Wolf in Heat (Mated for Life 2)

“How?”

Caleb expelled a breath. “Parents die in a tragic accident. One they don’t have enough time to heal from. The kid gets taken, put through the system, hello, enter teenage years, and all the hormones and magical poof, you’re a wolf or a bear, or whatever kind of shifter you happen to be.”

“Fuck, that sucks. At least we all knew we were going to turn.”

“I’ll put a call out to Joe. Maybe we can combine forces once again and come up with a plan. If it is a kid, or a new shifter, they would be freaking out. It would sure as hell be better than a fucking cannibal bear in our woods.”

David groaned. “It means we’ve got to go out there and talk to people, doesn’t it?”

“I’ll ask around. It might be good for Heather’s uncle to do this one,” Caleb said.

“Why?”

“He’s new in town. Makes sense for a new guy to be asking questions. We start showing an interest, it will make people curious, and we don’t want people to be that way, do we?”

“No, we don’t.”

Caleb nodded. “I’ll go make the call.”

His alpha was near the door when David called his name.

“What is it?” Caleb asked.

“The kids. The ones that don’t know they’re shifters.”

“What about them?”

“Do they make it or does it … is it too much for them to handle?”

Caleb clicked his tongue. “They … it’s difficult, but I haven’t heard of a case where they’ve been able to live very long lives. The shock of everything is too much for their systems to cope with. I would have to put out more feelers to find out more info. You know?”

David nodded.

His alpha left.

Maybe he should have told his alpha that the bear who’d attacked him got spooked and turned back into a human, and he happened to recognize a human female leg.

Chapter Six

This was good. She could do this.

Embracing her heart’s desire had been a process, but now that they’d fully committed to each other, she couldn’t be happier with her choice. Heather was a mated female … well, almost. It would be official with the next full moon. Just thinking of David sinking his fangs into her neck during sex made her pussy tingle. She had to keep her thoughts out of the gutter in case anyone could sense her desires.

She’d been the center of attention for too long already.

“Where are you going?” she asked her uncle Benjamin. He was getting into one of the pack’s trucks on his own. It wasn’t something he usually did.

“The alpha has a task for me, so who am I to say no?”

She shrugged. “Can I come along for the drive?”

“Sure. Why not?”

Heather climbed into the passenger seat. David and Reese had gone off to hunt. She was bored since she couldn’t participate. It wasn’t something she ever took part in, but clearly understood her mate’s need for meat. She encouraged him, just as he catered to her special dietary needs.

They drove along the rough trails, which felt even worse with her uncle driving. She grabbed the handbar above her for a bit of stability.

“You know what, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drive. Do you even have a license?”

“A license? What’s that?” He turned to her and winked, but she knew right then he didn’t have one. He was an old-school shifter, more wolf than man. Although he was one of her only blood family members left alive, she realized there wasn’t much she even knew about her uncle Benjamin. He was a loner, eccentric, and never really partook in any festivities. They’d always referred to him as their crazy uncle, but she started to wonder what his story was.

She didn’t dare ask.

Heather wasn’t afraid of him, but there was always an edge of darkness surrounding him that she didn’t want to disturb. He was an older, weathered wolf. Strong. Capable. It was odd how he’d never mated. She’d assumed he hated everyone and everything, barely tolerating his nieces now that he was the only male left in their gene pool.

“So, what’s your mission today? Caleb doesn’t usually send you out for store runs.”

“It’s a sensitive topic. I’m playing peace-keeper.”

“You?” She couldn’t hide her snort.

“Apparently your wolf stepped on the wrong toes. He picked a fight with a deranged bear and now I need to find out if it’s going to be a problem for our pack.”

“The one he just had a fight with?”

“That’s the bear,” he said.

She thought back to that day, his injuries, and all the blood. He’d healed quickly, but maybe the bear had been merciful? What if it had revenge in its heart now? Thinking about dangerous bears triggered her anxiety. She remembered the rogue bear set on death and destruction. The blood. The gore. The feeling of helplessness. She’d almost been killed along with her family.