Chapter Five #4
“I don’t, but Austin and West do, and I trust them. If they think the team will take it well, I don’t have a problem telling them. I don’t really see them that often, anyway, so even if they react badly, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Maybe you should wait and see how they react to us being dragons. If they’re fine with it, you can tell them whatever you want.”
“Maybe I’ll do that,” Ethan confirmed.
It was a relief. Liam still wasn’t completely sure why Ethan had decided to do this, even though he was grateful.
He could only hope it meant that Ethan wanted to be here for him, that their coffee would’ve been a date.
That was one more thing they needed to talk about, but it would clearly have to wait.
Liam pulled Ethan into the station. It wasn’t quiet—it never was—and when they walked into the kitchen, it was to find that everyone was gathered there.
Liam looked at everyone’s faces. He was only close to a few of them, but then, he hadn’t been a part of the team long.
The people he worked with most were Austin, West, Lisa, Jeremy, and of course, Taylor.
Those, he trusted. Everyone else, he’d have to follow the lead of the rest of the team, because he couldn’t be sure.
It would be ridiculous not to tell them that he was a dragon shifter when Austin and West were about to, though.
He squeezed Ethan’s hand harder. They hung back, letting Austin and West lead this time. Liam was happy with that. He was still trying to get over everything that had happened with Taylor.
“Austin and West have something to tell us,” Taylor said. He glanced at Liam, but he didn’t say his name. It was as if he was giving Liam the choice of whether or not to tell the others. Liam was glad for that, but it was a little ridiculous.
“Me, too,” he declared.
Ethan made a soothing sound, and Liam realized that he was squeezing his hand way too hard.
If Ethan hadn’t been a shifter, Liam probably would’ve hurt him.
Liam hoped that the people around them would understand that whatever he had to say was the same thing as West and Austin. He wasn’t sure he could find the words.
“They’ll answer all your questions,” Taylor continued after nodding at Liam. “But please, don’t overreact. There’s no need for you to. You’ve known Austin and West for years, and I know that you’ve all suspected something was up with them.”
“So we’re finally going to find out what that something is?” Jeremy asked. He sounded amused, but he might not be once he found out what was going on.
It would be so easy for Liam to lose all these people.
He really hoped he wasn’t about to. He couldn’t imagine starting again at a new station, even though he hadn’t been here long.
He didn’t want to leave, and he knew that feeling had to be even worse for Austin and West. This place had been their home for years.
These people were their family. Losing them, or having some of them react badly, wouldn’t be easy. Hopefully, that wouldn’t happen.
“Yes, you’re going to find out,” West said, stepping forward. “Some of you are probably going to think that we’re pranking you or going nuts, but that’s not the case. We’re incredibly serious about this, and yes, we can prove it.”
“I don’t like how that sounds,” Lisa said.
West shook his head. “There’s nothing to like or dislike.
Austin and I are dragon shifters. It means we can turn into dragons.
Yes, I realize it sounds like a bad movie, but it’s the truth.
We’re stronger and more resistant than humans, especially when it comes to fire, even when we’re in our human form.
We’ve been using that advantage on the job for years, protecting the people around us, including you.
We’ll answer your questions, but know that the reason we haven’t told you isn’t that we don’t trust you; it’s that we were afraid of how you’d react.
We’re still the same people we’ve always been, though. ”
For a second, everyone was silent. Liam cleared his throat, grimacing when everyone turned to him. Still, he wanted to make something clear. “This goes for me, too. I’m a dragon shifter, just like West and Austin.”
Noise exploded into the room. Liam took a step back, not surprised but startled. Everyone had questions, but thankfully, they were mostly directed at West and Austin. It made sense. It was also a relief because it meant that Liam didn’t have to stick around, not for now anyway.
He pulled on Ethan’s hand. Ethan looked surprised, but he followed him back outside, where they’d been standing with Taylor earlier. Ethan relaxed as soon as they were out there, and Liam had something he wanted to do.
He turned to Ethan. “Thank you. You didn’t have to tell Taylor about yourself, but you did, and that means a lot to me. I know you did it for me.”
“I did, but I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t wanted to.”
“I know, but still. I know how afraid you were of it, so thank you.” He pulled Ethan closer. Ethan came willingly, and when their lips touched, Liam could feel him smile. He smiled, too. He might not have known where things were going between them before, but he felt he had a pretty good idea now.