Page 34

“Now think about shifting,” she said.

“Into what?”

“Whatever you want.”

I bit my bottom lip and closed my eyes, thinking of the bear I’d been, the fur on my arms, the giant paw, and defending myself from attack. When I thought about sending Olivia tumbling over the mats, a breeze burst into the training gym, lifting my hair from my neck.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

emma

But nothing happened, and I didn’t change.

When I opened my eyes, Olivia looked surprised.

“What?” I asked.

“Most people don’t get the gust on their first try.”

“But I didn’t change.”

“We call it ‘failed forward.’ Which isn’t exactly failing at all.”

“Oh.” I’d heard that somewhere before…

Abruptly, she lifted her staff, spun around, and brought the end sailing toward the side of my head as hard as she could.

“Shit!”

A gust of wind slammed down into me and colors swirled around me as my line of sight dropped by several feet. Tiny, red-pawed feet pranced beneath me as the bo staff swooshed over the spot where my human head hadbeen. My clothes were big on me now, wrapped around me, and I shook as the sensation of them tickled my fur.

Fur? Yes, my fur.I yelled, but it came out an excited yip.

Olivia grimaced, her face far above me now. The muscles in her jaw clenched as she bit down. She lowered her weapon and beamed down at me, panting for some reason. “There she is!”

I sat back on my haunches, pleased by my shift. Understanding how it happened or what part of my subconscious was in control of it was still a long way off.

“Sometimes, when you’re in immediate danger, your shifter will take control. As the danger fades…”

A rumble rolled through me, like a growl from a place deep inside of me. The contortions took hold, and my paws turned back into hands. My clothes were no longer straight, and both my thighs were now in one leg of my shorts.

“What a freaking rush,” I said, tugging at my clothes. “I can see how clothing becomes a problem, though. How did you know I’d shift?”

She was still breathing hard as though she’d been the one to shift. “I didn’t know, but I guessed as much.”

“Bit of a risky bet, wasn’t it?”

Her expression turned somber. “It was a risk I was willing to take. Logan wasn’t wrong about the amount of magic in you. I’m surprised you’ve gone so long without shifting.” She paused. “Can I ask a personal question?”

“Sure,” I said, straightening my clothes. The tattooon my hip tingled as though the magic had collected there and was slowly dissipating.

“Why did you become a vet?”

“To help animals.”

“What about your family?”

“Since I was adopted as an infant, I don’t know anything about my birth family.”