by C. D. Gorri
*.*.*.*
Sebastian took his time moving toward the door, squinting his eyes as he pulled it open, and the hallway light filled his vision. He yawned in Arnie’s face and glared at him.
“Can I help you?”
Arnie tried to peer around his broad body, but Sebastian made sure to block his view. “Sebastian, I’m so sorry to wake you. I’ve had something serious come up, and I was in search of Paige. I need her assistance immediately.”
Sebastian paused but continued to stare hard at Arnie. “What does that have to do with me?”
“Well, you and she seemed to hit it off earlier and she’s not in her room as I would have expected and—”
“And you assumed she was with me?” Sebastian growled. “This is the second time in less than twelve hours you’ve assumed I was sleeping with or going to sleep with a woman. I’m beginning to think you have a low opinion of me, Arnie.”
Flustered, Arnie turned a bright red, and shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean…well…er…of course Paige isn’t with you. Why would she be? I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.”
“I’m sure.” Sebastian said simply, allowing the other man to fumble over himself as he tried to make up for his faux pau.
“Well, again, I apologize for waking you. Good-night.” Arnie spun away from the door and Sebastian immediately shut it tight behind him.
He waited, listening for the other man to walk away before he moved quietly to the closet and Paige. She was huddled in a corner, a look of pure terror on her face. It drove his bear wild, and he wanted nothing more than to rip Arnie to pieces for causing her fear.
“He’s gone.” He reached his hand out to help her stand and found her fingers ice cold. Wrapping them in his grip he rubbed at them to warm them. “Relax, we’re going to get you out of here.”
“How? We can’t just walk out the front door. There’s no way in hell Arnie is going to just let me leave. And besides that, where do I go? I can’t go home he’ll be looking for me.”
“We’ll go to my pack until we hear from your contact. They’re crazy, and loud, and obnoxious, but they’ll protect you with every fiber of their being. As for how we get out of here…” he gestured to the window and nearly laughed when her face blanched. “Come on, we’re bears, we can handle a little jaunt through the snow.”
“I’m a sun-bear. Emphasis on the sun. I do not like the cold.” She grumbled.
“Well, I’m a polar bear, emphasis on the polar. I can keep you warm if we have to stop at some point.” He moved to his bag and pulled on a shirt before shoving his feet into his boots. Draping his bag over his shoulder he moved to the window, sliding it open and inhaling a whiff of fresh snow. “Besides, we don’t even have to shift if we can get to a vehicle without being seen.”
“Okay, lets try that.” She agreed with a sharp nod. “I just have to brave the snow long enough to get to my car.”
She seemed to be talking to herself, psyching herself up for the plunge into the cold, so Sebastian didn’t respond. Instead, he threw one leg through the open window and eased himself outside. The snow was more than a foot deep on the other side of the window, and he couldn’t stop a shiver as the ice-cold moisture hit his human skin. It would certainly help to have his leather coat right now, but it was hanging in the closet by the front door.
Standing outside the window, he turned back to find Paige’s blonde head poking through. “I’m not tall enough.” She protested.
“I’ll catch you, sweetheart, trust me.”
She backed up and then copied his movements, throwing her leg out the window and easing down into his waiting arms. The snow reached her knees and she gasped at the frigid cold. “Holy fucking hell it’s colder than a witch’s tit.”
Sebastian snickered at her colorful language and then hushed her. “We’re going to have to be extremely quiet and very aware of our surroundings. I’m guessing Arnie is still searching for you inside, but we can’t take any chances.”
With a nod of understanding, she wrapped her arms tight around her chest against the cold and they set out. Moving through the snow was difficult but not impossible. Sebastian just prayed Paige didn’t get hypothermia before he got her out of there.
Once they made it around the house to the circular driveway, he realized they had bigger issues. His truck was there, ready to go, except that it was blocked in by other cars.
“Shit.” He growled.
“What now?” she asked, her teeth chattering hard.
“My truck is blocked in. We can’t take it. We’ll have to try your car.”
Nodding her understanding she lead the way around the opposite side of the mansion to a smaller parking area where she pointed at a black two door car.
“That’s it, but I just realized I don’t have my purse or my keys.”
“I could try to hot wire it.” He offered.
She hesitated and then nodded again, “Okay, lets try it. Anything to get out of here.”
Sebastian hadn’t hotwired a car since he was sixteen, and there was a ton of pressure on him to get it right on the first try. Creeping closer to the car, he grimaced imagining climbing into the tiny thing. He was not built for miniature cars like this one. He preferred trucks or SUV’s so that he had some room to breathe. Before he could reach the car to open the door a loud banging sound startled them both and he ducked behind another vehicle. Peering around it, he could see Arnie and one of his security men standing at the side door of the house looking his way. He ducked down and prayed Paige was still hiding in the trees.
“She hasn’t left.” Arnie was saying, “Her car’s still here, and with all this snow, I’d guess she’s somewhere in the house.”
The security guy mumbled something and Arnie seemed to agree before they both turned and went back in the house. Before Sebastian could move toward the car again, Paige was next to him, grabbing his arm.
“We can’t take my car.” She hissed, “He’ll know I’m gone the minute they hear it start.”
“It’s too cold for you out here. We don’t have a choice.”
“I’m tougher than I look.” She said firmly. “I can handle it.”
He held his ground for a moment surveying her before he agreed, “Okay then we shift and go on foot.”
She gave a sharp nod of agreement and they both crept back the way they’d come toward the end of the driveway. Stopping under a thick pine tree where the snow was thinner, he pulled his shirt off and shoved it in his overnight bag, before realizing that she wasn’t moving.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have a flashdrive in my bra that has the evidence on it. We need to keep it as safe as possible.”
He took it from her and zipped it into the outside pocket of his duffel bag.
“Could you, um…turn around? I know most shifters are okay with nudity but…”
“Understood.” He spun around and began removing his boots and jeans while giving her her privacy to undress and shift. Shoving his gear in his bag, he turned back to find a small darkly colored bear with orangish creamy markings on her chest and snout. She was adorable.
“You’re beautiful, sweetheart.” He collected her clothes and shoes and forced them into his now bulging bag. The cold reminded him that he was standing there naked, and he quickly shifted into his own bear.
Even in bear form he dwarfed her. She was probably no taller than four foot on her back feet, but when she ambled on all fours she was more like three foot. It was going to be a true challenge getting her through the deep snow.
About a quarter of a mile down the mountain Sebastian realized what they were doing wasn’t working and began looking for an alternative. It didn’t take long before they came upon a neighbor’s property.
“I want to check around for a vehicle.” He said, shifting into his skin and quickly leaving her huddled in the trees in bear form to check the property. He could see vehicles in the attached two car garage through the windows, but it was risky to br
eak in and try to hotwire something. Luckily, a back shed revealed their ticket to freedom. A snow mobile sat waiting in the darkness of the shed. There were no keys, but he didn’t need them. Hot wiring cars was a trick he’d learned back in high-school to make himself look cool for his friends.
A couple minutes later he had Paige on the back of the snow mobile and they were coasting down the mountain.
Chapter Four
Paige was colder than she’d ever been in her life. They’d been driving through the deep snow down the side of the mountain for what felt like hours before they hit the city limits. Keeping to the outskirts of town to avoid being seen, they made their way to a home that was set off the beaten path. It was a beautiful place but mostly, she just hoped it was a safe place.
Sebastian seemed to know what he was doing as he parked the snow mobile in the treeline, and shifted into his bear once again. Following his lead, she pulled her clothes off, cursing at the frigid temps again, before ambling along behind him around to the back of the house and up onto a deck. There were sliding glass doors in the back that showed a warm, cozy kitchen inside. Without shifting, Sebastian used his claws to knock on the glass door. A moment later, a petite woman with gorgeous ash blonde hair appeared, her eyes widening when she spotted him. She hurried to the door and flung it open.
“Sebastian? What in the world?”
He turned back and gestured to Paige with his head, bringing her forward into the light from the doorway.
“Oh, my goodness! Please, both of you, come inside where it’s warm.” The woman stepped backwards giving them room to enter the house and Paige dutifully followed Sebastian in. She didn’t know who this was, or even where she was, but she felt safe with her mate next to her.
Before she could say anything, the woman buzzed out of the room for a moment, returning with a handful of towels and a man in tow. The man smelled familiar somehow and Paige’s racing heart slowed just a bit.
“Sebastian, what are you doing here?”
A moment passed as Sebastian shifted into his human skin, quickly covering himself with a bath towel before he began to explain. “This is Paige, she’s my mate.”
The man’s eyes widened, and the woman gasped. “Mate?”
“Paige, it’s okay, you’re safe here. This is my cousin, Quinn, and his mate, Aubrey.” Sebastian told her, placing his hand on top of her head for a moment. She liked the feeling of his fingers in her fur, but she wasn’t comfortable shifting in front of strangers. Backing up a step, she tried to convey her discomfort with her eyes. After a moment, Aubrey cleared her throat.
“Let’s give Paige some privacy to change. Do I need to get you something to wear, hon?”
Sebastian shook his head, “I have her clothes in the bag I was carrying.” He bent to grab it off the floor, pulling Paige’s stuff to the top and laying it on the counter. “If you guys will give us a moment.”
Aubrey and Quinn stepped from the room leaving Sebastian and Paige alone in the kitchen. “I swear you’re safe here, sweetheart. Shift and get dressed so that you can warm up. I can feel how sluggish you are from the cold and it’s breaking my heart.”
Paige shook her bear head at him, and he smirked. “I’m your mate, Paige. I’m going to see you naked for the rest of our lives.”
He quickly dropped the towel he was holding giving her a killer view of what he was packing. Her mouth dropped open and a small growl of approval slipped from her throat. It was a good thing she was in her fur or she might have jumped him as sexy as he was.
To his credit, Sebastian didn’t say a word, he just pulled his clothes on and then turned his back to give her privacy. She shifted immediately, reaching for the towels that Aubrey had left behind. Wrapping herself in one, she let out a soft whine as she realized her energy stores were tapped. She could barely stand upright, much less get herself dressed.
Her whine drew Sebastian’s attention and he turned back to her, a soft smile on his face. “My poor baby, you’re exhausted after everything. Will you please let me help you?”
She wanted to say no to keep some propriety between them, but the pull on her heartstrings from their rapidly growing mating bond led her to nod her agreement.
Silently, he reached for her panties, and held them up for her to step into. Without removing the towel, she let him help her get them up her thighs, and then she wriggled the rest of the way into them. Next came her jeans, and while she tried hard to ignore the sparks coming off their skin-to-skin contact, she was melting into a puddle of goo inside. Once her bottom half was covered, he reached for her bra, and she vehemently shook her head.
“After everything I’ve been through tonight, I’m definitely not putting that back on.” She grumbled. “Just pass me my shirt, please.”
Chuckling, he did so, but this time he didn’t turn around to give her privacy. He faced her, head on, as if daring her to bare her breasts to him. With a rare dash of bravery, she let the towel fall to the floor, baring her Double D’s to his gaze before she slid the shirt into place and hid them again.
When she met his gaze again, his mouth was slightly parted, and his pupils were blown. The smell of lust filled the air around them.
“Damn it, I want you so bad.” He whispered, lifting his hands as though he was going to take her into his arms. He dropped them just as quickly.
Without considering what she was doing, Paige moved closer, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him down for a passionate kiss. Their bodies pressed together and the heat between them built as their mouths molded into one interlocking puzzle piece. Everything in her body clicked into place as she accepted that this man was her one and only.
The sound of a baby crying drew them apart, but Paige held onto him, staring up into his gorgeous green eyes for several moments. “Who is that?”
“Samantha Ruth, my God-daughter.” He explained. “Come on, lets go meet everyone before I ravish you in the kitchen.”
Paige giggled, “I could do with a little ravishing.”
Sebastian’s eyes flashed and he smirked, “I promise I’ll ravish you as soon as I know you’re safe, sweetheart.”
He led her out of the kitchen and into a massive living room where Quinn and Aubrey were cooing at a precious little girl with a mop of icey blonde curls on her head.
“Quinn, Aubrey, Sammie-girl, I want you to meet my mate, Paige Harth.” Sebastian said as they entered. She stepped forward, conscious of the fact that she was braless and shoeless while meeting people who were obviously important to Sebastian.
Flushing a little, she held out her hand. “Nice to meet all of you. I’m sorry to just barge in like this.”
“You’re family.” Aubrey said, “You’re always welcome in our home.”
“Thank you.” Paige whispered, tears filling her eyes.
“You’d probably better explain how you ended up here though.” Quinn added. “You’re a long way from home, cousin. And last I knew you weren’t mated.”
“We aren’t, officially.” Paige said.
“Not yet anyway.” Sebastian added. “It’s a long story…”
“I’ve got nothing but time.” Quinn told him as they all settled onto the comfortable sofas. Sebastian pulled a blanket down over Paige, tucking her in so that she could get warm before he began sharing. By the time he’d explained the whole sordid tale, she was feeling cozy and relaxed at his side.
“So, right now we don’t know what’s happened to your contact, but we know for a fact that Arnie is a thief and he’s looking for you?” Quinn asked, looking her way.
“Right. Or, at least, I assume he’s a thief. He’s got the paintings which certainly look like originals to me, and he’s super protective of them. He just asked me tonight to hire more security guards for both his mountain home and his townhome in Denver.”
“Clearly, we need to go to the authorities.” Aubrey said, rocking Samantha as she nursed her under a baby blanket. “They’ll know how to reach your FBI contact.”<
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“Arnie has friends at the Denver PD. I don’t think we’d get anywhere going that route.” Paige disagreed. “That’s why the FBI was using me, to circumvent the local authorities. I think they were hoping to take down some bad cops too.”
“Have you tried reaching your contact again?” Quinn asked, “I mean, since earlier tonight?”
She shook her head, “No, but then, he hasn’t responded to my message either.”
“Where’s your phone?” Aubrey asked.
Paige pulled it from the pocket of her jeans. “It was in Sebastian’s bag while we traveled thankfully.”
“It would be worthless if not,” Aubrey agreed.
“There’s no messages.” Paige said before groaning. “Shit, my message never went through. It says ‘unsent’ with a little error flag.”
“That might explain things.” Quinn said with a chuckle.
“We probably didn’t get enough signal on the mountain.” Sebastian patted her knee, “Try sending it again now that we’re in range of the cell phone towers. Let’s see if we can make arrangements to meet with him ASAP.”
Paige nodded and quickly shot off a message to Sal. Putting her phone back in her pocket, she snuggled back into Sebastian’s side, inhaling his deep sugared, honey smell into her lungs. Exhaustion was hitting her.
“Why don’t you try to sleep a bit while we wait to hear from him?” Aubrey offered, “We have a guest room with a really good mattress. You’d sleep like a baby.”
Paige smiled, but Sebastian shook his head. “I don’t think we should stay. I hate to say this, but I think all five of us should head to pack lands.”
Quinn nodded his agreement, “Agreed. We’ll all be safer on pack lands than we are here.”
“I’ll get some stuff together for Sammie, if you want to call ahead and let them know we’re coming.” Aubrey said, jumping to her feet.