Chapter 21: Hunter

This was not how I planned tonight to go. Spend a little time with Lottie in the forest, secretly follow her back to the cabin, and watch over her all night from outside in wolf form. That was the plan. Not shift into my true beast form to scare off the two elves lurking in the shadows, trying to catch me unaware and do who knows what with Lottie.

Vincent had made his threat not six hours ago, and his men were already seeking her out and hunting her down. I don't even want to think of what they would have done if I weren't there. With their ability to alter people's emotions through touch, they probably could have made her go willingly if they had gotten their cold, gray hands on her.

My fur stands on end thinking about it, and I slow my pace, keeping at Lottie's side, not wanting the elves to try for a second time tonight.

Before, when I would walk at her side, she would reach out and pet me. Rest her hand on my back or neck, mindlessly stroking my fur, the feel of it warming my insides and calming my inner beast. She does so now but stops after a few moments as if realizing she had done it unconsciously. She doesn't do it again, shoving her hands in her pockets to prevent it.

The walk back to the cabin is far quieter than my previous walks with Lottie. Now that she knows who I am and that I understand everything she's saying, I guess she doesn't want to share any more of her secrets and private thoughts, as she did when I was just an ordinary wolf.

I don't immediately shift to human form when we arrive at the cabin, walking in on all fours and heading for the linen cabinet in the hall. I sit and stare at the door, waiting for Lottie.

"Are your clothes in there?" she asks. I nod.

She opens the small closet and digs around until she finds the stack of clothing on the top shelf. Pulling it down, she hands it to me. Taking the bundle of clothes in my mouth, I quickly trot to the bathroom to shift and change.

When I exit in human form, wearing a pair of gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt, I find Lottie attempting to brew a pot of coffee. And I say attempting because she's got the grounds in the machine without the filter.

"You need a filter for that."

She jumps at the sound of my voice behind her, gripping her chest over her heart. She's still wearing the soft as sin sweater I rubbed my scent all over when I first saw her tonight.

After the afternoon I had, I needed to do it to assuage my growing mate pull. I needed to feel her and to have her smell of me. Just in case Vincent needed any further confirmation that she is mine.

"Must you be so quiet and sneaky?" she scolds.

"Sorry," I chuckle. "I didn't mean to be. Here, let me do that."

Without waiting for her snappy reply, I gently reposition her by her hips to the side and take over making the coffee. Grabbing the reusable gold filter from the cabinet, I clean out the machine and restart the process properly.

"Oh. I was wondering why my coffee was grainy," Lottie admits quietly, while also watching my movements intently, memorizing the process for later.

Once the coffee is properly brewing, I turn and face Lottie. Leaning against the counter, I grip the edge at my sides to keep from reaching out to hold her. She stands a few feet away, her arms wrapped protectively around her middle as she eyes me up and down. I don't mind her perusal of my body. Just as I hadn't when she did it before when I was naked. My cock responds in the same way now as it did then. Thickening against my thigh and making itself known through the thin material of my sweats, having nothing to restrict its upward progression as I didn't think to store underwear with my backup clothes.

"Are you a werewolf?" she asks blatantly, not a hint of fear in her expression, only sheer determination.

"No. I'm a shifter."

"Aren't they the same thing?"

"Not even close."

"Hmm. Could have fooled me."

I did. I think internally, but don't dare verbalize. I hate knowing I was lying to her, but I'm glad she knows now. I don't have to hide from her anymore, and maybe if I can explain everything . . .

The coffee pot gurgles behind me, filling the carafe, the only sound in the quiet cabin I once used as a retreat, and now is coated in Lottie and her scent.

"What is a shifter? How did you become one? Are there more of you? How many forms do you have? Are you immortal?"

"Woah, woah, slow down."

I raise my hands in surrender, unable to control my smile around her any longer. I tried to hide it before, not wanting to allow myself too close. There's no way to suppress it any longer. Just being near her and smelling her sweet gardenia scent has my smile instantly forming.

"You said you would answer all my questions, so..." She sits at the small table and primly folds her hands on the tabletop, sitting alert and clear-eyed. "Start answering."

Running my hand around the back of my neck and around my chin, feeling the scruff starting to sprout there, I take a deep breath and start answering.

I tell her what I am, that I was born this way, that there are many others like me and others different from me, and I clarify that I am not immortal, although I will live far longer than any human.

When she asks about the others I mentioned, the coffee finishes brewing, and I pour us each a cup, setting the sugar and creamer I find in the fridge on the table in front of Lottie. And then, I settle in the chair across from her for a long conversation. Trying my best to explain as plainly as possible about shifters, meres, fairies, nymphs, pixies, and elves. Not getting into the nitty gritty tiny details but the basics of each and how we disguise ourselves with glamours or shifting to human forms.

"Wow, I was not expecting all of that." Lottie finally says when I'm finished with my explanation. "So, what about Big Foot? Is Big Foot real?"

"No," I scoff. "That's a myth. But yetis are very real. They remain in the far north, where they can easily hide in the extensive wilderness and snow. They can't shift like us or glamour themselves either, so they like to remain more hidden."

Lottie's jaw drops, not expecting that answer.

"And Chupacabras?"

"Nope."

"Vampires?"

"Hell no."

"Leprechauns?"

"Yes. Sneaky little buggers."

Again, Lottie is shocked when I confirm the existence of something she thought was completely fictional.

"Unicorns?" she asks hopefully.

"Sadly, not anymore. They were hunted to extinction many years ago."

She makes the cutest frowny face and pouts her lips out in a way that has me focusing on them, my cock stirring in my pants at the sight. I remember what those lips felt like against mine, what they taste like, and I want another go at them. This time, I won't pull away or stop.

"So, what was the threat in the forest you couldn't ignore?"

Her question has my thoughts going from hot and horny to cold and angry. If I ever see those elves again, I will rip every one of their piercings out one by one.

"There were elves in the forest watching you."

"Why?"

I shift in my seat and bring my mug to my lips, only to realize it's empty. Setting it down, I brace myself for another conversation that might not be as easy for her to accept.

"Do you remember the man you met this afternoon at Dottie's? Vincent?"

She nods but remains quiet, dutifully listening like an A-plus student. I bet she got great grades in school.

"Well, he's an elf and not a very nice one. Not that many of them are nice to begin with. He wants to buy my land for his drug business, and I won't sell to him."

"Good. We don't need any more drugs on the streets. I bet he would ruin this town and the forest if he were to get his hands on it."

My heart instantly warms at her declaration. She doesn't know Vincent from a stranger, but she's already against him, and that comforts me. She can't be easily persuaded into helping him—at least not without his magical interference. Which reminds me I should warn her about that, but Lottie continues with her questions before I can.

"So what were they doing in the forest tonight? Searching your property?"

"Not exactly." Lottie watches me, completely rapt, and I see now why she's my mate. Smart, patient, curious, understanding, as well as beautiful, and graceful, with the most enchanting voice I've ever heard.

"They were looking for you."

"Me?" Her eyes practically bulge out of their sockets as her entire face shifts in surprise. "Why would they want me? I didn't even know they existed."

"That would be because of me."

She cocks her head to the side like any curious pup would. "How so?"

"Because he could tell at lunch that you're important to me. He wants to use you to get me to sign over my land to him."

The ferocious scowl that contorts her face is almost comical but also welcome. She's feisty and isn't going to wilt under the pressures being thrust upon her. Perhaps years of superstardom have strengthened her to deal with such pressures.

"What an asshole. I can't stand manipulative, underhanded people like him. Don't you dare let him control you or your decisions. You have a right to tell him no, and he should respect that." Her voice increases to nearly a shout.

Her fury is clear, not only in her words but in the death grip she has on her mug. I fear she may throw it across the room at any moment in disgust and frustration.

Yes, she will be a worthy mate indeed. I can't wait to see her handling arguments between citizens in town over everything from property lines to celebration decorations. She'll demand respect and fairness that they'll willingly obey, even without an alpha command.

"I don't plan on letting him strong-arm me. But I also won't let him use you or hurt you. I should also warn you about him, not just because he's a scumbag but because of the magic all elves possess."

Lottie furrows her brow, and her eyebrows drop low over her eyes. For someone who just learned about the non-human world, she is very calm and more concerned about things like Vincent ruining the forest with his drugs than a man who can shift into a giant wolf beast.

"They have the ability to alter a person's emotions through touch. They can make you feel happy, sad, scared, aroused. They can't control your actions but they can shift your emotions to be more amiable to their suggestions."

Her eyes widen in realization, and she sucks in a sharp breath. "That's why you pulled my hand away when he tried to shake it."

"Yes. I didn't want him to try anything with you, but . . ." I trail off, trying to figure out how to tell her the rest of it. "But I also didn't want him touching you specifically ."

"Me? Why? Because I'm a human?"

"No, not just that. Among non-humans, we have mates. And I don't just mean friends or spouses, but bonded mates . A person who is perfectly matched to our inner selves. Our other half that is perfectly made to be our partner, lover, and friend for the rest of our lives."

Lottie sits still across from me, her hands wrapped around her coffee mug, completely engrossed in my words. I like her attention on me, and I like being able to tell her all of this. Even though I hadn't planned on telling her so soon—at least not tonight in such a manner—a part of me is glad I slipped and shifted in front of her.

Nothing in our laws says we can't tell a human what we are; only that if that human is a threat they must be dealt with. Usually with fairy dust and memory-altering. In extreme cases, death, but nothing like that has been necessary in decades. At least not in Snowberry. I can't speak for how non-humans elsewhere deal with their issues.

"When we meet that person, we feel what we refer to as the mate pull. It's like something inside of us attaches to that person and ties an invisible string between us. That string tightens and shortens, forcing us closer and closer together.

"You don't have to act on the pull, but not doing so can be very emotionally and physically painful to sever. Although it can be done, most don't ignore a mate pull. Being somewhat rare, although not singular. A possible mate could appear again if the first mate pull isn't solidified. Most don't risk finding an even rarer second mate to ignore the first."

Clearing my throat, I take a fortifying inhale and slowly release it, preparing myself for the final part of my explanation.

"When I first met you, I felt this pull. I didn't think it was a mate pull because you're human. I can tell by your scent. To my knowledge, at the time, we couldn't have mate bonds with humans. But it kept growing and pulling me to you. So, I asked a friend of mine to do some research, and today at lunch he told me what he discovered.

"He says we can have a mate bond because somewhere in your lineage not too far ago, you have an ancestor who was non-human."

"Wait, hold on," she says, holding up a hand, stopping me, and briefly closing her eyes before opening them to narrow on me. "You're saying my like great-grandpappy was a non-human?"

"Or something like that. Could have been a great-grandmother." She laughs, the sound airy and high-pitched.

"So, I'm part non-human?"

"Apparently so, yes."

Her eyes go distant, and I'm surprised she's more concerned with the non-human ancestor than the whole she's my mate thing.

"What kind?"

"What kind what?" I asked, confused by her question.

"What kind of non-human am I?" she clarifies.

"I have no idea. We would have to do a deep dive into your relatives to figure that out."

"Hmm."

That's it? That's all she has to say is hmm?

"You're taking this all very well. Are you sure you're not in denial or having a breakdown or something?"

Lottie shrugs, standing to refill her coffee mug. She stands by the counter, and I swivel in my chair to keep her in my line of sight.

"Maybe I am. But how am I supposed to react? Should I be crying or screaming? I mean, it's strange but kinda cool to know that the creatures I've always assumed were fictional actually exist." Her eyes widen with a twinkle, and the edges of her lips curl up. "I can't wait to see a real fairy and mermaid."

"They don't like being called mermaids. Especially the men. Just call them meres or mere folk is fine," I correct.

The mermaid title is something a human came up with eons ago because they saw a siren in the ocean, who usually happen to be female and devastatingly beautiful with a voice that can make anyone walk into a stream of lava if they so desire. Sirens are among the deadliest and most powerful non-humans because of their voice and ability to control any race to do anything they want.

I don't get into the whole history of sirens versus meres and the human term of mermaid. That'll be for another day, as will a lesson on types of fairies and nymphs. First, before all that, though, I'll have to go over me being an alpha. For now, I just want to get her to understand what being a possible mate to a shifter implies.

"Do you understand everything I've told you about mates and the mate pull?" I ask tentatively redirecting the conversation back to where I need it to be.

Deep ocean blue eyes find mine, and they turn from cool breezes to boiling pools. Her scent shifts from neutral to sexually excited. I inhale deeply, loving her lust-tainted scent. Her pheromones instantly harden my eager and overly excited cock.

A growl rumbles in my chest and throat as my eyes drop to watch her pretty pink tongue poke out and lick a drop of coffee from her lips.

"Careful, Nightingale, I have a very acute sense of smell, and your arousal only makes me hard."

A bright pink blush flushes her cheeks, and she turns her head, trying to hide behind her mug. Pink looks good on my Nightingale. I'd like to see all of her flushed that color.

Lottie clears her throat, and I can tell she's trying to subdue her arousal, but I can smell her growing wetter, and it makes my cock throb in my sweats. The soft material brushes against my engorged head and knot. Another thing I'll have to explain when the time comes. Because it will. Now that she knows what I am and I know the mate pull is real, Lottie will be mine.

"I kind of understand. I . . . I feel the pull too. I just didn't know that's what it was. I just thought I was attracted to you . . . and horny."

I chuckle. Oh, the pull will definitely make us both extremely horny. It helps when creating the bond and for procreation, of course.

Standing from my chair, I cross to her and pluck the coffee mug from her hands, setting it on the counter behind her. Leaning in, I trap her between my arms and press my body flush to hers. Loving when her scent spikes with spicy arousal.

"It makes me horny too," I admit, punctuating my confession with the softest press of my hips to her stomach so she can feel just exactly how horny.

Lottie's chest rises with a sharp inhale when she realizes I'm pressing my cock against her. Her eyes go glassy, and the urge to slide my cock inside her and bite the soft tan skin of her neck is so demanding I have to clench my jaw and my hands to stop myself from doing so.

"Wow. It feels even bigger than it looked."

"I was only half hard before," I breathe the words against her skin as I bend down to run my nose along her jaw.

The pull appreciates the skin-to-skin contact. Which, of course, only intensifies my desire and hers. I want to act on my throbbing lust, but I need to make sure she has no more questions before I do because I may not be able to stop myself once I start. Instead, I press a tender kiss along her jaw before pulling away to stare down at her.

Lottie isn't short for a human female, which means she comes up to my shoulders, which I like. With those long, lean legs of hers, she'll be able to make the chase far more enjoyable when the time comes.

"Do you have any other questions for me?"

Her eyes shift back and forth, searching mine, and I can see when she comes to a decision.

"Can I see you again? In the beast form?"