Skye’s Limits

Sometimes when you’re at your lowest, when you’re at your saddest, and just when you think that things can’t get any worse, along comes a hero to save the day and to win your heart away.

Skye has always lived life like it’s one big party. He makes his own rules, and consequences be damned. But one night when he takes things too far, his older brother steps in and demands he cleans up his act.

In comes Alden, known as one of the toughest trainers at the feline coalition, he takes on the job of turning Skye’s life around. The last thing the Tiger shifter expects is to find himself drawn to Skye, despite his bratty ways.

Will Alden be able to help save Skye from himself? Or will Skye self-destruct and shatter both of their lives?

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Skye’s Limits

Copyright © 2013 Stephani Hecht

ISBN: 978-1-77111-637-4

Cover art by Angela Waters

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by eXtasy Books

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ook for us online at:

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Skye’s Limits

Lost Shifters Book 26

By

Stephani Hecht

Skye took another drink of booze and shivered as it burned a path down his throat. Since the alcohol was a special brand that made only for shifters and the only kind that could get them drunk, he had to put up with the vile taste. It was either that or nothing and he was willing to do anything to get a buzz.

Anything to forget that night so long ago. That night that forever changed his life. The one that took his parents from him and changed his older brother. The night where his life had gone from perfect to fucked up in the span of one hour.

Skye took another drink, once again shivering. He knew Branson was going to be pissed as hell at him for coming home drunk again. But at least he wasn’t high this time. So, that had to count for something—right? Skye hadn’t touched the shifter drug TAR since one of his buddies had OD’d on it a couple of months ago. If that hadn’t had been a wakeup call, then nothing would have been. Skye might be stupid, but he wasn’t dumb.

“Hey, Skye, do you need a refill?” one of his buddies, Ace, asked.

In answer, Skye held up his half empty cup. “You know I do.”

Even as he watched the cup being refilled, his stomach started to rebel. He’d already had six cups of the gross liquid, and he didn’t think he could take another, but he didn’t want his friends to think he was a lightweight. They could be a judgmental group and turn on somebody quicker than a pack of jackals. Why he called them friends he didn’t even know. Maybe because they were the only ones in the coalition who didn’t turn their noses up at him. Or maybe it was because they were all even bigger losers than Skye was. Whatever reason, he seemed to find himself hanging out with the same bunch of jerks every night.

After three sips of the drink, Skye knew he wasn’t going to make it through the glass. His stomach was doing more flips and twists than an Olympic gymnast. He took several deep breaths, but it didn’t help. He could feel a sweat break out on his brow, and his vision began to get blurry. Oh shit, he was going to get sick, right in front of everybody and they were never going to let him live it down.

This. Really. Sucked. Big. Time.

The door to the apartment opened, and Gage came storming in. While Skye should have been pissed to see his brother’s mate there to crash his party, instead he was glad. Now he had a way to save face. He could do his puking at home in private instead of all over the floor of the party room.

Standing, Skye decided he still needed to put on a show. “What are you doing here?”

Gage glowered at him. While Gage might be on the thin side, Skye knew that he was a good soldier for the coalition and could hold his own in a fight. What’s more, so did all of Skye’s friends, so they grew silent and waited to see what would happen next.

“I came here to take you home,” Gage said, his dark brown eyes bright with fury. “Your brother is worried about you.”

Skye tried to make a raspberry noise, but didn’t quite pull it off. “Like Branson gives two shits about me.”

“He does, and you know it. Now get your crap together, and let’s go, or do I have to drag you out of here?”

It wasn’t an empty threat, and Skye knew it. If he had to, Gage could very well drag Skye out by his collar. It wouldn’t be a pretty scene, either. So in order to save some of his dignity, Skye got to his feet, wobbled a bit and made his way to the door. If he didn’t walk a straight line there, who could blame him? It wasn’t like he was taking a field sobriety test or anything.

Turning he waved sloppily to his
friends
. “See you later.”

“No, he won’t,” Gage said with dead certainty.

“Who are you to say that?” Skye challenged.

“Let’s just get you home. We’ll talk more there,” Gage replied in a tight voice.

Oh boy. Gage was pissed. Which was kind of shocking, since he was usually the more easygoing of the pair. Skye realized he must have fucked up big time. He would have tried to figure out what made this event worse than all the others, but he was too busy trying not to puke. Skye took several deep breaths and swallowed a few times then told his body that it only had to wait a few more minutes than it could throw up all it wanted.

He made his way up the basement stairs from the spot where they had been partying and followed Gage back to the apartment they shared with Branson. All the while there, the only thing Skye could think was,
Don’t puke. Don’t puke. Don’t puke.

Once they got back to the apartment, Skye pushed his way past Gage and ran to the bathroom. He made it just in time. Dropping to his knees, Skye prayed to the porcelain god. He threw up and threw up and threw up until there was nothing left but his stomach lining. Even then, he continued to have the dry heaves, and boy, did that hurt like hell.

The entire time he could hear Branson and Gage having a heated conversation outside. Although Skye couldn’t hear what they were saying, he knew it was about him. Oh boy, if this wasn’t turning out to be the best night of his life. Since he’d had some doozies in the past that said a lot.

By the time he was done throwing up, he felt like his body had been turned inside out. He stood up, flushed the toilet, then went to the sink. After he rinsed out his mouth and brushed his teeth, he looked at himself in the mirror. He moaned at the reflection. He could hardly believe that it was himself in the reflection.

His blond hair was a mass of tangles and looked like a rat had set up a nest in it. His blue eyes were all red and swollen, and his face was equally bloated. Dried pieces of puke still stuck to his face and his lips were cracked and bleeding in places. To say that he didn’t look his best would be a vast understatement.

There was a knock on the door, then Branson said, “Get out of there. I want to talk to you.”

Skye let out a sigh. Time to face the lecture. God, how he hated them. He had gotten them so many times that he knew them by heart by now. When would Branson get it that Skye didn’t give a damn?

Skye rinsed off his face, then opened the door and brushed past his brother. He went to the sofa and plunked himself down. Even though his brother was blind, he still felt like Branson could see every one of his faults. Branson had a way of doing that.

Gage was leaning against one of the walls, his arms crossed over his chest. He had on his uniform. He must have just gotten off duty. He looked tired, and he must not have been too happy having to deal with Skye’s issues yet again. Well, too bad. Skye hadn’t asked him to butt in.

Okay, Skye took that back. A part of him did feel a bit guilty over making Gage have to deal with his issues yet again. Gage had never asked to deal with a bratty brother-in-law. He’d just inherited it when he’d mated with Branson. Since Gage was a great guy, Skye felt bad that Gage had yet again had to drag him home. Especially, given Gage’s past with his mother.

Branson sat down in the chair opposite to Skye and looked at him. Well, he really didn’t look since he couldn’t see, but his stare seemed to be probing nonetheless. Despite himself, Skye felt himself fidgeting under it.

“Just get the lecture over so I can go to bed and crash,” Skye finally snapped.

“There isn’t going to be a lecture this time,” Branson said a sad expression coming over his face.

That was the last thing Skye was expecting. “Huh?”

“No, obviously that’s not working with you. So I’ve decided to do something different with you.”

Now Skye was really getting worried. What was going on? Was Branson going to kick him out? Send him away from the coalition? Make him live on the streets?

“What are you going to do?” Skye asked as he began to play with the rip in his jeans.

“I’ve talked to Mitchell.”

Oh boy. Things were really getting serious if Branson had gone to the leader of the coalition about him. Skye broke out in a sweat, and the last of his buzz completely disappeared as his gut grew tight with dread. Had he finally pushed his brother too far?

“About what?”

“You and your drinking and drug problem.”

“I haven’t taken any drugs in a while. I promise you. I stopped when that Cougar shifter OD’d,” Skye blurted.

“That may be true, but you’re still drinking way too much, and it’s become a problem. What’s more, you aren’t contributing at all to the coalition. You’re just dragging it down.”

Skye breathed harder as he realized he was in really big trouble. “So what are you guys going to do? Kick me out?”

Branson shook his head. “You should know that I would never do that to you. You’re my brother, and I swore to Mom and Dad I would take care of you. So that’s what I’m going to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mitchell and I have decided you need to work one-on-one with somebody that can help you clean up your act. Since you won’t listen to me or Gage, you need somebody who is trained for handle special cases like you,” Branson said.

“And just who will this person be?” Skye asked.

While he was relieved he wasn’t going to be kicked out, he was scared at the thought of being stuck with a special handler. He’d seen some of the guys who trained the special cases, and they were scary looking guys.

“Alden,” Branson announced.

Skye’s stomach dropped. Alden was the scariest of the bunch. With dark hair and even darker eyes, he just exuded meanness. Seriously, the guy looked like he ate nails for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

“Did you just say Alden?” Skye asked, his voice shaking a bit.

“Yes, I did. If we’re going to do this, it’s going to be done right.”

“Are you’re trying to get me killed?” Skye asked in a high-pitched voice.

“No, I’m trying to save your life. If you keep on going the way you are, you’re going to end up like that Cougar shifter,” Branson said.

“I’m just drinking, I’m not taking drugs,” Skye argued.

“My mother used to say the same thing,” Gage interrupted. “Look how she ended up.”

“I’m nothing like her,” Skye argued.

“Not from where from I’m standing. To me, you are exactly like her,” Gage snapped back.

Skye looked away. He remembered the way he looked in the mirror, how bloated his face had been, his bloodshot eyes, the way his hair had been in disarray. At that point, he knew he couldn’t argue. He was in trouble, and he did need help. If he kept going down the road he was going, he would end up an addict or worse. But to have to train with Alden of all shifters. The thought terrified Skye. Although, what choice did he have? He had to do something or else he would end up nothing more than a loser or dead, and did he really want that?

“Fine, I’ll do it,” Skye said, shocking himself by how easily he turned over.

But, yet again, what other choice did he have? At this point in his life he was going nowhere. He thought back to how sad Branson looked moments earlier. Branson didn’t deserve that. He should have a brother he could be proud of. Not one that was the laughingstock of the coalition. So, Skye owed it to him to at least give this a try.