Wolf Tales 11 by Kate Douglas Read Free Book Online Page B

their rightful place as Chanku shapeshifters. Guilt lay alongside that special bond as packmates—a bond even stronger than flesh and blood.
    And now they were missing, kidnapped and held hostage somewhere on the opposite side of the country, while he was stuck here in the nation’s capital without a clue what he should be doing to help them. As usual, he was keeping everything bottled up inside to the point it was making him physically ill.
    Manda caught his eye and he felt her love. He opened to her voice and sighed at her soft reprimand.
    At least she was smiling. My love. When has hiding your fears ever done you any good? Share the burden. It’s so much lighter that way.
    He took a deep breath, let it out, and nodded in agreement. Then he met Jake’s steady gaze. It wasn’t easy, but slowly he lowered his barriers and opened his thoughts. Shared his fear and his convoluted feelings for the two women who were part of his pathetic history, one that still left him feeling shamed.
    Chuckling softly, Jake grinned at him. Bay felt the warm flush spreading over his face as he realized his lover had so quickly picked up all his twisted thoughts and memories the moment they’d been set free.
    “There’s no need for shame, bro. Not over things we couldn’t control.” Jake shook his head, smiling at something he didn’t share with Baylor. “When we were kids, we all did our best to survive. You, Lisa, and Tala are no different from any of the rest of us, no better, no worse. For what it’s worth, you must have made the right choices because you’ve all found love with really good people. More love than you ever got as kids.”
    He walked across the room and stopped right in front of Bay. His amber eyes crinkled and his lips quirked up in a devilish grin. “Hell, we all had screwed-up lives, but we’re all still here, all with someone who loves us in spite of ourselves. Think about the night Tia had her babies, about the stories we all shared. Was yours so much different than anyone else’s? So much worse? Did you fail more than anyone else?” He laughed out loud and planted a wet kiss on Bay’s mouth.
    Before Bay could return the kiss, Jake backed away. “Nope,” he said. “You’re no better, no worse than the rest of us. We are who we are because of what we are. Get over it.”
    Manda stepped up close behind Baylor, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her cheek against his back. “He’s right, you know. Not at all subtle, but still right.” She kissed the back of Bay’s neck and sent shivers down his spine. “And you know how much I hate to agree with Jake. He’ll never let me live it down.”
    Shannon laid her head on Bay’s shoulder, but she was holding Jake’s hand. “Isn’t that the truth? Nothing worse than agreeing with Jake. He’ll just throw it back in our faces at some point, but when he’s right, it’s hard to argue.” She kissed Bay’s cheek. “They’ll be okay, Bay,” she said. “Anton’s on it, and he’s got contacts in very high places. Luc’s got Tia back, and she should be able to help find your sisters.”
    Baylor turned and planted a kiss on Shannon’s lips. “Thank you. All of you. Sometimes I get so caught up in crap that really doesn’t matter anymore, I forget about the good things in my life now. You three are the best of them.”
    His cell phone chimed. Manda fished it out of his back pocket and handed it to him. Bay took the call while Jake and Shannon grabbed Manda and left to explore the rest of the apartment.
    A few minutes later, Bay caught up with them. They’d found what must have been designated as the master bedroom. It was elegant and absolutely huge, with windows looking out over the forested zoo grounds. Bay stood in the doorway and watched as Jake teased both Shannon and Manda about their abbreviated shopping trip and all the stores that were waiting for them here in the nation’s capital.
    He reminded Bay of Stefan Aragat in a lot of