Ruffled Feathers

by Zoe Chant

  Ruffled Feathers

  Zoe Chant

  Copyright © 2021 Zoe Chant

  Ruffled Feathers

  by Zoe Chant

  A Shifter Bites Romance

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  1. Simon

  2. Madison

  3. Simon

  4. Madison

  5. Simon

  6. Madison

  7. Simon

  8. Madison

  A note from Zoe Chant

  Also by Zoe Chant

  Preview: Cute But Prickly

  1. Simon

  When Simon arrived at his parents’ house for their Friday family dinner, he walked into a silent kitchen.

  Usually, his mother and younger sister would catch up while cooking, and his father would set the table and berate Simon for being late. But now, his mother wasn’t even humming while stirring the pasta sauce, his sister was nowhere to be seen, and the table was empty.

  He heard his father talking on the phone in the living room. Judging by his mother’s glum face, whatever was going on was serious.

  A threat to the nest? His hawk, always alert, wanted to head outside and take flight to find it.

  But whatever the threat was, he’d get more answers by staying here.

  “What’s wrong?” Simon pulled open one of the kitchen cabinets to get the plates. He’d moved out a few years ago, needing his own space, but it was easy to slip back into old habits.

  “You haven’t heard?”

  “If I’d heard, I wouldn’t be asking.” He put down four plates, then frowned. “Where’s Cassie?” If something was wrong with his sister, they’d have called him, right?

  His mother gestured into the living room with her spatula. “She’s in there. Your father’s on the phone to Kathleen to discuss it.”

  Their mayor? What had he missed?

  He worked as a security guard at an art museum over in Pinevale, a city about half an hour’s drive from Kirkwood. He’d deliberately looked for jobs outside of town that had nothing to do with shifters, wanting something else after growing up in a shifter-only town. But it also meant being the last to find out about local gossip.

  He walked into the living room, his father looking out the window and into the backyard while listening to their mayor. Cassie was busy typing on her phone, annoyed. She was in her early twenties, but right now she looked like a sulky teenager who’d just gotten grounded.

  She gestured for him to join her. “Did Mom tell you about the scientists?”

  His heart sank as he sat down. “Already?”

  Cassie glared at her phone as she typed. “They’re a week early.”

  “Are you sure it’s the ornithologists?”

  She looked up to glare at him. “Of course we’re sure.”

  Every year, for as long as Simon could remember, a group of ornithologists from Pinevale University came to the forest near Kirkwood to study birds during spring. They stayed for a few weeks and while they were here, shifters in Kirkwood couldn’t go out in their shifted form. The risk of being discovered was too great.

  The area around Kirkwood was popular with Pinevale University. Back in fall, a team of geologists had carried out some studies. Since none of them were animal experts, the mayor had decided most shifters could go out while the geologists were there. Birds and wolves were okay, but the lion shifter family had grumbled, although they understood the mayor’s reasoning.

  Any kind of scientist poking around the woods meant shifters had to be careful. The shifters of Kirkwood lived here in secrecy and kept a low profile. The last thing they needed were scientists getting curious about them.

  The ornithologists being a week early explained the dejected atmosphere.

  “So, the usual plan?”

  Her shoulders sagged. “Weeks of not flying.”

  Hearing her say it out loud made him groan, while his hawk panicked.

  The wind against our feathers! Hunting for prey!

  “How long are they gonna be around for?” he asked.

  “Same as usual, probably.”

  “Where are they exactly?”

  “Don’t know. We only found out this afternoon. Martin at the general store said a lady came in with a backpack, and he asked her about her camping plans while at the check-out. She explained she was here to study birds. Apparently it’s her first time here. He doesn’t know where she wants to set up camp, but she wants to stay for three or four weeks and more researchers will join her.”

  It wasn’t like Martin could ask more than one or two casual questions before his customer got weirded out. It was good that he’d found out what he had.

  “A woman. Isn’t it usually that older man who arrives first? With the beard?”

  “Yeah. Maybe he sent her to do groceries. Who knows?”

  “And isn’t four weeks longer than normal for them?” That was bad news for the shifters. “Has anyone asked her about her plans?”

  “And draw attention?”

  “Good point.” He definitely didn’t want the scientists to get too interested in Kirkwood. “But there’s got to be a way to figure out where exactly they’ll be staying and what they’re doing.” He smiled at his sister. “I could spy on them.”

  “As birds?” She sat up. “You’d have to be careful. If they’re here to study birds, they might take an interest in you.”

  He gestured dismissively. “I can be careful.” He couldn’t just fly off, though. He got up to walk over to his dad, who was still on the phone to the mayor. “Can I talk to her? I’ve got an idea.”

  His father raised an eyebrow, but told the mayor Simon wanted a word.

  “I take it your family’s told you?” she asked.

  “Yes, and I’m willing to fly over there and take a look. See what parts of the woods they’re in.” The nearby woods should be big enough for scientists and shifters.

  “You’d have to be careful.”

  He resisted the urge to sigh at being told twice in such a short time. This was their mayor, and the golden eagle shifter was their mayor for a reason. Protecting the shifters of Kirkwood was her number one priority. Hiding and waiting it out was the safest option.

  But it was also the most frustrating.

  “I know. I’m a security guard for a living. Half the training is assessing situations and making sure we don’t throw ourselves into danger or act rashly. I’ll go for a quick flight and see what I can find out. If we know exactly where they’re stationed, we know what places to avoid.”

  She hummed in agreement. “Maybe there are parts of the woods we can use, but they’re ornithologists. They’ll be looking for birds.”

  “And I’ll have the best vantage point from the sky,” he argued. “There’s only one of them at the moment. Now’s the perfect time to scope out exactly where her camp is, and then tomorrow we can keep an eye on them. Send in other shifters.” The scientists would get suspicious if they saw the same bird hanging around all the time.

  “Voluntarily.”

  He smiled. “Of course. And you’d have to choose the right ones.”

  Another hum of agreement. “Okay. When do you want to head out? Tonight?”

  “Yes.” The sun was about to set, and a hawk wouldn’t look out of place around dusk. “Only until I find out where she’s put up her tent.” That would give them enough information to work with for now. “If I go tonight, I doubt the scientist will notice me.” She’d only just gotten here and would still be getting her bearings.

  “Humans can’t see well in the dark,” she agreed. “All right, Simon, but it has to be a quick scouting mission only. I need more information to discuss things with the local council. Let me know what you find.”

&nb
sp; “Will do.” He handed the phone to his father with a satisfied smile. Instead of scientists watching birds, there’d be birds watching the scientists.

  His father frowned. “Are you sure you want to go out now? Dinner will be ready soon.”

  “I can’t go out after dark.” His hawk had excellent vision, but he wasn’t nocturnal. “I won’t be gone for hours. I’m sure it’ll taste great after it’s been in the microwave.” He gave his father a sunny smile.

  The older man sighed. “I know I can’t stop you. Best you head out now. The sooner you go, the sooner you’re back.”

  He couldn’t blame his father for being worried. The shifters of Kirkwood had kept their secret for generations, even with scientists visiting the surrounding area since the nineties. “I’ll be careful.”

  He told his mother about his plans, reassured her he would be fine, then headed into the backyard to shift. His clothes fell on the grass as he flew into the crisp evening sky. As always, those first few beats of his wings against the air were a joy. He circled above the house, relishing how quick and agile he was, before heading east to the nearby woods.

  Considering the hills and the terrain, there were only a few places suitable for camping. He doubted the ornithologists would want to be too far from civilization even if they were here for research.

  The sky was slowly turning orange and red, and he saw mice scurrying on the ground.

  Catch them!

  He regretted heading out before dinner, but not enough to swoop down and catch a mouse. He flew over the forest in a large circle, just above the treetops, searching for tents or other signs of humans. When he glimpsed something red, he flew over to investigate.

  It was a human in a red jacket with long, blonde hair in a ponytail falling across a backpack. The scientist or a random hiker? He’d have to get closer to investigate.

  He flew down among the trees, swerving to avoid them. His hawk was more interested in the animals scurrying on the forest floor, but Simon focused on the woman in the red jacket. She was only a couple of hundred yards away.

  He hoped she was heading back to her tent. It was getting darker, especially with the branches keeping the last rays of sunshine out. He didn’t want her to get lost or hurt, even if her presence made life more difficult for him and the rest of Kirkwood.

  He kept his eyes on her as he flew, wondering how close he should get. The jacket stood out, so he wouldn’t easily lose track of her. But the paths in this part of the forest twisted and turned. What if she followed a bend, and he missed it? What if—

  Thin threads pressed against his chest and wings, ensnaring him. He struggled to get free, but instead more thin threads wrapped around him.

  His hawk panicked, thrashing his wings as much as possible in an attempt to stay airborne. Simon struggled to remain calm, snapping at the net and trying to tear free using his claws, but he failed. One claw got caught, and he screeched when he realized he’d only gotten himself more stuck now. The material was tougher than it looked.

  This had to be a net the scientists used to catch birds.

  And he’d been stupid enough to fly into one.

  Considering how fine the net was, he wasn’t surprised. The threads were thin and almost impossible to see in the dark.

  This was why the scientist had been out here. She’d put up the net, then headed back to camp.

  Humiliation burned through him, stronger than the pain. His hawk’s pride as a predator was as wounded as his own.

  But unlike regular birds, he had an escape plan. He could shift, free himself from the net, then fly home and warn people about the nets. He’d just leave out the part about how he’d found out.

  Okay, the scientist would find a destroyed net, but that probably happened all the time. She’d blame it on some wild animal. Maybe she’d think twice about putting up these nets.

  She must’ve heard his panicked screeching, because he saw the red jacket heading his way. She was only fifty yards away. If he shifted now, she’d definitely see him.

  This evening was not going at all the way he’d planned.

  Attack them for trapping us! his hawk insisted, pride still hurt after being captured, and Simon agreed. It would be weird if a trapped hawk didn’t attack, after all. And maybe, once he’d had dinner, he could fly back here and find a branch above her tent to let her know how he felt about nets.

  She jogged over. “Hey buddy, I didn’t think anyone would get caught already. You’re early. Lucky for you, I have my banding equipment with me.”

  He squawked and doubled his efforts to get loose. He was the predator, not the prey to be tracked. If she banded him, the metal around his leg would prevent him from shifting. Wearing clothes while shifting was annoying, but he was used to freeing himself from his jeans. A very narrow metal band? Not an option. He’d be stuck as a hawk all night, and his amazing eyesight was made for the day. Dusk was already pushing it. Flying around in the dark woods with plenty of predators around wasn’t his idea of a fun Friday night. He had to get away before she banded him.

  “Yeah, this isn’t how I thought my night would go either, but here we are.” Her tone was far too cheerful for someone about to deal with an angry hawk.

  His hawk, however, had gone silent, but he was used to that. The animal lay in wait, patient and waiting for the perfect time to strike.

  A bright light blinded him, but she quickly aimed her flashlight at the ground. “All right, let’s see what we got…”

  He felt the threads trapping him move. She was smart enough to keep her hands away from his beak and claws. She tugged and pulled on the net rather than at him, and soon he got a better look at her.

  Bright blue eyes met his, and she frowned down at him while he remained trapped. “A hawk? You’re out late, aren’t you? You’re not supposed to be here.”

  No, he was definitely supposed to be here, because the overwhelming happiness blossoming inside of him could only mean one thing.

  She was his mate.

  The one woman meant to share his life had found him.

  His happiness was short-lived when he remembered that, oh right, she was also the ornithologist everyone was so worried about.

  And she had no idea he was a shifter.

  This evening was definitely not going the way he’d planned.

  2. Madison

  Madison heard screeching only five minutes after putting up the net. She turned around, squinting at the trees where she’d put it up. The light was fading fast, and while she had a flashlight in her backpack, she didn’t want to stay out here too long. She’d already stayed out later than planned.

  She’d joined the Ornithology Department at Pinevale University a little over six months ago as an Assistant Professor and she’d worked hard to get the position. Now, she had to work harder to keep the position, and have a shot at the next step on the academic ladder. The department had been coming to these woods since the nineties, always around the same time every year, to study bird migration in the area. She wanted to build on research from previous years, so she’d volunteered to be in charge of it this year. Professor Brown had done it since the start, but he’d retired about a month after she joined.

  And now she was finally here. After weeks of politely nodding at Professor Brown’s well-meaning but overbearing advice, going over data from previous years, and lots of paperwork. All the extra work on top of teaching and her other duties had been worth it to spend time in the field. This was why she’d become an ornithologist.

  After a long day of travel, setting up her camp, scouting the area, and putting up one net as a test, she longed for a quick dinner and a quiet evening. Just her and her tent and going over the plans for the next few weeks. Maybe she’d even sneak in some time with a book that had nothing to do with birds or science.

  Another screech pierced the air, and she sighed as she headed back. It would be one hell of a coincidence if she’d already caught a bird, but if she had, she should deal with it. She cou
ldn’t let some poor bird stay trapped all night, no matter how tempting the thought of sitting down was. Getting caught was stressful enough already. Fortunately, she had her banding equipment with her in her backpack.

  The squawking became louder as she jogged over, and she saw a dark shape struggle against the net. “Hey buddy.” She hurried over to free it. “I didn’t think anyone would get caught already. You’re early. Lucky for you, I have my banding equipment with me.” She kept her voice upbeat, hoping that might calm the bird a little.

  The bird screeched briefly as she tugged on the net. She needed her flashlight, and she shrugged off her backpack to put it on the ground and rifle through it.

  “Yeah, this isn’t how I thought my night would go either, but here we are.” As soon as she found the flashlight, she flicked it on. She saw red and brown feathers, then aimed her light at the ground. She didn’t want to startle the bird any more than she already had. “All right,” she said, keeping her tone reassuring. “Let’s see what we got…” She had to know what kind of bird it was to know what size band to use.

  Pulling on the net so she could get a better look at the bird while holding the flashlight at the same time was awkward, but she’d seen those claws. She didn’t want to get scratched on her first day here.

  Her eyes adjusted to the light from her flashlight. Now that the bird had stopped struggling, she could see the details and patterns of its feathers. “A hawk? You’re out late, aren’t you? You’re not supposed to be here.”

  Maybe she should’ve waited longer before putting up the net. But research from previous years hadn’t shown a lot of hawks in the Kirkwood area.

  The hawk remained still. Frozen in shock? She sighed in sympathy. “Let’s see if we can’t band you and get you out of this net quickly so you can go kill some juicy hares.” And so she could finally have dinner. Canned tomato soup and beef jerky. What more could a girl wish for?

  Careful of its beak and claws, she gently pulled and tugged on the net to free one wing. Its feathers were beautiful shades of brown and red. A red-tailed hawk? She hadn’t come across a lot of them when she’d gone through the data from previous years, but the birds weren’t uncommon in the area. When she got a better look at its tail feathers, she realized her mistake. They were too dark, and red-tailed hawks didn’t have those white bands on their tail feathers.