Scarlett: Furry Tale Shifters

by Nicky Fox

  “Go!” the announcer yells.

  The two men are by far the fastest and race up the trunk like a couple of chipmunks. I’m surprised by these two massive men’s agility. In one minute and thirty seconds the victor is crowned.

  “Paul Hemlock is the winner! The Ax of Glory goes to Paul seven years in a row now. Congrats!” I rush over to Paul and jump up on him. He catches me and before he can say anything I kiss him. He’s hot and sweaty but I’m so happy for him I don’t care. Woodchips cling to his body and he carries a few scratches that I try not to touch. He’s completely oblivious to anyone but me.

  “Hey, Red. Did you enjoy the show?” I hold on to Paul tighter as I nod my head. I’m too excited to speak. I have my lumberjack.

  Chapter 11

  Paul

  I’ve never had to work so hard for a lumberjack competition. Max brought his A game, but I knew I would win in the end. I do this for a living. Wood is in my bones. I eat woodchips for breakfast. I’m not a bear shifter for nothing. Seeing Scarlett’s reaction to me winning made my heart leap. I won it for her this year to help pay for the maintenance on her house. I can’t wait to get started. With the money from my winnings, I can set up her house pretty nice.

  The next week goes by quickly with my days spent working at the lumber site and my nights working on Scarlett’s house. We barely spend any time together though. The delivery business she has is bustling, and she doesn’t get home until dark, which worries me. I’ve expressed my concern to her, but she waves me off and says she’s safe on the road to her home. I’m not so sure. Christmas is almost upon us and since Scarlett is the local delivery girl, many people have been requesting her to deliver packages as well. She’s making a killing. I know she’s saving it to pay me for my work but it’ll be a good nest egg for her. She needs savings.

  I finally finish early at her place one night and decide to come home to get some rest for the evening. A knock on my door surprises me at this late hour. I head toward the door and am even more surprised by the person there.

  “Scarlett, what are you doing here?” I’d never thought to invite her to my home since hers needed so much work. Also, that last summer she spent a lot of time here. I didn’t want to dig up those memories for her. Honestly, I don’t want her to remember.

  “Hi. I didn’t know you lived here.” She seems as surprised as I am. “I have a delivery for you.” She looks confused as she gives me a shopping bag and a note. Grabbing the bag out of her hands, I’m the one who’s confused. A box of condoms is in the bag, nothing else. “The note reads, see you later.” Her arms cross over her chest as I realize what this looks like. Someone is fucking with me or setting me up, and I think I knew who.

  “I know what this looks like, but I think Max Wolf is setting me up. There is no one else, and I didn’t order these.” I’m not sure she believes me, it seems she’s teetering on the edge.

  “I took the call, it was a woman who ordered the delivery.” Red looks hurt and troubled. I can’t have that.

  “I haven’t been with a girl since you left.” My eyes close as I let that last word slip out. Oh shit. With that one lapse of thought I’ve just revealed that we used to know each other. This one delivery has just ruined everything.

  “What do you mean since I left?” She looks around the house and then back at me. “No!” Scarlett gasps.

  I can tell her mind is reeling. Damn it. I didn’t want to tell her like this. “Junior?” Red’s hands cover her mouth in shock. I hold my hands out in front of me to calm her down.

  “I can explain, Red.” She shakes her head and moves away from me.

  “No! I can’t believe you’ve been lying to me this whole time. How could you? You knew, and you never said anything. You broke my heart all those years ago and thought we could start over? Did you expect me to never find out?” Every time I open my mouth to say something, she asks another question. Scarlett is pacing back and forth and wringing her hands. Her face is even more heartbreaking. It’s like that summer all over again. “Junior?” Her voice cracks on that last word and it cracks my own heart in two.

  “Look, Red . . .” She holds her hand up for me to stop and shakes her head with tears in her eyes.

  “No, I really don’t want to hear it, Junior.” She puts emphasis on the last word spoken. “I’m guessing you don’t go by that anymore?” Her hands land on her hips. I don’t know what to say. I don’t even have a good excuse. She’s right. I’m a total asshole for thinking we could start over.

  “My dad died, so I’m just Paul now.” I don’t want her sympathy right now, but it answers her question. She nods as tears spill onto her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry about your dad. And I’m sorry, I just can’t do this.” She walks away into the dead of night and out of my life. My Red. My mate is out of my grasp again. This time will be different. This time, I’ll fight for her.

  The last couple of days are a blur. I can only recall her leaving me on that bike of hers, her red jacket billowing in the wind as she took my heart with her. I feel dead. Jacob gave me some moonshine a few months back, but I never touched it until the other night. I drank the whole container; I’m a shifter so I burn alcohol very quickly. In order for me to get sloppy drunk, I have to chug a whole keg, which is pretty much what I did.

  I smell another shifter close by but I can tell it’s a bear, most likely Ben. I groan as I try to get up off the floor; I have no idea how I got there.

  “Ya dead, man?” Ben saunters in through my door which is wide open. Who knows what I was up to while I was drunk. I haven’t been this hungover since I was a teen cub. I groan again. “Do you remember anything?” He lies out on my living room floor and now it looks like I have a bearskin rug. He’s shaggy from being in the wild and not taking very good care of himself. We’re a pitiful bunch of bear shifters. My bear is submerged, disappointed in my behavior. The blame rests with me. I should’ve just told her and tried to win her back instead of deceiving her.

  “No,” I mumble from the floor.

  “Well, you were outside naked when I found you. So, I don’t know if you shifted or if you were channeling your inner exhibitionist. I sensed wolves nearby too. Let’s hope you didn’t get into a brawl with those wolves. They probably would’ve scratched you deep enough there would still be wounds.” Shifters heal very quickly. Ben’s right. I don’t scent any wolf on me either. Who knows what I got into last night. Damn. I sit up and notice I’m still naked. Being shifters, we’re used to nakedness, but I haven’t shifted in so long I feel uncomfortable like this in front of Ben. I haven’t seen him naked ever, so there’s that too.

  Grabbing a pillow off my couch, I cover my crotch and tiptoe to my bedroom. Once I’m decent, I return to the living room to find Ben curled up on the floor asleep.

  “I can feel you staring at me. If you say I’m cute, I’m going to punch you in the face.” A laugh escapes my lips and just like that, Ben has lifted my spirits somewhat. I sink down on to the couch and sigh. My body aches and I still feel like shit. Rubbing my hands roughly over my face, I try to wake myself up a bit more.

  “What am I going to do, man? She won’t even talk to me. When I try to go by the flower shop, I come to the Firn and Rose wall. They won’t let me pass. I’ve caught her on her bike but she pedals harder past me. I can’t even send her flowers to say sorry because she works there. Oh, and she’s the delivery girl for basically the whole town so I can’t even have chocolates or cookies sent to her.”

  “Shut up.” Ben rises up and gets in my face. “You found your mate. Stop whining about woe is me and go get her. YOU can deliver chocolates to her, you dumbass.” My mouth gapes open at Ben’s outburst. He shakes his head and backs up. “Look, I didn’t tell you this the other day, but I think I scented my mate at the lumberjack competition. I’ve been getting closer and closer to town to try to catch her again but I’ve had no luck. You already know who your mate is. You just need to win her back. I’m sure she’ll forgive you in ti
me. You just need to begin to pull your head out of your ass.” Ben has a point. I’m not usually like this. If I want something I put the work in. It shouldn’t be any different for my mate. She’s my priority. Wait.

  “You found your mate?” My ears perk up. If it’s true, I’m excited for my friend.

  “I picked up her scent, not exactly found her. I haven’t found her aroma in the area since. She’s evading me. I’ll find her though. Enough about me, what are you going to do?”

  Nodding my head, I reply, “I have a few things up my sleeve.”

  Chapter 12

  Scarlett

  “So apparently, he has a beard now and a massive body and he doesn’t even go by the same name! I knew those eyes looked familiar.” I slam the vase down on the table almost breaking it. Firn and Rose just watch me, afraid of my next move. I know they’re walking on eggshells and I feel guilty. I’ve been a wreck the past couple of days. I just can’t get over what happened on that delivery. I don’t even know what to think anymore. It’s like the rug was lifted out from under me. “What was up with the condom delivery? I mean seriously? UGH!” I cry out.

  Firn hides behind her book and Rose acts busy. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to . . .” Tears threaten to spill again and I glance up at the ceiling to cease them. “I just thought he was forever like I did when I was young. Nothing has changed. I haven’t learned my lesson, obviously. I’m still the young girl standing there heartbroken.” Sobbing on that last word, Firn drops her book on the counter and rushes over to me. Rose joins us. We’re all hugging it out and it feels good to have support like this from your friends. I’ve never had close friends like these two. The comfort is much needed. I lean my hand on Firn’s shoulder for support.

  “Look, sweetie. We’ve been there. Guys are assholes. They never know what they have until they lose it . . .” she trails off, her face sorry. “Some guys don’t learn the first time, I guess.” Rose shrugs her shoulders. Pulling away from them, I wipe the tears from my cheeks.

  “Damn it. And damn him!”

  “Anger is the second step in a breakup,” Firn whispers to her sister.

  “What?”

  “You’re already on the second step. Good for you, girl. You’re moving on.” Firn smiles like she’s proud of me. That does it. I burst into tears on her shoulder.

  “Paul said he was proud of me too.”

  “Hmm, maybe she’s not at the angry stage yet.”

  “That jerk,” I wail. Rose and Firn nod at each other.

  Then the phone rings.

  Delivery for Mr. Wolf my ass. Max probably heard we broke up and is ready to swoop in. I’m not in the mood to even talk to a guy, let alone Mr. Wolf. I’m the only delivery girl though and Rose and Firn are working on a big order for the mayor’s wife. She’s having a Christmas party and needs her home decked out in flowers for the shindig.

  Parking my bike next to the building, I look up and face my fate. Ugh. I don’t wanna. I stomp my foot on the pavement like a two-year-old and grab the arrangement from my basket. I’d ruffle the flowers but I don’t want Rose’s hard work to be for nothing. I sigh and tread up the stairs to his office. This time there’s a receptionist at the desk. I haven’t seen her around town, she must be new around here.

  “Hello, I have a delivery for Mr. Wolf. Should I just leave it here?” Usually, receptionists just accept all the deliveries and send me on my way. I’m hoping luck is on my side today and I don’t have to see that creep.

  “I have instructions to send you through, Ms. Bonet.” Damn it. Is this my unluckiest week ever or what? I can’t catch a break. My body sags, and I heft the vase on my hip to make the trip to the back of the office. The whole office is bustling today, unlike the last time I delivered here. I don’t notice any other female employees though. They’re all men in suits. In fact, they all look similar in that they have the same physique. It’s weird, reminding me of Stepford wives or something. I get to the head honcho’s door and hesitate to knock. Maybe I could just plant the flowers in front of his door. I laugh at the visual of him tripping over them as he exits. I hold my hand up to knock when it swings open.

  “Well, Ms. Scarlett what are you doing hovering at my door? Please, come in.” How did he? I guess the receptionist let him know I was on my way. Well, let’s get this over with. I walk in and set the flowers down on his desk. It looks more like a Christmas arrangement with red and white poinsettias mixed in with roses. Rose really is talented. Too bad it’s wasted on this chump.

  “Here’s your delivery, Mr. Wolf.” I don’t know what else to say. We don’t have anything in common and all I want to do when I’m around him is run to get away from him.

  “Thank you, my compliments to Ms. Rose. Another beautiful arrangement.” His arm extends for me to sit in one of the two chairs in front of his desk as he shuts his office door. He wants me to sit?

  “Oh, Mr. Wolf, I have a lot of other deliveries today. It’s Christmas season as you know.” I shuffle sideways toward the door but his arm juts out stopping my progress. He leans in.

  “I heard you and Mr. Hemlock called it quits. I’m sorry to hear that.” How did he hear that? Do these guys in suits like to gossip or something?

  “Are you?” I huff. This guy has some balls talking to me about my relationship with Paul. I really don’t need this right now. He doesn’t answer. Max just smiles as I take in his perfect white pointy teeth. Wolf, my mind screams. Peeking up into his eyes, I see they’re the blackest I’ve ever seen them. His pupils aren’t even visible. Max looks inhuman. Cornered in his office, the urge to flee rises. Boundaries are being pushed when his face comes within an inch of mine. I’m breathing heavy because this guy is unpredictable. There’s no telling what he’ll do.

  I’m further appalled when he leans in toward my neck and rubs his nose there, in a gentle caress. “Please, Mr. Wolf . . .” My mouth isn’t working properly and I’m unable to finish my sentence. A hypnotic spell, that’s what I feel like I’m under. I can’t move. Then, with his mouth open wide, showing me his teeth, he bites down hard on my neck. Max’s hand comes to rest on the other side as he digs his teeth in. I yelp in pain and I’m sure I feel the wetness of blood. He laps at the prick while my head feels light. His wet tongue feels like sandpaper against my skin. A floating sensation comes over me and soon my body betrays me by leaning into his torso.

  “That’s right, Scarlett. Let it claim you,” Max whispers in my ear. It feels like hours before my head clears enough that I can push Mr. Wolf off of me. I’m confused and my body feels weird, heavy. Did he drug me? Maybe he didn’t bite me. Maybe he used a syringe and injected me with some kind of roofie? When the cotton mouth feeling subsides I’m able to confront him, pushing him away.

  “Don’t you ever touch me again!” Wanting to get out of his office immediately, I rush to the door as best as I can in my state and swing it open. I don’t stop to talk to anyone. My only goal is to get out of this building and to my bike. If I’m not mistaken, I can hear Mr. Wolf laughing loudly from his office. He’s so sick.

  By the time I reach the flower shop, I’m a mess. Rose and Firn come to my aid as I stumble in. “What happened?” Firn asks as she supports one of my arms. Rose soon takes the other and leads me to the back of the store.

  “I think he bit me.” Both girls glace at each other and then back at me.

  “Who? Where?” Rose inquires.

  I’m on a small loveseat in Rose’s office. Firn rushes to get me a glass of water while Rose rubs my back, soothing me.

  “Mr. Wolf. I delivered the flowers and he bit me on the neck.” Turning my head, I arch my neck and pull down the collar of my red jacket. Rose inspects the area as Firn returns with a glass. I gulp down the water quickly, hoping whatever is in my system can be flushed out. Rose and Firn take turns observing the area.

  Finally Rose says, “I don’t see anything there, honey. It’s not even red.”

  “What?” I exclaim. “There has to be. I could fee
l his teeth deep in my flesh. I was bleeding.” Placing my hand over the area, I feel nothing but smooth skin. There’s no tenderness either. “I’m going insane. I swear he bit me and then I felt lightheaded and almost fainted.”

  “Did you eat any lunch?” Firn asks with concern in her eyes.

  “Well, no. I forgot. I’ve been preoccupied with things but he did bite me. It’s not my blood sugar levels.” Shaking my head in disbelief, I try to recall exactly what happened.

  “I believe you.” Rose clasps my hands.

  “Yeah, me too.” Firn nods. We’re all huddled in the little office. My heartbeat has slowed a bit, and I’m starting to feel like myself again. I hardly remember the bike ride over here.

  “Should we call the police or something?” I want to. Reporting that asshole would make my day. I just don’t have any evidence I can show them. It would be a lawyer’s word over a delivery girl.

  “No. How can I report someone biting me when I can’t provide the bite mark?” The whole incident seems like a nightmare.

  “Well, you’re never going back there again. That’s for sure. No deliveries for that law firm. They’re on my shit list.” Rose makes a slashing gesture with her hand, which causes me to smile. “How about we get something delivered here? Pizza?” Firn and I nod our heads in agreement. “Great. Some food in your stomach might help you feel a bit better too. Build up your strength so the next time you see that jerk, you can knee him in the dick.” I laugh at her remark.