Moon Shifter 02 - Primal Possession

okay and he really hoped his getting hurt had nothing to do with shifters. Knowing what he did now about December’s past, he couldn’t bear the thought of her losing another family member.
    December sipped a crappy cup of coffee as she sat in the waiting room with Ana. They hadn’t been there long and the doctors had assured her that Parker was going to be fine. The bullet had missed any major arteries, but he was in surgery.
    Surgery.
    Anything could go wrong. And after the last conversation she’d had with him, she couldn’t help but worry the universe was seriously messing with her. If he died after the things she’d said to him, she’d never forgive herself. The thought of life without Parker was unimaginable. He might be overbearing, but from the time she was eight, he’d taken over the parenting role for both her and Brandon.
    When their parents had died, they’d gone to live with an uncle, and while he hadn’t been physically abusive, he’d simply been nonexistent in their lives. He’d been the town drunk and always on a bender. At least he hadn’t been violent. Just a jackass unfit to care for three kids. Or himself really. He’d certainly taken advantage of theirinheritance, though. Barely eleven, Parker had stepped up and taken on a role no one so young should ever have to worry about.
    Her throat tightened as morbid thoughts assailed her. If she lost him—
    “He’s going to be fine.” Ana’s soft voice cut through the haze of her mind.
    Jerking to look at the other woman, she frowned. “Are you a mind reader?”
    She shook her head. “I don’t have to be. Your brother is in surgery. You heard what the doctor said. If he made it through in the first half hour, he’s going to come through this fine.”
    Not trusting her voice, she nodded. Her mind knew that, but in her heart she was still terrified.
    “December?” She looked up at the sound of Kat’s voice and stood. A tall man with jet-black hair who looked vaguely familiar hung back a few feet, as if he’d followed her friend.
    Some of the aching in December’s chest loosened at the sight of her friend. For a brief moment she thought about asking who the man was, but he said something to Ana as he took a seat next to the brunette and December realized he was a shifter. Probably shadowing Kat. Not that any of that mattered right now. “What are you doing here?”
    “Everyone in town heard about what happened. I knew you’d be here, so I hurried right over.” Panic laced Kat’s voice.
    Having her friend here helped more than Kat probably realized. “I’m so glad you’re here.” Immediately she threw her arms around Kat’s neck, needing her friend’s support. Ana had been perfectly nice and a calming influence,but December didn’t know her well enough to let her guard down around her.
    Kat tightly returned her hug. “Have you heard any news?”
    She nodded stiffly as she stepped back. “He should be out of surgery soon, but I don’t know if he’ll even want to see me.” As the words escaped, she realized it was true. After that last conversation she was terrified bone deep that he wouldn’t want anything to do with her.
    Kat brushed her words away with a wave of her hand. “Don’t be stupid. For all his stubbornness, your brother loves you.” She grabbed the cup from her hand and sniffed. “This is cold and gross. You want a refill?”
    Nodding, she glanced at Ana, who still sat in the plastic chair. “You want some coffee or tea?”
    Ana shook her head. “I’ll stick around in case the doctor comes back.” Then she nodded at the man sitting next to her.
    It was a slight movement but December noticed it. On cue, the man stood, as if he was going to follow them. Her entire body tensed, but she kept her mouth shut. Arguing with this stranger was pointless and she didn’t have the energy.
    But Kat did. “
Sit.
You’ve been shadowing me all day and we need some privacy right now. I swear, if you follow us, I’ll scream and call security on you.” From her almost haughty tone, December wasn’t sure if her friend was bluffing or not.
    Ana placed a light hand on the tall shifter’s arm. He hadn’t said a word, but it was obvious he was fighting a battle. When Ana squeezed and murmured something, he slowly lowered himself back into the seat. Ana focused on both of them. “Just…don’t go anywhere else,okay?” Even though it was phrased as a question, it almost sounded like an order.
    December nodded.