Free Wolf Lake (Werewolf / Shifter Romance) by Mac Flynn Page B

predator in the area? Maybe a wolf roaming Wolf Lake?
    Was my blossoming boyfriend some sort of wolf nut who didn't want anyone to know about a wild beast in the area? If so, he was doing a poor job of it. The cow on the side of the road told the farmers all they needed to know except where to find the wolf. Maybe Will knew that, too, but I was getting into pure speculation territory with that guess.
    Crack .
    I froze. That didn't sound like my friendly neighborhood squirrel coming to meet me. It sounded like my not-so-friendly neighborhood bear coming to maul me. I slowly turned toward the source of the noise, a few yards below me, and my eyes fell on nothing. Well, there was the brush and the trees, but other than that there was nothing to catch my suspicion. Seeing nothing didn't give me any comfort. On the contrary, it brought up all kinds of horrible images of cougars laying in wait and the smarter-than-your-average-bear hunkered down prepared to give me the hug of a lifetime.
    My heart thumped so loudly in my chest I wondered if it rang across the lake. I took a cautious step forward. Nothing. Another step and a twig snapped beneath my foot. That was the sound of the gun for me and I raced down the hillside to the safety of civilization. I flew from the path and stumbled onto the road. It was midmorning by this time and the lake was alive with the families and friends enjoying themselves. Never had such friendly sounds been so welcome to my ears.
    I caught my breath, or rather my breath caught up to me, and I glanced back up the trail. Nothing stirred, not even a mouse. Either I'd imagined the crack, or whatever it was hadn't cared to make my acquaintance. Either way the outcome was to my benefit, and I promised myself that come the Wolf Hunt I would be safe and sound on the road.
    Speaking of wolf, I looked to the lake and Will's cabin. It was dark and silent. Maybe they hadn't noticed me barreling out of the brush. I hurried into my own with the promise of a hot shower waiting for me.

Chapter 2
     
    The shower was gleefully taken, and I stepped out in a clean pair of clothes and the nightmare of the crack behind me. There was still the mystery surrounding my neighbor, but as I thought about it I had less to fear from him now than before. He hadn't murdered someone and dropped their body into the lake, he'd just been dumping the body of a mutilated animal into the lake. You know, nothing strange, unusual, or grotesquely, morbidly freaky about that.
    Who was I kidding? Not myself. Will's actions screamed weirdo, and I was fast becoming his sole source of attention. It was times like these I wished Will was gay, but that was a reality in a different universe. Mine had the heterosexual version, and he was interested in me. A blind man could see it. I sighed and shook my head. All this thinking during my vacation hurt.
    The air of my cabin and the solitude were oppressive, so I slipped onto the back porch and sat down in one of the wicker rockers. My mind buzzed with thoughts of my strange, handsome neighbor and his stranger manservant. I couldn't wrap my mind around why they'd go to all that trouble for a wolf. Cleaning up the woods without a vacuum cleaner and packing the evidence down the hill was bad enough, but they must have done it during the night, too. I couldn't figure out how they'd done such a thorough job with their only light being from a lantern or a flashlight.
    "Thinking thoughts too great for Man?" a voice spoke up.
    I jumped to my feet and swung around to find Will standing two feet away from me. Will was partially covered by the shadows of the porch roof and I swear his eyes glowed in the faint darkness. He took a step toward me and I stumbled back. My foot caught the leg of the chair and I fell onto my rear on the hard boards.
    Will hurried over to me and offered me his hand. "Are you all right?" he asked me.
    "I-I'm fine. You just startled me," I replied. I ignored his hand and climbed to my feet.