An Alpha's Lightning (Water Bear Shifters 2) by Sloane Meyers

that?” Ace asked.
    Neal’s eyes darkened. “We’ve had reports from other clans of members that have gone missing, only to turn up dead out on the tundra days later. It hasn’t been very many bears, yet. But we’re worried about what’s to come. They’re obviously testing out some of their potions.”
    Ace frowned. “Those bastards,” he said, his voice strained with anger. “What can we do to help?”
    Neal shrugged. “Not much, at this point. We haven’t been able to do much ourselves. But we’re doing our best to find information. We’ll keep you informed. We’re also in contact with a group of black bear shifters in Northern California, the Burning Claws Clan. We’re just asking everyone to be ready to fight if necessary. We’re expecting an all out attack on the shifters at some point in the near future.”
    “My boys and me are ready to fight,” Ace said. “Just say the word. I have connections who can approve leave time for me at a moment’s notice, and we can be up here in a day’s time to help. These scientists have to be stopped before more bears are killed.”
    Neal nodded. “I agree. I just hope we can stay one step ahead of them,” he said, his voice ominous.
    Ace stared off into the distance without replying. No response was necessary. He and Neal both knew that their whole way of life was at risk. Ace sighed when, without warning, Jade’s face flashed across his mind. He’d said for the last few years that he had nothing left to lose, but he had to face the truth. That wasn’t the case anymore. His bear had found something it would die to protect.

Chapter Seven
     
    Jade’s mood was getting worse by the minute. Leave it to her to decide to fall in love with a guy just when he decided he was no longer interested in her. Because that appeared to be exactly what had just happened. She’d woken up three days ago and sprung out of bed with excitement because she knew Ace had the day off from his Coast Guard duties. This always meant that he spent the entire day at the rescue center, assisting with the animals. She’d arrived at work exceptionally early, just to be sure that she would be there when Ace showed up.
    By mid-morning, however, he hadn’t shown up, and he hadn’t called to say he wasn’t coming. He wasn’t listed on any type of volunteer schedule, so it’s not like he was required to call in and let them know if he wasn’t coming. But since he had started volunteering, he had spent every free day here. Surely, if he wasn’t coming, he would have at least let her know.
    Jade finally broke down and asked Mary at the front desk if she’d heard anything from Ace. Mary hadn’t, and Jade hadn’t wanted to push the issue and seem overly obvious. The day ended with no word from Ace, and Jade went home feeling a mixture of annoyance and worry. When Ace didn’t call or show up again the next day, Jade became truly worried. She called him a few times, but his phone kept going straight to voicemail, which only made her surer that something was wrong. Trying to keep herself from panicking, she looked up the emergency contact information on Ace’s volunteer sheet and called the person listed, a guy named Lance. Jade had recognized the name from Ace’s conversations about the guys on his Coast Guard rescue team, and she had called the number. Lance had seemed surprised to know that Ace had been volunteering at the rescue center, and had told Jade that he was fine, just away on business.
    Jade had gone from worried to annoyed again. Sure, Ace didn’t technically have a commitment to show up to volunteer on any specific day, so Jade didn’t really have a right to be angry. Especially when she had been the one to consistently push away his romantic advances. But still, she’d thought they had become good friends lately. Why had he just stopped showing up without warning? He could have at least called.
    Now, it was the end of the third day of Ace’s three days off. Jade’s