Change (The Shape Shifter Series) by Jennifer Loiske Page A

Tiamhaidh. The man stared back without blinking, his back straight. Sofia felt her father moving away from her.
    “Baz,” he said and held his hand out to David.
    “David.”
    Everyone was now looking at them. If they were waiting for a fight, it never came. They looked at each other in good spirits. They were nearly the same height and both were more sinewy than muscular. Narrow hips widening into strong shoulders. Their postures were almost military and everything about them showed excellent body control. The younger man's blue eyes looked warily at the older man's golden-brown ones, which twinkled in amusement. Baz knew that David expected him to dislike him. After all, he was just a mortal human. But David didn't know how much he loved and respected his daughter. If Sofia had chosen this human to be her partner, he would accept him as well.
    “You could've chosen worse,” Baz grunted eventually and turned to grab Marie's hand. He gestured to his wife and she turned , smiling.
    With one leap she was next to Marie and was touching her hair and face gently. “Mo leanabh, my sweet child,” she murmured quietly.
    Baz smiled. “Marie, this is Faol, your grandmother.”
    “Faol.” Marie tasted the word in her mouth. It felt right and she smiled carefully at her.
    Faol breathed, pleased, and kissed her hair. Her eyes met Baz’s and flashed approvingly. He took Marie’s hand and started to lead her away from the others. She had no choice but to follow her grandparents and hope that the others would follow them, too. Her feet felt wobbly. She glanced at her wheelchair longingly. No one noticed it. It was like she had never been in a wheelchair. Everyone expected her to walk and to be strong. After all, she was Sofia's daughter and her grandparents were the leaders of the elders. Still, at least Tiamhaidh should've said something.
    Baz looked at her and smiled encouragingly. Marie sighed. What the heck. She would try. Hopefully, someone would carry her if she failed.
    Baz led her to a tiny mountain path that headed straight up to a place where a small forest hid a couple of dark timber houses. Her first thought was that they could never fit into those houses. Not all of them. Then she realized that most of the people she had seen hadn't followed. How stupid of her! They probably lived in the mountains and usually walked on four legs. They had shifted into their human forms just because of her. She didn't know why they had done it. They didn't like her and if they had appeared in front of her as wolves they could've scared her more.
    “Welcome to our home,” Faol said, interrupting her thoughts.
    They had stopped in front of one of the houses and she held the door open for her, but Marie hesitated. She glanced behind and Sofia nodded at her encouragingly. 
    “Thanks,” she muttered and stepped in.
    The house was amazing. The huge windows that reached from the top to bottom created the illusion of the sky and the soil uniting together, opening to the unbelievably amazing view of a crystal-clear lake. The mountains bordering the lake seemed to embrace it, and when Marie looked at the view from the other windows she became dizzy. Every single window offered a view of the lake and the mountains, or the forest and the mountains, so she really felt she was part of nature.
    A couple of bedrooms bordered the open area where the kitchen and the living room merged. Through a crack in the door she could see inside a huge, comfortable-looking bedroom at the back of the cabin. Marie glanced at the bedrooms, worried. Where was she supposed to sleep? And would they let Tiamhaidh sleep next to her? She glanced sideways at Tiamhaidh, who was staring in confusion at Sofia. She looked disturbed but Marie couldn't see why.
    “You can choose which bedroom you like. This cabin is just for you and Tiamhaidh,” Faol said gently.
    Marie turned quickly. “Where will you sleep then?”
    Faol glanced out of the window and Marie blushed.