Page 24 of Fastlander Fallen

Owen nodded. “And my mom and my brothers. Unregistered still. You?”

“Just me and my dad, but same. How many brothers do you have?”

“Twelve.”

“Holy shit, man.”

“Yeah.” Owen laughed. “My parents were breeders. It was like being born into a Crew.”

“Did any of them come with you?”

“Nah,” Owen said, shaking his head and looking toward the house. “They said I was crazy. Said Damon wouldn’t allow any more of us in his territory. Mason was the only boar shifter here for a long time, but I got a job in the mountains a few years ago and I’ve been doing all right for myself. I understood my peoples’ concern though. We boars don’t have the best reputation.”

Fair enough. He’d never heard anything good about boar shifters outside of Mason, who was Damon’s best friend and at times bodyguard. The rest were rough. Owen seemed cool though.

Owen twitched his head toward the house. “The cousin is cute. And she brought you beer. That’s a good sign.”

“We’re strangers. Just met today. Friend-material.”

“Yeah, well, don’t say that too loud. Every male here has been looking at her. She’s funny and outgoing, and the honesty thing she has going?” Owen nodded. “She says shit to turn men off, but it does the opposite.”

“Does it do the opposite for you?” Ace asked testily.

“Hey,” Owen said, holding his hands up in surrender. “I fought you, remember? I don’t want that smoke. I’m saying if you like her, you should put your bid in early. She’s an attention-grabber for sure. Plus, half these dumbasses think catching her attention would give them a better shot at being picked for the Crew.”

“The final decisions aren’t being made today?” Ace asked.

“Word is Gunner will cut us down to twelve, and we will be camping here for a week to see how the dynamics shake down. After that, he will choose the Fastlanders.”

“Shit,” Ace muttered, eyeing the pile of new tents still in the bags off near the woods that now made sense. Camping was fun with people he knew. Not a bunch of dominant shifter strangers in someone’s yard.

“Feels like fuckin’ summer camp, man,” Owen joked. “There she is.”

Ace swung his attention to the front door of the trailer. Corey came straight out, eyes downcast, and jogged down the stairs. Her dark eyebrows were knitted in a thoughtful expression.

Gunner and Hallie and Damon came out onto the porch, but Ace was more interested in checking up on Corey. She was heading for her car.

Uh-oh. He jogged toward her.

“What happened?” he asked as he got closer.

“I don’t…” She frowned deeper and looked up at him. “I don’t know how I feel about all of this.”

“About Damon? Or Gunner?”

“Hallie is going to be Turned.” Her eyes went wide. “I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t know if that’s common knowledge. They didn’t tell me not to talk about it, but that feels personal. I’m sorry. I’m…” She shook her head and locked her gaze onto her cousin up on the porch. “I just don’t know how I feel.”

“Okay—”

“Ace Longdong,” Gunner called out.

“Gah, that’s me,” he murmured.

“You should go enjoy this moment,” she said absently.

“Owen Carson,” Gunner called.

“Do you want to stay and hang out?” he asked.

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