My foot was healed by the time we started for Alec’s camp. I tried to swallow back the excitement bubbling inside me. I’d healed from the injuries sustained before and during the cave, but I’d shifted. Until this moment, I wasn’t sure I’d retained the magic. I didn’t want to allow myself to believe that I could shift on my own, but maybe it was possible.Sheila, Malcom, and Alec each had a backpack on their backs. Their sleeping bags were rolled and attached to the bottom of the pack. I got the sense they did this often.“So you three were on patrol?” I asked.“We had some reports of talismans in the woods,” Sheila said.“She doesn’t need to know,” Alec said.“Witches?” I asked.“Not your business,” Alec said.“I would rather know what I’m getting into. Besides, who am I going to tell? You made it clear that trying to get through the woods to civilization on my own is a death sentence,” I reminded him.“Ignore him, he’s just pissed we didn’t find anything,” Sheila said.“Another wild-
My face and neck felt hot and I knew my cheeks were likely pink. Either these shifters were lying to me, or my pack had lied to me. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what was true.“She thinks we’re going to kill her and eat her or skin her alive or some bullshit,” Alec said.“You really think that?” Sheila asked, her tone pained.“I don’t think you’ll hurt me.” I really didn’t. They could have already if that was their plan. “They taught us a lot of things in Wolf Creek that don’t seem to be true. I thought all shifters needed a pack. That it was harder being on your own.”Even though that was my plan, I never considered that I counted into that theory since I couldn’t actually shift.“It is harder on your own,” Malcom agreed. “That’s why we live in a community. We have companionship but we don’t have the burden of a pack.”“We prefer to be around others like us. It makes things less complicated,” Sheila explained. “But packs have systems, rules, expectations.”“You don’t have rules?” I was li
A group of children ran past us, nearly colliding into Malcom. He jumped to the side and the kids shouted apologies as they continued on in their game.Under some of the trees, I caught sight of hammocks, lounge chairs, and more tables. Little groups were gathered all around. They were talking or playing with children or cooking food on grills.It was the complete opposite of the way Wolf Creek felt. I’d grown up with what could only be explained as forced community. This was different. It felt authentic, peaceful, welcoming.People waved to Sheila and Malcom and none of them seemed to care that someone new was with them. I wondered if that was due to Alec’s presence. Then I realized he wasn’t with us anymore. A little weight of disappointment dropped into the pit of my stomach. I should be thrilled that he was gone, but there was something intriguing about him. I told myself it was the safety he could provide, but that wasn’t true. Even my own fight or flight instincts seemed to be t
“Hello?” A voice I would now recognize anywhere called into the tent.I stood. “Alec?”He opened the flap. “I would ask if you’re decent, but it’s not like I didn’t carry you naked for three miles.”“Wait, what?” That was news to me. “You said I was a wolf when you found me.”“You were, as was I, but you shifted back as soon as I growled at you. You gotta work on your wolf’s ability to stand up for herself,” he said.“Well, that would have been helpful information when we first met,” I said.“Not really, you couldn’t do anything with it. I’m going to wager you still couldn’t. Sheila said she wanted to have you work with Greta.” He held up a pair of boots. “She also said you needed these.”The black combat boots in his hands were practical, sturdy, and looked like they could do some damage if I ever needed to kick someone while wearing them. Basically, they were my dream shoes. I crossed the tent and took the shoes from him. “Thanks.”A quick glance at the tag let me know they were exa
Taking a deep breath, I walked forward. “Hello?”I was greeted by the warm glow of flickering candles sitting on every hard surface. Unlike Sheila’s mostly temporary looking furniture, Greta’s tent had an actual bed, a solid wood dresser, and a little table with wood chairs. In the center of the floor was a red and gold rug. The whole place felt warm and inviting.An older woman was sitting on one of the chairs next to the table. She rose when she saw me. “You must be Lola.”“Yes, that’s me. You’re Greta?” I asked.She smiled, creating deep creases around her eyes and mouth. Her hair was white and tied up in a bun on top of her head. A few loose wisps framed her lined face.“Come in, please have a seat,” she said.I followed her to the small table and took the chair next to hers. Without warning, Greta grabbed my face, her paper-thin skin felt cool against my cheeks and my eyes widened in surprise.“I need to get a good look at you,” she said as she held a hand on each of my cheeks.M
Greta was on her feet and out of the tent faster than I expected for someone of her age. I followed, chasing the child and Greta down the pathways, past the clusters of tents, until we reached the woods near where I’d entered when I’d arrived.A male with sandy-blonde hair was laying on the ground, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. His clothes were torn and his shirt was bloody. He was moaning in pain, his hands gripping for the ground and finding no purchase.“What happened to him?” Had someone attacked him in the camp?“Why isn’t he healing?” The child asked. “He should be healing. Shift, Daddy. You need to heal.”She ran forward and Greta caught her, then passed her to me. On instinct, I reached for the girl and pulled her into my arms.“Get the child out of here and keep her away,” Greta ordered.I looked down at the kid. The little girl had the same blonde hair as the fallen man. She was trying to stay strong but I could almost feel her fear.“Go, now,” Greta barked.I grabb
We resumed our walk, away from the cabin. There was a part of me that was a little disappointed. I sort of wanted to go knock on his door. But that was ridiculous.It didn’t take long before I could feel the air getting cooler and damper. The ground was a little softer, and the shrubs around us were greener. We were getting closer to water.A few cheers and some yelling sent birds flying. I looked up and watched them fleeing the noise and caught a glimpse of the sun through the trees. It was closer to midday than I realized. I wondered how long we’d been walking.I heard splashes, followed by more playful screams just as the lake came into view. It stopped me in my tracks.This was not a swimming hole. This was a full on, huge lake. There was a little island in the center of it and it stretched for what had to be a mile across. I’d never seen a lake this size in real life.“It’s beautiful,” I said.“And freezing. Don’t let them fool you,” Megan said, lifting her chin toward the group
In the short time I’d been here, this group of feral shifters was more like a pack than my own pack growing up. I saw signs of community, support, kindness, and joy. They shared meals and presented a united front when a problem arose. Shit, another family stepped up to help Megan when her dad was injured. Nobody once even checked on me when my mom nearly died of an overdose when I was twelve.I knew I shouldn’t get too attached and that I should be cautious, but things were looking pretty good from an outsider’s perspective. It was all the things I wished I’d had growing up that I never even knew I wanted. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but even with Alec’s weirdness, this place was better than Wolf Creek.Surprisingly, I managed to find Sheila’s tent. When I stepped inside, it was empty. Instead of risking getting lost forever trying to find Sheila, I decided I’d wait. I plopped down in one of the folding chairs and closed my eyes for a bit. My mind was too restless to settle so I open