Two wolves rush from the place we're looking and one more darts from the side. All three run right past the deer. The deer bolt into the treeline, but there's no time to process it because all three wolves come charging towards us.
Parker plants his body in front of mine, snarling. One of the wolves hedges around to try to try to get into a position to come at us from behind. I turn, holding his gaze, until Parker and I are back to back.
These wolves aren't the three who are supposed to be in our group. Ireallywish that I was able to speak to Parker.
The situation dissolves as quickly as it appeared. Almost as if it was planned, all three back off and slink back into the darkness.As soon as their scents fade, Parker turns back to face me. I don't need a bond with him to see the confusion and conspiracy festering in his eyes. He lifts his muzzle to sniff the air and I do the same. Nothing. All I can smell is him and the weakened scents of those wolves. He looks back at me, and I look at him. Neither of us shift.
My wolf is no more inclined to give up control right now than I am to take it. That was a very strange encounter for more than a few reasons. That was a challenge. They backed off, but it was still a challenge. And I doubt it was over the deer. I'm not familiar enough with the people here to recognize any of their scents with certainty, and I won't be able to ask Parker about them until after we shift. Secondly, Parker put himself between me and real danger. It's possible that he's chivalrous enough to do something like that anyway, but it feels more important than that. I won't be asking him about that at all.
He nudges me and walks across the clearing in the direction of the place where the wolves came from. I follow him. I don't know what this is, but I'm not stupid. I don't know this forest or these people and I don't want to be alone. My wolf is more than happy to go with him and that will be a conversation for later.
We search the area beyond the clearing. The only scents are wildlife and what I assume are the wolves who challenged us.
Wait.
There's one more.
I bury my nose into the soft grass, scenting deeply and allowing my wolf back into the forefront.
There was another.
Yes, there was.
Male. Older. Healthy.
I snort, drawing Parker's attention, and he comes over to scent the same area. He draws in breath deeply, tilting his head from side to side as I keep watch. After another thorough sniff, he liftshis head again, blinking at me. He looks over his shoulder in the direction of the buildings that make up Recovery. I dip my head and follow him back.
When we approach the main grounds, he stops and faces me again. He huffs out a warm breath that warms the fur between my ears and then cocks his head to the side, waiting.
Waiting for what?
Oh. For me. This would be so much easier if we could speak to each other.
I turn away from him and start the process of coaxing my body to shift back into my human form. My wolf, for the first time in a long time, isn't reluctant. She leaps into the change and it's the first time in months that it isn't agonizing. As soon as I'm finished, but before I turn back around, I hear the telltale sounds of Parker shifting. When I turn to face him, he's glaring in the direction of the main grounds.
“Do you know who they were?” I ask.
“No.”
“Did you recognize the fourth scent? The older male?”
“No, but I will.”
I nod even though he doesn't see it.
“Genie.”
I give him my full attention and he looks down into my eyes with a look I don't want to see. Worry. And anger that isn't directed towards me.
“Don't say anything about this.”
I wasn't going to. “Will you tell Drew?”
He sighs. “Not just yet.”
“That was strange.”
“Very.”
