Page 7 of Fastlander Fallen

He laughed darkly. “You’re trouble.”

“It’s my middle name,” she said, confidence oozing from her tone, and ooooh, he liked that.

He watched her redirect her attention to the clipboard. He studied her profile—that pretty bone structure, the high cheekbones, the sharp jawline, that pretty hair sweeping down the other side of her face.

She was funny, with her exposed feelings and her little human tantrums. The animal inside of him was paying attention.

But…perhaps it was because she’d given him a gift, and he’d felt his animal’s shift. He looked at her differently than just a lady walking on the other side of the sidewalk from him. He couldn’t take this feeling of interest seriously.

His animal was to blame.

“Ace?” Hallie asked.

“Yep, that’s me.” He dragged his attention away from her cousin and nodded with respect, forced a smile.

“Gunner is ready for you.” She led him to a table near their kitchen.

“Are you local?” Gunner asked before he’d even sat down.

Ace didn’t meet his eyes. Straight to the personal questions, huh? Gunner felt heavy right now. “Would you like me to pull my chair over there?” he asked.

Gunner was quiet for a few moments and then asked, “Why?”

“You feel heavy. Like you’re ready to fight, and it makes me ready to fight. Makes me look for something that’s agitating you, but most likely it’s me that’s agitating you. The fix is giving you some space.”

“Mmm.” Gunner was still, arms crossed over his broad chest, staring at Ace.

His mate, Hallie, sat next to him, and he relaxed slightly. It wouldn’t save Ace from a brutal fight if he said something wrong though. Humans couldn’t feel how heavy dominants were, so Hallie likely had no idea what was happening with her mate.

“Does she plan on being Turned?” Ace asked.

“Why?” Gunner asked.

“Because of what you are. Humans have a hard time around dominants long-term, and you, Alpha, are fuckin’ huge.”

“He isn’t your Alpha,” Hallie said softly.

“Isn’t he?” Ace asked. “Isn’t he the Alpha of everyone here? Who can fight him?”

Seconds of heavy silence ticked by before Gunner asked, “What are you?”

“A shifter,” Ace said automatically. “And yes, I’m local. I’ve worked at Moosey’s for years. The gas station side. My dad brought me to Damon’s Mountains for protection when I was a cub.”

“A cub, huh? Who is your dad?” Gunner asked in a cold tone.

“Tony.” He glanced up at Gunner just in time to see Gunner’s eyes narrow.

“Tony who?”

“Tony Holland.”

“Holland,” Gunner repeated softly.

“It is the same Holland you are thinking of,” Ace admitted quietly.

“You’re the only son? Or do you have brothers?”

He nodded once. “Only son. I’m the last Holland.”

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