The heavy wooden doors of the town library creaked open as I stepped inside, Felicity following close behind. The scent of aged paper and ink greeted us, mingling with the faintest hint of dust in the warm air. Rows of towering bookshelves stretched before us, filled with records of the small town’s past. It was the perfect place to start digging.

  “Alright,” Felicity whispered, nudging my shoulder. “Where do we start?”

  I exhaled, adjusting the strap of my bag. “Lake Superior myths and the grey wolves. If this town has any legends worth knowing, they’ll be buried here somewhere.”

  I led the way to the research section, keenly aware of the stout woman with steel-gray hair sitting behind the circulation desk. Mrs. Dale, the nameplate read. The steely woman peered at us over the rim of her glasses, her sharp eyes narrowing in suspicion.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Mrs. Dale said in a tone that barely concealed her skepticism. “Can I help you find something?”

  I hesitated for a moment before Felicity spoke up brightly. “We’re just looking into some local folklore. Particularly anything on Lake Superior. Maybe, some information on the local environment and wildlife.”

  Mrs. Dale’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Tourists?” she asked.

  “Something like that,” I replied coolly, keeping my gaze steady. I had no interest in small talk, let alone explaining why we were here.

  Mrs. Dale hummed as if she wasn’t quite convinced. “You might find some of what you’re looking for in the town archives,” she said at last, pointing to the section in the back. “But be mindful—some stories are best left in the past.” She returned to cataloging her books.

  Five hours later…

  My ass is numb from this antique chair. Fe and I are knee-deep in book stacks as we read about the local history of Canis Falls. It is the smallest Minnesota town on the shores of Lake Superior with the weirdest origin story. Marsh Stevens, the town’s founder, was throwing crumbs to birds one morning at his campsite. When he was distracted, a grey wolf stole his loaf of bread. Marsh chased the wolf into the forest until the wolf stumbled over a cliff and down a small waterfall. He watched the wolf run off out of the water deeper into the forest. Marsh followed the creek until he came to a lookout point, and he knew where he wanted to settle down. His whole family joined him in 1833.

  The supernatural lore books about Lake Superior were plentiful in the library. There is a woman who walks the shoreline calling to her lost lover. Nature nymphs dwell within the trees to protect the forests by confusing hikers until they are lost for good. Mishipeshu is a creature who transforms from a lynx to a snake-bodied cat with bison horns under the light of the moon according to the local natives. The most interesting lore I read called Lake Superior the saltless sea where the “lost son” of the ocean resides. It seems the son can control the tides and water-dwelling animals. Probably the demigod Kalia mentioned. He’s famous for sinking ships in the lake.

  “Okay,” Fe said as she turned the page of some government nature report. “There's a nature reserve about twenty miles north of here. They specialize in tracking endangered species in the area including wolves.”

  Now, that was compelling. “Maybe they know something about my spirit wolf. There can't be many wolves with a crescent on its shoulder.”

  “Oh! So you’ve seen Little Crescent? I suppose she’s the spirit animal of her fans.” Mrs. Dale asks as she stops next to our table with her cart full of books. “I know she's gained popularity through the Wolf Restoration Project’s website.”

  Fe’s already on her laptop looking at the nature reserve and the Wolf Restoration Project. What's the likelihood that my spirit wolf is the same wolf this librarian mentioned? Totally likely, I would guess. “Umm, yeah. My sister and I saw her picture, and we wanted to come see where she lives. I am in school to be a photographer. I am hoping to take some wildlife photos while we are here.” The lies were just pouring through my teeth. Yes, I have taken photography courses. Yes, I have seen Little Crescent before. Those were the only bits of truth in my story. Thankfully, I did have my DSLR camera with me. All my nature photos were of shelter cats and Fe’s little desk cactus. Wildlife photos were levels above what I was capable of doing.

  The librarian looks at our book towers suspiciously. “Well, isn’t that sweet?” She responds without even looking back at me. Her hands run across the titles of Canine Falls history and Lake Superior myths and legends before ending on the stack of information on grey wolves near the Great Lakes. She pokes her head up and studies me closely. My wardrobe screams ‘careless’ in my sweats and sunglasses. “Still, getting near wild animals without much experience isn’t a good idea.” The librarian crosses her arms as if to intimidate us into giving up.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “Don’t worry, ma’am. We are visiting the Canine Nature Preserve tomorrow. My sister and I are not ignorant enough to approach a wild animal. We are a part of a special volunteer program for college students.” Felicity said, nonchalantly. “You call Brian O’Connor, the guy in charge of volunteers if you don’t believe us.”

  Mrs. Dale thought for a minute before shaking her head. “I hope you girls are being honest. The last thing we need around here is trouble.” She turns back to her cart and shuffles on through the library.

  Everything appeared settled for a while as Fe and I discussed a plan of action going forward. Turns out she was able to enroll us in the nature preserve’s volunteer program. My summer would now include mending preserve facilities, tending the visitor center, and a whole education on the ecology of the area. My mom would have loved to volunteer at a nature preserve. She dragged Dad and me out for hikes every weekend when I was in elementary school. Mom would point out the flowers and different leaves along the trails. Maybe, some of that will come back to me while I volunteer. I miss her.

  The bell above the library door chimed. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a flannel shirt stepped inside, shaking a bit of mud from his boots. He moved with quiet confidence like he owned the place.

  Mrs. Dale’s expression shifted ever so slightly. “Linkin,” she called, motioning him over. “I need you to do me a favor.”

  I tensed, already anticipating another unwelcome intrusion. I shifted my weight slightly, eyes narrowing as the man approached.

  “What’s up?” he asked, his voice casual.

  Mrs. Dale leaned in toward the man, though not enough to keep me from hearing with my extreme senses. “These two are interested in the local history and lore of our town and seem to be overly interested in our unique wildlife. Especially Little Crescent. Keep an eye on them, will you?”

  My jaw tightened, but before I could say anything, Linkin turned his attention to me from across the room. He nodded to Mrs. Dale before sauntering toward us. Linkin approached the table, and his gaze lingered on me. Was he assessing us or just intrigued by strangers? “Mind if I ask what’s got you so interested in wolves and myths?”

  I met his stare head-on. “Mind if I ask why it’s any of your business?”Felicity snorted, clearly entertained, but I didn’t waver. I had no patience for nosy locals.

  Linkin only smirked, unfazed. “Fair enough,” he said, crossing his arms. “But small towns don’t get a lot of visitors asking about legends and predators unless they’re up to something.”

  “Maybe we just like a good story,” Felicity interjected with a grin.

  “And maybe I just don’t like strangers prying into my business,” I added.

  Linkin chuckled, his eyes still on me. “You always this friendly?”

  I folded my arms. “Only when I’m being interrogated five minutes into meeting someone.”

  “I wouldn’t call it an interrogation,” he said smoothly. “More like… cautious curiosity.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Cautious curiosity, huh? Is that what you call snooping around strangers?”

  He grinned, tilting his head slightly. “I call it making sure newcomers don’t stir up trouble. And, if I get to have an interesting conversation in the process, even better.”

  He did not just go there. I could feel my frustration rising, and some of it must have been leaking through my mindlink, causing Felicity to groan. She held her head as if it were throbbing in pain. Shit. I can share my emotions with others, too. I thought it was just thoughts. Mental note, I will need to keep up a better wall to keep thoughts and emotions to myself. A few deep breaths allowed me to concentrate to seal up my leaking emotion, allowing Fe to relax a little.

  “Are you okay?” The intruder asks, concerned by Fe’s body language.

  Felicity nods. “Bad headache. My sis and I get them often. My name's Fe and this is Kori. Sorry if our summer plans put everyone in a bind around here. My sis has this dream to be a nature photographer.”

  He looked back at me with amusement. “You love nature?” He chuckled as he spoke. “That’s unexpected.”

  “Life is unexpected. I didn’t expect a random cowboy to invade my space, but here you are.” I oozed sass with every word.

  “This coming from the city girl with her sunglasses on in the library,” he gestured to my sunglasses. “Oh, and the unnecessary long sleeves in the heat of summer.”

  Another wave of frustration flooded my senses. This must be part of this werewolf crap because guys like this never bothered me before. Did my ancestors feel this frustration too? I think Grandma Jan mentioned their explosive passion in the book. Still, this guy was bothering me for another reason I couldn’t fathom. It was like there was a string tied to both of us, and he just kept yanking on the string over and over.

  “Hmm. At least, I am not tracking mud across the library, country boy.” I said

  His smirk was infuriating, but something about his confidence was disarming. He leaned in just a fraction, lowering his voice. “You don’t seem like someone who’s easily scared. But I’d still watch your step.”

  I held my ground. “I’ll take my chances.”

  His eyes flickered with something unreadable before he let out a low chuckle. “I like your style.”

  I scoffed. “I wasn’t trying to impress you.”

  Linkin shrugged. “Didn’t say you were. But you did anyway.”

  I opened my mouth to fire back when I heard a giggle next to me. Felicity covered her grin with her hand, clearly enjoying herself way too much. My frustration melted at her amusement. This guy wasn’t worth the effort.

  He finally stepped back, relenting—for now. “Then I guess I won’t be a bother,” Linkin said, watching me closely. “But if you find yourself needing answers, you know where to find me.”

  With that, he tipped an invisible hat and strode out the door, leaving me glaring after him.“What was up with that guy?” I asked when everyone was out of earshot.

  Felicity nudged me playfully. “I think he likes you.”

  I groaned. “I don’t care.”

  Felicity just laughed. “Sure you don’t.”

  I shut my computer feeling a little flustered. Her words stung. My heart was still in some form of recovery from jerkface Asher. I couldn’t process what Fe was hinting at because it was uncomfortable and intriguing at the same time. I let the notion go and just shook my head. “He was just a nosy person.”

  Fe gave me a weird look. “He’s a protective local, Kori. I am sure the librarian asked him to keep an eye on us. We did act a little suspicious after all.”

  “How?”

  “Really, Ms. Nature Photographer?” She raised an eyebrow at me.

  “It worked, didn’t it?”

  Fe shook her head. “Only because I am a computer wiz. We are official volunteers for the summer at the Canine Nature Preserve.”

  “That’s a good step forward. We’ll be able to learn a lot there.” I might learn enough to keep my spirit wolf from biting my hand off when we finally meet. This might not end horribly.