Change (The Shape Shifter Series) by Jennifer Loiske

his head, but before he could hide it she saw something like guilt in his eyes. “Are you sure?”
    He nodded and smiled. “I’m sure.”
    She still had some doubts but she didn’t want to push him, so she touched his cheek and smiled.
    “So we're cool?” he asked hesitantly.
    “We're cool.” Marie kissed his cheek. “Let's go out and find Mom and Dad and tell them about my new gift,” she said and started to get dressed.
    “ They're not here anymore,” he said quietly.
    Marie panicked. “What do you mean? Mom wouldn't leave me here! Ever!”
    “They were sort of forced to leave,” he mumbled.
    She sat on the bed. She was there alone. Mom and Dad were gone and she didn't know where they were. Tiamhaidh was there, of course, but she needed her parents. She couldn't go through this without them. This couldn't be happening! She breathed heavily.
    Tiamhiadh was concerned and kneeled in front of her “Are you okay?”
    She was quiet. No. She was not okay. But if Mom had agreed to leave she must have known something t hat she didn't. Either that or - a thought quickly popped into her mind - she had a plan that she didn't want the rest of them to know about.
    Tiamhaidh took her hands in his. “Marie?”
    She stared at him suspiciously. He had known that this would happen. Hadn't he? Something in him screamed he was guilty. Had Mom known, too, or had she been ambushed? All this came too suddenly after everything that had happened. He was looking at her, waiting, but she couldn't answer. Her throat hurt and she didn't even know what to say. She shook her head and breathed heavily.
    “Marie?” Tiamhaidh asked again.
    She pushed him away and shook her head with disbelief. She had trusted him and he had let her down. He had let all of them down. How could he? “You knew, didn't you? You knew they would never allow them to stay here. Where are they? Where are my parents?” she screamed in horror.
    He stood up, approaching her like she was a wounded animal, but before he could answer, someone knocked on the door.
    “I think we should open the door,” Marie snapped, as Tiamhaidh didn't move.
    Her eyes were full of hurt and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and tell her that everything would turn out well. That he was on their side and had never meant for anything bad to happen. Things had just slipped out of his hands. He looked confused, but when she started to walk towards the door he pushed her gently back onto the bed. “I'll open it. Stay here and remember that I love you. Okay? Whatever happens, I love you.”
    She nodded. She was really scared. Tiamhaidh looked so guilty and she had no idea what he had done. What could be so horrible that he had acted the way he did? She tried to search his face, but he turned his back to her. As if he couldn't stand to look at her. A terrible thought filled her mind. Had he given her to the elders? Delivered her to them like she was a guinea pig? After all, she was something that had never been. A freak. So wasn't it obvious that the elders wanted to examine her? She had this awful feeling that Tiamhaidh had betrayed her, but that couldn't be true. She was sure he loved her, so why did she have this feeling of falling? A feeling that whatever would happen with the elders would not be a good thing? She glanced suspiciously at him.
    He avoided her questioning eyes, looking anguished. He muttered quietly, brushed his hair and hit the wall. The knocking didn't stop. “I'm coming! Shit. I'm so sorry, love.” Finally, he glanced at Marie and opened the door.
    Four men stood at the door. Marie hadn't seen them before, or maybe she had but she couldn't remember. They looked scary. All of them had almost yellow eyes that were as narrow as the eyes of the wolves, and they were all staring at her in anticipation. They were tall, muscular men and Marie had a strange feeling they were some sort of mercenaries. Shape shifters for sure, but not the same kind as the others she