Page 76 of Cowboy Bull's Promise

Dante shrugs.

And yeah, I snort my amusement.

But it’s hollow. Thin.

Emmet shoots him a look, then continues for the third time.

“They go through something similar to what their animal counterparts do during breeding season. It’s called the Rut. But because Bovid and Cervid Shifters are so rare, there’s not a lot of info on it.”

The barn goes quiet again.

But Emmet’s not done.

“There are stories, though.”

“And?” Max presses, not quite understanding.

I step in, dragging the words from my chest like they’re carved in stone.

“He means horror stories.”

The silence sharpens, every ear on me.

“Tales of guys like me who lose themselves to the Rut. Who can’t stop. Who—” I swallow hard, my own feelings of shame thick and sour in the air. “Who fuck their way through anything that moves. And then, when their beasts still aren’t satisfied?”

I pause, bile rising in my throat.

“Then what?” Max demands.

I lift my chin. Look them all in the eyes.

“Then they shift for the last time. And they stay that way. Until they die.”

The barn stills.

Even the air feels frozen.

Then I hear it.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

A sound so loud and erratic it doesn’t belong to any of my Crew.

I turn around.

Fuck.

There she is.

Arliss.

Standing in the doorway.

Her blue eyes are wide with shock.

Her precious heart is pounding.

And I know.

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