Page 32 of Bonded

“Um, yeah… yeah, a shifter. Do you know what one of those is?”

“Yeah, I’ve… I’ve read about them.” She swallows nervously, hesitating as she thinks over a response. “Why would you think I was one of those?”

“Because that’s what those guys are, right? Quinn’s friends… Your team, they’re like him. I mean, I guess that’s why my brother hangs around with them? Why they’re so big and powerful?”

“What?” She puts her hand to her mouth, stifling a laugh. “Wait, you think the guys are shifters? Oh, my God… Oh, Riley…” She can’t contain her laughter. “Riley, please don’t let them hear you say that.” She continues to laugh, thinking about the look Zak would have on his face if he knew Riley thought he was a shifter. It’s too funny, knowing how offensive he’d find it.

“Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?”

“Well, um… being a shifter, it’s kind of an insult to the guys. I mean, it’s not really a bad thing to be, after all, you are what you are, right? But to call a wolf… a shifter, the boys would take it as an insult,” she smiles. “So, wait… if Quinn’s a shifter, then that makes you one too? I mean, you’re not adopted or fostered, right? Riley, are you a shifter?”

“No, nope, not me. I missed out on that gene. As far as I know ‘til now, anyway, I can’t change into anything.”

“So how come your brother is? I mean, if your Mom and Dad are his too, then… How?”

“Yep, they’re all shifters. Just not me—I’m the freak of the family.”

“Oh wow! Well, there are always exceptions to rules, but it’s still kinda strange.”

“You want to hear something really funny?” he laughs. “Well, it’s funny now, not so much back then. I nearly killed Quinn when we were kids. That’s how I found out what he was because he changed, into a snake. We were fighting, and he did it to scare me—changed right there in front of me. It worked, he scared the crap out of me but then I picked up a stick and I hit him—tried to kill the snake. I screamed so much and just kept hitting him. Luckily, papa quickly realized what happened and stopped me just in time. Trust me, Quinn never pulled that stunt again. It freaked me out for days. Papa was so angry. My Mom did her best to explain, but it’s not an easy thing for a kid to get their head around. But I guess that’s where my love of science came from. I tried to find an explanation, how it was possible for a person to change into something else? I still haven’t explained it. So, is that what you are… like Quinn?”

“No. No, I’m not a shifter. But I can shift.” She takes a breath, looking around. Apart from one other time, this is the only time she’s ever had to explain what she is to someone. Everyone else in her life either was or already knew and understood. “I’m a… a wolf! That’s what I shift into.” She sighs, “I’m a wolf… God, that sounds ridiculous, right?”

“Okay,” he smiles as he tries to act cool about it. “So, that’s what the guys are too? Wolves?”

“Um-hm… yeah.”

“But then why is it an insult to be called a shifter? I mean, if you can only be a wolf, but Quinn can become anything… surely being able to change into lots of things is way cooler than just being a wolf? Oh, I don’t mean that as a bad thing just—”

“Yeah, well, Quinn can change into anything, but only for a limited time and he’ll have limited strength. He can’t stay in the form forever—he could become a wolf, but he won’t be as powerful and it would just be for a short time. Wolves… they can stay in their form for as long as they choose. And we have a lot of strength. We’re very powerful. Riley, does this weird you out?”

“No. I mean… yes, a little, but I guess, it should, right? But then again… No. Oh hell, I don’t know? If I’m honest, it scares me. But you won’t hurt me or just suddenly change like Quinn did, will you?”

“No trust me, I’ll stay just like this. Luna—my wolf, She’s powerful and a little unpredictable but don’t worry, I don’t shift unless I choose to. Oh hell, it seems madness that I’m telling you this.”

“And you’re in a relationship—with another wolf?”

“Digby, yeah, there’s… a connection between us. It’s never happened to me before, but the minute I saw him, it’s like we fell in love, like an instant love at first sight, or more our wolves did—they connected. We’re drawn to each other, physically—some call it fated; I don’t know what it is. I can’t exactly get my head around it right now. Digby, he wants it to be permanent, he wants to make a bond between us.”

“What like a marriage?”

“I suppose? Yeah, kind of. Some wolves bond and they have an open relationship, meaning they can see other people, and for some, the bond is the be-all-and-end-all. But one thing … it can never be broken. I’m just not sure about it right now because it wasn’t something I was looking for. But Digby’s having a hard time with the way I feel—that I won’t submit to him for bonding. The full moon is not helping, it makes his wolf want me more. I need to let things settle down between us, and that’s why I don’t want you getting involved in something you can’t deal with. Digby’s really unpredictable right now and I’d be worried about your safety.”

“Okay, well, at least you were honest with me. I still need to get my head around it. I mean, ‘I’m a wolf’ that’s not really a thing I hear every day from the women I date.”

“Riley, I thought with your brother being a shifter, well, I thought you could handle this?”

“Yeah, yeah I can. I just… you know, actually no. No, I don’t care, it’s you I wanna see again, not the wolf. Kat, I don’t care what you are, I think you’re beautiful and I’ll take whatever I can get.” He leans forward and kisses her. He can feel her apprehensive awkwardness and sits back, pointing over her shoulder. “Hey, you wanna go on the carousel?”

“On the what?”

“C’mon, it’s in the park I’ll show you. It’s beautiful.”

***

Standing in front of the colorful bright lights, they watch as the wooden horses turn in a circle. Kat smiles, mesmerized by it. “Wow, this is really beautiful.”

“You’ve not seen one before? They have it here for a week every year.”

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