Tom heard Savannah shift but forced himself not to look round. There was something he felt that he didn't quite understand. He wanted to stay away from her, wanted to ignore her as much as he could, but he couldn't get rid of the surge of attraction he felt whenever he looked into her eyes. As his mind slowly realized that she was in her human form, swimming naked in the lake, Tom felt his own bear shrink and push his human skin to the top. He didn't want to change, didn't want to look for her, but for some reason, he did. She was in her human form, and now, with some growling and snarling, he was too.

Fighting the urge to cover himself, Tom walked back to the water and dove in, just catching Savannah’s shriek of surprise before his head went under the water. Frustrated at his body’s immediate reaction to her, Tom glared at Savannah as he tread water.

“What exactly are you doing?” she asked, the water coming up to her neck.

“What does it look like?”

She grabbed onto the side of the bank with one hand. “I thought you were going back to the house.”

“Why? Did you want to be alone for some reason?” The distrust rose up in his chest as he narrowed his eyes at her, despite the surge of desire pulsing through his veins.

Savannah frowned at him. “No, of course not. I just wanted to swim.”

“You were swimming.”

“I wanted to swim some more.”

“Just….without the bear.”

She flushed, despite the cold water. “So what? I like swimming as my bear and as me. You don’t have to stay. Although I’m sure I can guess why.” She arched an eyebrow at him, and Tom grimaced.

“Don’t start playing games with me, Savannah. If you want to swim buck naked, then go right ahead. Just don’t expect me to stay away from you.”

Shaking her head, Savannah moved forward so that she was within touching distance of Tom. “You can’t stay away from me?”

Only just realizing what he had said, Tom paused. Holding onto the bank, he studied her carefully. "I think you know I'm attracted to you, Savannah."

She smiled at him then, and Tom felt his stomach flip over.

“I know there’s still a lot of trust that needs to be built between us, but whatever this is that you’re feeling, I feel it too.”

Her fingers brushed his arm, and Tom tensed immediately, suddenly very aware that they were both naked. His reaction to her was a powerful one, and he drew back from her almost at once. He needed to swim away before it became apparently obvious just how much he was drawn to her.

“Don’t run away from me,” Savannah whispered, pressing herself closer so that her bare skin touched his. Desire grew inside her, pooling warmth in her belly as she heard his gasp of surprise. “Whatever this is, I want to explore it.”

Tom pulled himself back. This was all going too fast. He didn’t just have random sex with shifters he barely knew. “Maybe we can talk some more back at the shop,” he said, quietly. “I’m not saying that I don’t want to take things forward with you, Savannah, but this is too much too soon for me. I – I’m sorry.”

She swallowed, trying not to be disappointed. “I understand.”

“Why don’t you come up to the office once you’re….dressed,” he continued. Her closeness was making it hard to think straight. His body was screaming at him that he was making a mistake while his heart told him he was doing the right thing. “I’d like to get to know you a bit better.” His gaze landed on her lips and he smiled softly. Their first kiss was going to be a good one, he could tell, but right here, right now, was not the place for it.

Savannah smiled, glad that he wasn't entirely pushing her away. "Sure, I can do that. I can bring takeout if you want?"

He nodded. “Sounds good. See you soon, Savanah.”

 

Savannah watched him with a heavy heart, turning her gaze away when he pulled himself out of the water. She heard him shift again before his bear went running through the woods and back towards the shop.

Her whole body was thrumming with heat. Pushing herself completely under the water, Savannah surfaced with a gasp, letting the water stream from her face. In one way, she was glad that he hadn’t taken things further, but in another way, she was hugely disappointed. Her feelings were completely confused, but she was glad she was able to see him again tonight. It would just be the two of them back at the shop, and maybe things would happen there.

 

“I see you’re making good use of your time here.”

Savannah shrieked, spinning around in the water to see Lucas grinning at her. “What are you doing here? Tom might smell you.”

“He won’t. I stayed downwind. I just wanted to see how you were getting on.”

“I’m fine,” Savannah replied, ignoring the shaking in her limbs as she tried to cover her breasts with one arm, whilst her other hand held onto the bank. “I’m just trying to get Tom to trust me right now.”

“And you’re doing that any way you can, I assume,” Lucas murmured, his eyes raking down her as far as he could.

Savannah sank a little further into the water, only barely managing to meet his eyes. “I’m just getting used to being back in this skin,” she replied, quietly.

Lucas chuckled, sitting down beside her and letting his long legs rest in the water. Savannah swallowed hard, knowing she couldn’t move away. Lucas, even in his naked human form, was still her pack leader and still intimidating.

“Listen to me, Savannah,” he purred, his fingers running up her bare arm. “You get that man to trust you any way you can.” His hand tipped up her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “And I mean, any way.”

Savannah wanted to scream as his hand dipped into the water, his finger just touching the slight curve of her breast before he slowly pulled it away. His meaning was clear but Savannah felt sick to the pit of her stomach.

“Don’t forget that you’re part of our pack, Savannah,” Lucas growled, his face suddenly darkening. “That means you belong to me.”

“Yes, Lucas,” she whispered, looking away from him. The silence stretched across the water for a few minutes and, by the time she looked back, Lucas had gone.

Savannah wasn't sure if she was going to cry or be sick, given how much her stomach was rolling. Lucas had never taken one of his pack for a mate, and Savannah was certain that she didn't want to be it. But if Lucas chose her, Savannah knew she wouldn't have a choice. The way he had touched her, so briefly, had made his meaning perfectly clear and it had made her sick to her stomach. But what choice did she have other than to obey?