Chapter Six

Tom thought he’d find peace back at the mechanic shop, but Savannah’s scent seemed to mark every wall and table, evidence of her earlier visit lingering behind. He knew it was something he’d have to get used to, but in that moment, his bear was nervous and impatient, the smell of her only making his unease worse. He needed that run. Now.

“Wait, there’s something I need to do,” he muttered aloud. A responsibility at the shop. He and Nick hadn’t scheduled to work on any cars tonight though, so…. Dan. Dan needed his meds, and probably some fresh bandaging, too. He contemplated making Dan wait just a short while, just long enough for a lap or two around the shop…

He cursed inwardly. He couldn’t do that. Even if he didn’t think it his responsibility to play nurse at first, he’d taken on the role now. He had to stand by it. With a groan, he removed the locks with more force than necessary, throwing open the door without bothering to close it behind him. If Dan wanted to try and make a break for it, Tom would let him.

Dan was asleep on the sofa, injured leg propped up as he snored. The plate that had once held his dinner was spotless, a clean fork and knife lying neatly on top. Right beside it lay a crudely written note.

“Thanks for dinner. Washed my own dishes. Took meds. Bandages are clean. Don’t wake me up.”

Despite his earlier mood, Tom couldn’t help but crack a small smile at the note. All outer frustrations aside, after weeks being a forced live-in patient to his would-be killers, Dan did finally seem to be thawing a bit around Tom. They were far from friends—Dan still barely even talked—but it seemed like he finally realized they had no ulterior motive. They were just trying to help him heal.

His healing started slow, his distrust of Tom and Nick causing him to rebel and fret, reopening wounds and even slamming his busted leg on the table. Once he finally started eating regularly and resting, his healing began to accelerate to a speed more appropriate for a shifter of his size. He’d gotten up and cleaned his own dishes—his leg could hold weight just fine now. It wouldn’t be long before he was completely healed and sent off to do his own thing—though he had to admit, the more time he spent with Dan, the more Nick’s original idea of asking him to join the pack didn’t sound so bad.

“How would we explain you to Savannah?” Tom whispered. And at the very mention of her name, all of his emotions came surging to the forefront.

He was dangerously attracted to her. He couldn’t forget the way her honey-brown eyes glittered in the light or the way her dark hair flowed in perfect rhythm with her movements, like everything on her was dancing. It amazed him how she could be the haunted lonely traveler that’s too timid to function one second, and the emboldened confident loner that had enough resolve to stare down an alpha on his own turf. She kept him guessing, kept him wondering until—with only an electric touch of her fingertips—he could hardly think at all. She was beautiful and mysterious and she drove his bear wild. She drove him wild…

And he couldn’t trust any of it.

He was barely out the shop door before his bear ripped from his skin. He emerged, bestial and breathless, tatters of destroyed clothing clinging to his thick coat. He didn’t rest long before tearing off into the woods.

He couldn’t even remember if he locked Dan’s door behind him.

***

Tom was a mass of emotions as he hurled himself through the forestry, his whole body rippling with anger and his mind was clouded with confusion as it fought with distrust and… contentment. Savannah hadn’t even been in their lives a full twenty-four hours and Jo was already trying to play matchmaker. It didn’t matter that he’d decided to acknowledge his irrational attraction, a rogue bear in their territory so soon after an enemy pack had attacked them… it all seemed wrong. He wouldn’t let bear instincts cloud the logic of it. There was more to her, he just needed to find out what, but he couldn’t with Jo and Nick pushing him to accept feelings he never even asked for!

As if on cue, a scent wafted past Tom’s snout, alluring and stopping all previous thought. He stopped short, skidding on his front paws as he stopped to deeply breathe in the night air.

Savannah.

What was she doing out here in the middle of the night? Another one of Jo’s shenanigans had him driving Savannah to her house in the middle of town, which was miles off from where he was now. Was she just out for a stroll to clear her mind, like he was? Or…

Was she meeting someone?

Tom was immediately on high alert, taking one cautious step forward as he sampled the air once more. There was water nearby, deep in the heart of the woods. Savannah’s scent surrounded him—it was nearly intoxicating. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He needed to concentrate. Taking another long whiff of the air, he couldn’t find any other bear scents. She appeared to be alone.

A slight splash caught his ear, and he leaned forward to get a better look. Savannah was clearly enjoying the water. He shrank back further into the tree line in slight guilt. She hadn’t run off to have a secret rendezvous with the enemy…

She’d gone swimming.

“Are you going to come in?”

Tom’s eyes flared in surprise and he wondered if he should move from his cover in the foliage. Realizing it was too late, he stepped out into the clearing with as much dignity as he could muster after being caught peeping red pawed.

“The water’s lovely,” Savannah persuaded, wading leisurely in the water. Tom couldn’t help but admire from the grassy bank. Her bear form was every bit as magnificent as her human skin

He sat slowly on the cool bank, letting the water wash up gently and dampen his paws. “I’m fine.”

Savannah swam easily over to him, her powerful paws slicing through the water. “What brings you all the way out here this time of night?”

Tom’s ear twitched. “I could ask you the same question.”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

He didn’t respond.

“You don’t trust me.” It wasn’t a question.

“No, I don’t.”

Savannah pulled herself from the lake, rigorously shaking the water from her fur. She stared Tom down a moment longer than he’d expected her to, once again making him appreciate just how bold she could be when she didn’t let self-doubt get in her way. She had the potential to be so powerful…

“I know you didn’t follow me,” she finally said. “You may not trust me, but that’s not why you’re here or how you found me.”

Tom turned his head up toward the moonlight as it shone through the trees, letting out a long, weary breath. “I needed to run.”

“I needed to swim.”

Tossing his head with a huff Tom turned to walk away. “I can see that.”

As he walked away, Tom fought with his bear and everything within himself to keep moving forward. He wanted nothing more than to stay behind with Savannah, to launch himself into the lake and splash and play and just be with her. He wanted to watch her warm brown eyes sparkle in the moonlight as she took another dive, soaking him with gallows of water…

As if on cue, a splash sounded behind him. His paws nearly stopped moving, but with immense effort, he continued to depart.

Before he could stop himself, he called back, “You’re not exactly graceful.”

He heard a confident huffing sound behind him as she breached the water before he convinced himself to pick up speed, tearing off away from the lake.