Page 5 of Seneca
The sun was setting and the world was turning a beautiful orange and gold as Sunny followed the signs from the highway to the park.It was eight, and the park closed in an hour.With each minute that passed, her anxiety grew, until the colorful sunset was more a taunt than something to enjoy, as if it signified time running out.
Her palms were slick against the steering wheel, and she rubbed first one and then the other on her jeans, her stomach twisting as much as the road she was following.
Her tigress, which she never really felt much except when she was emotional, seemed to be pacing in her head.She didn’t know exactly what it meant, though, but figured the stress she was under at losing everything and not knowing what was going to happen when she got to the park was making her show herself a little more.
She glanced at her fingertips, where she swore she could feel the prick of claws.
What was happening to her?
As she turned into the park, she saw a sandwich board sign with bold lettering:CLOSED.Come back tomorrow!
Her heart sank as she braked.But then she realized that there was no one in the small security booth next to the sign, so she steered around it and drove into the mostly empty parking lot.A handful of vehicles were filing out, with several more in the large lot.She parked close to the massive front gate and stared through the windshield at it.For a second, she panicked.Was the gate closed?
Then she saw that the center of the gate was still open, wide enough to allow people to leave.A family with young children was heading out, the kids talking animatedly as their parents smiled tiredly.
Sunny got out and shut the door, inhaling the warm evening air.She picked up everything she expected: wild animals, food, and people.
But there was something deeper and wilder in the air, and her heart clenched slightly.Was she smelling shifters?Could it be that Sera was right and there were shifters here?
Her tigress stirred a little more and a strange feeling passed through her.
It felt like coming home.
Inhaling deeply, she straightened her shoulders and walked to the gate, slipping through the gap.The open space past the gates had a row of turnstiles manned by a male and female wearing matching polos with the park logo on the chest.Beyond them was an archway leading into the park.
The male caught sight of her first.“Um, hello?We’re closing very soon, in about half an hour.Did you need something?”
Sunny walked to them, trying to hide the trembling in her hands.“H-hi,” she said, grimacing as her voice cracked.Her nerves were strung so tightly that she felt like her skin was going to split.She rubbed the space over her heart as her tigress let out a particularly loud snarl in her head.“I need to talk to whoever is in charge.”
The male’s eyes narrowed and he put his arm around the female and drew her closer.It was subtle, but Sunny saw his eyes flash to amber for just a heartbeat as he inhaled nearly silently.He was a rugged sort, tall and muscular, and looked like he would bite the head off of anyone who got too close to the female, who was petite and looked perfectly calm standing next to him.
Sunny envied her the freedom from worrying about things.No one had ever watched her back like that.Yes, Sera and Fallon had been by her side and stepped in as family, but not the way the male was doing right now.Like he would raze a city to keep that female safe.
Sunny inhaled and she found even her senses seemed heightened.
They were wolves.
So Sera was right.Shifters were at the safari park.Wolves, anyway.
Then the female gave him a nudge and he said, “Let me call someone from security.”
They moved a few paces away and he spoke to someone through a walkie that had been in a holster on his hip.He arranged himself between the female and her, and Sunny was certain they were mates.She’d heard that wolf males were notoriously protective of their mates.
She’d never wanted something so much in her life.
To be cared for, protected.Treated like someone precious and valuable.
Her eyes stung a little and she shook her head, trying to dislodge the strange train of thought about romance and mating.She was there to ask for sanctuary for herself, not find her happily-ever-after.
After what felt like far too long, the male said, “Come over this way, our head of security is on the way.”
* * *
Sunny waited near the two wolves but away from where the park patrons were exiting.She’d been waiting a few minutes, and her body was a ball of nervous energy.She was about to pace a little just to burn off some of the energy when three big males appeared, walking toward her.In the lead was a male with dark blond hair and a grimace.They were wearing polos with the park’s logo the same as the two wolves.
They stopped a few feet away and she froze, knowing she was in the presence of predators.
Lions to be exact, judging by the tall-grass scent that emanated from them.