The Shipment.

  It was dark and dreary, late evening, cruising through the city in the old dingy boxtruck. The pavement had been rutted from heavy traffic over the year and the passengers in the back were likely bouncing and thudding from the metal walls. Tristan's eyes kept scanning the area while Darrick kept the truck at a slow creep.

     The city was small,  most residents living in the outskirts in farms on the countryside. Both to their pleasure, and to their dismay few people stirred today. It was prime opportunity to get the female needed to complete the shipment, but finding one was proving to be an issue. They'd been at it all day, trying to find healthy reproductive age females, but the ones they'd spotted were much older or were in too public a place or too crowded to snag. They were becoming frustrated. Their 'alpha' was expecting the shipping tonight no later than midnight. 

       "Let's try a different street." Tristan suggested. Darrick complied and they circled the city, scouring the smaller streets along the main ones. They had been at it nearly an hour, when Tristan spotted something promising.  Up ahead were joggers, and a pair of them. Even though the darkening sky was casting heavy shadows, he could tell by scent through the cracked window and by gait they were females. "We'll take both of them, to avoid one getting loose and causing a scene." Darrick nods in excitement and pulls the truck by alley. They exit and slink along the walls of nearby businesses in wait, the pair of women traveling closer in their direction. As they closed the distance Tristan could make out their features. Both young, one slightly taller than another, a fair one with a swinging dishwater braid, a dark one with bouncing raven curls. Darrick perked up as he assessed them. He nodded to the raven haired girl with the nice curls.

     "That one is mine. We will put her towards the door on the back,  so I can get her out before the others come pick. " Tristan nodded. He had already picked his and sat her close to the door earlier. You have to pick then esrkybsbd set them in an easily accessible place. The other shifters will be stalking the truck once it pulls in to scout their picks. You wanted to take yours and move her before you risked her being seen. If too many claimed one girl, alpha would make them fight for her.

     The girls were almost close enough now. Certain that they were heading their way, the men shrunk back around the alley behind the truck and waited to hear the girls pass. They would jump them from behind. Their shadows passed under the truck, and neither man heard any others rustling about on the street. Coast was clear. It's time. The duo sprang up silently, in unison and trailed the girls. The smaller one abruptly stopped looking to her friend, having somehow sensed their approach, despite their stealth making them undetectable to human ears. Her friend stopped with her, they looked back and bolted. No doubt heading to the brightly lit gas station about a quarter mile ahead. Tristan could taste the fear as it lingered behind them, almost as a cloud. Their hearts thrumming and breath panting despite their fit bodies. It took little effort with adrenaline pumping to close the distance to the girls. Darrick swiping his claim to the ground quickly and covering her mouth. The other turned and dove on him unexpectedly, climbing his back and trying to fight him off of her friend. A cry rang out as Darrick swatted the offending female from his back. The dark female seized her moment to slide out from under him and punch him in his jaw. He caught her arm and pinned her, as Tristan caught her friend mid run about to crash into Darrick again.

     "Let her go!" Tristan covered the girl's mouth right after that, smothering her pleas. Both females struggling their hardest, the duo ran back to the boxtruck to bind and gag their feisty catches. They suffered a few stretches, bites and possible bruises in the process.

     "Fuck. I think I chose wrong. It has a mean hook." Darrick massaged his jaw after placing his girl by the door. Tristan grabbed the fair girl by her braid and slung her into the pile of other's crammed towards the back. His nostrils flaring. He had little patience with problematic females. He knew he chose right earlier. He does not want that little dishwasher blonde menace, nor the dangerous dark beauty.

      "Strong. Strong means healthy." Tristan offered to him as they mounted the cab and speed off to their town.