Chapter 1
Beth Kerrigan stood before the mirror in her en suite, smoothing down the dark green scrubs she'd chosen for her first day working at the Country Veterinary Clinic. For now, she'd work the regular day shift while training, but next week she'd begin covering the evening clinic hours, then staying overnight to monitor the boarding animals and post-surgical patients.
"You can do this," she whispered to her reflection. The woman staring back looked healthier than she had a year ago - her body had filled out, no longer gaunt and skeletal, her face regaining its natural softness, and her pale blonde hair had reclaimed its thick, lustrous shine. Her eyes, the color of storm clouds, no longer held that haunted look. Well, not as much anyway.
From the hallway, the sound of footsteps approached her door. "Beth? You okay in there?" Naomi's concerned voice carried through.
"I'm fine." Beth took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Just nervous."
Her sister's face peeked around the door frame, anxiety in the blue-grey eyes so exactly like Beth's own. "Want me to drive you?"
"No." Beth picked up her bag, checking one last time that she had everything. "I need to do this myself."
This job at the clinic was more than just work - it was her transition from simply surviving to truly living again. The past year here in the safety of the shifter community in the Hudson Valley had been spent healing, studying, and slowly rebuilding herself. Now it was time to venture back into the world… even if the thought made her stomach flutter with butterflies.
Her fingers brushed against her textbooks stacked on her desk. She'd been studying veterinary medicine intensively, determined to make this work. The veterinary partners at the Country Vet Clinic had been kind enough to give her this chance, and she wouldn't let them down.
Beth squared her shoulders, managing a small smile for her twin. "I'm ready. I'm picking up Layla on my way. It's her first day, too, so we can be nervous wrecks together."
Naomi pulled her into a quick hug. "You'll both do great. Have a fabulous day!" Her sister's confidence helped steady Beth's nerves.
Beth headed out to her car, the morning air crisp and cold against her face. She inhaled deeply, loving the scents of fall… crisp leaves and fireplaces. So different from Miami where she'd grown up. She couldn't wait for snow. Last year had been her first time experiencing winter, and she and her twin couldn't get enough of playing in the snow in their clouded leopard forms, as well as Liam, Naomi's husband, who Changed into a Great Pyrenees.
As she backed out of the driveway, Beth caught a glimpse of Naomi waving from the doorway. The unwavering support of her sister and brother-in-law, Liam, over the past year had beenher anchor. She'd needed that time to heal, to find her footing again, but she couldn't hide in their protective shadow forever. Three years ago, she'd lost more than her fiance, Neil, when he was murdered—she'd lost herself. Today she would take her first real step toward becoming someone new—even if that someone remained a mystery.
When she pulled up to the sprawling wolf pack house in her green Prius, Layla was already waiting on the wraparound porch. The pretty caracal shifter practically bounced down the steps, her dark red hair catching the morning sunlight. Like many of the women rescued from the compound in Morocco two years ago, Layla had flourished in her newfound freedom. She and Beth had formed an instant connection - two survivors learning to live again, rebuilding their lives.
"I couldn't sleep at all." Layla slid into the passenger seat, smoothing her new navy shirt dress. "I've never worked before. What if I mess up?"
"You'll do great. Don't worry." Beth navigated down the winding driveway. She smiled in reassurance, remembering how quickly her friend had adapted to modern life after years of isolation. "The clinic staff understands this is your first job. They're not expecting you to know everything on day one."
"But what if a client asks me something and I don't understand?" Layla bit her lip nervously.
"Your sister says Barbara's amazing at training new people." Beth steered onto the main road, the early morning sun streaming through the trees. "And Holly and Anna are super patient. It's going to be okay. I promise."
Layla's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Tamera does say they're wonderful. Especially when they found out about..." She paused, taking a deep breath. "About the compound."
"Exactly. They know your background, and they want to help." Beth reached over to squeeze Layla's hand. "Plus, you'vepicked up everything else so quickly. Remember how fast you learned to use your phone? You're sending group texts like a pro now."
A small smile tugged at Layla's lips. "That's true. And I do love learning new things."
"See? This is just one more adventure. And you've got all of us backing you up."
"And speaking of new jobs..." Beth kept her eyes on the road, her voice softening. "This is my first full-time position too. I mean, I worked through college, but those were just campus jobs. Twenty hours max per week at the library or the campus bookstore."
Her words trailed off as memories of what came after college threatened to surface. The dark period she tried so hard not to think about. The Sanctuary. The isolation. The…
A warm hand covered hers on the steering wheel, pulling her back to the present. Layla's fingers intertwined with hers in a gentle squeeze. Beth blinked rapidly, grateful for the anchor of her friend's touch.
"We start together then," Layla murmured. "Supporting each other."
Beth squeezed back, drawing strength from their shared connection. She was so lucky to have Layla and her sister in her life, who truly understood what it meant to rebuild a life from broken pieces.
She navigated the turn and curving drive into the clinic's parking lot, the brick building's green shutters matching the dense foliage of the surrounding woods. Beth parked in the employee section behind the U-shaped building, her own excitement growing. After everything that happened, beginning this job felt like reclaiming a piece of herself.
"Ready?" Beth grabbed her lunch bag from the backseat.
"As I'll ever be." Layla took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "Tamera says I should pretend everyone is family. That makes it less scary."
