Chapter 6
6
TATE
I’m not sure what to expect, but it isn’t this.
“Lift those arms high, Tate.”
Good thing I like this guy. Austyn is way too chipper this morning. It started with him waking me and giving me the clothes he made. They’re more comfortable than anything I’ve ever worn. But now he’s torturing me.
Thrusting my hands in the air, I try to mimic his stance. But standing on my toes isn’t happening. He looks so graceful. I’ve already fallen over twice. And I wouldn’t mind so much if it was just Austyn and me, but Mr. Jacobs’s goons are watching. Oh, and the pirate. I stumble but catch myself before falling to the floor again. “Why are we doing yoga?” I growl.
Austyn breaks his stance, puts his hands on his hips, and raises an eyebrow at me. Crap. I usually don’t snap at anyone, especially not this amazing, beautiful man trying to help me, but it’s like there’s another part of me…a not-nice part.
I actually hope I’m a green superhero. Because they’re good. But whatever’s inside me isn’t good. I push back thoughts of all those people—especially Belinda. I need to focus and get through this.
And I’d do anything for Austyn, even yoga, which scares me.
“Try again.”
I bend my head and nod.
After another hour of torture that includes meditation, Austyn calls for a break. “You’re doing great,” he says, tucking his small hand in mine and squeezing. “I know this seems pointless, but it makes the…change easier.”
His touch brings back memories of last night. The kiss. The overwhelming need to claim Austyn. To sink into his body and make him mine. I study the training room with its weight machines and other equipment I don’t recognize to hide the lust in my eyes. I’m acting like a caveman. Austyn isn’t mine.
“Ahoy, matey. Great workout.” Walter grins at us. I don’t get this guy at all. Does he really think he’s a pirate? “After lunch, we’re taking this show on the road.”
As Walter turns to leave, Austyn grabs the sleeve of his puffy white shirt. “Already? What’s the hurry? I think?—”
Walter growls, and Austyn releases him. “Hands off the threads. Mr. Jacobs’s orders. And he’s the boss, sweetheart.”
My uneasiness grows like the honeysuckle vines overtaking one side of my house. I eat lunch but can’t tell you what it is. Austyn barely speaks a word as he shoots glances at our host. After lunch, we pile into ATVs and drive toward the mountains. Of course, being in northern Idaho, they’re all around us. It reminds me of the Jurassic Park movies, and my stomach lurches. I usually don’t get car sick, but we’re going way too fast. Austyn sits next to me with his head down.
I’ve never seen him like this. Scared. Worried. Giving in to my urge, I wrap an arm around his shoulder. His cool blue eyes meet mine, and he smiles.
We stop in a large clearing. The Lemhi mountains surround us, and I feel like we’re in an amphitheater—on display for the world. A burly man barks at us to get out. I scan the faces. The man next to Mr. Jacobs has a hard face. I recognize him from his office. Are these people really here to help me? The wariness in Austyn’s eyes gives me my answer.
Walter converses with Mr. Jacobs and then jogs over to us. I start to crouch—not even sure why, except everyone’s eyes are on me—but Austyn grabs my arm and gives me a slight shake of his head. Right. That’s probably disrespectful. Walter glances around at the band of men and back to me, his eyes glittering dangerously. “Mr. Jacobs says ye’ve had enough time.” He turns to Austyn. “Now we’re doing it his way.”
“No.” Austyn takes a step toward Walter. “We can’t rush this. Walter, you know?—”
“Sorry, princess. It’s out of me hands.”
I move in front of Austyn without thinking. All I know is I need to protect him. Walter laughs, and everyone in the makeshift circle joins in. Austyn takes my hand and pulls me back. He widens his stance. Preparing. But for what?
“It’s time to stop fucking around, Tate.” All traces of pirate are gone from his voice. “We need you to shift.”
“Shift?” I’ve heard Austyn and Rad talking about shifting. But I tried to pretend they meant something else. Why would I let this thing inside me out?
“Yes, shift,” he says with a low growl, his face getting darker. Even at barely four feet, Walter is scary as hell. “You’re a fucking dinosaur. Act like it.”
“Wait. What?” A harsh laugh bursts from me, but no one else is laughing. Austyn glares at Walter. My heart beats faster and the thing inside me grows restless. “Aus?”
When he looks at me, I don’t like the answer in his eyes. I shake my head. Dinosaurs? That can’t be right. Is everyone freaking crazy?
“We don’t have time for this,” Walter hisses. “Get ready, sweetheart.” He seems to grow bigger, and Austyn yanks me back. Then, in a flurry of motion involving growing, stretching, and popping, Walter is gone. In his place is a dinosaur with two brow horns that arch downward. The left one is cracked. He also has a horn on his nose that curves backward. A Triceratops? No. His cheekbones are sharpened to points and curve down. A Pentaceratops. His majestic crest is black on the outside, with triangular spines.
The creature bellows, sounding like a growling crocodile but bigger and more terrifying. The inside of his crust turns red as if he’s challenging me. On the inside are two big eye spots. He bellows again, and it echoes eerily in the open space. Something inside me answers his call, and I fight to keep the beast from breaking free.
Austyn grabs me and cups my face. “It’s okay, Tate.” His concern for me shines in his eyes. “You can do this. Just let go.”
That’s all it takes.
Every ounce of strength I have focuses on doing this right for Austyn.
I’m going to Bruce Banner the crap out of this.