and Pumas and Tigers, and lots of other shifters out there, each with a unique gift. And the one who rules over us all is the Leo.”
“Who?”
“The Leo.” She took a seat, her hands on the table where he could clearly see them. It was obvious she was doing her best to make sure he was as comfortable as possible with her presence. “He rules over all shifter kind. He’s always a Lion, and he runs the Senate, the ruling body of shifters. He’s the only white Lion shifter, and he has the ability to order even an Alpha like Rick around. So when that white Lion is born, they park his ass on the throne and pray he’s not a complete cabrón .”
He gulped and sat down at the table with less grace than he’d planned. “I thought I heard a mountain lion the other night.”
She nodded. “Remember Belle? She’s a Puma. There’s a town a few hours away that’s run by Pumas, and it has a college campus nearby. Several different types of shifters go there, as it’s one of the few campuses in an area that’s shifter-run in the United States.”
“How many of you are there?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. That’s not one of my jobs, you know? But probably more than you’d believe, less than you fear. We’re just people, Steve, trying to live our lives like everyone else.”
“No, I meant how many different kinds? Wererabbits? Weresharks?” He shivered. “Weredinosaurs?”
She picked up her knife and fork, gesturing for him to do the same. He did, trying to ignore how badly his hands were shaking again. At least he didn’t think he was in danger of passing out this time. “Well, there are Wolves and Pumas, Foxes, Bears—”
“Bears? Like, grizzlies?”
“And black, and kodiak, and Kermode. Yup.”
He wasn’t certain he wanted to hear any more, but he got the feeling he’d need to. Now that he knew about Ben and the rest of them, he had to know. “And?”
“Lions, Tigers—” He felt himself sway a bit in his seat, “—Cheetahs, Coyotes. There are a lot of us, but we all seem to be predators of one kind or another, and always mammals.”
“So no werebunnies.”
“Nope.” She tilted her head and smiled. “Unless they’re Bear bunnies.”
“Do I want to know?”
She took a bite of steak and moaned. “One of the Pack members living in Halle is mated to a Bear whose nickname is Bunny.” She shrugged. “So. Werebunny.”
He actually laughed a bit at that, but he was feeling overwhelmed. He took a bite of steak, hoping to distract himself.
It worked. He moaned at the flavor that burst across his tongue. “Oh my God. I think I’m in love.”
She growled, the sound inhuman. Wolfish.
He carefully put the knife and fork down. “Or maybe not.”
She winced. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just… You’re my mate, and I don’t like hearing you say you love someone else.” She shrugged, blushing darkly. “Or something.”
He blinked. “Mate.” He’d heard that term before, and been way too wigged out to think about it much. And he’d had enough girlfriends to understand what that term meant.
She bit her lip and nodded. “Mate.”
The next thing he knew, his head was between his knees and Graciela was begging him to breathe.
Chapter Five
Okay. So maybe this wasn’t going quite the way she’d hoped it would. She’d planned on answering all his questions, yes, but she had hoped she wouldn’t terrify him.
Again.
Damn it.
Why had he followed them the other night? The man should have stayed inside and sipped hot cocoa laced with Tia Maria or something; anything but see something he wasn’t quite ready for.
Gah. What a mess.
“Steve?”
He looked up at her, his face pale, his eyes wild. “Mate?”
She nodded. “We know the moment we hear your voice, get a whiff of your scent. It’s…” She breathed deep, his musky scent wrapping around her like a warm cloak. “It’s delicious.”
He shuddered, the ever-present hint of fear spiking again. “I’m gamey. And stringy.
“Who?”
“The Leo.” She took a seat, her hands on the table where he could clearly see them. It was obvious she was doing her best to make sure he was as comfortable as possible with her presence. “He rules over all shifter kind. He’s always a Lion, and he runs the Senate, the ruling body of shifters. He’s the only white Lion shifter, and he has the ability to order even an Alpha like Rick around. So when that white Lion is born, they park his ass on the throne and pray he’s not a complete cabrón .”
He gulped and sat down at the table with less grace than he’d planned. “I thought I heard a mountain lion the other night.”
She nodded. “Remember Belle? She’s a Puma. There’s a town a few hours away that’s run by Pumas, and it has a college campus nearby. Several different types of shifters go there, as it’s one of the few campuses in an area that’s shifter-run in the United States.”
“How many of you are there?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. That’s not one of my jobs, you know? But probably more than you’d believe, less than you fear. We’re just people, Steve, trying to live our lives like everyone else.”
“No, I meant how many different kinds? Wererabbits? Weresharks?” He shivered. “Weredinosaurs?”
She picked up her knife and fork, gesturing for him to do the same. He did, trying to ignore how badly his hands were shaking again. At least he didn’t think he was in danger of passing out this time. “Well, there are Wolves and Pumas, Foxes, Bears—”
“Bears? Like, grizzlies?”
“And black, and kodiak, and Kermode. Yup.”
He wasn’t certain he wanted to hear any more, but he got the feeling he’d need to. Now that he knew about Ben and the rest of them, he had to know. “And?”
“Lions, Tigers—” He felt himself sway a bit in his seat, “—Cheetahs, Coyotes. There are a lot of us, but we all seem to be predators of one kind or another, and always mammals.”
“So no werebunnies.”
“Nope.” She tilted her head and smiled. “Unless they’re Bear bunnies.”
“Do I want to know?”
She took a bite of steak and moaned. “One of the Pack members living in Halle is mated to a Bear whose nickname is Bunny.” She shrugged. “So. Werebunny.”
He actually laughed a bit at that, but he was feeling overwhelmed. He took a bite of steak, hoping to distract himself.
It worked. He moaned at the flavor that burst across his tongue. “Oh my God. I think I’m in love.”
She growled, the sound inhuman. Wolfish.
He carefully put the knife and fork down. “Or maybe not.”
She winced. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just… You’re my mate, and I don’t like hearing you say you love someone else.” She shrugged, blushing darkly. “Or something.”
He blinked. “Mate.” He’d heard that term before, and been way too wigged out to think about it much. And he’d had enough girlfriends to understand what that term meant.
She bit her lip and nodded. “Mate.”
The next thing he knew, his head was between his knees and Graciela was begging him to breathe.
Chapter Five
Okay. So maybe this wasn’t going quite the way she’d hoped it would. She’d planned on answering all his questions, yes, but she had hoped she wouldn’t terrify him.
Again.
Damn it.
Why had he followed them the other night? The man should have stayed inside and sipped hot cocoa laced with Tia Maria or something; anything but see something he wasn’t quite ready for.
Gah. What a mess.
“Steve?”
He looked up at her, his face pale, his eyes wild. “Mate?”
She nodded. “We know the moment we hear your voice, get a whiff of your scent. It’s…” She breathed deep, his musky scent wrapping around her like a warm cloak. “It’s delicious.”
He shuddered, the ever-present hint of fear spiking again. “I’m gamey. And stringy.
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