Page 58 of Alpha Rising (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

I pulled her deeper into the V of my legs, so close I had to tip my head back to look up at her. “They come back year after year. There’s nothing for them to gain by destroying their place of employment.”

“Reese!”

Sarah and I both jumped, and I released her. We turned to see Melanie come barreling in, running into the door jamb and catching herself before she fell.

Her chest heaved with exertion—an unusual sight for a shifter whose animal form kept her in peak physical condition.

“Melanie?” I asked. Something was clearly wrong.

Sarah moved quickly toward Melanie and put her arm around her back, assisting her into the room.

“Toby,” Melanie panted. “He… He’s trapped.”

“What?” I came out from behind my desk.

“In a…net. We were…looking for cameras, like you...said.” Melanie’s body gave way to exhaustion and, just as her knees collapsed, Sarah pulled out a chair for her to sit.

“Jesus,” I muttered, crouching in front of my sister. “Where is he?”

“Outcropping. Far side of the creek.”

I knew the spot.

“Reese.” Melanie clutched my shoulder, digging in her nails. “Toby shifted in a panic.”

Dread washed through me. I understood the significance of what she was saying. Unplanned shifts led to all kinds of awkward—if not dangerous—situations. If someone got to him before I did, they’d either find an unnaturally large mountain lion, or a naked man. Neither of them were good scenarios.

I rose from my crouch, went behind my desk and opened a drawer. I retrieved the utility knife I used for opening delivery boxes.

“Sarah.” I glanced over at where she stood with her hand over her mouth. “Find Sam and Angel. Tell them where to find Toby and tell them to bring clothes.”

She gave me a quick nod and left immediately.

I returned my attention to Melanie. “Are you going to be okay if I leave you here?”

She nodded. “Hurry.”

I gripped the knife and ran out of the lodge. I didn’t shift, but I was fast. I was at the outcropping in under fifteen minutes.

Toby was still in animal form, caught in a net that swung with his weight, too far off the ground for me to reach. The rope that suspended him creaked as it rubbed against the tree branch.

I’d planned to have Toby shift back so he could catch the knife when I tossed it to him. That plan would have to change. It was clear from the feral look in the lion’s eyes that it either had no intention, or no ability to release my brother.

Checking the surrounding trees for cameras and seeing none, I kicked off my shoes and socks then allowed my claws to extend from my fingers and toes in a partial shift.

I held the knife in my teeth and quickly scaled the tree, creeping along the length of the branch to where the net was tied.

Sam and Angel arrived seconds after I’d begun sawing at the rope.

“Holy shit,” Sam murmured.

“Hang in there, bro,” Angel encouraged. “You’ll be down soon.”

The thick rope was made of several twisted strands that frayed and sprung as they were individually severed. Soon there was only a single strand that stretched under Toby’s weight before snapping free.

Toby crashed to the earth in a heavy thud, and Sam and Angel made quick work of opening the net while I climbed down.

When I reached my brothers, Toby was naked and back in human form. Sam helped him into a pair of loose shorts and a T-shirt.

---