The Shifter's Gift

by Haley Weir

  “So, Mikayla and I met through auditioning in the city, did I tell you that?” Avery asks Ethan, trying to fill the awkward silence.

  “Yeah, you mentioned it. You know, I’m not one for the theater. No offense. I just really can’t bring myself to sit through a play, let alone a musical,” he says nonchalantly. But to Mikayla, this is a huge offense.

  “How can you not like any theater at all? Have you considered that you just haven’t seen anything good?” she says defensively.

  “I just don’t. I know what I like and what I don’t like,” Ethan says.

  “Oh, well, I-” Mikayla begins her rebuttal, but the wine seems to hit her right at that very moment. “I think there are good musicals and there are bad musicals. There’s good plays and there’s bad plays. To rule out theater in its entirety is pretty dense, in my opinion,” Mikayla says, quickly taking a sip (well, more of a gulp) of wine.

  “Hey, you’re entitled to that opinion…and I’m entitled to mine. You will find that I’m not easily swayed. But if you’re willing to try, please, humor me. Lets go to a performance I’d enjoy. A challenge, if you’re willing to accept it,” he says with a playful smile. He’s clearly flirting with her, but the wine coursing through her veins is prohibiting her from understanding his motives.

  “You sound like a real know-it-all, you know? You just have the best opinions about everything, and nobody else has any good opinions, right?”

  “Uh, Mikayla. If you’re feeling up to it, could you come with me to the bathroom? I feel like there’s something in my eye, could you help me look?”

  “Oh, I’ll help you. There’s plenty of light out there, let me just take a look-” Blake says, offering assistance.

  “You know what, sweetie, I don’t feel it anymore. I’m actually just going to go inside and get dessert. Mikayla, will you come?”

  “Well, don’t make the cripple get up,” says Ethan. Mikayla feels herself getting angier at the world “cripple”. She feels there’s something very patronizing about the word, especially coming from Ethan’s mouth. Ethan’s mouth, made up of perfectly full lips that seem so soft…she finds herself wondering how soft they really are. She imagines what his tongue feels like.

  “Mikayla?” says Avery, bringing her back from the dirty thoughts running through her mind.

  “Yeah, actually. I would love to stretch my legs, as best I can, at least.”

  Mikayla stands up, feeling even more wobbly on her crutches with three generous glasses of wine in her system. They leave the men behind and walk into the house.

  “How could you set me up with that guy?” Mikayla practically shrieks as soon as the door shuts behind them. She leans a crutch on the wall and sits on one of the six stools surrounding the kitchen island.

  “Where’s the dessert?”

  “Well, dessert is some pastries we picked up from town, it’s just one box and I definitely don’t need your help. I just need girl talk. Some one-on-one,” says Avery.

  “Right now, why? Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s great. Are you okay, though? I feel so much hostility towards Ethan coming from you. I’m sorry he doesn’t like theater, but you don’t need to be so...aggressive towards him,” says Avery.

  “What, me? Aggressive? I’m not the aggressive one! He is! He’s cocky, overconfident, and clearly set in his ways. Like, it’s his opinion or no opinion. You know? I just can’t with this dude, Aves.”

  “Huh…so he’s stubborn? Has strong opinions? Doesn’t like being told what to do, or what to like?”

  “Yeah, I’ve never met anyone like him before,” Mikayla begins, before Avery cuts her off.

  “Oh. I have. I’m talking to her right now,” Avery injects.

  “Oh. Shit,” Mikayla replies. Maybe it’s the wine, but she starts giggling uncontrollably. “It’s me. I’m him. He’s me.”

  “Something like that,” Avery adds with a chuckle. They’re both giggling now, whether it’s the wine or the realization that Mikayla’s not so different than the guy she seems to detest.

  Chapter 6

  “So we’ll be back by tomorrow morning, you guys know where everything is, and we’ll leave the keys to the extra car if you need to go anywhere,” says Avery cheerfully, an overnight bag slung over her shoulder. Blake stands next to her with his bag, as well.

  “Why exactly do you have to go again?” says Mikayla, not exactly sure if she’s ready for such intense alone time with Ethan. They’ve been hanging in a group for the last few days, so the dynamic is sure to shift in Blake and Avery’s absence. She’s not sure what to expect.

  “Business,” says Blake. “Just something pressing I need to take care of.”

  “If it’s that pressing, shouldn’t both business partners be there? I just don’t get why I can’t-” Ethan begins to protest.

  “Because Blake can handle this on his own, and I’m going with him to do a few errands in the city. We’ll be back before you know it,” says Avery with a beaming smile. Mikayla can see the gears turning in Avery’s mind. Mikayla can smell bullshit from a mile away, and she knows they’re leaving to give her and Ethan some alone time.

  “Right. Sure. Have fun with your business, brother,” says Ethan sarcastically.

  “Well, we better be going! Bye bye!” says Avery, practically pulling Blake out the door.

  “Hey, what’s the rush?” Mikayla shouts behind them, nervous about her alone time with Ethan. Avery can’t hear her as she walks down the long driveway to their car. The house suddenly seems much bigger than it had before. Mikayla is rarely nervous…she doesn’t get stage fright, much less jitters about men. But there’s something about Ethan that intimidates her. Is it the fact that she has finally met her match: someone who challenges her?

  “Well, looks like it’s just us,” says Ethan. Mikayla can’t read his tone. Is he excited, or nervous, like her?

  “Yeah. It is,” responds Mikayla before an awkward silence befalls them.

  After what seems like years but is merely seconds, Ethan shatters the silence.

  “Do you want to go for a walk? It’s really beautiful out.” It’s a perfect June morning, with the sun hot, but not too hot. Its due to that mountain breeze that’s become quite familiar to Mikayla.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty nice, but I’m really more inclined to walk through a subway station. That’s my favorite smell in the world,” quips Mikayla.

  “Oh, really?”

  “No. Not really,” says Mikayla with a smirk.

  “So you’re funny, huh?” Ethan says playfully.

  “Yeah, I like to think so.”

  “Well, I really don’t, so…”

  “What?”

  “Gotcha!” Ethan says.

  “Ohhhhh, so you’re funny too, huh?” Mikayla replies. This is the closest they’ve gotten to flirting. Mikayla feels butterflies, or maybe just one butterfly.

  “Yeah, I like to think so,” he jokes back.

  “Well, as much as I’d like to go for a walk, there’s the whole broken ankle thing…” she says gesturing to her foot.

  “Right. Duh. Well. Wait, I’ve got an idea,” Ethan says. Before she gets a chance to start asking questions, Ethan has Mikayla scooped up in his arms…his muscular, perfectly sculpted arms. Mikayla isn’t sure if she’s dreaming. He carries her through the house and out the back door to the patio. He gently lays her down on a lounge chair and pulls another one next to her, positioning the chairs to face the beautiful scenery of Blue Ridge.

  The cabin has a huge yard, a lush green pasture with a small lake. Beyond the yard are trees that look so small, but must be towering up close. There’s a shed, a patio with a chimenea, and a hot tub. Birds fly overhead, fish fill the lake, and bees buzz in the bush. Mikayla is definitely not in New York City anymore.

  “See? Outside, but seated. And you didn’t even have to walk there!”

  “Yeah, thanks for the lift. So, what, you’re like one of those big buff types? Do you think you’
ll impress me with your brute strength?”

  “Actually, yes. That’s exactly what I anticipated. Did it work?”

  “You think I’m that easy?” Mikayla says facetiously.

  “Well, yes,” he replies. They both laugh. It seems like they’re finally on the same page. Mikayla could get used to being scooped up and carried like shes living on the set of a cheesy rom-com. Suddenly, the tone changes. Ethan turns to Mikayla. His green eyes sparkle even more in the sunlight, bringing out yellow specks that seemed to dance.

  “I need you to do something for me tonight,” he says. The playful and light tone of their banter is completely nonexistent. Mikayla worries that he’s about to propose something that she isn’t quite ready to do. She remains silent, waiting with bated breath to find out what he could possibly request of her.

  “I need you to tie me up in that shed,” he says, pointing.

  “Ha! Good one,” Mikayla says, feeling silly for being anxious when he clearly only planned to mess with her.

  “I’m serious. I need you to tie me up in the shed. Before we go to bed,” he says. She sees in his green eyes that he’s not joking.

  Her mind starts to race and before she can filter her thoughts, she blurts out, “I’m not doing any kinky sex stuff with you. I know we’re getting along, but if you think because we’re having one nice afternoon together, I’ll suddenly let you get me alone in a shed to tie you up, you’ve got another thing coming, buddy.” She’s speaking faster than she’s thinking. She prepares to get up from the lounge chair and make her way to her bedroom when Ethan puts his hand on her arm. It’s an electrifying jolt. She doesn’t shake him off, and he doesn’t remove his hand. They sit in silence for a brief moment before Ethan responds.

  “Mikayla, it’s not like that. It’s nothing like that,” he says. “I mean, I wish it could be like that…but here and now, it is not like that. I promise,” he says. She can tell that he means it.

  “What’s it like, then?” Mikayla says skeptically.

  “I’m a shifter. A bear shifter,” he says.

  “Okay, are you done? Are you done messing with me?”

  “I’m not messing with you. I’m a shifter. Just like my brother...just like my brothers you don’t yet know,” he says, gazing towards the woods.

  “Right,” says Mikayla, sarcastically. It’s one thing to joke, but if he thinks she’s an idiot who will believe any tale he tells her, he’s going to have a rude awakening. Mikayla can handle a lot, but she will not deal a man trying to belittle her intelligence. “If you think this is funny, fine. Have your laugh. You know what? I’ll even go with it. If you want to be tied up so badly, sure, I’ll tie you up. You can spend the night in the shed. That’s your prerogative,” Mikayla says.

  She’s not sure why she’s so upset. Maybe it’s because she thought they were having a break through in their friendship, but really he’s just trying to get under her skin again. She shakes his hand off of her arm and pushes herself up, beginning to hobble to the house.

  “Wait, Mikayla. Please. Do you want me to give you a lift?” he asks. He seems genuinely upset that she’s leaving him behind, so she turns around to face him.

  “No. I’m good. I just need some me time, I think I got it,” she says, continuing to slowly walk towards the house. She’s gotten used to using the boot instead of her crutches, but she still isn’t quite ready to run a marathon.

  “Please just come meet me on the patio at 10 P.M. I’ll show you what I’m talking about. I’ll explain everything the best I can,” he says.

  “I’ll consider it,” Mikayla says before disappearing into the house.

  Chapter 7

  Mikayla is sitting in her bed reading a book. She checks her phone for the time. 9:46 P.M. It’s been a long day of sitting around and reading by herself. She takes a few deep breaths, realizing she can’t leave this situation open-ended. Unsure of what exactly Ethan has planned for their 10 P.M. meeting, she starts to get herself ready to go to the back patio and meet him. She runs a brush through her long hair, and touches up her eyeliner that had smudged since the morning. Next, she sprays a little bit of perfume. Then, she starts feeling silly for worrying about her appearance. This isn't exactly a date…or is it? She really can’t be sure. But, the last thing she wants is to be caught off guard, so she makes herself look good to help herself feel more confident for whatever lie ahead.

  She makes it downstairs to the back patio, and just as planned, Ethan is there waiting for her. He’s back in his classic blue jeans white shirt combination, looking as dashing as ever.

  “Hey, you made it!” Ethan says, greeting her with a quick hug.

  “I decided I just had to see what you are planning here,” she says. She feels that butterfly in her stomach again. Were they on a date?

  “Not really much more than getting me tied up. Follow me, I’ll show you,” he says. Mikayla decides to break her rule of not going into mysterious sheds with men who are practically strangers. She may not trust him fully, but enough to feel safe with him. They walk to the shed, and just as Ethan had said, there were ropes awaiting them.

  “I have so many questions. Like, for example, if you’re a ‘bear shifter’,” she says with overwhelming doubt and a pair of air quotes, “then fine. Sure. Why am I tying you up? What’s this all about? Do we have to tame your big bad bear?”

  “That’s exactly it. Yes. Can you help me with this?” he says. Mikayla complies and starts tying Ethan up, knotting the ropes around his perfectly toned body.

  “If I lose control, I need to be restrained. It’s for everyone’s safety, including my own,” he explains. “Normally, Blake or Avery will do this for me, but since they’re not here, its your turn!”

  “Oh, so Blake and Avery know about this?” she says, still not buying a word of his story.

  “Well, of course. Blake’s a shifter, too. That’s kind of how he met Avery, as far as I know. He put up an ad, seeking help for keeping his bear controlled back in the city,” Ethan says, matter-of-factly. “She didn’t tell you any of this?”

  “Nope, she must have forgotten to tell me about her werebear boyfriend. I guess we’re not as close as I thought we were!” she says sarcastically.

  “You’ll see. You’ll just have to see,” he says. “Will you stay here until I fall asleep? It’s lonely out here,” he says. He seems very earnest, which is endearing. If he’s this committed to a gag, the least she can do is stick around to see it play out.

  “Yeah, no problem. I’m here,” Mikayla says. She likes the way it sounds, having someone who wants her as company.

  Chapter 8

  “You know, I have a lot of trouble trusting people,” says Mikayla to Ethan. It’s now just past 11 P.M., and they’re both still awake.

  “Yeah, same here.”

  “I blame my family for my trust issues, personally,” Mikayla begins. “How about you?”

  “There’s family stuff, of course, but a lot of my issues of security and trust stem from the fact that my body isn’t entirely in my control. I don’t decide when the...beast in me makes an appearance. I shift most often when I’m angry or sensing danger, and there’s nothing I can do to stop myself. It’s a bad feeling, not being able to help yourself and relying on other people to keep you in check,” he says. Mikayla has stopped trying to convince him to drop the whole bear thing.

  “I know what you mean. Having this broken leg, I need help from other people to get around and carry things. I don’t like relinquishing control. It’s just not how I operate,” she says.

  “So what it is about your family?” Ethan questions her. They’re both leaning against the wall of the shed, Ethan bound and Mikayla free to leave, but happy to stay and have someone to talk to. She loves talking with someone into the night. It reminds her of summer flings in high school. They would stay up late to sit in the back of a pick-up truck, stare up at the stars, and talk about each others their deepest secrets, fears, and dreams.

  “Well,
it’s a lot. I have one sister, three younger brothers. My sister is actually getting married in a few weeks right around here, so we’ll all be together. I really love my siblings. And I love my dad, and my mom, for that matter, it’s just so complicated.”

  “I understand complicated.”

  “My dad’s always favored my other siblings over me. His oldest daughter is his pride and joy, and he loves his sons because they’re his boys. Then there’s me,” she says, her mind traveling through distant memories of family events where she was forced to take a backseat to all of her siblings, literally and emotionally.

  “Then there’s you,” Ethan says softly, staring deeply into Mikayla’s eyes. He’s hanging on to every word she says.

  “And then there’s all this stupid stuff with my mom. She and my dad have been divorced forever, which doesn’t bother me all that much anymore, but when I was in high school she started dating this dude who is just total scum. Like, I hate that guy. I hate him. He was an asshole to all of us kids, but specifically me, or at least it felt that way. The summer after I graduated was really bad. In the end, I had to move out sooner than expected. She sold our childhood home and moved into a trailer with her gross boyfriend. It just hurts so bad, no matter how many ways I try to reason with it, it still feels like she chose him over me. We were so close when I was younger. Everything changed so quickly,” she says. Her cheeks flush with embarrassment when she realizes how much she’s overshared. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to dump all that on you,” she says.

  “I asked. Thank you for sharing with me.”

  She smiles. “Now its your turn,” Mikayla says.

  “Well, to be fair, I’ve tried to share with you and you’re refusing to believe me,” he says, but he’s not mad. He really seems like he wants to her to understand, but she can’t wrap her mind around the idea. Mikayla’s brothers used to make up lies just to prove that she’s gullible, so she’s become weary of believing in tall tales.