She was the worst mother in the world.
“Mommy,” said Layla. “Do you really hate Daddy?”
“No, sweetheart, no. I’m so sorry. I was just sad. I didn’t mean it.”
Only she had. She was so angry. How could Lloyd let himself be killed? How could he leave her?
Layla and Andy began to tremble and sway in their spots. Their eyes grew unfocused, and they scratched their skin.
Andy grabbed his belly. “I don’t feel good.”
Just as Elaine was about to reach for them, a ripping sound startled her into awareness. Anotherrrrripdemanded her attention. A third sounded from right in front of Layla.
Her little daughter looked down at her tummy. “Mommy, my new dress. It’s breaking.”
Rip. Rip. Rip. Andy’s pants split down the front. Layla’s white tights began to run in several places, finally popping off her legs. Elaine glimpsed patches of brown bear fur under every split piece of fabric. Within seconds, their clothing lay torn on the floor.
“Oh, no,” whispered Elaine. “Not again.”
Josh Douglas raced through the assembled guests toward her, in doctor mode. He grabbed hold of her arms. “Elaine, stay calm.”
Layla reached for her, but as she did, her arms erupted in fur and claws extended from her fingers. Andy shrieked and clawed at what was left of his skin. It wasn’t long before two tiny bears stood among the crowd, huddling together. Their eyes were wide and wet, and their cries sounded just like the whining of bear cubs in the wild. They moved in nervous circles. Doctor Josh crouched before them, speaking in calm tones, trying to help them.
Many of the guests gasped, never having seen such young children shift before. Someone in the crowd was crying, but Elaine couldn’t tell who. All she heard was the moans of her children.
“My babies.” Elaine stepped toward them, but pain sliced into her head. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her head felt heavy. When her knees gave out, she couldn’t fight the fall.
As the lights extinguished around her, she was barely conscious of two strong arms catching her and holding her up.
Connor.
Would he ever forgive her?
Darkness swarmed her, leaving her all alone.
Please, no!She was tired of feeling alone.
Even in that horrible abyss, she prayed for Lloyd to come to her, to say something. To explain what the hell he meant by visiting Connor and not her.
Just a word. A tap on the shoulder. Anything.
But he never came.
* * * *
John Page almost dropped his tray of drinks. He set it down on a table so he didn’t fumble again.
What the hell? He knew working at a shape shifter resort might be interesting, but he’d never expected this.
As several people, Ryland and his pals, raced to shelter the small bears and their mother, John pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and snapped a couple of quick pics.
Baby bear shifters. No one would ever believe him.
He remembered his first shift. He’d been seventeen. While in gym class, he’d been taunted by Donald Franklin, the kid who always beat his time at track and field. John had been on a mission to finally beat him. Out on the track, just as he was running around the bend, thinking of how he would rub it in Donald’s face, something happened. His body went nuts. Before he knew it, he was standing on the track in the shape of a bear.
Luckily, the students and teacher hadn’t witnessed the actual moment of his shift. Donald Franklin, on another bend in the track, had taken a major wipeout and everyone had run in his direction, fearing a bad injury.
John had clawed at his torn clothes, snagging them with his clumsy paws. He took the opportunity to lope into the nearby woods and catch his breath. At first, he’d been confused. After all, his family had never bothered to tell him much about what his first shift would be like. His dad had always been too drunk, and his mom had been too busy at work. Although he’d never felt more alone than in that moment, he managed to pull himself together.
