9. Grace

9

GRACE

O n the way over to my place, thoughts frantically race through my brain, one after the other. Ethan looks deathly serious. His mouth is set in a grim line and his eyebrows have been furrowed since I admitted witnessing what happened to Becky.

Trying to steady my breath, I do my best to make sense of my rampaging thoughts.

Part of me is questioning what I'm doing. I'm in a car with a strange man who I've only just met. Not only that – but I'm taking him to my apartment! Memories of all the crime documentaries I've seen flash through my eyes.

Hush, Grace , I admonish myself. Ethan isn't a serial killer. Do I think he's capable of violence? Yes. Probably. He's a logger and he has tremendous strength. I remember the first moment I laid eyes on him, feeling that tree with almost nothing but brute force.

I frown. Ethan is a contradiction. He seems strong and powerful. He's probably a mean son of a bitch when he's riled, and yes, I may not know him that well. But what I do know of him tells me I shouldn't be scared. He's caring, protective… and a great lover.

He and I also seem to share an otherworldly connection that I've never felt with anyone else. The magnetism that's pulling me toward him is inexplicable. It feels like something bigger than either of us.

I think of Becky and my vow to find out what happened to her. It's a goal that's driven me ever since my memory of her returned. I'm unsure where my research is now taking me, but one thing is painfully apparent. Ethan does know something. I have no idea what he's about to tell me, and I'm half-afraid to find out.

We arrive at my place, and I hesitate to get out of the car for a minute or two. Nothing overt has been said, but I'm flooded with foreboding. I instinctively know that the moment I step out of the car, my life will change forever.

Finally, I take a deep breath and open the door. Ethan follows me up the stairs to my apartment, his presence a comforting weight at my back. Once inside, I turn to face him, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Grace, I've been keeping something from you," he begins, his voice low and serious. "I need you to trust me when I say that I'm no threat to you."

His words put me on edge, and I cross my arms defensively. "What are you talking about, Ethan?"

He takes a step closer, his eyes filled with determination. "From what you've described, it sounds like the one who killed Becky was a rogue shifter. Someone who's not answerable to any pack. Only a rogue shifter would dare change forms in front of a human, and harm a child to boot."

My blood runs cold, and I feel a chill creep up my spine. "How do you know this?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He hesitates, his eyes searching mine for a moment before he continues. "You're right about there being shifters. Humans that turn into wolves. For the most part, we would never hurt a human. But some wolves, usually those who have been separated from their packs or those who have turned feral, can become unpredictable. It might have been a shifter like that who attacked your friend."

Shock courses through me, and I take a step back, my mind reeling. This is more information than I've ever been able to find on shifters. "How do you know all this?" I demand, my voice trembling.

The look in his eyes tells me everything I need to know.

"Are you… are you a shifter, Ethan?"

He nods, his expression solemn. "Yes, I am."

The room spins around me, and I feel like I'm going to be sick. I don't know what to make of this new information. Part of me wants to believe him, to trust that he's not a threat. But another part of me is terrified. I take another step back, needing to put some distance between us.

"Grace, please," he says, his voice filled with desperation. "I'm still the same person you've been getting to know. I care about you, and I would never hurt you."

My heart is pounding in my chest and I can't really process what he's saying. He comes closer to me and turns my face gently toward his, one hand clasping my arm.

"There's more. For shifters, we reach an age where we must choose. It's called 'The Reckoning.' It's a time of conflict for us - a time when we must decide whether we will turn feral and away from the pack or stay and live amongst society. Majority of shifters are just like you. They're as normal as you can expect and they live regular lives amongst humans. Rogue shifters like the one who may have killed your friend, disdain the pack and choose their feral side. They're uncontrollable. No Alpha can command them."

"What do you mean, Ethan?"

"I'm saying, I've reached the time of my Reckoning, Grace. For most shifters, they gain balance between their wolf and human sides when they find their mates. I can't really explain how or why it happens. But finding and being with their destined mates brings out the shifters' humanity."

"A – are you saying I'm your mate?" I ask, looking him directly in the eyes.

"I believe you are, Grace," he proclaims with remarkable confidence.

I shake my head, trying to make sense of everything. "I need some time to think," I say, my voice trembling. "I need you to leave. Please, Ethan."

Pain flashes across his face, but he nods, understanding. "Alright. I'll go. But please, Grace, remember that I'm here for you. Whenever you're ready to talk."

"Be careful. If there's really a rogue shifter around, he can be very, very dangerous. Don't underestimate what he can do."

I nod and watch as he turns to leave, the door closing softly behind him. As soon as he's gone, I collapse onto the couch, my mind racing. I can't believe what I've just heard. Ethan is a shifter. He's one of the beings I've come to fear and detest, but absolutely determined to prove the existence of…

He also says I'm his mate. And that makes me even more bewildered at this turn of events.

I bury my face in my hands, tears streaming down my cheeks. I'm confused, scared, and overwhelmed. But amidst all the chaos, there's a part of me that wants to believe Ethan. That wants to trust him. Because despite everything, I can't deny the connection we share. The pull that keeps drawing me back to him.

I need to think this through, to figure out what my next steps should be. But for now, all I can do is sit here and try to process everything I've just learned.

He's been nothing but kind and caring, yet he's part of this hidden world. It's hard to reconcile the gentle, protective man I've come to care for with the image of a shifter. With what I know a shifter to be. Despite the fact that shifters can be killers, it's apparent that Ethan isn't one.

My emotions are a tangled mess of fear, confusion, and an inexplicable desire to trust him. I need to untangle my feelings and figure out what's really important.

I glance around my apartment, feeling the silence. The space that once felt cozy now seems suffocating, filled with unanswered questions and unresolved emotions. I know I need to talk to Ethan again, to understand more about this world he's part of, and to figure out where we stand.

But for now, I need to breathe. I need to let the reality of what he's told me sink in. The truth is now out, and it's more complex than I ever imagined. And somehow, amidst all this chaos, I need to find a way forward.