Page 23 of Bear Facts

Shane slowed to take a ramp onto the freeway. Althea and her goons were right behind them. Shane swerved through the dense traffic, soon putting a few eighteen-wheelers between him and Althea’s vehicles.

“These guys are good,” Shane said almost admiringly as he kept an eye on them.

Freya turned to look out the back window. The three SUVs were several cars behind them but keeping pace.

Shane continued, “They’re following without hanging right on my ass. My guess is they’ll stay with us until we try to hide on some back street in town. Then they corral us and scoop us up like stray sheep.”

Freya straightened in her seat again, her fears mounting. “What can we do? I don’t know the area well, don’t have any ideas on where to go to ground. Which was why Althea picked this place to meet, I guess.”

“She wouldn’t have met you somewhere of your choosing,” Shane pointed out.

“I’m aware.”

“But it’s your lucky day,” Shane said cheerfully. “I do know the area better than anyone, and like I told you, I have a lot of friends in town.”

“I don’t want to endanger them,” Freya said quickly.

“Sweetie, they live for danger. And it sounds like you didn’t have a backup plan. Good thing you met me, right?”

“I’m still debating that,” Freya growled.

Shane let out a laugh and abruptly took an exit. They’d reached the encroaching developments at the base of the mountain, which had heavily trafficked main roads. Shane slid through the lanes easily enough but grunted in frustration when he checked his mirrors again.

“They are going to dog us ’til the end,” he announced. “They’re waiting for us to run out of gas or something. Then they’ll have us.”

“Shit.” Freya sent another fearful glance out the back window. The three SUVs were keeping up without hurrying. The dark vehicles hid their passengers like the sunglasses hid Althea’s eyes and exuded the same confidence.

“They want to play hardball, do they?” Shane said with determination. “Well, there’s one place they can’t chase us, let alone catch us.”

“Where?” Freya demanded, then she realized what he meant.

Shane’s grim amusement returned. “Shiftertown, baby.”

Freya hunkered down in the seat, her past, present, and future slamming together to trap her like bars on a cage.

“Just let me out somewhere,” she pleaded. “I’ll run. They’ll chase me. Or at least they’ll split up and give you time to get home.”

“Are you nuts?” Shane asked in amazement. “Only place you’ll be safe now is with me and my family in our Shiftertown. No one comes in without Eric’s permission. Althea’s goons will have to go through a lot of Shifters to get to you, and I guarantee, they won’t succeed.”

“No! I can’t!” The words burst out of her, and Shane frowned.

“I’m not going to bring Shifter Bureau down on you or anything like that,” he said in a gentle voice. “Don’t worry. You stick with us until you have somewhere else to go.”

He made it sound so easy. Freya’s life was anything but.

“Graham McNeil is there.” Freya clenched her hands in her lap, struggling to keep her wolf contained.

Shane sent her a puzzled glance. “Yes, I said so earlier. He’s co-leader with Eric. He acts like a hard-ass, but he’s actually a good guy. And a little easier to deal with since he mated.”

“He has a mate?” Wonder of wonders. Freya shook herself. That was a long way from the point. “Shane, I can’t go to Graham’s Shiftertown.”

“Honey, we don’t have a choice.” Shane gestured to the rearview mirror. “If they catch us anywhere but Shiftertown, we’re screwed. It’s the only place we’ll be safe.” He continued changing lanes in nerve-wracking zigzags, as though the matter were settled.

“Shane,” Freya said in desperation. She hadn’t wanted to tell him her truths, but he was giving her no option. “I can’t go anywhere near Graham or his Shifters.”

Shane kept his eyes on the road. “Why? Because he’s Lupine? I know he thinks he’s the god of Lupines, but he has nothing to do with you.”

“Yes, he does.” Freya’s throat closed, but she forced the confession out. “Graham is my pack leader. I ran away from him years ago. If he finds me, he’ll force me back to him, back to what I was trying to get away from.” Tears choked her voice. “Please, Shane. Don’t let Graham McNeil know I still exist.”

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