Feral Northern Shifters 2

thought there was a lot to unpack in those two sentences, but he couldn’t do it now. Instead he nodded. “Okay, I can understand that. Listen, the thing with Trey is, I can’t read him, barely at all. Very little emotion shows on his face. He has no interest in trying to convince you he’s a good guy with words or meaningless gestures. But, Bram, he’s worked his butt off for me. Finding me in the city. Bringing me here. Getting me ID. Getting me a paying job. Bringing in the other wolves to look for you. He wouldn’t say he’s trying to help and protect shapeshifters. He just does it.”
Bram nodded back, though Ethan felt like it was to be polite.
“Look, why don’t we sit in the living room? Want a beer?”
“No, thanks.”
Ethan opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of beer, as well as a bottle of water that he threw at Bram, who caught it. “I’m sure you’re thirsty,” said Ethan.
Again that polite nod. Ethan made a follow-me gesture and headed for the couch. Bram waited till Ethan sat, then lowered himself into the chair opposite to sit on its edge. Ethan wanted to tell him to relax. But saying something like that would make the tension worse. He cast about for something else to say. His conversational skills were not at their peak, and presumably Bram’s weren’t either.
Bram rolled the bottle between his palms and blurted out, “Has Trey ever talked about Doug?”
“Only to say that Doug’s no longer the alpha.”
Bram blinked. “What?”
“Trey challenged him, won the challenge and took over.” At Bram’s stunned expression, Ethan added, “Trey isn’t terribly talkative, so I don’t have the details. My impression is that Trey disapproved of how Doug was running the pack so…he took charge. He doesn’t particularly relish being alpha which, to my mind, is different from both Gabriel and Doug.”
Nevertheless, Bram had gone pale, gripping the water bottle between his hands.
Ethan frowned. While Doug and Bram had obviously had some sort of relationship, Ethan had assumed they’d parted on bad terms. “You’re upset by this news?”
“Where’s Doug now?”
“I don’t know. I think he’s still there.”
“If Doug lost his position because of me…” Bram didn’t finish the sentence. But he put down the bottle and spread his hands, as if the situation was hopeless.
“Doesn’t it point to Trey and Doug not being in cahoots?” Ethan suggested.
“Maybe.” Bram’s head fell forward. “I’m tired. I don’t think I can figure out anything else tonight.”
All that eating, after the shifting, would have made Bram extremely tired.
“Go sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”
“If we’re still safe in the morning.” There was a slight slur to Bram’s words, from his exhaustion.
“I’ve been safe for three months here, Bram. Let’s try for another day. I will say that Trey says Doug’s name with dislike and, oh, he doesn’t like the term omega. Says it’s bullshit.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.” Ethan decided that playing it cool and hands-off when Bram was about to fall out of his chair wasn’t going to work. He walked over, took his hand and pulled Bram to his feet to lead him down the hall to the bedroom.
Though weariness dragged at Bram’s features, his eyes were darkening again. Okay, so Ethan couldn’t smell attraction, but he could observe it. He still hadn’t released Bram’s hand and Bram hadn’t released his. In fact his grip remained strong.
Ethan pushed Bram to sit on the edge of the bed. “Lie down.”
Watching him, Bram obeyed.
Finally Ethan released Bram’s hand and ran fingers through Bram’s tousled hair. The wolf stared up as if mesmerized and Ethan smiled.
Without warning, Ethan dropped a swift kiss on Bram’s mouth. His lips parted in surprise as Ethan straightened.
“Sweet dreams, Bram.”

Chapter Sixteen
    Bram slept deeply, and he couldn’t stop running as wolf. Running, running. Mostly from Doug, but sometimes other wolves. Sometimes he was being run out, sometimes he was being hunted.
They closed in, this round. It was no longer a game, but life and death, and Bram knew the wolf was going to catch him, punish him. He stopped, turned to fight though he wasn’t a fighter, and suddenly found himself human, sitting on the ground helpless as the wolf’s canines descended.
Bram screamed…
The scream was silent. Long ago, he’d taught himself not to make noise during his nightmares. He sat up, sweating, his lungs working