~ SASHA ~

After a few more awkward moments with Yhet Sasha had made excuses to be by herself—and she didn't miss how his eyes brightened. When she'd gone into the little house, she'd taken a drink of water from the hand-powered pump in the kitchen, then fallen onto the bed, fully clothed, and cried. But not for long. Because she really was exhausted and had fallen asleep within minutes.

She was still asleep when Yhet knocked at the door to take her to dinner. She'd had to rinse her mouth out, finger-comb her hair, then dart out to the little platform and let him pull her down like a child in the arms of their father.

He'd walked her through the woods again, asking her if she was okay, and she'd been fine—bleary-eyed, and confused, but fine.

Now she was sitting at the one of the tables, Kyelle across from her, Yhet to her side, blinking and staring at everything, and everyone.

It was surreal. Everything looked different.

The tiny differences she'd noticed, but not noticed—the way the pine needs on the trees stuck up instead of out, or down. The way everyone's eyes were bright blues, greens, and golds. The way their skin was all ruddy, despite the cold and dim sun through the clouds. The fact that every fucking person around her could shift into an animal form…

That probably should have been first on the list, as she thought about it.

Suddenly, ever little movement or sound took on an entirely new weight. These weren't humans. They were partially human, but they weren't human the way she was human, and they didn't live in her world.

And Zev was one of them.

It was a complete mindfuck.

When she was graduating from high school and Zev was still around, they had been talking about how he was supposed to leave town, and her parents hadn't wanted her to go with him—had encouraged her to choose her own university regardless of where he might go, or what he might do.

Her mother had sat her down one night for a heart-to-heart, to warn her never to give up her life to follow a man.

Yet, here, somehow she had travelled to a completely alternate world.

Sorry, Mom.

Sasha spluttered a laugh. Yhet and Kyelle both turned to look at her as if they were afraid she might be losing her mind. "Don't mind me," she giggled behind her hand. "I have a bad habit of getting the giggles when I'm under stress."

They took her at her word and went back to their hushed conversation while she struggled to get herself under control. But she was soon distracted by the people again, examining them for the differences she could see—and her mind spinning with the differences she couldn't.

She was still trying to get her head around this when three men joined their tables.

Males, Sasha reminded herself. The Chimera called themselves males and females, not men and women.

The first of the males to approach went directly to Yhet, pulling him into an embrace and rubbing his cheek against the larger man's. Sasha tried not to stare as the other two joined them as well, and there was mutual sniffing and touching that all seemed entirely comfortable with.

She didn't think she'd ever seen grown men embrace the way these males did—especially not with the sniffing and rubbing.

It was fascinating. And terrifying. Because it was just one more way that she had to see, had to admit to herself that she was somewhere else. Somewhere foreign.

And she didn't even have Zev to keep close and make losing her mind worth it.

Kyelle said her name sharply and she blinked—to find herself staring at the incredible, green eyes of a young male who'd sat across the table from her. He smiled and opened his mouth to greet her.

"Eyes down!" Kyelle hissed and Sasha immediately dropped her gaze.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just… I was distracted."

There was a feminine sigh from Kyelle's direction, then she said quietly, "Just… focus on me. Look up. Speak to me. Look at me. Tell me what you're thinking about. I can answer your questions."

Gratefully, Sasha looked up to find the female staring at her with a lined forehead, but a small smile. "What were you thinking about? What questions do you have?" she asked patiently.

"It isn't even questions so much as… I'm just fascinated. Everything… this isn't my world. I want to stare at everything, at everyone. I'm trying to make myself accept that it's real."

Kyelle nodded, her hair fluttering around her face. "You are wise to accept your changed circumstances. In the long run it will be easier for you."

Yhet kept the males at the table talking, while Sasha focused on her meat and fruit, and spoke with Kyelle. At least she tried to. But very soon a hush fell over their table and those near them. A body moved at the end of the table, and Sasha was too scared to look, in case she did the wrong thing. But then a voice, similar to Zev's, piped up.

"It's kind of you to save me a seat," the deep, male voice growled. "You can run along now, with my gratitude."

One of the males who'd been two seats down from Kyelle, stood and picked up his plate, then after a hesitation, walked away from the table completely.

The male that had approached the table took his time settling into the seat, then he looked around at each of them, smiling.

Lhars.

Remembering the tension between the two brothers, Sasha was uneasy. But he looked so much like Zev, it was hard not to stare. And he was smiling now.

"Please, don't let me interrupt," he said politely. "I simply wanted to join you for the meal."

Kyelle turned uneasily away from Lhars, to face Sasha again. "He's Alpha of the wolf pack," she murmured, looking down at her plate. "It would be rude not to acknowledge him. Be polite, but not… welcoming."

Sasha nodded quickly, remembering the hurried lesson they'd had that morning. She was to ignore every unmated male, except the leaders in each Clan. Kyelle and Yhet would let her know who they were.

Somehow she'd forgotten, or missed, that Lhars was one of them.

"Are you finding the food to your liking, Sasha?" he said in a honeyed voice so low it was almost a growl.

Sasha looked up, and for a moment she was frozen in a set of bright blue eyes so like the ones she loved that her heart beat faster.

"Everything's great," she rasped, licking her lips and trying to find her balance. "I'm glad you could join us, Lhars."

She was only trying to be polite, but Kyelle hissed again and Sasha's heart dropped to her toes.