Page 40 of Not Your Ordinary Shifter

Grant comes back and passes me a stack of folded clothes. “These are Kimberly’s. She won’t mind. You need to get out of those wet clothes. We’ll wash them.”

I nod, sniffling. “Thank…thank you.”

He squats beside me. “He didn’t mean what he said. Connor’s just upset. You scared him. You scared both of us. We don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I don't understand why I care. I don’t know you or him, and you don’t know me,” I sob. “I don’t understand why I’m so bothered by it.”

“Hormones. Your body isn’t used to the changes. It’s trying to adjust to the heat.”

“Heat?”

He nods. “Like with animals, during mating season.” He blushes and chuckles shyly. “That’s probably not the best way to describe it.”

I remember that phrase. I’ve read about it in shifter books. The mates go through a heating frenzy where they can’t keep their hands off each other and fuck like rabbits.

This can’t be happening.

Like anyone else who reads those damn books, I love the idea of being with someone forever, destined to be together, neverhaving to worry they’ll leave you or lie about their feelings. But I never in a million years would have thought it could happen to me.

“I promise,” Grant says. “If you still want to leave tomorrow, I’ll take you as soon as it’s safe.”

I nod, thankful for his kindness. Maybe staying will give me a chance to understand their side of things more, like shifters and mating.

My cheeks flush at the thought. Being stuck with Connor and Grant for the rest of my life wouldn’t be theworstthing that could happen to me.

Chapter

Eight

CONNOR

My bison is itching to get out. Watching Reece almost fall to her death over a cliff has him clawing to get rid of his nervous energy. I can’t seem to sit still either. I pace back and forth in the kitchen; I can hear Grant and Reece talking in the living room, but I try to ignore it. I want to yell at her for being so reckless. I want her to accept our situation for what it is: destiny.

I want her towantto stay.

The casserole we cooked earlier is cooling on the counter. Trying to distract myself, I grab plates from the cabinet and fill them with food. A few moments later, Grant joins me.The water turns on in the bathroom. I release a heavy breath.

Why can’t this be easier?

“She's washing up for dinner,” Grant says.

“I can hear,” I grumble.

“You’ve got to calm down. She’s fine. Everything is fine now.”

“But it almost wasn’t,” I huff.

“I know,” he says, trying to appease me and my bison. “But it is now, and that’s all that matters. You can’t be so hard on her. She doesn’t understand any of this. Give her time to adjust.”

“I’m not that patient.”

He chuckles. “I know that very well, but try. If we’re not careful, we’re going to scare her away.”

“I know.” I sigh. “I’m trying.”

“Good.” His shoulders lose their tension. “Let’s set the table.”

I push a plate toward him before taking the other two to the table. “At this rate, she’s going to like you better than me.”

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