The kangaroo-wolf creature howled loudly. He sounded exactly like a wolf.
Chuck huffed in rebellion. “No, I’m not being disrespectful and you know it, Mac. We could have walked here. This didn’t have to be a fight. You needed to see a healer about your problem.”
Hildy cleared her throat. “Is this the same Mac everyone is always talking about? The cats told me stories and even Carol mentioned him.”
Chuck sighed and pressed down hard with his foot which caused the creature to let loose an agonized wolf howl and tried to escape. “Mac is the new shifter king. He stepped up to lead and protect us the year you left. We all swore to follow him so now we have a king.”
Hildy charged forward then. She knelt and smacked Chuck’s leg. “Get your foot off his back, Chuck. That’s no way to treat your king.”
“It is when your king kangaroo-kicks you into a big old tree. I think I bruised my forehead. The tree fell after I hit it. He hurt me and the tree. That’s no way for a king to act.”
Hildy could barely take her eyes off Chuck. He was still as mad as when he came in. Why in the world did she find that so sexy?
When the kangaroo-wolf creature howled like a wolf again, her mountain lion-gorilla patient bounded off her exam table in one leap and scampered into the nearest cage. Ignoring her other patient’s reaction, she gave her complete attention to Chuck. “How did you know Mac was having problems?”
“Kyle, the little joey Mac adopted, sent word that his dad was having a big shifting problem. Unlike normal shifters who’ve been avoiding the shift, Mac was determined to beat the problem on his own. Kyle said each time Mac tried to change forms that he looked less like a wolf. Kyle was worried Mac might lose his true form so he called me. I’m one of the few people big enough and strong enough to take on the king.”
Hildy sighed. Her bear in a rage was hot. Definitely hot. “If that’s true, then I’m glad you brought him here. The shifting problem is obviously more dangerous than everyone thinks.” She glared at the shifter king. “I can’t believe you kicked Chuck into a tree when all he was doing was trying to help.”
Hildy watched the shifter king snort through his wolf head and spring to his kangaroo feet. Mac showed no remorse at all for what he’d done. The arrogant wolf was going to have to learn some self-control if he intended to be a real leader.
She crossed her arms. “Well, Your Highness, I’m not like the last healer who lived in this dump of a house. I’m a Gaia trained hereditary witch. So if you ever kick Chuck into a tree again just for helping out, I’ll change you into a damn toad. Then you can be the king of toads instead of Assley shifters—emphasis definitely on the ass in your case.. No one is going to hurt my boyfriend for no good reason while I’m around.”
The kangaroo-wolf crossed his arms and glared at Chuck. Chuck crossed his arms and glared right back, but was also grinning over her defense of him.
Hildy rolled her eyes at all the male posturing and reminded herself that this would be her life if she stayed on here as a healer.
What was Gaia thinking in asking her to do this? Surely she belonged somewhere else. Maybe she’d made a mistake in not agreeing to work with Carol. She’d have to think about it but now was not the time. She was tired of floundering in the darkness of the shifting problem looking for the light switch so she could see what was wrong.
Morgana’s late night visit had reminded her of something she kept forgetting—first and foremost Hildy was a witch.
Needing a scrying tool, Hildy went to a nearby sink and filled a metal bucket with water. She carried it to the center of the room, set the bucket on the floor, and cracked her knuckles.
The basement door opened to let in the wind as she raised her hands.
As the magic winds swirled, Chuck’s eyes rounded in wonder, but she saw him nod as his gaze met hers. His absolute trust in her gifts filled her with confidence. One way or the other, she was going to get to the bottom of the mis-shifting mystery.
Her voice rang loudly in the room as she wove the spell.
“I call to the four winds, to those who rule the skies,
Come to my healing aid—come be my eyes,
Reveal those who brought this plague to me,
Use this water to show the evil ones to me,
As Gaia’s witch commands you, so mote it be!”
Brilliant pink flew from Hildy’s hands and pulled the water from the bucket until it had frozen into a giant silver plume in the air. Human forms wavered within the silver and finally materialized with enough clarity for everyone in the room to see them.
Soon she was watching a scene play out—a very intimate scene. A woman with long dark hair and piercing green eyes was running her hands all over a very familiar man. Her stomach lurched in despair as her mind took in what she was seeing.
“Charlie?” Chuck said in shock, walking forward to stare at the couple in the image.
Hildy looked up at Chuck’s face. Her bear seemed as stunned as she was by what they were watching. “Who’s Charlie?”
Chuck pointed to the image. “That’s my older brother, Charlie. I’m the middle cub of a triplet set—Charlie, Chuck, and Chas. We all went to different schools because Mom wanted us to experience what it was like to be seen as an individual instead of just one of a set.”
His honesty left no room for her to doubt the story. Hildy glanced at the magical hologram which was beginning to fade. “Do you recognize the woman with your brother?”
Chuck huffed. “Only because Charlie tattooed her image on his arm. He said he never wanted to forget her. I don’t understand his thinking, Hildy. She was not his mate. She left him a week after they physically bonded.”
“A week?” Hildy asked, not surprised Chuck hadn’t put it together yet. He never looked for the bad in others and probably never would. She liked that about him. “Chuck, I know this is hard to hear, but that woman and your brother have something to do with the shifting problem. What’s her name?”
Chuck thought. “I never paid any attention, but Charlie tattooed that on his arm as well.”
“Where’s your brother now?”
“Living in Mom’s basement. Probably playing video games. That’s all Charlie ever does. Losing that woman did a real number on his head. He’s not been of much use to anyone since he dropped out of college.”
“How long ago was this?”
One giant shoulder lifted. “It was several years ago, I guess. Charlie was training to be a bio-geneticist. He was supposed to go work for some research group in DC, but that was just a cover for him freeing the captured shifters before the humans could experiment on them. My brother always wanted to save the world.” Chuck shrugged and sighed. “I had lesser goals. I just wanted to save Assley. Chas moved to Alaska and mated a polar. He’s the only one of us who did things right.”
Concentration entirely blown by Chuck’s revelation of identical siblings, Hildy felt magic gently returning to her hands, as Gaia’s magic always did. You never really expended the energy of the Great Mother. Anything left over from spells and healing returned to you over and over until you died.
The water fell back into the bucket and took her out of her musings. Hildy carried it to the sink and poured it down the drain while blessing it’s return to the earth.
She had a theory now—an uncomfortable theory. Thoughts that should have elated her instead made her feel sick. For the first time in a long time, she hoped she was wrong.
Hildy turned back to Chuck who was a good bear with the biggest heart of anyone she’d ever known. “How did your brother react when the basket of cubs showed up on your doorstep?”
Chuck hung his head. “I never told him about them. Charlie was depressed about losing his girlfriend, and I didn’t want to add to his pain. After you left me, I felt even more sorry for him because I understood how it felt to lose the person you loved.”
Hilda nodded. Now she understood her part in the whole mess. If she’d stayed… no, it was too late
to think of what might have happened. She had to deal with now. “Where’s your brother live?”
“Charlie mostly stays in the basement at Mom’s and he never, ever goes beyond her land, not even to come to town. I admit I’ve avoided telling him about the cubs. Instead, I kept my apartment in town and started up a handyman service. I like helping people and the work gave me a job so I could raise the cubs on my own.”
“You are a very, very good person, Chuck,” Hildy said, nearly choking on the emotion clogging her throat. “I need to restore your king and your mountain lion friend to their human forms so they can go home. Then I want us to go talk to your brother—together.”
“Alright,” Chuck said as he ran a hand through his hair. “Charlie’s going to have to deal with this shifting problem, isn’t he?”
Hildy put a hand on Chuck’s arm. “Yes. We all are, but your brother will have to help us solve the problem with the shifters. To understand his girlfriend’s role in the situation, I need to see your brother’s arm and find out her name. Then I’ll call the Baba Yaga to help me find her.”
She turned to Mac who was still standing with his arms crossed. “Okay, Shifter King. Let’s get you back to human so you can go home to your son, but no more shifting until I give the all-clear. You need to be setting a better example. Parents can’t be doing the stubborn thing and don’t get me started on how non-kingly you’re acting.”
Sighing, Mac uncrossed his arms and nodded reluctantly.
“Good. Now let’s get this done.” Hildy pushed up her sleeves and started to chant.
10
Mac apologized before he left and Hildy ended up hugging the repentant wolf. Though Mac was incredibly sexy and handsome in his human form, for some reason, he seemed like just another member of her family to her. Maybe next to her hot bear, the Shifter King didn’t make the cut, but Hildy didn’t think that was all it was.
To her, Mac seemed like a lost little boy under all that kingly arrogance. She felt a strong urge to mother him. Chuck told her Mac hadn’t been the same since his parents died.
Chuck’s mountain lion friend, George, turned out to be a young red-bearded man with a pleasant personality and a goofy sense of humor. Hildy liked him immediately and smiled whenever she looked at him. George opted to stay with the cats in case other shifters showed up.
Leaving instructions to cage them separately, Hildy and Chuck started off walking to his mother’s house.
“Wait,” Hildy said in a sudden panic as the realization hit. She stopped and smoothed her hair. “I look awful. I can’t meet your mother looking like this. I haven’t cut or styled my hair in two years.”
Chuck laughed and touched her face. “No worries, Hildy. You’re beautiful.”
Hildy’s heart swelled with love. “But this is the first time I’ve met your mother.”
Chuck shook his head. “You won’t meet her today. She never stays home when she’s in heat.”
“Heat? As in a ‘she needs a man’ kind of situation?”
Chuck nodded. “Yes. She doesn’t get with cubs anymore, but she still goes out to meet her needs. She’s typically gone for three months. It happens every year.”
“Oh. Okay,” Hildy said with a nod. “Let’s go see your brother then.”
Laughing, Chuck took her hand. “Don’t you care what Charlie thinks of your hair?”
Hildy laughed back. “No. When it comes to males, I only care what you think of it.”
“What I think is that I need to get you horizontal as fast as I can. The urge just keeps getting stronger. Since I’m only going to mess you up, fixing your hair will be a waste of time.”
His confession made her giggle. Hildy looked at Chuck with sparkling eyes. “We could detour by your place on our way.”
Chuck grinned. “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it, Hildegard. The cubs are in school.”
“School?” Hildy said in surprise.
Chuck nodded. “I caught Harrison reading my Chemistry books from college. And don’t even get me started on the other two. One invents things and the other rebuilds whatever he decides he can improve. I don’t know where they got their genius genes. It sure wasn’t from me.”
Hildy stopped, looked up into Chuck’s earnest face, and sighed in resignation. “Chuck, I don’t think your sons are biologically your children, but your love and encouragement are the reasons they’ve turned into geniuses. I’m a nurture over nature believer. So is Gaia. Being family is far more than a matter of biology.”
Chuck pushed back her hair and smiled. “I love it when you talk all science-y. I think it’s hot. Black-frame glasses and a lab coat have now been added to my Hildegard fantasies.”
Hildy snickered at his joking. “I like how you’re thinking, but did you hear anything I just said?”
“Just the important part,” Chuck replied calmly. “You believe me now—that I don’t remember creating the cubs. I swear I would never have willingly sired cubs with anyone but you.”
Sighing in relief that Chuck at least got that much, Hildy nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you before. I should have stayed to work things out instead of leaving. It was—I suppose the babies were a kind of evidence I didn’t have the maturity to deal with. I won’t make that mistake again. Can you forgive me?”
“Forgiveness never was an issue. I just missed you and hoped you came home one day. I didn’t want to become another Charlie after you left. Caring for the cubs made sure that never happened to me.”
Hildy took both his hands in hers and squeezed. The decision to tell him the truth came easier than she’d ever imagined it would. “This is bad timing, but I love you, Chuck.”
“Babe, you have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you admit it. I love you so much,” Chuck said, pulling her close. “I’d kiss you, but I better not. I’m just about out of self-control. Hug me tight—really, really tight.”
Happier than she’d been in a long time, Hildy giggled and wrapped her arms around Chuck’s chest as they stood hugging for long moments. Finally, she pulled away.
“Let’s go see your brother. The sooner we get this over with—the sooner we can celebrate our life together without any more interruptions.”
There was no sign of anyone at Chuck’s mother’s house. Charlie was missing but his basement lair was tidy except for the massive amount of gaming equipment.
There was also a long table running the length of the space with what looked a mad scientist’s kit on it. The vials were full of strange liquids but at least the Bunsen burners were turned off. Hildy found herself wondering what Chuck’s allegedly brilliant brother had been working on.
Outside again, Chuck shifted seamlessly into a bear half the size of the house and bounded off into the woods to search. Hildy paced the yard and waited. Her mind was still wondering about the mad scientist stuff in the basement when a man wearing a ski mask grabbed her from behind.
Maybe she should have been alarmed and screamed for help, but instead, the attack made her giggle. She’d forgotten how much fun it could be to kick ass in a fight until she’d fought with Chuck earlier. More fighting would just help with her overall frustration.
“Who are you? Why are you here?” ski mask guy demanded.
Hildy pretended to let all fight leave her—just as she’d been taught. Her lack of struggle loosened his hold just enough to give her an edge.
“Who are you? Why are you here?” Hildy asked back.
“Look lady…” he said, getting angry.
But that was all he got out of his mouth.
Shouting power words, Hildy did a back-flip over his arm and brought him down with her legs around his neck. She shouted another magic word and the man went still beneath her.
She heard trees breaking as the biggest bear in the world came barreling back full-run and mad as could be. Hildy held up a hand as she climbed off her victim.
“I’m fine, but he’s not. I was just about to find out who he is.”
She
rolled ski mask guy over with her foot.
The galloping bear morphed into a giant naked man with eight-pack abs and muscles that defied all known adjectives. Hildy stared at a completely naked Chuck instead of at the guy nearly unconscious at their feet. She had no idea Chuck had looked like that under his clothes.
And he was hers to play with, her inner siren reminded her, grinning as much at her own lust as at the incredibly handsome naked man. “Wow,” she finally said, unashamedly looking her fill.
“Bro—what were you thinking?” naked Chuck said to the guy, ignoring her outburst to stare down at the guy with the ski mask over his face. “Why are you wearing a freaking ski mask?”
“Bro? Are you saying the ski mask guy is Charlie?” Hildy asked, looking down at the guy herself. She laughed and ran a hand through her wooly locks. She’d taken out two bears in one day. Maybe she needed to apply for a side gig as the Shifter King’s bodyguard.
Naked Chuck yanked the ski mask off his brother’s face. Under it was an identical face to the man Hildy was now continually lusting for… with one exception. His brother’s face was sporting a big old pig snout.
Chuck looked up. “He’s not talking, Hildy. What did you do to him?”
Hildy shook her head free of her runaway sex fantasies about Naked Chuck before lifting a hand. She spoke the chant to release the invisible bonds she’d used to subdue her attacker.
Charlie and his prominent snout turned instantly in her direction. “That flip you did over my arm was amazing. I’ve never seen anyone do such a thing. Are you mated? If not, will you go out with me? I think you’re beautiful except for your hair.”
Hildy heaved out a resigned breath. Rolling her eyes at both Charlie’s hair insult and his flirting, she met Chuck’s typical confused gaze as he tried to figure things out. Maybe he got confused only after shifting. Maybe his bear side stifled his intelligence. She’d have to make some notes.
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