watched the proceedings.
Ryland was standing at the front of the weight room, facing a group of teenaged boys. They were talking about shifting. Fascinated, Lia continued to listen, even though the topic was frightening to say the least. She watched as Ryland moved a little, moving his perfect ass out of her line of sight, but giving her access to his gorgeous face.
One of the boys was gesticulating at Ryland, clearly upset. “I hate having to hide what I am! It makes me feel like a freak.” The boy made a rumbling noise in his throat and hit a punching bag in frustration. And then, before her eyes, the boy changed. She watched as his body seemed to grow, bursting through the seams on his jeans and T-shirt. The same body quickly sprouted hair everywhere. The bear he became let loose a horrible roar, but she couldn’t help but notice the fearsome sound was tinged with sadness.
Gracious , thought Lia. Ryland had been telling the truth about the shape-shifting thing. Her eyes hadn’t deceived her at all.
These people were animals. Her heart began to palpitate with the nervous need to run.
Ryland put a hand on the teen’s massive bear shoulder. “Carter, breathe. Remember what I taught you. You can control this.”
Lia watched, rapt, as the bear boy opened and closed his giant mouth as if snatching air into his lungs. After a tense minute, he took a deep breath and shifted back. The naked human boy looked pale, ashamed. He shivered and Ryland reached for a towel hanging on a nearby treadmill. He tossed it over the kid’s shoulders, and then the boy wrapped it around his lower half.
“Carter, you’re not a freak,” intoned Ryland in a sympathetic voice that indicated he’d had to repeat his message many times. “None of us are. Sure, we’re different. Hell, I know that. But I promise you, a time will come when you accept those differences. You need to be proud of who and what you are.”
Lia felt queer listening in but was so drawn to Ryland’s voice, and so touched by his comforting words to the distraught boy.
One of the other kids spoke up. “Mr. Snow, did you ever feel like you were a monster?”
Ryland grinned in understanding. “Yeah. I’m still working on getting over that,” he joked. “Look, I won’t lie to you. We all have good days and bad days. And sometimes I wish I were human too. It would make life easier.” He paused. “But easier’s not always better. And being a shifter has its perks. We live longer. We heal faster. We’re stronger.”
“We’re more attractive to the ladies,” Carter interjected, obviously trying to harness his sense of humor. All the boys laughed.
Ryland laughed too. “Yeah, there’s that, too.”
Lia frowned as a frisson of jealousy tickled her spine. Exactly how many women found Ryland Snow attractive? She tried hard not to pout at the idea.
One of the boys eyed the door. “Speaking of ladies, there’s one at the door.” All their heads turned.
“Hey,” Carter said. “She’s hot.”
Ryland turned and glowered at her.
Oh, boy, here we go . I’ve been spotted by Mr. Congeniality .
He yanked open the door. “This is a private session. It’s not gonna end up in one of your books, is it?”
She raised herself to her full height, which was nothing compared to his. “Of course not! I wasn’t snooping. I was just looking around and was wondering what you guys were up to, that’s all.”
“In other words, snooping.”
Lia shook her head, her mouth open, at a loss for words.
Ryland looked chastised. Sort of. “Sorry. Look, I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t share what you heard. The boys rely on me to keep their confidence.”
“Don’t worry,” she replied, a little peeved herself. How could he think she’d blab about the shifter counseling session? Okay, she was listening in when she wasn’t supposed to be, but still, she wasn’t a blabbermouth. Lia figured she should try to fix the situation. “You’re very supportive to those
Ryland was standing at the front of the weight room, facing a group of teenaged boys. They were talking about shifting. Fascinated, Lia continued to listen, even though the topic was frightening to say the least. She watched as Ryland moved a little, moving his perfect ass out of her line of sight, but giving her access to his gorgeous face.
One of the boys was gesticulating at Ryland, clearly upset. “I hate having to hide what I am! It makes me feel like a freak.” The boy made a rumbling noise in his throat and hit a punching bag in frustration. And then, before her eyes, the boy changed. She watched as his body seemed to grow, bursting through the seams on his jeans and T-shirt. The same body quickly sprouted hair everywhere. The bear he became let loose a horrible roar, but she couldn’t help but notice the fearsome sound was tinged with sadness.
Gracious , thought Lia. Ryland had been telling the truth about the shape-shifting thing. Her eyes hadn’t deceived her at all.
These people were animals. Her heart began to palpitate with the nervous need to run.
Ryland put a hand on the teen’s massive bear shoulder. “Carter, breathe. Remember what I taught you. You can control this.”
Lia watched, rapt, as the bear boy opened and closed his giant mouth as if snatching air into his lungs. After a tense minute, he took a deep breath and shifted back. The naked human boy looked pale, ashamed. He shivered and Ryland reached for a towel hanging on a nearby treadmill. He tossed it over the kid’s shoulders, and then the boy wrapped it around his lower half.
“Carter, you’re not a freak,” intoned Ryland in a sympathetic voice that indicated he’d had to repeat his message many times. “None of us are. Sure, we’re different. Hell, I know that. But I promise you, a time will come when you accept those differences. You need to be proud of who and what you are.”
Lia felt queer listening in but was so drawn to Ryland’s voice, and so touched by his comforting words to the distraught boy.
One of the other kids spoke up. “Mr. Snow, did you ever feel like you were a monster?”
Ryland grinned in understanding. “Yeah. I’m still working on getting over that,” he joked. “Look, I won’t lie to you. We all have good days and bad days. And sometimes I wish I were human too. It would make life easier.” He paused. “But easier’s not always better. And being a shifter has its perks. We live longer. We heal faster. We’re stronger.”
“We’re more attractive to the ladies,” Carter interjected, obviously trying to harness his sense of humor. All the boys laughed.
Ryland laughed too. “Yeah, there’s that, too.”
Lia frowned as a frisson of jealousy tickled her spine. Exactly how many women found Ryland Snow attractive? She tried hard not to pout at the idea.
One of the boys eyed the door. “Speaking of ladies, there’s one at the door.” All their heads turned.
“Hey,” Carter said. “She’s hot.”
Ryland turned and glowered at her.
Oh, boy, here we go . I’ve been spotted by Mr. Congeniality .
He yanked open the door. “This is a private session. It’s not gonna end up in one of your books, is it?”
She raised herself to her full height, which was nothing compared to his. “Of course not! I wasn’t snooping. I was just looking around and was wondering what you guys were up to, that’s all.”
“In other words, snooping.”
Lia shook her head, her mouth open, at a loss for words.
Ryland looked chastised. Sort of. “Sorry. Look, I’d appreciate if you wouldn’t share what you heard. The boys rely on me to keep their confidence.”
“Don’t worry,” she replied, a little peeved herself. How could he think she’d blab about the shifter counseling session? Okay, she was listening in when she wasn’t supposed to be, but still, she wasn’t a blabbermouth. Lia figured she should try to fix the situation. “You’re very supportive to those
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