Especially now, while she was being confronted again. What was this woman’s name? Vinnie? Vinnie Fritts, wife of a man who had the same name as this town and whose family had apparently lived here a long time, had maybe even founded it.
She wasn’t that old, though—maybe midforties. Her hair was a wavy mass of brown that appeared cut and styled to remain exactly so on her head. She wore bright pink lipstick and dark-rimmed glasses. Surprisingly, the whole package went well together.
Now, if she only had a sense of consideration of others and their opinions…
“Do you have any pets at home?” Maya countered, focusing on Vinnie. “Or small children?” She took a sip of her dry white wine in an attempt to bolster her floundering courage but it didn’t help. At least she didn’t think she was projecting any nervousness in her tone of voice.
“No. Our kids are in college, and no way would we have animals in our house.”
That figured.
“Well, I appreciate your coming to my presentation,” Maya lied. “And everyone is entitled to their own opinions. But since you don’t have pets or young family members at home, I doubt that you have to worry about anyone being attacked by the wolves—assuming these wolves run away from confrontations with nonprey creatures, as most do. And—”
“And you’re trying to convince us that you’re not only entitled to your opinion…” said the man in the pale yellow shirt just beyond her who hadn’t spoken before. It was Morton, Vinnie’s husband whom she’d introduced at the talk. “…but that you know everything, and everyone who lives around here should support your ridiculous position? Now look, lady. This is my town. My family’s town, and I intend to protect it. Understand?”
“No,” Maya said quietly. “I don’t.” She noticed then that most conversations in the bar had ceased. It was a lot quieter than when she’d entered. She didn’t see any of the people who’d admitted to being with the media there, though.
“We don’t want any damned predatory creatures around here.” The man spoke through gritted teeth. He appeared older than his wife, maybe in his fifties. His hair was thin, his brows gray and curved over his angry brown eyes. His arms were crossed over a chest that appeared sunken—but his fragility did nothing to ease Maya’s fear of him.
She figured that this man hated wildlife—or, worse, wanted to wipe it out. She might not like the idea, but there were laws protecting some species in specified areas, and requirements of licenses before hunting those that were more plentiful and might actually need to have their numbers limited for the good of the rest of the species. She wasn’t a vegetarian, and she could understand hunting for one’s dinner.
But she had a sense that this guy just despised animals enough to kill for sport. And if that was true, she would despise him.
Right now, though, she did not want to continue this confrontation.
“Look,” she said, “I recognize that we have very different positions on this.”
“Ya think?” Morton asked sarcastically, his hands now on his hips. “Hey, here’s what I think. I’ll be the one to change my mind, suddenly love wolves. Want to hug them all.” He glanced toward Ryan, who stood with Rocky beside him. Morton moved then, approaching the dog with his hand out. “Well, aren’t you just the greatest creature on earth?” He reached out and shoved Rocky’s muzzle.
The dog didn’t even growl, which made Maya very happy. But the man’s gesture didn’t.
“Don’t you hurt him.” She hissed between her clenched teeth, “He’s a lot nicer than you are.”
“That’s for sure.” Ryan placed himself between his dog and the jerk of a man who’d touched him. Ryan’s friend Piers also stood at the dog’s side and faced down Morton as well as Vinnie and Carlo, who’d joined him.
“What a great dog that is,” said a male voice from behind Maya, and she realized that Trev had moved again.
“He sure is,” said someone else, a woman this time.
“Leave him alone,” came another voice. When Maya turned to see who was there she was both glad and surprised to see at least half a dozen people behind her, apparently backing her up. She recognized some, maybe all of them, from her talk.
“Back off,” said yet another one.
“This isn’t over,” Morton said, sidling away from Rocky and all the people now confronting him. “Not unless you leave and stop trying to get people to love those damned wolves. They’re nasty and vicious and don’t belong around here.”
“Sounds like you’re describing yourself,” Maya couldn’t help saying in return.
She caught Ryan’s eye, then recalled that he had suggested she was endangering herself by her attitude in standing up to these people who didn’t see things her way.
But instead of scowling or looking angry, he had a half smile on his sexy face and shook his head slowly as if amused by her.
That made her want to run over and hug the handsome guy—but she stayed still.
Instead, it was Morton Fritts and his gang who stomped out of the bar.
Chapter 3
Good. They were gone.
Ryan continued to stand near Maya, with Piers and Rocky at his sides—and all those nice people behind her who’d spoken up in support of her.
Bartender Buck Lesterman had joined them, too. Interesting.
This group seemed to be filled with wildlife advocates who appreciated what Maya said and stood for, which was a good thing in Ryan’s estimation.
But were any of them shifters? All of them?
There’d been hints of an influx here thanks to the wolf sightings, and Alpha Force members had heard those rumors.
If some or all of these folks were shifters, then Maya had helped Ryan start to meet his goal. He owed her for that.
But for right now…
He regarded the group across from them, then strode forward, hand outstretched, purposely avoiding the guy who’d spoken with Maya and offered her a snack, apparently flirting with her. For some reason, that irritated Ryan, even if the guy turned out to be a wildlife advocate.
“Hi,” he said to the first of them. “I’m Ryan Blaiddinger, with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Thanks to all of you for your support of conservation of the latest arrival of wolves around here.” He felt Maya stir behind him and figured she wasn’t thrilled that he’d taken over the position she probably intended to fulfill.
“Good to meet you, Ryan,” said a petite woman with long and fluffy light brown hair streaked with deeper color. Hair that resembled a wolf’s?
Ryan knew he was reaching a bit in an attempt to convince himself things were as he hoped.
But he might not be wrong…
“I’m Kathie Sharan,” the woman continued. “This is my husband, Burt. We just recently moved here and bought the Corner Grocery Store down the street. We used to live in Montana, and there are wolves there, too. We’ve no problem with some showing up in this neighborhood. It’s kind of cool, in fact.”
Could that actually be why they’d moved here?
“Hi, Ryan.” Burt, tall and thin with deep brown hair and a hint of a beard, edged next to his wife and held out his hand. His grip was firm as he shook Ryan’s. “I hope you’ll come visit our store while you’re in town. You, too, Maya.” He turned toward where she stood and held out his hand to her, as well.
A couple of other people near them also issued greetings that Ryan returned. Maya, too, and also Piers when Ryan introduced him as another employee of the federal fish and wildlife organization. And all of them made a fuss over a clearly pleased Rocky.
Even bartender Buck did so, as did the guy who’d been flirting with Maya—Trev Garlona. He’d introduced himself, as well.
So at least some of these wolf advocates had recently moved here and purchased businesses, intending to stay.
Of course Ryan could be completely wrong. They might have had different agendas when they decided to settle in Fritts Corner, nothing at all to do with wolves—or shifting.
But
he had a feeling he would get to know some or all of them a lot better.
Maybe starting tonight.
For now, though, he needed to prepare, perhaps even to rest. He soon said goodbye to the gang of wolf supporters who’d joined them, and they all headed back to their seats—after Buck promised to refresh their drinks. The place remained busy, and the sound of conversations picked up once more. Other bartenders had remained active, so Ryan also inhaled the scent of different kinds of alcohol.
All seemed well again.
Even so, he asked Maya, who had also turned to go, “Where are you off to now?”
The people who’d given her a hard time were no longer in the bar. They surely wouldn’t be waiting outside to give her a hard time—would they?
He’d rather be there for her, though, just in case.
“I’m heading back to my hotel,” she said. “I may even take a nap. It’s stressful to give a talk, and to act happy and energetic and all…anyway, I’m glad how things have turned out so far and really appreciate your support.”
“You’re very welcome,” he said, knowing his face mirrored her large smile. “How about if we walk with you?”
“Which hotel are you staying at?” Piers asked. He was now at Ryan’s side and had taken Rocky’s leash.
“The Washington Inn,” she said, unsurprisingly naming the largest one in town.
“So are we,” Piers said.
“Great,” Ryan said. “Let’s get on our way.”
*
Maya saw Trev waving goodbye as she prepared to leave, and she briefly aimed a wave back at him. But her mind was on something else altogether.
Ryan, Rocky and Piers were all staying in the same hotel as she was.
How close was Ryan’s room to hers? That question kept intruding into Maya’s mind as they walked out.
No matter. They could be next door to each other and still be worlds apart.
They had to be. Sure, he was a great-looking guy. A nice guy who clearly wanted to walk with her to protect her in case those nasty folks who’d confronted her were still around. He didn’t have to say so for her to know that.
But other than their love of wildlife, they most likely had nothing in common. Even if they did—well, she’d been involved with a guy not long ago who’d professed to love wild animals but acted like a jerk when it came to maintaining a relationship with a human being. He’d even publicly slammed WHaM.
She didn’t need anything like that—especially since she’d soon go home to Denver and figured a guy with the US government would return to the DC area, far from her.
“I don’t see your buddies out here,” Ryan said. “Guess they decided not to harass you again.”
“I sure hope so,” she said. “Maybe they can start picking on each other instead.” She admired the few buildings they passed. “This is such a cute town. Where do you live? Is it anything like this?”
“We live near Washington, DC, not Washington State,” Ryan responded. Near it? Not in it? That made Maya wonder where, but before she could ask he got in his own question. “And you? Where are you from? Colorado? Isn’t that where WHaM is headquartered?”
She acknowledged that it was, and they talked a bit more about her organization as they continued down the block, with Piers behind them.
Rocky trotted between Ryan and her, and she got a truly warm and fuzzy feeling about this short walk and the males near her, including the dog. In a minute they had reached her car and said goodbye.
And because she didn’t have far to drive, she arrived at the Washington Inn about the same time as the two men and the dog did. Or maybe, driving slowly, she had unconsciously planned it that way.
The inn, like so many other buildings in town, was quaint, with multipaned windows and circular turrets. The concrete exterior looked substantial, though, and Maya figured it was either a much newer structure than it appeared, or it had been remodeled recently.
She parked in the lot beside it and walked quickly to the front—just as the others arrived, too. She joined them.
“Hi again,” she said, waiting while Ryan stopped at the grassy area near the front with Rocky. “So where are your rooms?” she asked Ryan casually, as Piers preceded them inside.
“First floor, toward the back. It’s a good spot to take Rocky into the yard if he needs to go. How about you?”
“Third floor,” she said, “around there.” She pointed toward the right, glad that the windows there indicated multiple rooms so she didn’t exactly tell him which was hers.
They proceeded up the walkway to the steps and, crossing the porch, entered the quaint-looking lobby. There were only a few people there, mostly in line at the reception desk. Piers stood nearby reading a newspaper. He joined them.
Ryan lifted his arm with the loop of the dog leash over it and Piers slipped it off him. “You can put him in my room,” he told Piers. “I’ll be right there.” He then said to Maya, “I’ll walk you to your room, just in case.”
In case her new enemies were around, she assumed. She hadn’t seen any sign of them on the road and didn’t really need Ryan accompanying her—she hoped—and yet she didn’t object.
They soon were in her room, which was as charming as the rest of the inn. He even went inside, glancing around, walking past the bed with a fluffy, lace-trimmed coverlet.
She had a momentary urge to ask him to stay. Just to talk a little longer, of course. About wolves and other wildlife.
Not about a wild life. The guy was one delicious-looking man and had started to get her internal juices flowing when they were together. But he was mostly just a nice guy with similar interests to hers. And he’d given no indication he thought of her in any sexual or other way—a good thing.
That meant she didn’t have to worry about any interest on her part that could lead to disaster, as her recent relationship had.
Even so, she found herself asking, “So do you have any plans for this evening?”
She couldn’t quite read the odd look that quickly passed over his face, replaced by a smile that almost appeared pleased. “Sleeping,” he said. “I intend to order in pizza later for Piers and me. I brought food for Rocky. I’m already a bit tired and may do some hiking tomorrow, so I’ll go to bed early.” He looked her over. “No offense intended, but you appear a little sleepy, too. Maybe you should do the same thing.”
That had been what she was considering…unless they worked out a dinner date, which would undoubtedly be a bad idea.
She noticed that he didn’t suggest that she join them for pizza, either.
“I just might do that,” she said. As he walked to the door of her room she added, “Have a good evening. And thanks again for all your help.”
*
Rocky was well trained, but even so he wasn’t staying alone in Ryan’s room that night.
No, right now Piers drove all three of them, in the sedan they had rented at the Sea-Tac International Airport, along the remote, twisty roads outside Fritts Corner, beyond the park and beneath the forest’s overhanging trees to a clearing they had previously scouted out.
Near an area where wolves had been spotted over the past months.
The ride was bumpy, and Ryan was conscious of every jolt. It was getting close to twilight now.
It was nearly time.
And since this was the night of a full moon, Ryan would be shifting.
But thanks to that wonderful elixir that had been formulated and modified over time by Major Drew Connell, the founder of Alpha Force, and other members, Ryan would not only have some limited choice as to when the shifting started and a lot of choice about when he shifted back, but he would additionally retain his human cognition.
Unlike the other shifters he anticipated meeting on this night.
“Here we are,” Piers said, stopping the car. Rocky, in the backseat, let out a small woof, as if he understood where they were and what was about to happen.
This wasn’t his first time, after all, to be
around when Ryan shifted—and it wouldn’t be his last.
Piers parked, and Ryan immediately exited the car. There was hardly any light in the sky, and the clearing was vast enough that Ryan knew the full moon would soon appear.
There were plenty of times in his past when that would have caused him to shift into a feral wolf as soon as darkness fell. But now—
Now, he couldn’t have been more delighted that Alpha Force had found and recruited him into its amazing military unit. He was starting to give back, including by being here. And he loved it.
If he was correct about the nature of at least some of the people here, he might even be able to give back more to his cherished organization by recruiting others who, in turn, could add to its very special mission.
He’d already done some of that while being trained and working directly with other shifters located by senior Alpha Force officers.
Piers pulled the large backpack out of the trunk and approached across the hard dirt of the clearing to the area several feet from the car where Ryan had stopped. Ryan began to remove his clothing, even as Piers extracted the cooler in the backpack and from it one of the vials of elixir that they had brought. He also pulled out the light that, turned on, resembled the light of the full moon, although, since it would not be necessary tonight, he returned it to the backpack.
“You doing okay?” Ryan’s efficient assistant now stood there with the vial in one of his large hands, assessing his superior officer.
“I’m fine, Piers. And how are you?” Ryan kept his tone light, even though he knew exactly what he was about to go through.
The elixir helped shifters in so many ways—but nothing could totally eliminate the discomfort of a shift from human to animal form—and back again.
“Okay, buddy. The moon’s a-rising. Let’s get this thing started, okay?” The stocky young guy grinned as if he couldn’t wait for his superior officer’s shift to start. And maybe he couldn’t.
Ryan was now nude. He felt the pulsing sensations inside him that presaged a natural shift.
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