Page 34 of Not Your Ordinary Shifter

“Just be patient with her,” Kimberly offers.

Charlie snorts. “Well, as much as possible.”

She slaps at his big belly, but smiles.

I inhale deeply and look down at the sleeping beauty on our couch. I really hope this works out. I’ve waited so long for a mate; losing her now will be my undoing.

Chapter

Four

REECE

My eyelids flutter open, and I try to clear my throat, as it’s scratchy and sore. At first, I can’t remember why; then I remember the wolves, a big-ass bison charging toward us, and my screams before everything went dark. I scramble upright as panic rises inside me. In my haste, I almost fall off the couch I’m resting on.

“Whoa.” A deep, soothing voice calls out as a man catches me before I hit the floor. “You’re okay. You’re safe now.”

He sits me back on the couch, and I look around. This isn’t the living room of the cabin I rented. And I have no idea who these four people staring back at me are. There’s a woman standing with a man I assume is her partner, since he’s got an arm around her protectively. The man who caught me looks a lot like the one standing to my right: dark hair, handsome face, and attractive physique with a bit of a belly. I feel the strange desire to hug him, which makes everything even more perplexing.

“I’m Connor,” he informs me. Motioning to the man who looks very similar to him, he adds, “This is Grant.”

Grant is slightly taller than Connor and has more stubble on his face, but they’re definitely siblings, maybe even fraternaltwins. They don’t seem threatening, and for some reason, my body heats up when my gaze connects with theirs.

Something about them makes me feel relaxed, like I belong here. A feeling I have never experienced anywhere else.

“Back there is our brother, Charlie, and his wife, Kimberly,” Connor says.

“How are you feeling?” Kimberly asks.

“Fine. I think,” I respond.

Grant takes a small step toward me, getting my attention. “Do you remember what happened?”

I can’t stop the scoff that escapes my lips. “I remember wild wolves, a stampeding bison, and then screaming.”

Kimberly slaps Grant’s arm and lowers her voice. “You’re an idiot.”

“I didn’t mean to scare her,” he defends in a whisper.

I furrow my eyebrows. I get that they were trying to only talk to each other and not me, but I can still hear them. I’m confused why she’d blame him for animal attacks.

Charlie clears his throat. “So, what’s your name?”

“Reece.” I bite my bottom lip. “How did I get here?”

“We brought you,” Connor says. “You passed out, and our place was closer.”

“Oh.” I touch my wet hair, self-conscious of how bad I must look. “Well, thank you for rescuing me. I should find my way back before it gets too late.”

“No!” They all yell in unison.

My eyes widen. They silently stare at one another, their gaze moving from one person to the next, making me think they can somehow hear each other’s thoughts. Which is a ridiculous and creepy notion. Ineedto get out of here.

Kimberly steps forward. “Why don’t you boys go find some more firewood and tell the kids to come inside? That blizzard is going to blow for a while.”

“Blizzard?” I whirl around to peer out the window behind the couch. I can see nothing except wisps of thick white snow.

My panic rises. I can’t stay here. I’m in a house full of strangers, who oddly want to keep me from leaving.

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