Read Online Grayslake: More than Mated: PAWS & Surrender (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Bear Allegiance Series Book 1) by Josie Walker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Josie Walker
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trying to be romantic, which would have been cute if he hadn’t been so darned pathetic.
“Do you know what time it is?” she asked innocently.
Eugene tugged a phone out of his front right pants pocket and she was so glad that she’d been right and that it wasn’t a wallet. She knew she wasn’t likely to get a better opportunity. This was her only chance to call Grace. So she popped the question right after he told her the time and before he’d had a chance to put the phone away.
“Do you mind if I use your phone for a second?” she asked, batting her eyelashes in what she hoped was an attractive manner. She’d never really tried to flirt before, so this was all new to her.
“Uhh hmmmm, sure I guess,” he stammered awkwardly as he handed over the device.
She raced to dial Grace’s number and pressed the plastic screen anxiously up to her ear. Then, unexpectedly the boat started rocking. When the canoe tipped over she started to scream, which was how she wound up with a lungful of lake water. She kicked out helplessly with her hands and feet, but almost instantly she began to sink to the bottom of the lake. The phone drifted uselessly out of her hands.
Even if the call had managed to transmit past all the water, the circuits would have been fried by now. As she drowned she felt almost peaceful as the fight left her body. Although, as she began to lose consciousness she couldn’t help but think about how unfair it was that no one had ever taken the time to teach her how to swim.
Wasn’t that the type of thing that real parents did? But she’d never had anyone to care for her but a long line of disinterested foster families. She’d never experienced the unconditional love of a mother and father. So now she was going to die because she didn’t know how to swim.
CHAPTER TWELVE
P arker’s heart sank right down to the bottom of the lake with her when he realized that Michelle was drowning. He’d have loved to sit around and beat on himself for what he’d just done, but first he had to rescue his mate. His bear was thundering to be released, but Parker knew he couldn’t let that happen. There was no denying the fact that his bear was the stronger swimmer, but he couldn’t risk scratching her or crushing her when his bear tried to snatch her up out of the water.
He was afraid to even blink as he continued to kick and swim his way down to her. He wanted to cry out in horror when he saw her feet get tangled up in an old discarded fish net, but that would have been inadvisable given the fact that he was underwater. When he finally reached her he tried to tug her free, but the gnarled old net wrapped around her might as well have been a pair of handcuffs, because it refused to budge an inch.
Focusing his inner beast on the fingers of his right hand, he called forth just enough of his animal to sharpen his blunt fingertips into a wick bear claw. He sliced through the net easily and pulled her into his arms. By this point his lungs were beginning to burn, but he knew on a primal level that he had a lot of work to do before he earned his next breath. Trying to swim with her in his arms proved difficult and he knew he was losing precious time. Just when he began to see white spots at the edge of his vision he managed to break through the surface of the lake.
He gasped, sucking in a desperate lungful of air and he struggled to make sure that Michelle’s head was also above the surface. Her skin felt as cold as death and her body remained lifeless and limp, as though she no longer felt the need to breathe. His bear roared from within him, demanding that he save their woman. He rushed to paddle his way to the shore, and for the first time he was grateful that there were so many male shifters around. Half a dozen strong males dove into the lake and helped pull her out of the water.
Eugene had followed behind him, standing nervously at the edge of the dock. He felt embarrassed because he’d frozen up in the
“Do you know what time it is?” she asked innocently.
Eugene tugged a phone out of his front right pants pocket and she was so glad that she’d been right and that it wasn’t a wallet. She knew she wasn’t likely to get a better opportunity. This was her only chance to call Grace. So she popped the question right after he told her the time and before he’d had a chance to put the phone away.
“Do you mind if I use your phone for a second?” she asked, batting her eyelashes in what she hoped was an attractive manner. She’d never really tried to flirt before, so this was all new to her.
“Uhh hmmmm, sure I guess,” he stammered awkwardly as he handed over the device.
She raced to dial Grace’s number and pressed the plastic screen anxiously up to her ear. Then, unexpectedly the boat started rocking. When the canoe tipped over she started to scream, which was how she wound up with a lungful of lake water. She kicked out helplessly with her hands and feet, but almost instantly she began to sink to the bottom of the lake. The phone drifted uselessly out of her hands.
Even if the call had managed to transmit past all the water, the circuits would have been fried by now. As she drowned she felt almost peaceful as the fight left her body. Although, as she began to lose consciousness she couldn’t help but think about how unfair it was that no one had ever taken the time to teach her how to swim.
Wasn’t that the type of thing that real parents did? But she’d never had anyone to care for her but a long line of disinterested foster families. She’d never experienced the unconditional love of a mother and father. So now she was going to die because she didn’t know how to swim.
CHAPTER TWELVE
P arker’s heart sank right down to the bottom of the lake with her when he realized that Michelle was drowning. He’d have loved to sit around and beat on himself for what he’d just done, but first he had to rescue his mate. His bear was thundering to be released, but Parker knew he couldn’t let that happen. There was no denying the fact that his bear was the stronger swimmer, but he couldn’t risk scratching her or crushing her when his bear tried to snatch her up out of the water.
He was afraid to even blink as he continued to kick and swim his way down to her. He wanted to cry out in horror when he saw her feet get tangled up in an old discarded fish net, but that would have been inadvisable given the fact that he was underwater. When he finally reached her he tried to tug her free, but the gnarled old net wrapped around her might as well have been a pair of handcuffs, because it refused to budge an inch.
Focusing his inner beast on the fingers of his right hand, he called forth just enough of his animal to sharpen his blunt fingertips into a wick bear claw. He sliced through the net easily and pulled her into his arms. By this point his lungs were beginning to burn, but he knew on a primal level that he had a lot of work to do before he earned his next breath. Trying to swim with her in his arms proved difficult and he knew he was losing precious time. Just when he began to see white spots at the edge of his vision he managed to break through the surface of the lake.
He gasped, sucking in a desperate lungful of air and he struggled to make sure that Michelle’s head was also above the surface. Her skin felt as cold as death and her body remained lifeless and limp, as though she no longer felt the need to breathe. His bear roared from within him, demanding that he save their woman. He rushed to paddle his way to the shore, and for the first time he was grateful that there were so many male shifters around. Half a dozen strong males dove into the lake and helped pull her out of the water.
Eugene had followed behind him, standing nervously at the edge of the dock. He felt embarrassed because he’d frozen up in the
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