The Snow Leopard's Christmas Surprise

by Emilia Hartley

  “How many of them are there?” Sadie wanted to know.

  “Three. But I’m not sure when they’ll start. Apparently, there is a lot of organization that has to go into setting them up, and right now, the Pack is pretty busy concentrating on Kal and getting his father to sign the treaty with Valley Clan.”

  From the other side of the door, Sadie got real quiet. “Do they…do they know what they’re going to do with Kal yet?” It was the first time Sadie had mentioned her ex-boyfriend in the month since he had led an attack against the town and been captured by Nova and his brother, Nemoy—who also happened to be the Alpha of the Mountain Clan. She’d spent the following week recuperating from her injuries in a hospital bed.

  Sure, Kal abducting her had brought her into the circle of knowledge about the Shifters in town—secrets no human was supposed to know—but it had scared the hell out of her as well. Yet, Amara had to admit that a part of her was glad that it had happened; in a way, at least. Now she didn’t have to lie to Sadie about who and what Nova really was. And next time, she would be able to tell her sister she was dating a bloodthirsty psychopath instead of just declaring him a “bad guy” and asking Sadie to trust her.

  On the other hand, it was the perfect ‘I told you so.’ Sadie always did have horrible taste in men.

  “No, honey, I don’t. As far as I know, he’s still being held at the compound. Last I heard, he was under twenty-four-hour guard.” Opening the door, Amara stepped out of the fitting room and smoothed the skirts of her dress.

  Sadie took the glass she was about to drink away from her lips and stared. “Oh, my gosh, Mara. You look fantastic!”

  Heat rushed to Amara’s cheeks, and she gazed at herself in the mirror. It all seemed so surreal. She was wearing her wedding dress. She was getting married. All she had to do was pass a few supernatural tests. Fun.

  Setting her champagne flute on the table, Sadie moved to stand behind her sister. With quick fingers, she began lacing the back of the bodice, pulling the fabric tighter, and cinching it in at the waist. “Are you nervous?”

  Pursing her lips, Amara considered. “A little, I suppose. More for the Trials than anything else. Oh, hey!” She snapped her fingers together. “Did you see anybody leaving my house when you showed up this morning?”

  Sadie smirked. “Okay. Random. Um, no, I didn’t. Why do you ask?”

  Disappointment washed through her. “Oh. Well, I was hoping you might have seen whoever has been leaving me those roses.”

  “You’re still getting those?”

  “Yeah. But I’m pretty sure whoever it was showed up right before you did. There was nothing on my porch when I got back from my run, but I found them only about ten minutes before you got there.”

  “And you still have no idea who might have been leaving them for you? No one leaving you notes? Following you around? Stalking you at night?”

  Amara laughed. “No, none of those things.”

  “Anyone staring at you strangely?”

  “Well, now that you mention it, Mr. Caulman has been squinting at me a lot.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. But that’s probably just from his glaucoma.” Amara smirked at her sister’s disappointed expression. Sadie let out a sigh. “Anyway, I think this fits.” She glanced over her shoulder at the seamstress. “This is perfect, Marianne.” The old woman nodded. Amara wasn’t even convinced she understood, her hearing was so bad, but she didn’t really have the patience to keep trying. She would take that nod as confirmation. She turned back to her sister. “Get me out of this thing, will you? I have a few things to drop off at Mom’s before I go to the bar.”

  “Have you heard anything more about Zoe and Mitch yet?” Sadie asked, undoing the dress’s fastenings. “I talked to Becca the other day, and she says they’re fighting again.”

  Frowning, Amara held the bodice up to her chest and stepped back into the dressing room. “Really? Mitch hasn’t said anything. But don’t worry, I’ll ask him about it today.” Then she shut the fitting room door with a snap.

  Chapter 2

  When Amara entered Murphy’s Tavern, she weaved her way through the many round tables and upturned chairs, making a beeline for Mitchell. He had been her best friend for years, but lately, things seemed a little strained between them.

  To be honest, Amara couldn’t really blame him. For so long, it had been just the two of them. They had their own Sunday night ritual of Chinese food and a movie, along with their weekly, Monday morning hikes. And yet, since she had begun dating Nova, and Mitch had started seeing Zoe, they really hadn’t done any of that. She couldn’t even remember the last time they had hung out just the two of them. Maybe that’s what they needed to do to work some of the weirdness out. They needed to get back to doing things just the two of them. Well, at least sometimes.

  “Hey,” Amara said, setting her coat on the bar. Taking a box from the floor, she set it on the counter and started unloading bottles of vodka.

  Mitch looked over at her and instantly brightened. “Hey, Deputy,” he greeted her, his muscular arms straining under the weight of his own crate. “What brings you to this neck of the woods?”

  “Oh, hardy har, har. Very funny.” She rolled her eyes, but Amara couldn’t help but smile. “Last I checked, I worked here. Has that changed since I became a cop?” The look in her eyes was unmistakably a dare.

  Smirking, Mitch shook his head. “Hey, I warned you what would happen. Didn’t I tell you? Zoe took your place.” Laughing now, he came over and began setting bottles on shelves, the two of them working shoulder to shoulder.

  This is nice, Amara thought. This felt like old times. And if it was old times, she would be able to ask about his relationship, right? “So,” she started, feeling like she was about to dive into the abyss. “How are things with you and Zoe? Getting any better lately? I know you said a few weeks ago that things between the two of you were strained.” She waited a beat or two for him to answer. When he didn’t, she set the bottle down and turned to look at him. “So?”

  Silence. Then, finally, Mitch cleared his throat. “They’re good, Mara. Why do you ask? I like her a lot, but she’s, well, she’s still Zoe.”

  Amara chuckled. Zoe Hamilton was definitely a category in herself, that was for sure. Though she was beautiful, and actually fairly smart, she was known around town more for being a hot mess than anything else. She could frequently be found on a bar stool at Murphy’s, taking shots or drinking vodka tonics. It wasn’t uncommon for Amara to load her drunken friend into a cab and take her home to tuck her safely into bed. Thankfully, that was Mitch’s job now, but still; better him than her.

  It was no secret that Zoe and Amara didn’t get along. The entire town knew they’d fallen out of sorts and become more frenemies than anything else over the years. She had no delusions about the reason either. When they were fifteen, Amara, Zoe, and their friend Becca, were walking down the street one night when they were attacked by a group of wolves. Shifters, actually, from the Valley Clan. Led by none other than the infamous Kal Vann.

  It had been Nova and Nemoy who had saved them. They had come racing down from whatever rooftop they had been keeping watch on, and fought off the shifters. Zoe had been knocked out from the start. One of the wolves was on top of her preparing to rip into her throat when Nemoy had shown up, though he’d almost been too late for Becca. She’d survived, thank God, but she now had to walk with a cane.

  Amara, on the other hand, had been chased down the street. Kal had targeted her specifically, and wasn’t about to let her go. She had a lump of scar tissue down the length of her collar bone to prove it. It was Nova that had come after them and forced Kal off her, saving her life. For years afterward, she thought the image of the boy standing over her had been a dream.

  That is, until he walked back into her life a decade later. She still couldn’t believe he had been taking care of her for almost half of her life.

  Zoe, however, hadn’t had someone looking
out for her. No one except Amara, really. And for some reason, Zoe had always resented Amara’s protectiveness. She had started drinking and going after boys and, over time, the two girls had drifted apart. Becca was the only thing tying them together. Nothing had really changed since they were teenagers. The only difference was that now it was legal for Zoe to drink.

  “I saw Becca the other day,” Amara said to Mitch. “And she, uh, mentioned that things between you and Zoe were pretty difficult.” But hadn’t he just said things were going just fine? Maybe Becca was just imagining things. Zoe did tend to overreact about…well, everything.

  Mitchell shrugged. “I don’t know. Yeah, maybe, I guess. But I mean, come on, it’s Zoe. We always fight. She’s pretty intense.”

  “Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Amara bit her lip. “But maybe it’s something more than that? I don’t know.” When Mitch just gaped at her, she lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I’m just worried, is all,” she told him. “I really just want you to be happy.”

  “I know.” He wrapped an arm briefly around her shoulders and squeezed. “And I am…for the most part. But hey, thanks for being there for me.”

  Rolling her eyes, she nudged him with her shoulder. “Of course.” An awkward silence fell between them for a moment or two. “Hey, you know what we haven’t done in a while?” she asked, hoping to break the silence. “We haven’t had our movie night. What do you say, huh? Sunday night, you and me, Chinese and an action flick?”

  A grin spread across his face. “Yeah, I think I’d really like that. It’s been a while.”

  “Good.” She smiled back at him. “It’ll be nice to be able to make fun of you for not knowing how to use chopsticks again.”

  With a smirk, Mitch chucked a towel in her face. “Shut up, Townsend.”

  By the time Amara got home, she was absolutely exhausted. Pulling her truck into the driveway, she cut the engine and opened the door. She all but dragged her tired body up onto her porch. Unlocking her door, she walked into her house. And froze.

  Lying on her dining room table was the long stem of a deep purple orchid, bound by a silver ribbon to folded note.

  Flowers. Somebody had come into her house and left flowers on her table. Had her secret admirer finally crossed the line into stalker?

  Forcing herself to cross the threshold, she went to the table and picked up the flower, the note dangling by the ribbon. With a shaking hand, she opened the note and read. She let out a visible sigh of relief. It was from Nova.

  They’ve finally set a date. I will pick you up tomorrow night at six. The first trial begins at sunset.

  The first trial. The pack had decided they could move forward with the first trial?

  Amara pressed a hand to her chest. It was happening. If they got through the trials, they would be allowed to get married.

  Still glowing, she changed into shorts and a tee shirt and crawled into bed, ready to settle in with a good book. She’s been reading for maybe fifteen minutes, about to nod off, when the phone rang. Groggy, she picked up the receiver and held it to her ear. “Hello?”

  Silence.

  “Hello?” Amara said again. Was there something wrong with the line? No, she could tell someone was there. “Hello? Look, I know you’re there. I can hear you breathing.” Still, no one answered. Disgusted, Amara hung up the phone, slamming the receiver down in the cradle.

  It was probably just a wrong number. Maybe a kid pulling a prank. Probably something completely harmless. And yet, she slept with her lamp on for the rest of the night.

  Chapter 3

  Nova pulled up to Amara’s quaint little house a little before six o’clock. He’d expected to wait for a while since he was early, so he was surprised to find her waiting for him on the front porch.

  She wore a long-sleeved, black dress that swept all the way to the floor. One thin line of brass buttons ran the length of the dress down the center, and her thick, dark hair fell in waves around her shoulders. Though he was sure she had heard him pull up, it was clear that she was too lost in thought to notice. If she had been a wolf, he would have said she was gazing up at the moon. Who knows? Maybe she was anyway, even though that particular celestial body was obscured by clouds.

  Getting out of his truck, he slowly and quietly padded his way up the porch steps to where she was leaning against the railing staring out at the sky. Nova wrapped his arms around Amara’s waist and pulled her close, inhaling the sharp scent of her soap and the light floral scent of her skin. Even without his heightened senses, her very essence would have been intoxicating.

  “Hey, there, beautiful,” he said by way of greeting, pressing a kiss to her temple. Smiling, she tilted her head back and leaned against his chest. Her answering murmur came out more like a purr. Tipping her chin up with the tip of his finger, he covered her mouth with his. It was just a soft brush of lips at first, just a simple hello. But when he deepened the kiss, letting his tongue explore her mouth, the touch became passionate and hungry. Soon, his broad hands were gripping her waist, pulling her tight against him. He could feel himself get hard just from being so close to her.

  Never, in his entire life, had one woman had such an effect on him. And he was never letting this one get away.

  “Are you sure we have to leave now?” Amara wanted to know. Her breath was a soft caress against his cheek. Her teeth lightly grazed his ear lobe, sending shivers down her spine. Reaching up and back, she wrapped an arm around his neck, effectively locking them together in their embrace.

  More than anything, Nova wished he could whisk her inside and take her right there against the door. Or on the table. Or maybe even just there where they stood on the porch. But if they were going to spend the rest of their lives together, they needed to climb over the obstacles the Pack had placed before them, the first of which began in less than an hour.

  “I’m sorry, love,” he told her, nuzzling her neck. “We’re on a schedule tonight. But I’ll make it up to you later.” Nova gently nipped her shoulder. “I promise.”

  It was like all the heat just went out of her. With a heavy sigh, Amara went slack against him, her eyes once more clouded with tension and worry.

  “What is it?” he asked. Amara shook her head, but he could tell something was wrong. “Amara. Tell me. Please.”

  “Are you sure Kal’s locked up?” she asked. Her voice was small and tight, which was unusual. All of her normal confidence was gone. “There’s no way he can get out?”

  “None. He’s under lock and key. There are guards posted inside and out of that building during all hours of the day. Kal Vann is not getting out of there alive. You have my word.”

  “You’re going to kill him?”

  A single line creased Nova’s forehead between his brows. Were they going to kill him? Probably not. Nemoy was hoping to use Vann as a bargaining chip to gain peace between the two clans. It was slow going, to be sure. Apparently, Callahan Vann wasn’t as interested in his son’s safety as his son would have had them believe. It was a shame, too. Both Clans could use some peace. The humans were getting antsy. Amara had told him last week they were trying to get the hunting parties set up again. She was holding them back as long as she could, but it was still happening. And it was all Kal’s fault. So yes, Nova would like nothing more than to rip out his nemesis’s throat, but what he said was, “He will need to face the Tribunal. It’s a panel of Alpha’s from four different Clans throughout the region. They will try him and sentence him how they see fit.”

  For a moment, she was quiet, staring up at the sky with a hardened expression. She ran her fingers over the lump of scars at her collar bone. “I hope they give him the fate he deserves. I hope they sentence him to death.”

  Her proclamation of damnation chilled Nova to the bone. Had she always had this much hatred towards Kal? Or had it built up over the years, culminating into what it had now become after Kal had held Sadie hostage and threatened to rip out her throat right in front of them just a month ago?

/>   Nova squeezed her tightly. “I’m sure justice will be served.” Running his hands down her arms, he linked his fingers with hers. “Come on, gorgeous. They’re waiting for us.”

  The drive to the compound where Nova lived only took about twenty minutes. Amara was silent and distant the entire time which was incredibly unnerving to him. She was never this preoccupied around him. In fact, usually he couldn’t get her to shut up. Was Kal’s fate the only thing worrying her, or was there something else? “Amara?” Taking her hand, he pressed her fingers to his lips, kissing them lightly. “What’s bothering you? And don’t just shake your head at me. I know you. I know when something’s up. So, what is it? Did something happen at the station?”

  He watched her face for any sign of change, and what he saw incited such a fierce surge of protection toward her that he almost scared himself. Fear clouded Amara’s features and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was more than just Kal Vann that was bothering her.

  “He called me last night,” she said. Her voice trembled, and it was barely louder than a whisper. “He called my house.”

  Nova frowned. “Who called?”

  “Whoever has been leaving me flowers. He called me in the middle of the night, but he didn’t say anything.” Her fingers shook in his. “I could hear him breathing on the other end of the line.” She turned to look with him, her eyes wide. “Nova, he knows my home number. I’m unlisted. How much does this guy know about me?”

  A fury almost worse than he had ever felt washed over him as he looked at her. He rubbed her fingers with his, trying to console her, but inside, his emotions were boiling. This man, whoever he was, was terrorizing her. He was using those scare tactics to break her confidence and damn it, it was working. “I’ll increase the patrol around your house,” he told her. “I’ll make sure there is someone stationed outside, keeping watch around the clock. You will never be alone.”