by Woods, Jade
“I am clan-leader, and if my orders are not followed, then they do not respect me as patriarch. Besides, if their actions displease you, they should be punished.”
Shaking her head, she said, “I don’t understand your thinking.”
“I know, and I apologize. It is just our way. Tell me what you wish to do, and it will be done.”
She tossed him a sly eye. “And if I wanted you out of my hair for a few minutes?”
His expression dropped harder than a led ball, and she pulled him into her arms. “I’m sorry. That was meant to be a joke.”
Running his nose along her neck, he rumbled, “Sending me away from your side would be the worst torture imaginable.”
How could a girl not be charmed by that? She smiled to herself, and backed away, tipping her head in a silent command to follow. Garrett obeyed, his big body moving deliciously as he tracked her into the house.
At least, she’d have a clean house again.
****
“My compliments to the chefs,” Dahlia said as she savored a pancake.
Marcus and Jake glowed, their smiles threatening to break their faces. Garrett wished he had slaved over the stove for her—he didn’t want to begrudge them their happiness, but his instinct demanded her praise be only for him. The entire clan seemed enthralled with her, which was a good sign. Feeding time had never been so… quiet before—at least not after his mother had died. Usually, they all took pot shots at each other, and fought over the most succulent cut of fish. Dahlia’s presence seemed to invoke a sense of manners.
Garrett watched the way her lips crinkled as they slid over the fork as she took another bite of the pancake. Jesus, he could come just from watching her eat—and if he had made the meal? He was sure he’d explode.
She must have realized everyone was watching her because she blinked. “Uh… you’re all making me self-conscious. Dig in.”
In unison, everyone’s attention turned toward Garrett, and he nodded. Cheers broke out and the sound of forks hitting porcelain filled the kitchen. Dahlia smiled, her attention on the bears as they ate, and talked.
Bruin took a seat next to Garrett. “So, I had our funds transferred to another account, just to be safe. Don’t think Lazaran has any techies in his clan, but you never know.”
“Good idea,” Garrett praised his beta, his attention on Dahlia as she smiled at something Marcus did. He didn’t think he could ever get tired of looking at her, the simplest of her motions captivating him.
“I’ve put out some feelers for information. I’m sure Lazaran found the clubhouse by now, and it’s likely been destroyed. Wished we could have gotten to the safe, but if we’re lucky, he didn’t find it. The brewery might survive unscathed since we dumped the alcohol everywhere.”
Nodding at whatever the male had said, Garrett’s lips twitched up as she threw her head back, and laughed at a joke the polar twins cracked. He was so happy everyone was getting along, and it cemented his resolve to pursue a relationship with Dahlia. Not all human females could so easily accept his world and that she had, was a huge obstacle overcome. With all the fluffy feelings came a sense of trepidation, a fear of the unknown. He could toss his vow of non-commitment aside easily enough, but did she want what he did?
Garrett knew he needed to talk to her about it, but he didn’t want to dampen her mood.
Poking him to get his attention, Bruin asked, “Did you hear a word of what I said?”
A little embarrassed for being so distracted from his duties, he nodded. “Yeah. We need to have a powwow and figure out what to do.”
The bear glanced at Dahlia for a moment, and Garrett knew what was coming. “Are you thinking of challenging him?”
“Honestly,” Garrett said, pinching the bridge of his nose—of course he had thought about it… and fantasized about bonding with Dahlia. Under the influence of the mating-bond, he was sure he had a good chance of besting Lazaran. “All I care about is that everyone is safe. Fuck the clubhouse and brewery. And fuck Lazaran.”
The chatter around the kitchen dulled, and Garrett realized he had roared those words. Dahlia swallowed hard, her eyes bouncing between everyone. He supposed the whole issue with Lazaran needed to be talked about sooner rather than later, and what better time than the current?
“Okay,” he started. “Priority number one is that everyone remains safe, including Dahlia. She didn’t ask to be dragged into this, but it is what it is. So it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure she stays that way.”
“Will do, boss,” Marcus chimed in. “Between all of us, she’ll never be alone. Promise.”
“I don’t know if I like the sound of that,” Dahlia murmured.
“What about Lazaran?” Vance spoke up as he leaned forward. “Do you think he will give up?”
“I don’t know. I’m hoping we put enough distance between us that he decides it’s a waste of his time… but I know it’s only a matter of time until he moves on. What if he discovers we are living with a human?” Garrett passed a resigned look to Dahlia. “We can’t stay here forever.”
“And we can’t run forever,” Vance refuted.
“True that. But he’s after me out of some power trip. I’ve thought about it some, and it might be best if everyone seeks sanctuary with another clan. A lot of my father’s old alliances dissolved, but the Bark Backs in Montana are fairly friendly—”
Vance banged his fist against the table, his eyes bright with anger, and his animal threatening to break through the surface. “We aren’t leaving you. You can get that out of your mind right now.”
“That fucktwad needs to be put in his place,” Marcus said.
“Those woods have been your home for hundreds of years,” Jet interjected.
His brother nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we can’t let him have them without a fight.”
His clan’s loyalty brushed against his heart, stirring warm feelings. He held is palm up, and everyone relaxed. “My father told me the mark of a true leader is putting everyone’s interest above his own. But it goes beyond that for me. You are my family. When my father died and his clan split up, Bruin was the only one to stay with me. When Vance found me, too young and stupid to know what the hell I was doing, he promised to watch my rear. Jet and Leto’s insistence they join the clan gave me confidence I could lead. And Marcus, Jake, you showed me its okay to unwind, and have some fun every now and then. So, no. I don’t care about the clubhouse or whether or not we live in those woods. All I want is for everyone to be safe, and not have to live in fear. I don’t want us to be separated, but if that is the only way to keep everyone alive, then that is the way it will be.
Unloading his true feelings did a lot to cut through the stress. Everyone looked at him with wide eyes, and positive energy soaked into Garrett. He could see Vance wasn’t completely happy about it, but he didn’t openly voice his disapproval. Marcus was the first to break the silence, his laughter cutting the room. He threw his arms around Garrett, and ruffled his hair.
“Cut it out,” Garrett said good-naturedly.
A sniffle caught everyone’s attention, and they looked over to Dahlia. Her eyes were shining with tears, and her lips that were so obviously pulled up in a smile, were covered by her hands. “I’m sorry. I just love seeing bromance blossom. It’s so adorable.”
The clan fidgeted, but Marcus and Jake cuddled each other like teddy bears.
“Well, I’d say that is settled,” Bruin spoke up. “But there’s one other thing that needs to be addressed, and I think everyone will agree with me that it’s possibly more pressing than dealing with Lazaran at the moment.”
The bears nodded in unison.
“It’s been several days since anyone has been able to let loose,” Bruin said on a sigh. “And I’m starting to get itchy. We really need to run, but there are too many humans here and not enough trees and shadows.”
With everything that had happened and being injured, he hadn’t thought about his clan’s needs. But now
that it had been brought to light, he was in agreement everyone needed some free time—being cooped up was liable to aggravate sensitive tempers. Scratching his chin, he looked to Dahlia who was busy finishing off a glass of orange juice. Determined not to be distracted by the way her throat shifted, he said, “Well, I’m sure we can find a stretch of woods that meets our needs.”
“The Big Horn National Forest is about twenty miles to the northeast,” Dahlia said, her interest peeked. “I can drive us up there if you want. It’s relatively quiet at night.”
Everyone’s gaze shifted to him, and he could feel the air crackle with excitement. He mulled over her suggestion, weighing the risk of leaving her territory. It was safer for them to stay put, but dangerous for Dahlia and the humans if they denied their natural urge to shift for too long. Turning to Bruin, he asked, “Do we know of any clans in that area?”
The bear pursed his lips in thought. “No, I don’t think so.”
“I haven’t spent much time there,” Dahlia said as she rose with her plate in her hands. “No reason to since the last report of suspicious creatures was from ten years ago, so I’m guessing you’re safe.”
Marcus was right on it, snatching the plate and cutlery from her hands, a charming smile on his face. She tried to protest, but he was out of reach in an instant. He deposited the plate in the sink.
“Dahlia?” Garrett said, drawing her attention. “Let it go. It makes him happy.”
She narrowed her eyes at him then folded her arms over her bosom. “Well, I can’t complain that having gorgeous men slave over me is kind of… nice. How can a girl not be charmed? But don’t get used to it.”
A round of throat-clearing went on, and his bears looked down in submission. Garrett was unable to help the growl that rumbled in his chest. Bruin actually chuckled.
“What?” Dahlia asked cluelessly.
“Nothing. It’s a bear thing,” Garrett said in an attempt to avoid the topic. His instinct didn’t like her praise for anyone but him, nor did it take kindly to her noticing how visually appealing they were to her eyes. “I figure, if we cover our scent, we should be fine. Even if the area is occupied, we won’t be there long enough for a dispute to break out.”
“Then we’re going!” Marcus beamed, thrusting his fist in the air.
“Are there any lakes or streams nearby?” Jet inquired.
“I’m not sure. Aren’t you two water logged from hours in my pool?” she asked in disbelief.
The polar twins blinked at her as if she had grown a third arm. Tentatively, they shook their heads in unison. Garrett laughed, drawing his clan’s attention.
“Water or not, we all need to unwind. Dahlia. Would you take us?” he inquired, realizing he were asking permission.
“Sure. I’d rather not have my furniture shredded and my walls pulverized.”
Grinning at her humor, images of her with them in their natural environment flashed through his mind. “Then it’s settled. We’ll go tonight.”
Chapter Eleven
Dahlia glanced in the rear view mirror to find her guests yacking away and poking one another with enthusiasm. They reminded her of a bunch of hyped up kids, excited about going to an amusement park. Smiling to herself, she shook her head at the tingle in her nose. Garrett had been adamant they sterilize her car before leaving. She had watched as the bears doused themselves with rubbing alcohol then washed her car with it. He had forced her to rub some on her own skin, his reasons seeming sound, but no less annoying.
Someone sneezed.
She craned her neck to look at Garrett in the passenger’s side seat. “Are you sure you didn’t go a little overboard? I mean, I don’t want to die of fumes in my own car.”
He gave her a droll look. “Absolutely not where you are concerned.”
She couldn’t deny that his protectiveness touched something deep inside. She’d dealt with jealous, possessive men before, and though Garrett seemed to be greedy about her, she knew his need to dictate her safety was borne of real concern—she had seen what that Lazaran turd was capable of, and if Garrett was worried about him then she supposed his actions were just.
“Settle down, children. We’re almost there,” she said good-naturedly as her ears began to ring from the chatter.
As they turned into a picnic parking lot, the noise cut in half, and everyone shifted toward the windows as if they couldn’t wait to be let out. She found a nice quiet place in the corner, and killed the engine. The area was empty, the last remnant of light coloring the eastern sky a pale blue. Slipping out of the Cherokee, Dahlia stretched. Garrett was next to her in an instant, his nostrils flaring, and his eyes seemed to reflect the light of the rising moon. The rest of his bears filed out of the car, their expressions tight as they scanned the environs.
“What’s wrong?” she inquired.
“I don’t scent any shifters,” Bruin said.
“Same,” Garrett chimed in. “But be cautious. Everyone will keep in sight of me, got it? We will stay here for no longer than two hours, so use your time wisely.”
Marcus saluted him. “Yes, sir.”
Narrowing his eyes for a moment, Garrett tipped his head in approval and the two men burst out in a run, their clothes fluttering to the ground in the process. Bruin and the polar twins followed, their cries carrying against the night as they raced for the trees. It was a joyous sight to see these amazing beings enjoying their nature, and she felt privileged to have been let into their world.
Dahlia turned to close the doors when she noticed Vance was still in the backseat. He was in the process of pushing his tee shirt over his head, his big shoulders bunching—he was quite possibly buffer than Garrett.
Biting her lip, she asked, “Would you like me to get your wheel chair from the back?”
He looked up at her, his eyes crinkling in the corners as he smiled widely. “Nope.”
With that, he hopped out, and Dahlia gasped as he landed on the ground in a thump. Her jaw fell open as he pulled himself forward on the strength of his arms, his legs dragging behind him as he headed for the trees.
Garrett leaned in. “He can walk as a bear.”
“Oh.” She watched as the long grass shifted, Vance’s big body parting it as he disappeared behind the tree line. Pensively, she looked to Garrett. “Can I ask what happened?”
“He told me his spine had been broken when he was very young. Because our shifter nature doesn’t kick in until our early teens, his body was unable to heal properly, leaving him paralyzed. He lived as a human for a very long time, only leaving the city to shift when absolutely necessary. When Bruin and I first met him in my territory, he explained he couldn’t cage the animal any longer. Despite his handicap, he is very strong, more so than I. Bruin begged me not to let him in, afraid he would challenge me for the top spot, but Vance promised he had no desire to lead, and was just looking to reconnect with the natural world.”
Dahlia took a moment to digest everything Garrett had told her. She was happy for Vance that he could enjoy life unencumbered by useless limbs… at least occasionally.
Garrett held his hand out, and she looked at him. “You want me to come?”
“Do you want to?” he asked, his tone bordering on a whimper. “If it frightens you to see me change, then I will stay here with you.”
Shaking her head, she reasoned, “We came here so everyone could unwind. I don’t want you to miss out.”
“I won’t leave you unprotected,” the man refuted, his chest puffing out in defiance.
She scrubbed her face then peeked an eye at him. It wasn’t hard to see he was excited—wait. Maybe he’s excited about showing me his bear form? She did a once over on him, and his hopeful expression convinced her it was more about peacocking for her rather than not leaving her alone. Typical male, she mused. Feeling playful, she asked, “What do you want me to see that I haven’t seen already?”
He didn’t seem to know how to answer that, his hand running through his hair. “I just tho
ught you were interested in seeing how things work… if not, that’s okay. Whatever you want.”
“I want you to relax, and have a good time with your family.”
A smile creased his face, and he made a very purr-like sound that sent shivers through her body. “Would it be presumptuous of me include you in that little circle?” Her cheeks suddenly hurt, and she looked away to hide her grin, but Garrett pressed a finger to her chin so he could gaze into her eyes. “When you last saw my bear form, I was in the furor of fighting for my life. I am sure I looked monstrous. I want you to know I am not like that. Most days, anyhow.”
Okay, she could admit she was a little scared of seeing him change. Despite knowing he was capable of becoming a giant Grizzly, her mind had a hard time with the technical details. Like how did he grow a muzzle, and where did all that fur go to when he became human again?
This is what you’ve always wanted.
Dahlia connected her hand with his, his skin as warm and smooth as she remembered. He rewarded her with a dazzling smile, and urged her toward the forest. They walked hand in hand through the darkness, the cool night air wrapping around them, but his heat kept her warm.
“Can you see very well in the dark all the time?” she asked after a moment.
“Yes. We are born with heightened senses—smell, sight, hearing. And in equal measure, we retain some human traits while in animal form such as higher intelligence and emotions.”
She nodded slowly, digesting that tidbit. A distant roar suddenly cut through the woods, and she jerked to his side.
“It’s just the clan,” he said, draping an arm around her shoulders. “Vance to be exact. They are having a good time. You will learn to distinguish their calls from one another.”
“Will I?” she asked, befuddled. She couldn’t imagine how that could be.
He looked away sheepishly as if he had revealed something he hadn’t meant to. Biting her lip, she looked all around her, the trees like still shadows with dubious intentions. The forest was alive with crickets, and the occasional hoot of an owl cut through the chorus of chirps. “Last time I was in a forest, everything was so silent.”