Chapter 9

He nodded and continued to stand there looking at her.

Her legs gave out completely and she found herself sitting in the middle of the floor. Gage dropped down in front of her, close enough she could smell him. “I…” She fought to take a deep breath, but her chest was so tight she couldn’t. “I can’t…”

He slid closer, his knees brushing against her legs. With a gentle touch he grasped her shoulders and leaned down so his face was level with hers. “Take a deep breath, honey. It’s going to be okay.”

“Okay?” She struggled to inhale. “How is any of this okay?” Her world wasn’t what she thought it was. Her friends, her parents, they were people that changed into animals. Her parents were tigers for god’s sake. She took a shaky breath. Tigers. It made sense in some small corner of her mind; they were always rubbing against each other. She’d always thought it was cute that they were so affectionate. “Can I …” she finally lifted her eyes and looked at him. “Will I…” she couldn’t say it.

“Probably. You’re a pure blood, and most female pure bloods shift to a certain extent if not completely. You’re not from a diluted line.”

This couldn’t be real, she had to be dreaming. “Diluted?”

“When only one parent shifts fully. Both of yours could shift.”

“Completely?” She swallowed and kept looking at his eyes. Even though she’d seen them change, she still felt a comfort staring into them. “My m-mother turned into a tiger?”

He nodded and took a deep breath. “You may not shift completely, but you’ll develop speed, better sight, scents will…”

She held up a hand. “No. Don’t tell me any more right now.” Closing her eyes, she blew out a long slow breath before looking at him again. “Lately I’ve felt so weird, restless, like something was missing.” She huffed out a breath. “I thought I was going insane, for real.”

“You’re close to the change, honey, not crazy.”

She nodded and blinked at him as tears began rolling down her cheeks. “I should be happy about that but…”

Cupping her face in his palms, he gently wiped the tears away with his thumbs. “Just give it some time. It’s not a bad thing.” He leaned down so his face was only inches from hers. “I’m so sorry no one told you sooner. You should have known before the changes started.”

She bobbed her head up and down as much as she could with his large hands holding it. “For the last few years I felt so out of place, everywhere. It was hard to stay away from here.” She swallowed. “Is this why I had to come back? Why I only feel peace when I’m here?”

“For the most part. You’ll always feel the need to be around others from your clan. Cats function better as a group.” He smirked, “except maybe Calum, he’s a bit of a loner.”

“Calum’s a tiger too?”

Slowly releasing her face, he dropped down to sit completely on the floor. “No, he’s a big moody panther.”

“I’ve always gotten strange vibes around him, like he’s dangerous, but safe.”

Gage nodded. “That description would please him, far too much.”

Wiping at her damp face, she hid behind her hands for a moment and tried to process all the new information. Dropping her hands, she pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around them. “Is there more I need to know, like right this minute?” She leaned her chin down on top of her knees. “Because, to be honest, I don’t think I can handle any more. So unless I’m going to start running around eating people, just save the rest,” she searched his face. “Please.”

“There’s more,” he paused, “stuff, but nothing that can’t wait.”

Nodding, she continued to sit there looking at him. It was like the first time she’d really seen him. The watchful presence he had, the lethal grace, it all made sense to her now. “I feel so lost but somehow b-better.”

“I know, honey, and after it all sinks in you’ll see it’s not a bad thing.” His voice was soft, soothing.

“I can’t believe no one told me before now.”

He chuckled softly. “Well, Cooper and I were in a constant battle with Dad about it.” He shrugged. “We didn’t at first, because losing your parents was almost more than you could handle at that time. Then Mom, she was so attached to you the way you were. The daughter she always wanted, she wanted you to be happy…”

“But I wasn’t, Gage. I was lost and empty.”

He lowered his eyes to the floor. “I know. I sensed it all the time from you, so did the boys, but Mom wanted what she thought was best for you.”

She sniffled and then sighed. “Well, thank you for telling me.” She inhaled a ragged breath trying to keep the tears from starting again.

“Gage!”

The porch door slammed and Gary came running into the room. Gage was on his feet in one swift movement.

“It’s Noah,” Gary panted, “we finally persuaded him to try shifting and he’s freaking out.” Doubling over, he huffed out a few more breaths. “I don’t think he can shift back. He’s going berserk, Gage. We can’t stop him.”

“Shit,” Gage hissed out. Looking down at her, he gave her a quick nod. “Stay here, I have to go deal with this.”

Kelsey struggled to her feet. “I want to come.”

Gary looked at her, as if he just realized she was there. “I’m, uh …”

“It’s okay,” Gage assured him, “She knows.”

“Oh fuck, thank God.”

She turned to go through the door and Gage stepped in front of her. “You should stay here.”

Placing a shaking hand on his chest, she shook her head. “Sink or swim. If this is what I am, you’re not leaving me here like a helpless woman.”

Gary cleared his throat. “No time to argue, Gage, I’ve never seen it this bad before.”

Clenching his jaw, Gage nodded, his eyes not leaving hers. “Take the four-wheeler across the trail.” He took two steps toward the door then stopped. “And stay out of the way when you get there.”

Kelsey nodded. “Go.” She didn’t know anything about this, but the tension and panic coming off Gary was almost crippling. Taking a deep breath, she watched them run out the door and move faster than she ever remembered seeing before.