Chapter Five #3
Ethan had never felt judged by anyone in his friend group for what he was.
They’d never accused him of being unnatural, like his mother had.
She hadn’t known what to do with him, and he still wasn’t one hundred percent sure if it was because he was a chimera shifter or a shifter at all.
He wasn’t sure it mattered. What did matter was the way she treated him, and he hoped it was something Liam would never have to go through.
Taylor rubbed his face with both hands and sucked in a breath. “All right. Margaret is a shifter?” he asked.
“She is,” Ethan confirmed. “And I wasn’t lying when I said I know her. A lot of us shifters with businesses know each other, especially after what happened with the arsons.”
Taylor’s gaze turned sharp. “Did that have to do with shifters?”
“The arsonist was trying to hurt shifters, yes.” Ethan glanced at the other three. Liam probably didn’t know much about that, but Austin and West had been right there. “He’s in jail, though, right?”
“Yes,” Taylor confirmed. “So it couldn’t have been him who was responsible for the fire that involved Margaret.”
“But it could have been someone else?”
Taylor raised his hands. “I haven’t said that. I don’t even know that it was arson. No one does.”
“But it could be.”
“It’s a possibility, but it also might not have been arson. There’s no way to know that for now, Ethan, not until the investigation is completed. Is that why you’re here? To talk about the fire?”
Ethan squeezed Liam’s hand. “No. I was here for personal support.”
Taylor nodded. “Good. I’m glad he didn’t have to do this on his own.” He looked at Austin and West again. “But I think all of us need to sit down with the rest of the team and talk to them, too.”
Liam’s body went tense next to Ethan. Ethan leaned sideways, pressing their shoulders together.
He wanted to tell Liam to relax, but he was pretty sure that nothing he could say would help with that.
Even though telling Taylor what he was had gone well, it might not go as well with the others.
Ethan knew something about that. It was one of the reasons he was always wary of telling anyone what he was.
He hated being afraid of their reaction, feeling on edge the entire time, and the possibility of losing someone he cared about.
In Liam’s case, it was even more than that.
He worked with these people, and if one of them decided they didn’t trust him and wanted him out, there was little anyone would be able to do.
That person could make a fuss and hand Liam over to the authorities, and that would be the worst thing that could happen.
“Maybe we should wait,” Liam suggested.
Taylor shook his head. “Look, they’ve already come to me to tell me they thought something was going on with the three of you.
Especially Austin and West, since they know them better, but you, too, Liam.
We discussed what might be happening, and of course, none of us thought that you could turn into animals, but we were still supportive.
” The corners of Taylor’s lips curled. “There will probably be some teasing, too, but you can survive that.”
“That’s it?” Ethan asked.
Taylor frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Well, we told you that we’re shifters, and you didn’t ask to see proof. You believed us just because we said it.”
Taylor’s gaze was steady as he watched Ethan. “Are you lying? Did you lie to me?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“I don’t see why I should’ve thought that you would. I know Austin and West, at the very least. They wouldn’t lie to me about something like that. If they say they can turn into giant dragons, then they can.”
Ethan grinned. “Well, my form isn’t quite as impressive as theirs, but I can turn into something big, too.”
Taylor chuckled. “I have to say that yours was the one I was most curious about.”
“Hey,” Austin argued.
Taylor shrugged. “Dragons are great, but everyone knows what they look like. A chimera, on the other hand? I don’t even know what kind of chimera Ethan is.”
Ethan looked down and licked his lips. He’d been talking more about what he was with Liam, Austin, and West, but it still felt odd to be open about it. He’d been careful most of his life. Now, he didn’t have to be anymore, not around his family. “Dragon, serpent, and lion,” he told Taylor.
“That sounds impressive.” Taylor looked at everyone again. “Why don’t we go inside? We can sit down and talk to Jeremy and Lisa, and you can answer questions for everyone at the same time.”
Austin, West, and Liam looked worried, while Ethan felt out of place.
Now that he’d told Taylor about himself, he should probably go home.
The rest of Liam’s team would have a lot of questions, but most of them would be directed at Liam, Austin, and West. They shouldn’t have to deal with Ethan, too.
But when Ethan tried to step away, Liam squeezed his hand harder.
He didn’t seem to want to let go. Maybe he still needed the support Ethan had provided earlier, and that was perfectly fine.
Ethan didn’t have to get back to work since he didn’t have customers this afternoon.
He could be there with Liam and support him, even though it would be awkward.
* * * *
LIAM DIDN’T KNOW WHAT he would have done without Ethan.
Well, he would’ve managed because he wouldn’t have had a choice, but it would have been much harder.
As it was, he’d felt like it was him and Ethan against the world, or in this case, against Taylor.
He’d known that whatever happened, Ethan would be there for him.
He’d been afraid of losing Taylor and the team, but he’d known he wouldn’t be alone even if he did.
He’d have his family, but not only them.
He wasn’t quite sure where things were going with Ethan.
They’d agreed to get coffee together, but they hadn’t yet.
It had been a little complicated to organize with Liam’s shifts, and then, after Taylor had seen Liam at the fire, Liam had been too freaked out to even think about getting coffee.
Maybe now that this was over, they could finally go.
Liam wanted to. He wanted to spend more time with Ethan and to get to know him.
The little Ethan had told him had been fascinating, but also sad.
Liam wanted to show Ethan that not everyone was an asshole when it came to him being a chimera shifter.
He wanted Ethan to know that no matter what he could turn into, he’d always have someone on his side.
Liam didn’t care what Ethan was, and Ethan didn’t care what Liam was.
Hopefully, the rest of the team would feel the same way.
“You have to get back to work?” Liam asked Ethan as the other three started moving toward the station.
Liam was nervous about telling the rest of the team, but he would follow Taylor’s lead when it came to it.
Taylor, Austin, and West knew the others much better than Liam, since he’d only started working there a few weeks ago.
If they thought it was time to tell the others, they were probably right.
That didn’t mean it would be easy or that Liam wanted to do it on his own. If Ethan needed to go, though, Liam would let him. It wasn’t Ethan’s job to be here for Liam, especially not when they hadn’t even talked about what they were to each other.
“I can stay if you want me to,” Ethan told him. “I was just doing some design work, but it can wait.” He shrugged. “It’s not like I was able to focus on it, anyway.”
“I feel like I’m messing up your job.”
“You’re not. It’s one of the things I love about what I do. I can take a few hours off without anyone even noticing. I’ll catch up later tonight.”
“As long as you’re sure. I don’t want you to have to be here if you don’t feel up for it.”
“I’m sure. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
Liam needed him to know something, though. “I don’t expect you to tell the rest of the team that you’re a chimera shifter. I didn’t expect you to tell Taylor, either, but you should only do so if you’re comfortable. I know that you don’t trust people as easily as I do.”