Chapter 6 #2
I could tell by the way she was looking at me she was surprised or maybe confused. “Wait. No one told you?”
“Told me what exactly?”
She chewed on her bottom lip before answering. “You do know it’s a shifter town. Right?”
“A what? Like swing shifts with factories?”
All of a sudden, the leather booth she was sitting in seemed to swallow her whole. “Wow. You don’t know anything about what no one can seem to stop talking about?”
“What should I know other than it’s a small town and from what I’ve heard, everyone knows everyone else.”
“Yes, both are true. But I’m talking about everywhere in the country.”
“But? Should I be rethinking my decision?” What was she alluding to?
“No! At least I don’t think so. I genuinely love it here and while I’ve thought about moving away, there’s something about the peace I’ve found here that keeps me from going. I have a feeling that’s what you need in your life.”
I took a sip of my drink through the straw. “Yes, you’re right. I hope to find a location I feel good about staying in for a long time, but I still like to know what I’m dealing with.”
Roxanne cringed as if I’d hit her. “You weren’t told anything before moving here?”
Her repetition meant she really didn’t want to share some dark secret.
“Let me put it this way, beggars can’t be choosers.”
“Oh, okay.” She leaned forward as if worried the people in the booth behind us would overhear our conversation.
“Here goes. Shifters. As in creatures who can become humans? Or maybe the other way around depending on how you look at it. They’re everywhere from what I understand, but there’s a large concentration in North Bend. ”
I could feel something strange happening in my body while my mind attempted to process what she was insinuating. Maybe she was joking. “Ha. Ha. Are you suggesting there are a lot of lumberjacks in town because I will admit, from what I’d seen of the male population, they are all beefy.”
You could feel her uncertainty, maybe even exasperation.
“Maybe I need to put this a tiny bit more bluntly. They don’t like this term because that conjures up images of flesh-eating monsters that we feared as children, but like werewolves?
Granted, I’ve heard news reports that scientists are fairly certain there are other species like lions or maybe even bears who can shift, but so far, only wolves have come forward.
They aren’t flesh eating. Well, I’m certain there are as many horrible if not criminal shifters as there are humans, but they are completely civilized and very much unlike the movies and stories we were told around campfires as kids. No full moon needed for them.”
She laughed as if the entire situation was funny, even bordering on being hysterical while being completely normal.
I was still stuck on a single word in her literary montage. “Wait. Say that again. Werewolves?”
“Truly, that’s not what they are, but the press continues to hound them with crazy questions and spouting off lies to create bigger headlines.
Since they were outed as a species a few years ago, they’ve been under serious duress including politically.
I’m no expert and this might be a small town, but given the number of shifters who live here, you can’t help but get caught up in their lives and the tragedy of being forced out in the open. I honestly wouldn’t want to be them.”
I must have been staring at her with huge doe eyes. When she took a deep breath, I almost bolted, thinking I’d lost my mind. Or she had.
“I don’t what you went through, but there is no way you didn’t hear about how they were discovered and all the media hype at the time?
Then there were various groups of humans, including law enforcement insisting they were all dangerous.
There was a movement a little over a year ago to try and prevent them from keeping their basic rights as humans, including not being able to participate in sports or even holding office.
I think that’s quieted down now that some of the craziest stories have faded like all the rest. Especially the ones like they eat people. Just ridiculous.”
I threw my hand out, fighting several urges including bursting into hysterical laughter. “You’re seriously hoping that I’ll believe there are animals who become human whenever they decide to make a change?” I had no idea what to ask at this point.
Had I caught something on the news about the existence of shifters? Yes, but my life had been such a shitshow I’d had difficulty going from one day to another and mostly had thought the stories had been severely embellished.
“Come on, Georgia. You must have had some experience with them wherever you came from.”
“I can’t say I have.”
“Oh, okay. Wow.” Roxanne narrowed her eyes. “Then I’m certain you have a few questions.”
“A few? There isn’t enough tequila in this bar to keep me hydrated with the number of questions rolling through my mind.”
“Well, just start. I’ll be happy to tell you everything I know.”
I didn’t know whether to be worried about her, amazed at the scientific breakthrough, or somewhere in between. “So you’re not a… shifter then?”
“Oh, hell, no. Very human, which was why I was shocked when I moved here. See, I was privy to living among shifters before they came out. Granted, my family didn’t officially know right away, but little things occurred that made me wonder.”
“Like?”
“Like when my best friend mentioned I couldn’t just drop by her house.
She lives near a park area. Later I found out it’s a special location for shifters to be themselves.
To shift and run, even hunt if they want.
She wasn’t worried I’d be hunted of course, just that I’d be shocked if I ran into one of my friends when they were in wolf form. ”
I rubbed my eyes before downing almost half my drink. As soon as I did, her eyes opened wider than mine had likely been.
“I have no idea how to respond to that.”
“They’re regular people. They work jobs and have families. They go to school and take vacations. They eat regular food and even own bars.” She nodded toward Jake, who was eyeing us as if listening in on our conversation. There was no way he could hear us. None.
Then why did I have prickles tickling every inch of my skin at this point? “So you’re saying wolves exist among us.”
“I am. They’re everywhere, more in this town. From what I’ve heard, they keep to themselves still because of the persecution they’ve been forced to deal with, but not in this town.”
“I honestly don’t know what to say. Will I know when I’m dealing with… a wolf?” There was no real way of wrapping my head around what I’d just heard. None.
“Not really. Yes, they are stronger and faster and have much better hearing.” She threw Jake another look and I wanted to slide under the table. “Plus, they are stubborn. That’s one reason you’re sparring with the Seattle Wild hottie.”
“What? Hold on. Are you trying to tell me that Ford is a wolf?”
“Yes, ma’am. Comes from a long line of very powerful wolves.”
Oh. My. God. I was attracted to a canine? I cinched my eyes shut briefly, almost knocking over my drink in attempting to take a huge gulp.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Just dandy. What about the rest of the team?”
“There are a few others. From my experience, male wolves are very passionate about their likes and dislikes. Around Washington State and all the upper Northwest, hockey is in their blood.”
“That’s what he said only I didn’t know there was more to his bloodline as well.”
“I’m sorry. Had I known that you were in the dark about the situation, I wouldn’t have brought it up. I feel like such a shit for doing that to you.”
“You’re not a shit. I’m just processing everything. I think I need proof. I spent enough time studying anatomy and neurosciences that I need the real thing right in front of me. You know, like watching one of them shift.” What are you doing, girl? You don’t want to see them in wolf form!
Hmmm… Maybe just one of them.
Both her eyebrows lifted. “You studied neuroscience for massage therapy?”
Her father really hadn’t told his daughter anything. “I’ve taken other classes along the way.”
“Ah, okay. I don’t blame you.”
“Have you ever seen anyone shift into a wolf or a lion or anything else?” How far did this insanity go? Were there alligator shifters?
“No. I came close, but shifters can be very shy about allowing people into their world. They fear retribution. I’d heard some people still think shifters should be exterminated.
That’s why when they feel the need to shift, they do so in private.
Don’t worry. They’re not suddenly going to appear next to your house. ”
“Why do they hide? If they don’t eat people, then there’s nothing to worry about. My God. I’m buying into this.”
“It’s true. Everything Roxanne told you is true.” Jake suddenly appeared. He was casual about his comment as he placed a delicious-looking appetizer in front of us.
At that point, I was terrified I wasn’t really having this conversation, perhaps falling into some level of psychosis after what I’d endured the last ten days.
Or maybe I was hopeful I was merely having a daydream.
Was the thought that shifters lived amongst us remotely exciting?
Yes, on some primal level, but I’d been taught not to believe in fairytales.
I lifted my head so I could look him in the eyes. “There’s no way of telling who a shifter is and who isn’t?”
There was a glint in his eyes that appeared almost mischievous, as if no one had asked him that question before. He appeared completely normal, a rugged-looking guy with dimples in his cheeks, thick tousled hair, and friendly eyes, but who was I to judge?
“Not unless we partially shift.”
I don’t know why I was nodding as if in full acceptance of what he’d just said. As if the conversation was completely normal when it was anything but. “You can partially shift.”