Shifter Magnetism by Stormie Kent Read Free Book Online Page A

boy he knew I was an alpha and wouldn’t survive long following orders in the pack. I lasted longer than he expected. He and my mother began putting aside money when I was small. I used it to buy a ranch near the state forest in Allegany County.”
    “I don’t know of a Council near there. I can look it up. What about you? Is there a pack?”
    “No.”
    They were both silent. They both came from communities of people like themselves. Lone wolves were sometimes dangerous wolves. Having her by his side would keep him sane. He would pay witches to keep her company if he had to.
    She sighed. “I’m sorry I did this to you. The magic is set. I suppose we can’t do anything about it now.”
    Such enthusiasm. He didn’t blame her. He was taking her from everything she knew. She’d be exiling herself to a new home with a shifter she’d just met. They drove the rest of the distance in silence.
    She grabbed his hand as he shut off the vehicle. “I really am sorry. My excuse is I just wanted to survive.”
    He tugged her closer and kissed her. “I suspected before you touched my wolf that you were my mate. The second you touched my spirit, before you’d taken any of my magic, my wolf knew you belonged to me. The rest we can work out.”
    He hoped.
    “You’re nicer than I thought you would be. You know, not as arrogant as I’d assumed.”
    He smiled. Just wait until she switched her ass across the squad room and he had to glare a roomful of cops into submission.
    They exited the SUV, walked across the parking lot and into the precinct. Once they reached homicide, he dragged an extra chair to his desk and seated her before settling in his chair and logging onto his computer. He needed to take her statement even though he’d seen most of the attack.
    He began to type when he realized he didn’t know her last name. “Name?”
    “Leila Barclay.” She spelled her first and last names.
    “Barclay. Like Barclay Marketing and Advertising, Incorporated?”
    “Yes. It is a family business. I am currently a web designer and graphic artist for Barclay.”
    The company was extremely successful and a source of pride for the people of Coldwell. They even listed it on the county Web site. Would the challenge from her parents come from him being blue-collar or a shifter? Frankly, his luck of late suggested he could expect a double dose of prejudice. He’d suffer through it all to keep his mate.
    He filed the report quickly. Looking up, he caught her gently kicking her crossed leg up and down. She’d picked up the carved wooden wolf off his desk and was examining it closely. He tugged her chair closer and glanced around. She had about five admirers gazing at those legs, which belonged to him. He glared at his coworkers, and they smirked back.
    She held up the wolf. “This is beautiful.”
    “You’re beautiful.” He kissed her just as the blush hit her cheeks.
    Someone cleared their throat. Nic curbed his growl as his captain’s scent reached him. He stood, pulling Leila up with him. He would need to explain kissing a woman on the job, at the precinct. What would sound human?
    “Captain Rochester, this is my fiancée, Leila. She’s also the Brain Surgeon’s latest target.”
    The captain’s eyebrows rose. “Is that why you had a hunch he’d show up at the party?”
    Leila took Nic’s hand. “That’s my fault, sir. I didn’t listen to him when he asked me not to go. I thought he was being overprotective.”
    The captain smiled. “Where has Nic been keeping you?”
    “Oh, we had to hide because our families don’t approve. We have different beliefs, you see,” she said. Then she gave a dazzling smile. “After the attack we decided life was too short. Our families will just have to understand.”
    She was a brilliant liar. He didn’t see a single tell. She didn’t look down or away. She didn’t stutter. He kissed her cheek. It was a spectacular talent as long as she didn’t try it on him.
    The captain clapped