Chapter 8
EIGHT
We shifted together, the four of us forming a square with our backs to each other. It wasn't out of decency or some sense of pride. We are shifters. Concerns about nudity that Humans have don't apply to us. There's no squeamishness or sideways glances. Our bodies are just that—bodies. We spent most of our lives unclothed. It's as natural to us as it is for any animal not to wear clothes. Our formation was chosen for protection, because shifting—that's when we're at our most vulnerable. And, joke as we might, Cade and Stephen were more than just normal shifters. They were their father's heirs.
If we hadn’t arrived at the same time, they would’ve likely shifted back-to-back. That's what Tia and I would have done. It allowed us to watch each other's backs. There were laws to protect us; Humans were forbidden from attacking us while we're partially shifted, but that's hardly a deterrent. They attack if they want. They find it amusing. And there's nothing like a good show for them to sneak up on us and try to watch.
We're at our most vulnerable in that middle moment, caught between animal and human form. Only a coward would take us down during this time, but cowards do exist, and who would be there to vouch for us if anything happened?
Sure, if it were Cade or Stephen, all hell would be raised. But Tia and me? My mother and I are barely part of society. Really, it's only Malcolm's generosity that keeps us safe.
We each shed our clothes, placing them in a pile behind us. As Stephen shifted and Tia was free of her clothing, she turned and peered out into the evening before her, stretching her arms out to the sides and tilting her head back, allowing the half-moon light to bathe her naked form.
I desperately tried to avert my gaze, focusing on the tall trees and the inky blackness beyond. We were on guard duty, protecting the heir of Society as he shifted into his animal form.
Yet, my eyes betrayed me as they flicked towards her. A surge of heat coursed through my body, igniting every inch of my skin. I frantically pushed any thoughts of arousal aside, filling my mind with images of mundane tasks and everyday objects. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to see the effect he had on me—especially not Stephen, who would never let me live it down.
My heart raced as I swallowed hard, forcing myself to turn away from the scene. My eyes landed on Stephen’s half shifted form, his body contorting and transforming before me. Orange fur poked through his translucent skin, rippling muscles and bones creating an otherworldly appearance. Stephen's face was caught in mid-shift, his tiger features protruding out where his human nose and mouth had once been. I dug my fingers into the cool earth below me, grounding myself and calling forth my panther. Tia stood at my side, her presence pulling at me, even in my peripheral vision.
With every movement she made, there was an undeniable grace that flowed seamlessly. The cool night breezes signalled the coming of winter, causing her skin to ripple in anticipation. Her breaths quickened, and I saw her chest rise and fall rhythmically. Eyes closed, she began to shift.
Pulling my gaze from her transitioning form, I forced myself to focus on my own change. My fingers began to retract as claws sprouted forth, slicing through the cold air with a hunger of their own. A growl rumbled deep in my chest as my panther seized control, claiming dominance over my human form. The sensation was intense, an adrenaline-filled battle between man and beast that never got easier with time.
My spine arched painfully as fur sprouted all over my body, starting from my lower back and spreading upwards like a wildfire. My legs buckled under their own weight as they reshaped themselves into powerful hindquarters, while my arms lengthened into lethal paws.
Despite the pain and disorientation of transformation, I could still sense her. Tia. Her scent filled the air, stirring emotions. It was intoxicating, she was intoxicating.
I roared into the chilly night air as my transformation completed. My green eyes burnt with primal ferocity as I turned back to look at Tia once again.
She had completed her shift too—an elegant panther standing tall in the moonlight. Her soft green eyes radiated warmth even amidst the cold night winds, captivating me instantly. A pang of something akin to longing made me growl low in my throat. I flexed my powerful paws into the earth as if trying to ground myself from the growing pull to her.
She moved, a graceful shadow under the moon's soft glow, her body seemingly flowing like water over rocks. The sight of her nearly undid me, and I had to force back another growl that threatened to bubble from my throat. My panther prowled restlessly pulling at my control.
As our panthers emerged, in the place where Cade had shifted, a grey wolf now stood. Bright blue eyes shone out, taking in the surroundings. He stretched his back, almost as if reaching up to touch the moon itself. We were all magnificent.
It was a shame that Humans were so closed-minded. They missed out on such beauty, on what they could be a part of.
We were all ready.
Stephen was the first to move, his upper lip curling in a low snarl directed at me. It wasn’t anger or a prelude to a fight, but a game—a challenge. Daring me to confront the higher-ranking shifter. To vie for the girl?
I bowed to no one.
Squaring my shoulders, I stepped forward, a growl vibrating through my body in response. I swear, that tiger was grinning at me, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I was backing down. I wasn’t built that way. It didn’t matter if Stephen's status was higher than mine; I'd rise to the challenge. I circled him, exuding my own sense of dominance and control.
In a real fight, there would be blood and claws. There would be a victor, but it wouldn’t be easy, and neither of us would emerge unscathed.
Tia and Cade watched us, with Cade issuing a low warning: Take it easy.
But the grin on Stephen's tiger face only widened. There was no taking this easy. Without warning, he slashed a paw through the dirt, flinging bits of sand and stone into my face.
Piece of shit.
Cheater.
I spluttered, instinctively closing my eyes and turning my head away. When I opened my eyes, Stephen had vanished.
His message was clear.
Catch me if you can.
And I would, if it was the last thing I did.
I bolted in the direction of his fading scent. My panther was swift, powerful. My muscles contracted and extended with each stride as I raced through the night. The trees swished past, their towering forms nothing more than dark smears against the moonlit sky. Up ahead, Stephen’s laughter—a growling, low sound filled the forest and echoed in my ears.
Tia was hot on my tail, her own lithe feline form darting between the trees with surprising speed for a panther. I could hear her breaths—heavy and ragged—even over the thundering of my own heart.
Cade brought up the rear, his wolf form blending seamlessly into the darkness. His eyes were on me, watching me chase after Stephen with an intensity that bordered on fervour.
The game was afoot.
Suddenly, Stephen burst from a cluster of bushes, his striped form blurring as he sprinted away. His roguish grin flashed in the faint light as he ducked and weaved through the trees—always just out of reach.
I launched myself at him, my claws digging into the earth as I propelled myself forward. Just as I was about to connect, he swerved to avoid me in an explosion of leaves and dirt.
My breath caught in my throat as Tia came into view once again. The moonlight filtered through the leaves above, casting a soft glow on her fur. She had stopped running, standing gracefully in a small patch of light. As I ran towards her, she turned to face me and we were soon running side by side, our paws pounding against the earth, matching each other's stride.
In these moments, anything felt possible.
But then everything changed.
Without warning, a ball of muscle and energy slammed into my side, knocking the wind out of me and sending us tumbling into a cold stream below. Dazed and disoriented, I desperately clawed at the earth for purchase and pushed myself up from the water's depths.
Stephen was already at the edge of the stream, shaking water off his vibrant orange fur as he let out a boisterous laugh. His playful demeanour made it clear that this was not an attack or a warning growl.
He was just being a shithead.
Tia leant over the edge to get a better look at us. I hauled myself onto the bank, my ears pinned back and my eyes locked on Stephen, who hunkered down with a mischievous glint in his eye. I shook my head and snarled at him, but he didn't back down.
With fierce determination, I lunged at him, wrapping my massive paws around his middle and nipping at his neck with all the strength I could muster. Waves of energy emanated from both of us as we engaged in this rough play-fight.
I refused to back down, even though maybe I should have. But Stephen knew the risks and still chose to challenge me. Like everyone else in our pack, he had choices to make.
When the moment came, he chose to roll under me, using his own momentum to knock me over. Claws scraped across my stomach in a raw, burning sensation that sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, we were tangled in a fray of limbs and fur, teeth flashing in the dim light.
And then we broke away.
As I scrambled back onto my paws, Stephen leapt up, his body arched with explosive energy as he prepared for another attack. But instead of lunging at me again, he raced past me and into the thick brush of the forest.
His abrupt retreat left me panting heavily and blinking in confusion. What was he playing at? But then he emerged from the shadows, prowling up beside me. One look at his grinning muzzle told me everything I needed to know—this was just part of his game he loved so much.
I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Tia. My heart pounded in time with hers as our eyes met. Her gaze was filled with pure mischief as she sat on her haunches, watching us with interest. She was loving this.
Suddenly, she bounded forward, nipping playfully at Cade before nimbly dodging his retaliating snap. Her tail flicked in amusement as she ran towards me, inviting me into their game with a challenging growl.
And like a fool besotted, I took on her challenge head-on.
I sprinted after her through the trees, matching her pace stride for stride. Suddenly, she darted off, attempting to lose me among the towering trees and dense underbrush.
We chased like this for what seemed like ages—running, slamming, fighting—until it morphed into a hunt. Not of us, but of the wildlife. Hunger gnawed at our bellies, and our animals craved sustenance. Thankfully, the Fell was teeming with rabbits, moles, and the occasional deer if we were fortunate. That night, we were not. We managed to catch six rabbits between us. As we hunkered down to eat, I brought over a squirrel I’d snagged as it made a dash for a tree, dropping it in front of Stephen and displacing his rabbit.
My turn to smile.
Stephen snarled at the sight.
I turned my back and walked away.
After we ate and cleaned ourselves up, we made our way to the clearing for our clothes and shifted back. I think all of us bore some mark or another—a cut here, a bruise there from the fight. They’d fade. By the next day, they’d be all gone.
“Not bad playing there, McCulloch, though you’d have been in real trouble if I’d got serious on you,” Stephen said as we dressed.
I pulled on my jeans, fastening them. “We all know you’re all talk, Davies. Keep telling yourself that, any time, anywhere.”
Stephen ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’ll just send my sister to do the work for me.”
“Oh, because you’re scared?”
Stephen laughed at the banter as he pulled on his t-shirt. “You know, you're all big talk, but I doubt you're big enough to back it up.”
“Are they always like this?” Tia whispered to Cade.
“The problem is, if I take you down, I’m stuck with all the whiny tigers thinking I’m their new alpha. That’d never work. Plus, it would throw all of Society’s hierarchy into chaos and destruction. The whole system would crumble.”
Stephen raised an eyebrow. “So, no challenge because of societal structure?”
I grinned. “Exactly.”
“Yes, they are always like this,” Cade said, not bothering to whisper. “I've learned to just let them get on with it.”
She nodded. “Figured as much.”
Stephen let out a mocking laugh, but I didn’t mind. It didn’t really matter. We both knew where I stood in the Society’s ladder—somewhere near the bottom. But Stephen’s jibes were never really about patronising or demeaning me. It was all banter, and he had my respect for that. He was all talk, but it was in good fun.
Drawing in a deep breath, Stephen arched his back and stretched. “Well, McCulloch, we’re out of here. Darling,” he winked at Tia, “if you ever fancy playing with a real cat, he has my number. Get him to give it to you.”
Cade shook his head, grabbing Stephen. “She wants a real man. Not you.”
Stephen halted, his mouth agape. “Aren’t you meant to be on my side?”
“I thought you didn’t need sides. You're the big and powerful Stephen Davies.”
Stephen pursed his lips, his gaze shifting from Cade to me, to Tia, then straightened his spine. “That’s right. And none of you forget it.”
With that, Stephen strode away, Cade following closely behind.
“Is he always this dramatic?” Tia asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her green eyes sparkled with amusement as she studied me.
“Always.” I paused for a moment, taking in the serenity that now surrounded us. The night had been perfect, more than perfect. “But you get used to it. I didn’t know they were going to be here. I’m sorry we got intruded upon.”
“No. It was fun.” She leant her head back and inhaled deeply. “It’s been a long time since I’ve run with others.”
I frowned. “You don’t run with your pack?”
Something flickered in her eyes—pain, perhaps sorrow. “Not so much.” She made her way to the fence that protected everyone from tumbling over the edge into the vast drop below. “My family is a bit controlling. We’ve never been allowed to run with other shifters—other species. Especially not someone like Stephen.”
“Dominant?”
Her gaze held an intensity that struck me deeply. "Male," she said, leaning over the fence to get a better look at the view below. "This is absolutely breathtaking. You're so fortunate to have such beauty right in your backyard. I could stay up here forever."
"It's one of the reasons this spot is so popular. It's a peaceful escape from our busy lives," I replied, gesturing towards the surrounding landscape. "We could take a walk if you'd like. There are some great paths nearby."
I could sense her reluctance to leave and knew my mother wouldn't be home for hours. As long as I was back before her, it wouldn't be an issue.
Tia's eyes lit up with excitement. "I don't want to keep you from anything important."
"I don't have any plans tonight," I assured her, stepping back and offering my hand. To my surprise, she took it without hesitation.
We walked through the trees and onto the well-trodden trails, enjoying the picturesque views along the way.
But my real intention was to bring her to this hidden spot that I had discovered earlier. As soon as we reached it, Tia's reaction was priceless. She let go of my hand and ran ahead. "Oh my God, this is incredible."
Water flowed down from above, creating a small pool in front of us. This was where I had wanted to bring her all along but couldn't until now.
"Pretty spectacular, isn’t it?" I asked with a grin, gesturing to the stunning view before us.
She leant over the edge of a large rock, her fingers trailing through the cool water below. "It's absolutely breathtaking."
"Next time we come here, we can shift. I was going to bring you here. No one ever comes up this high."
"No one?"
I shook my head, stepping into her space. Our eyes met. "No one." My pulse had already quickened when I hooked my finger under her chin, tilted her face up, and kissed her.