Chasing Tail: A reader x shifters romance

Part 10

Ash POV

I rush forward to catch Y/N before her head hits the ground. As I place her carefully on the bed, I glare at the idiot dog who just made her faint.

"Are you stupid? She was freaked out enough as it was. Now look what you've done."

Cody whines and shifts into human form. He runs over to Y/N and hovers over her unconscious form, brushing the hair out of her face with a worried look. "Fuck, I didn't mean to. I was just so tired last night that I must have accidentally shifted while I was asleep. By the time I woke up for real, it was too late. She was already up."

This fucking dog is going to be the end of me, I swear. I should have figured out a way to kick him out of the apartment as soon as I moved in.

I sigh and roll my eyes at him. "Seriously, I leave for one night and already you've ruined everything. What if she kicks us out now that she knows about us? What if she tries to tell the whole world about the existence of shifters?"

He pouts. "Y/N wouldn't do that. She's sweet and kind. She'll understand."

"I sure fucking hope so," I mutter. "Because if she doesn't, we might have to resort to less savory measures. We might even have to lock her up in here and watch her closely."

Actually, that idea isn't as bad as I thought it might be. I could live here, have Y/N with me forever, and never have to worry about her speaking to another man or having a boyfriend in her classes or something. The thought is actually scarily appealing. What is this girl doing to me?

Cody looks like he's lost in thought—probably rubbing together the only two braincells he's got in that mangy dog head of his—but judging by his expression, he also likes the idea of keeping Y/N with us permanently.

"Right," he says slowly. "We'll just have to make sure she understands. She can't kick me out. I won't let her."

Y/N groans and shifts on the bed. She's regaining consciousness. Cody shuts up real quick and goes back to hovering over her, scanning her face with concern. "Y/N? Are you okay?"

The moment her eyes open, she sits up in a flash, so quickly that she bumps her forehead against Cody's. She shoves him away and scrambles to the head of the bed, rubbing her forehead with wide eyes.

"You—you're my dog," she says in a panicked tone. "Why were you my dog and—and a human? What the hell is going on?"

I sigh and step to the side of the bed. She stares me down warily with a look that warns me not to come any closer. I ignore her hysterics and sit by her side.

"Cody and I are shifters," I explain in a carefully neutral tone. "We can take on the form of a human, but also two other forms. Cody can shift into a direwolf or a golden retriever. I can shift into a panther or a black cat."

Cody steps closer slowly. Y/N flinches back, and his head drops in dejection. If he were a dog right now, he'd have his ears down and his tail between his legs and he'd be whining. He drops to his knees at the other side of the bed and rests his arms and head on the bed, looking up at her through his lashes.

"I'm sorry," he mutters sadly. "I didn't mean to scare you. It was an accident."

Y/N still seems upset, but her panicked breaths have slowed and evened out. When she speaks to me, her voice is stronger than before. "Show me again. I need to see proof."

"Okay. Try not to faint this time."

She rolls her eyes as I climb up on the bed. I shift into my cat form and she gasps but thankfully doesn't pass out.