Free Shifter Untamed by Ambrielle Kirk Page B

him.
    “Hey!” The voice to the behind him them came from a male. “Hey, you two! What are you doing out here?”
    Dane spun around and quickly shielded her. The man had a gun, pointing it toward them from several yards away. As she held her hands against his back, he felt the vibrations that came along with his growls.
    “Hey! Answer me! Are you a wolf?”
    Dane turned slightly to issue his order. “Get behind the tree.”
    He didn’t have to tell her twice as he scrambled behind the massive oak tree. Two shots rang out sending her heart into frenzy. Her fingers trembled against the bark of the tree as she pressed her back hard against it.
    The next growl was so deep and animalistic that it had to have come from a wolf. Three more shots rang out and the man screamed. There was a scuffled on the ground and then complete silence.
    The atmosphere was so quiet that all she could register was her own panicked breathing and the sound of fire burning the house.
    A black wolf emerged from the corner of her eyes. Its eyes were gold and majestic. Its body was large and muscular and the fur was shiny and sleek. At the sight of such beauty, her muscles relaxed. It was a reaction she didn’t understand, but yet she felt she knew this wolf.
    “Dane,” she whispered, her hands still gripping the bark.
    The wolf shook its massive head and torso and out of the haze of what Trina could only describe as magically, Dane Magnus appeared.
    “Let’s get out of here now.”

Chapter Nine
    Trina peered out through the motorcycle helmet at the long row of retail shops as Dane brought his motorcycle to a halt in front of a local post office. They’d ridden almost thirty miles before crossing into the county line into a town known for their abundant shifter population.
    In a matter of days, her life had completely changed and she was still trying to process everything. She kept having to remind herself of the deal she made with Dane Magnus, and more importantly, of the reason she was in this place now. In less than six weeks, she wouldn’t have to worry about where the money would come from to pay for her dad’s surgery.
    However, Trina still felt a strong pull toward Dane. One she concluded would still be there had it not been for the money. There were many questions to be answered. Not only was she intrigued by the man itself, but by his declaration that she was his intended mate.
    Dane helped her off the bike and put their helmets away. All the while she was assessing the row of shops situated just on the outskirts of Aspen Valley. Besides the post office, there were several retail and restaurants along the main street. There was even a fresh produce stand adjacent to the lot where Dane had parked. From recollection, the town of Aspen Valley was larger in acreage than population. However, it was one of the biggest shifter towns in the U.S.
    “Welcome to my birth place,” Dane said, taking her hand.
    “Looks cozy,” she said.
    People started coming out of their shops with their immediate attention fixed on them. Suddenly, it was Trina who felt like the alien here. She was a human in a shifter town. She even wondered if they were partial to her being here.
    Dane led her by the hand down the paved walkway, nodding and lifting his palm up to acknowledge the spectators. Then it dawned on her that she wasn’t the one they were entranced with. It was Dane. Several of them bowed as he passed by their doors. There was no mystery now—these people knew Dane very well.
    He stopped in front of some double doors and held it open for her. “I’ve got to pick up some paperwork and then we’ll head over to my pack home.”
    “My father. I need to make sure he’s okay.” She dug her cell phone out of her purse.
    “I sent Brock out already to speak with your father. He and Marcia will be moved to a safer home. One of my rentals out west.”
    “You think of everything, don’t you?”
    “You are my priority now. I take care of you and that