Free Arctic Winds by Sondrae Bennett

inside.
    Jason shook his head and strode toward the counter. Samantha opened her eyes and despite the weariness Jason could sense, a smile lit up her face. He loved how open she was with her emotions.
    Jason leaned over the counter and placed a quick kiss on her lips.
    “How was your day, baby?”
    “Better now. How was yours?” She rolled her shoulder as she spoke.
    “What’s wrong with your neck and shoulder?”
    “Oh it’s nothing. Just a small headache.”
    “Have you taken anything?”
    “No, it’s fine. I’ll take something later.”
    Jason came around the counter and pulled Samantha flush against him. His lips pressed against her temple and he stood there for a moment savoring the feel and scent of her in his arms.
    “Let me take care of you, little heart. How ’bout we order some Chinese food and I give you a back massage while we wait for it?”
    “That sounds heavenly.” Samantha breathed out as she clutched his shirt and nuzzled his chest.
    “Aw, isn’t this cute,” a snide female voice sounded behind them. Samantha jumped and tried to hide her face against him. “Jason, shouldn’t you be dealing with real women? I can make you forget this nobody even exists.”
    “Cynthia!” Jason exclaimed, shocked by such rudeness from one of his pack mates. “What the hell is wrong with you? Apologize.” Jason’s voice deepened with the force of his command.
    Cynthia flinched at the authority in his voice as if receiving a blow.
    “Sorry, I guess.”
    As far as apologies went, it was pretty lame. Jason was on the verge of commanding a better one when Laurie joined them.
    “Get out of my store.” Jason had never heard Laurie’s voice sound so cold.
    Samantha tried to pull away from Jason’s grasp, but he held firm and turned to look at his sister as she spoke. “Jason, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute before you drag Samantha away.” There was an odd gleam in Laurie’s eyes. Whatever she wanted to discuss, Jason had a feeling he wasn’t going to be happy.
    “Samantha, why don’t you run up to your apartment and grab a change of clothes and anything else you need for the night. You won’t need any pajamas,” Jason murmured in her ear before she could pull away. Her smile dazzled him, but Jason could see the sadness lurking behind her eyes.

    Jason turned to Laurie as Samantha left. She eyed him shrewdly. “Listen, I hope you’re as serious about Samantha as I think you are.”
    “I don’t think that’s any of your business, Laurie. I appreciate you looking out for her, but what’s between Samantha and me doesn’t concern you.”
    “I just thought you’d like to know that pretty much every single female in the pack came in here and gave her a hard time today. Most of them were incredibly rude and some downright cruel.
    I even heard a few people call her a whore.”
    Jason felt his face mottle in anger, and he wondered why Samantha hadn’t told him herself.
    He needed to make sure his pack understood how important Samantha was to him. He would not accept this treatment of her. And he needed to find out why Samantha hadn’t told him anything about it.

    * * * *
Samantha moaned into the pillow as Jason’s hands ran up her back, pressing in all the right places.
    “God, your hands are amazing.”
    Chuckling quietly, Jason leaned down to nibble on her ear. “Anytime you want my ‘amazing’
    hands, they’re at your disposal.”
    She shivered under his hands as they pressed into her naked back. He licked around the rim of her ear, causing another delightful shudder to work through her.
    “Tell me, little heart.” Jason paused and nibbled down the back of her neck, placing a love bite hard enough to leave indents on her shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me what happened today at work?”
    Jason felt Samantha stiffen beneath him. She might not want to tell him anything, but her body couldn’t avoid him in their current position.
    “I’m not sure what you