Page 5 of Secret Shifters Next Door

I stood up so fast that my sunglasses flew off the top of my head and clattered to the floor. I did not need this right now. Making a split-second decision, I decided I needed to know right away. God, we were supposed to leave in an hour. I grabbed the keys and walked to the door.

“Be right back, need to get something at the corner store before we leave,” I called to the girls.

“Okay, Mom,” they called in unison.

I was back home and in the bathroom within fifteen minutes. I peed on the little stick and stared at the floor for another fifteen minutes. I didn’t pray or wish for or against anything. So much had happened in the last couple of months that my brain was completely fried.

The timer went off on my phone, and without any hesitation, I stood and looked at the stick––ripping the Band-Aid off per se. And there was the little blue plus sign that said I was positive. There was no doubt––it was in sharp contrast to the white background. I was pregnant. And I had no idea who the father was. A jackass psycho? Or was it a smooth-talking one-night stand?

ONE

TATE

I’d forgotten to leave the porch light on before I’d left a few days ago, so now I stood outside, fumbling with my keys after midnight, my suitcase in one hand and keys in the other. Thankfully, my night vision was better than average due to being a shifter. Dragon eyes weren’t as good at night as that of a wolf or bear, but it was still better than human sight. Finally finding the right key, I unlocked the door and stepped into my house, hitting the light switch with an elbow. The suitcase rolled over toward the couch as I unbuckled the pistol harness around my shoulders.

My three buddies and I started a security firm fifteen years prior, and the job took me out of town a lot, working as a bodyguard or setting up and demonstrating the security systems Steff had created. It felt good to be home. My body was bone tired after this two-month job guarding a pop star princess. It was a fine gig. I’d gotten to tour the country and see the sights, which was always sort of fun. The problem was that the chick was like a damned nympho and wouldn’t keep her hands off me. She’d tried to fuck me five or six times over the course of the tour. She was hot, yeah, but I was a professional. I never, ever, mixed business with pleasure.

I’d made it very clear to her that I was not interested, especially after she’d tried to talk me into a three-way with her and one of her backup dancers. It got so bad that even her manager tried to tell her to find another guy to set her sights on. I’d finished the last show and deuced out before she could pull the wholetour’s over, you’re not on duty anymore, let’s partystuff. Just too messy. Our firm was one of the most respected in the country, and I wouldn’t risk our reputation for a wild romp in the hay.

I walked across the living room, unbuttoning my dress shirt, and glanced out the front window. There was a car parked outside the house across the street. I frowned. I’d been so dog tired when I pulled into my driveway that I hadn’t registered it until now. I leaned closer to the window and saw a bunch of broken down cardboard boxes stuffed into the trash can at the end of the driveway. Definitely looked like someone had moved into the place.

I sighed. It had been nice not having neighbors the last few years. I wasn’t really a people person. It was what made me good at my job. It was easy for me to tell some crazy fan to get their ass the fuck back and not feel bad about it. Now, I’d have to make nice and introduce myself at some point in the coming days.

I was starving, but my exhaustion was winning out. I’d been awake for nearly thirty-six hours. Plus, my fridge was empty. I ate a spoonful of peanut butter, tore the rest of my clothes off, and collapsed into bed.

Sleeping for over twelve straight hours, I awoke to the sound of a box truck door rolling up. My eyes snapped open, and I rubbed my eyes, feeling groggy. The clock by the bed said I’d overslept since I told the guys I’d be at the office by two. If I were going to make it on time, I’d have to hurry, especially since I’d need to pick lunch up on the way. My stomach was about to eatitself. After a quick shower, I threw on clothes and brewed a cup of coffee.

Outside, two guys were carrying boxes and furniture down the metal ramp of the truck––it seemed they were hired movers based on their uniforms. The actual new neighbors were nowhere in sight. My phone rang, pulling my attention away from the house across the street. It was Miles.

“You still coming in?”

Groggy and disoriented from sleep, I nodded before realizing he couldn’t see me. “On my way. I overslept.”

“Bro, it’s two in the afternoon.”

“Yeah, well, some of us have to work for a living.”

“Very funny. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Hanging up, I jumped in my car and pulled out of the driveway. As I pulled away, I craned my neck to try and see the new neighbors. No-one but the movers. I’d have to wait till later to see if they looked like serial killers or not.

At the office, I was in for a surprise. The guys weren’t in our small conference room. They were all packed into Miles’s office. Miles saw me and motioned for me to come in. When I stepped inside, he nodded for me to close the door. I raised my eyes. That was unusual. This was obviously not going to be what I thought it was. I’d assumed that Blayne was going to give me a new bodyguard assignment. He typically did security analysis, but he was also the main team member who booked jobs. I was the field guy, doing the jobs that required the most travel. I was also requested more than any other guy we had on contract. But a job assignment would have been a simple open-door meeting. Three minutes and done.

Instead, I found Miles, Blayne, and Steff. No one else. We had some clerical workers, security techs, and secretaries—a staff of maybe a dozen. None of them were shifters. But every man standing in the office was.

“So,” I said. “What’s with the cloak and dagger?”

Miles sighed and leaned forward. “There’s been a development.”

Steff chuckled. “You haven’t sold the company to some mercenary-for-hire group, right? Black Water or some shit?”

A look of irritation flashed across Miles’s face. “Seriously? Can we be professional for one damn minute?”

“Fine, fine. What’s the big news?” Steff asked as he took a seat on a filing cabinet.

“We got a call last night from an alpha in a nearby shifter pack. The wolf clan that has a spot about forty miles away.”

Blayne leaned against the wall, popping peanuts into his mouth one at a time. “And what did the werewolves have to say?”

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