Page 12 of Alpha Rising (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

“But what’s changed? I don’t really understand how this became a problem.” I sat up a little higher, and the blanket slipped.

“Don’t!” he demanded, his gaze locked on the fringed edge that clung to my body, just above the curve of my breasts. “Don’t move a muscle.”

“Reese, we’re both adults. This doesn’t have to be weird. My clothes will be dry soon and...”

“You don’t understand.”

“I know. Iliterallyjust said that.”

He raked a hand through his dark hair in a gesture of male frustration. Then his eyes widened and a spark of energy snapped in the room as if a fuse had been blown.

I closed my eyes to shield them and when I finally opened them again, Reese was gone. In his place stood the mountain lion. The quilt lay on the ground beneath its feet. A low growl rumbled from the animal’s chest, but it didn’t move any closer.

My heart jolted from the shock of it, but for some reason I wasn’t afraid. I mean, I totallyshould havebeen. But the reality was, I’d been an idiot several times that day already, and apparently I wasn't changing my ways. Besides, I couldn’t get over the exquisite beauty of Reese’s new face.

His clear green eyes stared back at me, the feline shape of them outlined in a thick black line. Buff and tawny waves of color marked the strong contours of his face. His whiskers were black at the root then white at their ends, twitching as his chest heaved.

The muscles in his flank rippled and, with another jolt of energy, the mountain lion was gone.

Reese was on all fours—naked. His eyes were squeezed shut and his teeth clenched. “Fuck, that hurt.”

“It hurts?” I was surprised that something that seemed so natural for him would cause him pain.

He grimaced then pushed himself upright as I shamelessly took in his sheer beauty. Reese naked was like a work of art. The flexed muscles in his arms and chest looked hard enough to be marble, except for the golden glow. His cock was erect and straining.

I moved to get up, but he put his hand out in a stiff-arm gesture that had me staying on the floor.

“If you're hurting... Is there a way to call Toby?” Then, recalling his earlier reaction to Toby, I added quickly, “OrSam, orAngel?”

“I don’t usually shift that fast. Jesus. And as for your question..." He finished his sentence through gritted teeth. "None of them are going to come out here, even if there was a phone to call them.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Because they don’t have a death wish.” He moved behind the small kitchen table, shielding his lower half from my very interested gaze.

“What are you talking about?” I curled my fingers into the blankets.

“You. Me. Alone in this cabin.Naked. They’re not going to get in the middle of this. Not until I get it figured out for myself.”

“And what exactly are you trying to figure out?” It wasn’t like I didn’t remember what his siblings had said about the whole mating bond thing, but I really didn’t get it, and I wanted to hear it from him.

Reese grimaced again. There was another flash of energy, and the mountain lion was back. Its chest heaved with exertion, then it prowled from around the table and stalked closer, its eyes intent on me.

Oh, no. I put a hand out, palm flexed up much like the stiff-arm Reese had given me seconds ago. I was in the room with a vicious predator, and I had nowhere to run. “Nice…kitty?”

It snarled, swiping at the air with a paw, but at least its claws were retracted.

Snap!Another wave of energy flashed through the cabin and Reese was crouched there again—this time only three feet away.

The veins in his arms bulged from the exertion and his skin stretched tight across his shoulders.

He put his hands to knees, this time in more than mere discomfort. He let out a cry of genuine pain.

“Reese!” I got to my feet, pulling the wool blanket around me like an itchy toga.

“No!” he cried, but it was too late.

He was so close that I reached him in half a second.

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