Read Online An Alpha's Lightning (Water Bear Shifters 2) by Sloane Meyers - Free Book Online Page A

extended from where his fingernails had been moments before. Jade’s eyes widened, and Ace decided to continue the show. What the heck, the cat was out of the bag, anyway. He might as well really make his point. He let out another growl, and then let his face morph into a bear face. White fur, interrupted by black ears and black fur around his eyes, replaced the peach color of Ace’s human face. His teeth grew long and sharp, and he bared them to show Jade just how sharp they were.
    Make no mistake , his bear was saying. I am anything but cute and cuddly. I’m an alpha panda. And I will fight to the death to defend the ones I love.
    Ace watched Jade carefully. Her eyes continued to widen, but she didn’t say anything and she didn’t move. When he was satisfied that she had gotten the point, Ace let his face and hand morph back into human form. Ace and Jade stared at each other without speaking for a long time. The only sound in the room was the ticking of a clock
    “Wow,” Jade finally said. She didn’t seem to know what else to say beyond that.
    “I know it’s probably the last thing you expected to learn when you invited me over here tonight. Obviously, I hope that you will be willing to accept this part of me. But if you don’t want to have a relationship with someone who is part bear, I understand and respect that.”
    “I don’t know what I want, honestly,” Jade said. “I’m not sure what to think. I’m in shock right now that shapeshifting is even a real thing. I thought it was just myths and fables. The idea that a human being can actually change forms into an animal is…is mind-blowing.”
    “I know. It’s a strange phenomenon. It’s relatively rare, too. But, as you just saw, it’s not just a fable.”
    “Is it magic?”
    “No. It’s a genetic mutation. Pretty straightforward actually. Shifting may seem crazy to you, but there’s a scientific explanation for it.”
    Jade considered this for a few moments. “Does it hurt?” she asked.
    “Not really. It mostly feels like a lot of pressure building up and then being released.”
    Jade tilted her head sideways and studied Ace’s face. “Well, it’s very strange, that’s true. But I don’t understand what this has to do with my worrying about you more, or your life being more dangerous. If it doesn’t hurt, and it’s a straightforward, scientific event, then why is shifting so concerning?”
    “Well, shifting itself isn’t dangerous, that’s true. But there are a lot of people who don’t understand shifting, and fear it. They think shifters are dangerous, just because they’re different. And they think they need to be eliminated.”
    “So, you’re saying there are people who want to kill you just because you have the ability to turn into a bear?” Jade asked, her eyes incredulous.
    Ace’s heart melted a little. Jade may have been shocked that shifting existed, but it never would have occurred to her to want to get rid of someone because they could shift. To her, all living things were precious—whether they were animal, human, or somewhere in between.
    “Yes,” he said, sadness tingeing his voice. “There are people who want to kill me, just because I can shift. They think I’m dangerous. A menace to society.”
    “But, how can they think that?” Jade asked. “I mean, look at you. You do so much for society. You risk your life every day on a Coast Guard search and rescue team so that other people get a second chance at life. And then, in your precious spare time, you help save marine animals that would have died without your assistance. You’re not a menace. You’re a blessing.”
    Ace sighed. “I wish everyone saw things that way. But, unfortunately, there are a lot of people who choose to see shifters only as monsters. And they think the only way to deal with us is to kill us.”
    “How do they do that? Try to kill you, I mean?”
    “Well, honestly, there are all kinds of people who have tried to kill shifters in