Page 59 of Shifter's Dream

35 – Foreboding

Reed sat on a planter outside the small business she was waiting in front of and watched the traffic. She’d made it through the bit of forest and out the other side to the streets and city beyond. The walk had taken her about thirty minutes, and Troy hadn’t followed her for long at all.

She looked behind her, still expecting him to come bursting out of the trail she’d come from, and a little worried that he hadn’t. She hoped he was ok.

Her emotions were in turmoil, her thoughts racing. Now she’d lost both her jobs, and her apartment. She didn’t blame Troy for any of it anymore, she knew the responsibility lay with her, but the man was a walking disaster for her. Was she really going to ever get together with him again?

She recalled his simple note from the night before, wishing she had it with her.

I love you, love me back.

She could. Easily. She could give that sweet man her whole heart, if she wasn’t scared he would trip over it and knock it into the gutter.

She checked her phone for the hundredth time. Sage’s last message had come ten minutes before.

I’ll be right there.

A surge of thought and emotion rippled through her mind, hard, and she put a hand to her head, not wanting to hear any of it.No, just leave me alone,she thought, not knowing who she was talking to. The surge came again, and this time, a headache pulsed in with it. Just what she needed. Her temples suddenly ached, and her neck muscles tightened. She rolled her shoulders, just wanting to benormal, just wanting all of this to beover.

The forest caught her eye.

Reed stood. She walked back the way she had come, away from the bike shop she’d been waiting in front of, the place where Sage was supposed to pick her up. She almost floated, headache still pounding, mind in turmoil. Before she reached the forest, she stopped at a tree next to the sidewalk.

She stared at it for a long time, then stretched her hand out to touch one leaf.

A car honked its horn on the street, making Reed shake her head and look around, dropping her hand before she actually touched anything.

There was Sage, pulling up as close as she could get and rolling down the passenger window. “You ok?” she called.

“Coming,” Reed said. She stared at the tree for a minute longer, then she whispered, “Protect him.”

She jogged over and opened the door, then slipped into Sage’s car with a sigh.

“That bad, huh?” Sage said, pulling away from the curb. “Where are we going?”

“Yeah, that bad. Can we go to your place?” She’d never been to Sage’s place.

“I’m couch-surfing right now,” Sage said, “But my cousin’s leaving for work soon. We can go over there when she does. I’ll take you to the park and get you a hot dog while we wait, my treat.”

“Ok,” Reed said, glad for anywhere to go. “I have to be out of my apartment in thirty days.”

Sage turned a disbelieving eye on her. “What?”

“Troy strikes again.”

Sage raised her eyebrows. “Damn, good thing Tom is hot, or he would never have a shot at reproducing.”

Ugh. Reed rolled her eyes and wrapped her hands around her belly, sinking in her seat. Why did Sage have to remind her of reproduction?

36 – Big Fucking Fight

Troy followed the million tiny green arrows pointing him to his mate, or to the bad guys, and if they were both in the same place, Rhen help those bad guys.

The forest was angled up, and the trees were thinning and he knew exactly where he was headed. The bluff. Troy tucked in his elbows, bent his head and ran faster. The bluff had to have a clear view of Remington’s place, maybe even a clear walk down a hidden trail, which suddenly made him very nervous.

Trevor,he panted in his mind.You didn’t take the extra guards off Blake, did you?

They are in the yard.

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