Under an Alaskan Moon (Sample)

Chapter 5

Faye finished giving Wolfie a bath and was toweling him dry when her cellphone rang.

"Hang on," she instructed, "Don't move."

She backed out of the bathroom, giving him a warning with her eyes that promised death if he dared move. Dashing to the nightstand, she grabbed her phone off the charger and answered, "Hello?"

Colin shivered in the bathroom, whining softly when the blonde woman didn't finish drying him. Bloody hell it was cold! He shifted so he was lying down on the soft blue rug by the tub and laid his nose on his paws forlornly.

His ears perked up when she walked back into the bathroom, but he made sure she knew from his facial expression how disgruntled he was that she left him to freeze. She laughed at him but then grabbed the towel to finish drying him.

"That was my friend," she murmured as she toweled his back, "She wants me to pick up an extra shift at the Crazy Moose tonight."

Colin huffed not really paying attention as his eyes drifted closed. Faye regarded his damp fur a moment with furrowed eyebrows before her eyes lit up with an idea.

"Hold on Wolfie," said Faye, "Stay still!"

Colin jumped when a loud noise right by his ear roared to life. With a startled yelp, he twisted and clawed at the door. "Easy!" Yelled Faye, "It's just a hair dryer. Calm down!"

Colin looked warily at the red instrument of torture coming straight at him. He froze in surprise as he felt warm air blow over his fur, ruffling it.

"See," cooed Faye, kissing his nose, "That's not too bad is it."

Colin registered nothing else past her pressing her lips to his nose. His eyes drifted closed as he relaxed, loving the feeling of her hands running through his fur.

Faye finished drying Wolfie completely and got herself ready to go, stripping out of her clothes and grabbing a pair of jeans and a Henley to pair with her boots. She laughed when Wolfie covered his eyes with his paws.

Colin groaned when she stripped in front of him and quickly plopped down on the floor and covered his eyes. He had a feeling she would shoot him if he ever did Change and she found out he had seen her naked.

A few minutes later, he followed her out to her car and hopped into the passenger seat. He had ridden in a car before but it had been a very long time.

Thirty minutes later, they pulled to a stop behind a quaint little used bookstore called Heidi's.

Faye knelt down in front of Colin a moment under the awning outside the employees entrance. "Please, please, be good for me okay? I'll get you some more food later so you don't feel required to eat another of my chickens," she said.

Colin hung his head as she mentioned chickens but gave her a lick on the cheek, promising to behave like a model dog. They entered the shop, Faye's hand resting on Colin's head and he walking protectively by her side.

"Is that my favorite employee?" called a man's voice.

Faye hung up her coat on the hook inside the door and answered with a laugh, "Yes sir! I'm also your only employee."

Colin watched as a tall older man with a beard stepped into the back room. He instantly liked the bearded walking mountain but cocked his head as he looked at the man. This man was obviously not Heidi so who was he? He didn't look like he belonged in the tiny little bookshop with his beard, flannel shirt and jeans.

Colin sat by Faye's feet and the man asked, "Faye, what's this?"

His eyes fixed on the wolf while Colin stared at the blonde woman. Her name was Faye. Beautiful. "Oh him?" Asked Faye, patting Wolfie affectionately, "This is Wolfie."

"He looks like he's starving," commented the man.

"Yeah Reggie," said Faye with a frown rubbing Wolfie's ears, "Found him outside the cabin last night. Poor thing was about to freeze. So I took him in and fed him last night. Gave the big stinker a bath this morning."

"You invited a starving wolf into your house," asked Reggie incredulously, "Are you crazy girl? This fella coulda bit your head off."

"Now you wouldn't do that now would you Wolfie," cooed Faye kneeling down to hug Colin, grinning up at Reggie, "Look at him he's adorable."

Colin internally blushed at the way he must have looked staring up at Faye when she stood. But honestly she was a goddess and her fingers touching his fur was euphoric. His eyes drooped as he leaned against her leg and his tail thumped on the linoleum floor.

"He looks like a lil 'ol puppy," grunted Reggie, leaning down and offering his fingers for Wolfie to sniff.

Colin complied wanting to determine if the man was as harmless as he seemed despite his enormous size. But he edged away when Reggie tried to pet him. Reggie frowned as Faye looked smug.

"What'd you do to 'em?" Asked Reggie bewildered, "He won't let me pet 'em."

Faye shrugged, grinning. "Maybe he's a one woman wolf."

Colin laughed at her possessive gesture and shoved his head between her knees his tongue lolling out as he grinned up at her. "He's laughing at me," said Reggie with a frown.

Faye shrugged, petting Wolfie, and said, "Maybe he thinks you look funny."

"Hardy har har," grunted Reggie, "Go get busy. Heidi is behind the counter making a fresh pot of coffee. Help yourself."

"Alright," said Faye, grabbing her green apron off the hook, "see ya Reggie."

Reggie nodded at her and then tried to pet Wolfie again. Colin dove behind Faye's legs. He liked the idea of Faye being the only one to pet him; to put her hands on him.

Reggie grabbed his jacket and disappeared out the door. Colin followed Faye into the other room, looking around curiously.

On one side of the room was a small coffee shop with two tables. The other side was rows upon rows of sagging bookshelves. Colin was hit with a sudden longing. It had been decades since he had last been able to read a book.

He whined, trotting over to stand staring up at one of the shelves. He could read the titles. A Tale of Two Cities had always been his favorite book to read. He also enjoyed Edgar Allan Poe's short stories. And don't even get him started on any of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

Faye watched as her good tempered Wolfie seemed to grow sad. He disappeared into the back room, his tail drooping.

"That your wolf?" Asked Heidi, pouring water into the commercial coffee maker.

"Yeah," answered Faye, turning back to the older woman behind the counter with a smile, "He's not very sociable with anyone but me. I found him last night."

Heidi smiled, "So I heard you tell my hubby. But really, girl, Wolfie was the best you could come up with?"

"Hey," Faye chuckled, "Don't make fun of my naming skills."

Colin heard them from where he lay in the back room, nose on paws, and felt oddly protective of his name. Faye, his beautiful mate had given it to him, and his wolf, previously just an entity within him, another part of his soul, claimed the name and loved it.

Faye grabbed the stack of books that needed to be reshelved and got to work, kneeling down on the floor to reach the lower shelves. A few minutes later, she felt a cold nose against her neck. And she giggled, falling on her backside. Gently, she pushed Wolfie away, frowning half-heartedly at him when he plopped his head down in her lap, blinking his big golden eyes up at her entreatingly.

"Wolfie," she rebuked, "I'm trying to work."

All she got was a whine before she leaned down and asked, softly, "What's wrong, boy?"

........

Welcome back my happy little shapeshifters!!! Thank you so much for the amount of reads and votes I've received on this book. I'm blown away! I'm having so much fun writing this it's great to know other people enjoy reading it!

Anyway back to the important stuff... Please vote and comment and I'll see you in the next chapter!

Sincerely,

Scarlett McLeod