An Alpha's Tempest (Water Bear Shifters 4) by Sloane Meyers Read Free Book Online

okay. He snapped out of his momentary daze, and took her hand as she jumped from the helicopter’s exit door to the hard concrete below. Her skin against his sent jolts of electricity shooting up and down his arm, and he struggled to maintain his composure. He had never been the type to believe in love at first sight, but this woman was doing a damn good job of making him question that stance.
    “I’m Ben,” he said, keeping his voice as even as possible. “The copilot.”
    “I’m Rhythm,” she replied. Her eyes looked tired but alert as she took in the scenery around them. “Wow, this airstrip is in the middle of nowhere.”
    Ben nodded. “Yeah, it’s better that way. People don’t always take kindly to bear shifters, as I’m sure you’ve realized by now.”
    Rhythm’s eyes darkened. “Unfortunately, the last twenty-four hours have been quite enlightening. Yesterday at this time I didn’t even know shifters existed. Now, I’m caught up in the middle of trying to send a dying shifter home.”
    Ben reached over and squeezed her shoulder, which sent a fresh wave of electricity through his body. “You did a really brave thing,” Ben said. “Not a lot of people would have risked their lives for Evan like you did. People, at best, tend to tolerate shifters. It’s rare to find the kind of person who would put herself in danger to save one.
    Rhythm shrugged. “You’re helping to save him, too.”
    “True,” Ben said. “But I’m a shifter myself, so my interest is a little more vested.”
    Rhythm snapped her gaze up to meet Ben’s. “Wait, what? You’re a shifter, too?” she asked. Her eyes darted between Ben and Evan in confusion.
    Ben frowned. “Um, yes. I thought Brett and Lance would have explained that to you.”
    Rhythm shook her head. “No. They didn’t say anything about it. I was wondering how they knew about shifters. It makes sense now, though. They know you, and you’re a shifter, so they were already aware.”
    Ben furrowed his brow. “Rhythm, we’re all bear shifters. The whole crew.”
    Rhythm blinked a few times, slowly. “All four of you?” she asked, her voice incredulous.
    “Yes, all four of us. I’m sorry. It never occurred to me that Lance and Brett hadn’t told you.”
    Rhythm shook her head. “We didn’t talk much, other than my telling them the story of how I met and rescued Evan. They were too busy trying to keep him alive.”
    Ben glanced over to where Evan was laid out on the ground, wrapped in blankets. Evan’s face was pale. He looked similar to how the members of Ben’s clan had looked right before they died from the virus the scientists had sent raging through the pandas’ ranks. Ben had to look away as he felt his heart tightening with an old, familiar sadness.
    “Are you okay?” Rhythm asked, placing her hand gently on his upper arm. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to tell anyone that you’re all shifters.”
    Ben felt a soothing calm flooding his body, starting from the spot where Rhythm’s hand was touching him, and seeping through every last inch of his veins. This woman was having some sort of spiritual effect on him or something. He breathed in and out deeply for a moment, soaking in the peace that her touch was giving him.
    “I’m okay,” Ben said. “Just worried about Evan. He looks like he doesn’t have much longer to go.”
    Rhythm glanced sadly over at Evan. “Yeah. I know. Although I’ve been thinking the same thing for almost twenty-four hours, and, yet, he’s still here with us somehow. He’s tough.”
    “Shifter strength,” Ben murmured with affection. “He’s holding on so he can die with his clan.”
    The pair watched as Lance checked on Evan’s blankets, making sure that the weak shifter was as comfortable as possible.
    Rhythm cocked her head sideways and looked at Ben. “Wait, so, if you’re a shifter, does that mean that you have a clan?” she asked.
    Ben closed his eyes for a moment against the pain that her