Read Online An Alpha's Thunder (Water Bear Shifters 3) by Sloane Meyers - Free Book Online Page A

solid wood.
    After what only amounted to about five minutes, but felt like an eternity, Lance suddenly came on the line.
    “Caroline?” he said his voice sounding cautious and concerned. “What’s going on?”
    “Lance! I’m so glad I caught you. I know I was a little short with you last time I saw you, so hopefully it’s not too awkward that I’m calling you at work like this. Well, who am I kidding? Things are about to get really awkward when I tell you what I’ve just seen.”
    “You’re actually lucky you caught me. I’m off work today, but was up here to use the workout facilities. I was just on my way to the showers when the receptionist saw me and flagged me down. What’s going on? Are you okay? The receptionist said it was an emergency.”
    “Well, it is, sort of. I don’t really know the best way to tell you this, so I’m just going to say it. I’m at a bar, and there are two guys here talking about killing you and your crew because they think you’re bear shifters. Like, shapeshifters who can turn from human to animal. I know that sounds crazy, and they must be insane or delusional or something. But they sound serious about it, and I had to warn you. Maybe we should tell the police? I’m afraid that they’re actually going to go through with trying to hurt you. They were talking about poisoning and guns.”
    There was a painfully long pause on the other end of the line. It was so long that Caroline would have thought Lance had hung up, except that she could still hear background noise from the air station coming through the receiver.
    “Lance?” she finally asked. He must not believe her. She realized that she probably sounded like the insane one right now. She had just told him quite a story.
    “Where did you say you are?” he asked, his voice tight and angry.
    “I’m at a bar. It’s just a tiny dive bar and—”
    “What’s the address?” Lance interrupted her. His voice had taken on a strange, severe tone that frightened Caroline. She gave him the address, and there was another long pause. This time, Caroline let Lance be the one to break the silence.
    “Listen to me,” he said. “I want you to get out of there. Don’t talk to the men, and don’t let them know you’ve contacted me. Don’t call the police or anyone else. Just leave as quietly and quickly as you can.”
    “But Lance—”
    “Please, Caroline. Just do as I ask. These men are extremely dangerous, and you don’t want to mess with them.”
    Caroline’s heart felt like it was going to pound right out of her chest in the middle of the tiny bar bathroom.
    “What about you?” Caroline asked. “What are you going to do? It sounds like you know these guys. Are you in danger?”
    “Don’t worry about me,” Lance said. “Just get out of there yourself. I’m on my way over to eliminate the problem. And I don’t want you to be anywhere near there when I arrive.”
    The line clicked dead, and Caroline took several deep breaths as she leaned her forehead against the dank, wooden wall.
    No way in hell was she leaving now. She had a feeling Lance was in more danger than she even knew how to imagine, and she at least wanted to stick around and be ready to call the cops, if necessary. Caroline held her chin high and stubborn, and reached for the doorknob. She had a beer to finish, and she was going to go sit her butt in her barstool and finish it.

Chapter Seven
     
    Caroline watched the minutes tick by on her cheap, drugstore watch, and grew more and more nervous with each tick. Where was Lance? It had been nearly an hour now, and he still wasn’t here. These men seemed to be wrapping up their conversation, and, if they left, Lance might not be able to find them before they found him.
    Caroline shuddered, and willed herself to remain calm. Lance hadn’t commented at all about the fact that the men thought he was a shapeshifter, which Caroline had found surprising. But he seemed to already know about these guys, so