Southern Shifters: Bearing the Ink (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Black & White Book 3) by Lissa Matthews

figure out a way to bring new blood in,” Luke said from the front door. “That’s all I wanted. I didn’t want to bring a war to your house. I wanted to bring new blood, fresh blood into my pack so they could be strong again. We’re weak as shit. Humans will help us achieve that, but none are moving to the area as much as just dropping in from time to time.”
    “Well, you did a good job at bringing the fight, Wolf. Whether you meant to or not. The question is, how do we fight it and are you going to stick around to the end?”
    “Do you really think humans can help you survive and become strong again?” All eyes turned to find Beck standing just inside the room.
    “Yes,” Luke replied. “There aren’t enough shifters to mate with. New blood always needs to be introduced in order to bolster the numbers, the immunity, the genes. We can’t keep breeding the way we are. Some of us don’t breed at all, don’t ever mate. If we keep going along that path, we’ll die out. But there are territories that are locked down for only those of pure shifter breeding. We need access to new lands, new places. We need safety.”
    “I see.”
    “This is hard for you, I know,” Bex said, going to Beck. “Not all are like Rex. Not all are crazed or unstable. Not all are violent in that way.” She touched the scarred part of his face and they both tried not to flinch at the contact. “You should probably go.”
    “Are you going to kill my father?”
    “I don’t have those answers, Beck. I can’t answer for anyone else here. I can’t say they won’t. He’s taken something from them same as Rex took something from you.”
    “He…” Beck inclined his head toward Gus. “He said he would keep you safe.”
    Even with Gus mad at her, she had every bit of faith in him. “He did and he will.”
    “I’d like to stay. I couldn’t help your mom… All these years and… I want to stay. It might help you if I do.”
    “Well, giddy up, y’all. We’re about to find out.”
    Bex turned away from Beck. Outside the window, she watched as a black SUV parked along the curb. Doors opened and the vehicle emptied of grown men, one of whom had his hand wrapped in the black hair of a battered and bloodied woman. “Maxine,” Bex breathed.
    “I don’t see Michael.” Gus’s father sounded angry and Bex couldn’t blame him. So many things could go sideways with goons walking around the side of her house. They were smarter than she wanted to give them credit for. No one lived on that side of the property. No prying eyes.
    Bex took one step forward. Then another. Before anyone could stop her, she was out the door and around the porch. She had no idea what she was going to say or what she was going to do, but adrenaline propelled her into action. She came to a halt when a shotgun was leveled at her.
    “Not so brave now are you, little girl? You wanted to talk to me. Here I am.”
    The Mayor.
    “Not with a gun in my face and not with you holding her like that.” When this was all over, if she was still alive, Bex was going to have to have a talk with herself. She didn’t talk to men with guns. She didn’t talk to men with guns. She didn’t negotiate with men with guns. She didn’t take her life and the lives of her family into her own hands. She wasn’t reckless.
    Until…
    Until she got on the back of Gus’s bike. Until she faced down a werewolf. Until she shifted into a bear.
    Until she was fucking tired of her life being turned upside down.
    “No other way to do this,” the Mayor said. “She’s one of them. She smells like dog.”
    “I’m one of them, too. Only I’m much bigger than a dog.”
    “Oh, I know. I know all about you, Rebecca.” The sneer in his voice made hate travel up and down her spine. “You’re a filthy animal like the rest of them. I want my son.”
    The hammer on multiple guns sounded in her ears. Her bear was clawing to get out, much the same way it did when Luke had shown up at her house.