Daddy Shifter

by Juniper Hart

  “What are you doing out here?” she continued, a beautiful smile breaking out over her face. “I didn’t know who you were for a minute! I haven’t seen you in so long!”

  He cleared his throat and grinned, removing his keys from the ignition. “I was just coming to see your father,” he replied smoothly, getting out of the car. “I didn’t realize you were home for the holidays.”

  Everly seemed embarrassed as she looked down at her boots. “I’ve been home since the summer,” she replied quietly. “I graduated from college.”

  She’s been home for six months and I’m just learning this now? Why didn’t Kevin ever mention that she was home? It seemed odd, but suddenly Michael could not recall the last time he had seen his best friend, either.

  Michael closed the driver’s door of the SUV and eyed her, trying not to study her too closely, but he was finding it difficult to look away from her.

  The woman standing before him bore almost no resemblance to the timid girl he had watched grow up. She still had the gleaming red tresses that framed her finely structured face and high cheekbones.

  On closer inspection, he could see her eyes were a dark, smoldering blue, almost with glints of onyx in their depth. Gone was any trace of the baby fat she had carried with her to New York.

  She was a woman. A lovely, fresh woman.

  Michael felt a stab of embarrassment flood him as he tore his eyes away from her face.

  “Is your dad home?” he fumbled, pretending to study his keys. “I didn’t call to say I was coming.”

  “He’s home. Come on in. We just finished dinner, but I’m sure Mom can make you a plate if you’re hungry.”

  A note in her voice caused him to glance at her again, but she had already turned back toward the house.

  “No, I’m good. I already ate. I just came from my sister’s place.”

  She nodded, but didn’t respond.

  “How does it feel to be a college grad, Everly?” he asked as they moved toward the front door.

  She chuckled, but he didn’t hear any mirth in the sound. “Exactly the same, except for the fact I’m about a hundred grand poorer than I was before I left Ogden.”

  As she pushed her way inside, Michael tried to remember the last time he had seen her. He vaguely recalled her father complaining that she hadn’t returned home once since leaving Utah.

  “That’s all right,” he told her. “You’ll make back that money a hundredfold when you get into your field. Which was what again?”

  Suddenly, Michael felt foolish that he couldn’t remember anything about Everly despite his sudden desperate attempts to remember every detail about her.

  “Business administration,” she sighed, walking into the house. “I may as well have gotten an art history degree.”

  Michael made a commiserating noise as he closed the door behind him, but before he could respond, another feminine voice cried out.

  “As I live and breathe, Michael Vanier!” Cynthia Castle screeched. “I can’t believe it!”

  He looked up as Everly’s mother came floating down the winding center stairs, her face exploding into a huge beam.

  She rushed to embrace him, dropping a kiss on his cheek. “If I had known you were coming, I would have cleaned up a little bit!” she bemoaned, looking around her spotless house as if he had stumbled into a crack den.

  Michael laughed uncomfortably and shook his head. “I shouldn’t have come without calling, but I was just in the neighborhood and I haven’t seen Kevin in a while. If this is a bad time—”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! It’s never a bad time to have you. Everly, go find your father and tell him that Michael is finally here for a visit.”

  Cynthia pulled her bright blue eyes away from his face to address her daughter, her smile fading as she realized that Everly no longer stood in the foyer.

  “That girl,” Cynthia muttered under her breath. “You would have thought going to an Ivy League school would improve her social skills. Never mind, I’ll find Kevin. Come on in, darling. I can’t believe you’re here!”

  Michael didn’t reply, but he could not help wondering what had scared Everly off without so much as a goodbye.

  He hoped it hadn’t been him.

  Chapter Two

  Facebook messenger sent her a notification, but Everly ignored it.

  She knew it was only going to be Sydney, gloating about her new job.

  That’s not fair, the redhead chided herself. She’s not gloating. She’s proud of herself, as she should be, and I should be rooting for her, not avoiding her messages.

  It was just becoming harder and harder to deal with Sydney’s good fortune while she seemed to stagnate in her hometown with no options.

  Why did I ever come home? Everly asked herself furiously as she lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her arms crossed over her chest. I should have tried my luck in New York before ever stepping foot back in Utah. I knew this was going to happen. As soon as I returned, I was going to get sucked back into the pack and the family drama.

  But where else could she go? She would be a fool if she believed she would simply walk into a job somewhere and sustain herself in New York.

  Everly sighed and flipped onto her side as she continued to sulk. Why was life so unfair? As badly as she wanted to leave Ogden, it wasn’t an option. The pack stayed together—no matter what.

  Downstairs, she heard her father’s voice boom out to greet Michael Vanier, and she cringed. The mere sound of her dad’s tone was enough to send shivers of apprehension through her.

  He had been fine when she had first returned, and for a short time, Everly wondered if she hadn’t exaggerated the memories she had with him.

  He’s not as bad as I remember him. Maybe he’s chilled out in the last four years. Or maybe I’ve grown. Either way, he doesn’t seem like my enemy anymore.

  Of course, the honeymoon phase hadn’t lasted long, and one afternoon in September, he had exploded over breakfast.

  “You’ve been home for four months and you don’t do anything!” he barked as she entered the kitchen where he was brooding over his coffee.

  Her mother visibly tensed. “Kevin,” she said quietly.

  Everly could see that her father was not going to be easily placated. It was clear he had been storing his venom for quite a while, and that morning it was his to spray upon his only child without holding back.

  “No!” Kevin Castle snapped. “What the hell is the point of wasting all that money if she’s not even going to bother looking for a job?”

  “I have been looking!” Everly protested. “I send out resumes every day—”

  “You sit on your computer every day!” he interjected, scowling. “How is that sending out resumes?”

  Everly stifled a groan. “Dad, how else do you apply for jobs?” she demanded.

  He stared at her almost blankly, and she realized he wasn’t joking.

  How can there be this much of a generation gap? Everly wondered, shaking her head. She knew that arguing with him would merely be an exercise in futility.

  “Dad, what do you want me to do?” she asked, trying to appear relenting. “We live in the middle of nowhere! I think it would be better if I moved—”

  “You just got home and you’re talking about disappearing again?” Cynthia cried, her hands flying to her chest in dramatic fashion.

  Everly bit back a scathing reply. Dad seems to think I’ve worn out my welcome already, she thought bitterly.

  “You need to go and knock on doors, meet people face to face!” Kevin shouted, banging his fist passionately against the table for emphasis. “That is how ambitious people get jobs. Not by hiding in their bedrooms and playing on their computers. Half of the job hunt is being at the right place at the right time with a resume and a smile. It worked for generations before yours.”

  So did leeches and lobotomies, she wanted to spit back, but she wisely held her caustic comments.

  Everly resisted the urge to roll
her eyes heavenward. “Okay, Dad. Any recommendations on where I should start looking in Ogden?”

  He grimaced at her. “Now I have to find jobs for you?” he growled. “You’re a grown woman, Everly. It’s time you took some responsibility and did it on your own for once.”

  Everly swallowed her resentment and nodded. “Okay, Dad,” she replied quietly. “I’ll do that.”

  I have got to get out of here, Everly thought, sitting up on the bed. She could hear her parents and the pack leader laughing in the front room, and she wondered if she would be able to sneak past them without being detected.

  Would it be so bad if Michael Vanier saw me again? The silent question caused her to blush. What is wrong with you? Everly scolded herself, rising to stare at herself in the mirror. That’s your dad’s best friend, and the leader of the pack.

  It didn’t change the fact that Michael was extremely attractive.

  Since she was a teenager, Everly had always harbored a crush on the dark-eyed, black-haired man. He had been a semi-permanent fixture in the Castle household, but while Michael had always been polite, Everly knew very little about him.

  She had been far too shy to pursue a conversation with him, and she always got the sense that he was not a fan of children. Still, it had not stopped him from being her first crush, and when she was younger, she remembered closing her eyes and envisioning herself kissing his mouth, wondering if his moustache would tickle.

  No more moustache now, she thought. But just as handsome as he’s always been. Some men just grow sexier with age.

  As far as she knew, he had never married or had children, further confirming her suspicions that he did not enjoy the company of kids. Still, she couldn’t deny that her feelings for him had not dissipated over the years. Seeing him in the car outside the house moments earlier had seemed to bring old sensations to the surface.

  That’s good, Everly. Like you don’t have enough problems as it is. Now you’re checking out your dad’s friend. Go big or go home, right? She grimaced at her own thoughts and shook her head, turning away from the full-length mirror.

  I’ll wait until he leaves and Mom and Dad go to bed. Then I’ll go grab a drink somewhere. Or throw myself off a bridge. But I’ll probably get that drink first. Again, Everly was ashamed at her inner theatrics.

  Really, how bad did she have it? She had food in her stomach and a place to live, no matter how intolerable her father made it.

  I’m luckier that ninety-seven percent of the people in the world, and I’m still unhappy. I am acting like a child.

  The messenger app dinged again, and Everly grunted softly, plopping down at the desk to open her social media account.

  Indeed, the message was from Sydney, and Everly inhaled as if trying to gain her strength to address its content.

  Hey, you there? the first note from Sydney read. It was quickly followed by more. I just got some really exciting news!

  This time, Everly did not suppress the loud groan from her lips. More good news for Sydney? Where the hell is my good news?

  She knew she was being selfish. After all, Sydney had earned every great thing she had coming. She had worked just as hard as Everly in school, and she was genuinely a go-getter.

  It’s not her fault that I am stuck in a town run by Lycans and she gets to spread her wings and fly in Texas. You love Sydney, so you need to suck up your jealousy and tell her how proud you are of her.

  Everly typed quickly. Well, don’t leave me hanging! What’s the news?

  She waited, drumming her fingers against the glass desktop as she saw Sydney typing her response.

  A small, twisted part of her wanted to simply turn off the computer and bury her head under a pillow, but she stuffed down the idea. If the tables were turned, Sydney would be supportive of her, and she would also be the world’s best cheerleader.

  Finally, her words appeared on the screen, and Everly felt her breath catch in her throat. The company I’m working for is expanding. We’re branching out to Dallas and Houston in September. They’re sending out all the senior staff to head up those offices and we’re hiring like crazy. It’s hush-hush right now, but send me your resume and I’ll put you at the top of the pile. They love fresh out of college types. Of course, you’d be working in Austin with me.

  Everly’s fingers froze above the keyboard.

  Oh, my God! she thought. Is she offering me an out? I can get the hell out of Utah and move to Texas and have a real job and a real life away from here?

  The idea filled her with anxious excitement. Although she knew she’d be turning her back on her pack, maybe it’s what she needed. Maybe she needed to distance herself from the life she’d always known.

  Yes! Everly responded. Emailing you RIGHT NOW!

  She flipped screens and began typing her cover letter faster than she had ever written anything in her life. Before she had a chance to think about what she was doing, she fired it off and sat back, her heart racing.

  This would be a dream come true! I would be back with Sydney, too! What else could I possibly want?

  She ignored the mounting nervousness in the pit of her stomach. They’re never going to let you go, a voice in her head whispered. You’re going to be stuck here. You know you can’t leave.

  She shook her head as if to clear her mind of the doubts formulating within it. This is why you went to school, Everly reminded herself. Mom and Dad wouldn’t have permitted it if they expected you to stay here forever.

  It was a stupid mental argument.

  She had known since birth that she belonged with the pack. It was ingrained in her DNA, and no amount of justification was going to change that.

  Her parents were just like any others; they wanted her to succeed and have the best education available, but they were not going to let her leave. It wouldn’t be up for discussion.

  A part of the reason Everly had not returned to Utah once in her four years at college was that she knew it was the only time in her life she’d be permitted to live outside of Ogden.

  Her parents had not fought her because they knew the same was true. But now she was being presented with an opportunity to escape, and she would be a fool not to accept it—or at least consider it.

  They are simply going to have to deal with it if it comes to that, she told herself confidently, but there was no conviction in her thought.

  It would not be that easy to just pick up and leave the place where she was destined to be. Their kind did not fare well away from the sanctuary and protection of their own.

  She had learned it the hard way in New York, and no matter how much time had passed, she still felt out of sorts, especially when the moon was full, and she was left to roam the dirty streets in search of blood.

  She had never felt so alone those nights, longing to hear the echoing howl of another Lycan through the valleys or across the fields.

  Instead, she leaped from rooftop to rooftop, slinking about in alleys, seeking the lowest kill she could find. It was something she would never admit to anyone—the deep-seeded loneliness—but she didn’t have to; the sentiment was the same for every Lycan.

  It seemed that Lycans never left their packs for good. No one wanted a lifetime of solitude.

  Maybe I am different. I can live that life, she told herself. I did it for four years. Eventually the longing for the group will subside and I will be as normal as I possibly can be under these circumstances.

  Sydney responded. Got it. I’ll be in touch. You hang in there. Soon Utah will be a bad dream.

  Everly stared at the screen, unblinking. She felt torn.

  I don’t belong here. I only believe I belong here, but this is not my home. Home is anywhere I make it. Home is a place where people love and respect you. Ogden is none of those things to me.

  Inexplicably, her mind travelled downstairs to the tall, mysterious pack leader whom she had always found irresistible.

  Even if Mom and Dad let me go, will Michael? It would be within his right to keep
me here. He could order me to stay.

  She didn’t know which thought scared her more; that he might order her to remain or that he might not.

  Chapter Three

  The bar was louder than Michael remembered it ever being, and he shuddered when the realization crossed him.

  I may as well throw in the towel now and move to Florida to play golf and wear suspenders with shorts, he grumbled silently, though he said nothing as he followed Kevin toward the gleaming wood surface and tried to block out the incessant pounding going on around him.

  “I can’t believe how long it’s been since we’ve gone out for a drink!” Kevin exclaimed. “You’ve gotten so busy since taking on…” He trailed off and glanced around as if to assess their present company. Satisfied they were among like-minded people, he continued. “Since taking on your leadership. And I hear your company is doing very well!”

  Michael offered him a quick smile. “I know, brother,” he agreed. “I’ve been busy, but that’s no excuse. I should have made more time for you and Cynthia. I won’t let so much time go by again. I promise.”

  Kevin shrugged nonchalantly, but Michael knew his friend well enough to see that he was miffed at being put off for so long. Kevin was easy to read. He hadn’t changed a bit since they were younger. Kevin was four years older than Michael, but Kevin seemed like he was the same frat boy he had always been.

  Michael cleared his throat and looked around. “So Everly is home,” he said casually, and he hoped he sounded as indifferent as he intended. He couldn’t shake the feeling of embarrassment that seized him when he spoke the name of his friend’s daughter, as if he had some reason to feel guilty.

  Kevin looked at him in surprise. “She’s been home for months. She sits around her room, moping like a spoiled princess. I have no idea why we sent her to school. I think the time away changed her,” he replied shortly, waving at the bartender. “But in all fairness, she always was a little high-maintenance. New York just made it worse.”

  The bartender approached, leaning a hairy forearm over the bar to hear them, and Kevin placed their order before turning back to Michael.