Arctic Winds. Sondrae Bennett

No one gave away anything for free. If they were offering her a place in their pack, they must want something in return.

      “I appreciate the offer, but like I said, I need to be heading out soon. I don’t plan on sticking around.”

      “Where are you going?” Jason asked immediately.

      “What?”

      “You said you have no skulk and no family. I’m curious where you’re running off to.”

      “Uh…well, I don’t…I don’t know. Somewhere I can settle down for a little while I guess, find a job.”

      “You can settle down here. The local bookstore recently built a coffee bar, and they’re looking for someone to serve. You’ll take that job,” Jason stated with finality. He didn’t ask, just commanded her to take a job she hadn’t even heard of before now.

      She felt her hackles rise. Not because the job wasn’t perfect. Working as a barista had been one of her favorite jobs. She loved the smell of coffee, even if she preferred the more soothing flavors of tea. And she loved to read. Where better to work than a bookstore to feed her habit? Still, it grated that this wolf had all but ordered her to stay.

      “I may not even get the job if I apply, you know. There’s no need to order me into it. But thank you for the suggestion.” She sniffed with a condescending air. “Maybe I will hang around, for a little while at least.”

      Ethan laughed. “I like this one. She knows when you need to be put in your place.”

      * * * *

      “You’ll get the job. Don’t worry,” Jason told Samantha, enjoying the heat that flared briefly in her eyes as he ordered her around. Foxes were timid by nature; crafty, but timid when directly confronted. Maybe arctic foxes were different from those he’d dealt with in the past, but he doubted it. He’d wager not many her size would go up against a fully grown timber wolf like himself. He liked that. She may have been frightened when she first realized where she was, but he already knew the shifters she grew up with weren’t like the shifters he knew. He still couldn’t believe her pack had let her go.

      Now she has a new pack, he thought fiercely. He’d make sure she got the job at Laurie’s bookstore and see if she could rent the apartment above the store. He wanted her close. He wasn’t sure yet why, but he had feelings for her already and knew they would only grow in time. He wanted to shelter her, and hearing she was packless only made him more protective. She might be the one he was waiting for.

      Jason should call Laurie to make sure she’d take Samantha before she found a reason not to stick around. He wanted her to have some ties to the town. He wanted to make it hard for her to leave.

      “Excuse me for a moment.” Jason shoved his brother right out of the booth and onto the floor. He briefly caught Ethan’s eye and didn’t like the mischief he saw there. “Behave,” he admonished. Ethan’s smile continued to grow.

      * * * *

      “Don’t worry, big brother. I’ll take care of Samantha while you’re gone.”

      Samantha looked up from her meal and glanced between the brothers. What a strange relationship they had. There was affection, but Jason also looked as if he wanted nothing more than to kill Ethan at any given time.

      “Samantha.” Ethan stared at her mouth.

      “Do I have crumbs somewhere or something?” she asked, swiping her tongue at the corners.

      Ethan’s chocolate brown gaze swept over her face. He looked deeply into her eyes, a mischievous smile curving his lips. Slowly, he stood and moved to her side of the booth, glancing briefly in Jason’s direction before giving her his full attention. He crowded her into the corner, resting his arm along the back of the booth and around her shoulders. She glanced to her right as she felt him playing with a lock of her hair, jumping as his breath caressed her ear. Did he just sniff her neck?

      “No crumbs,” he whispered.

      “What are you doing?” She put her hand on his chest and leaned away from him.

      “Getting to know you.” He shrugged. “I’ve never seen an arctic fox before. Will you shift for me sometime?”

      Suddenly, their request for her to stay, to join the pack, became clear. Like a kid with a toy at Christmas, they were enchanted by something new. Never having met an arctic fox before, they probably wanted to observe her, like a bug under a microscope.

      At least it was a place to stay, though. She could stay for now, and after they tired of her, as they inevitably would, she’d be on her own once again. Always on her own. Samantha sighed dejectedly. Her head was pounding again making her want to curl up somewhere and go to sleep. Maybe she could find a cave or an abandoned den somewhere in the woods around here and settle down for a couple of days. She needed a long rest, and afterward she was sure she’d be good as new.

      * * * *

      Jason came back from calling Laurie to find his brother practically snuggling in the booth with Samantha. He forced himself to take a couple of breaths, calming down before he ripped his own brother to pieces. Jealousy flowed thick through his veins as he watched Samantha smile tentatively at Ethan. He needed to explain a few things to his younger brother. Samantha was off limits.

      Jason walked over, yanked his brother out of the booth and shoved him into the opposite seat. Taking his brother’s place, Jason’s arm replaced Ethan’s around Samantha’s shoulder. Ethan winked at him, grinning like an idiot, while Jason glared.

      “Testing a theory, big brother. Well, and keeping our dear Samantha warm for you.” He was trying to stir up trouble. Jason knew his brother too well to fall for those tricks.

      “I spoke to Laurie. You start next week, provided you’re feeling better. She’ll let you stay in the apartment above the bookstore for a cut in your wages. You can move in immediately.”

      He looked down at the petite woman beside him. She was looking at him narrow-eyed. “She hired me without even meeting me? And she’s gonna let me stay at the store, too?”

      “You’re part of the pack now, honey. We look after our own,” Ethan said.

      Jason felt Samantha stiffen. She still didn’t understand. They’d already accepted her as their own. The decision had been made.

      “I already told you, I’ll stay for a little while, but I’m not sticking around. I’m a fox, for crying out loud.”

      “So?” he asked, genuinely confused.

      “So, I can’t be a part of your pack.”

      “Why not?”

      “Uh, did you not understand me when I said I’m a fox? Who ever heard of a fox in a wolf pack?” She laughed. It was nice and low, and it made Jason’s belly clench with desire. How did she pull at him like this? He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His wolf was begging him to take her, to mark her as his. She had no idea what she did to him or the kind of danger she invited. Here she was, sitting and laughing and insisting she could never be part of the pack when all he wanted to do was bend her over the table and make her submit, forcing her to stay forever. He had to get control of his wolf, but he longed to throw back his head and howl in triumph.

      “Come on, I’ll take you to meet Laurie and see your new place,” Jason said, reluctantly pulling his arm from around her.