But I can’t make this decision for you. I want you to know my offer to join the skulk is open-ended. You’ll always be welcome here. You know how to reach me if you need me.”
Samantha thanked Cody and walked back to Jason feeling beat down. She wondered how much time she had left with him. Would Jason allow her to stay in Alpine Woods after he was finished with her? She hoped so. Even without Jason, the town felt like home. And who knew, maybe one of the lesser Beta wolves would want a small arctic fox mate. How odd. She’d had to travel thousands of miles away from her birthplace to find her home.
Jason latched onto her again as soon as she reached his side. She giggled in surprised pleasure when he followed her into the backseat of the car and pulled her into his arms.
“Sure, make me feel like a chauffeur, sitting up here all by myself,” Laurie joked as she slid behind the wheel.
Samantha blushed at the reminder of why they were here. Not only had she missed the entire morning of work, but Laurie probably had to close the store to come pick her up.
“I’m sorry, Laurie. You can dock my pay for the hours lost coming to pick me up. I don’t know what happened, I just got turned around. Stupid mouse.” Although Samantha grumbled under her breath, Laurie and Jason both pounced on it.
“Mouse?”
Blushing, Samantha told them the whole story of how she got turned around while chasing a mouse. Both Jason and Laurie burst out laughing.
“Oh, man—” Laurie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I hope you know you’re never going to live this one down. It’s going to be a long running joke at family gatherings, I’m sure. I hope you’re prepared for that.”
Warm pleasure rushed through Samantha at the words “family gatherings”. Samantha knew Laurie didn’t intend to include her in the comment, but it still gave her a happy feeling. She allowed herself to pretend, if only for a moment, she was a part of Jason’s family.
“I’m glad you’re safe.” Jason snuggled closer to her in the backseat and bit her shoulder hard enough for a small yelp to escape.
“Hey, no hanky-panky in the backseat of my car unless it involves me and a hunky blond!” Laurie cautioned from the front seat.
“Laurie, I don’t want to hear this,” Jason groaned, causing Samantha to giggle again. It felt nice to be sheltered in Jason’s arms in the company of friends. Snuggling more securely in Jason’s embrace, Samantha let his scent surround her and her worries drifted away.
* * * *
Jason looked at the sleeping woman in his arms. She appeared to have slept no better than him last night. As selfish as it seemed, Jason felt a surge of joy thinking she had fared no better being away from him than he had. Laurie pulled into Jason’s driveway and glanced back.
“I’ll let you inside. Tell her not to worry about work, I’ve got her covered,” Laurie said before opening the doors and allowing him to carry his precious bundle inside. Laurie quietly shut the door behind him and left without another word. She really was a great sister. He’d have to think of some way to thank her in the near future.
True to his word, as soon as he laid Samantha on his bed, he removed the offending clothes.
Once she was completely naked, he gently pulled back the covers and tucked her inside. He was tired. Not only had he not slept, his soul was weary from the scare he’d received this morning. He knew it couldn’t have been any less traumatizing for Samantha, being caught in a strange shifter town in her animal form. Jason remembered her abject terror a few weeks ago when discovering she’d stumbled into a wolf den. It was no wonder she passed out in the car.
Pulling off his own clothes, Jason crawled into bed in his boxers and pulled Samantha into his embrace. Comforted by the feel of her curling into him, her hand resting over his heart, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t forgotten about Cody or his
Samantha thanked Cody and walked back to Jason feeling beat down. She wondered how much time she had left with him. Would Jason allow her to stay in Alpine Woods after he was finished with her? She hoped so. Even without Jason, the town felt like home. And who knew, maybe one of the lesser Beta wolves would want a small arctic fox mate. How odd. She’d had to travel thousands of miles away from her birthplace to find her home.
Jason latched onto her again as soon as she reached his side. She giggled in surprised pleasure when he followed her into the backseat of the car and pulled her into his arms.
“Sure, make me feel like a chauffeur, sitting up here all by myself,” Laurie joked as she slid behind the wheel.
Samantha blushed at the reminder of why they were here. Not only had she missed the entire morning of work, but Laurie probably had to close the store to come pick her up.
“I’m sorry, Laurie. You can dock my pay for the hours lost coming to pick me up. I don’t know what happened, I just got turned around. Stupid mouse.” Although Samantha grumbled under her breath, Laurie and Jason both pounced on it.
“Mouse?”
Blushing, Samantha told them the whole story of how she got turned around while chasing a mouse. Both Jason and Laurie burst out laughing.
“Oh, man—” Laurie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I hope you know you’re never going to live this one down. It’s going to be a long running joke at family gatherings, I’m sure. I hope you’re prepared for that.”
Warm pleasure rushed through Samantha at the words “family gatherings”. Samantha knew Laurie didn’t intend to include her in the comment, but it still gave her a happy feeling. She allowed herself to pretend, if only for a moment, she was a part of Jason’s family.
“I’m glad you’re safe.” Jason snuggled closer to her in the backseat and bit her shoulder hard enough for a small yelp to escape.
“Hey, no hanky-panky in the backseat of my car unless it involves me and a hunky blond!” Laurie cautioned from the front seat.
“Laurie, I don’t want to hear this,” Jason groaned, causing Samantha to giggle again. It felt nice to be sheltered in Jason’s arms in the company of friends. Snuggling more securely in Jason’s embrace, Samantha let his scent surround her and her worries drifted away.
* * * *
Jason looked at the sleeping woman in his arms. She appeared to have slept no better than him last night. As selfish as it seemed, Jason felt a surge of joy thinking she had fared no better being away from him than he had. Laurie pulled into Jason’s driveway and glanced back.
“I’ll let you inside. Tell her not to worry about work, I’ve got her covered,” Laurie said before opening the doors and allowing him to carry his precious bundle inside. Laurie quietly shut the door behind him and left without another word. She really was a great sister. He’d have to think of some way to thank her in the near future.
True to his word, as soon as he laid Samantha on his bed, he removed the offending clothes.
Once she was completely naked, he gently pulled back the covers and tucked her inside. He was tired. Not only had he not slept, his soul was weary from the scare he’d received this morning. He knew it couldn’t have been any less traumatizing for Samantha, being caught in a strange shifter town in her animal form. Jason remembered her abject terror a few weeks ago when discovering she’d stumbled into a wolf den. It was no wonder she passed out in the car.
Pulling off his own clothes, Jason crawled into bed in his boxers and pulled Samantha into his embrace. Comforted by the feel of her curling into him, her hand resting over his heart, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t forgotten about Cody or his
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