Shifter Legends (11 page)

“
Your
students?” Grant turned to her, his tone one of annoyance. He clearly had not had a good day. “If you want, I could have you removed from training detail and put on something a lot less… clean. They are
our
students, and don’t you forget it. I will maul my mate whenever I please. Is that understood?”

He stared her down until she was forced to avert her eyes, only for a few seconds.

“Yes, sir.” She ground the words out, but the look on her face let Briana know that she was going to hear about it later.

“That’s what I thought.”

Briana shirked away from him, her eyes showing her anger. He didn’t need to be so needlessly cruel. She couldn’t understand what had gotten into him, and when he reached for her a second time, she didn’t afford him the luxury of catching her. Grant may be her mate, and one of the strongest Alphas in town, but he was not going to push people around like that. He shifted his gaze over to her and noticed her expression. She was clearly not pleased.

“As I was saying, candidates, you will be taken out in small batches each day to shift into your cats with the proper supervision. Tonight Luke’s group and Alice’s group will be taken out by Grant and myself. They will get the opportunity to try and shift. Not everyone will shift the first night, and not every shift will be perfect or long lasting. Do not be disheartened.” Eliza looked directly at Briana, clearly referencing her abilities.

For some reason it made Briana’s blood boil. Grant, the entire Pride, they had no idea the storm that was coming. No idea what she was capable of. 

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

Grant had picked the perfect night for a change, Briana had to give him that. The cool summer night had just the right bite to make it comfortably cool for their hotter than normal bodies. The panther pumping through their blood.

The six of them stood in a small circle, looking at one another as the moon rose. It wasn’t a full moon, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was their connection to the earth, and the connection with their cat. Briana’s cat had gone silent the moment they left the bar. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was too enamored with the beauty of nature, or if something was wrong. Either way, it had her a little worried.

“Eliza, I like, totally, can’t sense my cat, man.” Luke spoke up as they stood in the circle. “I’ve been trying, but it’s like he isn’t even there.”

Eliza smiled, “The bar is made with Fae magic, Luke. Those of us who are able to sense our cats, in a intimate way, we do so in the bar because it is a place that exists somewhere between here and the Fae realm. It brings about a situation that allows us to hear what we normally wouldn’t be able to hear. Our cat. All packs have the same spell. The same ability. It makes us stronger in our own world. But out here…,” She gestured to the natural elements, “out here it can be a liability. This world isn’t made for us, and slipping up even once, letting your cougar’s instincts take over your own, it could land you in some pretty serious situations. So, out here, you need to go on instinct.”

Grant added, “That doesn’t mean you can’t feel them, you can. But it takes time, and patience. You need to be able to control yourself, and your mountain lion, before that can happen.”

“Wait… there are other ‘realms’? What does that mean?” Alice saw through Eliza’s explanation and got right to the question Briana wanted to ask.

“There are, but you are not ready yet. More will be explained in time.” Grant was quick to answer, and give Eliza a look. Clearly they weren’t supposed to know that yet.

Briana stared up at the sky, letting the light of the stars and the gibbous moon fill her with the peace she so desperately needed. Out here in the night sky she was finally at peace. No cat hounding her, her mate close. She loved it and wanted to exist in this moment for as long as possible.

Until Eliza started talking again.

“This isn’t something that is going to be easy. You have to feel the cat inside of you. Sure, a lot of you have been talking with your cat, but it isn’t the same. You have to grab ahold of her and pull her out until she is the one taking over your body. She won’t take over your mind, but she will be there, on the outside of you.” She closed her eyes as she said this, obviously tapping into her own cat as she shifted.

It was effortless, coming from her. Her body changed, shrinking and lengthening until all that was left was a beautiful light gray cat, its eyes glowing a dark indigo. Briana was mesmerized by the sight. She wanted nothing more than to feel that change again. Feel the way her body shifted into something so majestic, something that reminded her that she was one with nature.

Suddenly Briana felt it, her body tingling, the change floating over her, coaxing her. She held on to that feeling, imagining what it would be like to feel her paws in the warm ground as her body morphed. Making her wish come true. Sensation flooded her, filling her with hope and openness. It was not like the first change at all. This change was so much more. So… spiritual.

Briana opened her eyes to see that she was several feet shorter, her hands on the ground as paws. Covered in a golden red fur. Her cougar was beautiful, she could feel it. Really feel it, for the first time. Her previous shift had been fast, and painful. She hadn’t had a chance to feel what her cougar felt. To really understand what was happening to her, let alone see herself. At least now she had a hint. Her hair was a deep chestnut, red strands throughout it, making it a rich, dynamic color. She hoped the rest of her looked that way.

The other students stood around her, slack jawed.

I thought you said this was hard,
Briana gloated at Eliza, her thoughts filling both shifters minds.

It is supposed to be. It took me weeks to be able to do this.
Eliza’s lip curled, revealing her teeth just slightly.

Briana raised hers in return, her sharp feline teeth bared. She was a big cat, and no one was going to threaten her.

She was ready to fight. Ready to rip Eliza limb from limb, her feral cougar taking over as she gave way to it.

“Enough,” Grant commanded. Both women closed their mouths involuntarily. Briana could see why he was in Second in command of the Pride, let alone the entire Motorcycle Club.

 “As for the rest of you, give it a try. Let your want to shift take over. You have to work at it. Feel for it. It is only as hard as your own resistance makes it.” Grant stayed in human form, reaching a hand out for Briana, who glided over to him, rubbing against his leg like a house cat. Except she was so large she knocked him back, just a little.

Grant chuckled and adjusted himself, his smile sweet as his hand came down and threaded through her fur easily, giving her the touch that she craved, even in cat form.

Luke was next, his body shifting and changing, part human, part cougar. She was excited, hoping to be able to race and play with her friend, until… his change suddenly stopped, mid-morph. Fur coated his body, his torso bent over and his snout elongated. He looked like something out of a horror movie. She let out a howl as she saw that he was suck, an expression of fear and panic in his eyes.

“Just be calm, Luke. This happens. It is a normal part of the process sometimes. Take big, deep breaths.” Grant’s voice was soothing as she watched the two of them interact.

She could tell Luke trusted him, it was part of Grant’s Alpha talent. His ability to bond and form a comradely relationship with even the most hostile of shifters. Grant was in complete control. She could tell that now.

He sucked in breath after breath, his eyes going from panic to placid as the shift started up again. It continued, his body changing very slowly, with each breath, until he was in cat form. He was a big gray and black cat. Probably twice the size of Eliza. His coloring and size… it was Luke alright, right down to the derpy tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

Did you guys see that? It was freakin’ awesome! My Nan told me that shifting could be hard, but I never expected that to happen!
Luke was purring, audibly purring. Like the biggest cat baby she had ever seen.

Your Nan?
Eliza asked, her voice laden with snark.
Does she still tuck you in at night?

If a cat could glare, that was exactly what Luke was doing.
No, she does not tuck me in. She is the only shifter in our family. Well, until me. She said she could tell the moment I was born. Pretty rad, if you ask me.

Briana fought the urge to chuckle, if a cat could do such things. Leave it to Luke to take a frightening situation and turn it into something funny.

Briana, Luke, and Eliza waited around for another hour, still in panther form, while everyone else tried to shift. So far, they were the only ones who could make it. Briana was draped over a particularly soft patch of leaves, Luke resting his head on her flank, and even Eliza was cuddled up to her back, snoring.

“Alright group. We will try again tomorrow. Why don’t you head inside and try to meditate. Clearing your mind can be really helpful. We will meet you again when the sun rises.” Grant ushered them back towards the bar, but he didn’t leave the forest. He was clearly waiting for them to go before he too changed.

When the last candidate was out of sight he shifted so quickly that Briana barely saw it happen. His black cat was larger than Luke’s, his eyes glowing a deep emerald that drew Briana in.

You two, get off of my mate,
He commanded and they moved immediately to attention.
We have some time to kill. What do you say we all go down to the hollow? Could be some fun swimming.

Grant gave the three of them a feline grin. It would have been cute, if it wasn’t so predatory looking.

I think the last one there is going to be a water buffalo!
Eliza shouted in our heads.
And damn if I’m not hungry as hell.

Apparently it was a common phrase the cougars used.

Luke and Briana followed behind them, unsure of where they were going, but happy to be along for the ride.

Luke and Briana kept pace with each other, following the two veteran shifters. They went through the brush and the trees, climbing and descending a few hills until they came to a little, out of the way hollow. All four of them skidded to a halt at once, looking over the body of water. It was deep, Briana could tell that much, and in the humid night air it certainly looked inviting.

Cat or human?
Eliza asked.

Cougar first,
Grant said, and without hesitation he dove on in. Paddling around in cougar form he looked absolutely ridiculous. It was enough to make Briana howl in laughter.

You better get in here, or I will force you in, and you won’t like that as much,
Grant said to her playfully.

Briana aimed her body just right and vaulted in, bringing panther Grant down in a wave as she connected with the water. He sputtered and came back up, throwing his body at her. The two were wrestling in the water in their cat forms. Any human who saw this would not believe their eyes.

When she finally came to her senses, she realized that Luke and Eliza were also in the water, padding around and enjoying themselves.

It was the first time since arriving that Briana really felt like she was part of a pack. The four of them… even with all their differences, they just seemed to make sense. Even the way Eliza challenged Luke and he ignored it, purposefully trying to annoy her, it was part of what made them unique. Luke was powerful, maybe only a year or two younger than her, and his aggression seemed to die away as he got into the training. He was strong and assertive, but he was nothing if not gentle.

Grant climbed out of the pool, and once his four paws were on solid ground his body shifted, turning back into a very naked Grant, his body bare in the bright moon light.

“Shifting back is easier than making the shift. Your body is naturally yours, so it is easier to grasp ahold of. Briana, I want you to come out and try it.”

She complied with his wishes, using her cat muscles to pull her out of the pool and onto the ground. As soon as she was out of the water she moved her body to optimize a good shift. Her body changed and morphed almost immediately, she was human in a matter of seconds. She felt her hands up and down her curvy body. Everything was there.

“Damn,” Grant whispered, pulling her close against him. “Every time I see you, it makes me lose my breath.” She blushed and moved away. They were not exactly alone and they were both naked!