“All right, all right,” Cody soothed.
Samantha was still a bit uncomfortable but she found herself relaxing slightly. He was handsome with his shaggy red hair and striking emerald green eyes. He had sharp features but an easy smile and confident demeanor. Truthfully, if she wasn’t in love with Jason, she could easily see herself becoming attracted to Cody. But she was in love with Jason.
Despite her uncertainty, her heart broke just from being separated from him. She’d take however much of him he would give her and hope she could pick up the tattered pieces of her heart after he finished. Until then, she was his. On the other hand, this offer for permanency, true permanency, wasn’t something she could throw away lightly. She needed more time to think everything through.
“The phone’s on the wall behind you. Feel free to use it to call whoever you need to call. But before you leave, I hope you’ll at least clue me in to why you don’t want to join the skulk. If you’ve got a job, I assume you plan on staying for a significant period of time. We’ll help you find another job if that’s the concern.”
Samantha sighed, chastising herself for her distrust. Cody had done nothing but try to make her comfortable, feed her, and offer her help. Meanwhile, all she’d done was be suspicious of him and insult his skulk.
“I’m sorry. It’s not anything against your skulk. I’m comfortable in Alpine Woods. And I’m currently seeing someone,” Samantha said self-consciously, hoping he wouldn’t ask for more details. She certainly didn’t need anyone else to point out how implausible her relationship with Jason really was. “I’m just going to use the phone real quick.”
Samantha got the number for the bookstore from Information and asked to be put through. When the phone rang for the third time, Samantha worried no one would answer. She needed to get home, if only to sort through her tumbling emotions. She’d been counting on Laurie being at the store today.
“Hello?” Jason’s frantic voice exploded out of the earpiece.
“Jason, for God’s sake, I’m still running a business.” Samantha heard Laurie’s voice in the background, as well as the sound of the phone being grabbed. “Sorry. This is Books and Crannies. How can I help you?”
“What’s Jason doing back?” Samantha asked, momentarily forgetting why she’d called. He was supposed to be away for another day at least. She was hoping he wouldn’t find out about this morning’s adventure. Somehow, she didn’t figure he’d be too happy about it. Not to mention she was a bit embarrassed. What kind of a grown woman couldn’t even go for an early morning romp in the woods without getting lost?
“Samantha! Where the hell are you? We’ve been worried sick!”
“Samantha! Give me the phone, Laurie,” Jason’s voice commanded.
“Jason, will you hold on a second? I won’t be able to hear anything with you screaming in my ear. Samantha, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Laurie. I’m sorry to have worried you. I was feeling a bit anxious so I went out running this morning and got a little turned around. Well, a lot turned around, actually. I ended up at the Vulpes shifters. I was wondering if maybe someone wouldn’t mind picking me up?”
“What’s your exact location? We’ll leave right now.”
“I’m in their Premier’s house.” Cody called an address out and Samantha repeated it to Laurie. “Did you get that?”
“We’re on our way. We’ll be there in twenty minutes, tops.” The phone line went dead. Samantha stared at it for a moment before replacing it in its cradle.
“They hung up before I could ask them to bring something for me to change into. I don’t suppose you’d let me wear this home? I’ll wash it and return it to you.”
“Don’t worry about it. Besides, I kind of like seeing you in my clothes.” His wink caused Samantha to blush and she tried to pull down the hem of the shirt again. Her breasts were small enough she didn’t actually need a bra, but there was something about not wearing one that made her feel exposed.
“Tell me more about this guy you’re dating. Is he shifter or human? That town is so overrun by humans, it’s almost hard to tell half the time.” Cody’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“He’s one of the wolves. And I know fox and wolves and all the cross-breed arguments, but it seems to be working at the moment. I’m willing to wait and see what happens.” Samantha knew she was starting to ramble and immediately closed her mouth, biting at the corners.
“I know most of the pack. Who is he?” Cody pressed. His gaze was sharp on her, almost as if he sensed she didn’t want to tell him. He probably did. Foxes had extremely good detection of emotions, more than other shifters, and right now Samantha’s were in turmoil.
“Jason Callahan,” Samantha said with a raised chin. At first there was no change in Cody’s facial expression. Then unexpectedly, a smile broke over his features.
“You’re kidding, right? I mean, Samantha, he’s the pack’s Premier!” When Samantha continued to look Cody in the eyes with a determined look on her face, his features fell. “Oh, hell.” He rubbed his face with his hands before continuing. “He’s playing with you, you must realize that. He’s a wolf and you’re a fox. What’s more, he’s Premier of a pack and you don’t even seem to have one. He’s going to use you until he’s had his fill, and then he’s going to dump you.”
Samantha knew logically all Cody said was true, but her heart wouldn’t accept any truth that meant leaving Jason. She wasn’t living in delusion. She knew the realities of the situation, but when she was with Jason her world seemed to focus and everything felt right. It was like a missing piece of her soul slid into place. For the first time in her life, she felt wanted. She felt like she had a home. She didn’t know what the future held, but then again, she never had, and it had never bothered her before. So why was all this talk making her want to curl up in a fetal position and bawl like a baby?
“Would you stop brooding? You’re giving me a headache,” Jason heard Laurie say as he stared out the windshield of Laurie’s Escape, willing the car to go faster. Laurie had insisted on driving, a fact that annoyed Jason until he realized he’d be able to hold Samantha the whole way home.
Even knowing she was safe, his wolf was restless after the scare this morning. It had taken him an hour to complete the normally two-hour drive back to town after Laurie’s call. He fully expected Samantha to be waiting for him when he got there. He’d thought maybe she’d played some horrible practical joke, or maybe Laurie had forgotten to call him when she found Samantha sleeping at his house. Instead, he’d found his clueless siblings no closer to finding Samantha than they had been when they called earlier.
As more time passed, Jason became more and more anxious to have Samantha back in his arms where she belonged. His need for her was a palpable thing living and breathing inside him. Hearing Samantha was okay appeased the man but did nothing for the wolf. Only when he could feel, taste, and smell Samantha would the wolf relax. He didn’t bother answering Laurie’s complaint, but stared straight ahead and continued to brood.
“Geez, Jason, she’s fine. We’ll be there in another ten minutes, tops.”
Jason’s only response was a growl. Hearing Samantha was with the foxes didn’t lessen his anxiety much. What if she decided she wanted to be around her own kind? Jason knew he could never be happy if he wasn’t around other wolves. What happened if Samantha felt the same way? As Premier, he had the freedom to mate with any member of his pack, but if Samantha chose the foxes over the wolves, he would never be able to have her. And he needed her as much as he needed his next breath.