Searching for the Wolf

Mate. The word haunted her. The white wolf hadn’t explained any further and Maddie wasn’t sure she was ready to learn its full meaning. Did she have a choice in this? Did he? Was this even real? What did it mean for a human to be a wolf’s mate?

Maddie scrolled through yet another article that just didn’t fit. She’d come to the library first thing that morning to use the wifi. Article after article and she felt like her wolf was slipping further and further away.

“As if mythical wolves would have a website,” she muttered to herself.

“What’s that, dear?” Carol called from the front desk.

“Nothing, Carol!” She called back. She had already endured several prying questions, interrupted only by incoming postal customers.

Maddie clicked back to an article distinguishing werewolves and wolf shifters in literature.

Literature.

Old tales contrived by humans over the centuries to explain what they didn’t understand. Vampires were the human explanation of the Nachtsohne. And almost all that was incorrect. A fair amount had been directly manipulated by the clan. Why would werewolves and wolf shifters be any different?

“And how is Thaddeus doing today?” Carol said, as she started checking in a pile of books.

“He’s fine, Carol. Sleeping the day away as usual.”

Perhaps, the heart of it was true. Men changing into a wolf. Could her wolf have another form? A human form?

“It always was such a shame that he works nights. A good man, he is. Wouldn’t mind getting to see him around more often. Have you heard from your sister recently?”

“No, Carol.” She moaned. “I told you, we aren’t close.”

Maddie clicked to another site, praying someone else would come in, but then Taye stepped out of his office and crossed over to the large table.

“Hey,” he said, taking a seat across from her.

“Hi?”

“If I sit here, she’ll leave you alone.” He offered with a shrug, laying his book on the table and started reading silently. She watched him for a moment. He was back in his ranger uniform, the dark green contrasting with the dark olive tone of his skin. He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair as he settled into place.

If her wolf was a man…

She blinked, realizing she was starring and turned her attention back to her work.

For the next hour, Taye stayed at the table, only getting up to answer a few brief phone calls in his office. Sure enough, Carol left them both alone, though Maddie could feel her curious glances their way. After about an hour, Taye closed his book and leaned back.

“I gotta check the tails,” he said casually. “Wanna come or take your chances with Carol?”

Maddie glanced back towards Carol, whose eyes were bulging. Taye stood and headed towards the door. Maddie closed the laptop and grabbed her jacket. She left the laptop behind, fully confident it would be there upon her return. Something she would have never done back home, she realized with a shiver of delight in her new life.

“Hey look,” Maddie said after they had settled into a simple rhythm. “I’m not hiking alone.”

Taye smiled. It softened his angular features in a way that almost made him look cute. “Good girl, Trouble.”

“Are you ever going to stop calling me that?”

“Nope.” The word came out of him long and drawn out, a small pop landing on the end. His eyes glanced over to her with a small shimmer that made the late autumn air feel anything but cool. She glanced away from him, tucking a loose curl back into the messy bun she had thrown her hair in that morning. Suddenly, she wished she had paid closer attention to her appearance before heading out. “Unless you directly tell me not to.”

Maddie considered his words for a moment and let the matter drop. There were worse things he could have decided to call her. “So, where does this trail lead? Anywhere special?”

“Not really.”

They walked quietly, enjoying the fresh air. Maddie enjoyed the calm, breathing in the sweet pines as her boots crunched the dead leaves beneath her feet.

“Dare I ask what your doing on the computer?” Taye asked, breaking the silence. He walked with his face towards the ground, hands in his pockets. Maddie felt the air between them shift from calm to tense.

“Just…looking for a job.” It wasn’t a total lie; she had done a quick search for jobs in the area with no results.

Taye nodded. “Just ask Carol. She’ll know of any nearby. But you’ll need to learn to drive. There isn’t anything within walking distance.”

“I figured that.”

“And that didn’t take you long, so what else have you been doing?”

It was Maddie’s turn to feel tense. She didn’t want to draw any attention to her wolf, but she had to give him something, and a full lie might not get past him. “Local wildlife.”

It took a few steps for her to realize that Taye had stopped walking. She glanced over to see him standing, hands on hips, his eyebrows high and his jaw slack. “What? Is that so strange?”

“Maddie, I…” His face shifted between several emotions, none of which were clear until he stared up at the and let out a slow, deep breath. “Maddie, I’m a ranger, you know.”

“And?”

“And you’re researching wildlife but haven’t asked me a single question,” his voice dripped with a playful lit, but she didn’t buy it. She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to read behind whatever mask he was trying to wear. “I’m offended.”

“Fine. What types of animals live around here?”

“Deer.” He said as he started walking again.

“Anything else?” She asked, feeling like he was purposefully being vague.

“Squirrels.” Taye said with a smile, the air between them finally starting to lighten again.

“This is why I didn’t ask you.”

“Would you rather have a pamphlet?”

Maddie punched him teasingly on the arm, and his laughter broke through. She laughed too as a devilish idea took hold. Before he could blink, Maddie reached up and swiped his hat off his head, quickly darting a few paces ahead on the trail, spinning round.

“Wha-oh you did not!” He cried, but his eyes were sparkling, a playful grin spreading across his face. Maddie walked, backward, placing his hat on her head. It was too large, dipping low against her eyes.

“What?” she asked. “Doesn’t it look good on me?”

“Come back here you little-” He bolted to her and she turned, running as she laughed. He caught her from behind, both arms reaching around her and lifting her into the air. She kicked, squealing as Taye lost his balanced. They went down and she lost her grip on the hat. They rolled and Taye had her pinned to the ground.

“Gotcha!” he cried. “Little devil!”

Maddie squirmed beneath him, twisting to try and reclaim the hat, but then he tickled her side and she lost control.

“Stop! Stop!” She cried as tears of laughter blurred her vision. “Taye!”

“Payback, Trouble!”

She gasped for air as he stopped, but kept her pinned to the ground as their laughed slowly faded. The world stilled as Maddie looked up at him, his face hovering just above hers. His dark eyes were dancing, looking all over her as his breath slowed.

“You are nothing like Vivian.”

“About time someone noticed.” She smiled, letting her body relax. The air between them sparked. Maddie’s heart leapt as Taye’s face eased into something more serious. He leaned in closer, his lips almost touching hers. Desire fluttered through her. Then he blinked and pulled back.

Maddie’s body shuddered as the warmth of him pulled away, getting to his feet. She sat up, watching as he stood and gathered his hat; dusting it off and placing it back on his head. The spark she had seen in him, gone. Retreated back behind the invisible stone wall that was Ranger Redleaf.

“Come on, Maddie.” He said, his voice flat and restrained. “I gotta finish inspecting the trail.”