Linda O. Johnston - Protector Wolf

At the time, she had felt somewhat surprised to find herself alone here. Surely other people heard the sounds and could figure out where they came from. And some of the people who’d attended her talk had seemed fascinated, too, by the reappearance of wolves in this area.

Plus some had claimed to be part of the media. Were they interested in wolves or not?

Was she the only one who hoped to actually see them? Or was everyone afraid?

Well, no matter. Although...well, she wouldn’t have minded some company.

Too bad she hadn’t reached Ryan. She couldn’t help assuming he was already outside, also trying to get a glimpse of the wolves. If so, they could have joined up, banded together, safety in numbers. And being with him in the middle of the night would be practical, nothing to do with the fact she found the man attractive.

No matter. For now, all she really hoped for was to see those wolves herself.

The air was cool, and the intermittent sound of the soft wind, plus occasional cars in the distance, were the only sounds she heard at this moment as she stood there.

Still at the edge of the park, she looked beyond the streetlights behind her into the near darkness of what lay ahead. The only light came from above, the brilliance of the full moon.

She carried a special flashlight that she could make as bright or dim as she wanted, as well as a state-of-the-art small camera that took still photos and videos. Mostly what she wanted was to observe and film the wolves from a distance, without them getting too interested in her.

Another howl sounded, followed by some yips and a couple of additional howls. How many wolves were out there?

She would have to be very cautious. Those wolves would sense her before she could get close. And there was no way she could communicate to them that she loved wildlife, only wanted to see and photograph them.

This was probably a bad idea—but it might be her best opportunity to see them.

Here, at the end of the park, the grass gave way to low foliage at first that soon rose to become mountainous woodlands, with trees relatively close together and dry underbrush below. The area was fairly dark, since the treetops erased the light from the moon above.

Maya gave herself one more chance to stop, to back off. But only for a minute. Then, she pulled her flashlight out of her purse, set it for its dimmest setting and started out.

And heard another wolf howl.

She smiled and carefully started forward. She heard her own footsteps on the dried underbrush but not much more. Was she still heading in the right direction?

At least she went in a straight line, so she would be able to find her way back. Even run back, if she had to...

She reached a clearing. Was that a human voice she heard somewhere ahead, off to the side?

Maybe she should go back...

But that was when she heard the crackling sound of dried growth being stomped on by feet—canine feet?

Was she really going to get to see a wolf? Yes!

And in fact, there one was. She upped the intensity of her flashlight as she aimed her camera at it, just as another wolf joined it.

They were both running toward her. Still filming, she looked around. Fortunately, she stood beside a nice, wide tree trunk. Maybe she should get behind it—

But the wolf at the front growled, ran even faster toward her.

Was it going to attack?

“I just wanted to see you,” she cried aloud, knowing how ridiculous that was. As if the creature could understand she was on its side, doing her job, learning about it. Quickly, she moved so the tree was between the wolf and her. But where was the other one?

She heard some barks then that sounded angry. Feral growls, just as another wolf emerged from the woods and attacked the wolf that approached her. The third wolf, behind that one, leaped into the fray, as well.

“No. Please. Don’t hurt each other,” Maya cried out, but she wasn’t stupid. Not entirely, she thought. She used the opportunity to light her flashlight beam to the fullest and run back through the woods in the direction from which she’d come.

She glanced back once, though. The fight had wound down, at least somewhat. One wolf—the attacker?—was facing the other two, crouched as if ready to leap onto them again and growling deeply.

The others stood warily but did not appear as if they were ready to attack again.

Which made Maya smile, at least a little, as she turned again and hurried toward the edge of the park.

Yes, she’d been foolish. But she’d seen wolves. Three wolves. And she’d gotten videos of them.

She wasn’t hurt, and the canines appeared to be okay, too.

This was definitely a memorable night.

* * *

He remained in a crouch, growling and teaching the others he faced who was alpha, at least for now.

Their scents were strong, and not entirely wolfen.

Then they, too, were shifters. That didn’t make them less feral, less likely to attack him.

And it wouldn’t have prevented them from attacking that foolish human woman.

But at least he had been able to save her from harm.

And soon, tomorrow, when he had shifted back and was in human form, he would find an opportunity to chide her, and more.

To warn her never to put herself in such a situation again.

He was unlikely to be there the next time.

The other wolves had apparently had enough. They both issued loud warning growls back to him, then turned and loped back into the darkness of the forest behind them.

Good. He, too, returned to the darkness but in a different direction.

He wanted to get a better sense of these surroundings and where the wolves by blood might be—and whether these shifters might be in any danger.

Only later, when morning started to arrive, would he shift back.

* * *

She was out of the woods, so to speak, and onto the lawn constituting the park. Maya smiled, stopped walking and turned to look back at the dark woodlands she had just left.

The wolves were still there, somewhere. Hopefully, none of them had been injured by the others.

She had seen them, photographed them, and she was fine. More than fine.

Too bad she had no way of rewarding that one wolf who’d confronted the others and allowed her to get away. He surely had an agenda of his own that had nothing to do with her, but she still appreciated it.

With a sigh, she turned and started walking briskly back to where she’d parked. Good night, wolves, she thought as she got into her car.

There were some other cars on the road now. She even saw a few people exit a bar on the far side of the street, though not the one she’d visited before.

Had anyone else heard the wolves?

Did anyone else in this town really care?

Surely the answer was yes, at least those who’d come to her presentation or commented on it afterward, like that bartender she had met. What was his name? Lesterman?

Or maybe the other people who’d been there, the Sharans, and that lady, Ivy, who had seen a couple of wolves. They’d at least seemed interested.

And her new buddy Trev. He’d at least expressed some interest in wildlife at her talk. Had he heard the wolves from wherever he was? Did he give a damn?

Then there had been Ryan, and his friend Piers. They’d surely have been interested.

She’d thought she heard some human voices. Could it have been theirs? Were they also out here checking out those howls?

If so they’d surely left Rocky in one of their rooms. The dog might have been particularly at risk when wolves were around.

She parked behind the hotel and went inside.

She felt so happy and excited that she wished she could shout about her amazing evening to the world.

Or at least to people who might give a damn.