Page 1 of Embracing the Stalk

Chapter One

Gordon

“How are you?”

No, Gordon. That’s lame.

I coughed and tried again.

“These are for you.” I thrust out the flowers from the pride garden, clumsily tied with a red ribbon I’d found in my bedroom. Or I would have done, if anyone had been standing there to take them. Okay, I held them out in my head in case anyone from the pride was watching on the cameras that now populated Valentine Growville, since the monsters arrived in town. They would never let me forget my lame behavior if they saw me.

Was acting all this out in my head any lamer than talking to myself in the street?

I sighed, conflicted. Did a rhubarb even like flowers? I liked them, well I likedeating theflowers, but Red wasn’t a goat and let’s face it, everyone knew goat shifters were all kinds of wacky. Or maybe that was just me? On a scale of one to wacky, I was at the top of the range.

I eyed the flowers thoughtfully. Maybe I should eat them for courage, it’s not like Red would ever know.

I snapped my mouth shut at just how ridiculous I’d look standing on the street eating a bunch of flowers. Not that I wasn’t standing on the street talking to myself right now.

I gave a mournful sigh and scratched my butt.

I’m a goat so sue me. What was I even doing here? I should go back to the pride house and pretend Red wasn’t in. Except everyone—Tim, Red’s brotherandhis alpha’s mate—would know I was lying. Then I’d never live it down. I was the one who’d insisted I’d visit Red to find out what was wrong with him.

The hot stalk had been hiding, and we all knew why. Nearly being abducted by monsters twice had done a number on him. He needed a friend, and that was me.

My steps slowed close to the little one-story house Red had at the other end of Valentine, and aside from supporting his brother Glass when the alpha stalk had screwed up with his mate, Red hadn’t stepped leaf or root out of his house. No, I wasn’t stalking him—just a concerned citizen watching his house on camera.

The town—Tim (again)—wanted to stage an intervention, but I had insisted this was something I’d handle. Why? Who knew—okay, I knew. Red was a tasty-looking stalk. And to my surprise, no one had argued with me. I’d prepared myself ready to argue my case, but they’d just given me knowing smiles.

I hated those smiles. They all knew something, but they weren’t telling me. It was the same with Burke and Ricky, only I’d been the one giving those knowing smirks. Was this payback?

Stopping just around the corner from Red’s—alright, I was hiding around the corner—I attempted to work up the courage to walk up to his blue front door and knock.

I heard a noise, like something mechanical was moving. I looked up to see three cameras suddenly pointing at me, red lights flashing. Dammit, Tim was watching the cameras today, and it appeared he wasn’t going to let me bail.

Get a move on!That was Maximus, the alpha of the pride, nagging me through our pride link.

You could at least pretend not to be spying on me,I groused.

Where’s the fun in that?And that was Tim, Maximus’s mate, disco diva, and curtain twitcher of the town.

Hey!

I noticed he didn’t deny it, though.

Of course, I am a disco diva.

Oh goatymclovegoats no! Not the singing, please!

Oh, I love to love. But my lion just loves to stalk. He wants to stalk, he loves to stalk, he's got to stalk.

Clapping my free hand over an ear, I complained,I’m going! I swear it. Don’t sing at me!

That didn’t deter Tim, who didn’t stop until I was outside Red’s door.

I’m here.

You haven’t knocked,Tim pointed out.I’m thinking Rick Astley…

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