Jennifer Ashley - 06 Midnight Wolf by Jennifer Ashley

Author:Jennifer Ashley [Ashley, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The bear attacked. Angus sidestepped and spun, tossing off his jacket at the same time.

He dodged the bear’s swiping claws—brown bear, he thought distractedly. Not grizzly. He didn’t want to shift, but his wolf started to push its way through. Angus tamped down on the urge with effort.

“Enough!” he said in the voice that could make even Ciaran freeze and fall silent.

The bear paused a step but his snarls didn’t lessen.

“I’m passing through.” Angus held up his hands to show he’d not sprouted claws. “Need a place to rest.” He gestured— carefully—at the bear’s neck. “You don’t have a Collar. That’s cool with me. I’m not a tracker for Shifter Bureau. For anyone.”

The bear’s snarls cut off with a wheezing huff as it began to shift. This bear had to do it slowly, as many Shifters did, his limbs changing and reforming in a painful, lengthy process.

The man at last stood up on human legs. He was lankier than most bear Shifters, who tended to be all bulk, but he had the height. His hair was red-brown and unruly, and his eyes were a rich brown, at the moment tinged with anger. He had a longish face, blunt chin, and large limbs. His chest was furred, as most bears’ were, the same color as his bear’s coat.

“Who the hell are you, and what do you want?” the man demanded, his voice the bass rumble that characterized bears.

“I told you. Passing through. Looking for a place to sleep.” Angus clamped his mouth shut without mentioning Ciaran. A wise Shifter didn’t reveal his vulnerable mate and cub to a stranger until he knew the lay of the land.

“How’d you get in here?”

“Drove. Parked over there.” Angus nodded to the crowded truck lot. The bear would scent which vehicle belonged to a Shifter sooner or later, so no sense in trying to hide it.

The bear watched him. Sniffed—testing for lies. He put his hands on his hips, a less defensive stance, but his scowl didn’t show trust.

“Name?”

“Angus Murray. You passing through too, or do you work here?”

“Angus Murray, from . . . ? What clan?”

He spoke as one who’d never been to a Shiftertown. Shifters these days asked each other what Shiftertown they came from, who the leader there was.

“My clan is scattered,” Angus answered. “I was sent to New Orleans.”

The bear’s eyes narrowed. “New Orleans? I guess if you let yourself be shut in a Shiftertown, one in New Orleans might not be so bad.”

“It’s not in the city; it’s an hour away.”

“Huh.” The noise was reminiscent of a bear’s growl. “What the hell are you doing in the middle of Texas?”

“Told you. Looking for a place to sleep.”

“Are people hunting you? They must be. Why else would a Collared Shifter be sneaking around my carnival in the middle of the night? I hear you poor slobs aren’t allowed to leave the state where you live without permission and a ton of paperwork.”

Angus didn’t move. “I’ll sleep; I’ll go.”

“Last thing I need is a shitload of heat.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.