Courage
2

Entering town, Dean slowed their car.They were frowning since they'd seen a couple of men coming down thestreet with fishing polls. They'd waved. What kind of werewolveswaved at strangers? What kind of werewolf community put up websitesto invite strangers to visit, for that matter?

Something wasn't right,Dean could feel it. Even now, as they were looking around the placewhile slowly steering their vehicle down Main Street, everythingseemed far too normal, almost idyllic. And more people were wavingand smiling at Dean as they watched them. To say Dean had a badfeeling about all of this would have been an understatement.

Dean made their way to theinn, parking their car in front. It was a wooden structure, wellsettled, and home-y looking. Dean contemplated whether they shouldgear up with a visible weapon right now, just to send a clearmessage, but then decided against it. They didn't know the rules ofthe town. If Dean wasn't careful, they could get thrown into jail forwearing a weapon where the inhabitants would then make a meal of themcome full moon. Dean wasn't going to make it that easy for them.

They exited the car andtook their overnight bag from the backseat. Then Dean entered theinn. It was like walking into a fairy tale where everything looksnice and cozy like grandma's house, but the hairs at the back of yourneck told you there was a wolf hiding inside granny's nightgown. Thewolf of this particular establishment smiled at Dean from behind areception counter.

“Good morning. I'mGrey, how may I help you.”

“Morning. Myassociate has booked a room for me. The name's Sutter,” Dean saidas they came closer.

“Let's see.” Theman, in lack of a better word, busied himself with his computer. Hewas typing in the slow speed of someone unused to working with it,Dean noted. “Sutter, Dean.” Grey looked at Dean for a longmoment.

“Is somethingwrong?” Dean asked.

“You are DeanSutter?”

“Yes, why?”

Grey blinked a few times.“I guess, I would have expected...a man?”

For a second, Dean foughtthe impulse to laugh. He'd thought that maybe the people of Couragehad heard of them, that their name was enough to make them unwelcome.But the man behind the counter was obviously confused by Dean'sgender.

Dean looked Grey straightin the eyes, unblinking.

“I'm sorry,M...Dean Sutter. That's a single, no smoking, for two days?”

Dean nodded. “That'sright.”

Grey pushed the registerat Dean, asking them to sign and how they were going to pay.

“Credit,” Deansaid and pulled their wallet from the back pocket of their jeans.They gave Grey their credit card.

The whole registeringprocess took less than ten minutes. Dean watched every movement Greymade, but nothing seemed out of place, nothing indicated that theperson working in this more than ordinary inn was anything but a man.And yet Dean knew better.

They took their key andcredit card from the counter and started ascending the stairs leadingto the upper floor.

“Ahhhh...Sutter?”Grey called, before Dean could even reach it.

“Yes?”

“Have a nicestay.”

“Thank you.”Dean shook their head. This place was too weird for words, and theywould only relax when they would see it in the rear view mirror oftheir car – hopefully following the school bus with all the kidsand their teacher inside.