“Shifters?” Jaz asked.
“Yes. We can change forms.”
“That’s crazy. What do you mean? Into what?”
“A wolf.”
No one spoke.
Amanda lifted one hand to her mouth and bit down on her knuckle.
Mary shrugged Jaz’s hand away from her shoulder and leaned forward. “That’s insane. Amanda?”
She released her knuckle and faced her sister. “It’s true. I’ve seen it.”
Mary bolted off the couch and stomped to the other side of the room, as far away from everyone as she could get without leaving the room entirely.
Jaz’s next words shocked the piss out of Amanda. As calm as a cucumber, she addressed Mary. “Mary, babe. Come back. She’s telling the truth.”
Laurie gasped. “How do you know?”
Jazmine shrugged. “I’ve never actually seen it, but I’ve heard about it.” She reached a hand over the back of the couch and twisted backward again. “Mary.”
Mary came to her and Jaz grabbed her hand and tugged, pulling her against the back of the couch.
“From whom?” Laurie asked, her voice squeaky.
Jazmine faced Laurie once more. “A friend. She moved away several years ago, but we were close when we were little. I knew her from school. I just never thought she was lying. She made it sound so real.”
“I see.” Laurie chewed on her bottom lip and then released it. “That’s unconventional. We don’t usually tell anyone.”
“I’m sure. I don’t blame you. Will you show us?” Jaz turned around once more. “Mary, sit with me. Please, babe.”
Mary looked wary as she rounded the couch and sat hard next to Jazmine, who grabbed her hand and held it tight on her thigh.
“I’m going to show you because I want you to fully understand, and Amanda needs your understanding and support. It’s going to be tough enough for her to adjust as it is. She needs her sister on her side.”
Laurie tugged her T-shirt over her head and dropped it to the floor. “Sorry. I have to strip. Otherwise my clothes won’t survive the shift. I’ll be quick, and don’t worry, I’m fully aware of my entire human self and my feelings when I’m in wolf form.
“I won’t make any sudden movements. And I would never hurt any of you. We aren’t violent. But I am large. I’ll just sit still right here in this spot so you can see me. If you want to touch me, you can. If not, that’s fine too. No pressure. And then I’ll shift back and we can talk.”
The room was silent while Amanda watched what she’d seen Sawyer do last night in the dark on the porch. In less than a minute, Laurie removed her clothes, dropped onto all fours, and broke the silence with the popping of her bones until she was undeniably a wolf.
Mary gasped and pushed back into the couch cushion.
Jazmine leaned forward, not releasing Mary’s hand. “So cool.”
Amanda smiled for the first time in hours. At least someone wasn’t freaked out.
Laurie sat back on her haunches and didn’t move a muscle, just as she’d said she would.
Jazmine released Mary and lowered onto her knees on the floor. She reached out and stroked a hand through Laurie’s fur.
“Jaz…” Mary admonished.
“I’m okay, babe. Relax. Just because you’ve never heard about something doesn’t make it any less real.”
“Yeah, but…” Mary turned toward Amanda. “You saw them do this last night?”
“Just Sawyer. For the same reason Laurie is showing you.”
“I think I could have gone my entire life without knowing that. Why was it necessary for him to do it for you?”
“Because apparently I’m his mate.”
“Mate?”
“Like a wife sort of. But wolves call it mating, I guess.”
Laurie shifted back and grabbed her clothes, tugging them on quickly. “Wolves mate for life, and they don’t usually choose their mate. It’s fated.”
“Fated?” Mary asked.
Laurie sat on the end of the coffee table to pull her shoes back on. “Nature sort of governs it, you could say. When we meet our mate, we can’t really deny it. It happens naturally.”
“And Amanda thinks she’s fated to spend her life with Sawyer,” Mary stated.
“And Logan,” Amanda muttered.
“Right. Two of them. Of course.” Mary slapped her thighs. “How silly of me.”
“This mating in threes is strange even for us. It’s usually very uncommon. But for some reason, it’s happening a lot lately, although only between my family and the Masters. There are two left. It is presumed they’re destined to be together also. The powers of the universe must have something in mind we aren’t yet privy to.”