Page 34 of Jacob

Jacob didn’t think it would work.The panda was stubborn, and they had to have a good reason to stay in that form.

Jacob wanted to know what that reason was.

* * * *

CONSIDERING HOW STUBBORNthe panda shifter had been since they’d arrived at the house, Tony didn’t expect much.Sure, the panda would have to shift eventually, but why would they do so today of all days?They hadn’t shifted when Gal had asked them to over the past two days.Nothing had changed as far as Tony knew.

But one moment, Taylor was buried under a bundle of fur on the bed, and the next, a young naked man was clinging to him.He didn’t let go of Taylor.Instead, he attempted to curl himself into as small a ball as he could and continued holding on to Taylor.

Everyone stared.Tony didn’t think he was the only one who hadn’t expected it to work.He’d truly thought that the panda would stay in that form, no matter how many times Gal asked him to shift back.After all, the panda was in a house he didn’t know, surrounded by shifters he’d never met before.He’d agreed to come, but he hadn’t really had a choice, had he?

That didn’t seem to be a problem anymore.

The panda shifter was so thin that Tony could count his ribs.He was relieved they’d found the man when they had.He’d been eating and resting since he’d arrived, and Tony suspected that was why Gal hadn’t pushed for answers yet.He’d wanted the panda shifter to feel better first.Maybe that was what the man had waited for, too.Maybe he’d wanted to be sure he’d be able to defend himself if things came to that.

Taylor reached down and gently tried to push the man away, but the man would have none of that.He clung to Taylor and buried his face against Taylor’s neck.Taylor wrinkled his nose, but he stopped trying to put distance between them.

“Hey, I’m not trying to offend you, but you really need a shower,” he said.“We both do.I can barely smell you under the stench of the forest and everything else.”

The panda blinked up at him.“You can’t smell me?”

“Not really.Mostly, you smell like you haven’t bathed in a while.”

Tony hadn’t thought it possible, but the panda pressed even closer.He slid up Tony’s body as if he was trying to look him in the eyes, but he didn’t.His gaze skittered from Taylor to the others, and Tony felt a bit stupid.Why were they all standing there watching the bed?Now that the panda had shifted back, they could start asking questions.Tony didn’t know where to start, but Gal would.

“Holy shift,” Taylor screeched.He grabbed the panda’s shoulders and tried to push him away, putting more force into it this time.

The panda had to be weak because he finally let go, and as soon as Taylor stopped touching him, the panda scrambled toward the headboard, grabbing a pillow and pressing it against his front as if trying to hide and hug it at the same time.His eyes were wide, and now that he’d moved, Tony could see him better.

The panda shifter had dark hair and eyes.His skin was pale and dirty in many spots, and if Tony had to guess, he was in his early to mid-twenties, possibly younger.Tony suspected that everything he’d gone through meant that his age wasn’t as obvious as it would normally be, but with his too-long floppy hair and eyes that were so wide they looked like they might pop out of their sockets, the panda shifter appeared painfully young.

Taylor was on his feet as soon as the panda shifter let him go.He stumbled onto something and almost fell face-first against the closest wall, but he managed to catch himself in time.He pressed back against the wall, still staring at the panda.He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

Tony looked at Jacob, hoping he’d know what was going on, but Jacob looked as confused as Tony felt.

“Taylor?”Jacob said.

“You need to tell us what’s going on,” Gal interjected.“Why are you reacting this way?What’s happening?”He didn’t ask if the panda shifter was a danger to their pride, but they were all wondering if he’d made the right choice by dragging the man here.

“I don’t know who he is or why he’s here,” Taylor croaked.He was still staring at the panda shifter, who was staring right back at him.

There was pain in the man’s eyes, and Tony wondered why it was there.It felt like it had to do with Taylor, but the two of them hadn’t known each other until the other day, so that was impossible, right?Taylor didn’t seem to recognize the man even now that he was in his human form, and Tony didn’t think he was faking it, but his shock was odd.

“Can you tell us what’s happening, then?”Gal asked gently.

Taylor shook his head and bolted.Tony was close to the door, and he had to quickly step out of the way.He was pretty sure that Taylor would have run him over if he hadn’t.

Taylor rushed out the door, leaving the rest of them there.It didn’t take long for Jacob to move.He stepped toward the door, then stopped and looked at Tony as if unsure whether or not he should leave him.Tony waved him away.Jacob needed to be with his best friend, and Taylor clearly needed someone to talk to.

“Keep me informed,” Jacob said before following Taylor out the door.Hopefully, he knew where Taylor was going.

When Tony turned to look at the panda shifter, the man was trying to get out of bed.His legs shook, but that didn’t stop him from moving toward the door.But his knees buckled.He caught himself on the bed, but he continued moving.It looked like he was ready to walk on his hands and knees to go after Taylor, but Gal wouldn’t allow him to do it.Tony wouldn’t, either.No matter what was happening, the man’s place was in a bed, not going after Taylor.

Tony moved toward the man.The poor man cringed and tried to push away when Tony reached for him, but Tony moved slowly and offered him his hand as he had when the man had been in his panda form.

That was all he did.He gave the panda shifter time to relax, and when he finally did, Tony touched his shoulder as lightly as he could.“Let me help you back on the bed.”

The man shook his head.“I have to go after him.”

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