Page 1 of Crow Me A River

CHAPTER 1

Misty heard a loud crack as she stepped out of her cabin. Looking down, she saw her small porch littered with trinkets and jewelry. Sighing, she carefully stepped over everything and headed down the steps.

She’d been in Assjacket for almost three weeks and already the males were driving her nuts. Misty hated the way Crow Shifter clans treated their females and had never been shy about voicing her opinion. Loudly. Which was the main reason her last clan had kicked her out. Well, that among other reasons she didn’t want to think about at the moment.

Glancing in the direction of the Alpha’s house, she quickly decided to head the opposite way. Their weekly mandatory gathering was today, and she really wasn’t in the mood. She’d already suffered through two of them, and it was always the same song and dance. The Alpha laid down his rules, the males voiced their ideas and complaints, and the females sat quietly like good little Crow Shifters.

Snorting, Misty shook her head and continued down the path, putting as much distance between herself and the bullshit as possible.

Not really knowing the area very well yet or where she was going to go, she veered off into the woods. No matter where she was in the world, the woods had always given her a sense of peace. Lost in thought, she had no idea how far she’d gone, but honestly, she didn’t care. As long as there weren’t males slobbering all over her or showing up in Crow form with trinkets and jewelry trying to court her, she’d walk forever.

Why couldn’t she just find a man who⁠—

NO!

Misty shook her head, almost tripping over a tree root. She didn’t need a man and definitely didn’t want one. Honestly, she just didn’t get it. She was average looking, nothing special, and could be a real bitch, as more than a few of the Crow males had figured out pretty damn quick. The way they fluffed their feathers when bringing her gifts, only to shift into human form and strut around like they’d just accomplished something spectacular, made her want to gag.

She knew she was different when it came to that kind of stuff, but honestly, she didn’t care. Most, if not all, female Crows loved it when the males flocked around them. The more gifts, the better. Maybe there was something wrong with her.

Misty actually laughed at that. Because if there was one thing she’d heard enough times in her life, it was that there was definitely something wrong with her. Hell, she was starting to believe it.

“Fucking tomcat!”

Misty stopped suddenly with a frown. A male voice reached her from somewhere not far away. Just her luck. She was trying to get away from men, and here she was hearing one deep in the woods in her peaceful place.

“Matted furry asshole,” the male hissed, stopping Misty from turning and heading in the opposite direction. Curious by nature and against her better judgment, she quietly headed toward the voice.

“The hairball I coughed up this morning looked better than that asshole.” The male voice continued his rant and had her wondering what kind of man coughed up hairballs.

The voice was closer now, causing Misty to slow her steps. Slipping quietly behind a tree, she peeked around it to see a black cat pacing back and forth, his fur standing straight up along his back. Did he have an earring? Well at least the hairball mystery was explained.

Squinting, she leaned a little farther around the tree and couldn’t help but grin when a flash of gold gleamed in a stream of sunlight peeking through the branches.

She chuckled, realizing the damn cat really did have an earring, and the hairball comment was actually pretty damn funny.

“Who’s there?” The cat spun in her direction, causing Misty to duck back behind the tree. “I’ll have you know my claws are registered as deadly weapons, and I can gut you with one swipe of my massive paw.”

Rolling her eyes, she stepped out from behind the tree. Not because she was afraid. Hell, she could drop-kick the talking cat across the woods if she wanted to, but because she knew she was busted.

“Hey.” She made herself visible.

“Hey?” The cat looked offended by her greeting. “Hey?!”

“That’s what I said.” She cocked an eyebrow. Testy-ass cat.

“Great.” His ears flattened as he turned away from her. “Just fucking great.”

Misty frowned. “What’s your problem?”

“Nothing.” His tail whipped back and forth. “Absolutely fucking nothing. I come all the way out here for some peace and quiet, and what happens? A woman pops out from behind a goddamn tree.”

“Trust me, furball, finding a male out here wasn’t exactly on my wish list either.” Misty snorted.

That stopped his pacing.

He slowly turned his head toward her. “Then why the hell were you hiding behind a tree watching me?”

“I wasn’t hiding,” Misty shot back, not liking being called out.