An Alpha's Lightning (Water Bear Shifters 2) Read Online Free PDF

scientists up there hiding out and testing out viruses specifically aimed at bear shifters.”
    Ace felt his blood go cold. “Do you think it’s the same guys behind the Great Epidemic that killed all the panda shifters?”
    Lance shrugged. “No way to know for sure. But Ian said the bear shifters up in Alaska have been trying to track them down and have had a hard time of it. Whoever these scientists are, they’re going to great lengths to protect themselves.”
    Ben slammed his fist into the table. “I’ll be damned if I let those bastards get away with murdering more shifters.”
    “I agree,” Brett said. “But what can we do to stop them? San Diego is a long ways away from Alaska.”
    “I think we need to develop a working relationship with the clan in Alaska that’s been watching the situation. They have boots on the ground up there, so to speak. If we can be in contact with them on a regular basis, they can feed us information on what’s going on,” Lance said.
    “That makes sense,” Brett said. “But how are we going to develop a working relationship with them?”
    “We should send someone up there to talk to them. I think having one of us go in person shows how serious we are about wanting to keep an eye on things,” Lance said.
    “I agree,” Ben said. “Lance, can you get in touch with Ian and see if he can connect you with the clan up there?”
    “Sure thing,” Lance said. “I’ll talk to him and get back to you guys as soon as I can.”
    Ace had just finished shoveling the last bite of food from his tray into his mouth, when the alarm went off. The crew was being called out on another rescue. Not surprising, since nights plagued by big storms always meant multiple rescue attempts.
    “Let’s go boys,” Ace said. “Time for some more fun.”
    Ace glanced at the clock on the wall, which read eleven forty-five p.m. One more day of work, and then he had two days off. And he was already making plans for how he would use those days to convince Jade to spend some time with him.

Chapter Five
     
    Thirty-six hours later, Ace had finished his Coast Guard shift, and managed to sneak in a long stretch of sleep. The shift had been an exhausting one, and Ace had collapsed into bed when he got home. But, after a chance to get some shuteye, and a huge breakfast of bacon and eggs, Ace was feeling rejuvenated. He sat at his kitchen table, sipping on a huge mug of black coffee, and toying with his cell phone.
    The number for the rescue center was still listed in his recent outgoing calls. He stared at the digits on the screen for a few long moments, and then hit call.
    A woman answered the phone. “San Diego Marine Mammal Rescue Center. This is Mary. How can I help you?”
    Ace recognized the voice as belonging to the old lady who worked at the front desk. “Oh, hi there. May I speak to Jade, please?”
    There was short pause, and then Mary spoke again. “Give me just a minute and let me check whether she’s here right now. Can I tell her who’s calling?”
    Ace grinned to himself. “Sure,” he said. “Tell her it’s Ventura.”
    “Uh, okay,” Mary said. “I’ll be right back.”
    Ace chuckled as he imagined Mary going up to Jade and telling her some lunatic on the phone was asking for her and saying he had the same name as the whale that had been rescued. About a minute later Jade came on the line.
    “Well, hello there, Ventura,” she said with a laugh. “I thought you hated being called that.”
    “I do,” Ace said. “But I wanted to get your attention.”
    “Well, you have my attention. What’s up?”
    “I wanted to know whether you’d wizened up yet and decided to accept my invitation to dinner.”
    Jade paused for a moment, and then laughed. “Really, Ace? You think if you just keep asking that I’ll eventually say yes? It doesn’t work that way.”
    Ace leaned back in his chair and took a long drag from his coffee mug. “Why not?” he asked. He tried to sound blasé about