Page 39 of The Dragon's Mate

“Yeah,” he said.

“Hey, it could be that she thinks you’re ababe and wants to bang you, but her clan has a rule about not dating humans. Mostbear shifters don’t date humans,” Elora said.

“I’m getting a weird vibe about the wholebear shifter thing,” Bren said.

“What do you mean?”

“They don’t act like they’re bear shifters.I met Kaida’s friend Sika on Sunday. She’s pregnant and she referred to the babyas a hatchling.”

“Hatchling?” Elora said.

“Yeah. Don’t bears normally call themcubs?”

“They do,” Elora said. “Lizards call theirbabies hatchlings. Maybe they’re lizard shifters who are pretending to be bearshifters.”

“Maybe, but that seems weird. Plus, all ofthe women are really large. Kaida’s close to six feet and her grandmother iswell over six feet. Sika was at least six feet as well. I’ve never met femalelizard shifters that big before.”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Elora said.“Other than it’s weird as shit.”

“Yeah,” Bren said.

Elora finished her beer and set it on the table.“I really am sorry she turned you down. But you’re a great guy and any day nowyou’ll find the right woman and start having that baseball team of babies youwant. I know it.”

He twitched, his eyebrows going up as hestared at Elora. She laughed and squeezed his hand again. “You’re an openbook to me, buddy. Get used to it.”

* * *

“I totally tankedthat chemistry quiz,” Tyler said as he rode his bike next to Corey. “My dad’sgonna kill me.”

“Sorry, babe.” Corey smiled at him. “Ifit’s any consolation, I got an eighty-five on my Spanish test.”

“Seriously?” Tyler leaned back and let goof his bike handles, steering the bike with his knees as he held out his fistto Corey. “That’s awesome, honey.”

“It’s because of you.” Corey bumped hisfist before they turned right and headed toward downtown. “If you weren’ttutoring me, I wouldn’t…shit.”

They both skidded to a stop before slidingoff their bikes and straddling them.

“Hey, faggots.” Jeff had stepped out frombetween two parked cars and was standing in the middle of the sidewalk halfwaydown the block.

Corey glanced at Tyler, the fear alreadywritten in his face. “Ty?”

“It’s fine,” Tyler said. “We’re not thatfar from the school. C’mon, we’ll bike back, and I’ll call Bren to come pick usup. Jeff won’t catch us on foot.”

Corey looked over his shoulder. “Too late.”

Tyler followed his gaze. His stomach clenchedand his balls drew up tight. The same three guys who were with Jeff in the forestwere standing not five feet behind them. All of them were sporting black eyesor bruises on their jaws and Tyler felt a moment of grim satisfaction that quicklydisappeared when they moved closer.

“No bitch friend today. Guess she’s stillback in the woods, huh?” Jeff had moved closer as well and as the boys closedin around them in a rough circle, Tyler reached over and grabbed Corey’s hand.

Jeff made a gagging sound. “You guys arefucking gross.”

His heart banging against his ribcage,Tyler searched the street for an adult. It was empty, and his limbs trembled alittle harder. Maybe if he screamed loud enough, someone would hear him from insidetheir house.

He opened his mouth and Jeff said, “If youscream, I’ll smash your faggot face in before anyone gets the chance to hearyou.”

“Stay away from him,” Corey said.

Jeff sneered at him. “Aren’t you the bravelittle faggot fox? You ready to get your brains rattled again?”

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