The Beast in Him

CHAPTER 25

It had taken her second in command getting between them to separate Brendon Shaw from Bobby Ray.

It had started off like any other morning hunt. The Smith Pack wolves tracking down a deer and taking it down. And just like every other hunt now that lions had become a constant part of their lives, the cats happened on by to steal their meal. If there was only one, Mace or Brendon, they usually put up a fight. But with Mace, Brendon, and Mitch, Sissy thought they’d just let them have the damn thing and go after another one. But Bobby Ray had fought back with a vengeance. Mace backed off immediately, understanding Bobby Ray better than any of them did. She had no doubts you learned a lot about a man when you were stationed with him in a war zone. Mitch enjoyed his job, and Sissy even had the sense he was seriously considering not going back to his police job in Philly, so he’d backed off pretty quick too.

But Brendon seemed more than happy to give Smitty the fight he’d been looking for, the two of them going after each other like the deer at their feet couldn’t simply be replaced by a drive-through run to McDonald’s.

Of course, this had nothing to do with the damn deer. Or the fact that the lions always stole their meals. It was all about that damn She-dog.

It still boggled Sissy’s mind that the little heifer had the nerve to turn down her brother. The best of the batch, in her estimation. Maybe if it had been one of the other four, Sissy could understand Jessie Ann pushing him away. But Bobby Ray wasn’t like her other brothers. And her other brothers probably wouldn’t have given Jessie Ann the option. They would have taken her down like they had that deer.

But Smitty wouldn’t tell Sissy more than, “She don’t want me. That’s all you need to know.”

Sissy doubted that. Actually, she knew that to be wrong. That little geek had wanted her brother since the first time she’d set eyes on him. And it hadn’t changed. Really, in Sissy’s opinion, it would never change. Jessie Ann Ward would always love Bobby Ray Smith. And now that she’d seen him so miserable, Sissy knew that Bobby Ray would always love Jessie Ann.

Yet, for some unknown reason, the two of them insisted on fighting it. So the question for her was how to fix this. She was Alpha Female. She needed to fix this.

By her third fight with Bobby Ray—this time over potatoes—Ronnie Lee dragged her off to the town bar. Lots of cute local talent, but she couldn’t even enjoy flirting since she had Bobby Ray’s drama on her mind. So she and Ronnie sat at the bar, nursing their beers, and occasionally muttering to each other.

Near four o’clock she heard a soft voice with a thick Southern accent say, “Two glasses of champagne, please, Charlie.”

Sissy raised her head and stared at the two females lounging at the end of the bar. She recognized them both from the night at the club when she’d had that run-in with the Magnus Pack Alphas. One of them pulled out a box of high-end chocolate from a glossy shopping bag and placed it on the bar. Their drinks arrived and they sat down on stools and opened the box.

“Let it go,” Ronnie Lee muttered before Sissy had done anything.

“But look at ’em. Sittin’ over there like nothing’s wrong.”

“Sissy, let it go.”

She should. But she couldn’t. She banged her fist on the bar and both She-dogs looked up at her.

“Think you can explain to me what the hell is wrong with your Alpha Female?”

They both stared at her, but neither said a word.

“Does she really think she’s too good for my brother? Because she’s damn wrong.”

Again, the blank stare and the silence.

“What? Something wrong with your mouth? Can’t ya speak?”

The Asian one leaned forward a bit, her hands flat on the bar, her head tilting to the side. After a long moment, she said, “Woof.”

Sissy leaned back a bit, her gaze sliding over to Ronnie’s. As soon as they looked at each other, though, they lost it. Bursting into surprised laughter.

The two She-dogs walked down to their side of the bar, bringing their drinks and chocolates with them.

“Another two glasses of champagne, Charlie.” The Asian one held her hand out and Sissy shook it. “I’m Maylin. Y’all can call me May. This is Sabina.”

“Nice to meet ya.”

“So,” she said, plunking herself down on the bar stool, “what are we gonna do about these two idiots?”

Yup. Sissy liked this one already.

Lord, could he get more pathetic? Sitting in the snow, in the woods, watching Jessie’s house. He couldn’t help it. She spent most of her time out on that back porch watching the pups play in the snow. Sometimes jumping in with a well-placed snowball.

Of course, it wasn’t like Smitty had anywhere else to go. He’d alienated nearly everyone else at Shaw’s house except Dez, who knew how to get a cranky male to back up off her with only a look.

To avoid losing his friends and Pack forever, Smitty had shifted and taken off into the woods. Sometimes he focused on problems much better as wolf. He’d chased a couple of rabbits and a couple of crows. Although that had been a bad idea after they dive-bombed him and tried to shit on his head. Then he’d ended up back here, trying to figure out what the hell Jessie Ann wanted from him.

Okay, so the barn had been a bad idea, but he’d merely been trying to expedite the situation. Once he knew what he wanted, no need to fight it anymore. But when he offered her a soft bed and a romantic marking in the city, she’d acted like he’d offered to take her to an execution in the town square.

Why wouldn’t she just tell him what she wanted? Jessie had never seemed like “other girls” who wanted you to guess everything. When you asked how they were, they’d respond, “Fine.” If Jessie was mad, she sure as shit let you know it in no uncertain terms. But she always told him the reason. Now she wouldn’t and he didn’t know what to do to fix this. And he had to fix it.

He loved her. Maybe he’d loved her forever. But he knew it for sure when he’d wrapped himself around her last night. She’d felt so good in his arms, so perfect. Like she’d been made to order just for him.

Lord, he couldn’t lose her now. But, for once, he was at a loss on how to handle this and her. Years of training to handle nearly any and all situations, but the United States Navy never saw Jessie Ann Ward coming.

Smitty laid his head down on his paws and watched Jessie lob snowballs at Johnny. It must be his birthday since she insisted on his wearing a crown, and Smitty could see through the glass doors and windows the other wild dogs decorating the house and fixing a huge meal.

Jessie squealed and he watched Danny toss her over his shoulder, spinning around until Phil took her and hung her upside down by her ankles. Smitty’s lips pulled back over his fangs and he thought about tearing the little bastards into several pieces.

Snow crunched near him and he glanced over his shoulder to see Mace walking toward him. The big cat lay down beside him. As lion, Mace beat him in weight and size by more than double. But they were friends more than they were predators. Nothing had ever come between them and nothing ever would.

Mace didn’t do anything. He didn’t shift and try to talk to him or drag him out to get drunk and find another girl. He didn’t do anything because he didn’t have to.

They’d had to lie to Jess to explain why they were leaving the house in the middle of the afternoon and just before Johnny’s party. But watching her pretend not to be miserable was hard on them all. May, having grown up around Smiths, had a pretty good idea where she could track down the Smith Pack Alpha Female. And although her idea sounded improbable—why would a couple of afternoon-boozing She-wolves help them or Jess?—Sabina was desperate enough to try anything.

Now, after talking to these females for over an hour, it seemed like there was only one option at this point. An option Ronnie Lee Reed kept trying to talk her friend out of.

Most things people stressed over Sabina didn’t understand. But this, this she understood. It was something she’d never do. Not for all the dark chocolate in the world.

“Phone, Ronnie Lee.”

The She-wolf dug the phone out of her small backpack, then stopped and asked again, “Are you sure you want to do this? Are you really sure, Sissy Mae?”

“Do I have a choice? Do any of us?”

To Sabina’s surprise, she actually didn’t despise Sissy or her pouty-lipped friend. They both cared about Smitty the way she and May cared about Jess. They were family and they were willing to do anything to make these two assholes happy even if it killed them all!

“Give me the phone.”

Ronnie slapped the small cell phone in her hand. “I sure hope you know what you’re doin’.”

Sissy chuckled and dialed. “When have I ever?”

First they sang “Happy Birthday to You,” as they were traditionalists. Then they sang, “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,” which made Johnny laugh out loud.

He did seem overwhelmed by his gifts and, okay, maybe the dirt bike and new violin based on his teacher’s recommendations—and which he could return if he wanted a different one—was spoiling him a little, but she knew what it was like to be spoiled and then not to be. Johnny was a good kid. He deserved a little spoiling now and again. Although she didn’t agree with the dirt bike. Why would you give someone with hands blessed with musical talent a goddamn dirt bike? But when she argued the point, Phil shoved a piece of chocolate cake in her mouth.

Jess knew when Johnny suddenly hugged her while she poured glasses of milk for the kids that she’d made him happy.

Now, while her Pack danced to old seventies and eighties music in the living room, Jess wandered out to the back porch and sat on the steps. She’d brought with her a piece of May’s dark chocolate cake and a glass of milk. She wasn’t really hungry, especially not after all that food, but having it would keep everyone off her back about “sulking.”

Really, there was nothing like having forty wild dogs asking you if you’re “okay”—constantly.

Jess wasn’t surprised when she saw Smitty walk out of the dark woods toward her. She’d known he’d been in the woods earlier in the day, only as wolf. If she hadn’t been able to scent him or hear his breathing—she had—she would have simply known. She felt his presence like a warm blanket around her shoulders. Protecting her, soothing her.

Now, as a fully dressed human, he sat between her legs on the lower step. She handed him the slice of cake and then the milk.

They sat like that for a long while, not saying anything, simply enjoying the land they felt a part of.

When Jess heard her Pack in the kitchen, putting food away and cleaning up, she took the empty plate and glass and stood. By the time she walked to the back door, Smitty had walked off. But she knew he’d be back. When she went to bed, she’d find him in her room, waiting for her.

And, again, she’d let him snuggle up to her, snoring lightly in her ear. Why? Because she loved him and didn’t want to sleep away from him.

Unfortunately, none of that changed a goddamn thing.

She knew Smitty; he was still floundering. Still trying to figure out what she wanted. It would take something extreme to get him to wake up. Something he’d never see coming.

She simply prayed it was before she gave up hope entirely. She had only so much.