Page 119 of Shifter Situations

I’d just slipped right into normal, everyday bullshit with them, and it was shocking the shit out of me. Granted, it wasn’t everyone’s idea of normal... But I wasn’t hiding. I hadn’t even tried to pretend like I was anything other than the mess that I was. Gods. I’d—

“Why do you look so panicked right now?”

I shook my head. “Uh-uh. Nope.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Grim inquired, moseying up behind Jack.

“No. Nope.” I shook my head harder.

“What the fuck, Lo?”

I cleared my throat, pinching at my bottom lip as I whispered, “I think... Uhm, I think my heart has grown four sizes too big.”

“You’re not the Grinch,” Jack quipped.

“Are you sure she’s not?” Grim argued, playfully raising a brow to get a rise out of me.

“My chest feels all fuzzy and shit, and I don’t think I like it.”

Jack scoffed. “For Devil’s sake, bitch. Get a grip.”

Grim patted my shoulder. “That’s called love, Lo. Say it with us. Love.”

I gagged, mostly because it felt like the right thing to do. But also, I knew what fucking love was. I’d had it... Done it? Taken part in it?

“Felt it?”

Jack was gambling tonight. I narrowed my eyes at him, and Grim cut in.

“This is good. It’s a step in the right direction.”

“This is bad,” I stated. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I still don’t understand why you’re freaking out,” Jack mumbled.

A full-body shiver rolled through me. “I don’t know if I like this.”

“You said that,” the hellsteed smarted, a Cheshire-style grin spreading over his face.

“Quick. Argue with me. Fight me. Slap me, Jack.”

He snorted, and Grim shook his head.

“You’re being ridiculous. What’s wrong with loving people, Lo? You deserve to be loved and feel those emotions and—”

“Or just feel anything other than anger and annoyance.” Jack shrugged when Grim glared at him. “It’s true.”

“You are not helping,” the reaper stressed.

“I’m being the brother in this scenario.” Jack pointed to his chest before turning his finger to Grim. “You be the best friend.”

I began to pace again as I summoned Hyde for the second time.

Why was I freaking out? I didn’t know.

The way Hyde and Ripley were so ready to get away from their mates gave me a warped sense of anxiety that I didn’t like.

I was not going to circle back around that subject.