nodded.
“No one,” he pressed. “Not your parents, not Sage, no one. And don’t shift again, not without me there.”
I swallowed hard. “What … was that?”
He sighed, releasing my chin, and ran his hands through his hair. “Give me time to look into this.” But I could see it in his face … he knew. He knew something and wasn’t telling me.
“Sawyer. What am I?” My voice was firmer this time and I could see the pity in his eyes.
He tucked a lock of blond hair behind my ear, looking sad, like he’d just received bad news. “You’re amazing.”
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear him tell me how the hell my wolf and I just split in two. I never should have come back here. Was it too late to rewind the last few hours and go back to my old life? Because clearly this was a mistake…
I tossed and turned all night, barely sleeping. I kept dreaming of my wolf and human, lying five feet apart from each other. Then I remembered Sawyer saying my life depended on no one finding out what I was, and I woke up panting, covered in sweat. This happened over a dozen times throughout the night until finally I awoke to my alarm blaring near my head.
My first waking thought was Sawyer saying, “You’re amazing.”
I sighed, hugging my knees as I buried my head between my legs.
He saw me naked. For some reason that was the sticking point from last night. Screw the fact that I was some kind of freak split shifter.
Sawyer. Hudson. Saw. Me. Naked.
“Rise and shine, bitch!” I recognized Sage’s voice from behind my door. I groaned, shuffling over to the door and wrenching it open. She held two cups of to-go coffee, and after looking me up and down, winced. “Bad night? You look like shit, and the first meet and greet gala is tonight.”
Screw the gala! I wanted to scream at her. I’m a split shifting freak and Sawyer saw me naked!
She handed me the coffee and I chugged it. Warm sweet liquid rushed down my throat and I pulled my shit together. Everything was going to be fine. I just wouldn’t shift anymore, I didn’t shift for twenty years and I survived life okay…
Only now I was living with a wolf pack and I wasn’t known for keeping my temper in check.
But whatever, everything would be fine.
A grin pulled across her face when I didn’t say anything. “So you’re not gonna tell me your little secret?”
My heart leapt into my throat and I swallowed hard. “What?”
She waved me off, pushing her way inside. “Brandon texted me this morning that he caught you and my cousin naked in the woods last night! You little slut.”
Relief washed through me as heat flared in my cheeks. “He was helping me shift for the first time. I ran into him randomly.”
And he was super sweet and understanding about the whole thing.
She winked. “I love it.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m going to jump in the shower. I’ll be ready in five, you can wait on the couch if you want.” I gestured for her to sit, actually excited that she thought we were good enough of new friends to come over in the morning before my first class.
She nodded. “I’ll pick out your outfit. You might see Sawyer at breakfast.”
My eyes widened.
Sawyer.
Last night.
There was no way he would pick me for anything now. He was probably regretting bringing me here in the first place. I absolutely prayed I never saw him again.
After a quick shower in which I somehow shaved, brushed my teeth, and washed my hair in four minutes, I came out to see a clothing bomb had exploded on my bed.
Sage had curated a pretty badass outfit that was totally my style. Light-wash ripped jean shorts, black vintage soft tee, and studded leather backpack purse. There was even a black leather studded headband to match.
“You need to wear the heels or this is just too grungy.” Sage pointed to a pair of black studded stiletto boots that weren’t mine.
I shook my head. “Then I guess I’m grungy,” I said as I slipped into my white Converse knockoffs that I scored at the goodwill. They were so comfortable and I just couldn’t deal with breaking my neck today on top of all the other drama.
Sage rolled her eyes. “Fine, but obviously heels for the gala?”
I shrugged. “Definitely a dress.”
Sage grinned, and in that moment I could see