Emma's POV

      "Queen, our German Shepherd, has gone missing."

       The words echoed in my head like a broken record.

       I had to take a seat just to make sure I was hearing him correctly. Breathlessly, I sat on the couch, panic-stricken by the sudden urge to transform myself back. 

       I dismissed Blake's comments about the scar to avoid saying the wrong thing, but I found myself in an even bigger predicament. How could I possibly tell him the truth? How could I tell him that he was the doctor who healed my wound?

       How does someone capable of shifting between two worlds make a difference without destroying one or both?

       I didn't know, because my heart galloped with guilt and deception, and a mix of envy and resentment at my own display of actions.

Based on what Blake just told me, I wasn't just helping him find his dog—I was searching for myself. By helping this family, I was supposed to find a dog named Queen—who, unbeknownst to them, was me.

"Oh, no! Are you sure she's not just wandering around?" I asked, nibbling at my lips.

       "No, she didn't come when we called her," Blake replied. "Since we still have plenty of daylight left, I'd really appreciate it if we could make and post some flyers to see if anybody has seen her."

      "That's a great idea!" I lied, scratching my ear tentatively. "Let's do that!"

      ...

       As the day slipped into night, no one had seen or heard from their dog.

     That's because they wouldn't.

     I was right here.

     Blake offered me the couch to sleep on so I could help them with the search again tomorrow. He gave me a clean set of clothes—cozy green pajamas with a subtle leaf pattern— offered me a shower, and wished me a good night. Even after I rested my head on the pillow, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. How long could I keep this up? How long before the truth came out?

The next morning, I woke up filled with dread. I knew the search for Queen would continue, and I was no closer to revealing the truth without causing chaos.

Blake and Liam were already up, preparing to distribute more flyers. I joined them in the kitchen, trying to mask my anxiety with a determined smile.

As we patrolled through the neighborhood, Blake turned to me. "I really appreciate everything you're doing to help us. Do you have a dog yourself?"

I hesitated, then shook my head. "No, I just know how much it hurts when someone you love is missing."

"Someone you love is missing?" Blake questioned, his eyes lighting up.

"No, I'm sorry, I guess you could say it was a figure of speech," I replied, laughing to myself. "The love I had that was missing was from my real parents. Just after we met, I found out I was adopted...and my real parents died."

"I'm so sorry." He said, sympathizing with me. "I wish I could've been there for you."

"It's okay," I added, "you're here for me now."

We spent the entire day searching, talking to neighbors, and putting up flyers.

...

As the sun began to fall, the guilt began to creep in. I felt like I was wasting their time as they trusted me to help find their dog.

But surely my guilt couldn't amount to theirs, thinking they lost me.

      Liam's question dawned on me. "Do you think she's scared? Or lost?" He asked, fidgeting with his hands. "I wish she'd come back. I really miss her."

Blake dropped Liam off at home and got him ready for bed, but that didn't stop him from continuing the search. Blake ran his fingers through his hair as we combed through the neighborhood at night, driven by his determination to find his lost dog. Blake, marked by worry lines and puffy eyes, seemed on the verge of losing more than just a pet, if the absence of a wagging tail and joyous barks didn't say it all.

He took my hands, and I felt the warmth in them as we searched. I couldn't help but smile at the innocent tension, but it pained me to know that every moment of camaraderie was built on deception.

    "Don't worry, we'll find her," I reassured him, though the shadow of doubt in my voice betrayed my own concerns.

    The search stretched along the winding road back to his house.

     After checking the local parks and nearby wooded areas, the night sky cast a heavy shadow of sadness over us.

       I didn't realize that as I spent more time with them in my canine form, something unexpected happened. I formed a bond with them. Now that I was a human on the outside looking in, I began to experience the warmth of genuine familial love for the first time.

       Blake's kindness and Liam's innocence chiseled away at the walls built around my heart. Captivated by this bond, I willingly choose to protect them instead of bringing them into the darkness of the curse I bear.

This may very well be my fate, but to hell with what the future holds. I wanted to live in the moment.

       "It feels like we've checked everywhere," Blake sighed. "I really thought we'd find Queen by now."

     "We can search for her tomorrow," I added, suppressing a gulp. "I won't leave you until I help you find her."

...

As we sat together on the porch after another unsuccessful day of searching, I found myself stealing glances at Blake.

Suspended by ceiling hooks, the porch swing we were on moved gently back and forth, creating a calming motion. It was designed for two people, making it ideal for relaxing and enjoying the outdoor ambience.

"You have a whole other life I don't know about, and I'm still so sorry I showed up like this out of nowhere, especially when you don't know where your dog is. I bet she's beautiful."

I couldn't help but notice Blake glancing at me as he agreed and said, "She is."

"I don't know. Something compelled me to show up to your house. I just needed to see you again. Being here, despite what you're going through, has brought me closer to you."

"You know what," he said, a smirk forming. "I think I needed to see you, too."

Out of disbelief, I froze. He said he needed to see me, too, and then slowly got very close, almost closing the gap between us.

I felt a tingle in my throat.

Was he about to kiss me?

He leaned in closer, interpreting my eye contact as an invitation, and captured my lips with his. Unsurprisingly, I didn't stop him.

The realization kicked in that this was our first kiss. I wanted to relish the moment, pulling his body in closer to mine. His lips were soothing, while his hands were commanding.

When he pulled away, his smirk remained firmly in place.

In fact, it was even brighter. Did I make him happier somehow?

"I'm sorry for kissing you so suddenly," he apologized, "but you remind me so much of Liam's mother, who was also my late wife."

He didn't realize I already knew his family's story from when I was his dog. However, I stayed silent. That sounded strange.

"I'm sorry if that sounded strange, but it's actually a good thing, I promise. Two years ago, I lost my wife in a car accident. She fell asleep behind the wheel. She was the love of my life, the mother of my children. For so long, I've never looked at anyone the way I looked at her, not before or after she died...until you. I think there might be a connection between us, and I don't want to ruin it."

To keep up the facade, I had to pretend not to know anything. That means asking him questions about his life. "You said children? Plural?"

"Yes, I had a daughter. Her name was Grace. She died shortly before my wife did. At a very young age, she was diagnosed with Leukemia."

"I'm so sorry! No wonder you and Liam are so close. You had to rely on each other to get through tough times."

"I know I said that you remind me of my wife, and I'm sorry if that scared you."

"I can understand your feelings. You're still healing, and that's okay."

"Emma, I don't want to replace my wife with you. I want to move forward with my life. I know I can't recreate the marriage and memories I once had, but I do wish to make new memories with you."

Now he sounded so sweet and charming, yet so raw and honest. I couldn't believe I was falling for him so deeply. I knew I shouldn't. It would go against Raphael, the Skin Council, and the other Skinwalkers, but I didn't care. I wanted to see myself at Blake's side at the end of all of this.

I gave him another kiss before saying, "In some fantasy world, you and I are closer than you think."

I winked at him as he talked about getting a shower and some sleep, then wished me goodnight.

As he went upstairs, I traded my raggedy black dress for soft pajamas and headed to the couch to sulk.