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“When ye get finished, we’re back to training, so make yer lie a good one.”

As I trudged toward the surface, the reality of the task in front of me settled on my shoulders. It wasn’t going to be easy, and I had too much to learn. I couldn’tstop the churn of thoughts chugging along in the background while I dialed my mom.

My mom answered after one ring. “Emma! Is that you? Where have you been?”

“Yeah, Mom. It’s me.”

“Oh, thank God, Emma. Why haven’t you called? I’ve been worried sick.”

“I know. I’ve just been taking some time to get my practice taken care of so I could do something I’ve been talking about trying for a while.” I paused. “So, guess what! I have some news.”

“Oh? What’s that? What on earth could be your excuse for not answering me?”

“I didn’t want to tell you until it was a sure thing, but I’ve been offered a chance to learn in that New Port Orleans veterinary emergency operating room, and I’m going to take it. It’s like an internship, so I’ll be gone for a while. Riley and Shannon let my patients know, and they’re helping them get scheduled for later times on my calendar, and they’re referring the emergencies to another vet.” At least the last part was mostly true.

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” My mom sounded dubious.

“I’m going to be learning next-level surgical procedures. It’s the best way I know how to take care of the pets of Willow Creek in the best way I can.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Six to eight weeks,” I said, hoping that was enough time to get everything sorted out with the shifters. It’d at least give me enough time to come up with anotherexplanation to give her. “And it’s going to be pretty immersive, so I’ll call every chance I get, but it might not be much.”

“Ah, I see,” she said, already disappointed. “I’m not sure what to think about all your recent changes, Emma Carter.”

“Mom, I’ve always been a good kid,” I began. “Just trust me on this. I’m not doing drugs or doing anything else I shouldn’t be. Just give me some time. Okay?”

“I’m not sure…”

“Trust me, Mom.”

Her response was noncommittal, and a few minutes later, I ended the call abruptly, knowing I wouldn’t be able to convince my mother anything was a good idea, not while I was still distracted by everything I had yet to do. The future of the shifter world rested on my shoulders.

But I couldn’t get Logan out of my head, and I’d been the multimorph for all of a week. In that moment, I decided I was living out the most disorganized prophecy I’d heard about, even if it was the only one I’d ever personally witnessed come true.

Whoever was in control of doling out shifter magic had made a gigantic mistake.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

emma

Three Weeks Later

The Morning of the Hunter’s Moon Conclave

Fated mates weren’t common.

But I had one. I was 99.99% convinced of it.

Yet I hadn’t seen him for three weeks, and it felt like an eternity since September had turned into October. Every cell in my body practically vibrated with desire for him, to unite with him, to add another layer of bonding between us. Fuck if I understood any of it, but he was there, sitting in my brain and distracting me from the purpose of shifter boot camp.

The shoulder strap on my new, heavy bag cut into my shoulder, so I adjusted it. After I’d gotten up this morning, I’d chosen my clothes carefully, but they wouldn’t matter once I shifted into my first demonstration animal since they’d shred and fall off my body, and maybe it wasdumb, but I kind of loved the idea of shifting out of my clothes as carelessly as the rest of them did. Nevertheless, I’d carefully chosen the dark hiking boots, sleeveless tank top, and black cargo pants to make my first introduction as the multimorph as badass as possible.

I waited near the entrance of the council den as sunlight glinted through the clouds on the horizon. More storms were building to the south, coming in from the Gulf of Mexico, and I suspected it was the remnants of a late-season hurricane. I hadn’t watched the news or checked on the weather since I’d been tucked into the Red Tail clan.

For the last few weeks, daily physical training wore out my body, and studying anything and everything about the multimorph wore out my brain. Even so, Logan sat in the corner of my mind, waiting for his turn in my life. The attention his presence demanded had grown throughout these passing weeks, and though I scoffed at the idea of not being able to control ourselves when it came to sex, his continual occupancy in my head had nearly convinced me otherwise.

Giselda ambled toward me, leaning on the cane she didn’t really need and carrying a patchwork bag in her gnarled hand. “We have a problem,” she called. “Marcus Steele is at the gate demanding to be let in, and I don’t think we can send him away this time.”