Read Indirect Lines: Halle Shifters, Book 5 for Free Online Page A

on your mate made sense to her, especially because her Hunter hadn’t claimed her yet. “What the fuck?”
    “Now hold on.” Bunny held up his hands like she was holding a gun on him instead of a glare. “You know he needs to investigate the Senate, right?”
    She blew out a frustrated breath. “Yes, but I didn’t think he’d go so quickly.” She was being childish and she knew it, but the thought that her mate was out there, possibly in trouble, was giving her hives. Big strong Hunter or not, he was hers . He should have been the one to tell her he was going, not Bunny. Wasn’t that what mates did for one another? And hadn’t he acknowledged that she was his mate?
    Bunny patted her on the head. “It’s okay, Heather. He probably didn’t want you to worry any more than you already are. And he’s not going to be gone long, you know?”
    “Pfft. I call bullshit. He didn’t want me to yell at him.” She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Barney’s number. “Give me a sec, I have a message to leave someone.”
    To her surprise, he answered. “Hello, sweetheart.”
    “Why didn’t you—” Sweetheart?
    He laughed, the sound low and wicked. “Why didn’t I what?”
    Grr. He was not going to distract her from her righteous wrath. “You didn’t tell me you were going away.”
    “Nope. I’m a strong, independent Bear, and I don’t need no woman to—”
    “Oh fuck yes you do,” she snarled back. Being cute wasn’t going to get him out of trouble. Besides, she could hear two other yahoos laughing in the background. She just bet he’d brought Casey Lee and Derrick with him.
    “You just want me barefoot and pregnant all the time.” He sniffled. “You don’t understand the struggles I face.”
    “Asshole.” She wished she could see his face. “How difficult is it to dial a phone?”
    “With my big fingers? Do you have any idea how often I’ve accidentally called 1-800-SEX-MEUP?”
    “Oh, I bet it was an accident.” Heather was seriously considering some sort of child safety lock for his phone. They made that kind of thing, didn’t they?
    “Hey, the plane is going through a—” he made a bizarre buzzing noise, “—and I think the signal is—” that buzzing noise again before he hung up on her.
    “Grr.” She put her phone back in her pocket. “You weren’t even on a plane yet, dickhead.” She glared at Bunny again just for good measure.
    He put his hands up in the air. “I didn’t do it.”
    She wanted to snarl some more, but he wasn’t the one who deserved it. “Fine. But I reserve the right to kick his shins when he gets back.”
    “He’ll love that.” Bunny hugged her cautiously, as if afraid she’d break if he used even a fraction of his strength.
    He was always careful with her. It still hurt to know she was the reason that Alex had become so passive that he’d earned the nickname Bunny, but she’d truly been terrified by his rage when he’d defended her from her attackers. That was eight years ago, though, so maybe she could get him to understand that she wasn’t afraid of him anymore. The more she was around him, the more comfortable she became. He wasn’t some angry avenging angel, he was just a man who’d tried to protect her the best way he knew how. “I’m not made of glass. You can hug me tighter. Maybe I’d feel it then.”
    He chuckled and let her go. “I’ll try to remember that.” He winked at her. “And I’ve got an even better surprise for you.”
    “Oh? What is it? Are we kicking puppies next?”
    “Not quite.” He rubbed his hands together gleefully. “You ready?”
    “Sure.” She crossed her arms and stared at him. Whatever it was, he seemed mighty pleased about it.
    Heather was startled when he walked right back to the front door and opened it up. “Come on in!”
    In walked—
    “Holy crap!” Heather raced toward her brother and sister, squealing in delight. “When did you guys get here?”
    Keith picked her up and twirled her