Not a Wolf

As I wait in line for some herb, and cheese rolls I catch a bit of conversation.

“Wow Raina where did you get those shoes? The clearance bin?” I get out of line.

“Sydney go fuck off.” I tell her.

“Why don’t you go back to RedCreek? Oh wait you can’t.” She laughs, and I’m dragging Raina out the back door. I know my eyes are green, my claws extended, teeth sharp.

“What the hell! I was going to punch her in her stupid, pretty face. Why did you stop me? Not like you don’t want that!” She says.

“Can’t punch someone as a wolf.” I say. It’s then her form flickers back, and forth. Human- wolf- human- wolf again. She regains control. I remember this isn’t the first time I’ve hid her. I did once when Jackson was bullying her. He got suspended instead of having his head torn off. Her being a loner I guess makes people think she’s an easy target. She’s a short-tempered wolf-shifter. People are stupid.

“Want me to-“

“No, no. It’s fine. Can’t believe she said that.” It’s not that I can’t be ruthless. I’ve killed people for less before. (Outside of friends, family, and RedCreek.) But I don’t want to draw anymore attention to myself with everything going on.

“So how’s GreenFallen’s newest superhero?” She says the sarcasm thick.

“Shut up.” I say lightly. She, to my surprise, fallows me in. So Raina knows about Jordan’s family history, and Leo, Cheryl, and their parents, and he knows about Raina. So everyone knows everything. Besides me knowing the thing with Amy, but I already guessed.

“How’s Robin? Do you know?” I ask as I get back in line.

“With Amy, and Alice.” I didn’t realize they were friends. “He’s fine.” I nod.

“What are you getting?” She asks.

“Those herb and cheese rolls.”

“Oh, those are good. I like there croissants here.” She orders half a dozen, and leaves.

“What can I get you?” Hollyne asks, smiling.

“A dozen Herb, and Cheese Rolls.” I say. She puts a box in the bag. Then grabs a box of a dozen mini cup cakes.

“I didn’t order those.” I say confused.

“They’re on the house. Boss wanted to give thanks to you for rescuing Robin.” She says chipper.

“Thanks.” I say taking the bag. The baker waves, and I wave back. I shift in the woods after dropping off the food. I catch the sent of Jordan’s trail, and fallow it. Then after a few minutes I catch another human sent. I’m about to shift back when a sharp pain is around my ankle. The already wounded one. I let out a series of whimpers. The bear trap is too small for a bear. And made of silver. I’m so focused on trying to get free I forget to shift. Then I hear his approach. I turn around snapping my teeth. The figure holding a knife freezes in fear for just a second. It’s Leo. I howl. Then Jordan jumps between us.

“Don’t!” He shouts.

“What they’re going to kill again Jordan we’ve been over this.” Leo says. Jordan ignores him letting me out of the trap. I manage to limp a few paces back.

“Promise me!” Jordan says desperately. I’m laying on my side, panting. Leo looks from Jordan to me.

“They’re Charlotte. Aren’t they?” Leo says. Cypress is by Jordan’s side. Then he’s human, and picks me up, and carries me off. He stumbles into my house. I shift human.

“You ok?” Cypress asks.

“Fucking hell.” Is all I can get out. Then Cypress’s green eyes snap up. I look too. V is there, and so is Ross with first aid kit.

“I texted to tell you I was coming over remember? Cause I had a vision something bad was going to happen.” I whimper in response. Then Ross is next to me. Tending to me. “You killed all those people didn’t you?” V says making Cypress tense up. “But you didn’t attack Cheryl. You saved Robin. I won’t tell.” She says.

“And you?” Cypress says to Ross.

“Obviously not. Now stop talking so I can focus.” I’ve never seen Ross like this. Always so smart, but never having a situation like this to apply it. He’s weirdly calm. Though despite his love for logic he thanks to V, always knew there was some things that could be explained yet. Cypress carries me to bed.

“I’ll take care of things until you’re rested my Alpha.” He says then exhausted despite my best efforts, I fell asleep. I dream of RedCreek. The time I found someone my age broken, and bleeding on a canyon floor.

“Help me!” They called. I was in human form. They didn’t get a good look at my eyes yet. “I fell. My leg it’s broken.” Then they seen my teeth. I leap towards them in a single bound, shifting. They scream. I’m up, and a little light headed.

“Charlotte.” Jordan says relieved. Cypress is curled up in wolf form on my rug.

“I’m ok.” I say. “The silver stung more than anything.” He flinched a the word silver. “I tried to veer him away from where I know you, and the others roam. I’m so sorry.” A few tears fall.

“It’s ok. It’s not your fault. I should have been more carful.” I knew about Leo. And the other Hunters. I didn’t think one Hunter could cause so much trouble.

“Your secrets safe, and Leo says he’s sorry. Suddenly the Cheryl thing makes sense to him. And why I’ve been acting weird. He took all the traps down. I think he was so set on it because he was trying to distract himself about Cheryl. Needless to say you, me, and Cypress provided quite the distraction.” I hear the clattering of pans behind the closed door. Jordan look up at my attention changing gears. He looks tense for a moment then relaxes.

“You’re probably hearing V, and Ross. There still here.” I nod. He couldn’t hear though the door. Noted. “They’re tying to make you steaks.” He says. I hear Raina say,

“No, no. You’re not cooking it right. It’s supposed to be red. It’s rare!” Is that… Raina?

“Raina is… helping.” Well she’s not exactly wrong. It’s true the bloodier the better. She didn’t need to be so snippy while helping, but I appreciate it. “Cypress called her using your phone. They know everything.” He pauses. “Leo wants to know if he can tell Cheryl?” I groan.

“I will ask my pack, and Raina. Then I will make a decision.” Like how things are supposed to be done. “Then I will tell her myself.” Trust, or not I needed to be able to gage her reaction. I try to sit up. Jordan helps. Cypress stirs. He stays in wolf form.

“Do you think she’s awake?” V says quietly.

“I can hear them. She’s awake.” Raina says.

“And hungry.” I say. Jordan shoots me a confused look.

“And hungry.” Raina repeats laughing. The door opens, and my friends step in. I’m chewing on a peppermint outside of Leo’s place. We agreed to meet up here to tell Cheryl. It had been a few days and both her, and I are fixed up. Apparently she’s been itching to get back to hunting. Leo managed to get her to wait. It’s better she doesn’t accidentally hunt us out there. We sit her down. She raises an eyebrow and I realize what’s throwing her off isn’t just that I’m the one that wanted to talk to her, but the way were arranged. Jordan is standing next to Leo, but still close to me. Raina, and Cypress are on ether side of me. She’s never met Cypress before, and last she knew me and Raina weren’t friends. It seemed Raina was warming up to us.

“So. As you know me and Jordan are dating.” I start.

“Yeah.” She says,confused.

“And this is Cypress from RedCreek.” I say.

“Ok.” She says.

“And you wanted an explanation about why I left you after you fell. So here it is.” I take a breath. “We’re wolf-shifter.”

“Oh!” She says processing. “You wanted to eat me!” I flinch.

“I um-“

“No. We’re good. Yeah. Leaving was definitely the better option. No harm done. You can’t help it. Can you?” ‘Can you’ sounds sympathetic… or sad.

“Not all the time.” I admit. I clench my teeth.

“You know suddenly a lot of your behavior makes sense.” She says to Raina. Raina shrugs. “We’ve gone to school together for years I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out. Or at-least notice the pattern of behavior with you three.” We look at each other. “Your secrets safe with me. I’ll hunt when I go on trips with mom, or something. I don’t want you three as enemies. I care about Jordan to much.” She pauses. “Can I ask a few questions?”

“Ok.” Raina says guarded. Cypress looks to me. I nod.

“Rain are your parents wolf-shifters?”

“No. My great-great-great-grandfather was though.” She says.

“So do I need to add trigger warnings?” She looks at me, and Cypress when she asks.

“No.” I say after checking with the others.

“RedCreek was your pack?” She begins.

“Yes.” I say.

“Hunters?” She asks.

“Yes.” I say.

“So this makes Jordan your-?”

“Mate. Yes. That is certainly the term I prefer when amongst people I trust.” I state.

“Who else knows?” She says.

“Jordan’s family. Robin. V, and Ross.” I say.

“Mom says you saved Robins life.” She says. I shrug.

“That’s when he saw me shift.” I say.

“My family um- They have more of a connection with this.” He explains about his mom.

“Dude how could you not tell me!” Leo says.

“I wasn’t ever planning on telling anyone until I met Charlotte. I’m glad I get to tell you both finally.”

“Well.” Cheryl says to me. “You’ll have to go shopping with me, and Hollyne sometime.”