Page 27 of His Prodigal Alpha

“I can’t explain it, but the first time I shifted, it felt like I was coming home. Like my body and my mind just knew that I was always meant to have a wolf form.” He cocked his head and looked me up and down seriously. “Haven’t you felt the urge to try it?”

Shaking my head, I answered, “Nope.”

Except that was a lie. The longer I left it, the more the little voice at the back of my thoughts demanded that I needed to try. I’d done well to ignore it in the months on the road, working odd jobs in every town I stopped, keeping myself as physically exhausted as possible. But coming to Shifters Sanctuary had seemingly given those shifter urges a shot of adrenaline, and it was getting harder to silence the nagging voice that told me to embrace who I really was inside.

You’re going to have a son,it said.A shifter son. You’ll need to be ready for that.

The voice wasn’t wrong. How would I be able to properly raise my own kid if that kid had the ability to turn into a mountain lion? It sounded ridiculous, but I was suddenly afraid that my kid would turn himself into a big cat and run away or, in a tantrum, maul me. Images of a rebellious little boy with Damon’s hair and my eyes manifested in my head, rapidly followed by a vision of that same little boy turning into a large cat and climbing up a very tall tree where I had no hope of reaching him.

Taking another long sip from my beer, I asked, “When do kids start shifting for the first time?”

Beck smirked as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.Considering he had been in a similar position, albeit with more time to wrap his head around the concept, maybe he did. “Apparently it’s not until they’re about five or so. Ollie said something about nature taking over once they’re mentally ready for it? I don’t know. I’m just glad I’m not going to walk into the nursery to find my kids are suddenly wolf cubs. I have enough trouble diapering them as they are.”

The petulant grumble he ended on had me chuckling. The mental image of big, broad Beckett trying to wrestle a diaper onto a bundle of fur was too much for my overloaded brain, and I found myself laughing harder than the situation warranted.

“What’s so amusing in here?” a new voice asked as I calmed down and caught my breath, and I turned to face the newcomer.

There was a petite woman leaning against the timber archway that separated the kitchen/dining area from the hallway that opened out into the grand staircase and living room. Her hair was cut into a pixie cut, colored bright red, and she was wearing a plaid mini skirt over thick black leggings, as well as a warm-looking black sweater.

“Hey, you’re back,” Beck greeted the newcomer with genuine affection, pushing from his seat to gather the much smaller woman into a hug. “You’ve been missed.”

“I was gone for less than a week,” she chuckled, disentangling herself from the embrace. “Micah says hi, by the way.”

Beck’s smile dimmed a little. “He’s still not interested in coming out here?”

The look the woman shot him asked if he was crazy. With her eyebrows almost at her hairline, she said, “You really think the country life is the life for him?” She turned her attentionto me and explained, “Micah’s a makeup artist and a bit of a glambot. His whole life is fame and fashion.”

“I…have no idea who you’re talkin’ about,” I responded. Then, remembering my manners, I also pushed my chair back and stood, turning to face her with my hand extended. “Rex Murphy, ma’am.”

“Sandy,” she replied, taking my hand and giving it a shake. Then she sniffed the air and blinked in surprise, turning her attention back to Beck. “Another alpha?” More blinking and a small gasp, followed by a perfectly manicured red fingernail aimed at my nose. “You’re the one who knocked Damon up?”

Jesus, did everyone in this town know my business?

“You’ll have to forgive my sister,” Beck cut in before I could tell this Sandy woman to get back in her own lane, “she’s also protective of our newest pack member.”

“Yeah, well, we’ve established the fact that I made some piss-poor decisions when my entire world got upended,” I grumbled. “And if I’d known that I’d left Damon in a…uh…delicatesituation, I’d have made things right a long time ago.”

Sandy snorted.

“Sandy,” Beck’s tone had turned into one of warning. There was a tingle ofsomethingin the air. It was undefinable, but it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Sandy sighed and gave her brother an incredulous look. “Really? You’re going toAlphame?”

“I thought we were calling it compelling?” Beck shrugged off the question.

“That sounds like something out of a nineties vampire novel,” she shot back, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, whatever we’re calling it, you’re going to use those powers on me?”

“Rex is our guest,” Beck stood firm. “You remember howpanicked I was when everything happened with Ollie?” Sandy’s expression softened and she nodded. Beck relaxed as well, gesturing in my direction as he continued, “Good. So then you’ll have a bit more compassion for someone else going through the same shit.”

His sister sighed and conceded, “You’re right. I just can’t help it. Damon’s been through a lot and I—”

“Collect strays, yeah, I know.” Beck laughed softly. “But Rex is also a stray, San. Give him a chance before you get all growly, okay?”

“Fine.” Sandy agreed, then turned her attention back to me. She had the grace to look mildly sheepish. “I apologize, Rex. I tend to get a little defensive of the people I care about.”

It made me smile to think that Damon, who had only been in town a week or so, had already made such a strong connection with these people. I couldn’t blame them: I’d been just as drawn to the feisty younger man when we had met. He was unintentionally charismatic. Hell, the fact that I’d gone from panicking to wanting to date the guy within a few hours was clue enough that it was nearly impossible to dislike him.

“It’s all good,” I told her with a thankful grin. “I’m glad he’s got a whole town looking out for him.”

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