“Cooper, talk to us,” Jackson communicated.
“I’m safe. Watching from a distance.”
“How is that safe?” Sharon asked.
“Believe me, I watched my life flash before my eyes about fifteen minutes ago when this all started. I was way too close to the spot where the earth split open. I’m at a safe distance now.”
“I could have gone my whole life without knowing that,” Sharon communicated.
“Babe, I’m fine. But I need to concentrate. Is everyone safe there?”
“So far,” Jackson said. “It seems the citizens decided to pull together in the parking lot and head out to round up anyone living on the mountain.”
“Is someone heading for the biologists?”
“Yes. The two strange guys you met in the woods. And Melinda is with them.” Sharon sighed into his head.
“Seriously?”
“Yes. She was adamant.”
“I’m sure her mates are pissed.”
“I’m betting that’s an understatement.” Jackson chuckled.
“Cooper,” Sharon began, trying to grab his attention. “My dad thinks they aren’t human.”
“Who? The men? Wyatt and Isaiah?”
“Yes.”
“What the hell are they, then?”
“No idea. Not wolves. That’s for sure. We would know that.”
“Great. And Melinda went off with them alone?”
“She feels certain it’s the right thing to do. My dad agreed.”
“Okay. I don’t like it, and for the record I’d spank your ass if you pulled a stunt like that.”
Sharon squeezed her legs together and sucked in a breath. Why the hell did such a suggestion make her clit pulse? Spank her?
Cooper chuckled into her head. “On second thought, I’ll have Jackson do it. Try me.”
She shook her head, well aware he couldn’t see her and not caring. “Can we not discuss this right now?”
Cooper chuckled again. “I need to concentrate on this volcanic activity. The US Geological Survey is almost here. When I know more, I’ll keep you informed.” He cut off the connection.
Jackson set a hand on Sharon’s lower back. “Let’s head for the sheriff’s office. Your brother’s there, and the deputies from Sojourn are heading there too.”
She nodded, her mind still reeling from the idea of being spanked by either of her mates. What was she, four?
As they headed for the car, she stopped several times to check on people she knew. She’d lived her entire life in Cambridge. She knew nearly everyone and a large number of the citizens of Sojourn too. So many injured. Everything from lacerations to broken bones. Too bad none of the injured were shifters.
Several ambulances had pulled into the parking lot, the blare of their sirens mixing with the wail from the emergency system. Deafening.
The faint smell of rotten eggs filled the air too, making her cringe.
Volcano.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“This is as far as we’re going to be able to go by truck. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way,” Melinda said as Isaiah pulled the truck to a stop.
Sitting between the two men she hardly knew for the last thirty minutes had been a humbling experience. Never in her life had she encountered anyone who could so thoroughly block her. And she was pretty sure it was intentional.
“Excellent.” Wyatt opened the passenger door and hopped down to the ground. He turned toward Melinda and took her hand to help her descend behind him.
She stared at Wyatt for several seconds, wondering how this was going to go down. First of all, it was cold out, hovering in the low forties. She wasn’t dressed to walk anywhere in human form. Shit, neither were either of the men.
Second of all, they didn’t have time for a lengthy explanation and lessons on wolf shifters. But if Melinda’s hunch was correct, these two didn’t need any lessons. They knew. Why they knew was about to become apparent.
“So…” She toed the ground at her feet and tried to think of the right thing to say.
“Look,” Isaiah said, “we know. So, you aren’t going to shock us. We also know you need to remove your clothes or risk destroying them. We’ll turn around. You can leave your things in the truck.”
She widened her eyes. “I’m not even going to ask how you know so much because we don’t have time. But what are you going to do? Run along beside me?”
Wyatt chuckled. “Hardly. I’m pretty fast. You can try to keep up.” When she glared at him, he sobered and spoke again. “Just shift. It’s easier to demonstrate than explain. And like you said, we’re in a bit of a hurry here.”
“Shoot. I don’t have a pack. I need something to put my clothes in.” She slapped her forehead. It wasn’t as though she could traipse up to the biology students naked in the cold and let them know what was happening on the mountain.