Feral Northern Shifters 2

door.
He delayed that action, scouting out the environs, trying to determine who was home. Trying to see, for goodness’ sakes, if Robert even lived here.
It didn’t take all that long for Ethan to determine that Robert did indeed still make his home here. But he was not alone, and tonight Ethan couldn’t face meeting a stranger. Ethan managed to be glad that Robert had someone who loved him, for Robert had been loveable, but the loneliness threatened to gut him and Ethan had to slip away.
His teeth chattered and it wasn’t from the cold. In so many ways he’d been wise to stay cougar—even if the past years had had everything to do with instinct and nothing to do with wisdom. Awaking this longing for human contact was debilitating and hurtful. If wolves came upon him now, it would be all over.
But they didn’t, and to be realistic, a city attack was unlikely. Wolves, especially wolf packs, avoided city life, what with their dependence upon the moon and their need to run together. Cougars, being more solitary creatures, adapted more easily to the streets and buildings and traffic and people. Not for the first time, Ethan wondered if Doug had been lying or telling the truth about the other cat shifter he claimed to have met.
That night Ethan ate by loitering at the back of a couple of restaurants—he had done this often in the old days—and retrieving their throwaways from the garbage.
Not the most glamorous way to get a meal to be sure, but he didn’t have to worry about getting sick. One thing his too-skinny body remained was immune to disease. Shifting did that to a guy. Once Ethan felt stuffed to the brim, and he’d badly needed to fill himself with calories before he burned out, he went prowling again—the human kind of prowling—and no longer felt cold. He’d last the night okay.
He didn’t intend to shift back to his cat form, at least for a day or two. But the loneliness pressed down on him like a terrible burden, eight years rushing to the surface of his human skin.
All the same, he felt incapable of actually approaching a human in this city. Yes, he’d eaten in a diner, ordered food and paid money. But even during those simple transactions, he’d acted oddly. Paying in quarters had raised the cashier’s eyebrows. His vagabond-like clothing had people regarding him with suspicion.
Don’t worry, I’m just a cat shifter .
Ha. Truth was, he didn’t have the resources to initiate any kind of human transaction. He refused to go to a shelter for the night. Too many bodies in too small a space.
That night he found a vent and slept on top of it. When he woke, he scavenged for food and remembered what he didn’t like about the city. But he got through the day. At four p.m., nerves taut, he made his second phone call to Trey.
There was no preamble on Trey’s part. “Bram’s gone. No one can find him.”
This time Ethan didn’t try to control his voice, and it sounded high and unsteady with the guilt of Bram’s sacrifice. The omega had rocked the status quo and he was going to pay for Ethan’s freedom. “Do you think they killed Bram? Do you think they’re lying to you when they say they can’t find him?”
“No.” The flat negative was reassuring to Ethan’s ears. Trey appeared to have no doubt about it. “There’s a trail. Bram left here alive. In fact, I’m going to follow it out as far as I can. At least get an idea where he’s headed. But with the melting snow and Bram’s head start, I don’t have much hope of actually finding him, and neither should you.”
So. It sounded like Bram had escaped. That was good, wasn’t it? “I wish I could know he was safe.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I beat the crap out of Doug.”
Ethan smiled at the image, but didn’t speak.
“In fact, I’m the new alpha here now.”
“Huh?” Christ, Ethan hated alphas, even over the phone.
Trey snorted at Ethan’s reaction. “It’s big news, actually, but you’re a cat. Pack dynamics aren’t your forté. I didn’t like how Doug’s been running the show. I disapprove of kidnapping and abuse. So I challenged him and won. I’m taking over. I needed a new job anyway since I got fired a while ago.”
“What will you do if Bram comes back?”
“He’ll be safe. I’ve made that clear. It’s one of the reasons I’m doing this, Ethan. Bram’s likely to try to return eventually. The pack will call to him. Unlike cats, wolves generally don’t do well on their own.”
“I hope