Page 36 of The World She Never Knew Existed

Clara took a step back and the bear shifted back into Jamie, who quickly grabbed her clothes and started dressing again.

“You were a bear. You were a human, and then you were a bear, and then you are a human again,” Clara said.

“Yes. I’m a bear shifter,” Jamie said. “If you tell anyone, then my life could be in danger. There really are hunters around here who kill shifters.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I promise,” she said.

“You especially can’t tell the Faisons. If they find out that I’m a bear shifter, then I’m as good as dead,” Jamie said.

“Your secret is safe with me,” Clara asked.

“You know, shifters aren’t the only paranormal beings that exist,” Jamie said. “There are ghosts, witches, and vampires, as well as others. Most of them don’t hurt mundane humans. They just want to live their lives peacefully along with everyone else.”

“They really exist?” Clara asked.

“Just as much as I do,” Jamie said.

“How many people that I know are shifters, or vampires, or witches?” Clara asked, still shocked.

“Probably a lot more than you realize,” Jamie said.

“Wow,” Clara said, sitting down on one of the stools.

“What’s it like? What’s being a shifter like?” Clara asked.

Jamie shrugged her shoulders and said, “I don’t really know how to answer that, since I’ve been a shifter my whole life. Right now, in this climate, it is frightening, because people want to kill me just because I am who I am.”

“What’s it like when you are a bear?” she asked.

“Sometimes I go out of town to get away from Ivy Springs so I can shift safely. I get to run and play in the woods. I feel free. I feel strong and powerful,” Jamie said.

“Does it hurt when you shift?” Clara asked.

“Nope, not a bit.”

“That is amazing,” Clara said.

Jamie smiled at her and said, “It is pretty cool sometimes.”

Then, she got serious again and said, “But it isn’t always great.”

“Tell me about your friend,” Clara said.

“Andy is a sweetheart. He is a fox shifter. Like all the other shifters, he knows that it is dangerous to be out in the woods, but he might have thought that he was safe. After all, the hunters can’t be everywhere all at once,” Jamie said. “But he didn’t come home last night, and that is not like him.”

“I’m sorry,” Clara said. “I’ll keep my fingers crossed that he comes back safely.”

“Thank you,” Jamie said. “Do you mind if I go out for a minute to talk to someone?”

“No, go ahead,” Clara said. “I’ve got everything handled for now.”

Jamie left and Clara took a minute to collect herself. It was a shock to discover that shifters were real. She had been working with a bear shifter and didn’t even know it. Jamie was no different than any other person who she had ever met.

Taking a deep breath, Clara shook her head. Then, she went back out front to check on Zeke.

He was happily playing with Reno. Zeke rolled a ball around and Reno chased after it and brought it back to Zeke. Zeke petted the dog on the head, told him that he was a good boy, and rolled it again.

Zeke was so busy playing that he didn’t notice that his mother was watching him for a minute. He looked up and smiled.

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