#Chapter58 Shift

Violet He froze mid-motion, his hands on the fastening of his pants. His eyes snapped to mine, a flicker of confusion crossing his face before it softened into something closer to understanding. “You can’t shift?” I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. “I haven’t been able to for weeks. Not since… Lucas.” Theodore’s hands dropped, his expression unreadable for a moment before he crossed the distance between us. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “I didn’t think it mattered,” I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I can handle myself without it.” He studied me, his gaze searching mine as if trying to piece together the fragments of a puzzle. “Violet, it matters because it’s a part of you. A part of who you are. Not because I need you to shift for any reason.” I looked away, my chest tight with a mix of shame and frustration. But Theodore didn’t press me further. Instead, he took my hand, his touch warm and grounding. “We’ll walk,” he said simply, h