Animal Nature: A Paranormal Romance (The Animal Sagas) by Susan G. Charles Read Free Book Online Page A

he carefully restrained his desire to demonstrate his dominance in reaction to a member of his own pack attacking him. Were it anyone but Sonya, they would have paid a lofty price. Quickly Sonya backed away, eventually cowering behind the sanctuary of Clay’s legs.
    Clay stood nervously in front of her, looking warily from Ben to Lynda, who had been trying to calm her mate down while the two men argued. Things had spun quickly out of control. When they had discovered that Clay and Sonya were not in their cabin, both had thought the worst. Could they be stranded in the snow storm? Lynda was one of the few people that Sonya had confided the location of her cave in. She told Ben that if she and Clay were lost in the snow, Sonya would have headed there for shelter. Along the way they ran into a sentry who told a tale that left Ben on edge. Had Clay lost control with Sonya? Had he chased her down into the cave? Things went from bad to worse, when Ben pulled back the blanket from the mouth of the cave, and saw Clay wrapped around Sonya’s nude body.
    “What the -” Ben had started to say.
    “Warmth,” Lynda said quickly and pushed the blanket back down. “Surely, they were just snuggling close to keep warm,” she insisted. Of course there was no other good explanation. Clay had stirred when he sensed the presence of other weres. When he poked his head outside of the blanket, Ben had grabbed him by the back of his neck and yanked him all the way out of the cave.
    “What happened here?” he growled out as Clay struggled to his feet. After they argued for some time, Sonya had come barreling out to join the party. Lynda stamped an angry, booted foot into the deep snow.
    Lynda stamped an angry, booted foot into the deep snow. “Now you’ve done it! What did I tell you boys before we left? Look at what your arguing has accomplished. I hope you’re happy Ben!” Walking over to her sister, Lynda draped a blanket over the cowering cougar. “Sonya, will you please shift back and inform my idiot, beloved mate, that Clay did not take advantage of you last night?” Bemused, Sonya did exactly as she was asked, then told Ben all the details of what had happened the previous evening.
    It was completely consensual,” Sonya added and smirked in Clay’s direction. Clay of course could barely make eye contact with Ben, Lynda or Sonya. When he had begun chasing down Sonya, he had certainly never expected the evening to end like this.
    By the time she had finished recounting their night together Ben looked thoroughly embarrassed. He wished he had not heard a few of the details about his second and his sister-in-law but he appreciated that she had been so willing to share. “I’m sorry Clay, Lynda was right; I ought to have known better. When a sentry reported he had seen Clay chase you into a cave, Sonya, I just assumed the worst. Then we found you two together, and, well… Clearly I jumped to the wrong conclusion.” The alpha had blushed to a bright pink. “My deepest apologies to both of you. Now that I know the mating is consensual,” The alpha blew out a relieved breath, “I must say I’m delighted – and it’s about time!” He reached out, smiling from ear to ear and shook Clay’s hand firmly and lightly hugged Sonya.
    Clay nodded, offering his understanding. The way he had been tearing after Sonya he could see why the sentry would have made such a report. But Clay and Sonya were both relieved to hear it this straight from the Alpha’s own mouth since they had not exactly asked for consent before mating.
    After he stepped away Lynda grabbed her sister, pulling the blanket even tighter about her naked frame and pulled her into a tight hug. “I knew this was coming. I just knew it. And Ben’s absolutely correct – it IS about time! What took you guys so long?! Everybody has been waiting for this to happen for months. But I didn’t want to say anything to you and ruin all the fun you two were having pretending to