Jacob shifted back to his human form.“They’re here,” he murmured.
They’d found the panda shifter.
* * * *
BEN HEARD THEM COMING, but he was so tired that it took him too long to make sense of the noise.When he did, it was too late.
They’d found him.
He didn’t know who they were, but he could guess.He’d gone close to the local pride’s territory.He’d watched them from afar, wondering if they would help him if he reached out to them, but he hadn’t dared.He couldn’t afford for the tigers to run him out of town, not when it was the one place where he’d felt marginally safe since he’d escaped.
But they’d found him.Would they hurt him?Would they drag him out of his hole and kick him out of town?He didn’t know where he’d go if they did, but he wouldn’t have a choice.He couldn’t afford to make enemies of an entire pride.
He tried to tuck himself into a tighter ball, but there was only so much he could do.He shook with fear, but he didn’t know what to do.The best thing would be to crawl out of his hole, but how could he?
He heard someone move closer, then a scratching sound.It was almost as if these people were trying not to scare him.The thought almost made him laugh.How could he not be scared, considering what was happening?
“Hi.My name’s Gal,” someone said.“And I’m the alpha of the tiger pride you visited a few days ago.”
Ben whimpered.Shit.He’d expected the alpha to send someone to tell him to leave the area, not for the man to come himself.That couldn’t be good, could it?
Ben could hear other people talking, but he couldn’t focus on them.The alpha was the biggest danger right now.He was the one who made decisions, and anyone else with him would have to obey his orders.If he ordered them to drag Ben out of his hole and chase him out of town, they would.
Maybe Ben could fight.He was pretty big as a panda shifter, so he might stand a chance, but these were tiger shifters, and Ben couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a decent meal.He felt weak and nauseous.The most he might do if he tried fighting these people was fall on his face at the alpha’s feet.
Still, he had to try.He wouldn’t go down without a fight, not after everything.
Ben twisted slightly and snarled at the men talking.He waited for a second for them to attack, but they didn’t.They didn’t even move.They stared at him, no doubt waiting for him to come out.
He didn’t have a choice.He had no doubt that if he didn’t come out on his own, they’d drag him out, and he didn’t want that.He might not have a lot of dignity left, but the little he did have made him uncurl and slowly move out of the hole.
He was careful as he moved, and not only because he felt he might throw up.He didn’t know what these people wanted from him and what they were capable of.
One of the men placed himself in front of another one who was wearing a uniform.Ben moved slowly, pushing himself out of the hole he’d called home for the past few days.Once he was free, he didn’t know what to do.Shifting felt impossible because it would leave him more vulnerable in case they decided to hurt him.He needed his fur and claws.
Six people stood in front of him.Two were in their animal forms, a tiger and a wolf.That made Ben blink because he hadn’t expected it, but it didn’t shock him.It wasn’t unheard of for shifter groups to be mixed.
Two of the men stood naked, clearly shifters in their human form.There was the human in uniform, and now that Ben could see him better, he realized he was standing in front of the sheriff.
That didn’t bode well.
The sheriff wasn’t the person who worried Ben the most, though.No, that was the man standing the closest to him, who was watching him with intelligent eyes.He had to be the alpha, and Ben didn’t know what to do with that knowledge.Should he throw himself at the man’s feet and beg for his forgiveness?Should he promise he’d leave and never return?
“We’re not here to attack you,” the alpha said.“I won’t shift, and Dennis and Christopher will stay away from you.”
So Dennis and Christopher were the tiger and the wolf.What about the others?Not that Ben cared about their names, not if they were here to hurt him.No matter what the alpha had said, Ben couldn’t trust him.He didn’t know him, and he stood to lose too much.
He stayed where he was, slightly curled into a position that would make it easier for him to defend himself if he had to.The two people closest to him were the alpha and one of the naked men.Ben looked from one to the other, wondering what to do.He didn’t want to hurt them.He didn’t want to hurt anyone.
“We’re just worried,” the alpha continued.“We know you’ve been stealing food and other things to help you survive in the wild, but it’s clear that you need help.I realize you don’t know us, but we’re willing to help you if you allow us to.”
Ben knew what the man wanted.He was waiting for Ben to shift so he could answer his questions about why he was there.Maybe he wanted to know before kicking Ben out.Ben had a hard time believing that the alpha was actually worried about him.The man didn’t know him.
He didn’t shift because he couldn’t afford to.The way the alpha was watching him made his skin crawl, so he turned to the other man.He was close enough that Ben could smell him, although it wasn’t easy over his own scent.He was pretty ripe since he hadn’t had access to a shower in a while.
The man blinked at Ben, who now had his attention.He raised a hand and wiggled his fingers.Ben didn’t know if he was trying to look harmless on purpose, but either way, it was working.The man grinned, and Ben wanted to bask in his presence.
What the fuck?
