Twice Shy

“That's a pretty nifty talent to have, isn't it?”

“Well, you'll never be cold on a snowy night.”

“Oh, honey,” Liza joked. “I don't need a fire to stay warm.” Harper blushed. She'd seen the way Liza's mates looked at her, so there was no doubt in her mind she spoke the unabashed truth. Liza gave her a wicked grin.

“Neither do you.”

If it was possible, her blush got hotter. She turned and tugged at the top of her turtleneck. She knew those marks were hidden, so why did she feel like everyone she'd come into contact with this morning had seen them? She considered bluffing, but what would be the point? Besides, maybe Liza would explain a few things.

She walked to the porch swing, sat, and faced her cousin, who leaned against a railing. “Why the lessons? You obviously don't need them.” Liza arched an eyebrow. “Really? That's where you want to start?” It got very annoying dealing with people who always seemed to read her mind.

Although in Liza's case, that might be reality. She didn't know her cousin well, didn't know what secret talents she might be hiding.

“It's a place to begin,” she pointed out, proud of herself for not backing down.

Liza's lips turned up in a half smile of approval, and she nodded. “I think you'll do.” She sat in a rocking chair a couple of feet away, and Harper pushed her foot against the floor, set the swing into a gentle motion. “For the pack, of course. Your being around me and Caleb and Zach so much shows that we've accepted you.”

“And that's important?” She felt a little light-headed and was glad she was already sitting down. It was so much more important today than yesterday.

“Isn't it?” Liza asked, her voice kind and gentle. “Aren't Mick and Jonas important to you?”

“How do you know about them?”

“I can't shift, but I do have all the normal abilities of a werewolf in human form.”

Her confusion must have shown.

“Your scent. It's covered in theirs.”

She couldn't have hid her horrified embarrassment if she'd tried. Liza moved much faster than a woman that pregnant should have been able to and sat next to Harper on the swing.

Liza took her hand. “Hey, it's okay. This is normal for us.” Her laugh sounded a little manic. “Normal? Everyone knows?” Liza nodded.

“What happens when they get tired of me? When they decide they've made a mistake?”

When Jonas decided that, she wanted to say. When her heart lay broken and bleeding at her feet. Liza's look was one of confusion that morphed into exasperation.

“Didn't explain anything, did he?”

“Who?”

“Jonas.”

She opened her mouth to defend him, then snapped it shut. What the hell? He turned her on, and okay, he definitely delivered, but she didn't even like the man.

Right?

Liza took pity on her. “They won't decide that. We wouldn't scent them on you if you weren't their mate. And your scent is on them. There's no breaking a mate bond, Harper. You've been here long enough to pick that up.” She knew the werewolves took their mate thing seriously, she just hadn't realized how seriously. Or maybe, if she were honest with herself, she'd simply chosen not to see it was a bit more permanent than marriage.

“Jonas won't like that,” she whispered. “He doesn't like me much.” Liza tilted her head to one side and studied her. Harper felt like a science specimen. “Likes you well enough to get naked and mark you.” The blush came back in a furious rush. “Gods.” She groaned. “Please tell me not everyone knows that.”

“Sorry.” Liza shrugged with a teasing grin.

Harper put her face in her hands and mumbled. “That is so embarrassing. I can't believe I had sex. With both of them. Everyone else has to know it too?”

“It's normal for us. A strong sexual appetite is part of a werewolf's nature.”

“I'm not a werewolf.”

Liza smiled. “But you belong to one. Well, two.” A door opened at the other end of the porch, interrupting them. Caleb poked his head out, grinned, and was in front of them in seconds, but he didn't even notice Harper. He pulled Liza up and kissed her. Harper jerked away from the naked passion, and her gaze clashed with Jonas's who was standing at the door Caleb had exited from.

He strolled forward, smiling a little the closer he got, probably at the appreciation she couldn't hide. She ordered her eyes to move away, close, something other than drink him in, but they didn't obey. By the time he stopped in front her, she'd completely forgotten they weren't alone.

He stopped close, not quite enough to touch, and reached out with one hand to grip the back of her head. He stared at her a second before hauling her forward and fusing his mouth over hers. His tongue dueled with hers; his teeth nipped. She was breathless and clinging to his shoulders for support when he pulled back.

“Glad to see you took care of that,” Caleb said drily.

She wanted to melt into the floor. Jonas pulled her under his arm, and she hid her face in his chest. His shielding her, protecting her seemed out of character, but she didn't hesitate to take advantage of it.

“You ready?” Caleb asked.

“Whenever you are,” Jonas replied. She hadn't been around long, but even she knew that cocky reply and tone were out of line. She turned her face enough to see, wondering if she needed to get the hell out of the way, but