Shifters of Grrr 1 (14 page)

He had used her for wonderful sex and then abandoned her. Harper knew she should have trusted her gut instinct and never opened her legs to this man. He was the same as all the rest, pure, unadulterated scum. Her temper flared as she ripped the dirty sheets off the bed, determined to erase all signs of him as quickly as possible.

The first load done, she grabbed some of the containers of leftover food from the bedroom and stormed into the kitchen, intent on simply throwing it all away. It was a waste, she knew, but it was unlikely she would be able to eat it without thinking of him, so it was best if it went into the garbage.

As she dropped it all into the trash can, something on her kitchen table caught her eye. It looked like a note she saw, looking at it apprehensively from a distance. It was probably some sort of apology or other ridiculousness from Jake. She must have missed it earlier when she looked in the kitchen for him. Slowly she stepped towards the table, picking it up and reading it.

My Dearest Harper,

I took the liberty of cutting up some of the fruit in your kitchen and leaving it ready in the fridge for you. I do apologize for not being there when you awoke. There were some problems at the site that I had to go fix, and you just looked too peaceful for me to disturb you. I hope you will come and see me there shortly, so that I can show you the progress we're making.
 

xoxo

Jake J.

She clutched the note to her chest, leaning back against the fridge, a small smile on her face. It had all been a misunderstanding she knew now, taking out the dish of fruit he had cut up for her. Strawberries, mangos, and some cantaloupe all sliced or cut perfectly. She smiled, adding a dash of whipped cream to the strawberries before sitting down to eat.
 

After finding the note, Harper had to admit that she felt like a bit of a fool. She had gotten all worked up, assuming he had bailed on her. It clearly made no sense, for he was the one who had called her out on the connection between them. Plus, he had spent who knows how much money already on her campsite.
 

She laughed at herself now as she realized how quickly her brain had begun to demonize him. Her cheeks would burn red whenever she eventually told him of her reaction, though perhaps she could delay that for a little while. It would be better for her ego if he didn't know she had devolved into a raging lunatic without first attempting to discover the facts.

It was still embarrassing half an hour later as she left her little apartment. Then she remembered that Jake had driven them here yesterday. That meant her car was still at the campground. Shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the whole situation, she set off. It wasn't that long of a walk, she told herself.

Serves me right for throwing a fit anyways
.

***

Jake

Jake was frustrated with himself. Angry, even, at the way he had treated Harper the day before. Oh, he wasn't mad about the sex, that had been far more incredible than he had imagined. The two of them together, with the shifter bond amplifying the sensations and moods, had been nothing short of ecstasy.
 

But it was also his carelessness with that ability that was going to ensure it would be quite some time before they did it again. Not until Jake learned how to control it, would he dare to touch her like that. His heart had nearly stopped when Harper had passed out on him. It was one of the single-most scary moments of his life.

He had let the bond open completely just before his tongue had made contact. The sensory feedback from his delight, combined with the pent-up desire within her, had combined to knock her unconscious for several minutes. He hadn't had the heart to tell her that when she awoke, and that was another source of contention with himself.

When she had awoken, Harper had simply come at him, putting his cock in her mouth. He had wilted before her, complying with the demand to fuck her shortly after. His lack of willpower in ensuring that she was okay was eating away at him now. If he was this careless with her safety now, what might happen as they strengthened the bond between them?

For the rest of the day, Jake had used his abilities to keep the connection to a minimum. Enough that it was still mind-blowing sex, but not so much that she might get hurt by it. He had forgotten in the heat of the moment that she wasn't a shifter herself, and it had almost killed her though she had no idea how close a call it had been. Jake knew she would be furious when he eventually told her. Hopefully, he thought, their relationship would be able to progress further than that before he did.

Which was exactly what he had planned for when she showed up. It was about time that Jake courted her properly, getting to know who Harper was as a woman. He was going to take her on a date that evening. It was one of the reasons he had come over to the site early, so that he could ensure everything was planned out for the day. Then he could go shopping for some nice clothes. Moonshine wasn't that large of a town, but it still managed to boast two fine-dining establishments. Unfortunately for Jake, a suit had not been on the list of important things to keep in the truck, and as such had gone up in flames.

Jake had already made reservations at one
Moonlight Dining
, which, according to several people in town, was quite the experience. He was looking forward to simply talking with his mate. It seemed like such a quaint notion after the things they had done the day before, but he couldn't wait. Later that evening, he hoped to tell her the truth about him as well. He wasn't sure how she would take it, but the last thing he wanted to do was keep it a secret for too long, and break any bonds of trust that were forming.

Thus, Jake was on edge that morning. He had already snapped at two contractors for not cleaning up after themselves, and word had gotten around. Now when he came near, everyone was scrambling to either clean or ensure they looked properly busy. Huge progress had been made in clearing out the damaged & burnt areas. In another week or so, he thought, they might be able to start bringing in fresh sod and shrubs to some of the inner areas, instead of just the perimeter.
 

"Hi Jake," a voice sounded from behind him, bringing an instant smile to his face.

"Hello beautiful," he said, turning to pick her up in his arms, swinging her around once easily. He knew she enjoyed it when he showed off his strength, so he held her aloft for another moment as well, before gently setting her back on her feet.

"Sorry again for not being there when you awoke," he said, chastely planting a kiss on her forehead. The resulting smile made him feel warm to his core. She was so beautiful, this mate of his. He couldn't believe how lucky he was. He made a mental note to tell her that as well. She hugged him tightly for a moment, then stepped back to look around.

"I still don't know what to say about all the work you've done here Jake. It's got to be costing you a fortune!" He could tell that she was secretly excited about the thought that she might get her campground back, in one shape or another. It would take several years for the bushes to truly take and hold, to look wild instead of planted, but it would be restored as best as he could make it.

"There's going to be a lot of changes by the end of today. But you aren't allowed to stick around and see them," he said, purposefully sounding sneaky and secretive.

"Well, what am I supposed to do then?"

"Go out, get a new outfit, get your hair done, whatever you need to. I'm taking you to an early dinner at
Moonlight
tonight."

"What? Jake, you don't have to do that! Not after all the money you've put into this place. That place is expensive."
 

"So, are you saying you don't want to go to dinner there?" he teased. She was being polite again, but the prospect of a sit down fancy dinner with a man who was interested in her was just too much for her not to get excited about. He could read her true feelings in her eyes, and through their bond.

"Seriously, I know what I'm doing, and how much money I'm spending Harper. This is my decision, and you need to respect that."
 

She caved at that, wrapping him up in a big hug, planting a kiss on his lips before he could react. He laughed straight from his stomach at that. It would be a good idea for him to not forget that she could be a feisty, independent one as well. In fact, she had to have been extremely tenacious to build and run this entire place he reminded himself.
 

He told her to be ready for five, and then watched her practically skip through the rubble to her car. The sight of it made him smile, the happiness reaching deep to his core. Tonight would be amazing if he could only make it through the rest of the day. Raising his voice, he went off in search of his packmates, to ensure they were still doing their part.
 

***

"You look stunning," he commented once again, unable to take his eyes off of her.

It could be said all night, but the comment still didn't do justice to her beauty, though she did blush from his compliment once again. He might never tire of how the redness crept from her cheeks down her neck, stopping just past her collarbone. He held her hand as they walked down the stairs from the restaurant.

She was wearing a
 
simple white dress that hung down past her knees, showing just the barest hint of her creamy, soft skin. It was mostly backless except for two cross straps, and it hung down low in the front, exposing a daring amount of cleavage, but displayed in a way that came across as classy, not classless. She had paired it with some dangling earrings that reflected the light in different patterns, and a upswept hairstyle that left her neck bared for him to see.

The wolf in him had wanted to claim her, to mark her as his own right then and there as she walked out of her apartment when he picked her up. It had been one of the harder fought battles between the two halves of him, for part of his human soul had agreed, wanting nothing more than to fuck her again.

He had retained control, however, ensuring that he acted the perfect gentleman for the entire evening. It was still early in the evening with plenty of light, so he took her over to the campsite, to show her everything that had been done today. At one point, she laid her head on his shoulder as they waited at one of the few stoplights in town. It was such an innocent moment of intimacy that he couldn't help himself, cupping her chin as he brushed his lips against hers before they moved on.

He knew from the start it was a mistake, for the entire rest of the evening, the tension between them rose. She wanted him again, he could feel it, but he knew he had to hold back, to tell her the truth about him. As he focused on that more, he could tell some of his feelings were seeping through, revealing themselves to her.

"Why are you so nervous Jake?"
 

They were standing in the middle of what had been one of the permanent buildings on site. The men had gone home for the day, leaving it eerily empty. Most of the rubble had all been removed, leaving nothing but a concrete outline in the ground. It seemed a fitting metaphor, for he was about to lower all of his walls, revealing everything to her.

"I have something to tell you. I'm not sure how you're going to take it, and frankly, I'm a little scared. There are very few people who know about this part of me, or that it's even possible. But, I need to know that you're okay with it and that you can still be with me.

"You're scaring me, Jake. You're not some sort of serial killer or something, are you?" She was backing away from him now, which, he realized, was probably the best.

"No, I'm not a killer," he sighed, hoping she believed him. He tried to broadcast to her that he was telling the truth. It seemed to work, for she stopped backing away for the moment.

"So, what is it? Tell me already!"

"It's, probably easier if I show you," he said awkwardly.

She didn't say anything in response, waiting instead for him to do what he had to do.

"Whatever happens, Harper, please remember that I'm a good man."

Glancing around to ensure they were alone, he accepted his decision to show her his true self. Closing his eyes, he reached for the link in his mind, the bridge between himself and his other half. He found it, grasped it, and flung it open as if it were a door.
 

It happened quickly to those who witnessed it, but from the inside it
 
could seem to take forever, especially in nervous situations like this. His bones cracked and readjusted, his legs shrinking as his arms reformed, reversing their joints. Fur sprouted from his skin, growing thick with grey as he sunk towards the ground, landing on all fours as his hands became paws.

Lastly, his head shifted, a snout jutting forward as his canines became more protruded, more carnivorous. In just a few seconds, he was no longer himself, but a massive grey wolf, nearly twice the size of his wild compatriots. He and Harper were nearly the same height at the shoulder.
 

Suddenly remembering her, he looked over at her quickly. She hadn't moved, staring in shock and surprise at what she had just witnessed. He tried to send calming thoughts through their bond, but if it worked, there was no visible result. He quickly tried to think of a way to make her more at ease. Sitting down abruptly, he cocked his head to one side and let his tongue loll out, trying his best to look like a goofy dog so she might find him less terrifying.