Daniel
Ugh, I thought to myself. My eyes were going to burn out of my head if I didn't take a break soon. I’d been looking at old files for so long all the words were beginning to run together. In my younger days, I felt like I was better at this crunch time research. But, apparently, those days had long since passed me by. Now, I liked being able to stay moving most of the time. I liked being out and about and not just wasting my time set up at an unwanted desk at the police station.
But that was the life of a cop. It wasn't at all as glamorous as television made it seem. And yet, I wasn't sure there was anything left to research. Every possible case that I thought might have a connection to Bryan's kidnapping had been a dead end.
“Coffee,” I muttered to myself. I wasn’t on the fad coffee train or anything like that. When Starbucks had exploded across the world and created a craze for coffee, I’d kept on making my Folgers at home, exactly how I liked it.
Although, I had to admit that Deva made a fantastic cup of coffee. That was worth a trip into town some days. Days like today when I was already in town, holed up in the police station’s backroom, meaning Deva’s cafe was just a few stops down the street. Yup, today I deserved some good coffee. Maybe it'd be enough to help me figure this whole thing out.
Something about Bryan’s kidnapping wasn’t sitting right with me, though. It kept aggravating the back of my mind, but what was so aggravating about it I didn’t know. I had all the details laid out in a file on my desk. Bryan's kidnapper had chased him down the beach at an inhuman speed, apparently knocked him to the ground like a sack of potatoes, and then disappeared with Bryan slung over his back like a doll. And it wasn't like Bryan was a tiny guy. Or like this whole plan was a good one. Who in the heck thought that this was the ideal way to kidnap a vampire?
I had no idea, and it was driving me crazy.
Of course, the other thing aggravating me wasn’t in the back of my mind, but dancing all over it like a Las Vegas show. Seeing Vance brush his cold, dead lips to Emma’s cheek. An image I was pretty sure I'd never forget. Yeah, yeah, I knew vampires weren’t truly dead, but that didn’t matter. He was an old fish and his lips had been on my girlfriend.
Not that I'd want anyone touching my girlfriend, but that was also a shifter thing. We were pretty well known for being a bit possessive and easy to make jealous. Shifter women understood it, but I was pretty sure Emma wouldn't, so I was trying to keep a handle on it.
And not doing well in the least bit.
Him kissing her. Him with his hands on her. Her in that beautiful dress that made her look like a million bucks. It had played like a movie on repeat since the second it happened. I hadn’t slept well at all and after a few hours had given up and come back here to keep digging for the case that was bothering me, the case that reminded me of this. If only I could remember what case it was.
Sighing, I stood up and made my way to the police station break room. I stared at the pot of coffee and wondered if it was sludge yet or if it was just in my head. Either way, I don't want coffee. The idea of drinking another cup of it made my stomach turn.
It was definitely time to head to Deva’s. Going back to my desk, I organized all the files, then headed for the front. I waved at the sergeant on duty and trudged down the street with my hands in my pockets, still brooding over Emma. My mind easily slipped back from the case to her as the cool air hit me. She was... incredible, amazing in every way. Being with her felt like nothing else. Like... I'd found the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. But did she feel the same way? I had thought so, at least until I saw her with the vampire and realized that my confidence in our relationship wasn't quite as secure as I thought it was. I couldn’t lose another woman I loved.
And yes, I loved Emma. Head over heels, stupid decisions, I-would-do-anything sort of in love.
As I reached the cafe, the early morning folks were there. The people that came in when the doors opened, had a cup of coffee or a light breakfast, and then headed out before the breakfast crowd arrived. They were my people. None of us made eye contact, just had that zombie, "must get coffee," look on our faces.
I stepped inside, breathing in the familiar, delicious scent of the place, like baked bread and bacon. Then went up to the hostess stand. Deva wasn’t there, or if she was, she was in the kitchen, so I ordered her special brew to go. With her, I could at least ask more questions about the case, or subtly try to learn a little more about Emma and Vance. Had she had fun on their little "date"? Was she rethinking a future with a simple shifter when a man like that could offer her everything she deserved?
No, I didn’t want to think about that. Emma cared for me. And although Vance could offer her things, he could never offer her his heart. He would never care about anyone as much as he cared about himself. Emma wasn't dumb. She could see that too.
I hoped.
Walking down Main Street and sipping out of the paper cup, I found myself revitalized, energized, and still totally upset about Emma and Bryan. They were two separate problems, but both were bothering the piss out of me. Neither seemed like it would be an easy issue to solve, though I had hope that my insecurities about Emma would be worked out. She’d texted me, telling me she couldn’t wait to see me. At least I had caffeine running through my veins now. Good caffeine. And a smile on my face.
That was something. Not enough to clear my head though.
Maybe a good run would help? The instant the thought entered my mind, I knew it was the right choice. Sometimes, especially since Emma had been around, I forgot to let my bear out. And when I neglected that side of myself, I noticed it. In a bad way.
Turning back toward the police station, I threw the cup away in the trashcan on the corner, then hopped in my truck and headed back home. As soon as I parked in my driveway, I launched myself out of the car, I yanked off my clothes and shifted, roaring into the empty forest. The second the roar ended, I felt a little calmer. The issues bothering me in my human life seemed less important, and my bear’s instincts moved to the forefront.
I inhaled deeply, getting a sense of my surroundings, making certain there was nothing on my lands that there shouldn't be. My bear's instincts seemed to rumble through my mind. No shifter would dare come onto my lands, and there were plenty enough signs and fences to keep humans off, so I was the king of my lands. And with no scents of other shifters or humans, I was free to do as I pleased. When shifted, I generally could smell humans for a good mile before coming upon them anyway.
Apparently, a run was exactly what I needed. The second I began to run, my heart felt lighter. My thoughts faded away and there was only me and nature all around me. The smells and scents of plants and animals. An overwhelming feeling of freedom and hope.
Before I knew it, my bear’s big legs had carried me to the edge of my property, near the wolf pack’s lands. It was nice that they bordered each other. It offered us more protection from humans in all directions. It was also perfect for me. Bears liked to have their own territories, but I was a bear who appreciated the company of other shifters. This setup allowed me to enjoy my independence and also a small sense of a shifter community.
As I walked along the edge of my property and theirs, the wind carried the wolf pack’s alpha’s scent to my nose. I was on my land, but only barely. And although I could sense that Nathan wasn't far from me, I wasn't certain he would scent me at all, or scent me but be busy elsewhere. Still, I stopped to see if Nathan would pick me up and come to say hi. As much as I was enjoying my run, some part of me wanted to see the young man.
A few seconds later, a large wolf ambled out from between two bushes. He had dark brown fur, the same shade as his hair in human form, and the same startlingly grey eyes. His whole life he'd been bigger than the other young wolves, simply because he was the son of an alpha. But now, he was getting to be big for an adult wolf. It was strangely nice to be here to watch him growing up.
I shifted and waited for Nathan to meet me. Even though as the former best friend to his father, the rules between shifters had always been less formal. I hadn't always needed to ask permission before entering shifter lands, nor did they see a bear on their lands as being a possible threat, though with Nathan I tried to keep some of the formality. Not because I thought he'd attack me because I stepped on his lands without permission, but because I wanted him to see that I respected him as an alpha.
When he got close, he shifted back into the young man I knew. Tall, like his father, he stood to his full height and smiled at me. A real smile. Not the moody twist of his lips that I'd gotten accustomed to seeing since his father died.
“Looking good, Nate,” I said as I held out my hand.
To my happiness, he took my hand and shook it, his grip firm. "Right back at you." And there was only sincerity in his voice.
He’d gone through a definite bout of growing pains when he’d first taken on the pack, acting like a fool kid, but he’d really come into his own recently. He was cleaning up the pack, helping them get on their feet, and moving forward. I couldn’t have been prouder of my best friend’s son, but he didn’t like it when I fussed over him. He was a proud man, like his father before him.
“Come down with me,” Nathan said, dropping my hand. “Come say hi to everyone.”
I needed to get back, but I couldn’t refuse the kid anything. His father had been my best friend before he'd died in a car crash with my wife. I owed it to his son to have a look at his pack lands. As a proud alpha, he might not ask me for much, so I needed to be sure to agree with it when he did need me. No matter how much I had on my plate.
“Sure." Then I noticed the look on his face. The tired look all leaders have when they were being overworked. I was glad the kid was becoming more responsible, but his father would have shown him he could still have fun, even as a leader if he was still here. So, I'd have to be the one to remind him. "Race you,” I said, without waiting for his response, and immediately launched into my bear, taking off running before I was fully shifted. I’d surprised him enough that I was out of his sight before I heard a long, low howl. A howl that held some amusement.
Wolves appeared around me within a few seconds. They were wolves of every size and shape. Most young men. A few young women. But there were no adults among them. The adults tended to live in the city, in homes, after they reached a certain age. Even if they came back to run on pack lands. This place... it was mostly for the young.
And, oh how confident the young are.
They ran beside me with long strides, no concern for their surroundings, just running like they didn't think of the future. Like there was only now. I remember what it was like to be that young and confident. And for a moment, I pretended I was young and free too. I chuffed at them and kept running like a maniac, instead of a wise old bear, and before long, Nathan nipped at my heels.
My bear grunted out his version of a laugh as I ran harder and faster, but I was no match for the wolves. Nathan and his pack pulled out ahead of me, but barely. As a grizzly shifter, I could really put on some speed, but not enough to compete with a pack of young wolves.
They reached a clearing seconds ahead of me, and everyone shifted, all of us panting and smiling, clapping each other on the back. This was one of the few places that I could stand around with a bunch of naked people and not feel strange. As shifters, it was simply normal. Much like shifting from an animal to a human, it was simply what we did.
And yet, that comfort only lasted so long.
By the time they handed me a spare pair of sweats to put on, most of the pack had gathered around. “Daniel,” Nathan said. “This is Hudson. He recently moved to town and joined our pack. He’s also recently been accepted into the local paralegal program. He’s going to be our legal counsel someday.”
The young man blushed and ducked his head of long, blond hair at Nathan’s praise. “I want to be a lawyer, but with money and stuff, I have to do it in stages.”
I nodded gravely at him. “You’re taking on a big responsibility. Your parents must be proud.”
Nathan squeezed his shoulders. “Hudson’s parents aren’t in the picture. He actually moved here with his grandparents after their passing. But I’m as proud of him as I could possibly be.”
It was sad to hear. There weren't a lot of shifter deaths. Usually when young people weren't involved with their parents, it was because shifters could be different from humans. When our children felt ready to survive on their own, we tended to let them try. We were there to catch them if they fell but gave them the space to come to us. That was why many of these kids had been making poor choices. They knew making mistakes was part of growing up, and now they were on the right path.
But as sad as I was for the kid and his loss, I was glad Nathan was truly growing up. He was becoming the leader his people needed. I could see that in the way Hudson looked at him, that Nathan was no longer just an alpha in name only. He was growing up. Becoming the leader who could take a pack of kids who wanted to act like adults, even though they weren't, and shape them into something other than troublemakers.
I just wished his father was here to see him.
His father. These kids. Something about the case, about Bryan's kidnapping, kept flicking about the back of my mind. I looked off into the forest, trying to search my mind to grab that elusive thread. Was someone kidnapped here? Did the shifters have a case like this one?
“Daniel?” Nathan asked, his eyes holding concern. “You okay?”
I realized I'd been staring off and shook myself.
"Yeah, sorry, just thinking."
The other young people started telling me about their own changes. Many had started at our local community college. Others had gotten jobs in town while the rest were actively working the land, planting gardens and vegetables, fixing up the cabins, even hunting and selling fur and meat in town. Instead of just watching the hard work of past generations crumble away, they were working to rebuild.
I praised them. Talked. Laughed. They began to drift away, to go back to things more interesting than this old bear. Even the new kid, Hudson, gave me a little bob of respect and headed back to the cabins, until it was just Nathan and me.
"You sure you're okay?" He asked.
I smiled. He had a little scruff on his face. It seemed strange sometimes that once upon a time I was his age, that I saw myself as a man, even though now that I was looking at him, all I could see was the beautiful baby my best friend had showed me so proudly.
With a sigh, I clapped him on the shoulder. “Yeah. I’ve got an old case on my mind, and it keeps bothering me. Listen son, I’m so proud of you I could bust. Your old man is rolling over in his grave right now, but in a very good way.”
He burst out laughing. “I like to think so.” He motioned toward a nice set of patio furniture.
Belatedly, I noticed that most of the logs and cheap plastic chairs had been upgraded since the last time I was out here. The small, surrounding houses showed signs of improvement as well. New coats of paint, a few had new windows.
“Nathan, seriously. You’re doing such good out here.” I nodded toward his house. “This place looks great.”
He waved off my compliments as someone set a bottle of water down in front of both of us. “Tell me about your case,” he said, showing interest in something outside of himself and his world. More growth for the young wolf leader. “Dad used to tell me about his old cases.”
Maybe I’d make a friend out of him, yet. I described how Bryan had been kidnapped. “The method, the running up like that on the beach. Something is so familiar about it.”
Nathan furrowed his brow and sipped his drink. “You know, it doesn’t remind me of one of Dad’s cases, but it does make me think about what the football team used to do. That's what they did to new recruits. Sometimes they'd put masks on, catch them when they were alone, then run up and grab them, freaking them out.”
“Holy…” And there it was. Something my high school team used to do, although it wasn't something I participated in. That was why it seemed so familiar!
I jumped up and yanked off the sweats. “Thanks, Nathan! You’re a lifesaver and again I am so proud of you.” I shifted and ran full speed toward my property, as direct a line as my bear knew. I had to get home.