Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
“Nothing is wrong with me,” I say with a shrug. “There’s something wrong with all of you. I’ve seen what mates do to shifters. They turn them inside out and twist them around like cold spaghetti. I like my life. I don’t want it to change.”
Rylan laughs. “You just microwaved six hot dogs and ate them with hot sauce and bacon that was a week old.”
“So?”
“So, if anyone’s life needs to change, it’s yours.”
I shake my head as they all laugh. “I don’t want it. I don’t want a mate. I don’t want to fall in love. I don’t want any of it.”
“What about your bear?” Westin asks. “You can’t tell me that your grizzly isn’t itching to find his mate.”
“My bear sleeps all day and night,” I tell them. Sometimes I even forget that I have an animal inside me. “He’s been in hibernation mode for the last twenty or so years. I don’t hear much from him. Probably because he doesn’t want a mate either.”
They’re all shaking their heads at me as the Chief gets off the phone and comes out of his office.
“I need a volunteer for safety day at the elementary school,” he says as he stands beside the table and looks at each one of us.
We all drop our eyes to our cards. It’s silent. No one is even breathing. We’re not doing anything to draw attention to ourselves.
“Anyone?” Blake says. “Bueller? Bueller?”
Rylan suddenly points at me. “It’s Carter’s turn!”
“What? Fuck you! It is not!”
The other two traitors, Ethan and Westin, are nodding in agreement.
“I did the fire safety class at the senior citizen home,” I quickly say. “Remember?”
“Oh, I do,” Blake says as his eyes narrow on me. “They asked you to never come back if I remember correctly.”
Rylan snorts out a laugh. “What did you do again?”
“Nothing!” I say defensively. “They’re all a bunch of drama queens. You set one vending machine on fire during a demonstration and suddenly you’re a public safety hazard.”
Blake huffs out a breath. “Mrs. Henderson broke her hip!”
“That brittle old thing was going to break anyway! And I didn’t tell her to jump out the window!”
“Well, one of you has to go,” Blake says as he crosses his arms over his chest. “It’s at the school so let’s try not to burn anything down, okay?”
“Let’s play for it,” Ethan says and Blake agrees.
“Worst hand on this round gets the luxury of going.”
“What?” I shout. “No!”
I have the worst possible hand.
“It’s already done,” Blake says in a tone that leaves no room for discussion. “Deal the cards.”
Tension hangs over the table as each card is dealt. An ace, then a queen.
I have a two and a seven. I might as well be holding my cock in my hands for all the good these cards are doing me.
Of course, I come in last place.
“You’re going,” Blake says as he points at me.
Ethan is grinning. “Maybe it won’t be all bad. I hear the secretary is pretty hot. Maybe she’ll be your mate.”
“Ugh.” I toss my useless cards on the table and sit back with a groan. “I’d rather set myself on fire, but thanks.”
Chapter Two
Carter
The secretary is not hot. She’s also very mean and probably shouldn’t be around children.
“You have to sign the visitor’s form!” she snaps. “How do I know you’re not a terrorist?”
“Because I’ve been here before. And I have a firefighter outfit on. And there’s a fire truck parked outside that window.”
She frowns as her terrifying eyes stare me down.
This woman might be a troll shifter. I don’t think those exist, but if they do, then I just found the first one.
“You’re in classroom number seven,” she says as she shoves the clipboard with the visitor’s form into my hands. “Kindergarten class with Miss Aubrey Olson.” She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Of course, she’s late again so the principal is in there now. These young teachers don’t have the respect or sense of responsibility that…”
I tune her out as she rambles on. My throat is all scratchy and my chest is tingling as I sign my name on the form. I put my signature in the wrong spot just to piss her off.
“That’s not where your name goes!” she shouts as I hurry out of the reception area.
The tingling in my chest starts to burn as I move down the hall with all of the crappy artwork on the walls and the small coats hanging in the cubbies.
I clear my throat, but it doesn’t go away. My eyes start to water as the inside of my nose begins to burn with every breath.
What the hell?
I look around for construction workers or a janitor or something. Someone is using some harsh chemicals that shouldn’t be used around young kids.
My grizzly bear growls as he shakes himself awake.