“I agree,” El laughed despite her nerves.
El grabbed one of Destiny’s blankets from her diaper bag, and they headed outside.Ryan gave Marcus a rundown of what Willow said.Marcus shrugged out of his clothes, as did Shawn and they both shifted.Destiny’s eyes grew wide, and she was silent.
She was merely days old, but El could tell that she knew exactly what was happening with her fathers.Her little hands flapped until Shawn and Marcus both came close enough so Destiny could feel their fur.
“She likes that,” El said, feeling the calm radiating from Destiny.
“Marcus and Shawn don’t seem to mind it either,” Ryan laughed.
Marcus and Shawn’s cats were both purring away as they looked at Destiny.The bond was unbreakable.El sent up another thanks to Shawn’s mother for giving her the blessing of being able to witness her mates with her Destiny.
“Willow said not to worry if she doesn’t shift,” El whispered to Ryan, afraid she would disturb the moment.
“If what she wants is giant cats around, that’s something we can certainly accommodate,” he replied.
“Have you ever seen a chimera?”El asked.
“No, but I imagine she’ll be beautiful.”
“I do too.I don’t want to rush anything, but it’ll be exciting to see her shift.”
“That it will, mate.That it will.”
They all sat outside for an hour or so before El felt the unease she had earlier.Destiny was laying on her boppy pillow; her eyes never leaving Shawn’s panther that was looming over her.El looked around, letting her panther’s eyes take over so she could see back into the woods.Nothing seemed to lurk there.Ryan had sent Trip out several times to check.
“El?”Trip asked.
“I feel weird again,” she told him honestly.
“Maybe it’s just nerves, and being in a different place?”Trip offered up.
“No, this place has always been my happy place.Something’s off I don’t know what it is, but there’s something there.”
“I think it’s time we bury Shawn’s mother,” Ryan interrupted as he joined them from around the side of the house.
Trip looked at El, and she nodded.Whatever was going on with her, they had come there for a reason, and they needed to see it through.Shawn shifted back and hurried to dress.Destiny didn’t seem thrilled with that idea, and she really didn’t like it when Marcus did the same.El scooped her up and bobbed her up and down while the men got everything in place.
Willow had shifted Shawn’s mother before they left and prepared her body for a proper burial.Ryan had gone over everything with Shawn so that he could lead the burial as the Alpha Panther in their group.El knew Shawn was uncomfortable with that term, but she thought it fit him.Destiny quieted as Shawn stood at the head of the grave and began to say what Ryan had taught him.
El thought she’d manage to make it through the ceremony without crying, but she barely lasted the first minute.Marcus scooped Destiny out of her arms, and Trip engulfed her in one of his hugs, and she let the tears fall.Silently she spoke to Shawn’s mother, thanking her over and over again.When Shawn was done, he moved forward, and Trip let El go to him.They embraced for a long time before pulling away.
“I love you so much,” he whispered to El.
“I love you too.What will we do without her?”
“Raise our daughtertogether.”
“We didn’t deserve how amazing she was, did we?”El asked him.
“No, we definitely didn’t.”
“Her panther is free now,” Ryan said.
The words no sooner left his mouth than Marcus gasped, as Destiny lifted into the air amidst a swirl of magic and then landed on the ground in a plop of giant paws and fur.
“Oh my, Mother!”Marcus yelled, dropping to the ground.
Destiny had shifted, her body was so tiny El wasn’t even sure she looked able to survive.She was, in fact, a chimera, with one panther head and one lioness head.Her panther let out the cutest snarl, and everyone broke out in a giggle.
