Page 2 of August

If she tried to get to her car, she’d most likely get caught, so the only choice she had was to shift and run away. She’d run until her paws bled, and then she’d run some more until there was a vast distance between herself and her murderous grandfather. Only when she was safe would she take time to grieve the family taken too soon.

She wouldn’t let her grandfather win, she’d live her life and stay safe.

Somehow.

Stripping, she called for her shift and took on her jackal form. She padded away from her house deeper into the woods, and once she was clear of the territory, she ran for all she was worth.

She had no idea how she’d know once she was safe, she’d just run until she couldn’t anymore.

Her grandfather wouldn’t ever find her, she’d make damn sure of it.

She wasn’t sure she believed in karma, but if it was a real thing, she hoped her grandfather felt the cold bony hand of it come for him.

She’d never felt more alone.

August stood in line at the market for lunch, rocking back on his heels. Ahead of him was his best friend Nathan, a fellow gorilla shifter, who also called the Amazing Adventures Safari Park home. They both lived underground in the gorillas’ private living quarters and worked for the park, handling maintenance such as repairing fences and gates, fixing the outdoor furniture, and keeping the food stalls in tip-top shape. August could also fix vehicles and had been turning a wrench since his uncle had shown him how when he was younger. When he’d joined up with the park gorillas, they hadn’t needed mechanics, so he’d become something of a handyman, fixing whatever needed to be fixed.

“You look really introspective,” Nathan said.

“My gorilla’s been acting up,” he said. “I can’t settle him down. I even went out for a shift last night when I couldn’t sleep.”

Nathan hummed. “That’s weird.”

August snorted. “Thanks.”

“Hey, guys,” Lucius, one of the lion shifters, said as he joined the line behind August.

“What’s going on?” August asked.

“Not much. Well, did you guys hear about the jackal shifter that Mercer accidentally rescued?”

August’s brows rose. “How do you accidentally rescue a jackal shifter?”

“Yeah,” Nathan asked, “and how the hell are there jackal shifters in the first place? I’ve never heard of them.”

“I’m sure there are tons of shifters we don’t know anything about,” Lucius said. “But anyway, Mercer was at an animal shelter helping Rhomi volunteer and he felt compelled to save a jackal that the shelter staff was going to put down. They brought her to the park, and when he and Rhomi went in to check on her, she was mid-shift in one of the cages in the bird sanctuary.”

“Holy crap!” Nathan said. “Rhomi didn’t know the truth of our people yet, right?”

Lucius shook his head. “She passed out in fear, and then Mercer had a heart-to-heart with her.”

“When did that happen?” August asked.

“Last night.”

“That’s wild,” August said. “Is the jackal okay?”

“Yeah, they’ve got her in one of the apartments. Apparently, someone in her family is after her and she was on the run when she was captured in a trap set by some shitty humans who hoarded animals.”

August’s upper lip curled. He hated humans who abused animals. Hoarders were the worst, letting animals live in terrible conditions.

“I assume the alphas have ramped up security?” Nathan asked.

The line moved forward as Lucius confirmed that the alphas of the various shifter groups that lived at the park had increased security to keep an eye out for trouble.

August’s gorilla let out a low hoot in his mind as he thought about the female who’d been nearly killed by the animal shelter workers and was still in danger from her own people.

After Nathan ordered, August stepped up to the counter. “Hi, Jeanie,” he said, nodding at the human female who was mated to alpha wolf Joss. She was in charge of the marketplace cafeteria, working closely with the bear shifters who handled the food for the park, which was not only for the shifters but also for the patrons who came through the gates.

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