"Not me, I'd be a hawk," Tom announced. "Can you imagine, soaring in the sky, the world beneath your wings?"
Douglas watched as the staff enthusiastically discussed their preferred animal forms. He caught Troy's eye and received asubtle nod. Time to wrap things up before the meeting devolved into pure speculation.
"Alright everyone," Douglas called out, raising his voice to be heard over the animated chatter. "I'll coordinate with Angus and Renee about using their dining room for a viewing party. Barbara, could you send out an email to everyone with the details once we have it confirmed?"
"Of course," Barbara replied, already pulling out her phone to make a note. "I'll include a head count for family members too."
"Perfect." Douglas straightened, assuming his more professional demeanor. "For now, that's it. Please remember, until after tomorrow night's interview, this information stays within these walls."
Tom raised his hand. "What about our families? Can we tell them when we get home?"
"Use your judgment," Douglas answered. "If you're planning to bring them to the viewing party, they'll need to know. Just make sure they understand the importance of keeping it quiet until after the interview airs."
Chairs scraped against the floor as people began standing. Daniel lingered, clearly bursting with more questions, but Holly grabbed his arm and steered him toward the door.
"Come on, those stalls won't clean themselves," she told him with a laugh.
Douglas watched, pride stirring in his chest, as his staff filed out, their excited whispers echoing down the hallway. The meeting had gone better than he'd dared hope. Not a single negative reaction among them.
Troy clearedhis throat as the last of the staff filed out of the conference room. "Barbara, could you stay behind for a moment? Douglas, Katerina, and I need to discuss something with you."
Barbara paused, her notebook clutched to her chest. "Of course, Dr. Shelton."
As the door clicked shut, Troy leaned forward, his elbows resting on the polished oak table. "We're working on contingency plans, in case there's trouble after Katerina goes public tonight on national television."
Barbara's expression sobered immediately. "I can see that would be a good idea."
"Terrifying for me," Katerina confessed. "but Cat is thrilled. You know how she is about adulation, so she gets to show off in front of the world.."
"With Katerina being married to Troy," Douglas chimed in, "we're anticipating an influx of shifters coming here to the clinic, seeking help or even refuge."
Troy nodded. "We'd like to set up a kind of triage system here at the clinic for incoming shifters. Barbara, we were hoping you'd be willing to be their first point of contact."
Barbara blinked, her brow furrowing. "Me? But I'm not a?—"
"Exactly," Katerina interjected. "You're human, which makes you the perfect neutral party. Plus, you're already at the front desk."
"We'll have a roster of contacts," Troy assured her. "You'll simply be welcoming any who show up, and then passing them on to the right contact for what they need."
Barbara's eyes darted between the three of them. "I... I'm honored you'd trust me with this. But what if someone claims to be a shifter, but isn't? I won't be able to tell."
"That's where the triage comes in," Douglas explained. "It won't matter; if they say they're a shifter, simply contact whomever is on duty, and they'll take over from there."
"You talked a bit about the risks…. what if someone dangerous comes in?" Barbara's voice quavered slightly.
Katerina reached across the table, her slender hand engulfing Barbara's. "We'd never put you in harm's way. If you ever feel uncomfortable or threatened, of course you'll call for backup immediately. You'll have a list of contacts to program into your phone."
"Remember, we're going to have security," Douglas confirmed. "They'll be discreet, but they'll be close. We're having a panic button installed, too, like the kind they use in banks."
He exchanged glances with Troy and Katerina. The panic button would alert Jacinth, who could be here instantly in case of trouble. But that wasn't something Barbara needed to know.
Barbara took a deep breath. "Alright. I'm in. What do I do now?"
"Thank you, Barbara," Douglas said, his voice warm with gratitude. "We're still ironing out the details, but we'll set up a meeting soon to go over everything."
He watched as Barbara's shoulders relaxed, her earlier tension melting away. Her silvery blonde hair caught the light as she nodded, a determined glint in her eye. "Of course, Dr. Shelton. I'm happy to help in any way I can. Just let me know when you're ready to discuss the specifics."
"We'll probably have a sit-down with you and the other front desk staff, next week," Troy added. "That'll give us time to finalize our plans and get you a list of contacts."
