Slow Shift by Nazarea Andrews (best ereader for pdf .TXT) 📗

~*~

In June, as the moon rises full and shining overhead, Chase walks through the woods, a black wolf and a grey wolf on either side of him, as three wolves—lean, blonde Ezra, small, sable Jessica, Joseph huge and black—fight and run around them, and the Pack bonds he used to tie the wolves to the Reid Pack shine so bright he thinks, for just a moment, that he can see them.

Stephen walks, in human form, with him, with only red gleaming eyes and his fangs just slightly lengthened.

“They’re doing wonderful,” he says, a tiny bit proud, but far more admiring than anything else.

“It helped that they had so much time to prepare,” Chase says, “And solid anchors before the Bite.”

“And a powerful mage to tie them to the Pack,” Stephen says.

Chase shrugs. “Doesn’t hurt, no.”

Stephen laughs and Tyler flicks an ear toward him.

“Will you add more?”

Chase watches the new Pack members and shakes his head. “No. I don’t think so. Not right now.”

“Well, you can call when you change your mind.”

Chase nods his thanks, fidgeting anxiously as they near the Standing Stones. He can feel them thrumming against his skin, the power and vitality of them humming in his veins, and he gives Stephen a brief smile before he darts away. Lucas howls, chasing him as magic flares around the Pack, a whitewash of it that blinds him briefly and welcomes him home.

~*~

Near the end of August, they go to a local bookstore while the pups are working. Lucas and Chase are arguing over a poetry book while Tyler browses through autobiographies, when he stiffens, his head snapping up and a low growl rumbling in his throat. Chase glances at him, and then—

Oh.

The man—werewolf—approaching them is dressed in linen and cream, skin tan and almost offensively good looking, with shining blue eyes, an even white smile, and the kind of cocky arrogance that reminds Chase of the worst kind of frat boys.

He touches Tyler’s shoulder and glances at the werewolf.

“Well, you aren’t here to cause trouble,” he says.

Lucas laughs. “That’s exactly what you’re here for, isn’t it, Tripp?”

Chase stares as Tripp shrugs. “Just thought it was time we had a talk—heard some interesting rumors about the recent Pack expansion. Seemed a little overdue to find out exactly what you’re doing out here.”

“One day,” Lucas muses, “I’ll find your spy and I’ll send you their entrails in a pretty box.”

Tripp grins sharply, the first hint of ‘wolf peeking through that too polished demeanor. “You do that, Lucas. In the meantime, answer my questions. What are you doing?”

“Why do you care?” Chase asks curiously, and Tripp smiles, like he’s done an especially impressive trick.

“Oh, kid. And to think the entire East Coast is terrified of you.” He shakes his head.

Tyler says woodenly,  “This is Tripp Cahil, Alpha Heir to the Cahil Pack. He’s Chelsea’s fiance.”

Tripp looks absurdly pleased by Tyler’s recognition.

Chase huffs and gathers up his books. “Well, no offense, dude, but fuck off. We have one Alpha more than we want.”

Cahil catches his arm and Lucas snarls, loud and wet enough that the woman walking past meeps and scurries a little faster. Chase forces his magic down and lets himself hang from the ‘wolf’s painful grasp.

“She’s mine, kid. Which means you? Your pathetic Pack? Harrisburg? All mine.”

Chase smiles. “Yeah? Well, she isn’t mine. But if you want us, if you want our territory? Then come and take it. Others have tried and we’re still fucking here.”

Cahil snarls and Lucas moves, pushing him into the bookshelf. Chase lets Tyler rip Cahil’s arm off him and pull him away, lets Lucas herd them to the car, cursing low and furious under his breath.

He wishes he felt angry. He doesn’t, not really. He just squeezes Tyler’s hand and breathes. “We always knew this was going to come, that the Cahils would force Chelsea’s hand,” Chase says.

Lucas glares. “We still don’t have a way to move your bond to a different Alpha,” he snaps. “So excuse me for being a little upset.”

Chase sighs and squeezes Tyler’s hand absentmindedly. “Whatever makes you happy, big bad.” Lucas spits a curse at him that makes Tyler growl.

Chase listens absently while he watches the city slip by, wondering how long they have.

Chapter 26

Chase always knew they were living on borrowed time, that eventually, Chelsea would call her betas home, or she’d return to Harrisburg to claim what was hers. He knew that, even as he bound himself to the Reid Pack as Shaman, to their territory as the scion of some magic fucking Stones. He knew, saw the writing on the wall, and he did it anyway, because as much as he loathed the idea of serving Chelsea, he hated the idea of leaving Tyler and Lucas more.

He isn’t surprised, really, by anything more than how long they had before Chelsea came to call.

~*~

Tyler bakes when he’s stressed, because Chase forbade him from doing any more projects on the house after the third expansion. Jessica joins him more often than not these days, because she’s good at it and because it’s the only time she gets to spend with Tyler when the betas and Chase aren’t also vying for his attention.

“What’s wrong?”

Tyler shakes his head and sprinkles some blueberries into the loaf he’s making. “Chase will explain it,” he says shortly.

Jessica bites her lip but doesn’t argue, just finishes the lemon poppyseed muffins and leans into him when he brushes past her.

The Pack is gathered in the living room, Lucas sprawled in his chair with Aurora tucked into his side, her fingers curled around the nape of his neck while Ezra and Joseph sit on the floor under the picture window. Chase is sitting cross-legged on the couch, phone in his hand, playing a game. He curses as he drops it in his lap and Tyler sits next to him.

“The Cahils came to town,” he announces without any preamble, and Jessica pauses.

“Should that mean something to us?” Ezra asks.

“The Cahils are the Pack that gave Chelsea sanctuary