Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
3
JARED
Two Years Ago
He jerked his thumb toward the bar on the corner before he extended his hand. “Buy you a beer?”
I jerked mine toward the liquor store. “Grab a six and go to my campsite instead? Rather sit outdoors by a fire than in a sweaty bar full of all these rancid scents.”
“I feel that,” he quipped and headed in the direction of the liquor store.
Later that night, sitting by the fire, laughing, on our third beer, he asked the question I knew had been burning.
“You’re a shifter with no scent and though sometimes you wear a fake scent, you come across like you’re alpha.”
“Because I am.”
“You didn’t name your pack when you told me your name. That’s customary when shifters meet out in mainstream public. Leave your pack behind due to a beef?”
I shook my head.
“A female?” he tried.
“Don’t like to talk about it.”
“That’s your call, but just wanna say, you wanna talk about it, you can. I’m a good listener. And far’s I see it, we’re now inextricably connected, man. You saved my ass on that first job.”
“You saved mine on the third,” I replied.
“When we first crossed paths… you had the advantage of no scent and didn’t use that to take me out when we were on opposing sides, so I have an idea of how I’d like to repay you.”
“No repayment necessary.”
“That’s not how I roll, especially when someone doesn’t want a repayment. And it’s also why I wanna make this offer. Hear me out?”
I jerked up my chin.
“Meet my council, Jared. We’ll talk and see if there’s a fit. If yeah, you could join our pack. It’s different from a typical pack. Our six alpha council works. We’ve got other alphas that contribute. Our pack is a big one with lots of space and–”
“Sorry to cut you off, Lincoln, but to save you some words, I know about your pack.”
He stopped speaking and regarded me a moment before replying. “Then you may also know as we’re a non-traditional pack, a lot of folks who find they don’t fit that traditional structure request to join ours. Those who do get that opportunity voluntarily stay.”
“I do know all that.”
“And they thrive. No faking required. You won’t have to wear beta perfume ever again. I bet it turns your stomach.”
“Uh huh.” I took a big swig of my beer.
“I take it you’re not interested in taking a minute to consider my offer.”
“I prefer living away from packs. Too much risk, too complicated.”
“Well-”
I interrupted him again. “I know you guys are often called in to save wayward lone wolves from themselves, but I choose to be on my own for personal reasons. I don’t need or want anybody to ride to my rescue. I’ve done just fine for the past seventeen years.”
He raised both hands defensively. “Change your mind, reach out. Let’s change the subject. Or, if you prefer… I’ll dip.”
I should have let him dip. I also immediately regretted revealing it’s been seventeen years. That information can be used to dig into my past and Linc’s a private eye so I knew he immediately filed that tidbit away.
“Got a bottle of Jim Beam inside. Feeling like crackin’ it. You want some?”
“Got nowhere to be,” he replied. “Set up my tent here next to the camper if you don’t mind.”
“Sure.”
In truth, I minded. I never slept near anyone, hadn’t since I hit puberty and learned what was inside myself. But I felt a kinship with this guy, something I couldn’t explain, but chalked it up to knowing enough about the pack he comes from to know there’s a wider degree of acceptance of things outside the normal wolf shifter pack structure.
We met when we were both hired by different people in the same pack to help them oust their alpha. The problem was that the guy who hired me was an asshole with an ugly agenda. I read the situation wrong.
When I saw who the other side hired and knew Linc was one of the Arcana Falls council alphas, I took stock and watched carefully. Watched how the other private eye worked. Looked at the other perspective of the situation. And in the end, saved Lincoln Fowler’s life by taking out the guy who hired me when he had a wolf shifter ending weapon aimed at Linc.
Linc tracked me down to thank me and caught that I don’t carry a scent, a fact I’ve been hiding by wearing a bottled beta pheromone whenever I’m around other shifters. His scenting abilities are unlike anyone I’ve met. He’s got the best nose I’ve ever come across and caught up with me to thank me by tracking the fake scent lingering on my vehicle and my trailer. When he didn’t ask questions about my lack of scent, I wondered if he’d clocked it. I was paranoid about it for a while.