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believe some nonsense about what you really are because you get those strange feelings about people.” She turned to Mitch and Wyatt in turn. “She knows when you’re near, you know.” She shrugged when she got no reaction from them. “Good. She told you. I told her that secrets could only be a bad thing.”
    “Which is why I’m telling you this now.” Carmen stood up and began to pace. “I know you remember that night in our freshman year. You thought you saw a big cat prowling around outside our window. Well…” she paused. “That was me.”
    In the blink of an eye, Carmen changed from a beautiful young woman with dark hair and an olive complexion to a large jaguar, with dark swirling rosettes covering its body. She stared at Melody with wide, unblinking eyes, then lifted her lip and gave a low snarl.
    “Oh, my God! Where’s Carmen?” She looked around, her actions frantic as she pulled her feet up onto the bed as though that would stop the large animal from attacking her.
    Mitch grabbed her by the ankle. “She won’t hurt you. She’s the same girl you’ve shared your room with all these years. She’s just taken a different shape.”
    “I’m not seeing this, I’m not seeing this.” Melody chanted the words over and over as though saying them would somehow change the way things were. She shook off Mitch’s hand and danced around on the bed, shaking them as she moved around, obviously trying to find an escape route.
    “Carmen, you’re scaring Melody. I think she gets the picture. Change back to your human form a little slower, would you?”
    Mitch watched Melody’s reaction as Carmen changed back into her human form, slower this time so Melody could watch the transformation. Her legs and arms changed shape. They elongated, loss muscle mass and grew slender while they watched. Her muzzle lost its hair and reshaped into the face of the beautiful woman she had become.
    Her flat chest blossomed outward, growing large bosoms any shifter male would love to rest his head upon. Thankfully, she’d had the forethought to dress herself as she changed. Mitch shook his head. When had Carmen grown into such a beautiful woman?
    “Carmen! How can you do that?” she jumped from the bed and pushed at Carmen’s shoulder. “All of these years and you never told me? Why?” Tears ran down her face and she reached up to swipe them away with the back of her hand.
    “You know how cool I think stuff like that is. You know what kind of books I read. Dammit, Carmen. You were supposed to be my friend. How could you hide this from me?”
    “We’re not allowed to tell outsiders.” Carmen moved around as Melody crossed her arms and turned away. “Don’t do this, Mel. I wanted to tell you. I really did. Why do you think I kept trying to fix you up with my uncles? I want you to be a permanent part of our lives. Nothing would make me happier than if you mated with my uncles.”
    “What?” Melody threw her hands up in the air. “Do you even hear what you’re saying?” Her face grew so red Mitch wondered if she was going to have a heart attack, or perhaps explode. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a woman so embarrassed, or was she angry?
    “Yes. I do.” Carmen turned to glare at him, then at Wyatt. “You two could help me, you know.” She crossed her arms and scowled. “Tell her. Tell her why she felt so horrible just a few minutes ago and tell her why she feels better now.” She paced the room for a minute before continuing. “Better yet, tell her how you can fix it permanently because from where I’m standing, this whole situation sucks."
    “I’ve been trying to get you three together for the last five years.” She turned to face both Mitch and Wyatt. “Yes, she’s my best friend. Yes, she’s a year younger than me.” She stomped her foot. “But she’s an adult. Mating with her will not mean you’re pedophiles. I am an adult and so is she. And,” she paused to take a deep breath. “She’s