Page 40 of Mating Season

Trenton was leaning against a tree, lost in conversation with Colton and Tucker when I approached. He looked up and nodded. Being on the show had aged him somehow. The circles under hiseyes were deeper and there were lines on his forehead that weren’t there before.

“Ranger is going to lead the run?”he asked me through our link.

I nodded, looking around as a few of the females came prowling from the woods in the distance. Sarah, Kimberly, and Ismelda weren’t here but Hillary caught my eye and smiled.

“Alright. I’m going home when it starts.”

I’m sorry… “What?”

Trenton gave me a sad smile.“I need to figure things out with the pack before I bring a Luna to it. Take care of yourself, okay?”

What is happening?

I’m not sure.And I couldn’t find the words to respond. I’d fallen into some parallel universe where Trenton came out as a decent guy.

Maybe I was still on drugs.

Or it could’ve been the pheromones drifting in the air messing with my head. It was hotter on the beach somehow with all the shifters gathered. I didn’t pay attention to the panting in the shadows of the woods, but the aggression and some of the lewd male gazes were harder to ignore. I think I still had scary Alpha privileges because most of them dropped their eyes when I looked their way. But this felt wrong. Unnatural. The tension reminded me of caged shifters prowling behind the bars of prison and waiting for release.

“Are the rumors true?” Hillary came up beside me as Fallon pressed her wolfy body against my legs.

“What rumors?” I asked. Keshia and Lana edged closer to Hillary.

“Sarah said she spoke with you,” Hillary whispered, motioning with her eyes to the fire.

“Yeah. I’m helping Ranger lead the run.” I blew out a heavy breath, straightening my shoulders and hoping I at least looked the part of confident bitch. “Speaking of Ranger, I think he needs me.”

*

“No one wants your dirty blood tainting ours this season,” Chad’s voice was spitting mad as it rang through the night. Even without shifter hearing, I wouldn’t have missed the fear within it.

“And who will lead them? You?” Ranger’s tone was icy calm and deadly.

It gave me delicious chills.

“If you had it in you to lead these wolves, you’d already have started the run,” Ranger continued as I picked my way down the beach. “Half of them are seconds away from mating right now and the other half are ready to fight. Tomorrow night their beasts will be brutal.”

“Are you afraid of a little competition this season?” I think that was Meghan’s voice who was purring.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, breathing deep to keep my beast in check as I rounded the fire. Both Edith and Meghan were pressed against Ranger’s sides.

Touching what ismine.

“Could you imagine the fun we would have if our animals were in full control?” That was definitely Edith who had her lips close to Ranger’s ear and her breasts all squished up on his arm.

Sure can. Let me out so I can show her.

Ranger’s shoulders stiffened.

I wasn’t sure if it was because he heard my territorial growl behind him or if he was frustrated that I’d disobeyed. It didn’t matter either way. I was here now, and a little tired of walking into the middle of conversations and thinking the worst.

“I suggest you take a step back.” It wasn’t a suggestion, but I was trying to sound nice.

Edith and Meghan ignored me, petting Ranger’s arms like they could tame him.

His dark laughter danced along my skin. “I’d do as she says unless you want my future mate to rip out your throats.”

He knows us so well,my beast growled her approval. There was a little extra pep in my step as I walked to his side. Edith and Meghan slid back to the logs where the other Alphas and Cindy were seated, giving me short smiles like they hadn’t just rubbed themselves all over my turf.

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