Second Nature Read Free Page A

back in a silent snarl. That could mean only one thing: the Wertsiya wanted to see her — even though Griffin had no desire to see the High Council. She had hoped to have a few weeks to herself before they would give her a new assignment. "Do you know what they want?"
    "No." White-blond hair fell onto his forehead as Jennings shook his head. "They just told me to take the next plane, so it must be something important." The glow of hunting fever already shimmered in his eyes. For Cedric Jennings, offspring of a long line of high-ranking saru, this unexpected mission was an opportunity to prove himself to the council, further his career, and increase the power of his family.
    For Griffin, it was an interference with the life she had built for herself. Having Jennings accompany her when she was used to going on solo missions wasn't helping either.
    "Let's go," Jennings said and strode down the hill.
    *  *  *
     
    "They're waiting for you," the man who greeted them in front of the elevator said.
    There was something familiar about him, but Griffin didn't remember his face. She opened her mouth and drew in his scent. Weird. Her normally reliant nose didn't give her any clue about the stranger's ancestry, and she slowed her steps to study him. Mysteries like this always intrigued her.
    It seems he finds me just as interesting as I find him. Griffin had long since gotten used to curious glances. This was different, though. She smelled no dislike and no morbid fascination from the stranger.
    His submissive stance was typical for an Ashawe, but when he turned toward Griffin, the proud light in his eyes held no resemblance to a coyote-shifter. His eyes were all wolf.
    He's a hybrid. Surprise almost stopped her from entering the elevator behind him and Jennings. She hadn't expected to meet another hybrid in the council building, but then she remembered: two years ago, it had created quite a stir when Kylin had appointed Rufus Tolliver as her councilor's aide.
    The elevator doors slid open. Rufus led them along a nondescript corridor in a nondescript building.
    Griffin tilted her head and listened. Silence greeted her — not surprising since council meetings always took place in soundproof rooms. Wrasa had excellent hearing, and the council didn't want anyone spying on them.
    Oh, yes, we've lost a lot of things, but our paranoia is not one of them.
    Instead of making them wait, Rufus ushered them into the council chamber. He stayed outside, but his encouraging nod followed Griffin before he closed the door behind them.
    Agitated voices leaped at Griffin, making her flinch back. Amazing how just nine people could make so much noise.
    None of the councilors turned as the door opened, and Griffin was in no hurry to attract their attention.
    "Let's wait until there's a break in the discussion," Jennings said.
    Griffin leaned against the back wall and tried to understand what was going on.
    The nine council members were sitting at a round table that emphasized their equality. Wrasa had no regent that ruled over all of them. Instead, each subspecies sent a representative to the council. The leonine Kasari were represented by the high king of the Allied Prides. At one time in the past, every lion-shifter had expected Griffin's father to end up in this position, but now a dark-bearded man sat in his chair, arguing with Jeff Madsen, the most dominant alpha of the Syak. Next to them, Kylin shouted to make herself be heard over the commotion. She represented the Puwar even though she held no official title in the tiger-shifter community.
    Griffin stared at them in distaste. Great hunter. She had always hated politics. How can Kylin stand the constant bickering and squabbling? If she had to stand it for more than an hour, it would either bore her to death or make her anger flare, causing her to shift shape. They are arguing like a gaggle of human kids on the playground. Hard to believe that the council was the one thing that saved us from