The Shifter's Catch

by T. S. Ryder

  For a long moment, Joshua was silent. He shook his head. "If the baby was abandoned once for not being a shifter… you implied that your father made people abandon their non-shifters babies. Would you be exempt? Although maybe it would be a better idea to send you back to be with your own people."

  "What?" Naomi's heart jumped. He didn't want her? "Why?"

  "Apparently your father told the pack that I stole you, and he's using it as an incentive to have them attack us."

  A shiver ran down her spine and her stomach twisted. "My sisters. My father never forgave our mother for having three girls and no sons. Nobody knew how unhappy they were as mates. But if he's using me as a rallying cry… the truth that I came with you of my own accord will be outed eventually. But my sisters!"

  "What about them?"

  "I need to get back to the cabin. He was planning on making us stay there when he moved back. And if he wanted an excuse to attack the Bears, what if he did something to them?"

  She didn't want to believe that her father would go that far. But the truth was she had never trusted him.

  Joshua's expression became grim. "I'll get the truck."

  ***

  Naomi felt like she might be sick as she and Joshua drove out to the cabin her father had built on Bear territory. Although the original trip to town had had to be made on snowmobiles, the gravel roads had been paved since then, letting Joshua's truck rumble through the woods.

  It was just the two of them. Despite the assassination attempt on him, the Bear Alpha was reasonably sure that there would be no more attacks today. After all, who would expect him to go out into the forest again?

  Besides, all of his trusted fighters were busy preparing the town for the impending attack. There was nobody to come with them.

  What had convinced Naomi that it was safe was the fact that she was a Wolf. Her mother had been a well-loved Alpha. None of her people would attack her mate with her there.

  When they got to the spot where the cabin stood, Naomi took Sapphira out of the car seat. She hadn't trusted Joshua not to have the baby sent to the human orphanage while they were gone. Even though her heart said that he wouldn't do that, she didn't know how to trust people. And she had never wanted anything so badly as to keep Sapphira.

  Maybe it was just the strange situation she found herself in, and her natural desire to have something to love and care for, but Naomi wasn't going to give up the baby.

  Naomi took a deep breath as she stepped out of the truck. Her heart pounded in her chest. Where the cabin had been was now just a pile of charred wood. She stumbled over the snow, patting Sapphira's back. The smell of smoke was still heavy in the air.

  "Are they…" she choked on her own words. What would she do if she saw her two sisters' bodies in the ruined mess?

  Joshua strode past her. He poked through the ruins, shifting beams as thick as Naomi's waist without even grunting. After several moments of working, he looked up.

  "They weren't in this thing when it burned. If this was your father's work, then I'm sure he'll use it as a case of attempted murder. But from what I can see here, your sisters are okay."

  Naomi let out a shuddering breath. She closed her eyes and walked several feet away, gulping in the cool, smoky air. Sapphira stirred in her arms, making soft cooing sounds.

  "We should get back to town right away," Joshua said. "Naomi? Come on."

  She nodded, but when she opened her eyes, she froze. Right in front of her, pressed deep in the ash-grey snow, was a huge Bear's paw print. But there hadn't been any Bears around the cabin, at least not on the Beast's form, yesterday. Had Joshua sent people to make sure her family was leaving the cabin?

  A shiver ran down her spine. Had he been the one to burn the cabin down?

  Chapter Five – Joshua

  "Naomi?" Joshua waited by the truck, watching the Wolf that would soon be his mate–if he survived her father's attack.

  Her shoulders hunched, cradling Sapphira gently. Joshua liked the image, his mate holding his child. Even though his mind told him it was too early to bring a child into their lives, he couldn't help but wonder if they could make it work. He wasn't against adoption, and Naomi had become very attached to the baby. He always wanted to be a father. Why wait?

  Well, the answer to that was obvious. They didn’t even know if they liked each other. They certainly didn't trust each other, not yet at least. Would adopting the little abandoned child bring them close together, or would she just end up growing up with parents who lived separate lives?

  "There are Bear tracks." Naomi's voice was flat as she turned to him. "Did you burn down the cabin?"

  "Bear tracks?" Joshua's brow furrowed. He jogged over to her. "I told nobody to come out here. It wasn't me."

  He peered at the deep track and cursed. There was only one Bear he knew of that had a foot pad with that distinctive heart shape. Susan. He looked around, eyes narrowed. Great. Not only were the Wolves preparing for an attack, but he had a rogue Bear on the loose. The woman who thought that he owed it to her to mate her.

  If he had known about Tucker's plans, he wouldn't have banished her. The last thing he wanted was to have her take matters into her own hands like she had done here.

  Joshua fished his phone from his pocket. No bars.

  "There isn't any cell service out here. It's one of the reasons my father liked it so much."

  "Get back to the truck," he said, putting his arm around Naomi protectively. "I want you to get back to the town and tell Matt that Susan's gone rogue and I'm hunting her down. I'll need some backup."

  They headed towards the truck, Joshua walking behind Naomi as a shield. They hadn't gone more than a few feet when a thunderous roar shook the trees around them. Joshua whirled. Susan, in full Grizzly mode, burst from the trees and made a beeline straight for Naomi.

  The Alpha shifted. He barreled into Susan, knocking her off course. She slapped a paw at him and he bit down on her shoulder. He saw Naomi disappear into the woods, heard Sapphira's crying, and mentally cursed again. A deep growl rumbled through his body as Susan pawed at him, still trying to go after Naomi.

  The Alpha dug his teeth into the back of her neck, curling his claws into her massive shoulders, and used his body to flip her over onto her back. The other Bear kicked out with her feet, tearing at his belly. There was no reason in her eyes, only jealous madness. He avoided her heavy paws, slapping them apart. When she rolled onto her stomach, he pounced on her again, using the sheer extra bulk he had over her to pin her in place. His teeth clenched on the scruff of her neck again, his teeth piercing skin this time.

  Susan let out a long, low sound of pain and stilled. When he felt her start to shift beneath him, he loosened his grip just enough so he could drag her to the truck without breaking her neck. Her fists still pounded him, but he knew he had won. He was the Alpha, and it was in her DNA to subdue herself to his will, no matter how much she railed against it.

  "A Wolf can never be good enough to be your mate," Susan growled when he released her, keeping a paw on her stomach to make sure she didn't run after Naomi again. "She won't stand by your side and give you Bear babies. You'll see. You'll see, and you'll come crying back, begging for me to let you into my bed."

  Joshua rolled his eyes as he retrieved a length of rope from the bed of the truck. He rolled Susan onto her stomach and shifted as he pulled her hands behind her back.

  "One day—"

  "One day, you'll see that you are not as fabulous as you think you are," Joshua said bluntly. He tied her hands and feet before roping her so her limbs were all pulled behind her back. "And if you ever attack my mate again, I'll kill you, Susan. You're lucky I didn't kill you now. Naomi is mine, and I will have no other."

  Susan growled, but Joshua ignored it. He checked the strength of the ropes, then nodded. Even if she were to attempt to shift, she wouldn't be freeing herself from that.

  Now the only thing he had to do was find Naomi and bring her back. He jogged across th
e clearing to where she had disappeared into the forest. "Naomi!"

  Silence answered him. He listened closely to the sound of the forest, but if Sapphira was still crying, the trees and the snow was muffling the noise. Well, at least there was a deep path cut through the heavy drifts of snow, showing exactly where Naomi had run. Joshua shifted again, heading out.

  A twinge in his shoulder reminded him he still had a bullet he needed to have removed. As soon as they got back to town he'd do it. Matt and Luke could give him updates about how preparing the pack for the Wolves' attack was going while it was being done.

  He only hoped that Tucker didn't decide to attack the Bears while he was gone. Coming out to the cabin had already proven to take up more time than he wanted. What sort of Alpha abandoned his pack in a time like this?

  Tucker isn't going to attack today. He'd need more time than that to organize the attack. Unless he had this planned for months. Maybe even years.

  Joshua tensed. They had to get back immediately.

  He followed Naomi's trail quickly, clicking his tongue to call for her as he did so. Getting her back to town and safety was his first priority at the moment. His body felt cold as he considered what Susan could have done if he hadn't been fast enough. Naomi could have been hurt or even—

  A sharp pain in his back leg made him howl with pain. He whirled to see a wolf with its teeth sinking into him. He whirled, slapping at it, and it jumped out, yelping and barking. Joshua growled and charged, and the Wolf dashed away–until Joshua stopped. Then it jumped at his face, teeth snapping.

  Sapphira's cries filled the forest. The Wolf–Naomi–lunged for his throat when he turned to the sound. Joshua grunted in surprise. She didn't recognize him. More than that, she was willing to take on a Bear to protect Sapphira. Even as he fended off his mate, trying not to hurt her, his heart melted.

  She loved the baby that deeply already. He didn't care how many legal hoops they had to jump through. Sapphira was their baby.

  Joshua shifted. Naomi howled and jumped at his throat again–only to yelp in surprise when she saw who it was. She colliding with him hard, knocking him backward into the snow. She shifted while she was still on top of him. Her warm, naked body pressed against his, her knees on either side of his hips. Joshua felt himself respond, a heat spreading through his body despite the cold air. Naomi panted, staring at him, her eyes wide.

  "I didn't realize that it was you," she whispered.

  Joshua gripped her hips, moaning as she moved against him. He couldn’t help it, grinding himself against her. He was rewarded by a startled gasp. Naomi shivered. Her pupils widened in desire.

  "Sapphira's crying," she whispered.

  Joshua nodded and released her. "Yeah. Yeah. We have to wait."

  Naomi crawled off him and hurried to a small thicket of bushes. She retrieved Sapphira from inside and turned back to Joshua. Desire was still shining in her eyes, and Joshua knew that it was coming from his eyes as well. But they couldn't spend time on sex. Not yet, at least.

  But oh how he wanted to…

  "We need to move quickly," he said standing.

  Without Naomi's warmth, the air seemed far chillier than it had moments ago. A quick look at the sky gave him the reason why. The sky was growing dark. They had maybe a couple of house before nightfall. Not to mention that both their clothes had shredded when they shifted.

  Joshua picked Naomi up, cradling her in his arms. She yelped in surprise but didn't protest, in turn cradling Sapphira. The Alpha jogged back the way they had come, able to move quickly since the path had already been carved by their bodies.

  When they emerged onto the old burial grounds, he stopped dead.

  Susan was propped up against the truck, eyes wide, a single round hole in her forehead. Joshua didn't need to check her pulse to know she was dead. His heart pounded as he stared at the sight. Wolf tracks were everywhere in the snow. The tires on the truck were slashed.

  "We need a safe place to spend the night," he said automatically. The Wolves were moving quicker than he thought. But Naomi remained the priority. He had to make sure she was safe above all else. "Bears are more diurnal and Wolves are more nocturnal. They'll have the upper hand over me once night falls."

  "The Mating Caves." Naomi gripped his shoulder. "There is a system of caves just inside Wolf Territory where couples will go to mate for the first time. It's a sacred place. They won't dare attack us there, only couples who have not yet joined are allowed inside."

  Joshua hesitated. If they went to these caves, then the Wolves could easily accuse him of trespassing on their sacred area. But on the other hand, it was getting colder. A cave would at least be sheltered from the wind, protecting Sapphira. And if they were attacked, it was a position he could defend.

  He nodded. "Lead the way."

  Chapter Six – Naomi

  Naomi had never been inside the Mating Caves before. The one that she and Joshua had ended up choosing was quite cozy. There was a fire pit in the center of the cave, with a small hole in the roof for the smoke to escape. The entrance was curtained off for privacy, but anybody standing outside would be able to see their silhouettes. Still, Naomi appreciated the curtain.

  A steel drum was at the back of the cave, filled with some pots, pans, and a variety of canned food. It was good for the adults, but Naomi was glad that she had had the foresight to bring a diaper bag. She hadn't thought they would need it, but she still had some extra diapers, clothes and formula for Sapphira. With these supplies, she was reasonably certain that the baby was going to be good for the night.

  Joshua built the fire a little higher as Naomi tucked the baby into the car seat. It wasn't ideal, but better than letting Sapphira sleep on the cold stone floor. At least she wouldn't end up chilled, nor would one of the adults accidently roll over her.

  "This is quite a mess, isn't it?" Joshua took her hand and tugged her next to his side.

  She sighed as she borrowed from his warmth. The sensation of their naked skin pressing together was one that she quite enjoyed. It was definitely something she wanted more of.

  "It is a mess," she agreed.

  "We both want to help bring peace, and instead we cause this." Joshua paused. "And as if not being with the pack right now isn't bad enough, I feel like I'm letting my dad down. He was a great Alpha."

  "So are you."

  Joshua shrugged. "Most of the time, yeah. But it's not easy. Sometimes I don’t know what I'm doing."

  "Only sometimes?" she teased.

  "Of course. Most of the time I know exactly what to do. But considering what is going on between Wolves, Bears and humans these days… it's not easy to strong all the time, to take care of everybody. And if something happens to my pack when I'm not there…"

  Naomi traced her fingers across his torso. She understood what he meant. She was filled with a nervous energy like she should be doing more than what she was. But the future seemed so bleak right now, and what could she do?

  "I didn't go with you just because I wanted peace."

  "You didn't?"

  She shook her head and buried herself deeper into his side. "I wanted to get away from my father. My mother died when I was very young. He's not a good man. Or a good Alpha. For ages I've had this clawing desire to challenge him, but how can I? He's my father."

  Joshua grunted. "The more I learn about your father the more… Wait. Your mother was the Alpha of the pack before him. That means that you should be the Alpha, not him."

  "No. Well, maybe technically. But I was so young, and by the time I was old enough to take charge, my father—"

  "Your father had destroyed your confidence to the point where you thought you couldn't be the Alpha." He pulled her tighter against him. "We'll fix this, Naomi. Somehow, we'll fix this."

  Naomi shivered, though not from cold. And not, as much as facing her father frightened her, from the thought of challenging him for the leadership of the pack. Rather, it was how close she was with Joshua. Out in the fores
t when they both shifted to find themselves pressed against one another naked, everything else had disappeared except for Sapphira's crying.

  Now with the baby sleeping soundly in her car seat and the warmth of the fire… Naomi twirled her fingers through the light smattering of hairs on Joshua's chest. She had never really liked the look of men who waxed everything off. Joshua kept his body hair neatly trimmed, but very much there. It made him look even manlier.

  As if that was possible.

  Naomi shifted even closer to her mate, running her foot up and down his leg. Joshua looked at her with a raised brow and desire dark in his eyes.

  "We are in the Mating Caves," she reminded him. "According to my people's customs, this is where we should join in union for the first time."

  She found herself wanting to know what the tanned skin at the base of his throat tasted like. Joshua groaned when she flicked her tongue over his collarbone. He tasted more like salt than anything else, but considering how much he had been sweating as they got here, that wasn't a surprise.

  "We should remain vigilant, just in case," Joshua said, but he was already pulling her up over him. "After what happened to Susan…"

  "They won't attack us here," Naomi assured him, though she winced to remember the Bear that her pack had killed.

  Even her father wouldn’t be so bold as to violate the sanctuary of the Caves. And if the Wolves knew where they were… well, seeing her in the Mating Caves with her Bear would only cast doubt onto whatever kidnapping story her father had told the others.

  Another shiver ran down her spine as she gripped Joshua's hips with her knees. The heat from the fire soaked into half her body, and it seemed to pool and concentrate between her legs. One of Joshua's hands gripped her hip tightly, while other slid up the inside of her thigh.

  "Have you ever been touched here before?" he asked, pupils dilated as she gasped.