Panther and bear shifter, Cord Triggert, and his mate Piper are at their wits end. Both are working demanding jobs and then coming home to their two year old tornados, rarely having the time or the energy for the pleasures of life. With his inner animal yearning for release, Cord devises the perfect plan to reignite their wild side.
This short story is a follow up to the book Embracing Fate (from Hidden Hills Shifters book 4) that takes place almost three years later.
Forever Embracing Fate
A bonus scene to the Hidden Hills Shifters series
Officer Cord Triggert couldn’t focus today if he tried. He rocked back in his office chair and glanced around the Hidden Hills sheriff’s office. The final rays of the day had shafted into the large central room, spearing a few of the wooden desks. The irony of the out-of-date furniture with the newly purchased computers wasn’t lost on him.
Most of the officers were either on the phone, taking notes, or entering data. Not that Cord didn’t have some research on the recent robberies that he needed to do, but his desire to work had been sorely lacking lately, and that scared the shit out of him. Bottom line, he’d lost his mojo, and he didn’t know how to get it back.
It could be the pull of the full moon or the fact he hadn’t been on a run in a long time that caused his distraction. Being both a panther and bear shifter wasn’t helping. The panther in him yearned for some kind of release, but the bear in him needed some hard loving with Piper.
His wife, however, had been so stressed at work lately that their love life had suffered. No. Correct that. Their love life had practically come to a halt. For a shifter, that was tantamount to hanging by his balls, and he wasn’t sure he could take much more of it.
His best friend and fellow officer, Jackson Kenner, strolled over to his desk. “Want to grab a beer?”
Cord glanced at the clock. Shit. It was five-thirty on a Friday night and he hadn’t even noticed their shift had ended over half an hour ago. His wife had planned to have a girls’ night out with Jackson’s mate, Selena, and a few of her other friends, but Piper had canceled, saying she couldn’t get anyone to watch the two-year old twins. He believed the real reason was she was just too tired to go out. His heart ached for her. Something needed to be done, and soon.
“Can’t tonight. Piper has been totally frazzled and is staying home tonight. I need to help her with the kids.”
Jackson planted a hip on Cord’s desk. “What’s really going on with you, buddy? You look like you want to eat someone or hibernate for a few months.”
Cord had never been able to keep anything from his best friend. “It’s been over two years since the kids were born, and I want another one.” There. He’d said it aloud. Cord hadn’t dared bring up the topic with Piper because she was stretched too thin as it was.
“That’s wonderful, but from your sour-ass expression, I take it Piper is resistant?”
“I haven’t asked her, but I know the answer. She works all day at the hospital, picks the kids up from daycare afterward, and then has to take care of them until I get home. They just learned to shift, and you know the trouble that can cause. There’s no way she’ll be amenable to another one.”
Jackson whistled. “I think that’s why Selena and I have been hesitant. We’re pretty confident we could handle one, but if we have twins like you, it would be next to impossible given our jobs here.”
“They can be hellions, but they are so damned cute. The challenging part is having them be different breeds, something you two won’t have to deal with. Jax can be a bit rough when he’s in his panther form, but Emily is doing well to fend him off. She’s already quite large even for a baby bear.”
His good friend snapped his fingers. “I have an idea. Why don’t you let Selena and me take them for the weekend? It might open our eyes to what we’d be up against.”
Cord had to chuckle at that. “It might dissuade you too.” What was he doing? He didn’t need to be talking his friend out of his generous offer. “Are you sure Selena would say yes?”
“Positive. I think it would do you and Piper a world of good to have a romantic weekend away.”
Holy shit. Jackson was his new hero. “That just might work. God only knows Piper deserves a break. Our time is limited so I don’t want to go too far away. Any suggestions?”
Jackson glanced to the left then pointed a finger at him. “Harvey Stetson owes me a favor.”
“Meaning?”
“He has a cabin north of Asheville. I’ve seen pictures. It’s amazing. It even has a hot tub.”
“Piper would love that. When can you ask him?”
“I’ll do it now.”
***