Emma found herself more and more confused as her dad drove. They'd been driving for an hour, climbing higher up into the mountains and on progressively smaller and windier roads. When her dad slowed, turning onto a rarely used dirt road leading into a state park, Emma shot another nervous glance at Kate.

She still wasn't quite sure how Kate had talked their fathers into letting her go with Emma for the year, but she was grateful. At least she would know someone.

In the couple of days since Emma's birthday, the dads had spoken in hushed, somber tones many times. She hadn't caught much of the conversations, just bits and pieces here and there.

"No, not dangerous, per se. Well, no more than anywhere else." She'd heard her dad mumble once.

And later, "Are you sure? I mean it's in Emma's blood, she's their family. But Kate... No. Of course they would take good care of her. But, you know there is a shortage of females, are you sure you want Kate...? Yes, I went yesterday to seal the deal. The Alpha, Thomas, said they were both welcome. Ok then, I'll be by to pick Kate up in the morning."

Emma's dad parked the car at a small, worn, trailhead in the state park that only the most hardcore local hikers even knew about, dragging Emma's thoughts back to the present.

"We walk from here."

The girls didn't speak, they just climbed out of the car, donned their large backpacks, and headed down the trail behind Henry.

The girls tried to get information out of Henry, but he wasn't very forthcoming.

"Why have I never met them before now?"

"Well, it's complicated. Your mother walked away from them long ago, when she got pregnant with you. She wanted to raise you more hu- ahem, more normal, than if we had stayed with the pack. And then she died shortly after your birth, and I wanted to honor her wishes. It's a long story, Emma."

"If we had stayed? The pack? Dad, is this some kind of cult? Are they going to brainwash us into giving them all of our money, and into staying out here, worshiping the leader and cranking out cult-owned babies for the cause?"

Her dad laughed at her question, saying "No, of course not, but, well they are kind of different."

"Different how?" Kate asked.

"More rustic. Traditional. There is a hierarchy, of sorts. They shun most advances in technology, choosing to concentrate on family, and the old ways. They aren't big on electricity, preferring wood burning stoves and kerosene lights. There is running water, but it is piped in, from the nearby stream. No cars, they grow a lot of their own food, although they do have some family members that come and go, living in town but coming back with supplies they can't produce. Like milk, eggs, and such. They can't raise chickens or cows, well because, umm..."

"My mom's people are Amish?" Emma asked, shocked.

"No, definitely not Amish." Henry laughed.

"Sounds Amish. Do they travel by horse?"

"No. No livestock. No horses, or like I was saying, cows or chickens, because well, the animals wouldn't last very long. A month, at most..." He said, cryptically.

"How do they travel if not by car, or even horse? Even the Amish can travel by horse, and raise livestock."

"By foot."

"By foot? Only? They walk everywhere? No wonder they don't get out much. We've been walking for hours already, and aren't even there yet."

"They walk, yes. And run. They run a lot."

Kate spoke up, her breathing ragged from the long hike, "I don't run."

Emma laughed at her friend. It was true, Kate kept in shape with yoga, weights, and dancing, she was not a runner. Emma was, though. She loved running, or the idea of it, anyway. The practicality of it though, being so tall, and well...curvy.

Emma started to say something but was stopped by a flash of motion off in the distance. Something big, and oddly quiet, blurred by up ahead.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Her dad asked.

"There's something out here. Something big, and wild."

Kate quipped. "We're in the woods, dumb ass. There are lots of things out here with us. Snakes. Bears. Big cats. Little crawly things. Huge spiders. Things that want to kill us. Is it too late to go to Africa with my parents?"

"Like Africa doesn't have things that want to kill you? Like lions? And elephants?"

"Elephants don't want to kill people."

"No Kate, it's not too late. You can leave with me, Africa is still possible." Henry spoke up.

"You'd leave me here? All alone?" Emma asked them both.

"You won't be alone." Her dad said, "You will be with family."

"Weird, cult, Amish family that mom already walked away from, you mean?"

"Well..."

Kate said, "I'm staying, Emma. Zebras scare me."

"What? Of everything you could be afraid of, here and in Africa, it's zebras that are the deciding factor?"

Kate just shrugged her shoulders. "Them, and monkeys. I hate monkeys."

Emma couldn't argue with that logic, so she didn't.

She saw the large shape again.

"Whatever that is out there, it's really big. And hairy. And it seems to be watching us."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised, we are getting close to their den."

The girls came to a complete stop, forcing Henry to stop as well. "Their den?"

Kate added, "That cop, before. Didn't he say something about sasquatches? You aren't taking us to...I mean, there's no such thing as..."

"Sasquatches? Yes. They do exist. But no, I'm not taking you to them."

"I'm sorry, what?" Emma asked. "Spill it dad. What the hell is going on? I'm not going any farther until you do."

"I can't. Really, you just have to see to believe. But give me ten more feet. See right there, where the path crests and falls off? Walk with me just to there, then you can see for yourselves."

The girls eyed each other wearily, and nodded.

They took a few more steps and the land fell away. They found themselves looking over a huge, open valley.

It was breathtakingly beautiful. In the middle of the forest floor was a complex of wood cabins. Some cabins were larger than others, with wrap around porches, rocking chairs, and grills.

It looked like a campground, or a resort. Emma could hear rushing water somewhere just out of sight. That must be the river, where the water was piped in from. They could see a few people milling around down there, and a few dogs, but they didn't seem to have noticed the three hikers standing up here on the rise.

A rustle in the nearby trees drew their attention, and Emma heard Kate's panicked squeal as the huge, hairy beast that had been watching and accompanying them stepped into view.

It looked to be a large, black dog. No, it was way too big to be a dog. As it padded closer Emma said, "That's a wolf! That's the biggest damn wolf I've ever seen. Get back Kate, Dad!"

Emma stepped forward, squaring her body to face the slowly approaching wolf. She drew herself up to her full, considerable height, and stared the wolf down.

"Don't turn your back on it." She said the words over her shoulder, warning the others. "Back up slowly, do not run! If you run, it will chase. It's instinct."

She felt her dad's hand settle into the small of her back. "Emma, it's Ok. I know that wolf, it's..."

A deep voice rang out nearby, making the on-edge girls jump.

"She is protective by nature, that one."

Emma's voice shook as she turned to address the man who had just stepped into view.

"I see that. Why do you keep a wolf here? Is that legal? You said she, is she tame?"

He laughed at her in answer. She didn't know why he was laughing at her, but she knew she didn't appreciate it. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him.

She couldn't help but notice how tall he was. He was taller than her! By several inches! She looked him up and down, and felt something in her respond. Anger? Embarrassment? A little bit of lust?

He was very handsome. Powerful was the word that came to mind. Rugged, with dark blonde hair and deep, laughing brown eyes.

He spoke again, "I was talking to your dad, about you."

Her dad laughed a quiet laugh as well, and said, "Yes, she is a protective one."

The newcomer turned to look at Emma again, still talking to her father, "Just like her mother. It's in her blood, isn't it?"

"Excuse me?" Emma was confused, as well as angry. Who did this guy think he was?

The blonde turned, and addressed the wolf by name. "Galen. Stop scaring our guests and come introduce yourself."

Emma and Kate stared in shocked silence as the wolf sat back on its haunches, and with a deep, popping sound and fluid, liquid movements, started to flow, stretching but shrinking, into something else.

Before their eyes, the wolf became a man. A very tanned, golden, naked man. He was also very handsome, tall and rugged, only this one had hair as black as night, and deep, brooding eyes. He looked like he'd enjoyed his little performance of shifting in front of the shocked and disbelieving girls very much.

Emma heard Kate exclaim, "Holy fuck!" behind her. Then she heard, quieter, "Damn, that was kind of hot!"

The wolf/man obviously heard her, a small smirk twisted his mouth as he focused all of his brooding stare on Kate.

The blonde shook his head, and turned back to the group. "Ladies, that's Galen. Galen, the redhead is..."

Galen cut him off, "I know who she is. Emma, it's an honor. You look just like your mother."

Galen shook Emma's hand, still as naked as the day he was born, and then turned to face Kate, shaking hers as well.

"You must be Kate. It is definitely a pleasure to meet you. I didn't expect you to be so...Hmm, interesting."

Galen finally pulled his hand from Kate's and waved at Henry, saying, "Henry, it feels like just yesterday I saw you."

"It was yesterday, Galen."

"Right." Galen turned and started walking away, his bare ass drawing the girl's stares as his gluteal muscles bunched and released as he walked. "I'll go tell dad you guys have finally arrived."