Nathan Kaldwell has been a deputy in the town of Stone Ridge for many years. In that time, he’s noticed a few peculiarities in many of the town’s occupants. Since the occupants’ oddities never seem to pose a danger to anyone, Nathan keeps the information to himself. When a motorcycle gang comes to town, being a bike enthusiast, he stops to admire their rides.
To Nathan’s surprise, what he thinks is a large gray dog in a sidecar turns out to be a wolf. A shocking series of events reveals that the wolf is also a man named Khan, a paranormal creature called a shifter. While Nathan’s attracted to the pretty man, he spots the tell-tale signs of a wounded and abused soul. He’s not certain if even what the shifters call the mate-pull can convince the skittish Khan to stay in human form for him.
When Nathan learns there’s shifter hunters in the area, can he keep Khan safe in either form?
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“Hey, Khan.”
The wolf known as Khan turned his head and peered up at Adam. Khan wasn’t his original name, but when Payson had dubbed him with it, he’d been happy to answer to it. In fact, when Payson had shown him the Star Trek movie that starred the character in it, even though he was technically a bad guy, Khan decided to keep the name. While it was probably a little silly, he hoped that by taking the enhanced human’s name, he could take on a little of the guy’s strength.
That Khan was a badass.
Focusing on Adam, Khan yipped softly in greeting to the white tiger shifter who’d stopped in front of him.
“It’s time to head out. You ready to go to Stone Ridge with us?” Adam glanced around the clearing as he rested his hands on his hips before returning his attention to Khan, a grin curving the blond man’s lips. “Or did you decide to stay in the bayou with some of the others?”
Just like every shifter who Alpha Kontra Belikov had either rescued from scientists or had been offered for rehabilitation by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse after they’d been rescued from witches, Khan had been given a choice—continue under his protection and go to Stone Ridge with them or stay with Olson, who owned the Victorian they’d been staying at, as well as Olson’s shifter mate, Able. The fae and their mates were staying, as well, at least for a time. Although, since fae didn’t actually age, their idea of for a time could have been for a couple of centuries.
Who knows.
Dipping his canine snout in a quick nod, Khan confirmed his desire to stay with Kontra. That would keep him with fellow wolf shifters, Vail and Ishmael, too. Khan enjoyed running with the mated shifters.
To everyone’s surprise, another wolf shifter, Diego—Vail’s grandfather—had chosen to stay. He hadn’t wanted to intrude on another wolf alpha’s territory. Plus, his zebra shifter mate, Zack, had become really great friends with the fae prince, Elroy. Diego hadn’t dreamed of separating them.
Such a sweet guy. Wonder if I’ll ever find a handsome dominant mate who’ll be so sweet to me.
I’d have to shift and be in human form for that, though.
While Khan had never revealed it to anyone there, he had shifted into his human form a couple of times. He never stayed in it for long because it made him feel so vulnerable. In wolf form, Khan had teeth and claws, and his four paws could carry him away from danger far faster than two human feet could.
“Glad to hear it,” Adam told him, giving him a scratch on the shoulder. “You gonna try to shift, so you can come as a human?” Cocking his head, Adam told him, “You could ride on the back of Lamar’s Goldwing. I’ve heard it’s damn comfortable.”
Khan did a fantastic job of rolling his eyes in wolf form, causing Adam to laugh.
“All right, all right.” Adam smirked. “You get a choice then. One of the motorcycle trailers or the sidecar?”
Glancing between the offered options, Khan quickly decided. The guys had renovated a pair of motorcycle trailers, giving them windows for air circulation. They’d also installed an intercom for communication, as well as a handle so they could open the hatch themselves.
Well, most of the shifters could.
Khan didn’t think the coral snake shifter would be able to handle the latch, but he could just go out the window.
Moving to the side car that was attached to Beta Sam’s large bike, Khan yipped and sat beside it. There were two other options, but he didn’t feel comfortable riding with Draven. The man was a warlock, and feeling his magick always left his fur tingling. The rhino shifter, Aaron, had already claimed the sidecar attached to Mutegi’s motorcycle.
“You got it, Khan,” Adam patted him again before waving at the car. “Hop in.”
Khan did as instructed and hopped into the car, sitting on the seat.
“Hey, Khan,” Sam greeted as he stopped at his motorcycle. “You with me, then. Huh?”
Giving the beta a canine grin and a yip, Khan acknowledged the Texas longhorn shifter’s words.
“Well, if that’s the case, you need a helmet,” Sam told him. To Khan’s surprise, the beta pulled a small black helmet with goggles attached from his saddlebags. “Draven had a vision,” he told him, answering Khan’s unspoken question. As Sam fitted the helmet to Khan, he told him, “He ordered it online and picked it up from the post office yesterday.”
Khan chuffed, his version of a canine laugh. Other than that, he held still for Sam’s ministrations, letting the big beta shifter strap it onto his wolf’s head.
“All right, everyone,” Kontra called, his loud voice carrying across the yard. “Mount up.”
The men milling around the yard said their last goodbyes to their friends before doing as the alpha ordered. The roar of motorcycle engines filled the air.
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