Rogue Shifter [High-Country Shifters 3] Read Online Free PDF Page A

didn’t sense any shifters around, he walked up to the kid. “You wanted to see me?”
    The scrawny kid held out his hand. “I’m Jeremy. Man, dude, you were amazing.”
    “Thanks. I’m Malik. All it takes is a little training.” And about twenty years of practice.
    “That’s what I want to ask about. Will you give me a few pointers?”
    He did want to help the kid, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to encourage him if it meant he’d get caught shifting. On the other hand, if he wanted to go against wolf shifters, then that was a different matter. “I’m kind of on a date.” Jeremy dropped his head. Only then did Malik study the boy. He had a scar that went from his wrist up past his elbow. The gouges look wolf inflicted. “You get that scar fighting a wolf?”
    Jeremy lifted his head but didn’t meet his gaze. “Yeah. There are quite a few wolf shifters in town but not many lion shifters. My dad can shift, but he won’t. Says he left when he was twenty to get a new start on life. He said Anterra was too violent.” He looked up, almost wanting him to confirm or deny the allegation.
    “Your dad’s a smart man. It is violent there.”
    “Really?”
    “That’s why I’m here on vacation.”
    The kid glanced back to the alley. “I guess that kind of sucked that you came here and got attacked by wolves, huh?”
    He had to laugh at that one. “That kind of fight I can handle.”
    Jeremy’s eyes shone. “That’s my point. You handled them so easily. I’ve had no one to train me. I heard you say those two dudes needed to go back to Anterra and get trained. Do you think I could go there?”
    That would be a big mistake. A cub like him without any training might not even make it to Taryn and Kellum’s house. Without knowing how to access the underground facility, Jeremy wouldn’t stand a chance. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
    “Then can you help me? Please?”
    There was no way he couldn’t give the kid a few pointers. “I’ll give you five minutes.”
    His grin came out wide. “That’s cool.”
    He nodded behind him. “Let’s go in to the alley.” He scanned the area to decide how safe it would be to shift but figured he discuss tactics without having to resort to being in lion form.
    “All right. Here’s the deal. Whether you are fighting another kid or a wolf, the principles are the same. Don’t try to learn any specific choreographed moves. The mind is not fast enough to identify every possible attack and respond instantaneously with the appropriate counterattack.”
    “My dad wanted me to take martial arts lessons.”
    He wasn’t sure what that entailed. “It’s probably better than nothing, and it might give you better balance, so I wouldn’t count it out. I’m betting you’re pretty good leaping from one rock to another, even in human form.”
    “I’m the best.”
    “Perfect. Don’t try to control your opponent by grabbing him or trying to hold him down.” That was often a big mistake since lions were larger than wolves. “Let him move uncontested. That allows you to flow around him. Then you strike from behind, preventing him from reaching you.”
    His face broke out into a grin. “Like you did with the wolves. One of the wolves jumped at you and you were able to get out of the way.”
    “Exactly. Why engage when you don’t have to?”
    “The best move was when you avoided the second one and patted his ass.”
    He laughed at that. “Yeah, that was to show him that I could have struck him if I’d wanted to.”
    “That’s so awesome. I’m going to practice that with my friends. Can you show me some other moves?”
    He could see this could go on and on. “Some other time. I have a date, remember?”
    His smile faded. “Sorry. Sure. Thanks again.”
    The kid practically skipped down the alley and disappeared. Malik shook his head. Cubs learned those tricks by the time they were eight. What a shame that his dad never thought to help out his own son.