An Alpha's Storm (Water Bear Shifters 1) by Sloane Meyers Page A

desire to make Aubrey happy and to eventually have the chance for something deeper with her.
    Brett drove for a long time, filled with anger and not even sure where he was going. He drove north until he didn’t know exactly where he was anymore, and then he pulled off at a small state beach. The sun was just beginning to make its way down, creating long, late afternoon shadows. Brett parked his car and stumbled out, making his way blindly to where the ocean met the shoreline. He kicked off his shoes and started running south, his bare feet pounding the firmly packed, wet sand that was leftover from the recent high tide. He couldn’t think straight, and he just wanted to move his body to get some endorphins flowing and push back the anguish of the situation. He ran as fast as he could, ignoring the familiar sensation of burning lungs and aching legs as he moved his body faster and faster across the sand. A mixture of anger and sadness filled him, and his bear was still clawing at him, trying to force him to turn around and go back to find Aubrey.
    He wasn’t going back to Aubrey, but he could release some of the tension his bear was feeling by shifting. Brett slowed his run and looked around carefully, trying to see if any humans were nearby. He knew shifting so close to such a populated area was dangerous, and the other alphas would kill him if they knew he was going to do so. But, right now, he needed to do something to calm down. Shifting was the only thing that was going to help.
    The beach looked deserted. It wasn’t much of a swimming spot, and there were no parking lots within a convenient walking distance, so people only came here if they were interested in making the effort to find a private, secluded spot. Brett felt a fresh pang of sadness hit him as he realized that this would be the type of beach Aubrey would love. She had made a hobby of finding the most private beaches she could, so that she could swim the day away in solitude. Brett always got after her for swimming alone in the ocean, telling her it was dangerous not to have anyone nearby to call for help if she got in trouble. She always just shrugged and said, “Que sera, sera.”
    What will be, will be.
    Brett glanced around, and, not seeing anyone, decided to take the risk on shifting. After all, que sera, sera. He didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks, but he needed to let his bear run free. He needed to clear his head and let loose his body’s full potential. The odds of anyone seeing him out here were low, and he needed this release. The only thing on the beach other than sand was a small group of shrubs surrounding a large Torrey pine tree. Brett decided it was safe to shift for a short run. He hated living in the shadows, as he had been since the days of the Great Epidemic. It had been years since he had shifted outside and let his bear run free in the fresh air. Shifting only in secret, in the shadows of his locked apartment, was no way to live.
    Brett looked around once more, then quickly stripped naked, throwing his clothes into a pile on the sand. He let out a roar, and threw back his head as he let the primal energy of his animal overtake him. His skin changed from tanned, human skin into thick black and white fur. His hands changed into large paws, ending in sharp claws, and his face became the familiar black and white face of a panda. Brett roared again, baring his sharp bear teeth and standing on his hind legs to stretch to his full height. For humans, pandas had something of a reputation for being cute and cuddly. But Brett was feeling anything but cuddly right now.
    He was a panda shifter, the most legendary and ancient of all the bear shifters. He was afraid of no one, with the blood of generations of noble, fierce pandas running through his veins. He felt the energy of his bear surging through every limb as he let the beast take over, and he forgot to be angry about Aubrey. All he could think about was the exhilaration he felt