Marie Harte - Outfoxed

Gabby stared after Grady in astonishment. She’d never seen him so angry before, not since he’d helped her and her sisters deal with Hunters several months back. The bane of Ac-taw existence, humans who knew about Shifters and hunted them down were always a threat to the town’s way of life. The mystical totem Rachel protected, an ancient magic courtesy of their Ac-taw forefathers, kept them safe. When in the town, it made Cougar Falls invisible to anyone not connected to the Ac-taw. Which wouldn’t protect them from cougars like this Lex or Ronnie.

She turned to Miles. “Do you think your pride will follow you here?”

The handsome Shifter shook his head. “We’re not that important in the grand scheme of things.” But the gaze he settled on Stacey said otherwise. Engaged with her sisters and Julia, she missed his worry.

“Good to know,” Gabby murmured and turned back to her plate.

Once they’d finished and cleared the table, Rachel put on coffee. They all sat around the table, taking the time after a meal to relax together. Contrary to what she’d expected when she’d first joined the pride, the cats liked to connect. Burke kept them close, informed of decisions and treated like family. No wonder they were the tightest-knit clan in town. They actually enjoyed being with one another.

She gave Grady’s chair a surreptitious glance, missing his laughter and teasing. He always made her feel right, as if she belonged here, which made little sense. No one had ever told her to leave. Hell, she’d been invited to join the pride. But he, for some reason, made life brighter. Weird.

She caught Ty telling Miles about some stir he’d recently calmed down in the raptor clan. Then the foxy sheriff mentioned how the bears and wolves were currently not getting along. He gave Monty a few knowing looks, to which the wolf shrugged and put on that innocent face that made her want to laugh. He was like a wolfish version of Grady, just not as handsome.

Stop it, girl. Quit thinking about Grady. Good Lord, he went for a walk. Give him some space!

“And Gabby? How did you and your family come to be part of the pride?” Miles asked her. “Burke mentioned you were cat and…fox?”

Before she could answer, Ty did. He’d been doing that a lot lately. Answering for her, protecting her, making sure everyone played nice around her. Though she appreciated his concern, he’d become aggravating in the extreme.

“We left the Silver Fox Clan when Julia and I mated. Her father was cat. Her mother fox. Lot of prejudice over with the foxes. Prejudice Burke and our pride don’t tolerate.” The warning couldn’t have been more obvious.

Miles smiled. Though annoyed with his line of questioning, Gabby was woman enough to appreciate his beauty. Dark blond hair cut short and neat. Light green eyes that looked savage in his civilized face. For all that the man wore sophisticated like a second skin, something about him screamed danger. Had Gabby not been in an off-men phase of her life, she might have given in to the many smiles and subtle glances aimed her way over dinner. Instead, she found him pretty to look at but nothing more.

Unlike Grady, whom she’d had to forcefully ignore so as not to stare at him through the meal. She’d never been taken in by his charm and good ol’ boy mannerisms. Gabby had seen him at his most lethal, and she couldn’t—wouldn’t—forget it. So sexy, and so incredibly wild.

Miles shrugged. “I couldn’t care less about pedigrees. Despite what Grady thinks, I’m all about family. It’s easy to see that this is a good one.” His gaze included everyone at the table. Then it settled on Burke. “I want to protect my sisters, but I’m not about to put you and yours in jeopardy. This is a nice breather while we decide where we’ll settle. Like I said before, we have a few distant relatives in Oregon, which is where we’re still headed.”

Burke nodded. “If that’s what you really want. But why don’t we at least give you some time to relax and think about it? We’ll talk to the council tomorrow, and maybe they can help you feel out some ideas about how to handle the situation.”

“Sounds good. But let me ask you, what would you have done?”

Burked scratched his chin. “Me? In your place, I’d probably have done the same. You don’t seem too attached to Miami, and I hate friggin’ cities. Not enough space to roam. And it’s too goddamn hot down South.” He grinned and winked at Rachel. “Besides, my mate would never let me hang out around all those bikini-clad women. She’s jealous like that.”

“Please.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “As if anyone else would have you.”

The others laughed. Gabby watched the interplay with a strange yearning. She coveted the affection, the warm way Burke treated his mate. Like the loving tenderness Ty gave Julia while still respecting her enough to share decisions.

Gabby hated to admit it, but trying to cut men out of her life hadn’t been helping. She wanted to find someone special. A mate. A male who would make her scream in bed yet cuddle her when she needed it. He’d sit with her through a chick flick and suffer, knowing she’d indulge him during football season.

Every fantasy in her head put her on a couch next to a cat, not a fox, and she had a bad feeling she knew why.

She glanced at Grady’s chair again. When she looked away, she saw Dean watching her with an odd expression.

She tilted her head, waiting for him to say something.

He just smiled and turned to Burke. “You know, all this talk about running and rogue Ac-taw is making me hungry.”

Burke snorted. “Dean, everything makes you hungry.”

“Which is my cue.” Maggie stood and left the table, returning with a tray of dessert. “Now who wants the first piece of my famous cherry pie?”

Dean’s eyes sparkled. Before he could answer, Miles did. “My favorite. I can’t wait to taste it, Maggie.”

Maggie blushed. “I hope you like it.”

“Well, I hope he doesn’t,” her husband said. “Then there’s more for me.”

“I made four of them. One just for you, Joel. My bear has an appetite,” Maggie teased.

“But I always get the first piece of pie,” Dean whined. “I’m the youngest cub here, Rachel. Please?”

Rachel grinned. “Good try. But you look older than Joy and Melissa.”

“Nope. They’re old, just real, real pretty.”

The women shook their heads.

“But I’m a guest,” Miles argued, mischief in his gaze. “Right, Gabby?”

She nodded. “Guests do come before family. It’s only polite.”

She swore she heard Dean mutter, “Vermin,” as he narrowed his eyes at Miles. He caught her looking at him and shot her a bright, overly innocent smile.

“Oh relax, Dean.” She rolled her eyes. “You can have my pie if you’re that hungry.”

“You’re the best, Gabby.” He blew her a kiss.

To her bemusement, Miles glanced between her and Dean with speculation.

Burke sighed. “If you’re done sulking, baby brother, can we please have some dessert?” He raised his voice. “And everyone knows pride leader gets the first piece. What is it with you people?”

Gabby laughed with the others, but her eyes kept straying to Grady’s empty chair.

After putting in a full day teaching a camp full of grade school kids the art of fly fishing, Grady finished some paperwork in the office, then returned to Cougar Falls tired and worn down. He didn’t exactly look forward to returning home.

He hadn’t seen Gabby in two days. She’d been visiting a few of her fox friends and had stayed off the ranch. Miles and his family had decided to give it a good week before they made a decision about staying or going. So everywhere Grady walked, he found himself tripping over a Bermin. He hadn’t had a chance to “help” Miles with anything, either. So much for Rachel’s grand plan of getting everyone else gone while he and Gabby bonded. Although not putting his fist through Miles’s face should count for something. He thought he’d shown remarkable restraint.