“She’s got no one. She’s half-starved and collapsed in the diner. I don’t know the whole story myself. Could you just do me a favor and watch out for her?”
Laurie looked at him speculatively. Something was definitely going on. She’d never seen him so invested in someone, especially a virtual stranger.
“Fine. But keep me in the loop, okay? I know I’m not part of your officer core, but this is my pack, too, and you’ve put me in the middle without giving me any information.”
“I want to keep her around. I’m not sure why yet, but I sense she’s important to me. Does that satisfy you?”
“For now.”
“Vulture.”
“You love me.”
Jason crossed to Laurie, leaned down and kissed her cheek before leaving.
Chapter 4
When Samantha woke up, darkness had settled outside her window. She felt much better, but she still hadn’t fully regained her strength. The sound of her stomach grumbling reminded her she hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
She hadn’t even bothered getting underneath the covers or changing out of her clothes after Laurie left. She had curled up on the bed and immediately drifted off to sleep. Sometime during her sleep, she had stripped and shifted. The cracks and snaps that always came with a shift had filled the small room. Anyone listening would assume shifting was accompanied by torturous pain, but it was far from painful. To a shifter, the breaking and reforming of bones and muscles necessary to change forms was more of a reassuring ache. Shifting felt like a good stretch after a long nap.
Burrowing under the covers to block out the light, Samantha had curled up, tucked her nose under her tail and promptly fell back asleep. In the wild, her tail protected her face from the cold winds and created a blanket of sorts for her body. The protective pose wasn’t necessary in the warmth of the apartment but curling into herself gave her the comfort of familiarity. After weeks of hunting up her own food and sleeping as fox, it felt unnatural to sleep as human. She was in the same pose now.
Samantha quickly shifted and pulled on her day-old clothes. Swiping her keys from the counter, Samantha locked up and made her way downstairs. She needed to get her stuff from the car and see if she could find a grocery store.
The bookstore was dark as she passed it. It must be later than she thought. Laurie had mentioned the store closing at eight.
As she walked toward her car, she noticed a piece of paper underneath the wipers. She groaned out loud. She couldn’t afford a ticket right now. Hesitantly, she pulled the paper out and stared at it. It wasn’t a ticket.
Hey, Sam, I knocked on your door before I left for the night but didn’t get an answer. Figured you were either out cold or out exploring. If you need anything, give me a call on my cell. Laurie. A phone number was listed under the name.
Samantha stared at the note. Her throat felt tight, and tears blurred her vision. Samantha was moved Laurie had thought to check on her before leaving. No one had ever cared about her before.
She shook herself and straightened her shoulders. This, too, would pass. Best not to get used to it.
Samantha looked at the number Laurie had written on the note. Too bad she didn’t have a cellphone. It seemed she was on her own for searching out food.
Samantha pulled her keys out of her pocket and slid behind the wheel. Glancing briefly at the clock on the dashboard as she started the car, Samantha was amazed at how late it had gotten. It was almost ten o’clock! Luckily it was a Friday night. She was sure something would be open.
Where the hell is she? Jason thought for the six-hundredth time as he sat in his car and looked around the empty parking lot.
He’d been at the Wild Boar, the local pub, having a cold one with his brothers, when Laurie walked in and slid into the booth with them. She signaled the waiter to order a beer.
“Where have you been?” Ethan asked casually. “We expected you an hour ago.”
“Went home to take a shower and freshen up after closing.”
“Well?” Jason interrupted, not willing to wait around while they made small talk. “How is she?”
She looked at him innocently, reaching for the nachos sitting on the table. “Who?”
“Don’t play dumb, Laurie. It doesn’t look good on you.”
“Oh, Samantha? I don’t know, she didn’t answer the door when I went to check on her. I’m sure she’s fine.”
“She didn’t answer so you left?” Jason yelled, drawing the eyes of half the bar to their table. His siblings looked at him like he was insane.
“What’s your problem? She was probably sleeping. I left a note with my number. If she needs something, she’ll call.”
Shoving his way out of the booth, he left the bar, intent on checking on Samantha.
Only Samantha wasn’t at the bookstore. Her car was gone from the parking lot, and she hadn’t come to the apartment door when he knocked. He was overcome by fear. What if she had decided not to stick around and left town, left him, without a word?
The question ran through his mind over and over again. There was nothing he could do but wait. So he sat in his car and stared at her door, as if by staring at it she would magically appear.
Where the hell is she?
Headlights came around the corner of the store, and as he watched, Samantha’s midnight blue Taurus rounded the side of the building and pulled into a parking space. She stared at his car warily.
Knowing she would be able to see him even at night, Jason opened his car door and stepped out. He watched as she guardedly exited the car and waited for him to come to her.
“Is there a problem?” she asked him when he approached.
“Where the hell were you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Where the hell were you? Laurie said you didn’t answer your door. I was worried, so I came to check on you and you were gone. No note, no call, nothing.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I had to check in with you. Do all your pack members have to notify you when they go to the grocery store, or is it just the new folks?”
“Grocery store?”
“Grocery store,” Samantha confirmed.
Jason rubbed his hands over his face, suddenly tired now that he realized she wasn’t leaving him. He wasn’t acting like himself. He hadn’t been able to think of anything besides Samantha all day long. Throughout the day he found himself rising from his desk, intent on coming over to check on her, before reason returned, stopping him in his tracks. He trusted Laurie to call him if anything was wrong.
A couple of times he caught Ethan or Danny watching him curiously after he rose, forcing him to refill his coffee cup in order to cover up his strange behavior. Ethan had been grinning like a fool by the end of the day, with Jason scowling right back. Danny looked at them both like they were crazy.
Samantha nervously wrung her hands. “Listen, I told you I wasn’t going to cause trouble, but if you don’t believe me, maybe I should just head out. I appreciate everything, and I’m feeling much better now…”
Samantha stopped talking as Jason backed her up against the side of her car. Towering over her, Jason drew her eyes to his. He had a wild, almost feral look in his eyes, and a wave of desire crashed through her. He gripped her hips as he pressed her against her car door with his body.
“I’m not worried you’re going to cause trouble,” he all but growled out.
Staring up into his eyes, altered from their mossy green color to a pale yellow that practically glowed, Samantha felt heat flood her core and she began to get wet.