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“No, no,” Mom insisted, reaching out to take my dirty dishes from my hands. “Devan and I will take care of this. Why don’t you two go out now.”
“Thank you,” I said, giving my mom a soft smile before turning to head for the stairs.
She really was doing her best to help me and giving her an attitude wasn’t going to help the situation. We’d both been through a lot, and while I hated what I’d become, I couldn’t help but be happy for my mom.
Moving to Fayshore and meeting Devan had been the best thing that could have happened to her. She absolutely deserved the joy she’d found, and I wasn’t so miserable that I needed to drag her down with me.
This was my problem, and I’d find a way to deal with it. And apparently I’d be doing it with my brand new, smoking hot, stepbrother by my side.
Chapter Four
~Trevor~
As the sun started to set, Celia and I headed out into the woods that backed up against our yard. The dense forest looked and smelled the exact same way it had my entire life, and for the first time since returning to Fayshore, I actually felt like I was home.
I couldn’t even count the number of nights I’d spent in wolf form, running through the woods, chasing deer and rabbits, digging holes just for the fun of it, delighting in being a shifter.
It seemed crazy to me that Celia didn’t find the same joy in her new gift.
“Do you want to head to the clearing and leave our clothes there?” I asked, my shoulder bumping against Celia’s as we walked side by side down the narrow path heading through the center of the woods.
“Whatever,” she answered. “My clothes are usually ruined anyway. The beast decides when it’s going to burst free, and I don’t really feel like sitting around naked in front of Colton and a bunch of other shifters.”
“Well, maybe we can do something about that tonight,” I suggested, turning left at the fork in the path and leading Celia toward the small meadow I remembered.
She snorted but didn’t say anything else until we reached the clearing.
“Wow,” she whispered, looking around at the field of wildflowers and tall grasses spread out before us. “I’ve never seen this place before.”
“Yeah, this is still our property and not many people traipse around out here. After my mom died, I used to come out here and just lay for hours in the flowers, staring at the stars.” I shook my head. “It’s soothing, and I thought maybe it would help you to see it.”
“Whatever,” she answered.
“Don’twhateverme,” I snapped, turning around to glare at her. “Whatever isn’t a response. It shouldn’t even be a word.”
Her attitude was really starting to grate on my nerves and if we were going to get through this shift together, she was going to have to participate. Otherwise what was even the point.
“Hey, I didn’t ask you to bring me out here,” she said, her eyes flashing as her beast started to rise to the surface. The sun would be setting any minute and maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to piss her off this close to her shift. “In fact, I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“No, you didn’t,” I agreed. “But you got it anyway. So maybe, just maybe, you could try to find the good in it and stop wallowing in your unnecessary misery.”
“You don’t know anything about my misery,” she growled. Her chest was heaving, and her eyes were glowing with power and anger. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“Do you feel that?” I whispered, reaching out slowly to press the palm of my hand over her sternum. “Do you feel the beast?”
“I always feel it,” she said, some of the anger seeping out of her tone.
“Good. Right now, instead of fighting it, instead of hating it, try to welcome it. Maybe use some manners.” I smirked at her, and I watched as her eyes flashed once more, but then she closed them and took a deep breath.
“I’m not actually a bitch you know,” she said softly.
“I’m sure you’re not,” I agreed. “Do you feel the beast settling?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“Good. I’m going to turn around so you can get undressed.” I moved my hand to her cheek and cupped it gently as I stared into her eyes. “When you’re ready, I want you to invite the cat to come out and play.”
“Just like that?” she asked, huffing out a laugh as she met my gaze.
