Page 16 of Secret Shifters Next Door

His expression said he didn’t buy it. “The last attack was pretty far from here and actually going in the opposite direction of the others. Even if they are in the area, maybe they’re moving away from us.”

“Miles said it was an hour outside of town. That sounds pretty close to me,” I said.

“Okay, yeah, but an hour’s drive is still like seventy-five miles away. To me, that’s pretty far.”

“Well, either way, until they act or show themselves, we’re at a dead end.”

Steff looked at me and frowned. “Are you okay, Tate?”

Immediately anxious, I asked, “What do you mean?”

He glanced down at my leg. I followed his eyes and saw my leg bouncing nervously while my right hand was picking at the fabric of my jeans.

Steff said, “You seem a little more on edge than usual. Are you sure you didn’t see anything strange this weekend?”

I’d gone over what had happened with me and Harley a hundred times since Friday night, and I was coming up blank. The dragon had been clear. The words that had come out of my mouth hadn’t been mumbled or incoherent.Mate. It had needed to get that into my head. Steff was one of my best friends, but I had no idea how to broach this subject.

Finally, to break the awkward silence, I said, “Have you ever heard of a shifter being mated to a human?”

Steff’s head jerked up, and he shook his head, almost like I’d thrown a glass of water in his face. “What?”

“It’s just a question. Have you ever heard of that?”

Steff shook his head slowly. “Nah, man, because it’s not a thing. Shifters aren’t fated to mate with humans. A fated mate is always another shifter. At least, that’s the way it is with bears.”

I’d asked Harley what she was, thinking the abrupt question might throw her off guard and get her to reveal herself. Instead, she’d looked at me like I was crazy. None of my senses picked up anything magical about her or her kids. As far as I could tell, she was a hundred percent human. What the hell could have happened to cause my dragon to react the way it did then?

Steff was looking at me with concern. “Why are you asking about this?”

I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. He was smart enough to figure it out. I slumped in my chair and opened my mouth to tell him, but the others walked in before I could. I clamped my lips shut.

“Hey, guys,” Blayne said, taking a seat beside me.

I nodded and watched Miles close the door and sit on the desk. From the corner of my eye, I saw Steff studying me. Trying to ignore him, I went back to bouncing my leg and plucking at the seam of my jeans.

“Anything?” Miles asked.

Glancing over at Steff, I noticed the realization dawning on his face. He’d figured it out, or at least was on his way to it. It was now or never.

“Yeah, something did happen actually,” I blurted.

Miles and Blayne’s eyes widened, and they leaned forward.

“What the hell was it?” Blayne asked.

“So, my New York chick? The new neighbor?”

They all nodded, looking like children ready to hear a ghost story around a campfire. Rapt attention. Sweat pooled in my armpits.

“Friday night, she and her kids were at that food festival in the park. I was chatting up with one of her daughters, and then Harley came up. This wave of, I don’t know, sickness, swept over me… Dizziness, sweating, racing heart. When they left, I watched her go, and it got worse. It was so bad that I had togo behind a tent and get on my hands and knees. Like, I was absolutely pouring sweat. My dragon was going crazy inside, too. That’s where it gets weird.”

Miles looked shocked. “Wait, this isn’t even the weird part?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m sitting there trying to pull myself together when my dragon suddenly takes control of my body. It used my mouth to say a word. Not once, but freaking twice.”

A shocked silence descended over the room. Our beasts were always inside, and a significant part of who we were. What I saw in their eyes told me that this was as crazy for wolves, bears, and panthers, as it was for dragons.

“What did it say, man?” Steff asked, sounding desperate.

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