Feral Northern Shifters 2

position of power, in government, in military, in paramilitary, do know and will know. I don’t want the Winter pack to be seen as a liability or a source of danger. Something to be shut down or, worse, terminated. Better they see us as a responsible gateway to shapeshifters. We take care of our own and we take care of ferals. See?”
The earnestness on Doug’s face almost undid Bram. He wanted to confess all. He wanted to talk about the wire cutters under his bed.
Except Ethan was in there and Doug was ready to sacrifice him for the health of the pack. Bram could not be a part of that.
“Have you understood anything I’ve said, Bram?”
“I understand,” Bram said in a low voice.
“I have to wonder sometimes, the way you stare at me, so blank faced. I end up wondering if anything is going on inside that head of yours.”
Bram forced himself to say more. “I understand what you’re trying to do and why you’re trying to do it.”
Apparently satisfied, Doug nodded and turned back to the computer screen. His eyes widened and his entire body stiffened in alarm. “Jesus Christ.”
“What?” Bram moved closer to get a look, worried about what he’d find Ethan doing. And Ethan wasn’t there, at least not the man. A cougar lay across the bed. “Oh God.” Bram’s chest went tight with panic. His plan hadn’t included Ethan shifting.
“That was one fast shift,” observed Doug, voice a bit jerky with excitement and nervousness. “I looked, say, ten minutes ago. Trey didn’t mention that cats could shift this quickly.”
Bram ran a hand up and down his face, wondering how far down tonight’s chances of success had plummeted. He breathed in only to sense Doug’s rising anger and braced himself, even welcomed Doug’s focus on him. Anything to keep Doug away from Ethan.
“Goddammit.” Doug rounded on Bram. “Did you not go in that room at all today? You know he needs human contact. I made that clear from the beginning.”
Bram couldn’t decide if it was wiser to admit he’d been in Ethan’s room or not, but when he caught sight of Ethan rising from the bed and prowling the room, as beautiful as he remembered from the day of the hunt, Bram’s mouth dropped open. A tawny-colored cougar, black around the mouth and eyes, moved with feline grace. His loose skin swayed a little as he circled the room.
Then he jumped back on the bed and snarled directly at the camera.
“How the hell does he know about the camera?” Doug demanded.
“Well.” Bram searched for the right thing to say. “He’s been locked in the room for a number of days with not much to do, and he’s not unobservant.”
Doug jabbed a finger at Bram. “You fucked up.”
Bram didn’t bother to point out that Doug had suggested earlier today that he watch Ethan from outside the room. Under the circumstances, it was better to take the fall. “I’m sorry.”
“‘Sorry’,” Doug mimicked. “That’s fucking helpful. Thanks, Bram, for being sorry. Exactly what I need.” Doug got right in Bram’s face, forcing him to retreat. “What I need are fucking solutions.”
Bram nodded and looked away.
“If I shoot him, he’ll be forced to shift in order to heal, and quite frankly, it would serve him right. I told that bugger he had to stay human.”
Bram did not want Ethan shot, but he had to tread easy here. Doug was close to enraged. “Drugging him worked well last time he was cougar, didn’t it? He turned human then, remember? If you drug him, there’s less danger if he fights the shifting, tries to stay cat and bleeds out.”
Doug pooh-poohed that idea. “Why would he fight the shifting if he’s wounded?”
Bram met Doug’s gaze. “He’s going a little crazy in that room, Doug. You must know that. It makes him unpredictable. He might prefer to die rather than stay captive.”
Doug seemed almost taken aback. “I hardly think he’s suicidal.” He waved at the screen. “This guy wants to live.”
“He’s complex. After all, we didn’t predict he would shift.”
“What I didn’t predict is that you would screw things up.” Doug shook his head sharply. “Nevertheless, we’ll go the tranq route, as you’ve suggested. I want to keep him safe given we’re handing him over tomorrow. They might not want a dead cougar.” But suspicion sat there in Doug’s eyes, as if Bram was less trustworthy after this development. “Ethan is going to attack, be it gun or tranq. A bullet would bring him down immediately. A tranq is