“When we were infants, a war started in our homeland. We were assigned guardians and sent away for our own safety, adopted out under false identities. I don’t know exactly what happened, but the guardians were killed and we all got lost in the system.”
“All of them?”
“Aldrik survived, but it wasn’t safe for him to stay around me, so he went into hiding and watched me from afar. When I turned twenty-five a few weeks ago, I began to itch and feel anxious. I started doing research and found out about this book that might have the answer to my symptoms. The only copy I could find was at a place called Hide-Away-Books. It’s Aldrik’s bookstore.”
“Aldrik owns a bookstore?”
Gabriel nodded. “Once we met up, he explained who and what I was.”
“A panther shifter?”
Gabriel stared at Dom, a weird feeling prickling his skin. “Why does that not surprise you?”
Dom shrugged. “You wouldn’t be the first shifter I’ve met.”
Shock rolled through Gabriel. “You know another shifter?”
“That would be me,” Chay said as he walked into the room with a cup of tea. “I’m a falcon.”
“There are falcon shifters?”
Chay chuckled. “Yes.”
Huh.
“I’d like to see that.” Gabriel imagined it was quite the sight.
Chay smiled as he sat down on the couch next to Gabriel. “I did promise your panther that we would go for a run just as soon as we could.”
Gabriel frowned. “I don’t remember you saying that, but I know that you did. How is that possible?”
“Since you only shifted for the first time an hour ago, your connection to your feline form isn’t that strong yet. The more you shift, the stronger the connection will be. Pretty soon, you’ll know everything your panther knows the instant it happens.”
“So, what? We’re two separate beings?”
“Yes and no. Your panther is you and you are your panther, but it’s like two spirits inhabiting the same person.”
“Well, that was clear as mud.”
Chay chuckled. “You and your panther are one and the same. The difference is that in your human form, you think like a human. In your panther form, you think like a panther. You’re still you no matter what form you’re in.”
“Have you always been able to shift?” Gabriel asked.
“Since puberty, yes.”
“Aldrik said we couldn’t shift until we turned twenty-five.”
“It’s different with each species.”
“I have a question,” Dom said.
Gabriel glanced over at him.
“If you’re a panther shifter, and we’re brothers, does that mean I’m one, too?”
Gabriel nodded. “That’s why I came to look for you first. Since you’re the second-born brother, your symptoms will start to appear next. Aldrik says they appear in order of our birth.”
“What are these symptoms?”
