Bailey Bradford - Southwestern Shifters 06 - Reverence by Bailey Bradford Page A

relatively certain she was talking for her own sake, not his. “Have almost full motility, can even run for short distances, you just can’t shift.”
Val quit listening then. He already knew he was a mess, but he would get better, would get his ability to shift back. His wolf wasn’t gone. Val could feel it inside him, but it was like the beast was sleeping, still in the coma Val had come out of. Surely that was why he couldn’t shift, not because of any physical reason.
Shania tapped his hip and Val snapped out of his thoughts. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Don’t ma’am me,” Shania snorted. “Guh. I’m only thirty-three. That’s a year younger than you.”
Val stuck his tongue out at Shania’s familiar complaint. “You know it’s meant as a sign of respect. I keep gagging on calling my cousin ‘doctor’ when I used to pull your pigtails.”
“And I’d kick your ass for it,” Shania pointed out. “Don’t even try saying that was because you wouldn’t hit a girl back. I’d have stomped you either way.”
“You go on thinking that,” Val teased, knowing Shania wouldn’t truly get mad at him. “If it makes you feel better. Ma’am.”
“Ass.” Shania popped him on his butt when he stood. “Get dressed, and go eat as much as you can. You’re too damned skinny.”
“Way to build up my self-esteem,” Val mumbled as he reached for his pants. He’d always been naturally muscular, almost overly so, but several weeks on the brink of death had left him well past scrawny. It was flippin’ weird.
“Your self-esteem will be back up in the bullshit zone in no time.” Shania hugged him and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. “You’ll pack on the muscle quicker than you lost it, so stop worrying about that and concentrate on taking care of yourself.”
“Will do,” Val said as he tugged his shirt tail down past his butt. He left the room used as a clinic and went to the dining area. The scents along the way were enticing, and his stomach growled and cramped. Val wondered when he’d recover all of his ability to scent. It wasn’t gone, but it was weaker. Apparently he’d really had a wallop to his head when that SUV had hit him. No surprise, or it shouldn’t be, but the realisation of what had happened to him and what he had lost blindsided Val at odd moments.
Inside the dining hall, several people called out to Val. He’d always been well liked, knew he was an affable enough guy, but he’d never been truly close to anyone else. It was stupid, but he’d been holding out in hopes of finding his mate and sharing everything with that one perfect man.
Damn, but wouldn’t my friends have a laugh over that romantic fantasy? And if they knew I’d never even gone all the way with a guy because of it, they’d— He couldn’t imagine what they’d do. Probably not believe him or laugh themselves to death. That he’d never had an actual relationship didn’t seem to matter to anyone. They’d just thought he was a playboy.
“Hey, Val, come sit with us when you get your tray.”
The offer came from Val’s left, and, while he couldn’t see without turning his head, he knew the voice. “Sure, Keegan, if you haven’t inhaled your food by then.”
Keegan probably flipped him off in the good-natured way friends did such things. Val didn’t crane his head around to see. He got in line and did like Shania told him to. Val had enough food on his tray to feed three people when he headed for Keegan’s table. He sat across from Keegan rather than have Keegan on his left side where he’d have to angle his head to look at him.
“And you said I got a lot of food?” Keegan teased. “Jesus, you have enough there to feed the entire pack!”
Val knew Keegan could see how skinny he’d become but the guy wasn’t an asshole and wouldn’t bring it up. Neither would Val. He shrugged and popped a chunk of chicken in his mouth, talking around it. “Yup. Takes a lot to fill a real man up.”
Keegan snickered and stole one