Feral Northern Shifters 2

sorry.”
“You may be sorry. However, I don’t believe you, about the kissing.” Ethan watched Bram’s face burn, but he made himself continue. “Werewolves are really into sex, touch, affection. More than cats. That much I remember.” From Lila and her descriptions of her pack, and from Lila herself acting all motherly towards Ethan. But he wasn’t going to speak her name.
Bram looked away. “Not all werewolves.” His mouth twisted. “Some are special .”
He wouldn’t meet Ethan’s gaze, sat very still, yet didn’t release Ethan’s ankle, as if that hold was important.
Not all werewolves, eh? Well, if Bram was for real, if he was showing Ethan his true emotions, there might be room to maneuver because Bram could be played. And while it had been many years, at one time Ethan had been very good at playing men. It was time to relearn old skills.

Chapter Five
    Bram clenched his fist by his side, as if that single gesture could convey to Doug what he had to say. “Did Ethan get under your skin?” Doug asked.
“We have a problem.” He kissed me. But Bram didn’t want to actually say that. It felt disloyal, which
was silly. Doug wouldn’t use it against Ethan. Doug wouldn’t give a shit.
    The alpha glanced at the sleeping Ethan on the screen. “Actually, I think the cat is doing great, much better than expected. Trey’s had to kill all his ferals. This one has been human for three days and coherent for one day.”
    Bram frowned. From time to time, Doug mentioned Trey, apparent cat expert and cat killer. Bram didn’t much like the sound of this werewolf cousin of Doug’s.
“You look troubled, Bram.”
Bram kept his voice quiet, tentative. Doug liked tentative and was more receptive to what Bram said when he appeared uncertain. “It seems wrong to hold Ethan captive and keep him in one room. Now that he’s lucid it might do more harm than good.”
“ Seems being the key word here.” Doug lifted his chin towards the outside window. “Do you think he wants to know he’s surrounded by werewolves out there? That he’s being held at the Winter pack’s headquarters?”
Bram scrubbed his face. “No. At least, not yet.”
“‘No’ is the correct answer. It’s better Ethan stays cocooned away from the real world. Yes, he’s got escape on his mind. You can tell by the way he looks at the door, and what could be more natural? His cat will want to be free.” Doug grinned, that triumph in his expression again. “But not his human. His human craves our company. He wants to talk to us. He responds and even initiates conversations. It’s very good, Bram.”
It sure as hell didn’t feel good .
At Bram’s dubious look, Doug added, “He’s been alone for many, many years, and it hasn’t been healthy for him.”
“Yeah, but he’s a cougar. They need to be alone. They’re not pack animals like us.”
“They need time alone, yes. But they’re shifters, not animals. They have their human side.”
“I know that,” Bram snapped.
Doug leveled him a warning look.
Bram raised his palms in apology. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. I didn’t mean to say Ethan was an animal.” He could have accused Doug of twisting his words and putting him on the defensive, but Bram didn’t want to get sidetracked.
“My point,” Doug said with great patience, “is that Ethan is part human and constant solitude is bad for him. It fucks him up.”
“Okay,” Bram agreed, just like Doug wanted him to. Bram felt tired. He wasn’t used to arguing and disagreeing this much with his alpha, and he found it stressful. Easier to bow and scrape and apologize, though that was hell on what was left of his ego.
“Is there something you want to tell me, Bram?”
Bram stared at the floor, preparing himself for his next words, and they were hard to force out even if Doug likely knew. Given his fascination for the cat, he had probably watched the screen. Bram cleared his throat. “Ethan came on to me.”
Doug eyed him steadily, no surprise in his expression. “How did you react?”
“I set him apart from me.” Bram could feel heat flooding his face but he met Doug’s gaze briefly.
“Good.” Doug paused and a ghost of a smile appeared. “It’s actually a good sign that he wants you. It shows that his human side is alive and well and working. We want that.”
Bram shook his head. “It’s not good, it’s wrong.” It wasn’t fair to Ethan, being captive, being drawn to his jailer. Bram felt that in his