Page 60 of Bear Facts

“Could the feral be one of Althea’s crew?” Diego asked. “She was up there with some of her guys plus another Shifter—Ewan. Maybe she either let the feral loose, or he got away from her.”

“Ewan wasn’t feral,” Freya said, and Shane nodded his agreement. “Or even heading that way, I don’t think.”

“Not even close,” Shane added. “Just your average annoying Feline.” Instead of taking offence, the Felines in the room relaxed slightly, Iona laughing.

How different their reactions were to those of Graham and his wolf pack. The Lupines she’d grown up with had been touchy, always ready to scrap with one another. They’d never let a bear into their midst to make fun of them.

“So,” Eric said. “What you’ve discovered, Xav, is that Althea is avidly researching experiments that turned Shifters feral, and there is a feral Shifter on the mountain where she was recently. This feral, whoever it is, attacked the hell out of Leo and nearly killed him. Might still have killed him—any word on Zander?”

Shane checked his phone and shook his head. “Just the one text back. He’ll be here.” His confidence was unfeigned.

“For now, I’d like to get Althea in front of me and ask her a few questions,” Eric said.

“Maybe not in front of you.” Iona’s voice, though quiet, held caution.

Eric sent her a conceding glance. “You could be right.” It cost him to admit this, Freya saw. “Because researchers did those kinds of experiments on me,” he explained to Freya. “My mate is telling me I wouldn’t be objective.”

Eric revealing this weakness to a Lupine and an outsider surprised the hell out of Freya. Graham would never tell his wolves if he’d been a test subject.

But Eric wasn’t that kind of leader, Freya had come to understand. He laid himself bare and then let Shifters take him as he was without compromise. Considering he’d held this entire Shiftertown together for twenty-five years indicated that he was powerful indeed.

“Good thing I know someone who will be,” Eric continued.

Another round of silence fell. Everyone seemed to know who Eric was talking about. Freya sent Shane a questioning look, but he only gave her a minute shake of his head.

“I wouldn’t call him objective, actually,” Shane said to Eric.

“But he can get answers,” Brody said.

“And he has way better backup than any of us do,” Shane said.

A ripple of amusement went through those present. It was irritating for Freya not to be in on the joke.

“None of this matters if we don’t know where Althea is,” Shane pointed out.

“Xav?” Eric prompted.

“She has offices in several locations,” Xav said. “Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas. She went back to the Dallas office last night.”

“Handy,” Eric said with approval.

Freya wasn’t certain why. Dallas was a two-hour flight or a twelve-hundred-mile drive from Las Vegas, and Shifters—Collared ones in Shiftertowns, anyway—weren’t allowed to fly.

“I’ll call him,” Eric said, though again he didn’t mention names. “I hate to say this, because putting my friends in danger is not what I want to do, but we have to go back up to the mountain.”

“And find the feral,” Shane finished.

Eric nodded. “We need to get him under control and figure out what he knows—especially if Althea has anything to do with him, anything at all. Also, to help him … if we can.”

He did not voice what would happen if they couldn’t. A feral Shifter who was too far gone would have to be killed, for its own sake as well as others’ safety. It was a worry every Shifter carried deep inside them.

“Shane, take Brody, Reid, and Neal,” Eric ordered. “Dougal too, if he’s up to it. But don’t let him get hurt trying to prove himself.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Shane said without argument.

Freya got to her feet. “I can go with Shane.” She faced Eric before anyone could interrupt her. “I scented the feral before, and I might be able to recognize it. If he knows where Rolf is, or if he shared the feral’s fate, I need that information. I don’t want to wait for it.”

Eric didn’t change expression. “I fully intend for you to go with Shane. He won’t be as focused if he’s worried about you here, no matter how much Nell and I promise to protect you. I don’t need any fuck-ups with this.”

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