Page 81 of Shifter Situations

I didn’t want any part of her in my mouth.

As Dad walked out of the lodge and into the middle of the gathering, Briggs and I moved to flank him. Baylor stayed behind us, keeping his word to his brother.

I’d have babysitters during our run.

Fucking grand.

I glanced around at the attending faction alphas, dread crawling through me at the idea of shifting with the crowd. I nudged Baylor with my elbow, needing him to back up more so I had space to shed my skin.

The closest alphas gasped quietly as my paws hit the ground. It reinforced the fact that, no, I definitely had not shifted in front of any of them.

I shook my silver fur out, digging my claws into the dirt as I stretched my limbs. Everything felt so different outside of my skin, but I didn’t often spend time in my animal form. And when I did, it was only for a few minutes at a time.

It was overwhelming to my senses, and I didn’t enjoy the switch.

It was hard to explain. I just didn’t feel like myself after a long period of time on four legs, almost like my animal alter didn’t want to give control back. It was worrying, but something I’d never mentioned to anyone other than Jack.

We began to trickle into the forest, following the path to the denser parts.

I was hyper-aware of all the things around me as the rest of my senses heightened and sharpened.

The smells assaulted me first. The flora was sweet, while the decaying wood from fallen trees held a souring scent. The invasive kudzu was tangy and overpowering.

I bumped against Briggs as we trotted behind the Supreme Alpha.

He smelled of fresh pine and bergamot, two native floral species to the trails I’d traveled every time I’d visited North Fork.

His aroma was home.

One of them, anyway.

A few minutes into the trek, Dad fell back, trotting between Briggs and me before joining Baylor behind us.

Amid the quiet clattering of paws as the group ran through the underbrush, growls rang out. We already knew they weren’t happy, but this wasn’t their decision to make.

Briggs and I led them to the end of the trail, and then we stood stoic as they passed us to start their pursuit.

Dad held these monthly hunts as a tradition for the misfit pack that he led. Every month, alphas from around the world flew in to join. They were all required to visit at least once a year, but most of them came for the first summer hunt.

Even I could admit that the flower moon festival was a spectacular event.

Many of the packs were split by their subspecies, but Charlie King had a large and diverse pack that was loyal to him.

Polar bears stayed in packs in the north, tigers were mostly in Asia, reptile shifters were usually found near water or deserts. But they could all be found here in North Fork.

I heard the first yips of victory as the shifters began chasing and catching their prey. The forest was busy tonight, and the sound of crunching bones echoed around us ominously.

We began hunting our own prey, but my nose kept bringing me back to the group. The rabbit in front of me was not what I wanted to be tracking. Every time I tried to veer off to hunt down my real prey, Briggs or Baylor would shoulder check me.

I could taste the rabbit’s fear as I drew closer, but it wasn’t the same. I didn’t want the little creature. It was too innocent, too pure and sweet and simple.

I wanted the complex feelings of fright and anxiety. I wanted to feel the exact moment the human brain realized it was a predator’s prey.

I wanted to kill Anna.

When I moved to the left, Briggs pushed his shoulder into my side, keeping me from following my instincts again.

I couldn’t figure out why they kept stopping me.