Free Chosen Mate (Catamount Lion Shifters #2) by J.H. Croix Page B

knowledge that if he tried to battle past Dane when he shifted, it would likely end in a tie.
    He looked out the window at the snow coating the ground. The tree outside his office window was glistening with drops of melted snow under the sun. He turned back to Dane and nodded. “You could say that,” he said tightly.
    Dane nodded firmly. “About damn time. Now it’s my turn to keep you sane. You kept me from running off wild after Chloe. You told me not to be stupid, so I’m telling you the same. I’ve already talked to Hank. We’ll go, but first, let’s decide where we’re starting. Hank’s calling in a favor from a friend out there who works for a private security firm. They’ll be at the airport when Shana and Phoebe land and won’t let them out of their sight. You and I will be right behind them.” Dane paused and eyed him. He shook his head with a chuckle. “I wondered when you’d come to your senses. You’ve loved her for years.”
    Jake felt as if he’d been punched in the chest, the breath he’d been holding let loose with a groan. “I have. Now I have to make sure she’s safe.”

Chapter 8

    Phoebe threaded through the cluster of people at baggage claim in the airport in Bozeman. Shana had stepped to the other side of the baggage carousel when she saw her bag making its way around. Phoebe quickly snagged her own bag and turned to get out of the way. She met Shana over by a customer service counter.
    “Let’s rent a car and find our hotel,” Phoebe said as soon as she reached Shana’s side.
    Shana glanced up at her, her blue-gray eyes tired. “Right. I promised Dane I’d call when we landed. Do you mind handling the car rental while I call him?”
    Phoebe nodded and glanced around. As soon as she spied the car rental signs, she headed that way, gesturing for Shana to follow her. She fumbled for her phone in her purse and quickly called Jake. Once again, she got his voice mail, so she left another message. She’d tried her damnedest to talk Shana out of leaving for Montana, but after it became abundantly clear Shana was going with or without Phoebe, she reluctantly decided to go with her. She couldn’t stand by and watch Shana walk into danger by herself. Phoebe figured the least she could do was try to keep Shana from doing anything too impulsive.
    She’d tried to call Jake before they left, but all she’d gotten was his voice mail. She worried he’d misunderstand why she chose to go with Shana.Phoebe shook her thoughts away and strode to the counter. A few minutes later, she tucked the keys to the rental car in her pocket and turned to find Shana leaning against the wall nearby, talking furiously into her phone. When she approached, Shana swore and ended the call.
    “Let me guess, Dane’s pissed off?”
    Shana nodded and began walking. Phoebe followed her, wheeling her suitcase behind her. “So, what did he say?”
    “He and Jake are on their way tomorrow,” Shana said tightly. “He doesn’t get how stupid that is. If the shifters we believe are out here are, in fact, here, there’s no way they don’t know who Dane and Jake are. Their faces were all over the local news after Chloe’s kidnapping. I tried to tell him we’d be careful, but he won’t hear it.”
    They walked the remainder of the way to the rental car in silence. Once Phoebe was driving out of the parking lot, Shana spoke again. “Oh, and Dane said to tell you to call Jake. In fact, he said to tell you he knows what’s going on with you two, so you’d better understand why Jake is upset. Mind filling me in on what’s going on with Jake?”
    Phoebe sighed. She hadn’t been trying to hide anything from Shana, but she hadn’t had a chance to talk to her either. Every time she thought about it, she hesitated for fear it would hurt Shana because she couldn’t imagine Shana watching someone else start a new relationship while sifting through the ashes of her husband’s death and the knowledge of his betrayal.