A growl in my throat wants to be a howl. The wind is in my fur. The scent of trees, grass, a light morning rain, and… smog. No matter how far I go from Chicago, the scent of the fucking city still lingers in the air.
I’m blowing off steam. Trying to make sense of what my brothers told me this morning. Hayden, Remy, and Wyatt showed up, eager to tell me about Ansley. Eager to let me know that she’s likely my mate, just like she’s their mate, because they all feel the same pull towards her.
But if I’m being honest, a mate is the last thing I want. Last thing I need in my life right now. I’ve found my place in this fucked up world.
Hayden’s the Alpha. Stronger, bigger, and built to lead. Remy’s a shadow in the night who moves so fast most never evenknow he’s there. Jaxton’s a broken shell, barely the brother I remember, but he’s a warrior. Almost as strong as Hayden. Wyatt is a scholar. He loves old books and scrolls, desperate to preserve a history the rest of the world has forgotten.
I’m sort of a wolf-of-all-trades. I embrace the modern world more than my brothers, even if there’s nothing like a run through the forest on four paws to clear my head. I embrace technology, learn from it, and use it to our advantage. Sometimes it’s surveillance. Sometimes it’s hacking. Sometimes technology isn’t enough, and I get bit by fucking vampires.
The phone in my backpack vibrates, reminding me that even out here in the peaceful forest, I’m still connected to the world I’m trying to take a break from.
I slow to a trot, then stop by a stream. My reflection stares back at me from the water. Silver-grey fur that simmers when the light catches the highlights that have almost turned white. There used to be more grey and black, similar to Hayden and Remy, but watching my parents die in front of me seemed to age me more than time ever could.
My fur shimmers silver-white when I begin to shift. Bones crack. Muscles flex. My fur recedes until there’s nothing left but body hair and a mane of silver that blows in the wind. My true Human Form.
I reach into my backpack, pull out my phone, and see I have a text from Hayden.
Hayden: Check the security footage from York Financial. A guy just left and there’s something unusual about him.
“Great,” I mutter, sitting down by the stream and yanking my laptop out of my bag.
Storm: I was on a run. Checking now. What does he look like?
Hayden: I haven’t seen him around before. Blond hair, nice suit, just check the footage from the last thirty minutes. You can’t miss him.
Storm: Sounds like an investor. Give me a minute.
This isn’t the first time Hayden has asked me to look into someone that made him uneasy since I installed the security cameras outside York Financial. Hayden is very protective of his mate, and that’s understandable. If I have the same pull towards Ansley that he does, I’ll feel the same way. I’m just not sure I’m ready for that.
I zoom through the footage until I locate a man leaving York Financial who matches Hayden’s description. I don’t recognize him at first, but once he gets closer to the cameras, I do. I remember him from when I worked at York Financial. He doesn’t look like he’s aged much, which is a little unusual, but he’s wealthy. People with that kind of money do strange things to maintain the illusion of youth.
Storm: Daniel Lumen. Definitely an investor. Nothing to worry about.
Hayden: You sure? What do you know about him?
Storm: He’s rich. He’s definitely not a vampire, unless he drinks money instead of blood.
Hayden: Okay, thank you.
Despite being a wolf-of-all-trades, my real strength is managing our finances. For a long time, it was just investments in stocks and bonds. Figuring out which companies showed promise and which ones were a waste of time. Then cryptocurrency changedeverything. I saw the potential early, invested heavily in it, and now… now I just invest our money to watch the numbers go up. We’ve got more than we could ever spend, although Hayden certainly tries with all the precautions he takes.
I stare at the frozen frame of Daniel Lumen for a moment longer, then close my laptop. If Hayden texts every time an investor he doesn’t recognize shows up at York Financial, I’ll never have another peaceful run unless Ansley’s safe in his bed.
“Time to get back to the city,” I sigh, slinging my backpack on, and shifting into my Natural Form.
I’ll enjoy the forest a little longer. My car is parked nearby, and I can get there faster if I run.
My brothers seem to think Ansley will be a perfect match for me because she works for York Financial. I’m not so sure. Yeah, it’s impressive for someone to get a job there right out of college. I worked there myself when it was the easiest way to get information about potential investments, before that information was freely available for everyone.
That doesn’t mean Ansley and I will have much in common. If anything, it might make things more awkward. I don’t enjoy sitting around discussing finance or money. It’s barely more than a hobby these days. And I used to have a relationship with Ansley’s boss. Fucking the Ice Queen was the best way to learn which companies she saw potential in.
Once I reach my car, I shift into my Third Form and get dressed. My car is a Porsche in a beautiful shade ofticket-me-if-you-can-catch-mered. It’s excessive, but so are all the safehouses spread all over the city. If Hayden is going to spend our money takingprecautions we’ll likely never need, I can spend my share on a nice car.
I let the engine roar once I get to the highway. The top is down. The wind is in my hair. It’s nothing like a run, but it still feels nice. Helps me forget about Ansley and what she’s doing to our pack. Everything’s changing, and I like things the way they are. Unfortunately, if she’s our mate, I don’t have much choice. If there’s a chance for us to have a future, I can’t ignore it, even if I’d like to.
There’s something eccentric about literally being part of a dying breed. Knowing that when your time is up, there will never be another one like you. Our kind are part of a world that has moved on from the days of living in caves and howling at the moon. The Crimson Templars made sure of that.
Once I’m close to The Den, I sense Remy. I park and walk inside. He’s watching the alerts I set up for the security cameras I installed in the area the vampires seem to have moved to. We’ve identified a few victims but haven’t spotted any vampires. Every trail we’ve followed recently has led to nothing.
