Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
When she’d pulled them on that morning, she’d said, “Don’t whine about the shorts, Devlin. It’s too hot to wear anything else.”
Actually, Zander found he didn’t mind the shorts so much now that he knew he’d be the only person touching those legs. He got a strange kind of kick out of knowing others wanted what they didn’t have a prayer of touching because she was his. He didn’t need to be told that wasn’t particularly normal.
Dawn rounded the desk, her smiling eyes on Andie. “I must say it’ll be nice to have another cougar around. There aren’t many here.”
Andie stepped out from behind Gwen and shook Dawn’s hand. “Um, hi.” She exchanged a nod with Heath, who was now staring at Andie like she was food.
“I know a little of your story, but only the basics,” Dawn told her. “You’re more than welcome here. All we need is for you all to sign in, and then I can take you for a tour.” Dawn handed a pen to Bracken, who quickly jotted down their names in the book on the desk.
Having finished reading the “Rules and Regulations” sign on the wall, Gwen turned to Dawn. “This place is safe, right? I mean, I noticed you don’t have guards.”
“This place is as safe as we can make it,” said Dawn. “The Phoenix Alphas offered to post guards, but I don’t want people to mistakenly think that the shelter is run by the pack. Loners would never feel they could come here for sanctuary if it wasn’t run by other loners.”
Gwen nodded, getting it. “Do the security cameras work?”
“Yes. They’re relatively new, courtesy of the Mercury Alphas, and each of the cameras provides live feed to the monitors in my office. The Mercury pack also installed software on my phone that gives me a panic button. If there’s a problem and I press it, both the Phoenix and Mercury Packs will be alerted.”
Andie seemed to relax a little at that, Gwen noticed . . . as if the cougar realized that Zander had been telling the truth when he told her about their acceptance of loners.
“Why don’t you wait in the common room while I take Andie for a tour?” Dawn suggested to Gwen.
Yeah, right, like that would happen, especially since Andie didn’t appear fond of the idea. Gwen smiled. “Thanks, but I’d be interested in coming along to look around, if that’s okay with you.” She thought that sounded a lot better than, “I don’t trust Andie’s safety with you yet.” But Dawn’s eyes narrowed, as if she’d easily read between the lines. Still, she didn’t seem offended, just understanding.
Zander sidled up to Gwen, his arm brushing hers. “Bracken and I will come too.”
“All right,” said Dawn. “We can—”
Bracken suddenly shuddered. “Whoa, just got a horrible chill down my spine.”
“Someone walked over your grave,” both Gwen and Makenna said in unison. Then the two females looked at each other, chuckling.
Zander frowned. He’d expect that from Makenna, since she was incredibly superstitious, but not Gwen.
Bracken held up a hand. “Wait, you really think me feeling a chill means someone walked over my grave?”
Makenna snorted. “Obviously. Jeez. Come on, Gwen, you’re going to love this place.”
Gwen listened avidly as Dawn told them about the shelter while they walked. Apparently when her mother started it thirty years ago, it had been just a day center—a place loners went to simply sit, drink coffee, eat a decent meal, and talk with other loners. With the help of funding, Dawn’s mother had gradually expanded it. It was certainly expansive.
Dawn guided them around each of the floors, except for the attic, since that was where Dawn lived. The first floor had a common room, cafeteria, communal toilets, and private rooms for those with children. Females slept on the second floor, and males slept on the third—both floors were dormitories. All supplies were kept in the basement.
Gwen had been surprised to learn that many slept in the dome-shaped tents that were scattered around the land at the rear of the building near the children’s play area. Dawn sure made use of every inch of space, both inside and outside the shelter.
“How long are people allowed to stay here?” Gwen asked.
“There’s no time limit,” said Dawn, pausing in a hallway. “Although Makenna can attempt to get them a place somewhere, like with relatives or with Alphas that are willing to adopt or foster loners, many prefer to remain loners. We do what we can to help them find an apartment and blend into the human community, but some wish to stay here long term.”
“You allow that?”
Dawn nodded. “In exchange, they work here—there are always plenty of things that need doing at a shelter, like cleaning, cooking, and laundry. It’s understandable that they might wish to stay. You’re a human, so you may find it difficult to understand just how isolating the loner lifestyle can be. Shifters aren’t built to live alone. Some residents find the same comfort in running the shelter as they’d find in belonging to a pack or pride, for instance.”