Simon & Rose by V.A. Dold Page B

“I think your friend Sharon is a few bricks short of a load.”
    Simon raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. “Why do you say that?”
    “She thinks she can turn into a wolf.”
    Simon chuckled and with a sweeping hand indicated the empty chairs a few feet from where he sat. “You better take a seat.”
    Mark stopped mid-step and narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
    “Because I have a few things to tell you. Now, sit your keister down and listen.”
    Rose sipped her tea and laughed quietly as she watched the interaction between the men. This was going to be interesting.
    Mark looked at Simon warily, but took a seat.
    “She told you the truth. She can turn into a wolf.”
    Rose nodded in agreement. “She did. I had a hard time believing it at first myself.”
    Mark began to sputter.
    Simon held up a hand to silence him and continued. “Both of us can as well. As a matter of fact, my entire family can.”
    He looked from Simon to Rose and back again. “Are you telling me shifters are real?”
    “Yes, Mark, we’re real. For Sharon to have disclosed that information to you, you must be her mate. Congratulations and welcome to the shifter family.”
    “Did someone pour crazy juice in the water around here? People don’t turn into wolves, Simon.”
    “Sure they do. Would you like me to demonstrate?”
    Before Mark could respond a white wolf streaked by with a smaller dark brown wolf close on its heels.
    Mark’s eyes rounded. “Did I just see two wolves run by?”
    “Yes, and no. You saw my brother Stefan and his mate El playing tag.”
    Simon turned toward the direction the wolves disappeared into the underbrush. In a flash, the white wolf appeared again. “Stefan!”
    The brown wolf ran into the white wolf as he skidded to a stop. “What?” The now human Stefan asked in an annoyed tone as he rubbed the brown wolf’s ear.
    Mark yelped and would have toppled over backwards if Rose hadn’t grabbed his chair.
    Simon tipped his head in Mark’s direction. “He doesn’t believe shifters exist. Thank you for the demonstration.”
    Stefan bowed low. “My pleasure. If we’re finished here, I have a game to win.”
    In a blink, Stefan was the white wolf again and tore off for the far edge of the yard and out of sight.
    Simon sipped his coffee, eyeing Mark over the rim. “Do you believe me now?”
    Mark gaped at Simon. Actual mouth hanging open, drool gathering, gaped. “Holy shit! What the fuck, man!”
    He raised his cup in salute to his friend. “Yep, that’s pretty much the universal reaction we get.”
    “I can’t believe it,” Mark mumbled to himself. “Werewolves, or shifters, whatever, they’re just stories. People just made them up. This is bad horror movie stuff, not real life. And Simon? No way. He’s my best friend…”
    Rose watched as Mark sat forward and leaned his elbows on his knees still mumbling. His complexion was ashen. The way he kept talking to himself, she feared he was losing his mind. Simon watched him too, but remained silent.
    At least he didn’t run for the hills screaming, HELP WEREWOLVES. Simon snorted in her mind.
    Did we push him too far? she asked. Is he having a breakdown?
    No, not Mark, he’s solid as a rock. I’ve seen him like this before. Give him a minute, cher. This is the way he processes difficult subjects.
    After several minutes, Mark looked up. His face very pale, and lips thin, eyes glassy. “I saw it with my own two eyes, and still can’t wrap my brain around it. Damn, Simon, she was telling me the truth,” he croaked.
    “Yes, she was.” Simon grinned. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
    Still leaning forward, Mark rubbed his face with both hands and sighed a shaky breath. “I guess I’m going to eat some crow. I just can’t get over all this being real. How do people not know about you? Hell, how did you get through all those years in the Marines without anyone finding out?”
    “Shifters are very adept at hiding in plain sight. As for the