by Jessica Ryan
Travis stretched out, trying to make the clumsy fabric bend with his body.
“You’re not used to wearing clothes are you?” Paige asked, sitting in her chair and staring at him.
“Not at all,” he said, forcing a smile. He knew she was attracted to him, he could see it in her eyes. Human women made the best mates for alpha wolves as they produced the best pups. It was very difficult for two wolves to mate and produce a litter, something in their genetics just wouldn’t allow it. Most alpha wolves took a human female as a mate to propagate the pack. This human wouldn’t do for that purpose though, she was just not as strong as the females he was used to seeing. Still, there had been a bit of arousal on his part as he had viewed her large, round, milky breasts the night before. He banished thoughts of mating with her out of his mind, trying to focus on his revenge.
“Do you have any drifters in your town?” he asked. The woman looked up at him as if the question confused her. “It’s a simple question, not hard to answer.”
He silently scolded himself for letting his arrogance shine through, he had to be delicate with this one. Her eyes grew wide and her bottom lip quivered before she recomposed herself.
“I’m not sure what you mean by drifters,” she said.
“Anyone that comes and goes from town frequently? Any strange people that live on the outskirts that you barely see?”
“Like Jacob?” she asked.
“Exactly like Jacob,” he said. Most shifters preferred to stay in their own communities away from the populace of a town. Wererats were no different; they usually all crammed into one house together as opposed to a community like Bowshot.
“Well there’s Dario,” Paige said, screwing her face up as if she was thinking very hard. “He’s a young black man that lives just outside town. He rarely comes to town and he only comes at night.”
“At night, you say?” Travis asked, his ears perking up.
“Yeah he always comes right before the store closes,” she said.
“What does he buy?” he asked.
“What? I don’t know,” she said.
“Does he buy food? Cleaning supplies? Clothes?”
“Usually household supplies,” she said, scratching her face. “You know, now that you mention it I don’t think I’ve ever seen him buy food.”
Travis growled low, this Dario fellow was a vampire, no doubt.
“Why are you growling?” she asked.
“I must meet this Dario,” Travis said, standing up and focusing his eyes on her. “You must take me to him tonight.”
“What? Why?” she said, standing up. A look of fear had crossed her face, like she was suddenly uncomfortable with Travis’ presence.
“I need to speak with him,” Travis said. Unfortunately speaking would be all he could do. He was a big strong alpha wolf now, the change had already begun, and he could feel himself getting stronger. Still, he was no match for most vampires, except the young ones. The full moon wasn’t tonight and he couldn’t stand up to a vampire unless he was in his lunar form-then this Dario would be no match.
“About what?” she demanded, her voice starting to get shrill.
“I need to find out if he has anything to do with the murder of everyone in Bowshot,” Travis said bluntly. If this woman was going to help him then maybe she did need to know some details about his life.
“The murder?” she asked. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Somebody came to Bowshot two nights ago and killed everyone I hold dear. I aim to find the killer and I think they are right here in your little town,” Travis said, moving forward. Paige had begun to back away, towards the door.
“They?”
“Yes they. This Dario could be the ringleader; I have to find out for sure.” Travis was positive a vampire had led the attack, it was the only reason the staff would be missing.
“Who are you?” Paige asked, her eyes narrowing and her lips pursing. She was determined to make Travis answer. She stepped forward, her arms crossing over her ample chest.
“It’s pretty simple,” Travis started to say, but his thought process was disturbed by a loud banging on the door.
“Paige, open up!” he heard outside. “Open the damn door now!”
Travis dropped low and began to growl; he smelled anger on this man outside. He wasn’t alone either; he had brought dogs with him.
“Travis calm down,” Paige said, waving her hand at him. “That’s my brother. He’s a jackass, but he’s harmless.”
Travis’ eyes darted between Paige and the door as it rattled from the hard banging. Finally he straightened up and tried to appear casual. Had she noticed his possessiveness already? Why was he being possessive over this female anyway? She definitely wasn’t his type.
Paige threw the door open and stepped outside. Travis could hear excited arguing between her and the male as they both raised their voices. It appeared the conversation was about her stealing the clothes Travis was wearing from her brother’s store.
“Dammit Billy, that’s as much my store as it is yours!” she yelled.
“Bullshit Paige! They left you the trailer and land. I got the store!”
Travis rolled his eyes and settled onto the back of the loveseat that faced away from the door. He crossed his large arms and waited for them to stop their petty quarrel. He had mediated plenty of stupid arguments between his pack mates to know you had to let them get their peace out before shutting them off.
Finally Travis got up and walked to the doorway, filling it completely as he looked down at a short, skinny man with a bald spot on top of his head and scraggly stubble growing around his face.
“Who the hell is that, Paige?” Billy demanded.“This is my friend Travis,” she said. “He was helping me paint last night. His clothes got covered in paint and the fumes got to him so he passed out on the couch. I couldn’t send him home in paint covered clothes!”
Clever girl, Travis thought. She thought that one up quickly.
“So who is going to pay for those clothes?” Billy demanded.
“Hell Billy, just take it out of my paycheck!” she snapped.
“I’m Travis,” he said, stepping out of the mobile home and offering his hand to Billy.
“Billy Strong,” he said, his hand looking like a child inside Travis’ meaty paw.
Two bloodhounds bounded up onto the porch, snapping and growling at Travis.
“Billy, what the hell is their problem?” Paige demanded.
“They don’t like it when strangers touch me,” Billy said. “Down boys!”
The two dogs ignored their master and continued to snap at Travis as he back pedaled towards the door.
I am an alpha, he thought. These domesticated mutts should defer to me, not attack me.
Travis stopped in his tracks and growled at the two dogs, baring his teeth and bugging his orange eyes out at them. Both dogs skidded to a stop on the wooden front porch before dropping to the ground. One hid its face while the other rolled onto its back in submission.
“What the fuck did you do to my dogs?” Billy said, rushing forward and dropping to the ground beside them.
“I let them know who is boss,” Travis said. “I saw Cesar Millan do it.”
Travis smiled before walking back into the house; he was going to be alpha of this entire town before too long.
Chapter 8
Billy seemed more confused than angry as Travis disappeared back into the house.
“How come I’ve never heard of this guy before?” he asked, turning from overbearing loudmouth to concerned brother in an instant. Paige hated it when he did that, he thought he could scream, yell and try to control her life and then act like her best friend later.
“I don’t tell you my business,” Paige said.
“What happened to Randy?” he asked.
“We are finished,” she said. “Randy couldn’t keep his
dick in his pants.”
“That son of a bitch was cheating on you?” Billy asked, a look of disbelief crossing his face.
“I caught him in the act, Billy.”
He stood there for a second, rubbing his hand over the bald spot in the middle of his head. “You should have told me Paige. I would have gone over there and whooped his ass good for that.”
She didn’t doubt Billy would have done that, he didn’t look like much but he was wiry. Randy acted tough, but she knew he was scared of Billy. “It’s ok, Billy. I handled it myself. I punched him right in the nose like you taught me.”
Billy smiled and slapped her on the shoulder. “Damn proud of you! Did you draw blood?”
“Of course I did,” she said. “I may be a lady, but I know how to handle myself.”
“Like a real redneck woman,” he said, laughing.
“Don’t call me that,” she said. “Never call me that. You know damn well I’m a city girl stuck in the middle of nowhere.”
“You’ve got that redneck woman at heart,” he said, teasing her now.
“Shut it, Billy.”
“Well I guess your friend Travis wouldn’t be interested in you,” he said. “He clearly loves redneck women.”
Paige rolled her eyes and turned away from Billy. “He wouldn’t be interested in me because a guy like that likes petite girls.”
“Well you’re not fat,” Billy said.
“I never said I was!” Paige said, spinning around on Billy. He jumped back, almost tripping over the railing. Her fury knew no bounds when somebody called her fat. She was a thick girl, but she never considered herself fat. She had the curves that only a real woman could sport.
“Ok I didn’t say you were either!” Billy said, putting his hands up to shield himself.
“We’re going to come in for lunch later,” Paige said. “Please be nice to Travis.”
“If I’m there,” he said. “I was going to get a little fishing done today. Duncan’s supposed to be there all day since you took the weekend off.”
“I’m sorry Billy,” she said, looking down. “I thought I’d be out of town. I’ll make the hours up next week.” She was going to have to now that she owed for Travis’ clothes.
“We’ll figure it out,” he said. He got halfway down her porch steps before turning around, a look of distress on his face. “Where are my dogs?”
“They were right here,” Paige said, looking around for them. She looked inside the house, her eyes narrowing. “Well I found them.”
Billy joined her at the door as they looked in at his dogs, which were both lying across Travis’ lap on her couch.
“Why are your muddy dogs on my couch?” she asked.
“That’s a damn good question,” Billy said. “They hate everyone.”
“I guess they like me,” Travis said, smiling.
“I need to start watching this Cesar Dressing guy,” Billy said, scratching the back of his head. “Come on boys!”
Both dogs looked at Billy before glancing up at Travis. The burly house guest nodded his head and both dogs took off out the door, heading for Billy’s truck. Paige’s brother looked completely dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open to reveal tobacco-stained teeth. Finally, without a word, Billy turned and trudged back towards his truck with both dogs waiting patiently.
“They were nice dogs,” Travis said as Paige walked into the trailer and shut the door.
“What the hell is your deal?” she asked.
Travis looked back up at her; the shy country bumpkin was completely gone. Instead he had been replaced by an arrogant, hulk of a man. There was no shyness, no fear and no modesty behind his eyes. Everything he had done this morning had been an act; he was hiding who he really was.
“I don’t know what you mean,” he said with a sly smile.
“I mean you’re obviously not what you have portrayed yourself to be,” she said. “You acted shy this morning, now you’re about to blow my trailer up with confidence.”
“I was unaware confidence could explode,” he said as he chuckled.
“Dammit give me some answers!” Paige screamed.
Travis glanced up at her, a look of amusement on his face. “Do you always yell when you don’t get your way? That’s not a good look.”
Paige was seething now; no man had ever challenged her like this before. Why was he so cocky all of a sudden? She obviously wasn’t going to get anywhere with threats.
“I am sorry for yelling,” she said. “I just want to know who you are and what your deal is. You aren’t this shy guy from Bowshot, you’re something different. You eat raw food, you’re the size of a tank, you growl when you’re angry and you apparently have mind control powers over dogs!”
Travis laughed again, driving Paige even crazier. “I assure you I have no mind control powers. The dogs just recognized an alpha male and reacted to my lead. Canines are pack animals; no matter how much you try to domesticate them they will always seek that pack out. Oftentimes they will gravitate to the alpha male in the pack.”
“Is this some kind of dating bullshit? You think you’re some kind of pickup artist that’s out to fetch his next conquest by being an alpha male?” Paige had heard of plenty of guys like that, she’d even caught Randy reading a website about being an alpha male once. They wanted guys to be overbearing douchebags, she was not impressed. Paige did love a man with confidence, but not one that was going to treat her like shit.
“I have never been on a date in my life,” Travis said, still smiling. “I assure you of that fact.”
He was obviously enjoying keeping this from her, seeing how far he could push her buttons. If she wasn’t so damn curious she would’ve enjoyed the challenge he presented. “Please just tell me who you are.”
“My name is Travis Bowshot,” he said, standing up and growing very serious. “I’m a member of the Bowshot pack. We have lived in this land for over 30 years, peacefully. The land we live on is rich in oil and it was given to us by the Comanche that used to occupy the area. My former alpha male helped them defeat a nasty vampire that was trying to take the land for his own greedy purposes.”
A vampire? Paige thought. Oh boy, he’s insane. She decided to let him finish-he might grow angry if she cut off his inane, rambling story.
“Unfortunately it appears a vampire,” he started to say.
“The vampire you defeated?” Paige asked, trying to play along.
“No my alpha killed him,” Travis said. “It’s probably a member of his brood, or just another greedy vampire that learned about the oil on the land.”
“So vampires are greedy?” Paige asked. She was kind of enjoying his story; it would make a good book or TV show.
“Vampires are very greedy,” he said. “They control most of the world’s wealth.”
“I see,” she said. “So they’re the racist stereotype of a Jewish man?”
Travis stared at her blankly, not getting the joke.
“Continue,” she said with a heavy sigh.
“A vampire, along with a pack of wererats, attacked Bowshot while I was hunting the other night. I did not make it back in time, although I probably would have been slaughtered as well.”
“Wererats?” she asked.
“Yes nasty creatures. They like to pack up, turning their den to complete filth. They usually huddle together in one house. They’re easily bought and vampires like to use them to do their dirty work.”
“Vampires are greedy and wererats are gross. Gotcha,” Paige said, smiling.
Travis gave her a stern look before continuing. “They stole our sacred staff presented by the Comanche. It tells the spirits that guard the land who the rightful owner is. If the vampire gets it then he can move onto the land and rape it of its natural resources.”
“How would rats kill a bunch of people?” she asked.
“Wererats are much larger than normal rats and their bites are incred
ibly strong,” Travis said. “However they still would not have been able to kill all of my people unless they were in lunar form.”
“What’s lunar form?”
“Lycanthropes,” he said.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“A shifter, basically. They can shift into their animal form whenever they please, most prefer to stay in the animal form. But, when the moon is full they transform into a monstrous half human and half animal combination.”
“I see,” Paige said. “And so what are you exactly?”
“I am a werewolf,” Travis said, his orange eyes narrowing. “I was the beta male of my pack, next in line to become alpha. With my alpha being killed I have now assumed the alpha position, but I have no pack and no land. I must find the wererats and vampire that did this and take back the staff. Then I will see about repopulating my pack.”
“Well, that’s a wonderful story, Travis,” Paige said, standing up and walking towards the door. “Unfortunately my life is complicated right now and I have no room for crazy in it.”
“You don’t believe me, do you?” Travis asked.
“Who in the hell would believe a crazy story like that?” she said, her voice growing loud and shrill. “Jacob was a nice guy, but I always knew there was something off about him. I guess crazy runs in the family in Bowshot.”
“Shut the door,” Travis said, pulling his shirt over his head.
“I don’t have time for this,” she said. “I’m asking you to leave.”
“SHUT the door,” Travis said, with strong emphasis on shut.
Paige felt a bit afraid of what he planned to do, but she shut the door anyway. He walked into the kitchen, pulling his pants and boots off too.
He’s naked again, she thought. I don’t think I’ve ever been around a naked man this much, even ones I’m dating.
“What are you doing?” she asked. “Are you going to rape me?” She asked the question half in jest, he didn’t seem to be the type to do that. He wasn’t scary crazy, just guy standing on the corner ranting crazy.
“I am going to prove to you I’m not fibbing,” Travis said.
Paige half expected him to drop on all fours and start barking like a dog; that would complete the insanity package perfectly. Instead he began to shake and convulse. She could hear bones cracking as his body began to shift and expand. His legs began to shorten, cracking back into the position a dog’s hind legs would be in. Black fur began to sprout all over his body and his nose lengthened into a snout. The transformation only took 30 seconds, but to Paige everything moved in slow motion. When it was all done a large black wolf, with silver streaks throughout its hair, stood in her kitchen. His head came over her countertops and he was longer than her kitchen table.