The Shifter's Gift

by Haley Weir

  "This has been one of the best dates I've ever been on," Sophie told him. "Talking over dinner, watching the stars together, and making out..." She smiled over at him at that last part. "When I first arrived at the marina, I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't know if the whole boat thing was something just for show, but this hasn't been about that. Just...thank you. I mean it."

  He smiled back at her but raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome. You are making me feel like there's a 'but' hidden somewhere in all of that, though."

  She laughed, looking a little shy as she shook her head. "No, no buts. I just wanted to get that off of my chest. I didn't mean to make things awkward."

  "You didn't. I'm not a pro at this whole dating thing. I wanted to make sure it wasn't becoming a 'this was nice, see you never' type conversation."

  He could see a blush tint her cheeks even in the moonlight. "Oh, please. If I didn't want to see you again, I'd start by telling you to take me back to shore, especially since... oh, wow." She glanced down at her cell phone. "It's getting late. I can't believe time flew by so quickly."

  He checked his watch to see what she meant and was surprised. "You're right. I should probably bring us back to the docks." He slid his hand over her wrist. "I'm glad we shared this evening together. I hope there are more like it in the future." He pressed a kiss against her lips again, then he climbed to his feet with his empty champagne glass..

  “I’d like for there to be more evenings together with you in my future too,” Sophie said.

  He smelled the truth of her words, and the relief lifted a weight off his chest.

  Chapter Eight

  After their wonderful night, Sophie didn’t want their time together to end. It was brazen of her to make the suggestion that was about to pass through her lips, but she hoped he didn’t get the wrong idea. She sat up from her spot on the boat as he pulled it into the slip.

  “I know we both probably have work tomorrow, but I don’t want this to end right now. Would it be weird if I invited you back to my place?” she asked and chewed on her lower lip. If he said no, the chances of her diving overboard in embarrassment were pretty good right about now. Luckily, she didn't have to worry about that. His face lit up in the moonlight.

  "I'd love to, if you're sure. To be honest, I was really sad thinking about this night ending. I've really enjoyed being with you." Will glanced over at her briefly as he set to work docking the boat. She thought about asking him if he needed help, but he made quick work of it.

  "Great. I have to warn you. I don't have a super swanky apartment. It's just me, so I don't really need a lot of space. It's cozy." Some of her words felt like a hidden message. Please, don't judge if my place is small and less expensive than yours. After the evening they'd shared, she doubted he would. She felt more comfortable with him than she thought possible.

  "Don't worry about it. I'm sure your place is great." He grabbed a few things from the boat and cleaned up after them before stepping back onto the dock and offering her his hand.

  Sophie took it, letting him help her back onto dry land. She looked up at the night sky again, remembering how they sailed out just far enough to look at the stars. It was the first time she'd seen them look so bright.

  "Thank you for the evening... so far," she said. Her gaze dipped down to take him in once more. "I couldn't have asked for a better first date. Feeling the wind in my hair, smelling the water, and seeing the stars like that. I'm blown away, really." She leaned into him with her hand in his and kissed him again. She savored the taste of him as she stroked her tongue against the seam of his lips before he parted them to allow her to deepen the kiss.

  Both of his hands were full, but he tilted his head down, making it easier for her to caress her tongue over his. He kissed her carefully, and she wondered if his timidness would lessen as the night went on. Maybe she'd see his wilder side back at her place. She decided that she would like that. Something about him unleashed this new, naughty girl out in her.

  After a few moments of kissing, she finally pulled back just enough to draw in a deep breath. "If we keep this up, we're going to be spending the night in your boat." She gave him a mischievous grin and tugged on his hand as she lead him back to her car. The gentle smile on his face told her he wasn’t just hoping for sex. It felt like he just wanted to stay as close to her as possible. “Let me give you my cell phone number,” she said. Follow me, but if you lose me somehow, feel free to give me a call. We can meet up again, or I can give you my address.” For the first time in a while, she wasn’t even worried about how much work she needed to do tomorrow. Those worries could wait. All she knew was that she wanted to spend as much time with Will as she could. They drove separately and arrived at her place in no time. She unlocked the door to her apartment when he joined her at her doorstep.

  “So, ta-dah,” she said once they stepped inside. “Here’s my place. It’s not too big, so the risk of you getting lost is pretty low, I think. If you do, just call out. I’ll find you.” Maybe the champagne was making her silly. Usually her friends were the ones she was silly with, not hot guys she was actively trying to impress.

  “Your place looks nice. It seems like the perfect size.” He looked around as they walked toward the living room. He took off his suit jacket and delicately laid it over the back of the armchair that matched her couch. “Not too small at all. The decor is lovely.”

  "Thank you," she said, feeling another blush starting to creep up her neck. Something about this man made her feel so... she wasn't sure how to put how she felt into words. Part of her thought this was all happening so suddenly, almost like there was something greater at work here. Maybe it was a placebo effect of using the dating agency. Perhaps the whole instant attraction thing was playing with her mind. But that didn’t feel right. This felt more genuine than most of her past relationships.

  She glanced over at the living room, then back at her kitchen. "Oh, would you like something to drink? I have wine, or then there's water, coffee, or tea?"

  He contemplated the options, thinking for a moment as he settled onto the couch. "I think I'm good, actually. Thank you."

  The desire to have some wine was pretty strong with her nerves a little frazzled from having such a handsome guy in her apartment. What exactly were her plans in bringing him back here? She licked her lips, knowing what she'd like to do, but that probably would seem pretty forward. Her thoughts went back to the boat and their kiss. He didn't appear too disturbed by her forwardness then. Maybe they could just make out for a little longer and fall asleep together?

  She abandoned her plan to procure some liquid courage and headed over to the couch to join him. "If you'd like, I could set you up on the couch for the night. Or..." She chewed on her lower lip and her eyes met his.

  "Set me up on the couch, huh?" His blue eyes sparkled as he smiled down at her. "Or what...?" He lifted his hand to caress his thumb across her cheek.

  She shrugged her shoulders. "Or I suppose you could share my bed with me?" Her breath hitched in her throat as his hand slid down her neck toward the tender flesh of her throat. The sensation of his warm hand on her skin was divine. His hands weren't rough and calloused, but they weren't too soft, either. She loved how they felt on her body.

  "I think I might like that. Are you sure though?" He slid his hand over her bare shoulder.

  The fact he asked made her even more sure. If he was a jerk who just wanted her body for sex, then he wouldn’t be double checking with her. Besides, he wouldn’t have gone through the effort of bringing her out on his family boat if he was just after sex.

  "I'm sure." She kicked off her heels before standing up. She placed her hand in his and tugged on his arm. "Let's go."

  He stood up without another word. His blue eyes darkened with desire, and he turned her toward him, walking her a few steps back until she bumped against the wall.

  Sophie wrapped her arms around Will’s neck as he pressed her against the wall. She wanted to climb his arms and w
rap her legs around him just to be as close to him as she possibly could.

  He placed his other hand against her hip as he leaned into her, pressing his mouth against hers, firmer and a little more aggressive than before. But she liked this wild side of him. His other hand took both of hers and slowly moved them up until her arms were pinned to the wall above her head.

  She hooked her leg around his waist, arching into him as a low rumble filled his chest. It was almost animalistic. Maybe this was his version of a "purr" of arousal. He explored every inch of her mouth with passion as her thighs dampened with erotic excitement. She moaned against him, needing him inside of her. She pulled back after a moment to breathe, and to tell him that she needed more. He moved his lips down her neck instead, and she gasped with the intensity of her pleasure.

  "That feels so good, Will. I don't know what you're doing, but don't stop..."

  His voice was different. It became a rough, gravelly rumble as opposed to his normal, deep timbre. "I don't plan on it, Sophie." He pulled back enough for her to see him. His eyes were an warm, honey brown instead of the blue she'd seen before.

  She blinked a few times, but no matter how much she tried to correct her vision, his eyes still looked strange. She'd heard of people whose eyes changed from blue to grey or a mix, but going from blue to brown? That wasn't possible, especially when he looked so much like a predator staring at prey.

  "W-what's going on with your eyes, Will? Get off of me." She struggled against his grip, but it was almost as if his hand was an iron shackle, chaining her hands above her head. She wanted to scream, but maybe there was a rational explanation.

  Chapter Nine

  The moment Will saw the fear enter her eyes, he realized what was going on. His bear rushed to the surface of his skin while he was distracted, and his eyes must have changed colors. He didn't know what to do. Should he release her and hope she didn't run away, or keep her hands pinned against the wall above her head and try to talk this over with her? Both of his brothers had been able to talk with their mates about what they were, but he doubted either of them were in this situation when they took the chance to reveal their heritage.

  No one could find out about his people. It was too important for their continued survival, so he couldn't just release her and hope for the best. "Sophie, please calm down and listen to me. I can explain what's going on."

  "Let me go, Will. If you do, I'll listen to you. But if you don't, so help me god, I will scream. I mean it." She pulled against him as if that would help her. Her strength was no match for his. She glanced pointedly down at his crotch as if warning him that if he didn't do as she said, she'd aim there next.

  Getting kicked in the groin wouldn't be fun, but he'd be able to withstand that. It would hurt, but he wouldn’t buckle under the impact.

  "Don't scream. If I let you go, you promise to listen to me?" He loosened his grip on her a little, just to make sure she didn't try anything. All the while, his bear was shaking with anger and adrenaline. Feeling her fear was causing him to lose control even more than before. This was a dangerous situation. One wrong move, and his bear could force the change and potentially hurt someone.

  More than ever, he wished he was able to talk with one of his brothers. He desperately needed someone who could help him calm down. If he'd been human, he might wonder if he was about to have a heart attack from the intensity of his feelings.

  Something in Sophie's eyes made him wonder if she saw the change too. Her fear switched to concern before swapping back to fear tinted with anger. "Spit it out. What do you need to say?"

  "I'm...different, Sophie. I'd never hurt you though, I swear. I'm...a werebear. A shapeshifter." He stepped back from her now, feeling a lightheadedness sweep through him as his bear slammed against the surface of his skin, ready to take on his true form. He fought back, wishing he wasn't so thrown off now so he could maintain his hard won control. It was as if he were a cub again, battling for control of his beast.

  "Werebear? Shapeshifter? There's... there shouldn't be any such thing. That's folklore and Hollywood mumbo jumbo." She shook her head repeatedly, as if she was trying to shake the words out of her brain. “What’s really going on, Will? Are you on drugs?”

  This really wasn’t going as he hoped it would. He balled his hands into fists at his sides, feeling his joints ache from the effort. "Please, calm down. It's... hard for me when you're like that."

  That was obviously the wrong thing to say, though. Her mouth dropped open.

  "Hard for you? Oh, no. You didn't just say that. You think this is hard for you? You really scared me and now you’re just...messing around. You sprung this on me as if I'd just accept that the paranormal is real. What do you want me to believe next? Are ghosts are a thing, too? Vampires? Werewolves?" Her voice was getting louder and a little more frantic with each word. She held up a hand. "No. Don't tell me if that other stuff is real or not, and do not tell me to calm down. I'm trying to process all of this too." Her breath was coming out in harsh pants, and she ran her hands through her dark brown hair as she leaned back against the wall.

  His frustration mounted, and his heart pounded rapidly in his chest. “I’m trying to explain this all to you as best I can. I’m not asking you to blindly accept me for who I am. But my bear can sense your fear. It’s not reacting well to how you’re behaving, and it’s really affecting my self-control. I don’t want to scare you. I genuinely like you, Sophie. Let’s just talk things over rationally, okay?” He moved a few steps away from her and sat on the couch again, keeping her constantly in his gaze.

  The last thing he needed was for her to go and tell someone about what she witnessed here. Not only would he be in trouble with his bear pack, but all of the werebears in the world would be in danger if she decided to tell people about this.

  She took a few deep, gasping breaths. Maybe he wasn’t the only one so close to the edge. “Rationally talk? Are you kidding me? I—” She drew in another deep breath and shook her head. “Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? I am trying not to freak out, but you’ve just told me you’re a...bear? My world is turning upside down!”

  Will knew she had a point. This had to be hard for Sophie. He was altering her reality, but he couldn't stand here and listen to her yelling like this. He opened his mouth to tell her to quiet down, but the neighbors must have had the same idea. They both heard someone pound on the wall near her. She jumped away from the wall and turned to look at it.

  A faint yell came from the other apartment. "Keep it down! Check the clock! I'll call the cops!" said the neighbor.

  This was too much for him right now. The thought that he'd found his mate, only for chaos to strike, ripped away at his insides. It wasn't fair. He didn't want to walk away from her, not when he'd been so close to finding the woman who was meant for him.

  "Listen, I know this is scary and strange. You're the first person I've shared this part of myself with. And...you’re not really taking this well." He knew he shouldn't blame her, but his nerves were raw. “I didn’t mean to—”

  "Get out, Will. Right now." Her voice shook as she looked him in the eyes. "I can’t do this. You should leave, or I'll call the cops myself."

  Coming to her place was a big mistake. Maybe if they had just parted ways at the marina, none of this would’ve ever happened.

  He grabbed his jacket from the armchair, but he kept his gaze fixed on her. "You can't tell anyone what I've told you. If you do, you're putting your life in danger, and I won't be able to help you. No one can know."

  Without another word, he strode out of her apartment, closing the door behind him. He leaned against her front door. His hands trembled, and he wasn't sure that he could drive home with his bear this on edge, ragged and agitated.

  He heard Sophie's sobs and leaned his head back, hating himself for the damage he'd caused. Hearing her pain and knowing he’d caused it made him feel terrible. He pushed away from the door and walked on shaky legs back to his car. The more space
he put between himself and Sophie, the better his bear might feel. Or that's what he was trying to tell himself, at least. Neither he nor his bear wanted to be away from her.

  The chances of her calling or sending him a text him were slim. The talk of another date with her had been for naught. It felt like they were over. He hated himself for the role he played in scaring her away and ending their budding relationship. Time slid by as he leaned back in his car. Each breath he took was as shaky as his trembling hands, and he stared over at Sophie’s building. He wanted so desperately to know what she was doing.

  When the sun began to rise, he started the SUV’s engine, startled by how long he’d been sitting there. If he stuck around here much longer, someone might get suspicious and call the cops. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror and shuddered. He was pale, and his hair stood on end. He looked like a frightened animal. If he went into the office, he’d draw more attention to himself. He knew he was not in the right frame of mind to work today. He needed to call in sick.

  He checked his phone to see several new text messages a couple from his family. They started out friendly, asking about the date, and quickly turned worried about him and his whereabouts. He leaned his forehead against the steering wheel, trying to summon the energy to do… anything, really.

  If he tried to drive home now, the chances of him getting into a wreck were higher than he'd like. He picked up his phone again and dialed up his oldest brother Mason. It was the obvious choice. Besides, Mason would soon become their pack Alpha. Perhaps his energy would help Will wrestle his bear back under control. He'd seen his father do that with agitated bears before, but he didn't want to worry his father anymore than he already was with him not having come home last night.

  Mason answered on the second ring. "Will, where have you been? We've been worried about you." He cleared his throat. "Maybe you were...too busy?" he said suggestively.