Free White Tiger (A Shifter's Unbound Novel) by Jennifer Ashley Page A

in the shadows. “I want Charlie to think us a human family so he won’t catch on I’m Shifter. Humans would be together like this. I’ll buy this place, like a normal human, and he never has to know. I need you to help me with that, Addison.”
    His warmth came to her, his eyes holding vehemence but also fear. Kendrick demanded, but Addie realized his demand was actually a plea. Kendrick wasn’t a man who had to ask for help very often.
    “So did you escape from a Shiftertown?” Addie asked in a whisper.
    “No. I was never in one.” Kendrick took a step closer her. “That’s the point. I’ve kept myself, my family, and an entire group of Shifters from being forced into Shiftertowns. For twenty years.”
    Addie’s lips parted. From what little she’d gleaned, Shifters could not be without Collars and were not allowed to live anywhere but a Shiftertown. Those were the rules, enforced pretty hard. Shifters caught not following those rules were called “rogues” and could be arrested and killed.
    Kendrick and his sons, walking around in the world un-Collared, were in a dangerous position.
    “How can you?” she asked, her voice hushed. “Isn’t it safer for you in the Shiftertowns?”
    Kendrick’s look of rage nearly made her step back, but Addie held her ground.
    “Not safer,” Kendrick said, the words containing a snarl. “More convenient for humans. They’re terrified of us, but they never gave us a chance.” He’d begun to curve over her, a beast enraged, and now eased back down. “You didn’t give us up to the police. I’m trusting you to not give us up now.”
    “Like I would.” Addie pinned him with an annoyed look. “I really don’t care whether you live in a Shiftertown or not. Just . . . promise me you won’t let your kids be hurt for what you believe in.”
    His scowl deepened. “I am doing this to make sure my cubs are free and far from harm. Do you think they’d let me keep Robbie? He’s without clan, without pack. Humans would shove him in with a different wolf family who might not accept him. Pack affiliation is taken seriously.”
    “But you’re not even a wolf,” Addie pointed out.
    “He’s with me because I’m leader. All my Shifters are my pack, as it were. Though Felines say
pride
.”
    “What about me?” Addie asked. “Will I be part of your pride?”
    Kendrick stopped. He stared at her as though she’d stunned him. His face went very still, his jaw firming then easing.
    He skimmed his gaze down her body, taking in her shirt that was about four years old, her generic blue jeans, her sneakers. Then, very slowly, Kendrick lifted his hand and smoothed back a lock of her hair.
    He’d stripped off his gloves, and the touch of his bare fingers tingled heat through her blood. Kendrick’s jaw tightened again, his lips compressing until little creases formed in the corners of his mouth.
    Addie resisted leaning into his hand, much as she wanted to. His palm was large, which would nicely cup her cheek, warm her cool skin. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh.
    Kendrick abruptly dropped his hand, and Addie opened her eyes in time to see him turning away. The draft of his swift withdrawal chilled her.
    “Get some rest,” he rumbled, then yanked open the door and took himself out.
    Addie blew out her breath as the door clicked closed behind him. She needed to flop somewhere, as she liked to when the world got too much for her. In this room, she had to climb the ladder to the bed before she could throw herself down on her back.
    The bed was as comfortable as it looked. Addie’s bones began to soften, her sore muscles and her shakes relaxing.
    She was far, far from anyone and anything she knew, with a taciturn Shifter biker with a sword and his three kids, in a run-down dude ranch with no electricity, its proprietor a sad old man taking care of it in memory of his late wife.
    Addie should be terrified. Kendrick could do anything to her—he was a Shifter without