Teri nodded firmly. “We’ll keep watch. We can call in Joel and Nina, too.”
“There’s no need for this much fuss,” Lillian said, standing up. “I’ll take a spare bed for the night, but please don’t disturb anyone else’s evenings for what’s probably a prank.”
“Sorry,” Teri said cheerfully, standing up as well. “I’m going to disturb as many people as it takes, and you can’t stop me.”
Lillian closed her eyes briefly, then seemed to resign herself to Teri’s determined protection. She leaned forward, extending her hand. “Thank you very much, Mr. Westland.”
“Cal,” Cal found himself saying, taking her hand. It was softer than he’d expected—for some reason, she gave the impression of someone who had calloused, working hands.
Capable, he thought as he shook her hand. She seemed capable.
Her handshake was strong and confident, and she nodded once as she took her hand back. Cal got a breath of her scent, the fear receding enough to reveal something delicately feminine that he couldn’t put a name to.
“Cal,” she repeated. “Please call me Lillian. I’m very grateful to you.”
“Just doing my job,” Cal assured her.
It was only after she and Teri had left the office, closing the door behind them, that he realized that was a bald-faced lie. It was in no way Cal’s job to police the shifter community, particularly not the mountain lions, who had no connection with the snow leopards whatsoever, not even in a casual social way.
Well. It didn’t matter much, did it? Because he was going to find whatever little upstart mountain lion thought it was a good idea to mess with innocent women, and he was going to whip him into shape.
His leopard growled agreement.
***
Lillian ended up driving herself and Teri to Teri’s home.
“Still don’t have a car,” Teri said on their way to the parking lot, with a cheerful lack of embarrassment. “I can hitch with Zach if we’re on the same schedule, and even if we aren’t, it’s bikeable.”
Last winter, Teri had been in an awful car accident; she’d skidded on ice and her car had been totaled. It had taken her months to recover, and Lillian had to admit she was still a bit on-edge about Teri’s health. Almost losing her baby sister had been the worst experience of her entire life.
She’d come out of it somewhat overprotective, she had to admit. Although not nearly as bad as their mother, who had eventually driven Teri away because of it.
Teri gave her directions. Lillian was ashamed to realize that she didn’t even know where her sister lived.
“So,” she said tentatively as she drove, “you’ve been...happy? The last few months?”
Teri shot her a sidelong look. “The happiest I’ve ever been.”
That stung a bit. Teri’d had barely any contact with Lillian, and none at all with their parents, since moving out with her fi
ancé. And it was the happiest she’d ever been?
Lillian tried not to be hurt, or get defensive. Right now, she was focused on Teri. And Teri was happy, which was good: Lillian wanted Teri to be happy. Even if she was separate from her family, even if that did sting.
“And you like being—” Say it, say it, say it like it’s normal—”a shifter?”
Teri nodded vigorously. “It’s amazing, Lillian. I’m so strong, so fast. I can spend so much time outdoors, out in the Park. And I have this—it’s hard to explain. This presence inside me. My leopard. And she’s fierce, and powerful, and like a part of me that I never knew was missing.”
That sounded...hm. “Does she ever...overwhelm you?” Lillian asked delicately.
Teri shook her head immediately. “No. We’re a team.”
Lillian tried to reconcile that with what she’d learned about shifters growing up. That they were dangerous. That they couldn’t control their animal instincts. That they were violent.
She’d been caught between worry and wonder, ever since Teri had been changed. She didn’t know which was right.
Maybe this was her chance to learn. And to re-forge a relationship with her sister. They’d barely spoken since Teri moved out, and Lillian hated that.