The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  As quietly as he could, Nova crept to the front door of Amara’s house and gripped the knob. Sinking into a fighting stance, he readied himself for whatever was waiting on the other side of the door. No way was he going to let anyone get to her ever again.

  “Nova,” came Nate’s urgent whisper from outside. “Nova, it’s us. Open up.”

  Every muscle in his body relaxed. He glanced over his shoulder at Amara. “It’s Nate and Ian.” Instantly, she sighed in relief. He had to say, he couldn’t blame her. For a minute there, he’d actually been worried—as much as he hated to admit it. He instantly retracted his claws.

  Nova hauled open the door. Nate stood on the porch, his hands shoved into the pockets of his heavy jacket. He looked agitated, like he was supposed to be somewhere and instead he was waiting for Nova. Who knew? Maybe he was. A few steps down, Ian was waiting for both of them. Nova was pleased to see the young wolf’s eyes darting back and forth down the street, ever vigilant. Nova had taught them well.

  He stared at Nate. “What the hell are you doing here?” Nova checked his watch. “It’s like five in the morning. Shouldn’t you be at the compound? Who’s guarding the gate this morning?”

  To his credit, the only outward sign of annoyance Nate portrayed was one canine tooth scraping over his lower lip. It was a nervous habit of his, Nova knew. “Nemoy sent us,” Nate finally replied.

  Nova frowned. “Nemoy? But why?”

  “He’s called an emergency Council meeting. You and Amara are expected at the compound as soon as possible.”

  Damn. Nemoy must have heard about the attack from the previous night. It made sense that he would call a meeting. He never should have let Amara talk him into staying at her house last night. He should have been there. What had he been thinking?

  Mentally kicking himself, Nova gave a curt nod. “You two get back. We’ll be right behind you.” Though Nate nodded, Ian’s brows knit together in a small frown. Nova glared at him, his expression daring the younger wolf to disobey. “That’s an order, soldier.”

  Both Nate and Ian snapped to attention. Nate’s boots clipped down the steps and he continued to the truck. Ian, however, hesitated. Nova lifted a brow. “Permission to speak, sir?”

  “Granted.”

  For a moment, the young wolf looked as if he wasn’t going to say anything. Then, as if steeling himself for the task at hand, he squared his shoulders and lifted his chin. “You are the Beta Wolf of the Mountain Wolf Clan,” he said softly. “Second only to our Alpha. As such, it is your responsibility to protect your entire territory, including your pack.”

  Nova narrowed his eyes. “Your point?”

  Ian pursed his lips, thinking. “I know the human has been a priority lately. She’s been attacked, I get it. And Nova, I like her; I want her protected, too. But…” he trailed off, almost as if he thought he’d said too much.

  Nova sighed inwardly. In truth, Ian probably had said too much. But he’d come this far, and what he had to say most likely had import. Ian was a quiet kid, he always had been. Yet it was common knowledge that when he spoke, especially when it was out of turn to someone above his station, he had something worthy to say. And that someone had sure as hell be paying attention. “But?”

  “Don’t forget about your pack,” Ian replied. “She wasn’t the only one the Valley Clan went after. We still need you, too.” While his voice remained quiet, calm, and respectful, his words were no less a reprimand. Nemoy had been right. Nova had clearly been neglecting his duties as second in command lately, and his failure had not gone unnoticed.

  Shit.

  “Noted. Tell Nemoy we’ll be right there.” Turning to go back in, Nova stopped with his hand hovering above the door knob. “Oh, and Ian?” He waited until the boy turned back to look at him. “Thanks.”

  For one moment, Ian just stood there, as if he hadn’t quite comprehended what his Beta had just said. Then, just the hint of a smile played over his lips and his light green eyes shown bright with pride. He nodded.

  Sometimes, Nova thought, only a little resentfully, you needed to hear the truth from an unexpected source to fully appreciate its value. Though Amara was going to hate it, Nova had made up his mind. The only place that was safe for Amara was the compound. She was going to stay there until Strathford was safe.

  Whether she liked it or not.

  Chapter 4

  By the time Nova returned to her bedroom, Amara had dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans and pulled her hair back into a sleek tail. She was in the process of tying her shoes when he walked in. Just as she expected, his face was grim.

  “What was that about?” she asked. She tried her best to keep her emotions in check. Something was different. She could feel it. And she had an inkling she wasn’t going to like it.

  Nova went to the chair, removed his sweatpants and grabbed his good clothes. “After the attack last night, Nemoy called an emergency Council meeting. We have to get back to the compound. Now.” Standing, he hitched his jeans up his hips and snapped the belt buckle into place, threading the excess leather through the loops. He glanced up at her. “Have you heard anything about Donny?”

  Boy, had she. And none of it was good. Amara nodded gravely. “Mitchell texted me this morning. Donny’s in the Intensive Care Unit at Strathford Memorial. He’s in critical condition on life support.”

  “Damn.” Nova’s already stony expression darkened. As if changing the subject, he gave her the once over. “Are you ready?”

  To go back to the compound that felt more like a prison? Where the occupants were far from human and could turn into wolves on a whim at any given moment? Where her lover’s own mother was making it incredibly clear that Amara was far from wanted there? No, of course she wasn’t ready to go back there. With things like they were, she never wanted to go back there again. But what she said was, “Yeah. Just let me grab my bag.”

  It wasn’t that she disliked the compound, per se, Amara thought as they barreled down the road leading out of Strathford. It was cute and tidy. For the most part, people were nice. Ivanah, Nemoy’s wife, had actually started to become her friend. It was Nova’s home; she couldn’t help but love it. Yet, she still couldn’t shake that feeling that she just didn’t belong. She didn’t. She was human. Humans weren’t allowed to be in on Shifter secrets. They weren’t allowed to fall in love with shifters. It was Pack Law. And there she was, a blatant reminder that she and Nova were breaking that law. It was no wonder there were members of the pack that resented her presence.

  But did it really have to be Neveah who was making her life miserable?

  Amara loved Nova. Truly, she did. She had never been so sure of one feeling in her entire life. He was everything she’d ever wanted. And the best part was, he loved her back. Of that, she had no doubt. His mother? Yeah. Not so much.

  Amara fought to control her nerves as Nova drove his truck through the gate and down the road toward their community square. The meeting hall was right in the middle of the compound and reminded her more of a Native American longhouse than any building she would find in Strathford. Though the structure was made from large wooden logs, the wall panels were constructed with thick, tightly woven grasses and overlapped to form a barrier against the outside elements. Already, she could see smoke rising from the hole in the center of the building. They must have had a fire going. Amara couldn’t help but feel grateful. It was heading toward winter and they were once again calling for snow.

  An icy chill bit into Amara’s cheeks as she disembarked from the truck. Breathing into her gloved hands, she tried to warm her face.

  Nova came around the front of the vehicle and offered her a consoling smile. “Don’t be nervous.”

  “I’m not nervous,” she replied automatically. Nova simply lifted an eyebrow in question. Amara huffed out an irritated breath. “Okay, so maybe I am a little nervous. Can you blame me? I’ve never been to one of these before. And it’s not like I’m going to be welcomed with open arms.”

&
nbsp; He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh, come on, Nova. I’m a human. An outsider. And people haven’t exactly been shy about not wanting me here.”

  “People love having you here.”

  “Some people,” she conceded. Then she shook her head. “Not all. They think it goes against Pack Law. And from what I’ve heard, they think you and Nemoy are weak for not disposing of me in the first place. So, there’s that.”

  Confusion washed over his face, followed by a hardened determination to make it better. While she appreciated the sentiment, she really didn’t need her boyfriend running off to chastise half his family. Even if he was cute when he was in protective mode. “Who thinks that?”

  Amara shook her head, defeated. “It doesn’t matter. Let’s just go in. They’re expecting us.”

  “Amara.”

  She fidgeted. She had no desire to admit to him that she was afraid of his mother, but he deserved the truth, and she wasn’t about to lie to him. “Fine. There’s a small group of people who have been trying to persuade the others that I should be kicked out at the very least. Over the past week, they seem to have gained a decent following.”

  “How do you know this?”

  She smirked. “Seriously? I pay attention. I’m a bartender, Nova. It’s my job to notice the details, overhear conversations, get what they need before they tell me they need it. I’m a professional fly on the wall. And I’m smart. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together once I knew what whispers were floating around behind closed doors. Ivanah,” she answered before he could ask. “She told me Neveah has been trying to convince Nemoy to get rid of me. She’s been pushing pretty hard the last few days, and anytime you and Nemoy are out on patrol, Neveah takes advantage of your absence and her protests get pretty vocal.”

  Pausing, she watched him stumble through what she had just said. That not only was a portion of his pack calling for her head, but they were being led by his own mother. It was more than any son should have to handle in the morning before having his coffee. But whatever he was feeling on the matter, in true Nova fashion, he squashed it, burying it deep beneath the responsibility and bravado he often used as a shield.

  “Don’t worry,” he told her. “I’ll take care of it.” Nova took her hand. Before she could say anything more, he led her toward the longhouse. Lifting the heavy flap made of animal hide, he held it open to let her pass beneath his arm.

  Chapter 5

  Amara had never seen anything like it. The place was full. Every spare seat in the hall was occupied by a member of the pack. The walls were adorned every ten feet or so by the logs from the structural foundation of the building, and the ceiling was a maze of exposed beams. It was beautiful.

  In the center of the floor was a large stone fire pit. The flames were already rising at least two feet above the surrounding stone. Even from where she was standing by the door, Amara could feel the heat. It was no wonder those closest to the fire were dressed as if for summer weather. It was blistering hot in there.

  “We cannot just stand by and let them terrorize us or our territory,” a man Amara knew by sight alone was saying. His hands were clenched in tight fists resting on the table in front of him, and his dark hair was swept back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Though she wasn’t sure of his name—Isaac? Isiah? She couldn’t remember—she had seen him multiple times in the past two weeks, always in the company of none other than Neveah.

  Sure enough, about two people to his left, there she stood. Neveah was stunning. She was tall and willowy with a regal grace that both captivated and intimidated whoever was foolish enough to look upon her. Her high cheekbones were accentuated by her rich, brown eyes in the shape of almonds, and her elegant face was framed by her sheet of long, billowing dark gray hair. The streaks of shiny silver only managed to add to her allure rather than detract from it. Even if Amara hadn’t known Neveah to be the widow of the last Alpha, and in all effectiveness, the Queen Mother, she still would have struck her as royalty, just from the way she carried herself. Neveah had a regal air that no one could deny—no matter how much they may have wanted to.

  “It wasn’t just a human the Valley Clan attacked last night,” the man continued. He was glaring at someone at the head of the meeting house. Amara followed his gaze to find Nemoy seated in a chair she would call a large, wooden throne with Ivanah by his side. Her belly was swollen with child beneath her jacket. Amara couldn’t help but envy her happiness. Although, right then, neither Nemoy nor Ivanah appeared to be too thrilled. “That human was part of our territory, and ours to protect.”

  Nemoy gazed at the man. “And what would you have me do, Isiah?” he asked. His tone was dangerously calm. Amara’s arms trembled a bit as goosebumps popped out on her flesh beneath the fabric of her coat. She wasn’t sure why what Isiah was saying had that effect on Nemoy, but she knew she never wanted to be on the receiving end of that tone. Even with Nova’s protection, she doubted she’d last long if she ever was.

  Isiah pounded his fists on the surface of the table he stood behind. “We need to go to war! You must see that, Nemoy. War is the only way to keep us safe.”

  “War would decimate us,” a middle-aged woman with long black hair said across the circle. If Amara recalled correctly, her name was Naida. “After the last invasion, here in the compound, there aren’t enough of us left to go to war with the Valley Clan head-on. You would be sentencing us to death.”

  Isiah shook his head. “It is the only option.”

  Cheers and calls of agreement rose into the air, followed by the erratic pulse of stomping feet. The sound hurt Amara’s ears.

  Nemoy, on the other hand, merely sat in his chair, soundlessly staring at the crowd. His face and his entire body were rigid as stone. Nemoy raised a hand and his people gradually quieted, though not without protest. He gazed steadily at his mother and Isiah. His expression was unreadable. “War in the current situation is out of the question. Our numbers are too few, and the Valley Clan risks exposure where our pack dares not.”

  Protests and shouted arguments rose again, bringing the noise volume to a deafening roar. Amara resisted covering her ears. She was already pressing her luck just by being there. There was no need to look weak on top of everything else.

  Furious, Nova stepped forward. Men and women alike moved aside to let him through. “Silence!” His voice boomed throughout the room, and everyone stopped talking immediately. “Your Alpha has spoken,” he reminded them. He began to pace the perimeter of the room, his own way of repelling negative energy, Amara knew. And it must have worked. His every step exuded power.

  Amara reminded herself to jump his bones later. That whole authoritarian demeanor was seriously hot. Not to mention oh, so sexy. She couldn’t wait to get him alone later.

  Nova stopped right in front of Neveah. Next to her, Isiah straightened his stance. “How dare you,” Nova growled. His mother’s eyes narrowed. “How dare you question your Alpha? Whether you agree with him or not, his word is Law, and it will be followed. Is that understood?”

  “Watch yourself, boy,” Isiah hissed. Neveah remained silent. Stepping forward, Nova smirked. He and Isiah were nose to nose. Nova was a few inches taller, so Isiah had to tilt his chin to meet Nova’s gaze. “It is not me who needs to watch myself, Isiah Levens. I am the Beta of this Clan, second only to our Alpha. Neither your rank nor your strength give you leave to cross me. You will obey.” Nova took a step back and arrogantly spread his arms. A sly, deadly smile crept across his lips. Amara saw Isiah’s shoulders tremble. “Of course,” Nova continued, an obvious taunt in his words, “you’re welcome to challenge me the old-fashioned way. Would you like to fight me to be the new Beta, Isiah? It is a fight to the death. And no one has beat me yet.”

  “Leave him be,” Neveah commanded. Her voice was soft, but she was seething.

  Across the room, Nemoy stood. “No. He brought this on himself. Isiah will answer the questions of his Beta.” Though it clearly
pained her, Neveah nodded and fell quiet. Nemoy nodded curtly. “Do you challenge Nova, Isiah Levens?” Nemoy asked. “Or perhaps, have you spoken out of turn?”

  No one spoke. No one even breathed. All eyes were glued to the confrontation between the men. The tension was palpable.

  Isiah mumbled something under his breath. Nova cocked his head. “I’m sorry? I didn’t catch that.”

  With a glare, Isiah straightened his shoulders. “No,” he repeated. “No, I do not wish to challenge my Beta for position.”

  Satisfied, Nova nodded, once more giving the other man his space. He turned his back to face Nemoy. Isiah’s chest visibly contracted with relief “In that case, Alpha, I have to say that I agree with the call for war. However, before we declare, I recommend we contact the Falls Clan to discuss an alliance. It is my understanding that they are also encountering border skirmishes with the Valley Clan.”

  Pursing his lips, Nemoy considered. Amara knew nothing about war, but common sense said Nova made a good point. Finally, Nemoy nodded. “Done. Any other business to discuss before we adjourn?”

  Neveah stepped forward. “I am Neveah of the Mountain Clan, mother to the reigning Alpha and Beta. And I have a grievance.”

  A line dug in between Nemoy’s brows, but he nodded. “State your grievance.”

  “The presence of the human within our pack walls and within our Council meetings is forbidden by Pack Law. I move she be disposed of immediately.”

  A murmur buzzed through the crowd and Amara felt fear and trepidation ripple down her spine. Nova’s face flushed with anger. But before he could speak, Nemoy stood once more. The look on his face was beyond anger. Amara flinched. Even Neveah cowered some. “This matter has already been decided,” he stated sternly. “The human is welcome until I say otherwise. I will not hear of it again.” Nemoy took a deep breath, as if settling his nerves. “This meeting of Mountain Clan Wolf Pack’s High Council is adjourned. Everybody out.”