Page 39 of The Wolf I Sworn To Hate

Xyla nodded. Sean undressed and shifted. She lifted the blanket and Sean lay next to Edward. Xyla pulled off her coat and snuggled on Edward’s other side. She pulled the blanket around them with her coat on top.

Sean concentrated on Sawyer. “We found Edward. He had fallen through some ice and was barely hanging on. We are staying overnight in a cave, trying to warm him.”

“Do you need me to bring anything to you?”

“No. I packed some energy bars and emergency supplies that will last the night. I’ll let you know in the morning if we need you. Be ready for a patient when we arrive.”

“I will. Take care.”

The fire heated the small cave and between that and Sean’s and Xyla’s body heat, Edward stopped shivering after about three hours.

“Thank heavens,” Xyla said. “I didn’t think that he would ever warm up.”

“He’s likely suffering from severe hypothermia. We’ll keep him warm tonight and get him back. Sawyer will take care of him when we get back. He’ll be fine.”

Sean checked Edward’s clothes. They were dry, so Edward got dressed. Sean was glad to see that he was able to dress himself and didn’t seem to be suffering from a lack of coordination.

He pulled some energy bars out of his bag, unwrapped one, and handed it to Edward.

“Eat it slow. You don’t want to get sick.”

Sean tossed a couple to Xyla and ate a couple himself.

“I’ll be back. Stay put.”

After fishing a small metal pot out of his pack, he went outside and filled it with snow for water. He put the pot on the fire, melting the snow for water.

“What are you, some kind of wilderness survival guy?” Xyla asked, trying to sound humorous.

“No, I do a lot of searches and rescues on the mountain. I never know what I’m going to encounter so I try to prepare for most possible situations.”

Sean held the pot for Edward. “Drink slowly.”

When Edward had taken several sips, Sean handed the pot to Xyla. “Drink the rest. There’s enough snow out there for us all to drink our fill.”

“I’m so tired. Can I go to sleep now?” Edward asked.

“Yes. Xyla, why don’t you get some sleep? I’ll stay away and keep the fire going.”

“Are you sure?”

Sean nodded. Xyla and Edward snuggled together under the blanket, as well as Xyla’s and Sean’s coats.

Edward fell asleep quickly, but Xyla was full of questions.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but does it hurt to shift?”

“No. You’d think it would since your bones and organs move around, but it doesn’t hurt at all. It kind of feels like I’m stretching all my muscles when I get out of bed in the morning.”

“Do you like being a shifter?”

“Yes, absolutely. I can’t imagine life any other way. When I’m a wolf, I’m free. I can run around the forest and see things that a human never could. My senses are stronger andI’m stronger.” He grinned. “Shifters also have a couple of other really handy talents. First, they heal a lot faster than humans. They also can communicate telepathically. Sometimes, shifters can communicate telepathically with humans, especially if they are emotionally connected.”

“Those are some pretty useful talents.” Xyla rubbed her eyes tiredly. “What is the difference between a wolf shifter and a werewolf?”

Sean smiled. “People get shifters and were-creatures confused all the time. Shifters are born, although I have heard of a few cases where mundane humans can turn into shifters, either through magic or a special bite from a shifter. They are humans who can change into their animal form at will. They always retain their human values and qualities. Were-creatures are formed from a virus and become infected when they are bitten by another were-creature. For example, a human becomes a werewolf or werebear when they are bitten by a werewolf or werebear. They have no control over when they shift. They also don’t shift into a pure bear or wolf form – they often walk upright on two legs and look like a grotesquely mutated human. They do not keep their human thoughts, values, or other qualities. Instead, they are like rabid animals whose only goal is to attack and destroy.”

“Are there a lot of were creatures running around?”

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