Page 31 of Only Human in Strangeville

There was no way we could outrun a werewolf, anyway.

Nimbus came to a creek and turned to run alongside it.

I didn’t hear any pursuit, but if Kerin had shifted, I probably wouldn’t until it was too late.

A whiff of cinnamon caught my attention just as shadows swirled from the depths of the trees and solidified into a now familiar six-legged, dog-like monster. Hopefully, from the cinnamon, it was Oliver.

Nimbus barked his high-pitched bark then kept running. The shade ran back the way we’d come. I chased after Nimbus until he slowed. I stumbled to a halt, clutching my side, gasping for breath, trying to stay alert, but wanting to fall to my knees until I regained the ability to breathe.

Wolves dashed out of the trees and surrounded us, setting my heart racing again. They faced outward in a ring, and I guessed they were friendly. Either that or they, rightly, knew I couldn’t run and were keeping me in one spot.

I heard yelping in the distance followed by ominous silence. The cries had sounded canine, not the eardrum-destroying cries of a shade. Before long, the creature dragged an unconscious, or dead, wolf into the clearing and dropped it at a large gray wolf’s feet.

The six-legged creature flowed back into the shadows before fluidly shifting into a familiar human shape.

“Oliver!”

He nodded and approached the circle of wolves. The big gray glanced at me, huffed, then began his own shift.

I watched, fascinated, as bones popped and cracked, fur receded, and before long a man kneeled where a wolf had stood.

It took me a moment to realize that, unlike Oliver, Davin had not shifted with his clothing.

I blushed furiously and looked away, though I’d mostly gotten an eyeful of his muscular backside.

“Are you okay?” Davin rose to his feet.

I finally let myself drop to my knees. Nimbus came over and pressed his fluffy face against mine and rooed softly.

“No,” I answered. “But Nimbus is safe, so there’s that. What happened?”

“Apparently Kerin isn’t as loyal as we thought. We’ll question her, and she’ll face pack justice.” Davin didn’t sound happy about that. I hadn’t stopped staring at the ground, so I couldn’t see his expression.

“If you like, I will walk with Nimbus and Hannah,” Oliver said. “While you deal with your rogue wolf.”

Davin’s pause made me think that perhaps he wasn’t thrilled with that idea, but he finally agreed.

“If that is all right with you, of course.” Oliver kneeled next to me.

“Yes, please.”

He held out his hand and I took it, letting him pull me to my feet. “Let’s leave the wolves to their business. Davin can find us later.”

“Thank you for coming for me and Nimbus,” I said in Davin’s general direction. “You too, Oliver.”

Nimbus rooed as if agreeing.

“Of course,” Davin replied. “Any time. Hannah, I’ll catch up with you and Oliver in a while. I’ll make sure I’m wearing clothes, too. Sorry about that.”

“Uh, yeah, sure, it’s fine,” I stammered.

He chuckled. “It would be far more convenient if our clothing shifted with us, or we could talk in wolf form. Unfortunately, we have to deal with nudity instead. We’re all used to it. I’m sorry for subjecting you to it before we had a chance to discuss it. I’m shifting back now. Thank you for texting me when you did, or we might not have caught up in time.”

“Thank you,” I said again.

I let Oliver lead me away, cheeks still flaming.

Nimbus trotted ahead of us, nose working, as if staying alert for trouble.

---