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Authors: Cooper West

Homecoming (4 page)

BOOK: Homecoming
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Lisbeth shrugged, holding her shoulders up for a beat. “It's unclaimed territory. Would that be so bad?”

Sula snorted. “Not for you.”

Lisbeth trailed her fingers around the edge of her cup. “I know you avoid it for different reasons than I do. Good reasons, I understand that. It's not as if a bear registering in the middle of Colorado wouldn't make the news—”

“I'd make the most–wanted list, is what I'd make.” Sula shook her head, Bracelet sparking angrily on her arm at the thought.

“You don't know that. People would run scared, sure, but once they get to know you—”

“Stop it, Liz. No. You want to register and set up a pack here, fine. But I won't join you. I won't bring that down on us…me, or you. You can't even imagine how bad it would be.”

Lisbeth sighed. “One step at a time, okay?”

Sula raised her mug in salute. “Fine. Just don't go rushing into things.”

“I know, I know. Me, where angels fear to tread, la la la. But he's different.”

“They all are.”

“Oh, so you know everything now?”

It was a friendly tease and an old argument, so Sula just smiled. “Hard to miss when his boys are all sexed up with each other on our couch.” She snickered.

Lisbeth groaned. “He said they might.”

“They made a play for me when I got home,” Sula snickered again. “You were a bad girl, not to warn them.”

“Oh, hell! What did you say?”

“Not much. I let them see me, you know, just a little. Freaked them out.”

Lisbeth looked surprised, but did not comment.

“They were a little pushy, okay? Just wanted to put them in their place.”

“Hey, I don't care if you scared them. You don't do that often, so it surprises me.”

“Maybe you're a bad influence on me.” Sula shrugged.

“I keep hoping,” Lisbeth laughed and slugged a bit of coffee. They sat silently, and Sula heard noises from the house.

“Pack of three queer werewolves is kind of odd, don't you think?”

“Yeah, that's what I like about them.”

“Figured.” Sula growled, frowning. “You
like
him.”

“He's really different, Sula. Give them a chance.”

“I'm not a wolf, I don't have to give anyone a damn thing. I don't need a pack.” Sula sat back. “Daniel asked me to hunt with you all tonight. Don't he know better?”

“Sula, look at me.” Lisbeth set down her mug and faced her square on. “No, he doesn't know any better. None of us do. You are
rare
, I keep telling you. Our kind, we don't meet bears, and if we do, we run. I've met other shifters, lions and cats and dogs and a couple of peacocks, once; but bears? Just you. And you don't know of any others, aside from your mother. You might be the only one left alive. It's like meeting a fairy in the woods for us, and you can't blame them for being curious about you.”

“I'm not happy about it.”

Lisbeth sighed. “I'll tell them to leave you alone. Honestly it won't be a problem.”

Sula glared at her. “Will be if they
stay
.”

“I just met him, okay? I don't know what's going to happen.”

Sula nodded. Lisbeth came over and gave her a light hug. “You're my best friend, the only pack I have to my name, as far as I'm concerned. I'm not leaving you out.”

“Damn it, that's what I'm afraid of.”

Lisbeth laughed and went into the house. Sula followed after a few moments to find the pack sitting at the dining table, looking clean. Tony was relaxed with his hands clasped on the table, watching Lisbeth, while Cal and Daniel stared at him. Lisbeth looked over at her. “He wants to take
us
to lunch.”

Something about the way she said it, and the way the men tensed up a little, told Sula that Tony had not, in fact, invited her along— Lisbeth was making a statement, forcing Tony into accepting Sula's presence or rescinding the offer. A clever ploy, not one Sula would have thought of, and her respect for Lisbeth went up another notch because Lisbeth was playing pack politics like a natural leader. But she was not going to play along.

“You go on. I want to work on some photography while the sun is good.”

Surprisingly, the men tensed up even more, but Lisbeth nodded. “Sure. I'll bring you back something, okay?”

“You going to Haverford's?”

“Planning on it.”

“Sure then, my usual.”

“Berry sandwich?” Cal snorted, and everyone froze. Daniel looked horrified, but Lisbeth was staring blankly at Tony.

“You need to do better than that, Cal. She's Lisbeth's packmate.” Tony spoke with a cold, harsh tone that would put most packmates to cowering, but Cal rolled his eyes.

“She hasn't got a
pack
and you know it.”

“Apologize.” Tony looked directly at Cal who made a face like a five year old but opened his mouth to talk.

“Don't bother.” Sula walked through and up the stairs to her room without looking back, Bracelet pulsing hotly on her arm.

Her excuse was as good an idea as any, so she dug out her digital camera and went out into the woods, beating them out the door. Tony gave her a few pointed looks but everyone else, including Lisbeth, ignored her. Lisbeth knew her well enough to know that it was best to stay out of her way for a while. Not many people knew her that well. If any.

She was not happy about this pack, or Lisbeth's new turn towards the idea of getting mated up, and she knew full well that her emotions were driven by her fear of abandonment. The last thing on earth she wanted was to be alone again, and if Lisbeth took up with this pack, Sula would be left behind. If this courtship continued, and if Lisbeth accepted Tony's proposal, they would all register and claim the territory around them. Sula would be the one to pack up and leave, because she would have to for Lisbeth's sake, but the end result would be the same: Sula's world would be empty. Again.

~*~

Cal was in the dog house, and he knew it. Lisbeth frowned at him before walking out of the kitchen, going back upstairs. Daniel had discreetly moved away from him, as big a sign of how much trouble Cal was in as a highway billboard.

“Can't take you anywhere, can I?” Tony was still in the same position, relaxed with his hands on the table, but Cal could read the anger in his voice.

“She's not right. She's a bear and she's trouble.”

“She's a bear and you want her, and you're angry that she's blowing you off.”

“She's not
blowing
anything,” Cal snarled, realizing it was the wrong answer a moment too late. He curled up in the chair as Tony walked around the table, his grace hiding his contained power and displeasure. Cal knew that Tony would not hit him, but he had been raised in a pack where getting the snot beat out of you by the Alpha was just another day and he could not change his instinctive reaction.

“Get up.”

Cal stood, trying to keep his body turned away from Tony, doing everything short of throwing up his arms to protect his face.

“Stop it, Cal, you know me better than that.”

Cal nodded, trying to relax. Failing at it, because Tony sounded and smelled very angry.

“Danny, go up and talk to Lisbeth. Charm her with your good manners for me.”

Daniel didn't even look at Cal as he left the room. Tony grabbed his shirt. “Look at me.”

Cal kept his face to the side but glanced over at Tony.

“Do we need to shift to take care of this?” Tony asked, his voice hard.

“No. No no no.”

Tony let go, and Cal almost collapsed back into the chair but he managed to keep his legs locked. Tony shouldered past him and went out on the porch. Cal followed slowly. Tony stopped at the railing, turning around to settle against it, folding his arms over his chest as he stared down Cal.

“What's this about, Cal? You've always got a damn mouth on you, but that in there was special, even for you.”

“I like Lisbeth.”

“That's good.”

“But it's all…changing.” Cal sniffed the air, trying to gauge Tony's mood beyond 'pissed off.'

“Of all of us, I thought you'd be the one most keen on getting our own territory.”

“I am. I am! It's just the bear. She's trouble.”

“Don't play with me, Cal, I sniffed out your hard–on the second she looked at you.”

Cal shrugged, his eyes focused down on the ground. “Yeah, she's got power. Who wouldn't like that? But bears, they're dangerous. Remember Oklahoma.”

“I do. Don't tell me my job.”

Cal nodded.

“Shit, that's it, isn't it? You're scared she'll hurt us, or bring the locals down on us. That you'll lose us.”

Cal shook his head.

“Don't lie to me, Cal, I'm not in the fucking mood.”

Cal hated that his emotions grabbed him the way they did. He was called hot–headed and temperamental, but it all boiled down to not being able to box up his feelings the easy way Tony and Daniel could, leaving Cal anxious and dripping with anxiety but shaking his head in denial. He clinched his fists, trying to hold off the tremors.

Sighing, Tony walked over and wrapped himself around Cal. “I'm not going to get us killed. We're not leaving you to fend for yourself, no matter what.”

Cal melted against Tony but kept his arms to his sides. The memories of blood and loss swamped him, the destruction of his family and pack still vivid even after so many years gone by. He pressed his face into Tony's neck. They were about the same height, so it was easy to mold himself against Tony's body.

“Look, she's Lisbeth friend, nearly a packmate as much as I can tell. The bear is on our side, okay? So stop sniffing at her crotch and let her be.”

Cal nodded, unwinding enough to let his arms hug Tony loosely.

“Cal, listen to me: I'm going to protect you. Nothing will happen to you, or to us. If Lisbeth will have me, we're going to register, settle down here, make some puppies, and live happily ever after.” Tony's hands rubbed Cal's back. “I know how conflicted you are about the bear, but do as I say: leave her alone. She's not interested, and she's dangerous even if she doesn't mean to be. I'm as spooked as anyone to have a bear in my territory, but we're going to play this safe, okay?”

Cal nodded again, his face still pressed against Tony.

“You know how he likes to play with fire,” Daniel said from the open door, moving to hug Cal from behind.

“Yeah, I know. He can't decide whether to fuck her or kill her.” Tony smiled when he said it, Cal could feel it. He did not mind being talked over, it reminded him of his place in the pack, protected and treasured with Tony and Daniel there to hold him up and keep him safe, no matter how stupid he got.

~*~

Spending a couple of hours in the woods did not help her mood nor clear her mind, and she knew that the photos she took were terrible. Giving up, she marched back to the cabin where Cal was laid out in a deck chair, pretending to sleep. It didn't help her mood that he looked like a rough–hewn catalog model for flannel shirts, long and lean with sharp, wolfish features that suggested he spent a lot of time in his shifted form. He was sexy in an unselfconscious way and that was even worse than if he had been arrogant about it. Sula ground her teeth and averted her eyes.

“Left you behind as punishment?” She asked loudly, marching up the stairs to the porch.

“Yep.” He sat up, clear eyed.

She had meant it as a joke, and stalled for a reply.

“Tony likes Lisbeth. A lot. Going to keep us here for a while, to see if it works. That means we'll be
here
and Tony doesn't want trouble.”

“Okay.” Sula shrugged and walked into the house.

Cal followed a good distance behind. “Means I have to make nice.”

“Not for my sake, you don't. This isn't about me, doesn't involve me, and won't affect me. If Lisbeth wants to get mated and register, she will, one way or other.” She went into the kitchen and warmed up the last dregs of the coffee from earlier, just to have something to do.

He stood well away from her, and she remembered why: he was scared of her. They all were, and Tony was probably thinking she stood in his path to Lisbeth. She turned, shoved up the sleeve on her right arm and shook Bracelet at him.

“See this? This is why I don't care. I'm not gonna hurt you, not gonna rip anyone apart. I'm in control and that's why I won't play with you, or even fight you. Lisbeth's her own woman; she treats me like pack because she doesn't really know any different. But I know where the line is between us, I know what I am. You are not my problem either way.”

He eyes locked on Bracelet. “What is that?

“It's powerful and keeps me safe, that's all you need to know.”

He studied her arm. “Burns you.”

“I don't feel it,” she lied.

He leaned against the wall, chewing his lip, unhappy and obviously uncertain of what he was supposed to do, staring at the red marks on her arm. “You were supposed to accept my apology, and agree to play nice.”

“Lisbeth tell you that?”

“Nope.” He gave her a small, understanding grin that flitted away as soon as he remembered he was talking to a werebear. She could almost
see
his discomfort in being left alone with her, and some small part of her felt sorry for him. She shook Bracelet again, the energy of it sparking against her arm and making new welts that she ignored.

“Good thing, because she knows better. I accept the apology, but I ain't playing. Nice or otherwise, okay? You all go off and fuck like bunnies or wolves, whatever. Leave me be.” She rinsed out her cup and walked out of the kitchen, brushing her shoulder over his chest as she pushed out of the door way. He smelled scared but was holding his ground, and that was a cost most were not willing to pay. She looked up at him as she moved past. He looked down and she growled a bit at the electricity that flew between them. She was not having this— him, or any of the others, or the mess it would entail. She growled louder as she headed for the stairway with him on her tail.

“Why?”

She stopped on the first stair, which put her at eye level with him. “I'm dangerous. Lisbeth understands, if you don't, so listen to her. Anyway, if she decides to mate up, she'll be leaving with you all, or I'll be packing up and gone before the ink dries in the register.”

BOOK: Homecoming
12.29Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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