Playing You (Omega's Luck #3) - Claire Cullen Page 0,39

shifter animal home where he belongs.”

His cat form appeared right in front of him, staring at him with baleful eyes. Riley leaned forward and wrapped his arms around him. “You belong here, with me. Always and forever. Come home, please. Come home.”

It felt like his shifter passed through him, his body suddenly tense and tight. His eyes flew open, and he lurched forward with a gasp.

“Brendan?”

“It’s happening, Riley. You’re changing. Try to relax and let it come.”

He groaned and dropped his head, his back bowing, his muscles straining. It hurt, the pressure building and building with no release.

“Bren—”

And then it was like a dam opening. His muscles snapped, his skin split, as everything changed and reformed, becoming whole again. The intensity of the pain took his breath away, and he could barely gasp for air. And then it was done, leaving him shivering and sweating, the pain fading in pulses.

Slowly, he lifted his head. He was afraid, most of all, that it hadn’t worked. That he was still human Riley, that his shifter animal had forsaken him. He felt fur brush against fur and startled, jumping around to see a bear right behind him, nudging at Riley’s flank with his nose. Wait, flank…? Oh. And paws. And a tail. He’d done it. He’d found his shifter animal. He was whole once more.

With a call of pure joy, he jumped into the air, doing what could only be called a frolic across the room. He heard a chuffing sound and turned back to Brendan. Was the bear… laughing… at him? With a yip, he threw himself at the alpha, bowling into the bear’s side, unsurprised when he found him immovable. Brendan’s shifter form was huge and should have been intimidating, but there was something both majestic and cuddly about the bear. No wonder his nieces and nephews loved him. Riley could cuddle Brendan all day. But he was full of energy, almost buzzing with it. He didn’t want to cuddle—he wanted to run. With a sharp turn of his head, he gestured toward the door and looked back at Brendan. The bear seemed to know exactly what he needed and lumbered off, Riley trailing behind him. Outside, he heard the shouts and calls of Brendan’s family, already in their shifter forms and having the time of their lives. Could Riley be just like them? Taking off at a run, he couldn’t wait to find out.

Chapter Twenty-One

Brendan padded outside after Riley. The omega bounded out of the house with such enthusiasm but came to an abrupt halt right outside. He could guess at the problem—his family was fun to be around, but being faced with all of them at once could be intimidating. Especially when most of them had taken the form of various animals. His family tended towards bears, coyotes, and wolves. Riley’s cat must have felt a little out of place.

He didn’t rush the omega, coming to stand beside him and waiting for Riley to make the next move. Brendan had never seen an ocelot shifter before. Riley’s coat was striking to behold, its pattern beautiful. When Brendan had been younger, he’d often felt ungainly in his bear form. It had seemed larger than life somehow, bigger than he felt within. But he’d gradually grown into it, embraced his bear’s power and presence. He drew on that strength in his human form, whenever there was trouble or danger. One day soon, he hoped Riley would be able to do the same with his shifter form, instead of hiding it away, burying it out of sight for fear of the trouble it might bring.

While Riley was still working up the courage to join in the fun, one of Brendan’s nephews decided to take the matter out of their hands, racing up to them, his siblings giving chase. They were suddenly mobbed by cubs, running between their legs, clambering against them, excited and hyper. Brendan watched Riley carefully, half-expecting that the omega might make a run for the house. But Riley seemed delighted by the attention. He moved cautiously at first, still settling into his skin, nudging at a few of the cubs. Then he took off at a run, the cubs chasing after him. Brendan followed at a more sedate pace, content to watch the others frolic while keeping an eye on Riley to ensure that he wasn’t overwhelmed. But after a few minutes of watching them play, he was itching to join in.

They played a chaotic game of chasing where