Page 1 of Snatching Jackie (Wintermoon Shorts #5)

JABARI

Wintermoon Sheriff Station—The Tourist Island

I watch Kade pace the floor, her footsteps sharp with annoyance as I sit in this jail cell, my head pounding with the familiar aftermath of teleportation. The harsh fluorescent lights only intensify the throbbing pain behind my eyes. My bear stirs within me, equally irritated by our predicament.

“What the fuck am I going to do with you?” Kade mutters, running her fingers through her blonde hair.

I wince, the sound of her voice like a hammer against my skull. The teleportation sickness lingers, making my stomach churn and my vision blur at the edges. I have no idea how long I’ve been out, nor do I particularly care.

“You threw a human male out of a tenth-floor hotel window,” Kade says, narrowing her eyes.

“You can’t keep doing shit like this.” She huffs, throwing her hands in the air.

“Vampires, those restless creatures on the royal island? Fine—I can handle that. But a bear shifter with a petty temper? Absolutely not.”

She stops pacing abruptly, fixing me with an intense stare that would intimidate most supernatural beings. Not me.

“He had it coming,” I manage through the pain, barely able to keep my eyes open. “These entitled humans, I don’t understand why you put up with this, Mother Kade.” The sarcasm drips from my voice, but I’m beyond caring about pleasantries. “We deserve better. And you know it.”

Kade sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly.

“That doesn’t matter, Jabari. What we deserve and what we get right now are two different things.

” She leans against the bars, lowering her voice.

“You’ve been in the mountains for a long time, and the only reason your alpha decided to migrate here is because he found his fated mate and realized the mountains weren’t a good place to raise a family. ”

“I wouldn’t mind going back to the mountains,” I mutter, the thought of the crisp, clean mountain air making my bear yearn for our former isolation.

“Oh please, you would never leave your clan,” Kade scoffs.

“I have been living on the tourist island for three months just to get away from my clan. You aren’t getting the hint.

” My bear moans inside me, the irritation of recovery from teleportation just amplifying our shared misery.

“Will you shut up,” I growl inwardly at my bear, “this hurts me far more than you.”

My bear huffs in response, retreating slightly.

Kade places her hands on her hips, her blue eyes narrowing as she studies me. Understanding slowly dawns on her face.

“Oh, Jabari. Is that what all this is about? Is watching your clan be paired off bothering you?”

The question hits too close to home, piercing through my defenses.

“I am the only clan member without a mate,” I admit, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “It is fucking agonizing.”

The door to the sheriff station opens with a jingle, and a familiar scent hits the air.

Tristian, my cousin from Axel Clan. I hear those judgmental boots clicking against the floor as he approaches, but I don’t lift my head to greet him.

Meanwhile, my bear perks up with excitement at Tristian’s arrival, which only annoys me further.

“I know the feeling,” Tristian says.

His words make me finally lift my head. My cousin stands beside Kade, looking so well put together it’s almost offensive.

His hair is perfectly cut, beard meticulously groomed, flannel shirt crisp and clean, jeans fresh, and those damn boots polished to a shine.

I know why he looks so content. Happiness.

He’s got his fated mate and two cubs—a boy and a girl.

A true blessing from Mother Fate because bear shifters don’t make many babies. You’re very lucky to get two.

But Tristian’s mother was more blessed than any bear shifter I know.

She had four bear cubs, all boys—something I’ve never seen before.

It’s why Axel Clan became one of the most respected Bear Clans in the supernatural community.

Growing up, I remember how much my father envied his brother, who was once Alpha of Axel clan.

We both lost our fathers in the Great War.

Drex, Tristian’s brother and alpha, wanted Axel and Frost Clan to join as one, but Silas, my brother, refused.

And rightfully so. Two bear shifter alphas sharing a space would create a war within itself.

But I knew what Drex was trying to do—keep everyone close.

Yet despite it all, Frost Clan became reclusive, living in the mountains and limiting contact with humans.

And now, I’m struggling to integrate because I don’t understand the human way.

I look at Tristian’s put-together appearance once more, then down at my own feet, wanting desperately to rip these boots off and burn them. It should be criminal for a bear shifter to wear shoes.

“I practically exhausted my bear trying to avoid Axel Clan,” Tristian explains, leaning against the bars. “Nearly got my mate killed.” He shudders visibly. “And I had to suffer the consequences of Kade’s teleportation.”

Kade looks between us, then sighs deeply. “I know you don’t want to go back home to your clan, but I have no choice.”

I let out a loud groan. Going home is the last thing I want, but I know it’s for the best. Kade isn’t doing this to hurt me; she’s trying to keep the peace.

“Come on, cousin,” Tristian says, “I’ll take you back to Wintermoon.”

“I don’t need an escort,” I mutter through another painful wince.

“Oh yes, you do,” Tristian counters with a smirk. “It’s either me, or Kade’s teleportation.”

That settles it. I stand weakly, struggling to regain my balance but managing to stay upright through sheer stubbornness. Kade opens the cell door, then flashes over to the coffee station where she prepares a jug of water. She returns in an instant, offering it to me, but I turn away.

“Well, now you’re being really stubborn,” Kade huffs. “You need this.”

“I’ll get water from the lakes,” I insist.

Kade looks to Tristian, who merely shrugs and bows his head to her.

“Since when do you ever bow to me?” Kade asks, surprise evident in her voice.

Tristian chuckles and pats me on the back as I step out of the cell. “Come on, cousin, let’s walk to the docks.”

“I’ll be back on land in a week with a new position for you,” Kade calls after us. “You can survive a week.”

I groan but nod. Damn, I didn’t mean to get fired from my position.

Once outside the sheriff’s station, the July heat hits me like a wall, making my bear even more irritable. The sun beats down mercilessly, and I can feel sweat beginning to form on my brow.

“The academy is doing well,” Tristian says, clearly trying to make small talk. “The orphan shifters are adjusting nicely.”

“How’s Caleb?” I ask, genuinely interested in my little cousin.

“His bear is growing well,” he replies with unmistakable pride in his voice. “Strong, just like his father.”

I grow increasingly irritated with the sweltering heat, loosening the collar of my shirt. Tristian notices my discomfort.

“Your bear will get used to it,” he assures me.

“I thought Wintermoon was cold year-round,” I grumble.

“Michigan has all four seasons,” he explains with a wink. “Some shorter than others.”

“I can’t work at the academy,” I say, shaking my head. “It would just add to my bear’s yearning. He wants our mate. He wants cubs.”

“I understand, cousin, believe me, I do.” His voice softens. “I’d suggest patrol, but your tolerance for humans is so low...”

I chuckle at that, then wince as pain shoots through my head.

“How long before the headache goes away?” I ask, pressing my fingers to my temples.

“Well, it would happen a lot faster if you weren’t such an ass and accepted Kade’s offer for water,” he points out.

“I want water from the lake. That tap water shit is full of chemicals,” I retort.

“I can’t argue that,” he chuckles.

As we walk, I notice something troubling in Tristian’s scent, a hint of worry. I wonder if I’m the reason for his concern.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, surprising myself with the directness of the question.

Tristian shrugs, his eyes fixed ahead. “Even mated bear shifters have their problems.”

We continue walking, and I do my best to ignore the tourists who stop to film and take pictures of us. Now I understand why he came—to keep me calm and prevent me from snapping at these humans. The urge to growl at them is almost overwhelming.

“Ebony knows and understands the way of bear shifter clans,” Tristian continues after a moment.

“How the fact that my mother had four cubs brought great favor over the clan. She wants to replicate it, but I keep explaining to her how dangerous it is to make so many bear cubs. How it nearly killed my mother. Simon was lucky to even survive.”

“It does bring great favor,” I acknowledge. “You are the only bear shifter clan with four brothers.”

“It’s a once in a lifetime blessing,” Tristian shrugs.

“Don’t say that. I hope I have ten with my mate,” I say with complete seriousness.

Tristian raises an eyebrow, and then we both fall into laughter, realizing the ridiculousness of that statement.

Ten cubs? Fate would have blessed me ten times over.

And what woman would want to raise ten stubborn, strong-willed, petty bear shifters?

We’re lovable and affectionate, but sometimes our quirks can get overwhelming.

“Your parents were a great honor to the bear shifter communities,” he says, his voice growing solemn. “And so was Frost Clan. Your father and mine were brothers.”

The memories of the Great War return, bringing a wave of shared sadness between us.

“I miss them,” I admit quietly. “All that were lost.”

We finally reach the docks, and I stop when I see a massive cruise ship passing by.

It’s four levels high, with a clean white hull and the name “Wintermoon Cruise” painted in blue on the side.

The decks are packed with tourists, and I can hear music and laughter from across the water.

I’ve been here since winter and haven’t seen this ship before.

I point at it, curiosity momentarily overriding my discomfort.

“Ah, that’s Wintermoon Cruise,” he explains. “Don’t worry, it won’t dock here. It’s for the humans who can’t afford a ticket to the Tourist Island, as it’s quite expensive.”

That explains why the humans who visit the island are always so annoying and entitled. They’re all wealthy.

Tristian rubs his beard, lost in thought, then looks at me with a smirk. “You’re still a good cook, aren’t you? Even though you’re out of touch with humanity, you’ve been studying human cuisine.”

I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. “It’s a hobby. I want to make sure I know how to cook for my fated mate when I find her.”

Tristian smiles as I pull a small jar of honey from my back pocket, thankful it didn’t shatter during teleportation. I bring it to my nose, the sweet smell making my bear calm down and my headache begin to subside.

“I have an idea,” he says, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Kade might not be on board with it, but I’ll convince her.”

I barely hear him, my attention fixed on the ship and the obnoxious humans on board snapping photos and waving at us as if we’re celebrities. I bare my canines, preparing to growl, but immediately calm when Tristian places a hand on my shoulder.

“Easy, cousin,” he warns. “This won’t work if you can’t control your temper. I think I know how to keep you off Wintermoon for just a few more months before your hibernation period.”

“That’s not until winter,” I remind him.

Tristian looks pointedly at the cruise ship, and I start to piece his plan together. Wintermoon Cruise. Watching the cool waters for the rest of the summer.

That doesn’t sound too bad at all.

Well, that’s if I can handle the humans on board and keep my bear from sinking the ship.