Sebastian woke with a burning pain above his heart and another on his thigh. The pain wasn't as bad as he knew it should be.

Hunters used Silver Steal bullets. Silver Steal was only 30% silver but it was enough to kill a shifter. All shifters possessed an allergy to silver.

He sat up. For a moment he thought he was dreaming. He was in what looked like a cabin made between two chunks of mountain. In the center sat a dead fire pit about two feet around. One flat rock sat at the edge of the pit. A metal pole suspended a metal pot above the pit. A rack of strips of meat hung from the ceiling.

Holes were carved into the rock walls making niches to store things. Pots, pans, cups, plates, cans, jars, and cloth wrapped bundles occupied the spaces created. Rough wood counters were placed against the walls under the storage holes. The counters were held up by branches cut to the appreciate length.

An old almost black sheet covered a doorway leading deeper into the mountain side. A small hole lead outside. Light, air, and the sound of an ax striking wood drifted in from the hole. But his scenes caught on other things as well.

Mint, from outside. Food and blood from a plate and bowl sat on the counter.

When he moved to stand it wasn't the pain that stopped him. He realized he was naked. Nudity didn't bother him but if he were in a humans 'cabin' it could be a problem.

He smelled shifter but the scent was young, mixed with earth, mint, smoke and he couldn't determine if it actual scent was new or old. Strangely he did smell a human. So he hoped where ever he was he wasn't with a Hunter. That would be a plus.

Searching his makeshift bed he found part of a sheet. He wrapped it around his waist and moved over to the food.

The silver bullet in the bowl by the food explained a lot too. Like why he felt like hell, why his muscles hurt, why he wasn't dead, because someone had dug the bullet out. It still had dried blood on its silver surface.

The food was good. He didn't know what it was but he ate it ravenously. His healing body needed the fuel. He finished the food in record time standing at the counter.

Hunger managed he turned. Pain sliced across his thigh and chest. He groaned and shifted his weight.

He eyed the small entrance to the cabin. He still heard the thud of wood splitting. He wondered if he would fit through the small opening. He realized he had little choice. He move forward and crouch down, the space was 4 feet tall and less than 2 feet wide. The space wasn't meant for someone his size of 5 feet 10 inches. With a shoulder span of over two solid feet. Contorting his body to fit through the space was painful but the scent of mint and oak waited on the other side.

On the other side he cocked his head trying to pinpoint the man chopping wood. He walked around the front of the strange shelter. At about 20 feet from the entrance stood a woman holding an axe chopping wood. She expertly swing the axe. He watched fascinated as the axe head landed almost dead center of the split log. He moved forward and placed a hand out to study his balance.

The woman froze for half a second then turn to face him she eyed him with suspicious gray eyes.

"You shouldn't be up, you were shot." She told him not sounding the least bit happy to see him. He also thought he detected a hint of accusation in her words.

"Where am I?" He asked searching her face. His wolf hasn't said a word since he woke. For a moment he wondered if she had drugged him but pushed the thought aside. The silver could be the cause if it had been in his body long enough.

"Roland Mountain, Arkansas."

He knew of it. It was twenty miles from the last place he remembered being. That meant he was 50 miles from his pack. He nodded acknowledging her answer.

He eyed her right hand she still gripped the axe handle and her grip tightened slightly.

"Who shot you? What'd you do?" She demanded her eyes moving from his face to the bandage above his chest.

"I was hoping you could tell me. Last thing I remember I was talking to a lawyer in Ferndale. I don't remember getting in my truck. Walking out of his office was the last thing I remember."

"A lawyer?" She brought the ax in front of her. The butt of the ax rested in her other hand. "What'd you do?"

"Nothing." He told her. He smiled at her reassuringly. "I'm a private investigator. He hired me to find someone."

"What'd they do?" She asked sounding curious but not convinced that he was telling the truth.

He chuckled softly. "Nothing. He manages a trust for her and she's coming of age in less than a year. He wants to find her before her birthday. She's been missing for years." He looked around and saw a log. Needing to sit down he moved forward. She moves back and growled at him.

I just need to sit down. He indicated the log. She moved back a few feet and nodded.

He moved to the log and sat down. With a grateful sigh he's stretched out his injured leg. "Thank you." He said and looked over at her. "I assume you're the one that patched me up."

She nodded. The ax now hanging once again at her side.

"How did you find me?" He sat his elbow on his knee trying to relieve some of the pain in his chest.

"I was foraging. I found you under a pine tree. You really don't know what happened? "

He shook his head. "No idea. Last I remember I was leaving the lawyers office with a list of businesses my missing woman has used in my hand."

"Maybe it has something to do with the woman."

"Doubt it. I was shot with silver." He told her she looked confused so he clarified. "Most random people don't use silver bullets they're expensive and specialized."

"Oh." She said looking again at the bandage covering his chest.

"How far from town are we? I need to call my - people. My family." He waited for her to comment on his almost slip. She didn't.

"Five hours down the mountain. An hour from there." She hadn't even thought about it. She automatically knew the answer or she was lying.

He was worried about the continued silence of his wolf. He felt adrift without the contact. Taron had been a constant presence since he was a pup. To have him absent now felt wrong on every level possible. He needed to get back to the pack house and consult the pack doctor. The problem at the moment... He couldn't make a five hour walk. He wasn't cocky enough to lie to himself about it either.

"Any other options?" He asked.

"No. My battery is dead on my phone. I haven't been in town for a few weeks." She told him. She didn't tell him the reason was she had thought someone had been following her around town three weeks ago.

"Car?" He asked know he couldn't make it in this condition on foot. She shook her head. "How about an ATV or a bike?" She shook her head again. He wasn't surprised but it didn't mean he had to like it. He pushed himself to his feet and gritted his teeth at the pain. "I guess I don't have much choice then."

"You're naked. You're hurt. And you lost a lot of blood." She said.

He didn't like being spoken to like a child but that's how it sounded. "Yes. I'm aware." He told her sarcastically.

"Oh. Well. I wonder how far you'll get. You know, before you pass out or something."

"You're just a ray of sunshine aren't you?" He complained. The statement came out more childish sarcasm then he intended. But she was right and he didn't like that they both knew she was right.

She dug her fingers in her hair. "Look. I can't go to town right now. But I'll let you stay with me- I mean here in the shelter, for a few days. You can get stronger."

It made sense. But he was also worried about his wolf. The quicker he got to the pack the quicker he could find out what was going on. "I can't. I have to get home. They can take care of me."

"It's your life." She said with a shrug.