Savannah was finding it difficult to get used to being in her human skin again. It meant things like sleeping in a real bed and cooking for herself, which she hadn’t done for a long time. Lucas’ place was absolutely filthy, but Savannah wasn’t planning on complaining. Lucas wouldn’t have liked that. Instead, she’d spent the first couple of days cleaning. The old windows creaked when she opened them but the fresh air that had come into the house made a big difference.

Her muscles complained and she had to remember to do things like comb her hair and brush her teeth, but there was a sense of relief in being back as herself. Sometimes, with Lucas, she’d wanted to change back so badly, but he’d always forbidden it. There were never any disagreements or any questions – people just did what Lucas said.

The main problem now was that Savannah had no idea how to make friends with these bears. They lived a little out of town and mostly kept to themselves, according to a couple of people she’d talked to. They were honest and hardworking, so they had a good reputation, but that was all she could find out.

Sighing, Savannah shrugged on her coat and decided to take a walk. Maybe she should just walk up to the mechanics and introduce herself, tell them that she was new in town and was just getting to know the place. It was the only idea she had, and Lucas would be watching her, she was sure of it. Sometimes, when she’d gone to the store to pick up groceries, she would catch the slightest whiff of his scent and feel his eyes on her back. She could never spot him but she knew he was there.

Her breath came a little faster as she took the path towards the local grocery store, which, she knew, would lead her to the mechanics. She was going to have to do something or risk Lucas' rage. Walking up to the store, she paused for a moment, her eye catching something in the window.

"Financial assistant wanted," she read aloud. "Apply to Jo at Brewer Mechanics." Her heart began to hammer in her chest as she realized that this, handwritten advert, was for the mechanics where Nick and Tom worked. Was this her chance? Or would someone else have already applied for – and gotten, the job.

Savannah didn’t exactly have all the right credentials for a financial assistant, but she would apply anyway. She’d always been good with numbers and had at least a little experience in running a business. That was before she’d left the only home she’d known, looking for a pack to join.

 

It didn’t take Savannah long to reach the mechanics, but she stopped for a moment just before she reached it, trying to calm her nerves. “They don’t know you’re from the pack,” she murmured to herself, having a quick look over the place. “Just calm down and act natural.”

Walking up to the door with the ‘Open’ sign hanging on it, Savannah pasted a smile on her face, pulled it open and walked inside.

“Hi!” said a cheerful looking woman. “Can I help you?”

“I – I saw the advert?”

“That was quick!” the woman replied, coming out from behind the counter. “I only put it up this morning.”

A wave of relief flooded Savannah. “So no-one’s got it yet?”

“No,” she laughed, shaking Savannah’s hand. “Things move pretty slowly in this town, I’m guessing you’re not from here?”

“No,” Savannah replied, trying her best to come up with a believable story. “I’ve been wandering from place to place, really. Thought I might try and settle down somewhere and this seemed as good a place as any!”

Jo smiled, her eyes searching Savannah’s face. “I just moved here too, so we have that in common,” she replied. “I’m Jo, by the way.”

“Savannah.”

“What’s your experience as a financial assistant, Savannah?”

Savannah tried not to panic and told Jo as much of the truth as she could. She talked about growing up in a small town, and how she'd helped her dad run his small business for a few years before he'd sold it to a bigger company so that he could retire. A stab of pain sliced through Savannah's heart as she mentioned how her dad passing away only a year ago had been the reason she’d begun to move around a bit, looking for a place to start over. “I rent an old place in town,” she finished. “And when I saw your job advert, I thought I may as well apply to it.”

"I'm glad you did," Jo smiled, warmly. Savannah's story broke her heart a little, as Jo realized the woman was all alone in the world. With no family and seemingly no friends, Jo couldn't help but be sympathetic. "I'll have to speak to the other two but I'd say this job is yours – although Nick will probably insist on a two-week trial or something!"

“That’s fine with me,” Savannah replied, quickly. She’d take anything if it meant getting close to the brothers. “Is Nick in charge?”

Jo blushed a little. "Kind of, yeah. But they both work together at this place. I just do the paperwork."

"Oh." Listening to Jo explain about the shop and what her duties would be, Savannah was surprised to realize that she didn't feel disgusted by the idea of Nick and Jo together. She couldn't help but think about what Lucas had called Jo. He'd told Savannah that a human who mated with a shifter was nothing but a parasite. A parasite that needed to be taken out. Humans couldn't give shifters the cubs they needed for the next generation of shifters. They were a disease that needed to be wiped out. Lucas hated Jo because she was a human, and thought even worse of Nick for choosing to be with her. They weren't even to be friends with any humans. Besides, what would a shifter see in a human?

Savannah swallowed and tried to smile as Jo began pulling out some recent paperwork. She would have to fight against any desire to become true friends with her. Sure, Savannah could pretend, but there couldn’t be any real friendship between them. If Nick had chosen a human for his mate, then he was a fool. Just like Lucas had said.

The door suddenly flew open and a tall, dark-haired man, stopped dead in his tracks. Savannah saw his nostrils flare and knew he immediately recognized her as a shifter. She tried not to cower back, even though she knew he was an alpha. The look in his eyes made her shiver inside, but she stood straight, trying not to appear afraid.

“Who’s this?”

Jo glanced up with a slight frown on her face over Tom's tense tone. "This is Savannah. She's applying for the job."

“Is she?” Tom replied, picking up a cloth from the counter and wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Savannah nodded. “Yes, I am. I saw the advert in town.” She tried not to look at his muscular arms and chest, which was quite difficult since he was only wearing a vest. Savannah licked her lips and looked back at Jo, trying to hide the surge of attraction she felt on seeing such a strong, alpha male. It was probably just a mix of nerves and anticipation, she thought to herself, hoping he wouldn’t ask her too many questions.

Tom tried to stop the bear from growling, but his chest rattled just a little. Savannah, or whatever her name was, heard it instantly. He could tell from the way her fingers clenched into a fist that she’d heard him – and was nervous.

“I was thinking about giving her the job,” Jo murmured, glancing at him. “She needs work and – ”

“Can you go and get Nick, then?” Tom asked, attempting to be pleasant. “If we’re going to take on someone new, then he needs to okay it. I’ll stay and chat to Savannah.”

Jo frowned, suspecting that he wanted the newcomer to himself for some reason, but Tom kept his mouth shut with a calm expression on his face, waiting until she shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

“Fine,” she muttered, glaring at him. “But be nice.”

He managed not to roll his eyes at her, aware that she wouldn’t know that Savannah was a shifter. He knew, of course. He’d been able to tell the moment he’d looked at her – and she’d looked back at him with those big honey brown eyes of hers. She looked so innocent, but Tom was already on his guard. Another shifter could potentially mean big trouble, something he’s had enough of for a while.

Jo walked to the door, muttering something about being back soon, and let it close gently behind her before going in search of Nick.

Tom leaned one elbow on the counter and looked sharply at Savannah who, to his surprise, looked right back. She was trying her best to show courage and trying her best to not appear afraid of him. Tom could appreciate that.

“So,” he began, quietly. “What’s a shifter like you doing in a place like this?”