Chapter 6:

As the door swung open in the sheriff's department the bell above it had a smooth ring tone to it, Molly the sheriff's deputy looked up to see Wolf Lake's Sheriff Matt Donner standing before her. He had on his everyday jeans and flannel shirt, with work boots and his brown leather jacket to complete his wardrobe attire. Even though Molly could see that nothing in his clothing style had changed, Molly could tell that Matt was not himself. His eyes were red and had black circles under them. It was the look that anyone could see from someone not sleeping. "Molly I am going to need the Robbins homicide file and the Daltons' Pharmacy robbery file", Matt said as he walked in and tossed his keys on his desk and placed his jacket on the back of his chair.

Molly had immedialty went to the file cabinet and retrieved the files that Sheriff Donner had asked for. Even though Matt had not flipped in over 16 years, Matt was still a very respected and powerful man in Wolf Lake. Even before his exile of his "otherness", Molly even knew that Matt was so strong that he was in line to become Alpha of the Pack, even thought he was not born into the family of higher power. Back then everyone knew that he was almost a shoe in for the line, however, him falling in love with a human put a nail in that coffin. However, even though, Matt choice a human as his mate, many people still respected and looked to him for advice including the late Alpha himself, Willard Cates. So Molly knew that Matt Donner was not a man to cross.

Molly knew that the Matt had been consuming himself with his work lately but even more so after Willard Cates "hunting accident", hell even Molly knew better than that. The sheriff's department had stated "a hunting accident", but Molly being a skin walker herself had to keep the secrets of the pack hidden and watches out for the survival of the pack. But Molly had a feeling that there was more to Matt and his work habits than the murder of Willard Cates.

Coming up to Matt and placing the folders in front of him she looked down at him, "Matt…are you okay? You seem exhausted."

Looking up at Molly, Matt couldn't help but appreciate his friends concern, giving her a small smile, "Do I look that bad?"

Molly then went over to sit in the chair across from his desk, "its not that, its just that you have been working a lot lately. I know you want to try and find out what happened to Willard, but the past couple days, you seem, to be busy, yet, unfocused."

Matt leaned forward to place his arms on his desk and cross them on each other. Matt knew that he could talk to Molly, herself being a full blood skin walker. She would understand why he has been flustered and worried and not freak out on him when he talked to her. "Well, Sophia is starting to… flip."

"Oh." Leaning back in her chair Molly, knew why he has been so unfocused his daughter was flipping. Molly knew what this meant for any parent. There is always a chance that a pup could not make it. There has been other cases where one does not fully flip and he or she has stopped in the middle of his or her flip and they are part human part wolf and be put to sleep. A pup could also flip completely and life a long and natural life. But one fact that was undeniable was that the older a pup got the harder and more painful it was on him or her. Molly knew that fear had been casted on Matt. Sophia was 16 years old, and most pups her age have flipped by now, and not only that, Sophia was only part wolf. Everyone in Wolf Lake knew that Sophia's mother was a human and Sophia had to endure the pain of being called a "half breed" from not only her peers but from everyone. So now Sophia was flipping and what was going to happen was somewhat a mystery to everyone.

The bell above the door rung again and both Matt and Molly looked over to see who had walked in and it was Wolf Lake's new deputy John Kannin. Getting up from her seat Molly walked over to her desk and picked up her keys. "Matt I am going to pick up Miranda, she seemed to have been pick pocketing for the lounge again." With that last statement, Molly walked past John and gave him a wink, "later Kannin".

John gave Molly a nod and grins and watched her walk out the door. He had been nervous around Molly since she tried to seduce the night they tried to apprehend two killers, but he also knew she has not tried anything since them, it was the strangest thing. Turning back around, John noticed that Matt had stood from his chair. "Kannin, what are you doing here? I though I told you to take a couple days off." Matt told John to take some rest since he thought he deserved it, especially after having a weird scientist Art VanHallen, put blood in him. Matt did not mean for John to get hooked up and shot up with blood, but Matt had to play along with VanHallen to set him up…hey survival of the pack.

Going over to his own desk John placed his jacket on the back of his own chair in the same manner as Matt, "I did. Now I am back to work and going to solve murders and look for the missing."

Matt knew whom he was referring to…Ruby. John had traveled here to look for his missing love Ruby Wilder aka Ruby Cates. The only daughter to the late Willard Cates and the white wolf of the pack. That was why Ruby was brought back to Wolf Lake, because of her pelt color. White was a rare and powerful pelt color, and one who wears the pelt of white usually weds the future Alpha. Matt had consistently told Kannin that Ruby was a lost cause, but John showed no intentions of leaving Wolf Lake with out Ruby, so Matt though the best way to spy on John was to hire him as his very own deputy.

"Well I am glad you're feeling better…so welcome back. Now get back to work", Matt said as he sat back down in his chair and opened the top yellow folder and began sorting through the papers.

John walked over to Matt's desk and took the seat that Molly was sitting in earlier. "So after the fire a someone told me the word…skin walkers," Matt looked up from his papers, "what does it mean? Sherman Blackstone told me that they are Indian myths that are humans transforming into animals. He didn't say any animal in particular but did say fang. And after being hooked up last night to a wolf I assumed he meant a wolf."

"Well, skinwalkers are Indian folklore that has been passed on from generation to generation, so some people start to believe it."

"Sheriff I think you and everyone else in this town is hiding something and Ruby. The more I stay here the more people want to be quiet."

Still looking at John, "Kannin I have no idea where Ruby Cates is, but obviously she did not want you to know where she was because if she did she might have told you a little bit more about herself and her past." Looking at the sheriff, John couldn't help but wonder what Matt was saying was true, why had Ruby kept her entire past a secret? He wanted to find out and he wanted to find her even more. Riiinnnggg Matt picked up the phone, "Wolf Lake Sheriff's Department. Yeah…okay…yeah…tell her I will be right there, be careful with her when you do it!" Slamming the phone down and grabbing his keys and jacket Matt was headed for the door.

"What's going on Donner?"

"It's…a… Miranda she…needs me…I got to go. You stay here and take calls!" John watched as Matt ran out the door, jumped into his car and was off.

God just let her be all right! I can't believe I am going through this again…fear and pain! The call had not been about Miranda, Sherman had called Matt to let him know that Sophia had started to change and Luke was with her on his way to Sherman's house now. God just let her be all right!