MIRACLE WOLF FOR
CHRISTMAS
Kalispell Shifters, 12
Vanessa Devereaux
Copyright © 2015
Chapter One
Kent
took off at top speed, feeling the wind slice through his pelt. He put his nose
up into the air and inhaled. Snow was on its way. He looked down into the
valley beneath him. Big Sky Country sure was beautiful, especially at this time
of the year. It was as if nature had specifically created it just for wolves.
He ran again, this time dodging some fallen logs and low hanging branches. In
all honesty, he hadn’t enjoyed himself this much since his last visit to
Kalispell. Running with a pack would have been a lot more enjoyable, but most
of the other wolf shifters had been somewhat of party poopers and left him all
by his lonesome about an hour ago.
Okay,
it was Christmas Eve. He’d give them that, but when did these guys become so
human-like that they needed to head home to wrap the last of the gifts or put
even more of that sparkling crap on trees that belonged outside, not in? This
was the proper way for a shifter to spend the holiday. Outside in nature, and
running amid trees too fucking big to fit inside a house.
Kent
looked to the west. The sun was getting lower in the sky and he wanted to enjoy
what was left of the day doing some more running. It had started to snow and
there was nothing he liked better than feeling the cold droplets hit his pelt.
He
stopped for a few minutes and looked down on the valley housing Kalispell. Kent
had thought he’d come back just for a short visit to see his cousin, but the
beauty of the place made him think about making this a permanent move. The town
had a larger share of shifters than anywhere else he’d been. He liked being
around his own kind.
Lots
of things had changed since he’d been away. Shifters marrying humans, for a
start. One by one, including his cousin Nick, had succumbed to the temptation.
Not that he had anything in particular against shifters who favored humans, but
somehow, it didn’t seem right. Shifters belonged with shifters, period. Sure,
all their mates seemed nice enough, but it had started a fire. In the wolf
shifter community, there was even talk of a war brewing. Some packs were
thinking of going out on their own and not being part of the Kalispell Shifters
now that the humans were starting to infiltrate and breed with them. Word was
it was just a matter of time before everything fell to pieces and these humans gave
away their secrets.
He
put his nose into the air, getting the odor of real wolves and quite a few of
them. Not that they’d be any trouble for an alpha like him, but he knew that a
lone wolf didn’t sit pretty with a pack and could lead to trouble.
Kent
decided to sprint down the hill and into a thick set of trees close to a
stream. Despite the time of year, and the current temperature, the water still
ran freely. He leaned over and took a sip. Cleanest, freshest he’d tasted in a
long time. Yeah, it was good to be back.
The
sun slid farther down on the horizon. He didn’t want to be out running for much
longer. Nick and his wife Ava had asked him to spend Christmas Day with them to
help celebrate their daughter’s first holiday. He’d accepted, but only for his cousin’s sake. Family was family, even
if said family had married an outsider. Kent had even brought a dress and toy
for the baby. After all, it wasn’t her fault she was half human.
Kent
made his way back close to where he’d parked his car. He planned to drive to
the hotel, watch some movies, open a bottle of wine, and relax before he had to
socialize tomorrow.
He’d
left his clothes in his car and had pulled into a turnaround spot where no one
would easily see him. It was about a five minute run, and soon he’d be sipping
wine and chilling.
****
Ally
hit the brakes, looking at the road ahead. Part of her knew she’d done the
right thing by telling Axel she’d man the center over the holidays. The other
half wanted to
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