Page 5 of Shifter Marked and Claimed

It was rare that anyone got the last word on Baine.

Grant was right. He had to be. I just needed a good run. There was a park just outside of town that I often used as a starting point for a run in my wolf form. I drove straight over there, got out of the car, stripped and left my clothes on the backseat, then walked to the edge of the woods.

A shiver ran down my spine as I transformed from my human form into my wolf.

Rarely did I give control over to my wolf, but I was so on edge that this time I did just that.

He took off through the woods jumping over logs and running back towards town.

It wasn’t really that big of a deal even if my wolf strolled right down Main Street, but it wasn’t in my nature to allow myself to be that exposed.

I lived in the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. No one would think twice about seeing a wolf around. Even local human tourists were aware of the possibility as there were wildlife preserve signs posted along the road leading up to San Marco.

Just as I was about to rein my wolf in, he veered east, away from town. I allowed him to continue his run as I was lost in my own thoughts.

It felt great to be out in my fur for a bit, yet for some reason, my wolf still felt on edge.

We ran on through a creek, between some boulders going deeper and deeper into the forest, and then he changed directions again. There was something in the air that had caught his full attention. I had to admit, I was a little curious about what was distracting him off the trail we were running.

Suddenly he came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the woods, crouched down and stared at a small single-story home just in view. It was nestled pretty deep in the woods, and I didn’t recognize it. My wolf whimpered and sort of crawled closer to the house in a submissive form I’d never seen from him.

I had no idea who lived there. It could be anyone really, and while I didn’t feel like we were stalking anything, the same motion could have been my wolf on the hunt. That had to be it. I just hoped it wasn’t a skunk in the area this time.

Suddenly the door opened, and a very young girl toddled outside.

My wolf stood and howled. It startled the child who turned and ran back inside. It had caught me off guard too.

I could see someone standing at the window watching me, but I couldn’t make them out.

I wasn’t certain just how far we had run off course though I knew from the scent that I was still in pack territory, but there was something else there that I was certain I had never smelled before.

An odd feeling washed over me and gave me an uneasy feeling in my gut.

I regained control and then forced my wolf to turn and run back. Normally I was in perfect sync with my wolf, but not this time. He was angry and aggressive. I didn’t like it, and I had no idea what to do about it, so I just kept running in the direction I thought was my best route back.

It took a while and the sun was starting to set when I smelled familiar scents around me and knew I was close to the park where I’d left my car.

I shifted back to my human form and walked the remainder of the way. My wolf roared in my head for it too. I still had no idea what had set him off, but it was clear he was not happy.

Dressing quickly, I slid into the driver’s seat and frowned. I didn’t feel any better after that run. If anything, I felt worse.

I only had an hour before I was due at Christine’s. We’d all agreed to eat before arriving, so I swung into town stopping by the Crate for a burger and fries.

“What are you drinking tonight?” Jesse asked.

“Just a Coke. I have someplace to be.”

“Oh I’m aware. Sally Merchant’s been trying to get Misty to join your little group, but Wednesday is Hump Day and things get a little crazy around here. I can’t be short staffed.”

“I’ll mention it to Sally. Or you could finally hire on another set of hands and give the poor woman a break,” I said boldly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve been thinking about it. If you know of anyone looking for a job, send them my way. I’ll consider it. But not just so Misty can go to your game night.”

“Of course not,” I said with a grin.

“I mean it, Micah.”

“I know. You really are shorthanded here, Jesse. Business has been picking up with all the new shifters in town and who knows how long it will take before the Force finds places to relocate them.”

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