Zero Fox Given: You've Got To Be Shifting Me, #1

SOMETIMES IT PAYS TO BE BAD…

Fox shifter and all around good girl Zelda witnessed the murder of her alpha, then overheard her new husband confess.

What the hell is wrong with the Universe?

Now she's on the run, but she's tossed her good girl persona for something a thousand times more fun. Gone are her heavy sweaters and glasses in exchange for tight dresses and high heels on the dance floor.

Then a kidnapping goes wrong and she's rescued by a tall, dark and handsome bodyguard! Her very own bodyguard! Okay, this is unexpected, but the sexy bodyguard fantasy was one of her favourites, and she'll run with it.

It turns out she still has people who care about her, and they hired Victor to watch her back. Except Zelda doesn't just want fun anymore. She gets the scent of a mate off the stoic bodyguard, and Victor has a no touching policy with clients

Zelda can't wait for her husband to be brought in, and while Victor protects her from a murderous ex, she'll do her best to wear down Victor's defences.

Zero Fox Given is book 1 in the You’ve Got to be Shifting Me series.

Zero Fox Given

Howl Always Love You

Can’t Bear to Be Without You

CHAPTER 1

The lights flashed in a blinding rhythm that would give any normal person a seizure, the music blared so loudly Zelda’s sensitive ears could barely pick up the beat, and yet she moved anyway. She probably looked like a complete idiot flailing around as she did, but she didn’t care and no one seemed to notice in the sea of bodies.

Zelda Wolff had no idea how to dance, and yet here she was, having the time of her life. A few short weeks ago, the idea of being in a place like this would have made her heart seize up.

The heat of the bodies surrounding her, sweaty and lithe as they moved, pressing against her back, her sides, and her breasts, created a heady scent that pulled her in. Because she was a sweaty, moving body with them. On her own, if she did this, she would look so ridiculous. Together, she vanished into the crowd.

Now she understood why people loved this so much. It wasn’t the dancing. Not really. This could barely be called dancing anyway. No. It was the feeling that came with it. The anonymity, the feeling of being desired, of feeling sexy in her own skin as the already tight black skirt clung to her curves like a painted on skin. Her long hair was loose. Zelda shook it out as everyone raised their hands up high.

Free. Light. Careless.

Reckless.

The eyes of the male standing next to her lit up. She didn’t get around that often, but she knew what the smile on his face meant. What he wanted from her.

He was good-looking, too. In an old fashioned, James Dean kind of way. Gelled hair, blue jeans, and white T-shirt. The heat and sweat of the room let her see what was beneath that white T-shirt, too.

And she was impressed with what she saw.

The old Zelda would have shied away by now. Would have avoided eye contact because she didn’t want to give off the wrong impression.

Now…well, why the hell not? That was the entire point of doing this. Of wearing these clothes, of letting her dark curls loose and showing off her body for the first time since…

Well, ever.

He reached for her hand. A thrill rushed through Zelda’s arm as she allowed him to guide her away from the crowd of dancers.

Her heart beat. Her fox tail flicked behind her, and her ears twitched. This was it. For the first time since it had happened, she was going to have sex.

Good. This was going to be good. The dancing was one thing, but it wasn’t nearly enough to make her forget.

The man said something to her. At first Zelda thought he might be trying to tell her his name. So difficult to tell with all the noise. She should have worn ear plugs.

She asked him to repeat himself.

He leaned in a little closer. She could smell the last thing he’d had to drink, obviously a bit of alcohol, but she also felt the warmth of his breath against her nape.

Want a drink?

Her tail swished.

Of all the things she was willing to do this night, that was one step too far.

No thanks. Zelda smiled at him and hoped it looked good, that her makeup hadn’t been smudged too badly from the sweaty dancing. I think I’d rather… Zelda trailed off, something catching the corner of her eye.

It wasn’t anything overly out of the ordinary. Just a man. A man in a leather jacket whose dark blue eyes scanned the crowd.

As though he was searching for someone.

Her spine stiffened.

James Dean put his hand on Zelda’s waist. You good?

Zelda nodded quickly, turning her back to the man, forcing James Dean around so he was in front of her.

He laughed. Okay.

I’d like to go with you. Zelda put her smile back on, trying to look as pleasing as possible for this guy.

She needed this. She needed him to take her out of here. Right now. Her reckless fun suddenly didn’t seem so fun anymore, and she needed to be gone from here.

What’s the matter?

There were other people in this crowd who were shifters, so it shouldn’t matter if that guy saw the back of her head, her ears, and tail. They shouldn’t give her away.

She hoped.

I…think I see my ex-boyfriend over there. I’d just like to get out of here with you before any drama starts.

The lie rolled right off her tongue. She was surprised with how easily it came.

James Dean’s mouth quirked, as though he wanted to look over her shoulder and see for himself, but managed to stop himself.

No problem. He took her by the hand. My car’s out back.

Sweet relief.

Zelda quickly followed him. He took her through the employee only area. Zelda heard the sounds of the kitchen as they prepared food for the few people who actually came here to eat.

Do you know the people who work here?

Nope. Hurry, he said.

Zelda did, though the thought of rushing through the back halls of a club, being where she wasn’t supposed to, thrilled her on some level. Just like in a movie. The hero and heroine outrunning some terrible foe.

In her case, the foe wasn’t just terrible, he was deadly.

A bouncer shouted at them as they ran, but then there was the door with the bright red EXIT sign above it.

They burst through. Home free.

This way.

When James Dean said his car was out back, he wasn’t kidding. The man pulled her down the back alley of the club, behind another restaurant, and down another dark alley.

Zelda’s adrenaline began to simmer down, and the farther and farther away Mr. Dean pulled her from the lights of, well, anything, the more uneasy she became.

Are you sure your car is around here?

She began searching for any signs of a vehicle, something that would let her relax out of this state of mind that had her so utterly worked up.

Yeah, it’s this way.

He pulled her along a little farther. Zelda’s heart lurched into her throat when James Dean shoved his hand into his pocket, but the only thing he pulled out was a set of keys. He clicked a button, and a distinct beeping noise sounded as the car lights flashed.

She hadn’t even seen it there.

Sorry. James Dean smiled at her, an innocent dimple appearing at his cheek. It’s just easier than paying for parking.

She supposed that made sense.

He opened the passenger door for her.

The sound of glass clinking, as though someone had knocked over a bottle, caught her attention real fast. Zelda spun around, searching through the darkness to see what had made that noise. There was some yellow light from bulbs at the few back doors, but nothing that really reached into the cracks of the alley.

Everything okay?

Zelda looked back at her suitor. For some reason, her gaze flitted down to the door he held open for her. It was an old fashioned sort of car. She didn’t know much about vehicles, but Zelda was willing to bet this one was a classic of some sort. And the little hole where the lock popped in and out of, there was nothing there for her to press down on to lock the door.

Or pull on to unlock it.

Zelda’s gaze slowly turned back up to the man she’d allowed to bring her out here. She smiled. She tried to. Her mouth didn’t seem to hold it very well. Let’s go back to the club.

He blinked at her. His smile so easy-going, so handsome, that she wanted to melt right into it. Go back? Why?

I just figured it might be a better idea to get to know each other a little more first. We can get those drinks you offered.

She wanted to go back more than anything. She’d allowed one guy looking out over the gyrating and pulsing crowd of people to scare her away from a public space where she would have been safe. That guy might not have anything to do with this at all. What if it was the handsome stranger with the cute and innocent smile she had to beware of all this time?

Zelda found herself backing away from the man, and his car, without meaning to.

James Dean’s smile slowly melted from his face as he shut the door. If you want to go back, I’ll take you back.

Zelda blinked. You…really?

James Dean shrugged. Yeah, sure. If you’re not into it, then that’s fine. He said it grudgingly, though.

She supposed that made sense. He’d thought he would be getting laid tonight, and then Zelda had to go ahead and ruin the mood.

"Well, I’m not saying I’m not into it." She definitely still wanted the sex.

James Dean cocked his head, his brows coming together as though confused by her signals. Uh…

I just thought we could have a few drinks first. I think I need to loosen up, you know?

James Dean smiled at her again. Sure thing. Just let me grab my jacket.

She nodded, holding her arms and glancing behind her one last time as he went around to the driver’s side of the door.

There was still no one there that she could see, but she couldn’t help the feeling in her stomach—

A hand clamped hard around her mouth. A hand holding something that smelled sharp and…

Don’t inhale.

Zelda fought. She squirmed and struggled, but James Dean’s free arm curled around her waist and it was tight. Painful. The chemical smell of chloroform panicked her because she knew what would happen if she passed out. She knew where she would go to.

Who would see her. Who would end her life.

James Dean must have been either a shifter or a subhuman because his strength was immense. Zelda couldn’t get him off.

Someone get him off me!

He released her. Just like that. Zelda couldn’t get her legs to work beneath her in time to catch herself as she fell to her knees.

And glanced back just in time to see the man with those dark blue eyes, the man from the club, lift James Dean up into the air before slamming him down hard onto the filthy concrete.

Don’t fucking think so, pal.

James Dean flailed and struggled for all he was worth, but Blue Eyes held him down with relative ease.

He was bigger, after all. Still, it should have caused him some struggle to hold down his captive like that. Either he hid it well or it wasn’t that difficult for him. Blue Eyes looked her way as he pressed down his victim and cuffed the man. Their eyes locked, and Zelda froze.

Something about the way he looked at her caught her off guard. Not even that, there was something in his eyes she could only see now that they both held their gazes. As though Zelda was downloading some information right from his brain and into hers.

It made Zelda’s guts seize up and her heart clench, and a terrifying reality pressed upon her that she didn’t want.

Not now. Not after she’d just gotten away from her ex.

Mate. That’s what that look said, and now that the smell of chloroform was fading and she could think again, even his scent said what she didn’t want it to say.

This wasn’t some guy her alpha had chosen for her to breed with. This was her natural born mate.

Holy shit.

CHAPTER 2

The man held James Dean down with the weight of his knee, ignoring the man’s screams of innocence and his thrashing. He seemed to snap out of the haze so fast that Zelda wondered if she’d caught the frequency between them right. Or if her nose was working properly.

He yanked something out from the inside of his leather jacket. A cell phone. He actually dialed 911.

My name is Victor Kincaid; I’m with Delany and Kincaid Security. I’m in the alley behind the Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant on 37 th and Main. I’ve got a suspect here who was attacking one of my clients. Could you send over an ambulance and some officers to assist, please?

Zelda blinked at that. Did he say security? And did he say client?

That couldn’t be right, but she was too glad to be alive to care.

The way he looked at her now didn’t seem to show any of the previous mind-blowing, rock your world revelations he’d seemed to be hit with earlier.

Maybe he wasn’t her mate. Maybe Zelda was just misinterpreting the adrenaline rush that came with being rescued by a tall, dark, and handsome stranger.

The operator on the phone asked him, Victor, a few more questions, which he answered. Then, still on the phone, he looked right at her again with those piercing blue eyes.

You okay? Are you hurt anywhere? He sounded almost frantic about that.

Zelda shook her head. She felt dirty all over, and cold. The sweat she’d built up from dancing in the heat of the club didn’t mesh well with the night air of late August.

You’re bleeding.

Zelda shook her head, ready to tell him that she wasn’t bleeding and that she was fine. Except her hands stung. She looked down at her palms. There was blood there. Blood from the scratches she’d sustained when she’d fallen to her knees. Dirt and little rocks were embedded in her palms as well, some under the skin, and one of her nails had been broken right off.

Her knees weren’t faring much better, and her tail was wet and filthy. Now that she was taking note of herself, Zelda could really start to feel the sting all over her body. The chloroform lingering on her face made her feel dirtier.

I’m…I’m fine. She looked down at the man she’d been ready to walk off with, and all she felt for him now was disgust and contempt. He wasn’t facing her. He had his gaze turned away. She couldn’t tell if that was because he was a coward and couldn’t look her in the face, or because Victor had turned his head away for him.

She looked back at Victor. Thanks for saving me.

Zelda wasn’t sure how to feel about the fact that Victor also seemed to have trouble holding her haze, even as he gave his gruff reply. Don’t mention it. It’s my job.

That’s right, he’d said something about her being a client.

Zelda pushed herself to her feet. She brushed herself off, ignoring the pain in her palms and knees when she did. I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m grateful for the mistake.

It’s no mistake. Your brother hired me to keep an eye on you after what you started saying about your husband.

"Ex husband, she corrected quickly. That was the first thing that needed to be made right in all of this. And what do you mean? My brother called you? Why would he do that?" She’d told him not to.

Of course, something like that might be an odd question to a human, or even a subhuman. They didn’t always understand the way pack life worked, and Victor sure did give her an odd stare.

You want to know why your brother would call us to protect you when you accused your ex of murder?

Zelda pressed her lips together. She suddenly felt a little more like her old self. Small and insignificant. She pushed it away. That wasn’t her anymore. Pack life is different than most humans know. We don’t pull in any outside help.

He nodded. Even at the expense of your own life. Got it.

That really made her cheeks heat.

A siren sounded in the distance. Zelda’s ears twitched. She looked up, so did Victor.

He turned his attention back to her quickly. For now, you’re stuck with me. I’m your bodyguard.

That should have annoyed her; it should have set her on edge and brought up her defensive hackles. Instead, the sound of his voice as he told her she was stuck with him melted her insides like warm butter.

She had no idea what was happening right now, but already it felt kind of good.

The first thing Zelda did after the police came and questioned them was call her brother.

She had to do that at the police station for obvious reasons, and while her new bodyguard was giving her some small amount of space that she assumed was meant for privacy, the fact that he was still within sight of her made it fairly awkward to give her brother hell for doing this.

I didn’t know what else to do. Even through the phone, Link’s voice came out sounding like a groan. No one else was listening.

You’re supposed to leave it alone. Zelda glanced over at Victor. He stood there, just twenty feet away, almost looking casual had it not been for the hand on his hip, and the way he seemed to be looking down both hallways, his blue hawk eyes seeking out any potential danger.

If he he handled all threats the same way he'd dealt with the man who'd tried to abduct her, then Zelda got the feeling she was going to be in fairly good hands.

I can’t leave it alone. You’re my sister.

Zelda pressed her forehead against the wall. Do you want the pack to throw you out?

Who fucking cares about the pack? I don’t want you dead!

His shout shocked her. Zelda yanked the phone from her ear. There was a long minute of silence between them.

This isn’t a game, Link said. Not like when we were kids. Besides, Harry fucked off anyway. No one knows where he is.

That got her attention. Really?

Her ex was gone?

Really.

As in, he’s on the run? What happened? Who’s running the pack?

I guess the pack elders are. They came over and started asking questions. About you, about Harry and his friends. Gerard and Ben are gone too.

They were the ones there, Zelda muttered.

Yeah, and apparently Ben called the cops. He was the one who got the humans involved in this in the first place.

Her brother could have reached his hand through the phone and gut punched her and it wouldn’t have felt as bad as this.

Ben called the police? On Harry?