Accidentally Wolf (5 page)

“
Most people don
’
t feel that way about preternatural creatures. We
’
re something that humans don
’
t understand.
”

“
I guess, just never sa
w
it that way.
”
And I hadn
’
t. People were people. So what if a few nights of the month they were furry or had powers becau
se of their religion like some Voodoo P
riestess
?
I didn
’
t give a shit what people did off the clock.

“
I would think that
’
s what makes you so good at your job, Thomas,
”
he said softly.
“
Maybe you
’
re not cold at all
.
Y
ou
’
re just not as judgmental as the rest of humanity.
”

“
Hell if I know, sir.
”

“
I
’
ll have our most recent up
-
to
-
date files on all supernatural creatures sent over to your email, Thomas. Also I
’
ll have the local
Alpha
call you
—”

“
Alpha
?
”
I asked
sharply,
interrupting him.

“
The local werewolf pack leader,
”
he
explained
.
“
I
’
ll have him call you.
”

“
Wait, why would he call me?
”

“
I
’
m obligated to let him know of another wolf in the area,
”
he replied.

“
As Chief of the FBI or as a local vampire?
”
I had a feeling I wouldn
’
t like the answer and there was going to be a lot more bullshit politics that came with being a shifter. Something I had no patience for and wouldn
’
t just fall in line with it because someone told me to. My job had me following rules and orders all the time. That was fine. I signed up for that. In my personal life? No
friggin
way.

“
Local vampire, why?
”
h
e asked hesitantly.

“
A local vampire wouldn
’
t have access to FBI personnel files, sir,
”
I answered.
“
I don
’
t think you
’
re at liberty to share that information.
”

“
You don
’
t want the local
Alpha
to know who you are? Why not?
”
Monroe sounded curious, not annoyed that I was questioning him or judgmental at my break from the normal behavior he was used to.

“
Look, to be frank, sir
.
”
I t
ook
a deep breath before continuing.
“
I may be a
werewolf
, we
’
ll find out soon enough. But that doesn
’
t mean that I want to get involved in becoming buddies with the local shifters. I don
’
t have time for a social life. I take my job very seriously
.
I don
’
t need to join a frat full of werewolves.
”

“
If that
’
s what you want, Thomas,
”
he replied sighing.
“
Most new shifters want to meet others of their kind. They can help your transition into your new life in ways reports can
’
t.
”

“
I appreciate your concern, but
,
for now, I think I
’
ll stick to doing things my way.
”

“
Okay, Thomas, if you need anything let me know.
”

“
Thank you sir, have a nice day
.
”
I
was so
ready for this conversation to be over.

“
You
,
too,
”
he finished
before
hanging up.
The click registered in my ear, and I set the phone down on the counter.
I couldn
’
t really blame him for not sounding too happy with me, but that didn
’
t mean I was going to back down and let the local pack
get
involved in my life.

As I sat down with my breakfast, I was very aware of my injuries healing. It felt like having tight muscles
I
just c
ould
n
’
t seem to stretch out, all over my back. Added to that, I seemed to feel itchy without the need to scratch. I booted up my laptop at the kitchen table, while enjoying my simple bagel and coffee. It seemed I was starving. Guess a day of
nothing more than
IV fluids could leave
me
feeling hungry.

After my computer was up and emails
were
loading, I decided to scramble up a few eggs. Normally I wasn
’
t much into breakfast, but I seemed to be really hungry. Once the extended version of my breakfast was ready, I sat down to read all the reports Chief Monroe had already emailed.

That
’
s when I learned the
itchy
feeling I had earlier was the need to shift. When I got annoyed or angry
,
it seemed my inner wolf would want to come out and play. So, that would be the control I needed to learn, otherwise every time I got pissed off I would shift into a wolf.

The next time I looked up from my reading, it was dark outside. I had finished every report I had been sent, along with most of the food in my refrigerator. Well, no time like the present to try out what I had learned. I stood in the middle of my living room
and tried to imagine myself as a wolf. I rode the feeling and
felt
the energy crawl along my skin.

I heard clothes ripping and wanted to smack myself in the head for not thinking of undressing first. There were shooting pains throughout my body as I felt myself reconfiguring. Moments later
,
I was on all fours and very fu
r
ry. Wow, this was something I
’
d never experienced before. I closed my eyes and focused on being human again.

It was slower this time, but again I felt the pain of my body changing forms. I collapsed on the floor, naked among
the delicate
purple
cotton shreds of
what were once my pajamas. Needless to say
,
I felt completely exhausted and shocked.

According to everything I had just read, I wasn
’
t supposed to be able to do what I just did. The reports said it took the first full moon for a
l
ycanthrope to be able to shift. Even then
,
they were trapped in their animal for six to eight hours before the
y got their wolf out of their system and
changed back
, tired and drained of energy
.

So what did that mean for me?

I didn
’
t have a clue. But it scared the shit out of me. As I stood up and headed for bed, one thing became clear to me. I wasn
’
t about to tell anyone I could shift like that. Either something was wrong with the reports, which didn
’
t seem likely. Or I was way more powerful than a new shifter should be. Whatever it was, it didn
’
t seem like something I should share.

****

The next week all I did was work at my new shifting capabilities. I found I could shift between human and wolf with only minimal cost to myself. Something to eat and a nap and I was back to full strength,
experiencing
no real lasting effects. I also learned
after trial and error
that I could change into a third form, half
-
wolf half
-
woman.

In that form, I was at least seven and a half feet tall, covered in
blonde
fur with quite the muzzle. But at least I could talk, whereas I couldn
’
t in straight wolf form. Since I was covered in fur, I didn
’
t feel as naked. Granted I was, but fur covered
my groin
from view and my nipples. My breast
s
didn
’
t seem to grow with me, rather becoming more compact and closer to my body. It was like I went from my normal 36D to a 40B.

After that week
,
I figured it was time to finally leave my apartment. I had long since healed, and I was completely out of food. Ordering take
-
out was how I
’
d
got
ten
food
the last few days and I was tired of it.

Since it was Friday, I decided my old office would be fairly empty
,
w
hich made it a perfect time to
clean out
my old desk. I headed downstairs and got into my
blackberry
pearl blue 201
2
Dodge Charger. Not having many expenses and drawing in a decent paycheck, my car was the one thing I
went all out
on. Plus I just loved the power of a Hemi V8.

After the short drive, I pulled into the office
building parking lot. Only to find my normal designated spot was taken by Agent Frank
’
s car. Well
,
wasn
’
t that just the icing on the cake? I get hurt saving his ass, get transferred, and he gets my parking space. Guess that made me a visitor now, so I pulled into one of the spots at the front of the building.

I headed up to the third floor where my office used to be. Getting off the elevator
,
I walked quickly in that direction but came to a halt when my office came into view. Agent Frank was packing up my office, clearly visible through the glass walls. Now I was pissed. I stormed over to the doorway and barely held back the growl I felt trying to escape me.

“
Do
n
’
t waste any
time, do you Frank
?
”
I sneered
,
stalking over to him.

“
Jesus, Thomas, I didn
’
t see you there,
”
he answered
,
taking a step away from me.
“
I was just trying to help. I figured you wouldn
’
t want to spend time here packing everything up.
”

“
Yeah, of course. That way you could move in quicker
,
too.
”
I didn
’
t bother to hide the venom dripping
in
my tone. What a douche. I can
’
t believe I
’
d thought us to be friends.

“
It
’
s not like that, Thomas.
”

“
Really?
”
I asked with feigned shock
.
“
A
lready in my parking spot and now cleaning out my office. Great way to spend your time since you didn
’
t spend it visiting me in the hospital. Or calling to see how I was after getting hurt saving your sorry ass.
”

“
Look, I appreciate what you did for me, I do,
”
Frank answered me.

“
I hear a
but
coming…
”

“
But you should have known they were shifters.
”
His eyes narrowed in accusation like I
’
d set this whole thing up. Yeah, because if I was sitting at home at night making nefarious plans
,
they would end up with
my
life getting ruined.