The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  She sat at her desk, snug in her fancy new chair, entering numbers into a spreadsheet. She couldn’t help wondering offhandedly whether Lucas could have lied. As her leader, she wanted to think he’d never do that, but deep down she knew she wouldn’t put it past him. Jo seemed kind and compassionate, helpful to a fault almost. Tom distanced himself from moral dilemma, but ultimately avoided harm when he could. Now that she was better aware of the events leading up to Lucas’s last attack, she could see that this pack hadn’t even wanted to fight! She wished she could ask more, but prying risked suspicions, and she didn’t want Tom’s slowly growing trust in her to dwindle.

  If she was being honest with herself, she wasn’t really sure of much these days. She settled for having a bit of fun where she could, without forgetting why she was there of course, constantly reminding herself of the consequences she’d face if she strayed from the path Lucas had set her on.

  Even still, she couldn’t help the smile that overtook her face as Tom’s gaze met hers from across the office as he strolled indoors. The day was warmer than most, a comfortable breeze wafting through the office entrance that Jo had decided to leave propped open while they worked. The gust carried Tom’s musky scent to Savannah, curling the pine and woodsy smell of him all the way around her in an electrifying embrace.

  He meandered easily to her, propping one nonchalant elbow onto the desk where she worked. “Anything interesting happening tonight?” he asked, innocently.

  Savannah slid a timid gaze up to meet his, eyes travelling hungrily over the hills and valleys of his defined muscles the entire trip. “I don’t know. Maybe after dinner?” she mused.

  “Fancy any company tonight? Or are you doing the lone wolf thing?”

  Savannah didn’t think she had the resolve to turn down a single second with him. “I’m a bear, not a wolf. Or have you forgotten?”

  Tom slid a quick, heat-charged gaze down Savannah’s body. It was quick and relatively nonintrusive, but she felt tingles on the bare skin as his eyes travelled over her form, making her painfully aware that she dressed lighter for today’s weather. “Oh, I most certainly have not,” he breathed.

  A giddy thrill shivered up Savannah’s spine. “Good,” she spoke quickly, trying to make up for her excited reaction. “Then you can join me, but only if you can find me first.”

  She saw him lean in a bit closer, speaking lower and more intimately. “Are you going to try and hide from me?” he asked, breath warm and promising as interest glimmered in his eyes.

  Savannah’s bear rattled an eager growl. She shrugged, feigning a blasé demeanor. “Maybe. I consider my ‘me’ time in the woods very sacred. If you want to be a part of that, you’ll have to work for it, Mr. Brewer.”

  “Oh?” he replied, one hand snaking out to caress hers as she typed. It was tentative and gentle, but still the sizzling sensation she felt where he’d made contact was immediate and exhilarating. “I’ll have you know you’re challenging a very skilled hunter to track you down,” he warned, as his voice dipped even lower.

  Sudden warmth burst in Savannah’s belly, making her gasp slightly. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to hide her reaction from Tom; he was much too close. She settled for averting her gaze, eyes trained intently on the computer screen in front of her, but not before she saw the way his body tensed in surprise. “I’m well aware of the circumstances, Tom,” she breathed, trying to remain calm.

  She felt Tom staring at her as she worked, willing herself to not meet his gaze the way she so desperately wanted to. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, and didn’t do anything until Jo entered the office in a flurry of energy and joy, whistling a happy tune.

  “Good morning, you two!” she greeted happily, and Savannah was happy for the distraction.

  “Good morning! The coffee’s fresh,” Savannah replied, though Jo was already helping herself to a cup. “Hey, actually, would you be able to take a second look at this graph and make sure I input everything correctly? A second pair of eyes wouldn’t hurt.”

  Jo grinned. “Of course!”

  Tom finally stepped back as Jo made her way to Savannah. There was a mischievous gleam in his eye as he finally locked gazes with her. “Tonight, then,” he breathed quietly so only Savannah could hear. “I’ll find you.” With that, he turned and walked away.

  “Looking forward to it,” Savannah whispered to herself, a little thrill making her shudder inwardly. With a relieved sigh, she watched him as he walked away, resisting the urge to fan herself dramatically.

  ***

  Tom threw himself into his work in double time, ignoring the way his heart was hammering in his chest. What had just happened? Did he really just instigate a flirt session with Savannah right in the middle of the office? Did she actually just flirt back?

  He shook his head, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow. He couldn’t think about this right now. His bear was roiling, urging and willing him to go back in that office and make Savannah his.

  He twisted the tire iron he held with more force than necessary, grunting his frustration. That line of thinking made no sense. Savannah was never “his” to take. Yet at the same time, there was no denying the attraction they felt for one another. He’d thought it was mostly one sided at first, but her reaction to him only a short while ago was primal, intense, and completely unmistakable. A part of her wanted something more too.

  But what was that something, exactly? Tom wasn’t too keen on the idea of flings, especially with someone he was expected to work with on a daily basis. The thought of his time with her being temporary from the jump made the bear rattle a dreadful growl, but at the same time, Tom had never really considered mating with her, either.

  “Mating?” he said aloud, his hand freezing mid twist. “You think Savannah…”

  He allowed the possibility to settle in his mind, the way he did whenever he wasn’t busying himself with menial labor. Even then it was a struggle not to think of her. She was always there, just under the surface of his memory, threatening to dominate his thoughts at the pass of a breeze or the tingle of her voice.

  Just thinking about Savannah calmed his bear. As if on cue, Tom remembered back when Nick had told him about Jo, how merely the thought of her was enough to bring his angered beast to rest. The realization of how uncanny this predicament was knocked him back on his haunches. He stared dazed and confused at the rim he’d been working on, unable to wave away the possibility of what this probably meant.

  “You alright?” Jo peeked her head though the doorway of the garage’s side entrance. “I thought I heard you shout something.”

  He shook his head, finally snapping out of his stupor. “It’s nothing.” His voice sounded overly defensive, even to him. Instead of taking offense, a knowing look colored her features in response. He bristled instantly. “Look Jo, I don’t need any of your teasing right now.”

  “That’s exactly the opposite of what I want to do,” she replied, tersely. “I just wanted you to know that if you needed to talk, I’m willing to listen. I know firsthand how confusing it can be to fall for someone so completely and immediately. It can be… tough.”

  Tom scoffed derisively. “I’m not falling for her.”

  Jo raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?” she asked, softly. “Doesn’t look that way to me.”

  Chapter Ten

  Savannah told herself it was probably a terrible idea to see Tom that night after how intense things had gotten between them in the office that morning, but she found herself back in the woods and eagerly awaiting his arrival the moment she got out of work.

  With every step, the bear pushed against her skin, eager to be set free after waiting for hours, but Savannah stayed her ground. Now that she’s had time away from Lucas’s pack, she was slowly becoming re-accustomed to her human skin. In the Northern Wind, it wasn’t odd at all to stay in bear form for weeks at a time before being offered a short stint as humans once more, so Savannah rather enjoyed exploring the familiar woods with feet an
d hands rather than paws.

  Though there was definite power in becoming her bear, there was sensuality to the way her human body moved that the bear couldn’t emulate. Despite the added strength of her bear, most other shifters were stronger than her by far. The pure appeal and allure of her human body was something no other human or shifter could dampen or take away. That was something she’d come to learn in her time here with Tom’s pack… with Tom. It made her feel more in control of her life than any amount a shifting ever could.

  Of course, Lucas wouldn’t stand for whatever was happening between her and Tom. She knew that with everything in her being, and still here she was. It was too amorphous to put into words, too fleeting to rely on, but it was fun to behold, and she’d live in the moment as long as Lucas allowed her. With a bittersweet smile at the thought, she dipped into a nearby brush and finally set her bear free.

  It exploded from her skin in a torrent of agony, impatient in its exit and angry with her refusal to let it out sooner. She bore the pain well, already anticipating the bear’s irritation long before muscles tore and bones snapped. It was over quickly enough, but she’d never be fully used to it.

  The bear’s immense strength and power filled her newly changed body almost immediately, providing her with newfound energy as she sought out a place to hide. Tom would be about soon, she had to think fast. Her heart sped gleefully at the thought of him hunting for her, and the possibilities of what could happen once he found her.

  The perfect place flashed in her mind. She growled in pleasure before setting off with renewed vigor.

  ***

  Tom growled to himself, growing more impatient as he lost Savannah’s scent once more. She was good, better than he’d originally given her credit for. So far he’d lost her up a tree, behind a rabbit den, and even dangerously close to the most populated area of the town. He wasn’t giving up though. There weren’t too many more places that a whole bear could hide.

  Catching a fresh whiff of her scent, Tom had a sudden thought that nearly made him kick himself. How hadn’t he thought to look there of all places first? He took off in a lope towards the final hiding place big enough to keep Savannah away from him, gradually picking up speed as he neared her. Soon he was in a full on sprint, rocketing forward until, with a roar of victory, he launched himself over the bank of the lake and crashed deep into its cool waters.

  Savannah barely dodged his dive as she swam expertly out of the splash zone, brown head bobbing upward with a gasp for fresh air. She watched him with bright golden eyes as he buoyed upward, righting himself in the water and fixing her with a triumphant glare.

  “Nice try.”

  She snorted. “Took you long enough. I almost passed out from holding my breath for so long.”

  He rumbled a playful growl, a shiver of pleasure rippling over him before he quelled the urge. Having a bit of fun was one thing; the more permanent possibilities that lay beyond were still strictly off limits.

  With a raise of her large paw, Savannah splashed a wave of water at Tom before he could recover from his infatuation. She dodged his retaliating splash easily diving into the deep water. With an amused grunt, Tom dipped in after her.

  They played in the lake for longer than he’d expected to, finally emerging from the water exhausted and content. Unfortunately the more he’d frolicked with Savannah, the more his desires to take the next step grew, eventually becoming too big an urge to toy with. As much as he wanted to stay just a bit longer, if he was to keep his vow to not let things get too serious between them, he had to leave. Even still, he was satisfied with how the late afternoon’s events had unfolded.

  Turning toward the lake, he saw that Savannah had chosen to swim a bit longer.

  She looked up at him as he shook the water from his coat. “Heading back?”

  With an affirmative grunt, Tom turned to leave. “See you at work tomorrow.”

  Savannah responded by splashing backwards into the lake, and Tom took that as his cue to make his departure. He made it deep into the cover of the trees before he heard the telltale signs of bones snapping and muscles morphing.

  Savannah was shifting back to human.

  Chapter Eleven

  Tom stopped his exit, pausing in his tracks as Savannah’s shift finished. He didn’t turn, knowing she’d be indecent, but hearing her continue to splash and play in the lake ignited an urge within him that he was tired of ignoring. He and his bear wanted—needed—something from Savannah. Something integral and important that he wasn’t entirely sure he was ready for, and it terrified him to think of what that something might be, but for now, maybe just a night of being with her would be okay?

  Surprisingly, his bear didn’t protest when Tom began the shift, his body morphed with little effort back to human. Without preamble, he turned back around, sprinting to the lake’s edge and arcing himself into a high dive. Savannah took one shocked moment to notice his sudden return before diving under the water and out of his way for the second time that night.

  They both popped their heads above water at the same time, Savannah already glaring at Tom. “What are you doing?”

  Tom shrugged. “What’s it look like?”

  She swam backwards a little, both of them aware that neither of them wore any clothes. “I thought you were going home?”

  “Hoping for some time alone for any particular reason?” Tom asked, a bit of his old suspicion breaking through the desire he was feeling.

  Savannah frowned. “No, of course not. I just wanted to swim.”

  “You were already swimming.”

  “And I can’t continue to do that?”

  “Of course you can,” Tom answered, growing frustrated. “I just… any particular reason why you shifted?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Do I need a reason to shift before I do it?”

  “Of course you don’t,” Tom replied solemnly. He knew she had every right to do as she pleased when she wanted. He had no say over her body and how she lived in it. He just found it easier to contain his desires while they were both bears. Sure, her bear form was amazing in its own right, but her human side ignited sensations within him that he couldn’t even begin to explain. The way she moved, the cadence of her voice, the way the moonlight shone against the fairness of her skin…

  “I spent a lot of time as a bear, before coming here. It’s just easier that way when I’m constantly on the move. But now that I’ve decided to settle down again, I’ve been really interested in reacquainting myself with my human half. I like my bear, but I like this side of me, too, you know?”

  “I like it, too,” Tom breathed, surprising the both of them. He had a moment to wonder if he should cover up his confession with some harsh words before she smiled and turned his entire world upside down. Why was she so jaw-droopingly beautiful?

  “Well that’s a relief,” she chuckled, averting her eyes. “I honestly wasn’t entirely sure you did.”

  Tom’s breath caught, noticing the returned half-confession in her words. “I’d have to be blind to not see how beautiful you were, Savannah,” he continued, riding on the coattails of his previous declaration. “It hasn’t been easy hiding this from you. I know I’ve failed. I know you’ve noticed.”

  It was Savannah’s turn to shrug. “I don’t make a habit of assuming. But I can tell you now, whatever you’re feeling…” she met his gaze, swimming near to him once more, “I feel it, too.”

  She raised her hand slowly, making her intent known. When he didn’t stop her, she lowered her hand, brushing feather-light fingertips down the musculature of his left arm. She traced the tribal weave tattoo that coiled around his bicep, sending electric shocks of pleasure through his entire body. His breath spilled out in a shuddering sigh, his reaction to her powerful and immediate. His body tensed, preparing to back away before the sensation grew too dominant to quell.

  “No, please, don’t run away from me,” Savannah whispered, kicking her leg back so that her body was pushed forward. She
pressed her body against his and a gasp of surprise and something darker tore from his throat. He felt her suppress her own shiver of intense craving before speaking again. “Whatever this is, whatever we’re feeling right now… I want to explore it more.”

  Tom allowed himself one lingering moment more of their bodies being so deliciously close before he pulled away. This was too much; he wouldn’t be able to handle it if she tried anything else. “Savannah, I can’t.” he hated to see disappointment dampen the look in her eyes. “This all… it’s just too much, too soon. I… maybe we can talk more back at the shop, about where we go from here, but as for… this…” He sighed. “I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

  Savannah gave a small accepting nod. “I understand.” He could still see the disillusionment in her eyes.

  “But please, Savannah, I do agree that I want to explore this more. Explore us more,” he reassured, hoping to replenish a bit of that light in her gaze. “Why don’t you come back to the office once you’re more… clothed.” He swallowed as his eyes followed the water-distorted curves of her body, and he found it hard to think straight. His entire body ached in protest at his decision to cut things short. His bear was roaring. Was he really making the right choice?

  He waved the doubt away. This was the best way to go about it if he was going to at all. “I’d love to get to know you a bit better. The real you, not the you that needs a job,” he finished. Her lips turned up into a soft smile, and he found himself wondering how they would feel against his own.

  Not now, not now… he chanted to himself.

  “Getting to know each other a bit better,” she mused to herself. “That sounds… nice. I’d like that. I can stop by the Chinese place and grab some late takeout, if you want?”

  He shook his head. “If you want takeout, I’ll grab it on the way back. You take care of you.” With a heavy heart, he swam to the edge of the lake, pulling himself up despite every fiber of his being screaming at him not to walk away. Despite this, he kept moving. The wait would be worth it; he just knew it. “See you soon, Savannah,” he called back, making sure to keep his crotch concealed from view. He didn’t wait to hear a response before tearing off into the darkness of the woods.