by Crissy Smith
“Yeah, there hasn’t been enough evidence to really point out who they are, but we’ve come up on a couple of their hideouts. We always seem to be missing them by a week or less, so some of the Alphas are worried we have a leak warning them before we get there.”
Dawson nodded for him to continue.
“This last time we tried to keep it as quiet as possible. But somehow they must have been tipped off because they were gone when we got to the camp in Oklahoma. They had only been gone a couple of hours, and while they’d tried to burn all of their papers and stuff, they didn’t get to it all before they took off. We were able to dig out some half-burned papers and there were maps. One of the locations was the canyon.”
“And the others?” Dawson asked.
“Some caves in New Mexico, and a location down in the swamp near New Orleans. We split up and I came here. It might be nothing but we have to check it out.”
“Let me ask you this,” Dawson said, lowering his voice. “Why do you care? What do the wolf Packs have to gain in finding him?”
It was a fair question and Gray would have been surprised not to have been asked. “That’s tricky. Yes, the Prince had agreed to meet with our wolf representative to discuss him joining some of our Packs who will be going public. Just to meet—he had not said one way or the other if he would consider joining. That’s tied into my motivation to help. By all accounts, the Prince was taken because he’d even agreed to meet. If we caused him to be taken because of that, it is our responsibility to help get him back.”
Gray paused and glanced back out of the window. “This is nice. The town, this community you all have here, protecting one another. It’s like a Pack. But not everyone has that. We have several rogue wolves that don’t have Packs, cats that are solitary and live alone, even other shifters that have no family at all. Little by little, they’re being hunted down like their lives mean nothing. There is no one to protect those shifters. By becoming known to the world, we will be able to bring awareness to those who would hunt us.”
“You have strong feelings about this,” Dawson noted.
“The natural wolves that share my breed are almost extinct. And, while they are trying to reintroduce some into these parts, it will never be the same. I also lost a good friend of mine about ten years ago. He was a grey wolf and was out hunting in protected lands. Two hunters killed him. They were busted and all they got was a slap on the wrist. They killed a man. Yes, he was a shifter, but he should have been protected there.”
“I understand, but, without hunting, some animals will take over,” Dawson argued.
“Yes, but if we have protected land to run in and the penalties are stiffer, then it’s a start,” Gray volleyed back.
Dawson sat back and held up his hands. “I agree with you, man. And I think it’s a good idea but I wonder how it will work. What would keep people from kidnapping a shifter to try to become one themselves? We know that can’t happen. You can’t be bitten by a wolf or scratched by a cat and become a shifter. How do we prove that?”
Gray shook his head. “I don’t know. Tony, the wolf who is the representative for the shifters and the government, says it’s all about education. The government, or a select group of them, knows about us. Hell, some are us. He says that once we come out everyone will be surprised by how high the support goes.”
“Huh. Well, we aren’t going to figure it out today. I brought an extra pack for you, so if you’re about ready to head out, we can get started. Leaving this early, at least it isn’t a hundred degrees.”
Gray stood along with him. “I’m ready.” He had dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, his hiking boots were old and worn in, and his ball cap was stuffed in his back pocket.
The two headed for the door.
“I pulled my SUV in front this morning—” Dawson started.
“Daddy! Wolf!” Toby ran to the two men and threw himself into his father’s arms.
“Toby, his name is Gray, not Wolf,” Dawson gently corrected the youngster.
“Sorry, Daddy. Hi, Gray!” Toby greeted, waving his arms frantically.
“Hey there, little man,” he told the boy, patting his head, and Dawson put him down. He turned to the woman hovering in the back ground. “Good morning, ma’am.”
Beth smiled and blushed a little, but thankfully seemed okay with him. “Good morning, Gray.”
She was just as stunning as yesterday. Every feeling of rightness he’d had being in her presence returned. He stepped closer to her and was thrilled when she did the same. That was when he caught what the other two members of her family were talking about.
“Not today, son—Gray and I have to work. But we will be home for dinner. Why don’t the four of us have dinner here tonight?”
“Really? Cool!” Toby was already excited.
Dawson glanced at Gray and he nodded. He wouldn’t mind spending some time with the family. He really wanted to talk with Beth, too.
“All right, then we better get going and you go have breakfast,” Dawson told his son.
“Maybe after dinner you wouldn’t mind taking a walk with me?” Gray asked Beth softly.
She darted a look at her brother but nodded. “I think I would like that.”
Elated, Gray grinned.
“See you later, Toby,” he told the boy, walking past him.
“Bye, wolf Gray! See you tonight!” he hollered back happily.
Beth hushed him as she led him back the way they had come, and the two men headed outside. The heat was already starting to rise as they reached the patrol vehicle.
Gray pulled on his cap and sunglasses from where they’d been hanging on his shirt, and climbed in.
“There’s an old ranger station about a half mile down an old road. If they didn’t want to come through town or the public entrance, that would be the best bet. It’s overgrown but, if they were determined enough, they could get into the canyon that way.”
As they drove, Gray got the first look at the town in daylight. Cute cobblestone streets covered the downtown area, with old-style black lamp posts on the corners and no traffic lights.
“Up ahead is the station. There is the sheriff, Jim Manor, and two deputies—me and a human named Stan Davis.”
“Human?” Gray asked, surprised.
“Most of the town is either shifters or their families. All know about us so it’s safe. Stan’s brother is a mechanic. He’s married to Tammie, who runs a hair salon named Foxy Ladies. She’s a fox shifter.”
“A fox?” Gray leaned closer to the side window as they passed first the station then three buildings later the salon. “I have to be honest—other than wolves and a few felines, I have never met any other shifters.”
“I don’t imagine you have. Most wolves stay within their territory and with their own kind.”
Gray was about to defend his species but Dawson cut him off. “And there is nothing wrong with that. Wolves stay together. It’s one of the traits I admire most. The only family I have besides Toby is my sister. Everyone else has taken off to be on their own. Even Toby’s mom left after a year.”
“Oh man, I’m sorry to hear that,” Gray replied honestly. If he were lucky enough to have kids, he couldn’t see himself ever leaving them.
“It’s our way. I can’t fault them, but I also don’t agree. We are human also—I like to think more human than animal. So leaving your child, your family… I just don’t…”
Gray let him trail off without pushing. The comfort he felt with the bobcat family was unusual. It also felt instinctual and he would just have to trust it.
“Anyway, we moved here so Toby could grow up with other shifters and never have to worry about being picked on for being a small cat. The bigger species can be brutal about that.”
There was a story there but Gray let that pass also.
“I don’t know why I am telling you all this. I just really want you to understand how important this town is to me. This is a safe haven. Your comment about it being like a
Pack was dead on. If the people you are after are here, I want to help you catch them. Help you get the Prince back. But I don’t want anything to hurt the town or its residents. My friends.”
Gray glanced over at the other man. Every emotion showed on his face. “I promise to do my best to protect the town and everyone in it. I’ve been on the road for three months now. This is the first time I wanted to stop and just rest without pushing twenty-four hours. There is just something about this place, or maybe the people, that just calms me.”
Dawson laughed, tossing his head back. “Careful, man, we might just keep you.”
Gray smiled but was somewhat troubled. That was what was starting to worry him—the settled feelings that had been with him since he’d arrived.
Back at home, things had changed. The Pack was growing. Some of the wolves in Colorado were moving around, as his Alpha had decided to go public, while another Alpha—Austin, the mate of a good friend—had chosen to stay hidden.
Austin had made the best decision for his Pack and his family, and Tyler, Gray’s Alpha, the best for them. But with Austin and Kiley mating and her moving away, Tyler’s daughter Jessie growing up, and himself getting older, Gray had started to feel like life was passing him by.
He enjoyed working as a detective and with his Pack. But there was more to an existence than work.
He just needed to finish his current mission before he could decide on the rest of his.
Chapter Four
The old ranger station was indeed run-down, with overgrown foliage covering the building and drive. As Dawson parked, Gray looked out of the window, trying to see if anything had been disturbed.
“It’s been about a week since the last rain,” Dawson informed him as they exited the vehicle.
“We’re only about three days behind them, so if they came through here, there might be some trail.” Gray shared his hope.
“The building still looks secure,” Dawson observed. “But let’s check it out.”
As they searched around the outside, Gray tried to breathe in and remember every scent for future use. Most of the smells were old, but a few—three separate ones—were stronger than the others and seemed to be newer.
“They didn’t get inside, but I can smell strangers. Maybe up to five days old? Not sure, but I don’t recognise them.”
Gray nodded. Back behind the building was some broken and stomped-down vegetation. “You see that?” he asked, tilting his head.
Dawson followed his line of sight, backing away from the window he’d been trying to look in. “Let’s go.”
Slowly and soundlessly, they started the search. It wasn’t a clear path—whoever had been through had been careful—but they were still able to get a mile from the station before they had to make a decision on which way to go. It helped that Dawson knew the area well.
“If it was me, I would head east to the caves. If they go too far west, they could run into tourists and the rangers. They might be able to blend in there, so it’s still a possibility, but I just don’t think they would risk it if they were trying to hide someone,” Dawson offered his opinion.
“I trust your instincts. Let’s head west then,” Gray agreed.
The trek up the canyon and closer to the caves was hard-going. They stopped after an hour and thirty minutes at the first of a series of caves to grab a drink and eat energy bars while they discussed a game plan.
“What do you think about shifting when we get closer? It would be easier to search, we can cover more ground, and use our animal instincts to see if anyone has been through,” Dawson enquired.
Gray took a swig from his water bottle. “That will work for me.”
“I, uh… I have shifted with others from town so I don’t think my cat will have any issues, but will your wolf…?” Dawson asked, finishing with a wave from his hand.
Gray remembered the night before and smiled. “I think it will be okay.”
“Good.” Dawson stood from where he had been sitting against a rock. “Let’s get back to it then.”
They gathered the wrappers and bottles and stuffed them in their packs. They climbed for another fifteen minutes before they came to a small group of trees with cover to hide their things.
“Let’s start at the first cave and go from there. Once we get to where the paths intercept, we should get an idea if anyone has been through.”
Gray nodded in agreement and they started to strip. Gray ran often with his Pack so he had no problem stripping in front of the other man. They separated a little when it came time to shift.
Only minutes later, he waited in his bigger wolf form for the bobcat.
Dawson jumped onto one of the large rocks and stretched. Gray shook his body, feeling the muscles move and pull. He loved his other form. Enjoyed the freedom.
Dawson vaulted down and joined him and the two of them took off in a slow run. They didn’t want to use up energy they might need later. They’d had to leave the radio Dawson had carried with their clothes. No cell phone reception, so that wouldn’t be able to help, either.
The day was more for recon than anything else. If they came up on anyone, they would have to handle it with just the two of them. With enough time, if the Prince wasn’t in immediate danger, or they had too big of an area, they could call in backup.
They reached the first cave and Dawson went first. While he nosed around the opening, Gray watched his back, keeping every one of his senses open to any danger around them.
Dawson looked back at him and Gray nudged him to go ahead. He didn’t smell any others around so it should be pretty safe.
Gray stayed outside while Dawson searched the cave. After the bobcat came out and shook himself, they moved along to the next one.
It was another hour of searching, the two of them growing more and more frustrated, before they picked up a scent that should not have been there.
Gray smelt another wolf.
He lowered himself to the ground and growled low in the back of his throat. Dawson turned to him and followed his direction.
This was what they’d been looking for—a sign that someone had been up there. It could have just been a lone wolf, but Gray didn’t want to take a chance.
Gray stood watch as Dawson moved farther up the canyon, which was becoming steeper until even Dawson had a little trouble with his footing. Gray stayed close, though, giving Dawson room but still offering the security he would need to concentrate on any scents.
The two of them followed the faint trail for another half an hour before Dawson stopped and rested. Gray sat close by, on watch. When he felt a nudge and Dawson dipped his head, he understood the message to change back to human.
Once both men had gone from animal to human, they shared a troubled look.
“Wolf and feline,” Gray shared.
“Yes, the farther up we go it gets stronger.” Dawson shook his head. “The beginning of the trail was a lot harder to find. Now that we’re getting closer, it’s like they’re waving around their scents. I don’t know whether they got careless or if they don’t care if we find them.”
“A trap then?” Gray asked, as he’d had the same thought.
“I don’t know,” Dawson admitted. “But I have a bad feeling.”
Gray nodded. “So do we turn around and get help or should we go further?”
They stood thinking for several minutes before Dawson spoke again. “There’s something else. One of the scents. I know it.”
“From town?”
“No…” Dawson started but was interrupted by a low menacing growl.
Gray moved without even having to think about it. He jumped in front of Dawson, shifted, and blocked the other man from the wolf slowly approaching from a ledge just overhead.
The dark wolf was bigger than Gray, but he had no doubt he could handle him. That was until another growl reached him from behind. He felt the disturbance in the wind as Dawson shifted into his feline form, and the two of them backed up against each other.
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br /> Gray watched as they were stalked. The muscles in his legs flexed as he prepared to defend. He was less than ten feet from the wolf. He couldn’t tell how close the other one was but the stiffness from Dawson’s body told him it wasn’t far.
Gray took a deep breath. The other wolf watched him and, just as Gray prepared to jump, the larger wolf launched itself off the ledge.
Gray caught the wolf in mid-air and they went down hard. The wolf could fight, that was for sure. Gray was in good shape from being a cop and as protection for his Alpha, but the wolf he fought was good—very good.
They nipped and bit as they rolled around. He couldn’t take his eyes off his opponent but he hoped the commotion from the side was Dawson faring better than him.
Gray just managed to stop himself from being pinned by teeth around his neck. He pushed off the other wolf, dragging his claws against the underbelly of the enemy. The black wolf snarled at him and went for him again when the small body of a bobcat knocked into the wolf.
Dawson had come to his aid. Gray rose from the ground as Dawson backed the wolf up. Gray was just ducking in for another attack when he stopped at the loud and vicious roar of a cat.
They froze and glanced up at the feline above them. A bobcat, similar to Dawson but just a little bigger, was within striking distance.
The cat roared again before he started to shift.
“Stop!” the now naked man ordered. “Shift.”
Gray glanced at Dawson but his attention was frozen, staring up at the stranger. He nudged his partner, asking what they should do. Did he know the other shifters?
He nudged Dawson harder and finally Dawson shook himself and nodded. They stepped back together to get more distance from the strangers before they started their shifts.
The two they had fought were back to human just as Gray and Dawson finished.
Gray looked over the others warily. The wolf he’d fought was a big guy—huge and muscular with tattoos down both arms, his chest and abdomen. The big Semper Fi tat over his heart was testament to where he had received his training. The one that Dawson had taken on was about Gray’s size, clean-cut, and looked like a typical soldier. Then he took in the man still on the ledge above them. He was tall but thinner than his partners, though still muscular, and his demeanour screamed leader.