[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Glory had lived this long without her brother, hadn’t she?“I know what I saw.” Temp stared up at him, his expression defiant and fearful at the same time.“I’m not crazy.”Ryan blinked.He hadn’t expected the man to go immediately on the attack.“What did you see?” He held out the beer can and waited.Temp scowled, but took the offered drink.“My sister became…something else.”“She became a Grizzly Bear, yeah.”Temp popped the top and took a long swig.“Tell me you’re not driving.” Fuck, if he had to he’d put the guy up on his couch.That would please his mate.“I’m not driving.” Temp sighed and settled on the step below Ryan.“What the hell is going on? Is that really my sister? Is this something that could hurt her?”“Glory is a shifter now, and yes, it’s really her.No, it won’t hurt her.Nothing will ever hurt her again, not if I can help it.” Ryan settled on the step above Temp and took his own sip of beer.“Glory is my mate.”Temp blinked.“Okay.Back up and start from the beginning.You’re like, what, a werewolf?” Temp sounded calm, but his hand was shaking.“No.I’m an accountant.” When Temp blinked at him, confused, Ryan laughed.“I’m also a Bear.A Grizzly, in fact.”Temp’s hand froze on the way to his mouth.“Aren’t they the most aggressive species of bear?”Ryan shrugged.“Kodiaks are worse.”Temp swigged more beer.“There are Kodiaks?”It was almost cute, the way the man’s voice squeaked.“Yup.”“Shit.” Temp slumped, his hands between his knees, the almost empty can held loosely.“Are you sure this isn’t going to hurt her?”“It’s not going to hurt her.” Ryan smiled as Temp relaxed, at least marginally.The man really had been worried about his sister.“You’re taking this pretty well.”Temp snorted.“I’m holding on for her sake.I’ll freak out in private, where she can’t see it.”“Good.She’s been through enough.”Temp finished his beer and crumpled the can.“Tell me about bears, Ryan.I want to know what my sister is going to have to deal with.”Ryan nodded.“Bear, like all the other animal spirits, chose his people and offered them a gift.”“Wait.You mean there really are werewolves out there?”“Yeah.” This was the part Ryan dreaded.“Look, man.It turns out Hope was held by one.”“Was? You found her?” Temp’s expression was so relieved Ryan began to believe Glory might be right about him.“How is she? Is she safe? Where is she?”Ryan held up his hands.“The Wolf who took her is dead, she’s alive, but she’s…traumatized, deeply.” Ryan grimaced.“He…did things to her.Turned her into one of us against her will.Temp, she’s broken.”Temp sat, stunned for a moment before he closed his eyes with a pained expression.When he opened them, Ryan caught sight of tears.“Fuck.”“Yeah.” Ryan ran his fingers through his hair.“She’s a Grizzly too?” Temp shuddered.“No.She’s a Wolf, like her captor was.”“Was?”Temp had picked up on that quickly.“He managed to get his hands on both Glory and Hope.One of the Pumas chased them down and killed him before he could get too far with them.”“Good.” Temp sounded fierce, as fierce as Ryan ever had.“I hope the fucker burns in Hell.” Temp sighed and lifted his head.“She’s going to need us to get through this.”“She is, yeah.”“So I’m really not crazy.”“Nope.”“Shit balls.You couldn’t lie to me and tell me I’m stuck in some padded room having hallucinations, could you? You just had to tell me the truth.”Ryan chuckled.“Sorry, man.You’re not crazy.”Temp blew out a breath.“Both my sisters are shifters?”“Yup.”“And they’re all right?”“Glory is, yeah.Hope, not so much, but she will be.”Temp fiddled with his can nervously.“Are you going to change me too? Because I’d guess it’s either that, or…” He drew his thumb across his throat.Ryan smiled.Temp was turning out to be okay.The man was smart, he’d give him that.“That’s up to you.”“What do you mean?”“You know about us.Usually, humans who discover what we are do so because they’re mated to one of us.It’s how Glory wound up changing.”“And Hope?”Ryan snarled.“The son of a bitch changed her against her will.He had some weird delusion that she was his mate, but she wasn’t.”“Did he…?” Temp sighed.“I can’t even say it.”Ryan patted Temp’s knee.“Yeah, he raped her.”“God damn it.” Temp wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and Ryan pretended not to see the moisture still gathering there.“We’re going to do everything we can to make her feel safe and heal her wounds, inside and out.But you’re going to have to help us.”“Damn straight I will.” Temp slumped.“So [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]