Read Online Destined Mate (Catamount Lion Shifters #4) by J.H. Croix - Free Book Online
Authors: J.H. Croix
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morphed after understanding what their marriage had been, it didn’t change the fact that she’d been through a difficult year. Her life had been turned upside down in more ways than one. As for him and what he wanted—he wanted Shana. Completely. Though he hadn’t planned for this and had no idea how to get to that point, he would find his way.
He considered his life in Bozeman. While his grandparents had moved there from Catamount, his own parents had moved away when he was young. He’d spent most of his childhood in Colorado, another stronghold for shifters. His parents had died in a car accident on a snowy highway in the Rocky Mountains shortly after he graduated from college. With his grandparents also dead, he had little to anchor him anywhere. He’d followed his degree in biology into a position with the Feds at Fish & Wildlife in Colorado and accepted the transfer to Bozeman when it came up. Yet, the one thing he lacked was a sense of home. Without close family to tether him somewhere, he often felt out of place.
As a shifter, given that he had to hide half of his being from many people he encountered, he’d have loved to have the connections he observed here in Catamount. It wasn’t just among family, but among the shifters in general. He could see why the smuggling network had torn at the fabric of this community. The role Catamount held in the shifter world was sacred. To have shifters betray each other here, of all places, was painful to consider. He tried to envision bringing Shana to Bozeman, but it didn’t quite fit. He wasn’t sure how he’d go about it or when, but he sensed if he meant to make her his mate, he’d have to relocate his life to Catamount.
Noah’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Almost there. Theo’s pretty easy to understand. He’s rough and tumble and always looking for easy money. He got into the smuggling network for the cash. No other reason. He talked because he was smart enough to realize they might make him the fall guy.”
“Right. Sounds like half the guys involved out in Montana. Money makes a bad friend, but shifters are as dumb as people sometimes.”
Noah smiled wryly. “True.”
Several long hours later, Hayden walked at Noah’s side through the parking lot. In silence, they climbed into the truck, and Noah started driving. Hayden was stunned. Among other things, Theo had dropped a bomb in his lap—the name of Hayden’s boss at Fish & Wildlife, Clint Reynolds. Though Theo was short on details, he reported Clint was rumored to be running the show in Montana. Hayden thought of the many, many conversations he’d had with Clint over the last few years about the shifter smuggling network. Clint avoided any tedious work, thus his delegation of most duties associated with coordination with the local law enforcement didn’t seem unusual. It wasn’t that Fish & Wildlife officers handled much law enforcement, but they often got involved in issues relating to management of lands. With the smugglers frequently attempting to access remote areas for deliveries and other purposes, Fish & Wildlife was called in repeatedly for assistance. Clint conveniently bowed out every time, now that Hayden considered it.
He glanced over at Noah. “Not sure you picked up on it, but Clint Reynolds is my boss and the regional director of Fish & Wildlife in our area. The fact that Theo even knew his name makes my stomach turn. You got Jake’s number? It never occurred to me to ask him to take a look at Clint.”
Noah quickly recited Jake’s number. After calling Jake and putting him onto Clint, Hayden leaned back with a sigh. He was too mentally worn out to think much more about the smuggling network.
***
Shana sat at Phoebe’s kitchen table and poured cream in her coffee. Phoebe wiped her hands on a dishtowel before stepping to the table and slipping into the chair across from her. Phoebe’s house, now shared with Jake, was like a second home for Shana. She’d stayed here
He considered his life in Bozeman. While his grandparents had moved there from Catamount, his own parents had moved away when he was young. He’d spent most of his childhood in Colorado, another stronghold for shifters. His parents had died in a car accident on a snowy highway in the Rocky Mountains shortly after he graduated from college. With his grandparents also dead, he had little to anchor him anywhere. He’d followed his degree in biology into a position with the Feds at Fish & Wildlife in Colorado and accepted the transfer to Bozeman when it came up. Yet, the one thing he lacked was a sense of home. Without close family to tether him somewhere, he often felt out of place.
As a shifter, given that he had to hide half of his being from many people he encountered, he’d have loved to have the connections he observed here in Catamount. It wasn’t just among family, but among the shifters in general. He could see why the smuggling network had torn at the fabric of this community. The role Catamount held in the shifter world was sacred. To have shifters betray each other here, of all places, was painful to consider. He tried to envision bringing Shana to Bozeman, but it didn’t quite fit. He wasn’t sure how he’d go about it or when, but he sensed if he meant to make her his mate, he’d have to relocate his life to Catamount.
Noah’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Almost there. Theo’s pretty easy to understand. He’s rough and tumble and always looking for easy money. He got into the smuggling network for the cash. No other reason. He talked because he was smart enough to realize they might make him the fall guy.”
“Right. Sounds like half the guys involved out in Montana. Money makes a bad friend, but shifters are as dumb as people sometimes.”
Noah smiled wryly. “True.”
Several long hours later, Hayden walked at Noah’s side through the parking lot. In silence, they climbed into the truck, and Noah started driving. Hayden was stunned. Among other things, Theo had dropped a bomb in his lap—the name of Hayden’s boss at Fish & Wildlife, Clint Reynolds. Though Theo was short on details, he reported Clint was rumored to be running the show in Montana. Hayden thought of the many, many conversations he’d had with Clint over the last few years about the shifter smuggling network. Clint avoided any tedious work, thus his delegation of most duties associated with coordination with the local law enforcement didn’t seem unusual. It wasn’t that Fish & Wildlife officers handled much law enforcement, but they often got involved in issues relating to management of lands. With the smugglers frequently attempting to access remote areas for deliveries and other purposes, Fish & Wildlife was called in repeatedly for assistance. Clint conveniently bowed out every time, now that Hayden considered it.
He glanced over at Noah. “Not sure you picked up on it, but Clint Reynolds is my boss and the regional director of Fish & Wildlife in our area. The fact that Theo even knew his name makes my stomach turn. You got Jake’s number? It never occurred to me to ask him to take a look at Clint.”
Noah quickly recited Jake’s number. After calling Jake and putting him onto Clint, Hayden leaned back with a sigh. He was too mentally worn out to think much more about the smuggling network.
***
Shana sat at Phoebe’s kitchen table and poured cream in her coffee. Phoebe wiped her hands on a dishtowel before stepping to the table and slipping into the chair across from her. Phoebe’s house, now shared with Jake, was like a second home for Shana. She’d stayed here
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