Page 30 of Shifter and the Succubus (The Pack #1)

Jason’s heart beat a staccato rhythm as he walked into the hospital to meet Sabrina. Unless there was an emergency, at this time of day she would be in her office finishing her notes. He needed to talk to her about Bea’s theory, even though it might be awkward.

He’d admitted to himself a while ago that he loved Sabrina. Even with all the arguments stacked against them — his mess of a life right now on top of her clan rule that Succubi and shifters couldn’t mix.

Apparently, his animal hadn’t gotten the memo.

Honestly, the more he thought about it, the more he realized his animal was right. He was allowed to care for Sabrina. To want to protect her, although she could protect him and the rest of the team if necessary.

Time to set some things straight with her. If he and his animal could get their shit together—or maybe their shift together? Wow. He had been spending too much time with Misha and his dad jokes.

He stood outside her office and blew out a hard breath. Enough with the stalling. He knocked.

“Come in.” He opened the door, and her eyes widened for a moment before she stood. “Jason. I wasn’t expecting you. Is something wrong?”

“Nothing. I needed to fill you in on some things.” He closed the door.

She gestured to the chair next to her desk. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I thought it would be better to talk tonight before Kyle and Misha showed up on your doorstep.”

“Now you have me nervous again.”

“Sorry, that isn’t what I’m trying to do.” He probably should have called and let her know he was coming. “You weren’t heading out, were you?”

“No.” She pointed to the mini fridge she had in the corner. “Do you want something to drink? Water? Coffee?”

He wanted something stronger, but he hadn’t been drinking since he couldn’t seem to control his animal when sober and didn’t want to exacerbate things. “I’m good.”

He sat and she pulled her chair around and sat in front of him.

“What’s going on? Did you find out news about your biological family?”

“Maybe. Misha and I went to see a demon who creates new identities. Misha wanted to talk to him about how to find someone whose identity changed twenty-five years ago. He gave Misha some suggestions while we were there. When we told the team about them, Dalton had the idea to reach out to a lawyer’s group in Chicago and we found a pic of Rowling. Misha is working on tracking him now.”

“That’s good, right?” she said.

He needed to get on with it already. “Yes. First, I’m fine, but while we were at the meeting, I was attacked by a demon. I subdued him quickly and we went on with our discussion.”

“Your animal didn’t appear?”

He should have known she would connect the dots immediately. “No. And that’s why I came to see you. We’ve been under the impression that stress brings on my change, but Bea has another idea.”

She nodded for him to continue, and he repeated what Bea had said at breakfast. He watched Sabrina’s face, and it changed from detached-doctor mode to surprised mode.

“Your animal is protecting me?” she repeated as if trying to make sense of it.

He watched her closely. “Yes. Bea said that shifters’ animals are very protective of those they care about.” Those they love , but he was afraid if he said that, she’d run.

She paused as if to pick the right words. “Well, if that’s true, maybe we should keep away from each other.”

So not happening. “Bea also said that you’ve been the only one my animal responds to. So maybe you do need to stay close.”

“Bea has a lot of opinions in the matter,” Sabrina said with some bite.

“She does. But she is also on the outside looking in. We’re both a little close to things.”

“And what do you think?” she asked, reverting to her doctor tone.

“Don’t do that,” he barked. So much for pulling back a bit.

“What?”

“Talk to me like I’m your patient.”

“Jason—”

“Okay, I know I’m your damn patient, but I’m more than that.”

“Of course you are… You’re my friend.”

“I call bullshit.”

She blinked. “We decided to be friends.”

“Yeah, well, I want to revisit that.” Before she could respond, he held up his hand. “Listen, Doc. My animal knows what I’ve been denying myself. I want you in my life. I want to be with you. You like me. You told me so, unless you were feeding me a line.”

She frowned. “I wasn’t feeding you a line.”

“I know I’m a bad bet right now. Once we get this under control, I want us to try.”

“You’re not a bad bet! Stop talking down about yourself.”

“Fine. I’ll stop talking down about myself if you’re willing to admit you have feelings for me.”

She swallowed. “I do, but—”

He shook his head. “No buts. I know there is some sort of Succubus commandment, ‘Thou shalt not date shifters,’ but when have you followed rules? I’m not a full shifter.

That is not a put-down, it’s a fact. So all this worry of you becoming addicted might be over the top.

Once we figure out what is going on with me, let’s try being together.

See where it takes us. That’s all I’m asking. ”

He made it sound simple. It was hardly that.

But if his animal knew he was supposed to be with Sabrina, shouldn’t he listen to him?

How would he and his animal ever learn to communicate with each other and stop the hostile takeover of his consciousness if he didn’t take his animal’s feelings seriously?

For once he could truly see her emotions in her sea-blue eyes. The heart she surrounded in concrete and barbed wire peeked through. He raised his hand and stopped just before he touched her face, waiting for permission, which she gave with the slightest nod.

He rested it on her cheek, and she leaned in to his touch. “We’re going to figure this out. Just don’t back away. Please.”

“I won’t.”

Something righted itself inside him. He leaned forward and pressed a whisper-soft kiss to her lips.

Once.

Twice.

He rested his forehead against hers and inhaled her scent—floral today with a hint of vanilla.

“We’re going to figure this out, Jason. Together.”

He wasn’t sure if she meant his animal or their relationship, but in that moment it didn’t matter.

She said together and that’s what he and his heart would hold on to.

After her talk with Jason, Sabrina went home, grabbed a bottle of wine, and poured a large glass before sinking into her comfy chair.

What had she just agreed to? She’d ignored reason, or rather, let Jason convince her that her arguments for keeping them apart didn’t make sense.

Hadn’t she spent a millennium listening to her annoyingly logical brain, and now she’d let her heart take over.

But was that a bad thing?

She didn’t think so. Not after the kiss. It had been short and sweet and would have knocked her on her butt if she hadn’t been sitting down. Which made her sound like an innocent debutante instead of a demon whose sustenance came from sex.

But wasn’t that the crux of it? Sex as food. Kissing had always been perfunctory. It led to pleasure but not emotional connection. Release, but not commitment.

Before Jason, when was the last time she’d just held someone’s hand?

She took a sip of wine. She even kept herself apart from her teammates, who were the closest thing to a family she had now.

She wasn’t clueless, she’d studied psychiatry as one of her numerous medical specialties, so she knew she was protecting herself.

After leaving her clan, she couldn’t allow herself to be close—really close—to any of them.

Which is why she had been so surprised when Jason had worked his way inside.

Even before she’d found out he was shifter, she’d already made excuses why they couldn’t be together.

He was human and she would feed from him.

He was too young and she was older than dirt.

He would die and leave her. Like they all left her.

She took a large sip and then another. Wow. Freud would have a field day with her baggage. He’d tried to get her to tell him about her past and she’d refused. If he had realized her kind existed, it would have made his theories even more interesting.

She set down her glass. She needed to stop spiraling. Take a chance on creating an actual relationship. Jason was the brave one in this situation. She could learn a few things from him. And she hoped to.

As soon as she helped him and his animal communicate. That was the priority. And then she would finally allow herself to be the priority. She would see where their relationship could go.

For someone who had lived as long as she had, she avoided thoughts of the future. No, that wasn’t right. She didn’t allow herself to hope. Because if you hoped for something, you were sure to be disappointed when it didn’t happen.

But Jason gave her hope. Jason was hope and she wouldn’t be afraid any longer to embrace it, or him.