Chapter 1
Gabe Randall stood with his teammates, watching the large screen in horror. It had been six months since the world found out that shifters were real. The outrage had died down a bit, but not the fear, and the restrictions and laws were just getting started. Now, his football team stood in the locker room, watching the director of the football league make a national announcement.
“It has been brought to our attention,” the director said, as camera flashes lit in bursts around him, “that because of the increased strength and speed that bear shifters possess, we can no longer allow them to compete with pure human athletes. The risk to our human players is too great and the advantage is unfair. This new rule will be effective immediately.”
The press went crazy shouting questions at him. He paused to listen, then spoke again.
“This decision comes after months of studying the genetic differences between shifters and humans, and no, we’ve found no way yet to limit the strength or speed of shifters to make them equal to humans, nor have we found a way to increase human ability to make them more like shifters. It comes down to basic physiology. Bears are just faster and stronger. Simple as that.”
He listened again, then said, “ All current records and awards will be adjusted to reflect that the athlete is either human or shifter, and separate records will be held for each race. No, we will not strip any current titles.”
One reporter screamed out a question loud and clear, “What are the shifters supposed to do now?”
The director shrugged and said, “I don’t have an answer for that. Perhaps start an all shifter league. Those are all the questions I will answer today. Thank you.”
Coach Tucker turned off the TV and turned to his team. About half of them were shifters, including the coach himself. The entire team had always known, of course, which players were human and which were shifters. They strategized positions and plays accordingly. Just like every other team in the league.
But once the public got a hold of this knowledge, the outcry had to be addressed. No unfair advantages for shifters. Period. Not in sports, not in life. This decision was not exclusive to football. It had already happened in the hockey league and baseball league. They expected more this week. They’d known it was coming, but hearing the words and knowing the reality was here made them all upset.
“Well, team. This isn’t a surprise, and there’s nothing we can do. I’ve talked with other coaches. There will now be blood tests before each game, right on the field. The new testing devices will be available before the new season begins. We have no choice but to split the team.”
“What about what he said,” Gabe asked. “About an all-shifter league?”
“I would guess that will happen eventually, but building a league takes time. I would guess it won’t be happening anytime soon. I’m sorry.”
Gabe hung his head and he noticed that his shifter teammates had much the same reaction.
“I’d bet we’ll see plenty of amateur leagues pop up,” Coach said.
“Great,” Kenny mumbled. None of them wanted to go back to the amateur league after having gone semi-pro. It was a huge slap in the face. They should be moving up to the pros, not going back.
Gabe drove home that night, wondering what he would do with his life now. He’d focused so long on football, his life felt somewhat pointless. He got back to the house he shared with two roommates and grabbed the newspaper from the kitchen table.
He flipped to the employment section and held a pen above the page, ready to circle. By the end of the hour, he’d read through every ad. Some more than once. He’d only circled three. Two for a construction worker that claimed no experience was needed. One for a garbageman. Also no experience needed.
The next day, Gabe got to work making phone calls and sending online applications. Then, there was nothing to do but wait.
Several weeks had gone by. Gabe hadn’t just sat around, doing nothing. He’d gone out, looking for places to apply, he’d gone through the paper every day to find new ads. He didn’t want to have to go to the unemployment agency and didn’t see any reason to. He could certainly get a job on his own.
Then, finally, he got a call back from a man named Bob who needed a new member on his construction crew. Gabe didn’t have any tools, but Bob assured him they could loan him what was needed. He just had to show up with boots to protect his toes. Easy enough.
His first day on the job went okay. He really knew nothing about building houses and it showed. The guys had to explain everything to him and he asked a lot of questions. But, he felt like he’d learned something by the end of the day and the guys even stood around when work was done, drinking beers. They gave him one and brought him into the circle.
“Well, you sure don’t know shit, but you learn fast,” Bob said, slapping him on the shoulder and handing him a beer.
“Thanks.” Gabe took a long sip, the cold beverage cooling him slightly.
“What in the world did you do before this?” Jared asked.
“I was a football player,” Gabe said.
They all looked at him slightly wary. There were hundreds of former athletes in the world now, thanks to the new regulations against shifters.
Bob leaned close and lowered his voice. “Are you one of them shifters?”
Gabe assessed the situation. If this turned nasty, could he take them on? There were four on the crew, all big men, strong from years of carrying 2x4s and pounding hammers. The tools were put away, though, and they likely didn’t have guns or knives on them. He could shift and run if he needed to.
“I am,” Gabe said. “That a problem?”
Their expressions changed to awe.
“Not at all,” Bob said. “Just good to know. When something heavy needs lifting, we’ll call on you.” He put his hand on Gabe’s shoulder and smiled at the other men in the crew. A warning to them, maybe, that they better play nice.
They nodded in agreement. Gabe felt the relief in his chest. It had been kind of hit or miss these days. Some people accepted shifters without question. Usually they were the ones who knew one personally and knew they weren’t a threat. Some were wary because they didn’t know any and asked a lot of questions, but in the end, didn’t have a problem with it. Then there were those who thought all shifters should be killed or locked up, or just hated them for no real reason. Never could tell who was who.
On his way home, his phone rang with a call from Coach Tucker.
“Coach,” Gabe said.
“I hope you haven’t been sitting around on your butt the last few weeks. It’s time to get back to training. There’s a new league starting.”
“I’m not interested in amateur leagues.”
“Who said anything about amateur? This is pro. Pro, Gabe. And because you killed it in the semi’s, you’re in prime position to get a star spot. Word is, scouts were seeking you out anyway for the pros before the regulations changed. I’m sure it helps that they’re asking me to coach the local team.”
“No way.” This was all too much. With Tucker coaching, there was no way he wouldn’t get in. And pro? All-shifter pro? None of them thought it would happen anytime soon.
“Well, you know what people are like. They want to see big guys bash into each other. Turns out the human league lost some numbers after the split and there aren’t enough athletes to fill the teams with two pro leagues, so humans and shifters are both scrambling for talent. And they’re looking at the semis. You are it, my friend.”
“Man.” Gabe shook his head. “Tell me I’m not dreaming, Coach.”
“Gabriel, the last thing you have time for is dreaming. Get your butt on that field by 9 a.m. Training starts tomorrow.”
He hung up and immediately dialed Bob. When he said pros, Bob was so thrilled, he didn’t mind that Gabe wouldn’t be working with them again. He made him swear to sign jerseys and photos when he made it big and not to forget them.
Gabe walked in his house and let out a victory shout. Then, he went right to the basement to workout.
The team hit the field, starting out the morning with sprints around the track. Gabe pushed himself as hard as he could. He hadn’t exactly gotten out of shape, but he hadn’t been working very hard since he had to leave the semi-pro team. He couldn’t appear out of shape. Too many people were watching. The first round of cuts would happen after this week.
They ran through drills, practiced plays, and did conditioning movements. This wasn’t just training. This was a tryout. It would be about his physical ability. How fast can he run, how far can he throw? It would be about his strength. How hard could he tackle and how much could he take in return? But it was also about his mental ability. Could he work as part of a team? Think on his feet and make snap decisions? Stay focused when he was tired and worn out?
He had a feeling the trainers were trying to wear them out on purpose. There was so much running and cardio between the drills, it was like an eight-hour long workout. By the time the afternoon grew late and the training was coming to an end, he was exhausted. The rest of the guys looked exhausted, too. If he didn’t get home, eat all the protein and carbs he could stuff in his face and get to sleep, it would be a rough day tomorrow.
By the end of the week, Gabe was dragging. Every day he’d pushed himself to the limit, and then pushed himself some more. Each night, he drank protein shakes and ate tons of chicken and broccoli and eggs to keep his protein level high. He slept like a rock for nine hours, then got up to do it all over again.
Now it was Friday and they were done for the week. The weekend was their rest time, to let their bodies recover. Though, he was supposed to run five or six miles tomorrow in bear form to keep his speed up. That was assuming, of course, that he made the cut.
This first round of cuts was the biggest. The coaches and trainers felt that after one week, they had a good enough idea of who could make it. Two of the guys hadn’t even made it until Friday. They were injured or had to stop because they couldn’t hack the training schedule. The next cut wouldn’t be for months and it would come before the season started, after a whole summer of training.
Gabe stood with the fifty shifters who had killed themselves all week, waiting for this moment. Coach Tucker stood in front of them with his loudspeaker and a piece of paper.
“If your name is called,” Coach said, “You are cut. Go home and rest and be grateful that you can sleep in next week when anyone whose name isn’t called will report at 9 a.m. sharp for the real training. If you thought this week was hard, you’ve got another thing coming.”
He looked down at the list and started calling off names. One by one, there was a reaction of anger or disappointment, and one of the guys would walk off the field. He got down to the end of the list, waiting a moment for those who’d been called to clear out, and then turned to the remaining guys.
“If you’re still here, congratulations. You made it past the first round. Now the real work starts. Come next week ready to train harder than you’ve ever trained before. You will earn your place on the team, or you’ll be cut. Simple as that. Any questions?”
No one said a word.
“Okay. Get home. Eat a big steak, run tomorrow, and rest hard. See you at 9 a.m. on Monday.”
Kenny walked beside Gabe as they headed back to the locker room. “We made it, man. Congrats.”
“You too.”
There were only three of them from their old team who’d made the cut. Gabe felt lucky to be one of them. Coach Tucker came to Gabe as he was getting dressed after showering.
“You.” He pushed his finger into Gabe’s shoulder. “I expect you to work harder than anyone on this team.” He leaned in close. “As of right now, you’re pegged for starting quarterback. Don’t blow it.”
Gabe nodded and Coach Tucker walked away.
He tried not to let his chest and head swell with pride, but it was impossible. He was on top of the world and at the top of the team. There was no more highly coveted position than starting quarterback. It had the highest pay, the greatest recognition, but also the most responsibility. A quarterback could win or lose the game. He had to pay the most attention, know his team the best, and be the best at everything. Gabe was confident he could do it.
On his drive home, he picked up his phone to call his brother. “Austin, my bro.”
“You get cut?”
Gabe harrumphed. “Would they cut the starting quarterback?”
“Seriously?”
“Coach said I’m the one they’re looking at. If this summer of training goes well, it’s mine.”
“Well, dang, bro. You are amazing. I never doubted you. You have got to come out with me tonight and celebrate this awesome news.”
“I am so beat, there’s no way. I’m calling you so I don’t fall asleep driving.”
“Come on,” Austin said. “Just a drink or two. Let me brag on my big bro for a while.”
“Maybe tomorrow night after I’ve slept.”
“Tomorrow. I’m not letting you out of it.”
“Tomorrow,” Gabe said. “Have fun.”
“It’s never the same without you. See ya.”
Gabe tossed his phone onto the seat beside him. When he got home, he went straight to the kitchen and pulled out the entire bag of frozen chicken. He got it thawing in the microwave and drank a protein shake while it cooked. Then, he sat down and ate the entire three-pound bag of chicken while calling his parents and a few other friends to deliver the news.
He nearly fell asleep eating, but managed to finish and dragged himself off to bed. He slept so deeply, he didn’t hear his phone ring at 2 a.m.
He didn’t hear it at 3 or 4, either. It wasn’t until 6 a.m. that he reached over and picked up his vibrating phone to see who was calling so early in the morning.
He saw his mother’s name and hit “Answer.”
“Hey, Ma.”
“Oh, Gabe, thank God. I’ve been trying to call you for hours. You’ve got to get to the hospital immediately. It’s Austin.”
On sudden alert, Gabe sat up and his feet hit the floor. “Why? What happened?”
“He was at some bar last night and got into a knife fight. They say it was some kind of shifter hate crime.” Her voice was thick with tears.
“Is he okay?”
“He’s alive, but it doesn’t look good.”
“I’m on my way.”
Gabe already had his shorts and shoes on. He yanked on the first shirt he could grab, snatched his keys from the dresser, and ran down the stairs to the front door. He was in his car and speeding toward the hospital in seconds.
When he got there, he ran to the ER and looked around frantically until he saw his mother. They hurried to each other, taking a moment for a quick embrace.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Her eyes were red and puffy; in her hands was a crumbled tissue. “Your father is in there with him.”
“What’s going on? How is he?”
She shook her head slowly and dabbed at her eyes. “There were a lot of stab wounds and internal damage. Right now, they’re trying to control the bleeding and keep his heart from shutting down from the stress.”
“I want to see him.”
She nodded and lead him to a small room. His dad sat in a chair beside the bed. In the bed, Austin lay hooked up to machine and tubes, looking both pale and bruised. Whoever had attacked him had done a good job of it. Had to be more than one guy. Austin could have just shifted and outrun one or two.
If Gabe would have been there with him tonight, this wouldn’t have happened. He would have defended him, protected him, been there to fight by his side. Had he gone out with his human friends? Why was no one there to fight for him? Why had no one stopped this?
Gabe sat down across from his father. He couldn’t take his eyes off his brother. He must’ve been punched multiple times. His face was swollen and purple. He couldn’t see the stab wounds, but there were tight wrappings covering his abdomen and many had red splotches.
“They already did one surgery,” his dad said. “A few hours ago. It was to repair some of the damage and drain the internal bleeding. They’ll do more, but they have to wait until the swelling goes down.”
Gabe nodded and picked up Austin’s hand. “What happened, exactly?”
His mother took the seat beside him. “He was with Ryan at a bar. Apparently there was some girl there getting harassed and they stepped in to stop it. The man harassing the girl—Rachel is her name—started making nasty shifter remarks. She said that Austin did shift at one point after the fight started, but the guy had some friends and they pulled out knives. Ryan is here somewhere. He had to get stitches and they’re keeping him overnight, but his wounds weren’t as bad. Austin took the brunt of it since he was the one who stepped in and he was the only shifter.”
“Figures.” Gabe shook his head. He had gone out with his human friend. And gotten into a fight over some girl. At least he’d done it defending her and not trying to win her over. “What an idiot. I’m going to kick his ass as soon as he’s better.”
His dad gave him a thin smile.
“Where’s this Rachel girl?” Gabe asked.
“She was here for a while, but she left. We made her go home and get some sleep. Poor thing is really shaken over this. Feels guilty and everything.”
“Understandable.” Gabe hung his head. “I was supposed to be with him tonight,” he whispered. “He invited me to go with him to celebrate.”
His mother put her hand on his arm. “You can’t feel guilty about that. Austin went out all the time without you. You worked hard this week. Don’t you dare blame yourself.”
Gabe wiped away a tear that had leaked from his eye. “I was supposed to be with him tonight. None of this would have happened.”
“You don’t know that,” his father said. “It could have been the two of you lying here. You might have gotten injured so badly, you’d have to miss training. Be glad you weren’t mixed up in this. I’m sure when he’s better, Austin will say the same thing.”
Gabe didn’t say anything, but their words didn’t ease the guilt crushing his chest. He could have prevented all of this if he would have just gone with him.