The Way You Are by Carly Fall Read Free Book Online

the door.
    Realizing what he had been feeling inside him really was had both scared him and freaked him out.
    A scent carried through the mountain air, and Garrett recognized it as that of a bobcat, probably about a quarter of a mile away. They tended to keep to themselves, but he also knew Savannah would be easy prey. He’d have to keep track of that little bastard and make sure he stayed away from the dog.
    After getting over the shock and fear of his ability, he’d driven up to the mountains of Seattle and practiced changing back and forth. Soon, it became second nature to him, and he’d found out he loved being a bear.
    With this ability also came an intense loneliness when he’d realized how isolated the skill made him. His keepers had made it clear he couldn’t talk to anyone about it, and they’d promised him death if he did. When they’d come for him, knocked him out, and brought him to the room where they shot James Freeman, he’d known they meant business.
    As he foraged around the trees, he marveled at how acute his sense of smell became in bear form. The rotting foliage, the fresh blossoms of the trees, that damn bobcat that seemed to be getting closer, the stench of the mountain lion scat a few feet away, not to mention the horseshit from the stalls … it all coalesced into one large unpleasant assault on his senses. He often wondered if a real bear felt disgusted by its surroundings, or if he did because he was still human at his core.
    Done being a bear for the day, he concentrated on becoming human again. His joints popped as waves of energy coursed through him. It didn’t hurt, but it didn’t exactly feel good. More of like a full body ache one might get with a low-grade fever.
    The transformation took about thirty seconds, and when complete, he got up from all fours and stood. Naked, he looked at the golden glow on his skin which would dissipate in a few moments. He glanced around the forest to make sure he was alone and then made his way down the hill toward the cabin. He’d yet to show his ability to Zach, but they’d discussed it at length. He almost wished Zach could watch him transform, but obviously, that would never happen.
    He didn’t know what to think about Zach’s talent. He took full responsibility for Zach’s blindness—he’d been the one in charge that night. But to see bits of the future while gazing in the mirror? Would he want to know the future? What if Zach saw things he couldn’t fully understand, but they meant something terrible would happen?
    He thought back to Lucas, and his ability to see people die before they actually did. Lucas called it a curse, and had almost lost his mind because of it. Thankfully, he had Gabby to ground him.
    Man, he was glad he didn’t have that shit to worry about. Give him a furry bear ass and a bobcat getting a little too close any day.

Chapter 9
    Garrett returned to the cabin to find Zach sitting in the living room enjoying a glass of whiskey and petting Savannah. Strolling in, he didn’t bother to cover up as Zach couldn’t see him, anyway.
    “Put some clothes on, Garrett,” Zach said, taking a sip of his drink.
    Stopping in his tracks, he glanced over at his friend briefly, wondering if the whole blindness thing was an act.
    “I saw you strolling through the living room this morning in my mirror,” Zach said. “The light seemed filtered as it came into the window, and I guessed this would take place in the late afternoon, which it now is.”
    “It figures one of your visions would involve my amazing body.”
    Zach rolled his eyes. “Go get dressed, you egocentric prick.”
    Garrett chuckled as he walked down the hallway. As he was picking up some jeans from the floor, he heard the satellite phone, the dedicated line for Joe to reach him, ringing, and he ran down the hall to grab it.
    Zach stood at the kitchen counter holding out the phone to him.
    He took it and hit the ‘talk’ button. “Hey, Joe.”
    Thanks, man , he