Arctic Winds

Chapter 2

Samantha heard arguing but couldn’t make out any of the words. It seemed close and yet so far away. Was someone growling at her? Everything seemed fuzzy. Her head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds, and her eyes refused to open.

The growling came again, louder this time.

She heard people talking, but the words didn’t make sense. Her hand was trapped in something. Had she fallen while hunting? No, that wasn’t right. She hadn’t gone hunting. She’d gone to the diner instead. The wolf had come, talking about his town. Wolf town! Her world shifted into focus in a panicked flood.

“Get out before I beat you black and blue,” someone snarled at her.

She sat up with a gasp. Wolves surrounded her, three to be exact. No, one of them wasn’t a wolf, only two. Only two, Samantha thought on the verge of hysteria. One was more than enough to kill her where she sat, and the town must be teeming with others. Wolves lived in packs. Where there was one, inevitably there were more.

“Please don’t.” Samantha’s voice sounded rough even to her own ears. “I’ll leave. You don’t need to do that! I’ll go.”

“Easy, honey,” the non-wolf said, rubbing her arm soothingly. Her other hand was caught by wolf number one. “Listen to me. I’m a doctor, and I’m going to take good care of you. Okay? You sit right here and let me make sure you’re all right.” The man must have been in his sixties. His gray hair surrounded a bald patch, and his kind eyes were framed by wide black spectacles. He was a heavy man and although not small, the two wolves dwarfed him.

Samantha tried tugging on her left hand but the wolf held firm. “You don’t understand,” she whispered to the man. “I have to go.” Samantha looked back at the wolf holding her hand. “I don’t want to cause any problems.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” he growled.

Samantha’s eyes widened. “Is it too late?”

A puzzled expression crossed his face. “Too late for what?”

“To escape the beating.”

There was a long pause before the second wolf asked, “What beating?”

Confused, Samantha looked back and forth between the two wolves before settling on the one who held her hand. “The one you said you’d give me if I didn’t leave.”

All three men looked at her like she had two heads. She’d been told when a wolf hunted, he stared his prey down, but she didn’t think she’d be stared at when she made such an easy target. She figured they’d just kill her and get it over with.

“You told her you’d beat her if she didn’t leave?” The second wolf’s sudden exclamation made Samantha jump. His relaxed pose disappeared instantly as he rounded on the first wolf.

“Of course I didn’t!” The first wolf twisted toward the second. She thought about making a run for it, but the first wolf still had her hand trapped in his. There was no way she’d make it out of the diner, so that plan was out. She realized all three men were once again staring at her.

“I…I’m sorry. What?” Samantha asked hesitantly.

“I said,” the one with her hand gritted out between his teeth, “when did you think I said I’d beat you if you didn’t leave?”

“Uh, just now. I was waking up and you said, ‘Get out before I beat you black and blue’.” Why hadn’t they gotten this over with already?

Wolf number two burst out laughing, and even the doctor smiled. The man patted her shoulder and placed a stethoscope on her back.

“Now, don’t you worry, Jason may look big and scary, but he’d never raise his hand to a woman. What’s your name, sweetheart?” The doctor winked at her when she glanced at him.

“Uh, Samantha Walker,” she murmured absently, shaking her head. This man didn’t get it. How could he understand territories and wolves when he didn’t even know they existed?

“If you let me go, I won’t cause any trouble. I’ll leave and you’ll never have to see me again,” Samantha implored the wolf named Jason.

“Exactly.”

Now, what could that possibly mean? Samantha thought about what she had said and realized the wolf still held her hand firmly in his.

“You…you want me to cause trouble?” What kind of a trap was this?

“No. I want you to stay.”

Samantha tipped her head to the side and looked at him. She couldn’t figure him out. Why would he want her to stay? No one had ever wanted her to stay. Not even her own skulk had wanted her. Her parents died soon after she was born, and she’d been the responsibility of the skulk from then on, a responsibility they neither wanted nor took particularly well. She’d never felt the warmth of love and friendship. After she turned twenty-one, they’d asked her to leave. That was four years and eight states ago.

As much as she tried, she’d never found anywhere she belonged. She took odd jobs here and there, waiting tables, bartending, serving coffee, but as soon as she made enough money to last a couple of months, she’d take off for a new state and a new adventure. It had always been difficult for her to make friends, and therefore she never had attachments to keep her in one place. No one cared what happened to her. She was on her own. Always had been and probably always would be.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand.”

“Honey, he wants you to stay here and become one of the pack.” Wolf number two grinned.

She looked quickly at the doctor at the mention of pack, but he continued with his exam without blinking at the odd phrase.

“Um…why?” No one answered, but the wolf leaning against the table continued to smile at her. He was handsome in a “devil may care” way. His hair was light brown with streaks of blond, and his posture shouted “carefree.” His curly hair, which fell around his head in a tangled heap, only enhanced the boyish charm in his face.

“What are you exactly?” The one named Jason interrupted her thoughts. Again she looked cautiously at the doctor. “Don’t worry about him,” the wolf said. “He knows all about us. You won’t find many in this town who don’t. Secret societies rarely stay secret forever.” Jason continued to stare.

He was handsome in a completely different way than the other wolf. His hair was a dark brown but with a slightly reddish hue. It was shorter than the other wolf’s with a gentle wave curling around his ears. The strangest urge to run her hands through the locks assailed her. His features were similar enough to the carefree wolf that she could tell they were related, but while his gaze seemed charming, this one’s was sharp and appraising. Of the two, this was the one to watch out for.

Her stomach fluttered as she looked at him. In fear? She didn’t feel afraid anymore, but the fluttering in her stomach hadn’t gone away. His green eyes were piercing, and Samantha could do nothing but stare back.

“Well?” he finally asked.

“Huh?”

“What kind of breed are you?”

“Oh. I’m a fox.”

“Aren’t foxes supposed to be red or something?” wolf number two asked, looking at her hair.

“I’m an arctic fox. I was born in Alaska. My coat is white when I shift, and I’m smaller than red foxes.”

“What’s an arctic fox doing all the way down here in Colorado? And where’s the rest of your…what are fox packs called?” Jason asked.

“Skulks. And I don’t have one. It’s just me.” Both wolves started staring at her again. This ogling thing was beginning to make her nervous. “Did I say something?”

“What happened to your skulk?” Jason asked.

“As far as I know, they’re still up in Alaska.”

Jason closed his eyes. At least she wasn’t cowering any longer. Getting information was like pulling teeth, though. He couldn’t care less where her pack was. He wanted to know why she wasn’t with them and why they let her travel on her own. She should be home, wrapped up safe and warm, not wandering around the country by herself.

Everything about her compelled him to learn more. And her scent was slowly driving him up a wall. It smelled earthy yet crisp and clean, reminding him simultaneously of a warm fire and a crisp snowfall. He was going to have to taste her, sooner rather than later hopefully.

“Is there a particular reason you’re down here when your skulk is up there without you?” he finally managed to get out.

“They’re not my skulk anymore. They never really were.”

Jason’s wolf raised its head at the calm acceptance in her voice. She didn’t seem upset by the proclamation, but Jason wouldn’t be the same without his pack. They looked out for him as much as he did for them. He couldn’t imagine a life without them, especially for a shifter who wouldn’t be able to open up around people unaware of what he was.

“Is that why you look like you haven’t eaten in days?” he asked her. “How long have you been on your own?”

“I’ve been on my own for four years. And I eat just fine, thank you very much.” She sniffed defensively. Her answer surprised him. Four years? Jason couldn’t believe she’d been on her own for such a long time.

“You have no family or friends or skulk?”

“I do fine on my own,” she repeated.

“Yeah, I can see it’s really working out for you,” Jason murmured, running his hand down her cheek. She reared back and looked at him probingly.

“You’re scaring her, Jason. Ease up a bit.”

The second wolf practically shoved Jason out of the way and took his place next to Samantha. “My name is Ethan, Ethan Callahan. This idiot here is my brother, Jason.” He dropped his voice to a stage whisper. “He likes to act tough and scary ’cause he thinks it makes him a better alpha, but he’s actually soft and mushy inside.” Jason growled behind him. Samantha glanced back, wide-eyed, but Ethan ignored it and continued talking. “And this is Doc Pritchard. He might not be wolf, but he’s pack.”

The doctor kissed her knuckles. “Eddie. And welcome. You’ve got a nasty cold but nothing a little hot tea and a couple days’ rest won’t cure. Why don’t you come see me if it gets any worse, okay?”

“Oh, I don’t plan to be here long. But thank you for everything. I, um, how much do I owe you?” Samantha mentally calculated the money she had left in her bank account. Hopefully it would be enough to cover the bill and get her to the next town. She’d have to find a job soon.

“On the house.” Eddie pulled on his coat and zipped it up. “I’m sure I’ll see you around town.”

She looked on, bemused, as he left. Hadn’t she just told him she wasn’t going to stick around? What a strange group this was.

The waitress came over with the omelet she’d ordered. “Hi, honey. I’m Martha. Why don’t you come back over here and finish your breakfast? I’ll get you a fresh cup of tea.”

“Thank you,” Samantha mumbled, swinging down from the tables and into the booth. Already the people in this town had shown her more courtesy than anyone else ever had. Most people didn’t bother being nice to the little nobody with no home.

She was so consumed with digging into her omelet, it took her a moment to realize Jason was sitting in the other side of the booth. As she watched, Ethan squeezed in next to his brother. The two barely fit together on the same side. Jason glared at Ethan.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be, little brother?”

“Nope!” Ethan smiled cheerfully at Samantha. “Besides, I want to get to know our newest pack mate.”

What was wrong with these people? She never agreed to be their damn pack mate. First the doctor and now these two wolves. She couldn’t figure out their angle. 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.