Taze (Rise of the Pride #11) - Theresa Hissong Page 0,10

animal? Animals didn’t hurt you unless they were protecting themselves.

She wasn’t happy when Landon gave the practice over to another veterinarian to run, but she understood why. Since he’d changed and mated one of the panthers, he couldn’t work with the domesticated pets like he did before. They sensed his newfound status, and it scared them.

Amaya’s new boss was female, and it was a relief when Landon had made the announcement. Doc Lacey was in her early thirties, and they’d developed a friendship over the past month. She never asked Amaya about her scars, and that alone made her relax a bit when she would come in at night to watch over the animals at the clinic.

“What are you going to do on your night off?” Lacey asked as they gathered around the front desk. Sofia was firing up the computers as they got ready to start the day. Amaya loved working nights. It kept her mind at ease as she hated sleeping during the overnight hours.

“I think I’m going to go by and see Landon and his mate this morning,” Amaya replied. “He said he would have coffee on by the time I got there.”

“That’s great.” Lacey smiled as she closed the folder on Mrs. Richard’s toy poodle who’d needed treatment for suspected poisoning. “Give him my best.”

“I noticed their living room light on as I left my house to come to work,” Sofia offered. “Noah was off rotation last night.”

“I hate that your people are going through this,” Lacey frowned. “I never in a million years imagined something like crazed shifters terrorizing the world.”

“It’s not the first time,” Sofia sighed and took a moment to fill them in on the Gadaí.

“That’s awful!” Amaya gasped. “And they’re letting you work here alone?”

“Oh, I guarantee you that my brother, or one of his fellow Guardians, are driving by every half hour,” Sophia said with a roll of her eyes. “Plus, these cameras are linked to the pride. They’re always monitored by one of them.”

“I knew they were linked,” Amaya admitted, silently thanking the pride again for the extra set of eyes. She felt safe coming to work, and that was saying something. She didn’t feel safe anywhere, but Landon’s new family was better than being friends with the mob.

“Get out of here and tell Landon we said hello,” Lacey ordered, taking a file folder and waving it in Amaya’s direction.

She jumped in her car and made her way over to the pride. A handsome, but younger, Guardian was at the gate and waved her through when she arrived. Once she passed the main house, Landon said to stay on the gravel road. Recognizing his car, she pulled in behind him, looking out her windshield at the cozy cabin.

Landon was out the door as soon as I stepped out. “Good morning. It’s so good to see you, Amaya. Come inside.”

She walked in and got the same happy greeting from Landon’s mate. She’d been around him a few times, and even though one would think the big, menacing shifter would’ve scared her, he didn’t.

“I’ll let you two talk,” Noah announced, touching his mate’s hand. “Storm is stopping by to give me an update on what happened overnight.”

Landon nodded and escorted her into their kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Yes, please,” she nodded. “I need to stay up for a few more hours to get some things taken care of since it’s my day off. I can sleep all afternoon.”

They sat for a while, catching up on things at the office. He filled her in on his training to work with the pride’s doctor to give aid to the shifters.

A cool breeze blew across her arms, and she immediately wrapped her arms around her body as a reflex. She hated the cold.

The sound of heavy boots fired a trigger in her mind. She stiffened as an earthy scent filled the room. When she glanced out the corner of her eye, she saw Noah with a few others, but she didn’t turn around to introduce herself.

“Let’s go out back,” Noah announced as he pushed open the back door. She held herself against another blast of cold air, but it never came.

Amaya looked over her shoulder and held in a gasp. A huge, blond shifter was standing there, Noah nudging his arm to get his attention. The world around her fell away as he grunted and shook his head before walking out the door.

Chapter Four

Calla shifted as soon as she arrived home from work. The end of January loomed