Chapter 4

Putting the empty suitcase beside the door, Kelsey turned around and surveyed her efforts. It looked like her room again. When she’d walked in and seen it so barren, it had struck her harder than she thought. Beth had said she was thinking of redoing it, but Kelsey didn’t think that meant all her stuff would be boxed up. Having gone through the boxes and pulling out a few things made her feel better.

Happy, she turned and headed down the stairs. It was almost five and her stomach was reminding her that she hadn’t eaten anything but a bag of chips when she was driving. Biting her lip, she wondered if Gage would be home for dinner. She hadn’t thought to ask if he had plans or not.

Opening the fridge while she bit down on the unexpected jealousy that flooded her at the thought of Gage going out on her first night home, she sighed and shut the door, leaning back against it. The feelings she had convinced herself were leftovers from a teen crush were not gone. If anything, they were worse.

Closing her eyes, she groaned. When she’d walked into the shop and stood just watching him, lightening had flashed through her veins. He’d been totally focused on what he was doing and hadn’t known she was there. Just seeing him had been a shock to her system, but when he’d gone all he-man on the truck he’d been working on, she thought she was going to swoon. She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. Who the hell uses a word like swoon nowadays?

Shaking her head, she moved to look in the freezer. The lack of food was making her angst worse. If she were a smart woman, she’d get back in her car and leave while she could. She’d been so close to asking if he thought of her as a sister. At least she’d know if there were obstacles. Gage thinking of her as a little sister would put a kibosh on her pursuing these feelings any further. Did she really want to pursue them? Not entirely. The emotions that swamped her from just seeing him scared the hell out of her. It was unnatural to be that drawn to a man.

Finding several containers stacked in the freezer, she dug through and found one that was her favorite stew Beth had made. It wouldn’t take her long to whip up biscuits to go with it. It might not be a gourmet meal, but it would work well enough to fill the void in her stomach. This way, if she was eating alone, it wouldn’t be a waste and she could just put the leftovers in the fridge for lunch. She couldn’t believe her fear of seeing Gage made her forget about eating.

Moving around the kitchen as she gathered what she needed, she felt better than she had in a long time. It was familiar and comforting. That was another thing she noticed when she moved away, no matter where she was it had never felt like home.

Without warning, heat flashed through her and all the hair on her arms tingled. She heard the porch door close softly. Turning, she watched Gage walk into the kitchen. He stopped in the door and stood there looking at her. She felt her cheeks flush and couldn’t remember ever having this feeling.

“I was making biscuits to go with the stew I found in the freezer.”

He gave her an easy smile. “Sounds good.” Moving further into the room, she couldn’t help feeling like he was an animal stalking her, the controlled power in his stillness. “I’ll go get cleaned up.”

She nodded, probably a little too enthusiastically, not knowing what else to do. Suddenly, the air was too heavy to breathe.

With a brief smile, he walked through the room with a grace that no man that large should have. When he was gone, her shoulders drooped, and she let out a shaky breath. This is crazy, she scolded herself, and it’s completely insane the way I feel when he’s near. Frowning, she turned back to the counter and finished mixing the biscuits. Whatever it is, I need to back off. He is so far out of my league that I’m delusional, thinking he could ever see me as more than his sister.

These thoughts continued while she got everything ready. Her constant brain chatter kept her occupied and no closer to any sort of decision. By the time he walked in, she had everything ready and on the table.

Pausing at the end of the table, she went around to sit in the chair she always had. Gage sat across from her as he had for years, whenever she was home. She remembered how defeated she always felt when she looked over at an empty chair at the table.

“Thanks for making this. The last few weeks have been fend-for-myself, and most nights I’m too tired to care what I put in my stomach.”

She picked up a hot biscuit and broke it open butter it. “Your folks go away a lot now?”

He grabbed a couple of the biscuits and set them beside his plate. “Not too much.”

Kelsey may have been gone a few years, but she could still tell there was something he wasn’t saying, not to mention that she could see the tension in him. “At least you have more help at the shop with your dad away.”

Gage hesitated for a second before he took a bite. “Yeah. Noah’s been here a few weeks now, I guess.”

“Did he come here to train?” She blew on a spoonful of the stew.

Shaking his head, he took a drink of his water, studying her over the rim of the glass. “No. He’s been through hell and needed somewhere isolated and quiet to heal.”

“Oh.” She looked down at her food, not sure what she should say or if she should ask. “Well, here should be isolated enough.”

Gage chuckled softly, making her spine tingle. “I would think so.”

Chancing a glance, she found he was sitting there with his spoon poised over the dish watching her. She felt her cheeks flush and wanted to groan, embarrassed that it kept happening.

“It’s good that you’re home, Kelsey.”

The sincerity in his voice gave her goosebumps. Focusing on his dark eyes, she offered a simple smile. “It’s actually good to be here.” She shrugged. “I feel a little out of place, but it still feels like this is where I need to be.”

“We never really talked when you came home to visit. What did you do all summer when school was out?” He paused, waiting for her to answer.

“I worked. Mostly waitressing, sometimes helping out in the kitchen.”

He gave her a strange look. “I don’t see you waitressing,”

Grinning, she picked up her glass. “Well, there weren’t any equipment shops in the neighborhood, so I had to take what I could find.”

“You could have come home for the summer.” He took a few bites, glancing at her between them.

“It was too hard to find a decent place to live, so my roommate and I decided rather than lose it and find a new place each year, we’d stay through the summers.” She couldn’t tell him she didn’t come home because of her broken heart. When she’d realized he was avoiding her, after throwing herself at him at seventeen.

“What thoughts are you lost in, Kel?”

Startled, she looked over. His deep blue eyes were searching her face. “Nothing important.”

Setting his spoon down, he sat back and gave her a teasing grin. “You’re lying.”

Raising her eyebrows, she smirked. “Maybe saying nothing important was my way of letting you know it wasn’t anything I planned on sharing, with you.”

“Is that so?” His eyes were sparkling back at her.

“It is.” She took a bite to avoid having to continue looking at him.

A few minutes passed with neither of them speaking. She knew he was watching her, but she refused to look up. Finishing, she got up and took her dishes over to the sink.

“What did you want to talk about when you were at the shop today?”

Surprised, she met his eyes. “I can’t remember.”

He chuckled. “You’re lying, again.”

Reaching across the table, she picked up his bowl and turned away quickly. “Then I guess you’ll have to wait until I feel like talking about it again.” What was wrong with her? Setting his dish in the sink, she quickly poured the tea into the cups turned and yelped, he was right behind her. “Gage, don’t sneak up on me like that.” Taking a deep breath, she stopped short and held her breath. Holy, what kind of soap did the man use to smell that good?

“Sorry, honey.” He placed a warm hand on her shoulder. “I thought you heard me get up.”

Shaking her head, she went to turn around when he placed his hand under her chin and tipped her head up so she had no choice but to look at him.

“I have to talk to you about something.”

His tone was low and serious. Holding the cup out to him, she waited until he took it. “What is it?”

Taking a deep breath, he held it for a few seconds before exhaling. “I don’t even know where to begin.” Motioning with his chin toward the door, he gave her an earnest look. “Let’s go sit on the porch and I’ll try to figure out how to say this.”

Frowning, she picked up her cup and went to the door. What could possibly be this serious? She didn’t even make it to the chair on the deck before she had to know. “What’s going on, Gage? Is something wrong?” Her heart picked up. “Your parents, oh my god, tell me they’re both okay.”

“Kelsey. They’re fine. Nothing is wrong.”

“Promise.” She had always made him promise when she’d been younger whenever it was something important.

He gave her a gentle look. “Promise.” Looking at the cup in his hand, he set it down and leaned on his knees. “I need to talk to you about your parents, your family.”

“I don’t have any relatives, Gage. You know that.” Sipping the tea, she watched several emotions go through his eyes.

“I know, honey. I’m not talking about blood relatives; I’m talking about family. Your type, my type…” he blew out a breath and sat back, looking out into the yard. “I am screwing this up so badly, I have no idea how to do this.”

“Your kind of freaking me out a bit.” Holding the warm cup between both hands, she focused on the comforting warmth. She had never seen Gage like this. “Just say it.”

He studied her for a few breaths, silently. “What would you say if I told you there were species that you would never have imagined?”

“Species? I-I don’t understand.”

Leaning forward on his knees again, he kept looking at her eyes as he spoke. “People that could change into other creatures.”

In the seven years she had known him, she never would have guessed he was one of those conspiracy-slash-alien believers.

“I can almost hear your thoughts, Kelsey. I’m not crazy.”

He had to be joking, this was some kind of weird joke.

“Kels, look at my eyes. Keep watching.”

She did as he asked and stared at his deep blue eyes, waiting for the punch line. There had to be a punch line. When he blinked, she figured he was just about to fess up, and then she focused on his eyes as they lightened, no, actually the pupils began to expand and the rings around the blue thickened.

The cup slipped from her hands when the shape of his eyes changed. Gage sat there looking at her with the most gorgeous cat eyes she’d ever seen. She had never felt her heart beat so fast. As her thoughts registered, she jumped up from the chair and backed away until her back hit the door. Turning, she opened it and ran inside the house.

She couldn’t focus on any one thought as she stumbled toward the stairs. She made it up three steps before a strong arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her, only to set her at the bottom step again. Struggling against Gage’s grip, she tried to take his arm off her.

“Kelsey, honey, it’s okay.” His tone was a whisper. He held her tight against his chest, so tight she could feel the vibrations as his spoke. “I’m sorry I had to do it that way. I didn’t know…”

She stopped fighting his hold. “Let me go.” Taking a shaky breath, she relaxed as much as she could. “Now, Gage.” He slowly released her.

Turning around, she looked up at his face, relieved to see Gage’s normal blue eyes looking down at her.

“I’m sorry, honey.”

Kelsey swallowed the lump in her throat. “Your eyes…”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“So…” She sidestepped, feeling trapped where she was standing. “So, what are you?” Glancing over her shoulder, she was thankful her hadn’t followed her across the room.

“A shifter. I take the form of a cat. A tiger.”

She nodded not even knowing why she was. “Tiger.”

“Yes.”

“And…and you’re saying there are more like you?” She froze. “Your parents? Gage, do they know?”

His eyes widened slightly. “I hope so. I got it from them.”

Stepping back like he’d hit her, she dropped down onto the couch clutching her head. “Your whole body changes?” She closed her eyes.

“Yes, my whole-body shifts.”

Opening them, she studied him. This man she thought she knew. “Who else is like you?”

Moving with slow steps, he crossed the room and sat on the edge of the chair across from her.

“Everyone with the company, and many of other people you’ve met.”

Leaning back, she clutched the sides of her head again. “S-so Jake and Blair and…”

“All of them. We’re all the same clan, or species, to put it roughly.”

He looked so calm, so patient sitting there yet she wanted to scream. Her whole body was quivering. “Who else that I know?” Dropping her hands into her lap, she squeezed them together and tried to stop the shaking.

“Devin, Calum…”

“They’re cats too?” Her voice cracked. She began to feel nauseous.

“Devin’s actually a wolf and Calum…”

“There are wolves too?” Jumping up, she paced quickly across the room only to stop and stare at the floor because everything seemed to be moving. Tigers and wolves walking around in bodies that looked like normal human beings. A chill moved up her spine. “Why are you telling me this now? I mean, shouldn’t I have been told a long time ago? I should have known what I was living with.”

“I know.”

His voice wasn’t across the room. Spinning, she found him a few feet from her. He stood there, rigid and straight, his hands held loosely beside his body. He looked like a predator waiting to pounce.

“I tried to get the folks to tell you. It wasn’t right to keep it from you.” He tensed. “Not for this long.”

“So why are you telling me now?” Her legs began to shake.

Taking a deep breath, she watched his chest rise slowly. “Because your parents were from my clan…”

“My parents,” she whispered as her chest began to ache. “My parents were tigers?”

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.