Page 7 of What A Croc
Surprisingly, there was no one else at the water’s edge this morning. Oftentimes there were other shifters getting drinks or just playing and cooling off in the water. One of Wyatt’s friends, Gabe, was a Kodiak bear shifter, and heloved to play in the water. I would often come across him, but this morning it was empty.
Picking my way over some smaller rocks to the waters edge, I bent down to get a drink, when all my senses prickled across my fur.
Danger! Danger!My gazelle cried, and my head shot up, looking around frantically for what had caused their distress.
I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but then the water rippled with the barest movement, disturbing the stillness. Taking a hesitant step back, I tracked the movement, trying to see what had caused it. It very well could be nothing more than a fish, and I was being silly. There was never any danger in these woods, and I was being ridiculously jumpy for no reason.
Just as I was telling my racing heart to calm down, a long, vee shaped grayish greenish snout rose to the surface in the middle of the pond. The wide jaws opened, sharp teeth gleaming in the sun. Before I had time to even blink, it sliced through the water, charging me. Water splashed in all directions as it neared the shoreline, large jaws opening and slapping shut as it came straight for me.
Croc!
There was a crocodile in the pond!
Run! Danger!My gazelle shouted.
We ran.
I could hear the croc coming after me, twigs and branches cracking as it tore through the brush in pursuit. Running faster than I ever had in my life, I didn’t stop until I had broken through the woods at the edge of our property and was halfway in the yard, before I shifted into my skin.
Bent over, panting and wheezing, I tried to catch my breath. Cold sweat covered me, my heart pounding so loud in my ears it drowned out all other sounds.
“Pops!” Wyatt cried in alarm from his porch.
“Robert, what’s happened?” Becks ran down the steps, hand poised on the gun still in the shoulder holster strapped across his chest. He was dressed for work, his shiny badge pinned to his chest, and I remembered he had a shift this morning.
Still huffing, I wheezed, “Croc!”
“What?” Becks sounded confused, even as he pushed me behind him, towards Wyatt, who held a wide-eyed Julianna in his arms.
“Crocodile,” gasping, I pointed in the direction of the woods. “In the pond. It charged me.” He seemed surprisingly unperturbed by this.
Wyatt blinked his hazel eyes, “There’s a crocodile in Sweet Alps? Huh. That’s new.”
Twigs snapped under swiftly running feet, and Becks drew his gun, aiming it towards the wildly moving limbs. A man broke through the tree line, panting, but at least hewas dressed. I realized I was still standing stark naked in the yard! Thank the Goddess we didn’t have any close neighbors. Shifters were pretty used to being naked around each other, but I didn’t make a habit of wandering around with all my bits out for everyone to see.
Becks slid his gun back in his holster, and I realized the man was Jackson. Looking disheveled, sweaty, mildly frantic and wild eyed, and altogether too tempting for my own good.
He held up his hands in a sign of I don’t mean you any harm, his chest heaving. “Robert, I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just…your scent…it–” his voice trailed off, and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “It just made my croc go a bit...your scent…”
“You said that,” Wyatt smirked at Jackson, then at me.
“My scent?” I repeated the words sharply. “You attacked me because of my scent?”
“Hops!” Julianna yelled, covering her tiny ears with her hands. “Loud!”
Wyatt bent his head to hers. “You’re being too loud, little lady. Let’s leave Pops and Jackson to…talk.”
“I’m going to work,” Becks declared, now that the imminent danger had passed. Pointing a finger at Jackson, he ordered, “Don’t eat anyone on my watch, please, especially my father-in-law. I don’t like paperwork.” He and Wyatt walked to his police cruiser, leaving me to contend with Jackson. Silently I watched them say their good-byes,before Wyatt gave me a little wave, a knowing look in his eyes, and retreated to his own house.
Leaving me standing alone with Jackson. Naked.
Apparently neither my son nor his mate felt Jackson was a threat. They’d probably think differently if a big ass crocodile came charging out of the water at them, teeth snapping and long, powerful tail swinging. But apparently, sincemy scenthad caused all this, they didn’t need to worry.
“We need to talk.” Jackson declared quietly, while also making a valiant effort of keeping his muddy greenish brown eyes on my face, and not any lower on my body. Which left me feeling slightly disappointed. I would analyze all my confusing feelings later. I had more pressing issues to deal with now.
“You might as well come in,” I sighed, turning and walking up my porch steps and inside my cabin. I absolutely did not put any extra wiggle in my hips as I went. None at all. That was how I always walked.
Chapter Four
