All Chapters of Freakn' Shifters: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Nervous, Jiao took more time getting ready than usual. She and Sheng shared the same weekday off. Unusual given they both worked at different places, she at a childcare center, and he at a car dealership. She still couldn't believe she'd convinced Sheng to call Chris and apologize, although, the concession only comprised part of the battle. Sheng still insisted that only the best quote would win. How crazy was it for her to cross her fingers and hope Chris came in first? Thankfully, Sheng didn't notice anything amiss, accepting at face value when questioned on her jumpiness that she was excited to finally see the gym plan moving forward. Although Jiao expected it, the ringing of the doorbell still took her by surprise. Having hovered nearby on ridiculous pretexts, like dusting the spotless living room, organizing the front hall closet, washing light switches, she made sure she stayed close, wanting to see Chris for a moment alone before Sheng stepped in. Lucky for her, when

Sheng did not look happy when he stalked into the kitchen. "Was his quote that horrible?" Jiao asked as she dropped the chicken into the pan. It sizzled in the melted butter. "No idea. He's going to email it to me later." "If it's not the price, then why do you look like you swallowed a lemon?" "There's something about him I don't like." "You don't like anyone," she retorted flipping the chicken she precooked for the casserole so it could brown on the other side. "I'm just being careful. I won't do anything to jeopardize us." "And how is a handyman going to manage that? Or do you think everyone works for Kaleb?" The man who'd held them captive from a young age. Their parents too, until they died. For a long time she and Sheng believed he ran the world, and he did in a sense, the compound in the mountains its own world outside reality. "I am not paranoid. Just cautious." "No, you're paranoid. Not quite tin hat crazy, but close. But

Several days later, Sheng balled up yet another quote and tossed it at the garbage can. Six contractors other than the wolf he'd had in. Five gave him exorbitantly high quotes, much higher than expected, and one didn't contact him back at all. He expected it from the humans, damned crooked thieves looking to make a heap of money, but the second and third shifter he called for numbers came in even higher. Only one quote shone amidst the rest. One problem. He didn't like the wolf behind it. The moment he met Chris, Sheng smelled trouble. He'd not missed how his sister and Chris looked at each other with moonstruck eyes. Talk about a complication he didn't want or need. He knew Jiao thought them safe, his fault really because he'd done his job as protector too well. Sheng and Patricia, the RCMP shifter with connections who'd helped them disappear when they escaped the mountains, had helped him hide the evidence of Kaleb's continued interest in their whereabouts. She note

Chris got the phone call late in the afternoon telling him he got the job and to show up the next day at nine a.m. Letting out a whoop of victory, Chris grabbed his mother and swung her around. Sighing, she tsked him when he set her on her feet. "Calm down. What did I tell you about taking it easy? And what happened to showing a girl a good time first before chasing after the married one?" "You want me to cheat on my mate?" He drew himself up with an indignant huff. "You're sure she's your mate?" "Absolutely. I can't stop thinking about her, ma. It's all I can do to stop myself from marching over there and claiming her." "My baby boy is in lust." "Love." "It's too soon to call it that," his mother admonished. "You don't even know this girl. She could be a right bitch for all you know. Just because fate wants to tie you together doesn't mean it's a match made in heaven." "Pessimist." Her words of caution couldn't penetrate his bubble of ex

Jiao heard someone knocking at the door but ignored it. House rule number one when Jack went out was 'don't answer the door'. So she didn't and nearly peed her pants when someone opened the front door. Worse, she couldn't smell them because she'd caught a cold and with her nose stuffy ? red too, from blowing, ick ? she didn't know if friend or foe entered. Although, considering they had no friends, foe seemed more likely. Grabbing a hold of the rolling pin she was using to make a pie crust for the quiche she'd planned for lunch, she vetoed the hallway which would have meant a direct confrontation with the intruder and instead, slunk through the dining and living room area coming up behind the stranger in the front hall. Wearing a plaid shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, he seemed really large and imposing. Shutting her eyes tight, she swung. The object of her whack, grunted, and she opened her eyes to see him still standing, so she swung again. Down he went in a sprawl