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Ever since Zander’s wolf and memory had been taken away by magic, he’d been different. His entire personality had shifted. He was no longer the disgruntled, alcoholic alpha I first met. It made me wonder how memories affected a person’s character or how much the shifter within influenced things.
The mere thought of Lola sent a rush of adrenaline through my veins. She’d witnessed something I hadn’t meant her to see, had never wanted any human to see. The hunter situation and corresponding injuries had taken precedence, but it was imperative that I speak with her as soon as possible to explain everything and hopefully get her guarantee that she wouldn’t divulge our secret to anyone. Shifters’ lives literally rested in her hands, and I was ashamed that I’d forced that responsibility on her.
“Uh, yeah, she’s fine,” I reassured him quickly, trying to hide my anxiety. “Don’t worry about it. She was in her office when I last spoke to her. She’s safe.”
“Okay,” Zander said, still looking unsure, but I couldn’t afford to linger anymore. Now that I knew Kyle and Audrey were safe and their injuries under control, I needed to find Lola and give her my full attention.
“Listen, I have to go handle something,” I told him, flashing an apologetic smile. “I promise everything’s under control. I’ll let Lola know you were asking for her.”
“All right.” But Zander’s eyes still held a hint of concern. “I appreciate it. Take care, Tori.”
The confusion on his face pissed me off. I wasn’t angry at him; I was angry on his behalf. He barely knew anyone, and the handful of people he did know were people he didn’t know well, except for Lola. They’d been spending a lot of time together.
“Thanks, Zander. You take care now,” I said as I turned to leave the ER. Before I did, I made sure Kyle was settled and would stay put until I returned. He grumbled a bit, but eventually agreed.
As I left the hospital, my mind raced with thoughts of Lola and how she was dealing with the aftermath of witnessing my shift. Remembering how I’d felt when I’d shifted for the first time—it had not been easy, and I’d already known shifters existed—I couldn’t imagine what she must have been going through. I’d inadvertently exposed her to a world she never should’ve known about. There was no point crying over spilled milk, though. What was done was done. All I could do was try to help her understand and cope with this new reality.
The fundraising festival in the town square was almost completely cleaned up as I hurried toward Lola’s office, anxiety growing with every step. What if she couldn’t handle it? What if she refused to keep our secret? The entire shifter community was at risk. I’d caused this mess; I was responsible for making things right.
Being new to the town, I wasn’t familiar with everybody who lived here, but I’d been around long enough to spot familiar faces. The sights and scents of so many unfamiliar shifters, new to Blackwood Creek, had me and my wolf nervous. They didn’t appear threatening, but having been on the run from shifter culture and never immersing myself with them until now—until Ridge—left me feeling uneasy, like I needed to get away and hide.
When I finally arrived at her office, I found Lola awake, sitting in a corner surrounded by books and her laptop. Itlooked like she was immersing herself in a research frenzy, maybe trying to make sense of what she’d seen earlier. My heart tightened in sympathy. My introduction to this world had been frightening. I did not want that for Lola.
“Hey, Lola,” I said softly, trying not to startle her.
She flinched when she turned her head toward me, and I felt terrible for scaring my shy friend.
“Well, the wolf is out of the bag,” I tried to joke, but it fell flat.
Lola didn’t smile.
“I’m really sorry you found out like that,” I began, deciding it was best to be blunt. “There was an emergency, and if I could take back shifting in front of you to spare you, I would.”
Lola sat stiffly in her seat, her eyes wide with fear. She looked like she wanted to say something, but the words seemed stuck in her throat. I’d scared her, and now I had to come up with a plan to support her, to help her understand what she’d seen and that we were not monsters to be feared. We were the same as humans, just with a little something extra.
“Please, let me explain,” I pleaded, my voice cracking with raw emotion. “I know this is a lot to take in, but I promise it won’t be as scary once you understand what’s happening.”
Lola’s quiet voice broke the tension in the room. “Ever since I woke up on the floor, I thought I must’ve been imagining things. I have been looking into psychotic breakdowns and which hospitals would admit me. I mean, werewolves do not exist, so there has to be some medical explanation for what I saw.”
The fact that she thought she had to be admitted to a hospital was my worst fear, but I also figured it was natural for her, as a psychologist, to jump to those conclusions. “Please, let me explain,” I repeated.
Slowly, Lola blinked, then gestured for me to continue. Her big eyes watched me like a hawk.
“What you saw me do was real. It really happened. I transformed into a wolf. Trust me, you’re not losing your mind,” I said, smiling weakly.
She fidgeted nervously in her chair, her eyes darting around the room. I knew she was close to running away, but I refused to give up on her. After years of being hunted, I’d learned to keep my guard up and protect myself at all costs, but for Lola, I was willing to risk it. In my gut, I was sure she could be trusted. My wolf liked her, and now that I’d learned to accept my wolf, I was also realizing that it was necessary to trust her instincts.
“For years, I was running for my life, believing I was the monster my father had taught me shifters were,” I began. “I was so afraid of harming innocent people that I kept to myself. I was alone, and for so long, I thought it’d be easier if I wasn’t around anymore. It wreaked havoc on my mind until I found this town and found shifters who helped me accept my wolf.”
Though I didn’t think Ridge or Margo or Diana would mind me telling Lola they were shifters, it wasn’t my place to out anyone. Once they found out she was in the know, so to speak, it would be up to them if they told her.
“I learned quickly that shifters are just like humans,” I continued. “There are good and bad ones, but they’re not fundamentally monsters unless they choose to be, just like humans can choose to be monsters. I want you to know you’re safe with me and the other shifters here. All anybody wants is to live in peace and live their lives like everybody else.”
When I finished, Lola appeared calmer but still somewhat skeptical. “Tori, I thought I was going insane,” she said. “I thought I was having a breakdown because of the stress of moving to this town, the whole thing with Margo and Detective Hill, and starting my own practice on top of it.” The strain around her eyes and the firm hold of her jaw eased. “Thank you for sharing this with me. It can’t be easy for you, yourexperiences and struggles. Knowing you for the short while I have, I’m aware of how hard it is for you. So, thank you.”
“Promise me you won’t tell anyone about this,” I begged her. Maintaining secrecy was of the utmost importance. “Our lives depend on it.”
“I...I promise,” Lola agreed. “But if any of this is true, I have so many questions.”
