Authors: Brittany White
Chapter Six
It was well after noon with Jackson woke back up again. Natalie was still sleeping peacefully next to him, and he gently smoothed the hair out of her face. The past few days had been a whirlwind for him.
Seeing her trapped between the wall and the bear had knocked at least ten years off his life. Never before had Jackson felt so scared, so angry, and so desperate in his entire life.
Paul was powerful. Strong. And as much as Jackson hated to admit it, it was obvious that Paul was stronger than him. But he knew without a doubt that Jackson would have laid down his life last night if it meant that Natalie would be protected.
It was a startling revelation, but this morning has sealed the deal. Natalie belonged to him. And now that he knew that, he would stop at nothing to keep her safe.
Her curvy body was pliant and warm next to his, and as much as he wanted to lean down and kiss her, her knew he had to figure out how Paul had gotten on the reservation.
Not to mention that Micah would be back soon.
He eased himself gently out of the bed. She turned in her sleep, trying to find his warmth, and he covered her with a blanket. After stroking her hair for a minute, she fell back asleep.
He hoped her dreams were peaceful.
Frowning, he realized that he didn’t have any clothes in her room. He wrapped a towel around his naked body and prayed that no one would see him as he made a mad dash to the elevators.
Brent was, of course, already in the elevator when the doors opened. He held out his arm, and Jackson was relieved to see a pair of pants and a shirt. “I was on my way to get you,” Brent explained.
“How did you know where I was?” Jackson asked as he quickly pulled the clothes on.
“I review the security footage every morning after a shift. I saw the new bear breaking into the building. And I saw you go in after it. You weren’t in your room, so I figured you were either dead in Natalie’s room or you spent the morning there.”
Jackson rolled his eyes. “Good to see you shed a few tears for my possible death.”
Brent smiled. “It takes more than a psychotic shifter to kill you, my friend.”
“How did he get on the reservation? The gates lock automatically just before the dusk of a full moon.”
His friend pulled his iPad from his bag and opened it up. A video was already queued on the screen. When he pressed play, Jackson’s eyes widened. “He was already in the territory.”
Brent nodded. “I suppose our security is much like his. He slipped in undetected during the day somehow and hid until night fell. When we all shifted in the woods, he attacked. I’m in the process of reviewing the footage of the perimeter now, but I don’t see how he got in to begin with.” His eyes grew uneasy. “I also don’t have any footage of him leaving.”
Jackson’s head shot up. “Are you serious?”
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s still here. It could simply mean that he’s found an access point that’s not on camera. I’m about to walk the perimeter now. I’d like to have a full report for Micah when he returns this evening.”
“I’ll join you, but I want some men posted at both the entrance to the condo and on Natalie’s floor. I’m not taking any chances.”
“Can he shift outside the full moon?”
Jackson swallowed hard. “Probably. He was almost human when he finally broke in. If he can contain his wolf during the full moon like that, he can probably call it at will.”
“That’s pretty powerful,” Brent commented in a neutral voice. “Even you can’t do that.”
“I know,” Jackson snapped. “But there are hundreds of us and one of him. So if he’s here, he’s desperate. It’s more than a simple stolen object or an obsession with Natalie. There’s something I’m missing.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Brent said confidently. “We’ll protect her.”
Jackson looked at him. “I’m glad you’re coming around.”
“She’s your mate,” he said simply. “And that means we can trust her.”
* * *
Jackson was gone when Natalie woke up, but she could feel his energy linger. He hadn’t left ashamed or regretful. She smiled and snuggled further under the covers. She loved that she could feel him even though he wasn’t around.
After a few moments of languishing in the leftover warmth, she finally pulled herself out of bed. She couldn’t keep relying on Jackson to save her. She needed to be proactive. If Paul was willing to attack her on another pack’s territory, then he was more desperate than she thought.
What in the world was he here for?
She hopped in the shower, let the steam relax her, and when she was done, she wiped the mirror down. Her cheeks were flushed with heat, but her eyes held determination.
She wasn’t going to let Paul ruin this for her.
Running a towel through her hair and slipping her clothes on, Natalie began to prowl the condo. After a few minutes, she took her purse and dumped it out. Maybe she really did have something that Paul wanted.
But all she had was the usual. Her wallet. Her keys. A few items of make-up, some lotion, a couple of pens, and a tampon. There was nothing valuable in the purse. Hell, the purse itself wasn’t even valuable.
She gazed at the pile on her floor and sighed. What was making Paul come after like this?
She picked up one of the pens and smiled. It was one of those pens that held six different colors. She played with the colored clicks and pulled the blue one down.
Nothing happened.
Slightly disappointed, she pulled the little red button down.
Still, nothing happened.
“Of course the only cool thing I have would be broken,” she mumbled. She unscrewed the bottom and top portion and froze.
Instead of holding ink, it held a flash dive.
“Son of a bitch,” she breathed. This must have been what Paul was after. She grabbed her purse and headed for the door. She didn’t have a computer, but she was sure that Jackson would. And it was time to find out what was really going on here.
She took the elevator to Brent’s condo first, but no one answered the door. Frowning, she went up one more story. Jackson wasn’t in either.
They must have been out checking the territory. She hurried down the hall and snagged the elevator before it went down. Scrambling out of the condo, her mind was racing.
What on earth was Paul hiding?
She never felt his energy or his hatred. By the time he stepped out of the shadows, it was too late.
She felt the sharp edge of the knife bite into her back. “Don’t say a word,” he growled behind her.
Her breath escaped her lungs, and she struggled not to scream, He forced her down the sidewalk. “We’re going to walk right out of here, and then we’re going to have a talk,” he hissed.
She glanced back. At one time, she’d found Paul incredibly sexy. His dark hair and intense eyes had seduced her, but now he looked like a mess. It was clear that he hadn’t slept in awhile, and everything about him was unkempt and wild. “I found the pen. I didn’t know that it wasn’t a pen, Paul. I don’t know what’s on it. You can take it and leave,” she muttered.
“Liar,” he snarled. “I should have known you were going to ruin this for me. I just wanted a taste of you, and now you’re fucking with everything.”
She shivered. What the hell was he talking about? “The alpha of this pack is going to be here soon. And Jackson and Brent are going to find us. Just take the pen and go,” she urged him.
“Nice try. Everyone is asleep, and even if they are looking for me, we’ll be long gone before they find us. Now quit dragging your feet and move!”
Paul wasn’t wrong. They didn’t pass a single person as she stumbled slowly along the woods. Before too long, they were coming up on the row of businesses.
And every single one of them was closed.
Paul dragged her to the convenience store and picked the lock. Her mouth dropped. It looked so easy for him. How long has he been doing this?
He pulled her through the door and threw her on the floor. She hit the tile hard and gasped with pain. Growling, he grabbed one of the stacks and knocked it on the floor.
There was a hole in the wall.
“This is how you’ve been going in and out?” she muttered. “You tunneled into a store?”
“It was already here. I just found it. Your Jackson has a serious security breach on his hands. Crawl in.”
She shuddered. “No thank you.”
“Crawl the fuck in,” he howled and kicked at her. She rolled over quickly. Seeing her chance, she chucked the pen across the store. He roared in anger and dove after it. She scrambled to her feet and ran out of the store.
“Help,” she screamed. “Someone, help me!”
Two figured emerged from the street. Jackson and Paul. Natalie raced to them, but she wasn’t fast enough. Paul grabbed her hair and pulled her painfully back against him. She felt the knife bite into her throat. “Not so fast,” he murmured.
Jackson and Brent froze. “Let her go,” Jackson said hoarsely. “Take whatever it is you came here for and let her go.”
“Oh, I am here for her,” he muttered. “I need her.”
“Why?” Jackson and Brent slowly separated, and Paul’s arms tightened around her.
“Stop,” he hissed. “No one moves.”
“No,” Natalie moaned as she felt the muscles in Paul’s arm shift. “Please don’t.”
“I should have done this much earlier, but I needed to know what you were first,” he growled.
“What do you mean? What am I?”
“A witch.” She felt his teeth sink into her neck, and she screamed. Jackson and Brent both launched themselves at her, but it was too late. Paul had already shifted and marked her.
The pain was immense. She screamed and fell to the floor as she felt his saliva seep into her bones. Already, she could see the two men attempting to shift, but Paul was too strong. As her vision blurred, she realized that he had Jackson pinned to the ground. Paul raised the knife, and Natalie reacted.
Holding out her hand, she pushed as much energy as possible towards them. Paul slammed into the wall. And then darkness took her.
Chapter Seven
“What the hell is going on here?”
“Micah, calm down. No one can talk to you when you’re like this,” Stacey said crossly.
“I’m gone for two weeks, and not only has someone tunneled their way into the territory, but another bear has attacked? And there is a goddamn witch in the clinic? Explain yourself. Now.”
Jackson winced as Micah screamed at him. The alpha had every reason to be angry. Everything had gone to hell since he’d been gone.
“Can we have some peace and quiet?”
Heads turned as Dr. Gratsky entered the waiting area. “She needs to sleep.”
Stacey reached out and put a reassuring hand on her husband’s arm. “Micah, sit down. Maybe give them a chance to explain before you start yelling at them.”
Micah sat and glared at his two best friends. “Explain. Now.”
“I found Natalie stealing a jacket from the store. I could sense her fear and panic. She was running from a bear shifter, and she had every reason to believe that her life was in danger. I offered her protection.”
“Why?” Micah shook his head. “Why would you offer to protect a witch?”
“I thought she was just an empath. She thought she was just an empath. We didn’t know. It doesn’t matter though. I love her,” Jackson said quietly. “She’s my mate.”
Micah growled. “When I said you could marry whomever you wanted, I meant human. You can marry a human.”
“Don’t be a hypocrite,” Stacey snapped. “And let him finish.”
“Paul thought she had stolen something from him. He was desperate to get it back. It turns out that she did inadvertently take something, but she thought it was just a pen.” He nodded to Brent.
Brent pulled out his laptop. “It was actually a flash drive, and it outlined a pretty sick plan. Paul wanted to be alpha. He was strong, but their alpha was still stronger. So he began to boost himself the blood of a witch. All the information is here.”
“We think that he suspected that Natalie was a witch. She, of course, didn’t know, and so she had no issues being with him. Paul wanted to turn her so that he could use her. But she got away before he could carry out his plan.”
“How does a witch not know that she’s a witch?”
“I can answer that question,” Gratsky said smiling. “Natalie’s witch gene is recessive. It leaked out every now and then, but it didn’t truly show its potential until it mingled with the saliva of a shifter. It protected itself by becoming a more dominant gene. Had Paul never bitten her, Natalie would have never had any active powers.”
Micah stared at Jackson. “What are you going to do?”
“Marry her,” Jackson said instantly.
The alpha rolled his eyes. He looked at Brent. “Do you trust her?”
“She protected Jackson. He’d be dead without her. That’s good enough for me.”
“Where did the tunnel come from?”
Brent shook his head. “I’m still working on that.”
The alpha nodded. “Keep it under wraps for now. Doctor? Will the witch be okay?”
“She’s stable. We’ll know more when she wakes up.”
“Great. I’m going to unpack. Jackson?”
Jackson lifted his head uneasily.
“Good job holding down the fort while I was gone,” Micah said easily.
Jackson nodded. The alpha and his wife left the clinic, and he looked at Brent. “Thanks for having my back. Both with Paul and just now.”
His friend nodded. “I need to speak to the alpha of Paul’s pack and let him know what’s going on. While I’d love to take care of him, I’m sure he’ll be better suited to dole out justice.”
“Is he still unconscious?”
Brent nodded. “He hit the wall pretty hard. I’m not sure when he’ll wake up, but the silver irons should keep him docile for now.”
Jackson shuddered. Silver was the one weakness of a shifter. Brent took out his phone and stepped out to make the call. Jackson looked in on Natalie. “What’s going to happen to her?” he asked anxiously.
The doctor shrugged. “I’m about to draw some blood and run some tests. I’ll let you know then.”
* * *
Natalie felt surprisingly energetic when she woke up. Her vision was sharp, and she sprang up in bed. Where the hell was she?
“Easy.”
She turned to the familiar voice. “Jackson! You’re okay.” She reached over to hold him, but he kept his distance. “Jackson?” she asked hesitantly.
“Dr. Gratsky, she’s awake,” he called out. Immediately, an older and portly man came into the room.
“Natalie! How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” she said, bewildered. “How long have I been out?”
“Three days.”
“Three days!” she gasped. Suddenly, she remembered what happened. Her eyes widened as she grabbed at her shoulder. “Oh god. I’m a shifter. Paul. Paul bit me.” Her eyes filled with tears.
“You are not a shifter,” the doctor said with a smile. “I ran some tests, and I’m ninety-nine percent sure that you won’t turn.”
“How is that possible?” she asked in a small voice.
“Jackson tells me that you’re an empath. What do you know about being an empath?”
Natalie shrugged. “Not much. My grandmother was much better than I am. I just get a few faint traces of people’s emotions. Usually only when they’re strong.” She swallowed hard. “Although, now that I think about it, I feel some traces from both of you.”
She turned to Jackson. “Why are you afraid?”
He backed out. “I’m going to give you two some room,” he said quietly.
“Jackson?” she turned to the doctor. “What the hell is going on?”
“Natalie, has there been anyone you could talk to about this empathic ability that you have?”
“No,” she said slowly. “My grandmother has been gone for awhile now, and my mother never had the ability. But she passed away a few years ago. Why?”
“I just think if you knew more about your heritage, this might not have happened. You see, an empath isn’t just a psychic ability. It’s a type of witch.”
“A witch?” Natalie recoiled. “I would know if I was a witch.”
“It appears to be a recessive trait in you. When the shifter bit you, your body had to choose between one ability or another. And the recessive trait became a dominate one. It’s a good thing, too. It saved Jackson’s life.”
Shifter’s hated witches. That explained why Jackson didn’t want to stick around. He’d never care for her now.
Once again, she was alone.
“Do I need to stick around?” she asked in a neutral voice. “Is it okay if I leave?”
Gratsky frowned. “I’d like to keep an eye on you for a few more days, if that’s okay. I’ve never been able to examine a witch. It’s with your permission, of course.”
Natalie nodded, but she had no intentions of sticking around. Being near Jackson and not having him would hurt. She already knew that. “I’m going to get you something to eat,” the doctor said kindly. “Any requests?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said honestly. She didn’t plan on being around to eat it.
He exited the room. When she heard him leave the office, she immediately threw off the sheet on her bed. Stripping the bed gown off, she pulled on the pajamas she was wearing the morning of the attack and slipped out of the building.
At least this time she wasn’t running for her life. That would, at least, make things easier. She could go back to original plan of going to the city and settling down. If she hid the fact that she was a witch, maybe she would blend in with society a bit better.
“Always on the run.”
She froze. Jackson stood under the tree outside the clinic and watched her intently. “I just thought it would be easier,” she muttered. “For everyone.”
“You though it would be easier if you just ran away again? Is it that easy for you to leave me?”
She turned away from him. “Look, I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me. I really do. You saved my life. But things are different now.”
“How?”
She cocked her head. “What do you mean, how? Before I was a human with some psychic abilities. Now I’m a witch. Everyone knows that witches and shifters don’t mix. I know you hate me now.”
“Hate you?” in the blink of an eye, he’d crossed the small clearing and grabbed her wrist. “Why the hell would you say that?”
She pulled out of his grasp. “Are you kidding me? You could barely look at me inside. It’s clear that you can’t stand the sight of me. Why are you fighting me on this?”
He laughed hoarsely and pulled her into his grasp. “I definitely don’t hate you, Natalie. I failed you. I promised that I would keep you safe, and if it weren’t for your witch gene, you’d be a bear shifter. And you’d belong to Paul’s pack. I figured you’d hate me.”
She collapsed against him. It was nice to feel his warmth again. “You didn’t fail me. Every time I was in danger, you found me. I don’t hate you,” she muttered. “I love you. You did save me.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, Natalie. I have from the moment I felt you enter my building.”
“Even though I’m a witch now?”
“You’ve always been a witch. Just because you’re more powerful now doesn’t change how I feel about you. And it doesn’t change anything about you. I don’t care if you’re a witch, vampire, or otter shifter. I love you. I love everything about you,” he whispered into her ear.
And in that moment, she was happier than she’d ever been in her entire life. Jackson loved her. “What do we do now?”
“You’re going to marry me.” He pulled back and searched her face. “You’re my mate.”
She punched him lightly in the arm. “Aren’t you supposed to ask, first?”
He shook his head. “And give you a chance to say no? Absolutely not. You’re mine.”
“I am yours,” she said with a smile. “But what about your pack?”
“They’ll love you. And no one is going to be upset with a witch by our side. But I have to warn you. I think something big is about to happen. And I’m not sure I want you in the middle of it.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not leaving your side. If you’re going to be in the middle of it, I’m going to be in the middle of it. That’s what marriage is. That’s what love is.”
He wrapped his arms around her, and Natalie suddenly didn’t care about her being a witch or him being a shifter. She didn’t care about their past, and she didn’t care about the future. At that moment, he was a man that she loved. She was the woman that he loved. And life couldn’t be more perfect.
THE END