Chapter 5: Hunter

Something is up with Ginger, and I can't put my finger on it. Yesterday, she seemed to want to hang around for no reason, and today I haven't seen her at all. Who I have seen is that annoying elf, Roman.. He's already passed by city hall twice, making sure I saw him just so he could smirk and wave. Asshole. At least he's wearing his glamour.

Every day, I walk through town just to check on things. Today was my morning walk. I grabbed my morning espresso at The Ugly Mug first, then checked in at Sticky Buns for a bagel followed by quick pop into Tall Tail Books and Another Man's Junk , the secondhand store filled with odds and ends of all kinds.

Shanna, the owner, loves to collect things and bring them back here to sell. She's collected many things over the years. She keeps everything organized and neat, properly displayed on shelves and in cases. I wouldn't expect anything less from a Mere. They like to collect things and hoard them. Usually, they keep them hidden, their own little treasure trove. But some, like Shanna, have made it their career to collect and share their hoard.

It's only midafternoon, but my day is already getting to me. I don't know what it is, but it's like there are ants crawling under my skin. Every so often, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and I bristle. The urge to shift and run is a constant nagging in the back of my mind.

My brother Ryder shows up for his weekly check-in to review anything of note happening in town. Since the Sheriff's office is just across the hallway from mine in City Hall, he has a short commute.

Ryder sits in the chair opposite my desk, the same one Ginger sat in yesterday. His posture is far more rigid than her relaxed one. His spine is straight, and both feet are planted firmly on the ground.

Not for the first time, I think how he would have made a much better alpha than me. A much better mayor. He's the one who's logical and practical, strong and reliable. Not that I don't consider myself strong and reliable; he just always seemed the better choice. Traditionally, the position has always fallen to the eldest child, whether male or female, but not this time. This time, it was the middle child, the second son. Because of it, I've always felt a step behind where I should be. Second guessing my position and choices. Always trying to prove myself worthy. I only hope I've done so.

"Have you spoken to Ginger today? Or yesterday?" I ask as soon as he's comfortable. Well, as comfortable as he will get.

"No. Why?"

"Something is going on with her, and I can't figure out what it is."

Resting my elbows on the desk, I steeple my fingers together in contemplation. I can't understand my sister on a good day, so trying to figure out her weird behavior now is nearly impossible.

"Did you ask her?" Ryder states plainly.

"Of course I did. She said it was nothing. Which, in female speak, usually means it's something. But I can't prove it."

"I could ask her if you like," he offers.

Ryder is a great brother, but he's not the type of person you sit down with and spill all your feelings to hoping for advice. His advice would be practical and blunt. He likes to confront an issue head-on and deal with it logically. You can't deal with emotions logically, no matter how often he tries. It makes him a great sheriff, though, making sure everyone stays in line and our secrets and families are protected. But he's not the best emotional companion.

That's the one thing I've always had that he hasn't, and it could be the reason I became alpha. I have more emotional capacity than he ever has. Taking into consideration people's feelings in my decisions, not just what's logical or practical.

"Thanks, but that's alright. I'm sure she'll eventually tell us, or whatever it is, will pass."

"I'm sure you're right. I can keep an eye on her for the time being. See if she does anything odd."

I nod in agreement. Maybe he'll see something I don't. Maybe she'll tell him something she wouldn't tell me.

"What else do you have to report? Anything new going on? Besides the elf."

Ryder furrows his brow. He's a stoic man, and his features are more square than my own. Our hair is the same midnight shade of black, though his is longer and more unkempt than mine. I don't think he even owns a comb, just uses his fingers to brush it back out of his face.

At fifty-five and thirty, we appear to be in our twenties thanks to our non-human slow aging. To a human, seeing us two together, they would guess us to only be a year or two apart. However, Ryder lacks the smile wrinkles a person of his age would normally have since he doesn't smile often. His mouth forming a perpetual flat line. I, on the other hand, smile constantly. I've always been an optimistic kind of guy, friendly and personable. It makes the whole shaking hands and kissing babies part of my job easy, I suppose.

My brother dislikes the presence of the elf as much as I do. Shortly after my initial welcome to the yellow-eyed cocky bastard, Ryder made one of his own. Received the same treatment and short, clipped answers as I did. Neither of us discovered his exact reasons for being in town. Although we both have our suspicions.

"Nothing notable. I did, however, notice something strange last night," Ryder says, pulling my attention to him.

I am immediately focused on only him and the next words out of his mouth. I don't like strange things happening in my town without my knowledge. There are many things we do that are normal to us and strange to humans, so if there's something strange to us, I need to know about it.

"And what would that be?"

"You weren't at the cabin last night, were you?" he asks.

"No," I answer immediately. "I haven't been to the cabin in weeks. Why?"

"I passed by there on a run last night and noticed a light on. Thought you might have been there for some reason."

An unsettling feeling rolls through my gut. Not another thing to deal with. This week is not going the way I planned. I frown at my brother, and my knuckles crack as I curl them into fists on my desk.

"No, it wasn't me. Did you ask Ginger?"

"No. I saw her in town for dinner last night, and she said she was going to her apartment to do some late-night work."

By work, he means hacking and searching for any information online about us that she needs to erase. It definitely wasn't her then. Once Ginger gets in her zone, there's no stopping her for hours. She'll sit at her computer glued to the screen until sunrise.

"I can go check it out," my brother offers.

"No," I interject. "I'll go. I need to run, so I'll check it out, sniff around, see what's going on."

Ryder nods. As my beta, he does as I decide without argument. Something as simple as checking on the cabin is no big deal. If there are people squatting in there, it's just as easy for me to remove them as it is for him.

"Anything else I should know about?"

His eyes go out of focus as he stares at my desk between us. "There's something different in town. Just a vibe. Dottie seems more excited than usual, which, of course, has me on edge. It's always something bothersome if Dottie is excited."

"What kind of vibe?" I ask.

Non-humans, especially shifters, pay attention to vibes, sensations, and feelings. It's an instinct thing; we follow them.

"I don't know. It doesn't feel good or bad, just…something."

"Okay. I'll keep an ear out. Thanks."

We finish with our weekly debrief going over the status of everyone and everything in town, ensuring all is well. After Ryder leaves, I last only another hour before I decide to leave for the day. The itch to shift is too great, and thinking of someone in the cabin sits on my mind like an anvil. I need to go.

I leave the office and drive home. When I pass by the turn-off to the cabin, I crane my neck to try and see down the path, knowing damn well I can't see anything from here. The road curves, blocking any line of sight. I'll just have to wait.

Pulling into my driveway, I park my truck and step out. Not wanting to waste any time, I strip naked on my large wrap-around porch. Folding my clothes neatly on the bench by the front door. No one lives around us for miles, so there's no one to catch me in the buff.

Besides, most non-humans are used to shifter nudity. Our clothes don't magically shift with us, unfortunately, so nudity is normal. If I were to stay dressed and shift, they would rip off like the Hulk, and ruining my clothing is unnecessary in this instance as I have ample opportunity to remove them.

The shift takes over as soon as I'm naked. Rolling up my spine and prickling at my neck where thick black fur sprouts and grows. When I was a pup, shifting took longer, getting used to reshaping bones and rearranging muscles. As I got older, it became easier. Now, the shift takes less than thirty seconds and with little pain. Sometimes, less than ten seconds if I'm motivated. My body, having long ago, acclimated to the process.

I stand on all four paws in my wolf form and shake my head, settling into the body that is just as much mine as my human form. Sounds intensify, and colors sharpen. Scents overwhelm my nose and something faint and sweet drifts on the wind. Something I've never smelled before.

Lifting my nose, I scent the air. The smell comes from the forest, and without much thought, I instinctively follow the smell.