Chapter Thirteen

Jo leaned on the counter, gazing up at the menu. “What does Tom normally get?”

Venison, raw and freshly killed, Nick thought to himself, hiding his grin. “Chow Mein.”

“Good choice,” she quipped, grinning.

“Sweet and sour for me,” Nick said, never taking his eyes off Jo. She seemed in high spirits tonight, more relaxed with less tension.

“Will you stop watching me,” she said out of the corner of her mouth. “I’m trying to order here.”

Nick grinned, allowing his eyes to travel down the length of her lean body. “I can’t help it,” he murmured, making her blush.

“I thought you said this was a bad idea,” she whispered.

He shrugged, truly feeling at peace with his decision. “All good things are worth playing the odds.” He saw her excitement shiver up her spine, instantly detecting her arousal. She licked her lips and began to focus too intently on the menu.

A growl of pleasure rattled in Nick’s chest, anticipating the night to come. Let’s just get back to the cabin, he told his bear. He could wait that long, at least.

Jo finally decided on orange chicken, paying quickly as they bagged the food. Nick received that bag, waving at the familiar faces as they exited the restaurant.

They’d stopped by the mechanic shop, as planned, but Tom was nowhere to be found, his car missing from the lot. Nick wasn’t really worried about him; he often drove deeper into the woods when he wanted to hunt. They placed his food in the back room in a little fridge, Jo leaving him a little note on the table so he knew they’d brought him something.

As they headed out, they passed by Jo’s car. Tom had said he’d have the lights fixed by tonight, but one was still very clearly busted. With an inward groan, Nick told himself he’d have to have another talk with Tom about letting personal spats get in the way of a deadline.

“Okay, note’s finished. We should probably get going huh?” Jo asked, voice only slightly suggestive of things to come.”

Nick grinned in response, snaking his arm around her waist and nearly lifting her off her feet. “Of course. I’m practically starving.”

“Careful!” she laughed. “I know you’re… hungry, but let’s at least wait until we’re back at the cabin!”

***

Nick was impressed by his restrain as they made it back to the cabin. He and Jo had managed to eat dinner, drink a couple of glasses of wine, and even allowed themselves some quiet time to digest their meal with little to no sexual escapades. Hell, he even had time to get the front door firmly reattached to the frame.

If he had to admit, part of him was terrified about taking the next step. Doubt worried his every movement, and he wanted it to be perfect. Slow and steady was his mantra as the night unfolded before them, and de decided he’d wait for her to make the first move.

Currently, Jo was reading the book she’d read to him earlier, tucked comfortable into the reading nook. It seemed to be her favorite place. He’d noticed that she’d been passing sidelong glances at him more and more as the night grew longer, and he figured any moment now, the world would change for them forever.

Just as he’d convinced himself to relax back into his chair a far off roar pierced his ears. Not just any roar.

Tom.

Jo looked up from her book, mild alarm on her face. “Bear?” Nick nodded. “Is everything okay?” she asked, walking to him when he didn’t answer.

Nick sprang from his seat almost immediately, his lips peeling back into a feral snarl. He absently heard Jo gasp in shock, no doubt surprised by his bear showing, but it was something too far beyond his control at this point. His brother was issuing a challenge and he was obligated to accept.

“Nick!” she called tentatively. “Are you okay?”

He already headed for the door. There was no quelling the bear this time; it would not sleep. He could only hope that he’d get far enough away so that Jo wouldn’t be able to see him shift. “I need to go,” he said through clenched teeth. “Gonna make sure that bear isn’t coming this way.”

“Nick, it’s—”

He didn’t wait for her to finish her sentence, as he stomped to the door, throwing it open behind him so hard that it rattled on its newly attached hinges.

He caught his brother’s scent as he undressed, his anger boiling over so that the bear practically exploded from his skin. Snarling, he ran into the woods, gunning straight for Tom.

He wasn’t far off, waiting for Nick to meet him deep in the forest.

“What the hell are you doing, Tom?” Nick snapped.

“Showing you just how stupid you’re being,” Tom growled back. “How close were you to changing in front of her? Of losing control and outing all our secrets?”

Nick recalled the bear trying to claw its way out of his skin right there in the sitting room, the look of shock on Jo’s face as he snarled. “You tried to force me to change in front of Jo? Are you insane?” Nick roared.

“It’s the only way to get you to see reason, Nick!” The two bears started to slowly circle each other. “This is the only way I know left to get through to you!”

With no warning, Nick lunged for Tom, his teeth snapping viciously as his roar tore through the trees.

***

Nick wasn’t sure how long the fight lasted, but as they both lay exhausted in the damp undergrowth, he knew he’d feel the aftereffects of this brawl in the morning. He wanted to keep going, to fight fang over fang for his right to mate Jo, but his body would fight no more. He could barely manage to wobble to his feet, stalking slowly back in the direction of the cabin.

“You’re going back?” he heard behind him.

“Just leave me alone.” He didn’t look back.