Two intense weeks flew by. And in that time Annie hadn’t asked Bill to shift for her even though they’d had sex too numerous times to count. Why? She was terrified to learn the truth about Bill. Things had been too perfect. He was too perfect. He was sweet, attentive, and fun to be around. At her co-worker’s anniversary dinner, he had kept David at bay and had charmed everyone else. All the woman at the office had been talking about him ever since. He’d charmed them all, and her included. Just perfect. Well, everything except for the fact that he claimed to be a wolf. A dire wolf. She didn’t want to face it yet. Not after that incredible first night together. In fact, she hadn’t even brought it up.
And neither had he, although they’d spent every possible free moment together. He was wooing her hard. Everything was perfect and that terrified her beyond measure. Gerri had invited them to dinner a few nights ago. She was happy with the outcome she’d told them. She’d looked on proudly like a mother hen of her chicks. If she hadn’t been sure before, she’d pronounced to them at the evening’s finale, she was now. They were a match.
In the back of her mind, Annie still had doubts. But she kept pushing them back.
Annie had helped him decorate his new home. He’d kept a few pieces that the previous owners had left behind, but everything else he picked out he had taken her with him to get her input. As a realtor, she had excellent taste, he told her when she asked why he was letting her decorate the place. “You’ve got a great eye, and I trust your judgment as long as it nothing too frilly.”
So she had given in and helped him. The pieces he picked on his own were all good, and she felt better that his tastes were similar to her own.
“Plus,” he’d smiled mischievously as they’d left yet another store. “I want you to be comfortable in my home. I hope to have you spend a lot of time there.”
She wanted that, too. In two weeks, she looked forward to being with him more than anything. To Annie, the time with Bill was precious. He paid her compliments. Loved her cooking. Gave her the attention she deserved in and out of the bedroom. He listened to her talk about her work, and she listened in return. They were a perfect match. Or so it seemed for now. Annie was waiting for that other shoe to drop. She knew she wasn’t a lucky person.
When Bill announced that he had to go to New Orleans to receive a shipment, and would be gone for two days, she’d thought the time apart would give her perspective. But instead, she felt his absence profoundly. It was like a part of her was missing.
* * *
Gerri called the night before Bill returned and invited her out for coffee and dessert, and she was glad to have the company. And since she was leaving town the next morning, Annie was glad for it. She wanted to say goodbye and thank her for stumbling into O’Malley’s that night.
For Gerri, she wanted to wish Annie luck with her new mate. But she had another ulterior motive. At dinner a few nights ago, she knew the couple was destined to be together, but neither had mentioned a long term relationship and neither had mentioned Bill’s ability to shift. Gerri knew men could be stupid and so she wanted to be sure before she left town that these two would not have any complications crop up, like Annie not believing in his ability. Annie was the one for Bill, and she didn’t want her running scared later when nothing could be done to stop it from happening. She had to be sure Annie was aware of it all. A quick text to Bill letting him know she had to leave town before he returned had confirmed that he hadn’t marked her yet. That was not acceptable. Annie was his equal in every way, and him not being honest about that would have consequences later. In his text to her, Bill said he had not shifted yet in front of her because he did not want to spook her, though he’d confirmed he was a shifter on their first date.
Spook her? Hell no! But Gerri was having none of that. For this match to work, Annie needed to know, accept AND embrace the truth.
When the girl walked into the pastry shop Gerri had grown to love while in Clearwater, Gerri stood to greet her.
Annie embraced the older woman. She owed her a lot. “It’s so nice to see you. I’m really sad to see you go.”
“I’ll miss you and Bill both, but I do need to get home and get back to work. There a lot of lovely shifters out there.” Gerri cut right to the chase and noted that Annie averted her eyes, ignoring the remark while perusing her menu.
The waitress came and took their orders for coffee and Gerri asked for a sampler plate to be brought out that consisted of scones and biscotti.
“I have such a sweet tooth,” she confessed.
“I do as well,” Annie confessed. Chocolate biscotti was one of her favorites. Gerri had beat her in ordering some.
“Now dear, before I go, I had one thing I wanted to confess to you, but first tell me if you think Bill is your perfect match.”
Annie smiled. “If you would have told me two weeks ago I would fall in love so quickly I would have laughed in your face. But the truth is, I am falling hard. Thank you so much for introducing us.” Annie couldn’t believe she had confessed so much to this woman, but it was Gerri, after all, who made this happen for her. But these were feelings she hadn’t even admitted to herself yet, let alone Bill.
“Good, I’m glad. I had a feeling you were right for each other. There is just one problem.”
Problem? What could it be? So far everything was perfect. Well, almost perfect, Annie thought. Gerri’s eyes were piercing and Annie knew her earlier comment about having other shifters she needed to find mates for was purposeful. “What problem?” Annie asked, playing dumb.
Gerri’s bobbed black and white hair swung around her face. “He IS a shifter. As am I.”
“Gerri, please. I . . .” Annie looked around the pastry shop to avoid Gerri’s eyes. Also to see if anyone else was listening.
The waitress was coming with their coffees and the tray of sweets.
Gerri’s voice dropped to a whisper. “My dear. I have been at this too long not to see doubt in your eyes. I don’t hold back and I always speak the truth. He IS a shifter. And I am as well. Now drink up. Have a sweet. Then, I’ll show you.”
Show her! Holy fuck! Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest. The waitress walked the final ten feet to their table and set their cups down and the plate of cookies. Luckily she was distracted by another table beckoning her.
Gerri watched as Annie quickly grabbed her cup and blew on the strong black brew before taking a sip. The girl was a wreck of nerves. She was scared. And Gerri knew why. She didn’t hold it against the girl. Many people were unaware of their existence and that was fine by her. It kept her people safer. Though being in the open was a great thing, too. There were many towns and villages across the country where shifters could be themselves without worry.
Gerri picked up a treat and wolfed it down. She did not shift often anymore. It took a lot of energy to do, and she would fortify herself with sweets to do it. For Bill though, she needed to make sure Annie would accept him—all of him.
Annie was beyond frightened. The way Gerri spoke of this shifting so candidly, made her nervous. She kept blowing on the steaming brew and sipped some caffeinated courage. She didn’t know if she was ready for this or not. Her mind told her it was better to know the truth, than to fall deeper under Bill’s spell.
She watched as Gerri downed her coffee quickly and consumed several pastries. She spoke of her home and expressed her desire to have Annie and Bill come visit when they could. Annie politely responded while nibbling on one of her biscotti. She’d been craving the chocolate earlier though now she didn’t even taste it.
“Okay, sweetheart. I’m ready. Please follow me to the rest room.”
Annie’s mouth suddenly went dry. Could she watch this? A woman shift into a wolf? And if she did witness this, could she believe her eyes? Annie wasn’t a coward. Never had been. Never would be. She set her cup down, gave Gerri her assent, and followed her into the restroom.
Once they were inside the single room, Gerri locked the door. “Promise not to scream or faint.”
Annie nodded mutely again.
“I don’t wear undergarments. I wanted to warn you so when I shift back into a human I shall be naked.”
“Naked?” The word came out in a squeaky whisper.
“Well now, a wolf in a bra and panties would look quite silly, wouldn’t it?” Gerri was smiling.
Annie tried to picture that. Tried to find the humor in it, but instead she watched as in the blink of an eye, Gerri began to turn her back to her. Her human form collapsed in a heap on the floor beneath her dress. Annie’s hand flew to her mouth. Shut the fuck up!
With a shake of her head, Gerri threw off the material, and turned back to Annie.
Annie saw. She stared. She pushed out her air in a long slow breath. A beautiful gray wolf with ice blue eyes stood proudly before her.
“Well, holy shit on a stick. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” Annie mumbled, rubbed her eyes, covered her mouth. Then she reached down to pet the creature before her. “Gerri?”
The wolf’s head bobbed up and down and pushed its head into Annie’s outstretched palm. Annie scratched Gerri behind the ear. “Fucking balls. You ARE a fucking wolf. A real goddammed wolf!”
The wolf pulled back, and Annie watched as Gerri changed in reverse. The woman was naked and Annie helped her to stand and then quickly helped her to dress. “Well, do you believe now?”
Dumbly, Annie just bobbed her head quickly, still too shocked to form words that made more sense than, “fuckity, fuck, fuck!”
Gerri hastily finished dressing. “Well, what do you think?”
What did she think? Think? “Fuck me. I think, I think, sweet cherry, cool beans!” She smiled, as the older woman fixed her hair into place but continued to watch her from the mirror.
Her eyes glittered with mirth at the younger woman. She was perfect for her Bill. “Wonderful. Now, let’s go back and finish those pastries. You can ask me whatever you like. I’m sure you have lots of questions.”
Annie followed her back to their table. Finished her biscotti and rained questions down on Gerri like a tropical storm in the Golf of Mexico. Her man was a wolf, and she needed to know a heck of a lot more.