Page 5 of Shifters Unifying

I had to get out of there before I stripped off my clothes and shoved Logan down on the desk, on top of the maps, and screw whether Olivia and Jasper were in the room.

“I’ve got to take this,” I rasped, holding up my phone and trying not to broadcast any more mental pornos across my bond with Logan.

My mate licked his lips, nodded, and bared his teeth.

My answering whimper escaped, but that’s all. I turned and hurried out of the room without another word, hitting the call button on my way out, taking a deep breath, and blowing out a long breath of air as I stepped onto the front porch of the large manor home. Four, four-wheeled ATVs had been parked on the graveled driveway front Six-Mile headquarters building.

Shannon picked up before the first ring. Her kids were laughing uproariously in the background, and a moment later, their noises disappeared behind the sound of a door closing.

“Emma! Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick, since you… since you…turned into…” She was whisper-yelling at me, probably trying to be keep the kids from hearing.

“Since Ishifted, you mean?”

“Is that what you call it?” she exclaimed. “God forbid I use the wrong terminology.”

Her response made me laugh, and relief flooded me, dislodging a big chunk of the boulder of worry I’d been carrying around on my chest since my kidnapping in the parking lot. Images of Riley’s torture flicked through my brain. I’d never forgive myself for her collateral damage. If anything, that steeled my drive to send Acheron to the pit of hell where he belonged. I planned to dance on that asshole’s grave.

“Emma, did I lose you?” Shannon’s soft voice interrupted my dark thoughts. “Are you shifting again? Is that what you called it?”

“Yeah, that’s what you call it,” I answered.

“Have you always been able to do that?”

“No, it’s a new development.”

“I’d freaking say,” she said. Sounds of a knock on a door and muffled voices filtered through. “What?”

We’d already been through this many times, so I knew she wasn’t talking to me, and I waited.

“Yeah, you can watch Dude Perfect,” she called back to her kids through the door. “No wonder you’ve been so distracted. All the shifting and whatever else.”

“It’s the whole reason I’ve been MIA.”

“Makes sense. Feeling cute, might turn into a bear later. That’s a little more than an average day.” She snickered. “Or bear for that matter.”

I laughed again. “Oh, you have no idea.”

“Where are you?”

“Out in the country with a bunch of shifters, learning how to do it properly.”

“I’m glad you’re not alone,” she said. “That seems like a heck of a thing to navigate on your own.”

“Yeah…” It wasn’t all of it. Logan was another big part of everything that had happened to me latterly, but he probably didn’t want me to blow his cover, too.

“Have you heard from Riley?”

“Not really. One-syllable texts now and then,” she said. “Though, I warned her you had a lot going on.”

“Have there been any hiccups with your direct deposits or anything?”

“No, but how long are you going to keep paying us to answer a few calls and sit at home?”

“You know I have enough to keep it up for a little while. At least long enough for me to figure out what I’m doing next.”

“How do you figure out what you’re doing next?”

“Don’t have a clue. I figure it’ll take me a month to decide. Just keep referring patients, following up on outstanding invoices, and make sure you let me know if I need to come in for anything. How’s Sully-Boy?”