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“We’ll take some water for now.”
    “Be right back.” She scurried away, taking the hint that now wasn’t the time to interrupt.
    “What do you mean I’m your mate?” James ran through his head the things he’d heard about mates last night during dinner. “You can’t be my mate.” He’d never want anyone attached to him, especially a shifter. James was a mess and he didn’t want to drag someone down with him while his sanity hung by a thread.
    “Why can’t I be?” The patience the bear usually showed for him vanished. For the first time he could see the animal lying just beneath the surface. James’ skin itched, his own inner animal responding to the threat. With a lower dosage of his usual drug the world was a brighter place, smells were stronger, his vision sharper and his strength increasing in tiny increments. Despite those improvements his hands still shook when he picked up his glass of water and every inch of his body ached like a semi-truck had run him over.
    A PRIDELESS MAN
    Amber Kell
    32
    He was silent too long. Lou repeated his question. “Why can’t I be your mate?” Beneath Lou’s dark gaze he couldn’t lie. “My father is not only an anti-shifter zealot—
    he’s the head of PAW.”
    “Seriously?” Lou didn’t look like he wanted to believe the news.
    James’ heart ached to have to confirm the bear’s worst suspicions. He nodded. “He hates all shifters and tells anyone who’ll listen. He even has a large following of supporters. I don’t want to bring another person into this. As it is, I still need to confess to Dennis that my father could be responsible for his missing sister. I had no idea he’d gone from marching against shifters to kidnapping them. I don’t know why he would do that.” Lou locked gazes with him. “You need to tell the pride what you know. Maybe you can talk to your father.”
    James gave a bitter laugh. “My father has never listened to me before. I doubt he’s going to listen to me any better now.” He doubted his father would even want to have anything to do with him after he found out James could shift. If the doctor was right his father’s goal was for James to never shift. “He’ll call me soon about the medication. I’ve never gone this long without contacting him for a refill.” He’d also never lived that far away from him before.
    Lou took James’ hands between his own. “Let me know how I can help make things easier and I will. Despite what you think, shifter mates are born, not made. I am willing to do whatever you need in order to make you more comfortable with the idea I’m your mate except give you up.”
    The earnestness in the bear shifter’s eyes was James’ undoing. How could he turn down the sincere man who wanted nothing more than to help him achieve his goals? He’d certainly never received a better offer and some instinct deep inside told him if he let this man go he’d never get another chance at love.
    “I…” He started to speak only to be cut off.
    “James, what the hell are you doing? I’ve been trying to get hold of you for weeks.” His father marched to their table and towered over him, his stormy grey eyes dark with anger. “Do you know how much I’ve been worried? I had to hire a detective to find you.” Guilt tore at him with large shark bites. “Sorry, Father, I was going to call you. Lou, this is my father, Andrew Everett. Father, this is Louis Arktos.” A PRIDELESS MAN
    Amber Kell
    33
    His father’s mouth curled with disdain as he looked at the sheriff. “A shifter, great. I let you move out on your own and you hook up with a shifter.” Anger spurred James to speak. “You didn’t let me do anything. I’m old enough to move anywhere I wish.”
    “Would you like to join us?” Lou offered, giving James a pointed look. The big bear desperately wanted them all to get along. Poor delusional man.
    “No, thank you. James, when you’re done, I want you to meet me at my room. I’m staying