Naomi met her at the door before Beth could even get her key in the lock. Her twin's eyes, the same silver-flecked blue, sparkled with amusement.
"There you are! I was starting to wonder if you'd gotten lost." Naomi pulled her into a quick hug. "Did you forget how to check your phone?"
"I'm sorry." Beth fumbled for her phone, wincing at the missed text notifications. "I stopped for dinner on my way home, and got caught up reading."
Naomi held the door wider, waiting for Beth to step inside. "So tell me how your first day went," she invited.
Beth smiled at her twin. "It was actually really good. Dr. Shelton is-"
The thunderous roar of motorcycles shattered the evening quiet, cutting off her response. Beth spun around, the sound vibrating through her chest as her heart hammered against her ribs. Two sleek bikes charged down the street, their engines growling in perfect harmony before roaring to a stop directly in front of the house. The sudden silence felt almost as startling as the noise had been.
The matching black motorcycles gleamed under the streetlights, their chrome accents catching the glow. Beth found herself frozen on the doorstep, watching the riders dismount with fluid grace. Their movements mirrored each other perfectly.
Beth watched, transfixed, as the riders pulled off their black helmets in perfect synchronization. Long, pale blond hair spilled free, catching the streetlight like spun silver. Their fair skin seemed to glow in the evening darkness.
The two men came together in an enthusiastic high-five, their matching grins lighting up identical faces.
"Beat our record by three minutes!" one crowed.
"Told you taking Miller Road would shave off time," the other responded with a laugh.
As they turned toward the house, Beth caught her breath. They were stunning - like mirror images of each other, withbrilliant blue eyes and chiseled features that reminded her of Chris Hemsworth from those Thor movies. But their coloring was even lighter, more ethereal, like the elves from Lord of the Rings with their luminous pale skin and silvery-blonde hair.
Beth couldn't tear her gaze from the identical men approaching their doorstep. Beside her, Naomi murmured "Whoa" in a stunned voice that perfectly echoed Beth's own thoughts.
"Who are they?" Beth whispered, mesmerized by their fluid, synchronized movements.
Naomi shook herself, as if breaking free from a spell. "If you'd bothered to check your texts, you'd know." Her voice took on a pointed tone. "They're here to install security systems - both for the house and Liam's shifter clinic in the carriage house."
Beth frowned, her brow furrowing as she turned to her sister. "But we already have security systems. Liam had them installed way back when you two bought the place."
"We need more than basic alarms now. We need cybersecurity." Liam's voice came from behind them as he stepped onto the porch. His tall frame blocked the porch light, casting shadows across the wooden boards. "We have to protect not just ourselves, but all our client information too."
“The clinic records?" Beth's brow furrowed. "But we don't treat shifters at the Country Clinic - just regular pets. What would anyone want with vaccination records and spay appointments?"
Liam ran a hand through his brown hair, hints of auburn catching in the light. "Medical records, client addresses, staff information - it's all data that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. With shifters now exposed to the world, hackers might target the clinic looking for connections or clues about who might be a shifter. We need top-level security on our computer systems to protect everyone associated with the clinic."
"But no one even knows about your shifter clinic here," Beth protested. "It's on your private property, completely separate from the Country Vet Clinic."
"True," Liam acknowledged, "but I still work as a veterinarian there. Anti-shifter groups might scrutinize everyone connected to the clinic more carefully now, especially the staff. With Troy's wife publicly out as a shifter, anyone associated with the clinic could become a target for investigation. They'd be looking for any connections, any patterns that might lead them to more shifters."
Beth hadn't considered that angle. The thought of strangers digging into their lives, hunting for their secrets, sent a chill down her spine.
She glanced back at the twins, seeing them in a new light. Their casual stance and matching grins belied what must be serious expertise if Liam trusted them with such critical security needs. Still, she'd had enough of strangers for the day.
Slipping past her sister and Liam, she retreated into the house. Her social energy had drained completely after the long first day at work. Meeting the mysterious twins would have to wait.
She had a moment of regret, remembering her old self. When she'd been in college, she'd loved meeting new people. Her psychology classes had fascinated her, leading to endless conversations with classmates about human nature and behavior. She'd been the one organizing study groups, planning coffee meetups, bringing people together.
Now the mere thought of facing strangers made her heart race. The young men from the security company looked nice enough - their matching grins and synchronized movements spoke of a playful nature. But the idea of going back out there, of making conversation and being social, sent cold tendrils of anxiety through her chest.
She knew she needed to push past this. Dr. Shelton and the clinic staff had shown her such kindness today. Their gentle acceptance helped ease her back into interacting with others. But it was still exhausting, requiring constant effort to keep her anxiety in check.
Toeing off her shoes at the front door, the hardwood floors warmed her feet through her socks as she padded down the hallway to her room. Living in Florida, she'd never even heard of radiant heating until they moved in here. Now she was a total fan.
Closing the door with a soft click, she leaned against it for a moment before pushing away to change. She peeled off her work clothes, replacing them with soft yoga pants and an oversized sweater that hung past her hips.
That done, she opened her bedroom door, in case Naomi wanted to pop in as she often did. Climbing onto the high queen size bed with its memory foam mattress and cool gel top, Beth pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She'd been working so hard in therapy to overcome these fears. To stop letting her past control her present. But some days, like today, it felt safer to retreat to her room than face new people.
