Page 45 of 3 Shifters to Break a Curse

LUKE

We made it several miles when something in my pants buzzed. I slowed to a stop and waited for Ezra to catch up. Rin was ahead of us, still running. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to catch his attention, but I wanted to try before he got too far ahead of us. I shifted back into my human form.

“Rin!” I shouted. My voice echoed through the trees, startling a collection of birds that sat high up in the branches.

Rin stopped running and turned around to face me. I waved him over and then pulled out my phone.

It was a text from Cadence. I selected the text, and my eyes scanned the words, “Toni is here. Her ex is terrifying.”

I sucked in a breath. In a rush, I said, “She’s at the gas mart.”

Rin nodded once before he turned around and kept running. Ezra followed. As soon as I had my phone back in my pants. I shifted as we were on the move. And per the norm, once we reached so close to the town, we returned to our human forms and put on a hidden collection of clothing we kept nearby for moments when we would head to town.

“Do you think Jared would hurt Cadence?” Ezra asked.

“He better not,” Rin said, taking the words right out of my mouth.

“If he does,” I said, keeping my voice low, “he’s not going to like life very much once we are done with him.”

We crossed the highway across from the gas mart, dodging a few of the cars speeding down the asphalt. As we drew closer, I spotted the man—if that was what he could even be called—standing on the other side of the counter, pointing a finger at my sister, snapping at her. Cadence stood against the door of the office with her arms folded over her chest, staring at the man as though he was a bug.

I almost laughed. And then I breathed in. That horrible smell filled my nose again.

“Please tell me one of you has an explanation for the smell?” Ezra said. “Surely one man can’t make so much stink on his own.”

Rin and I shook our heads.

“Try not to breathe in too deep,” I said. “Or throw up.”

We stepped inside as Jared finished telling my sister to open the office door for him in the not-so-nicest of ways. I narrowed my eyes on the back of his head as I approached him and tapped on his shoulder. Rin and Ezra stood behind me.

He turned around. “Fuck off!”

“Excuse me, but if you speak to my sister like that again, we’re going to have a problem,” I said, ignoring his rudeness.

He faced me again, eyes as black as night. “I said ‘Fuck off,’ or do your ears no longer work?”

I shrugged. “Leave. Now.”

“I’m not leaving until I have that woman hiding in the office.” He raised his voice louder. “Let’s go, Toni. I know you’re in there. You’re only making me angrier the longer I wait!”

“The office is off-limits to the customers,” I snapped.

“Your new boyfriends are here too, so I know you are around here. Come out, come out, wherever you are!” Jared continued as though I hadn’t said a word to him.

I peeked at Cadence. She nodded at me once. That was enough for me. I grabbed the guy by his shoulders and started to pull him toward the door.

“Don’t touch me, fucking asshole!” he snapped, struggling against my grip. “Let go of me now!”

“My pleasure,” I said. “Just not until we have you outside.”

I continued to push him while Ezra and Rin surrounded us, blocking his way if he managed to weasel out of my grasp. My back pressed against the door, and I took a large step back, pulling him out with me. Once we were outside, I tossed the man to the ground.

He rolled along the pavement before climbing back to his feet.

“If you ever come around my property or my sister ever again, I will kill you,” I said.

“And if he doesn’t,” Rin said, “I would gladly do the honors.”

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