Page 26 of Colton’s Mate

After a minute he said, “Thanks for what you did. In the bar. I was close to losing it, and if I’d shifted in there…”

She shivered. Shifters were a secret—humans didn’t know about them, and the Shifter Council would go to huge lengths to keep it that way. Shifting in a public place where humans could see would automatically make him rogue, as far as the Council was concerned.

Plus, all the shifters in the area would probably be rounded up and relocated. The Shifter Council might even have to alter the memories of the humans who saw the Change. That was bound to piss them off.

She said, “I’m just glad we got outside in time.” Colt didn’t deserve the punishment he’d get if he outed shifters to the world.

“Me too.” He went silent again, and then said, “Listen. I hate to ask you this, but… could you keep this to yourself?”

She studied him. “Brandon doesn’t know you’re having problems, does he?”

“It’s never been as bad as tonight. But even if it gets worse, Remy and I want to tell him our own way.”

Callie nodded. “It’s not my business,” she said. “It’s your call, how you handle it.”

In the glow from the front porch light, she saw him give a tired smile. “Thanks. And by the way, you got in some nice shots on that fucking Talon.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten the chance if you hadn’t grabbed him.” She paused. “I owe you,” she admitted.

“Nah, you don’t. You cold-cocked that human guy who was all freaked out about my eyes and my canine teeth. So we’re even. Hopefully, if he remembers, he’ll just put it down to concussion.”

“Hopefully.” Callie grinned. “It was kind of fun though, fighting. I can see why you all like it so much.”

Colt gave a little laugh. “You’re going to turn into a total hellion if you’re not careful.”

“That’s my plan.”

That made him laugh again. She loved his laugh—deep and warm. He said, “So, does your new hellion self invite bad boys with no clothes into your house in the middle of the night for medicinal whiskey? Because I could really, really use some right now.”

She should take him home. He was in rough shape. And he was naked, which made it a bad, bad idea to invite him inside.

Right?

“Sure,” she heard herself say. “Your clothes are toast, but I think I still have some old stuff of Tex’s you could wear.”

“And here I thought you’d been waiting desperately to ogle my sexy parts.”

“I was. Now I’ve seen them, and I can move on with my life.”

“Cool,” Colt said. “My dick is a bucket-list item.”

“Which has been crossed off,” Callie reminded him.

“I’m wounded by that.” He stifled a groan as he got out of the car, and Callie could tell that his smartass comments were just a reflex. He must be aching all over, after Changing so much in such a short time.

She also tried not to look at his dick. It was hard, because it was a very nice one, and looking at it made her veejay wake up and start thinking Bad Girl thoughts.

Colt had clearly noticed her trying not to look, because he was grinning slightly to himself. Pecker.

Callie led the way up the front steps, and then froze.

Her front door was ajar.

Chapter 11

Danger. Callie. Protect!

Without conscious thought, Colt was instantly full leopard, pressed against Callie’s leg. He gave a low snarl.