Ash put his nose into the air and sniffed deeply. His already pointed snout elongated even more. His nostrils widened. He sniffed again, lumbering from one side of the clearing to the other, eyes shifting from left to right. His heavy fur bristled. The big male rose onto his muscular hind legs and gave another exaggerated sniff. The sound of his snuffling filled the clearing. The rest of the sounds of the forest seemed to become drowned out.

Winston could see that the male was agitated. He growled, landing heavily onto all fours before walking back to the spot he had just vacated. Winston sniffed the air as well and got … the edge of something … maybe … he ultimately got nothing. Crisp air, the scent of the nearby river. He could smell the earth, a squirrel that had recently run across this particular patch of earth. He could scent the daisies growing on a patch of moss nearby.

He could scent many other things as well that were of little importance. What had gotten his friend so rattled? He watched as Ash ripped up the earth with his heavily clawed paws, frequently stopping to sniff some more. Then there was the familiar sound of bones cracking, of tendons reshaping.

Ash’s low bear growl became less animal and more human … straddling the line between the two. He crouched down, fingers sinking into the earth. His body covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Ash looked his way and gave a quick lift of the chin.

It seemed his buddy wanted to have a little chat. Winston pictured his human form, feeling his wolf retract, starting with his fur. It pulled into his skin, his limbs folding in on themselves. It hurt but it was a good kind of pain. “What is it?” he said, as soon as he was shifted enough to talk. His voice still held a guttural edge, his vocal cords still remembering those of his wolf.

“Not sure.” Ash was still agitated. “Something … and yet, I can’t put my claw on what exactly.”

Winston chuckled. “It’s a known fact that wolves have a better sense of smell than bears. I didn’t pick up a thing.”

Ash sniffed again, even though there was no way he would pick anything up in his human form, despite the fact that his sense of smell was far superior to any mere human.

Winston chuckled at the male. Ash was his best friend. Even though they were different kinds of shifters. Even though Ash was older and an alpha. It didn’t matter in the least. They had still become fast friends from the word go. “Let’s change back and head home,” he suggested.

Human skin or not, Ash bristled, the male still on high-alert. “Call it a gut feeling … something isn’t right.”

Winston paced to where Ash was standing.

The male seemed to be listening for something, his brow heavily furrowed. “I wish I knew what the fuck was going on.”

“Something is definitely up. Herds of game don’t disappear into thin air. At this point though you’re just hungry. We’re all hungry … for meat.”

Ash’s nostrils flared, his eyes were focused on the canopy up ahead. “I’m hungry but that’s not it. Something spooked the game. I sensed something out here. Something’s wrong!”

Winston shook his head. “If there was something in these woods, we’d know about it.”

“Make no mistake,” Ash paused. “There is something in these woods . thousands of square miles. It would be easy for them to hide.”

“From us? We’re shifters for fuck’s sake. They can’t hide from us.” Winston shook his head. “Now that’s crazy talk.”

Ash shrugged. “You’re probably right but I’d still be willing to bet my right nut on it.”

Winston laughed. “You’re on. I’m sure it’s a simple case of the herds migrating though. Something to do with the solar system and the way the planets are aligned. Or maybe global warming. It’s fucking with nature in the worst of ways.”

The big male shrugged, his agitation from earlier all but gone. “What happened to you on Saturday?”

“What do you mean, what happened to me?” Winston folded his arms. “Nothing happened.”

“You’re right, nothing happened,” Ash chuckled.

Winston fought an eye roll and lost. Here we go again.

“You took a female back to your hotel room but didn’t touch her.” Ash grinned. “My sources tell me she was not too thrilled when she left. Made a ton of noise and called you a limp dick.” Ash choked out a laugh. “Limp dick,” he muttered to himself, still laughing.

Winston rolled his eyes a second time. “Yeah, yeah, it’s ‘Pick on Winston’ week. Why can’t a male just change his mind? Why was it that my dick immediately got a bad rep? Why can’t a male walk away from sex without being ridiculed?”

“There was nothing wrong with that female.” Ash shook his head. “Trent told me it was the blonde with the hair all the way to her ass. She’s a little noisy, but—”

“My point exactly.” Winston blew out a breath.

“Are you still banging on about how you’ve had it with fucking around?”

“You have no idea.” Winston narrowed his eyes. “You’ve only been at it for a couple of years.”

Ash’s eyes darkened, pain caused his features to pinch.

“Hey, bro …” Winston kept his voice soft. “I’m sorry. That was out of line.” What the fuck is wrong with me?

Ash shook his head. “Nah!” He rolled his shoulders. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Winston could see that he wasn’t. What male would be?

“So, no more Shifter Night for you then? No more going to the ‘Dark Horse’? No more females? No more fun … fuck! I’m glad I’m not you.”

“Who says I can’t still go to Shifter Night? Who says I can’t spend time with the females? Who says that sex equates to the only form of fun to be had?”

Ash barked out a laugh. It was deep and throaty. “You have got to be fucking kidding me. You still plan on hitting town?”

“Sure,” Winston shrugged, “why not? I don’t plan on fucking around but I can still go and enjoy myself.”

“We’re meat to those human females, plain and simple. Meat. They don’t want us for anything other than our dicks,” Ash palmed his cock as he said it.

“You’re wrong. Humans want nothing more than to spend more time with us. I’ve had numerous females beg me to meet with them again, or to take them back with me. They wanted a relationship with me. Begged me for a chance.”

“They wanted more cock. It’s always about the sex, trust me. They don’t want to take you home to meet daddy. They don’t want you to take them out to dinner or to go dancing. They want you because they know you have a big dick and you know how to use it. That’s it, end of story.”

“Cynical much?”

“Nope.” Completely deadpan.

Winston shrugged. “I guess I’m just better relationship material. Females definitely want me for more than just sex.”

“How do you figure?” Ash narrowed his eyes.

“I’m better looking and I’m easier to talk to.”

Ash choked out a laugh. “So full of shit.”

Winston grinned. “You know it’s true.”

“I’m better in the sack. The other stuff means fuck all to me,” said in true Ash style.

Winston nodded. “Yeah well, I’m sick of being used. Sick of using females right back. I guess I want more, that’s all.”

“Said like a true pussy.”

“Who the fuck are you calling a pussy?” he growled.

“Pussy wolf,” Ash lowered his voice. His canines were longer than they had been a few seconds ago.

“Fuck you, bear.” He felt his own teeth erupt, his hairs stood up and his muscles bunched.

“Plenty of fucking for me; for you,” he laughed, the sound rough and raw, “not so much.” Hair sprouted from his chest. His jaw elongated.

“Fucking around! Huh!” Winston felt his own fur begin to sprout. He felt the cords in his throat tighten. “It’s meaningless, emotionless and not for me. Not anymore.” So deep he could barely understand himself. “I want something more.”

Ash changed back. The male breathed deeply, even hunched over the middle. It took effort to shift. He pulled himself upright, eyes on Winston. “Something more.” He was breathing deeply, his eyes on the ground. “You don’t want love … trust me on that. Love can destroy a male.” His friend took in a deep breath and shifted.

It was exactly what Winston wanted. It was what he craved.