darkening. “That means you belong to me.”

  “Yes, Lucas,” she whispered, looking away from him. The silence stretched across the water for a few minutes and, by the time she looked back, Lucas had gone.

  Savannah wasn't sure if she was going to cry or be sick, given how much her stomach was rolling. Lucas had never taken one of his pack for a mate, and Savannah was certain that she didn't want to be it. But if Lucas chose her, Savannah knew she wouldn't have a choice. The way he had touched her, so briefly, had made his meaning perfectly clear and it had made her sick to her stomach. But what choice did she have other than to obey?

  CHAPTER 12

  Even the smell of takeout couldn’t stop Savannah’s stomach from churning. A quick shower, a change of clothes and now here she was, walking to his place. She’d wanted to go home and stay there, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave Tom waiting. Not only would that make him suspicious of her, but she knew it would hurt him and Savannah didn’t want that.

  The way she was beginning to care for Tom was making her all kinds of afraid. Lucas had made it very clear she was to use anything and everything she could to get him to trust her, but Savannah wasn’t sure she could bring herself to do it. Every time she thought of the way Lucas had touched her, her body gave an involuntary shudder. She couldn’t get that out of her head.

  “Hi,” she mumbled, walking into the office, seeing Tom waiting for her. “I brought takeout.”

  “Thanks,” he replied, walking closer to her. His eyes ran over her body and Savannah knew exactly what he was thinking. “Do you want to eat first?”

  “First?”

  “Before we talk,” he clarified, a slight grin on his face.

  “Oh,” she muttered, feeling foolish. “Yeah, sure.”

  Walking back behind the counter, he threw her a glance. “Is everything okay?” he asked, taking in her slumped shoulders. This wasn’t the bold, sassy Savannah he’d left back at the lake.

  She nodded, trying to give him a bright smile. “Everything’s fine. Thanks for asking.” Giving him her back, she began to unpack the takeout, hoping that he wasn’t going to ask her any more questions. What was she going to say, exactly? Tell him that she was already confused over how she was feeling about him and now Lucas had made things ten times worse.

  "I'll be right back," she heard Tom say, hearing the click of a lock as he walked into the back room. A sudden scent hit her nostrils, making her bear wake up with a growl. Sniffing hard, she turned to face the door Tom had just gone through, her hackles rising. There was a familiarity to the scent but she couldn't quite place it. It was something she knew but didn’t know at the same time. What was going on back there? Why was the room locked?

  Hearing Tom’s footsteps, Savannah took in a deep breath and turned back to the table. Quietening her bear with the promise that she’d find out what it was soon, she focused on dealing with the food.

  “Here you go,” Tom murmured, coming close behind Savannah. The smell of her freshly washed hair had his hands curling into fists, trying to stop the desire to throw the food to one side and give in to what he’d been wanting to do ever since their swim in the lake.

  The moment he’d left Savannah in the lake had been the moment he’d called himself all kinds of names for being so stupid. He’d told her it was ‘too much, too soon’? What kind of excuse was that?

  Thankfully, being away from her soon helped Tom realize that he'd done the right thing. His body was screaming for her, but his mind was holding it back. He wouldn't let himself sleep with someone just because she offered it – if that was what her intention had been. He'd wondered for a while if she was deliberately attempting to seduce him, but had pushed that idea away almost at once. More realistically, she was lonely. He remembered how she'd told him about traveling from place to place, never really settling down. That could be quite isolating, in terms of relationships of any kind. Most likely, she didn't have a lot of friends and certainly not lovers. Their connection had been almost immediate, although Tom knew he'd spent most of the time denying it completely. Was he just as lonely as her?

  He’d showered and changed, all the while questioning what it was about Savannah that was drawing him to her. Even though he still didn’t trust her completely, he couldn’t get her out of his head. He’d meant it when he’d told her it was too fast – too fast for him to even get his head around. He’d never been attracted to another shifter so quickly, and his bear was certainly drawn to her too. As he’d got himself ready for her coming over, Tom had made a decision.

  He was going to give in.

  He wanted Savannah, he couldn’t deny it. Yes it was very quick, and yes, he was really unsure about it all, but his bear wasn’t exactly going to stop growling until he had her. Tom didn’t know just how long Savannah was planning to stick around, so he was unsure if he was getting into something big, but he was going to take a chance anyway. Throwing his suspicion to one side, he chose to take the path towards her, not away from her.

  Savannah let out a shuddering breath as Tom stood behind her, within touching distance. She could feel his breath on her exposed skin, making ripples of awaren
ess rush up her arms.

  “I brought sweet and sour and shredded beef in a black bean sauce,” she said loudly, trying to shake her awareness of him off. “I’m happy with either so just take what you want.” She heard Tom’s low growl as one hand slipped around her waist.

  “I know what I want,” Tom whispered in her ear, his lips just lightly touching the corner of her ear. “I hope that I didn’t give you the wrong impression when I left,” he murmured.

  “You want to go slow,” she replied, as her body exploded with sensations. As his lips touched the curve of her neck, Savannah let out a long breath and closed her eyes. This felt so good, even though she knew it was the exact opposite of what she was doing. “So maybe we should eat first?” she whispered, her hands falling uselessly by her sides as he slowly moved his lips towards her collarbone.

  Tom felt his body harden as Savannah tipped her head back to give him better access to the curve of her neck. She was reacting to him just like he’d hoped, despite what she was saying. Her lips were there, just out of reach. Pulling himself up to standing, he looked down at her for a moment, seeing her slightly glazed eyes. “Savannah,” he murmured, before dropping his head and kissing her lightly.

  Savannah stiffened for a moment, before letting her body relax. All thoughts of Lucas ran from her mind until all she could think of was Tom. He was a little out of practice, but then again, so was she. His tongue darted into her parted lips, tangling with hers and forcing a light moan from her throat.

  Warnings sounded in Tom’s mind, but he brushed them away with a little effort. He wasn’t going to listen to the thoughts that had him pulling away from her over and over again. He’d made his decision and this was it. Savannah was pressing her hands against his chest, before running over his shoulders and digging into his hair. The slight pain made him gasp before his lips slammed back on hers, kissing her harder.

  Savannah could barely think, giving herself up to the sensations he was building in her. Nothing could have prepared her for just how much his touch built a fire in her. His hands ran up and down her back, before tentatively brushing over her shoulders and gently over her breasts.

  Pulling back, Savannah stared at Tom for a moment, nausea suddenly rolling in her throat. His touch had brought Lucas back to her mind immediately, and the fire had instantly gone cold.

  “Savannah?” Tom asked, his breath coming in short gasps. “What’s the matter?”

  Swallowing, she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Tom. I can’t….I mean, I – ” There was no way to explain it, not in any ways he would understand. “I have to go,” she whispered, reaching for her takeout. “Sorry, Tom.”

  “Savannah, wait!” Tom exclaimed, his body cooling as he watched her walk out of the door. “What’s going on?”

  Silence met his words as he was left, staring at the door that had just closed behind her. What had happened? Why had she pulled away? Frustrated, Tom growled, feeling his back ripple as the bear groaned in disappointment. Sitting down heavily, he put his head in his hands, wondering what had frightened her off like that. Had he been too forward in his advances? Had his touch truly scared her away? Shaking his head, he ripped open his takeout and ate a piece of chicken. He didn’t understand what had happened, and there was no point in chewing over it now. He’d have to just wait until the morning to find out exactly what was going on with Savannah.

  CHAPTER 13

  Savannah woke the following morning with a thundering headache. It wasn't exactly surprising since she'd cried most of the night. Everything was going wrong. Her feelings for Tom were growing, despite the knowledge that he'd been involved in Dan's death, and the way he'd touched her last night had just been a reminder of Lucas and the real reason she was here. She'd lost herself in his embrace, forgetting all about Lucas and the Northern Wind pack. Instead, there had just been her and Tom. Savannah threw her head back on the pillow with a groan, knowing that, most likely, she'd have ended up waking up with him if she'd not chosen to leave. How would she have felt then? Happy? Guilty? Confused?

  “You get that man to trust you any way you can,” she murmured, repeating Lucas’ words from the night before. They were like poison in her mouth, leaving a foul taste behind the moment she said them aloud. She’d almost given in yesterday but had pulled away just in time. His touch had overwhelmed her senses. It was all too much.

  The truth was staring her in the face and Savannah had to admit it – she was beginning to really care about Tom. She didn’t want to, but it was there anyway, refusing to go away. She was attracted to him but there was more than that. Her heart was involved. Savannah groaned, flopping an arm over her face. This was the last thing she wanted.

  Why was it that she couldn't think of Tom being involved in Dan's death? Why was the thought of it not turning her stomach the way it once had? Was it because she didn't believe that Tom could have really been involved? Or was it because she had begun to realize just how bad the Northern Wind pack really was? Lucas was a pack leader that ruled by fear, and Savannah had always just accepted it. But now she realized that there was a different way to lead. She saw it in the respect that Tom and Nick had for each other, and in the way they looked out for Jo. Lucas hated Jo but Savannah couldn't find the same disgust that Lucas had for her. She was well aware that Jo was trying to push her and Tom together and, at first, she'd found it irritating, but now she actually appreciated her efforts. It was quite sweet, if not a little obvious.

  Everything was going wrong. She wasn’t meant to like Jo, or even notice Tom. She was meant to be doing what Lucas wanted and gaining their trust, whilst remembering exactly what it was she was there to do. How she was feeling right now was all kinds of wrong. Instead of wanting to do what Lucas said, she was thinking about how good it would be not to ever go back to the Northern Wind pack again. Instead of thinking about what Lucas wanted, she was thinking about what her heart, mind, and body wanted. This was so mixed up.

  Knowing she had to get up or she was going to be late, Savannah got up and dressed quickly. She didn’t feel like having anything to eat, and she’d get coffee at the office. Savannah just hoped that she’d manage to get into work and sit down without bumping into Tom.

  “You’re in a foul mood this morning,” Nick commented, lightly.

  Tom’s chest rattled in warning, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t ask,” Nick continued. “But I can practically smell your anger so if you ever want to tell me what’s going on then I’ll be happy to listen.”

  Tom growled low in his throat, slamming around the shop. Nick was right, he was in a foul mood and he had Savannah to thank for it. He had no idea what game she was playing, up and leaving like that. His body had been on fire and, while he didn’t quite expect to take things as far as the bedroom, he wanted to at least explore things a little more. But the moment he’d touched her with just the slightest hint of intimacy, she bolted. She practically ran away from him, and this was after she swam naked in the lake!

  “That woman’s confusing,” Tom muttered to himself, darkly. He knew he was going to see her at some point and wasn’t even sure whether he was going to hug her or throttle her.

  “If she’s upsetting you that much, why don’t you go and talk to her?”

  Tom’s back rippled. “I didn’t ask for your advice, Nick.”

  “Well, if you’re going to talk out loud then don’t expect me not to listen.”

  Tom spun on his heel and bared his teeth at his brother. “Quit it, Nick.”

  Nick’s eyes narrowed. Throwing down the cloth in his hand, he walked over to Tom, standing close. “Listen to me, Tom,” he growled, softly. “I’ve had enough of this. You’re always angry or upset about something, and I'm not putting up with it anymore. I don't want to know what's been going on between you and Savannah because that's your business, but it can't carry on affecting things at work."

  Tom’s nostrils flared but he held his tongue.

  “We’ve
got enough to worry about with Dan,” Nick continued. “So this has got to stop. Got it?”

  Without waiting for Tom to answer, Nick turned around and walked back to the car they were working on. Tom glared after him, his bear ready to rip from his skin. He and Nick usually worked things out that way, but Tom wasn’t up for another bear fight. At the end of the day, it wasn’t Nick he was frustrated with. It was Savannah.

  “Morning!”

  “Hi,” Savannah managed, not even able to smile at Jo.

  “Is everything okay?”

  Savannah nodded, not really wanting to go into detail. “Fine. I’m just tired. Late night.”

  "Oh," Jo said, softly. Savannah could see the curiosity behind her eyes but was surprised when Jo turned away instead of asking more questions. Lucas would always demand to know what was going on, but Jo seemed to respect that Savannah didn't want to talk about what was really going on.

  “Excuse me.”

  Savannah glanced up as Tom walked in, walking straight past her and into the locked room. That strange smell hit her nostrils once more, the familiar scent that she’d never quite been able to place. She’d never asked Tom about it, but there was something unsettling about a locked room that no-one spoke about.

  “How are you feeling?”

  Dan looked up, a light smile on his face. “Better. I took a few steps today.”

  "Did you now?" Tom narrowed his eyes. Dan had been doing much better recently. As he'd recovered, the man seemed to grow more appreciative of what Tom, Nick, and Jo were doing for him, but Tom was sure he was still loyal to the Northern Wind pack. It didn't make him particularly dangerous but it was still good to be wary. Savannah didn't know about Dan and this was going to come as a bit of a surprise to her, but at least then that might break the tension between them.