Chapter 8

The next morning Linda went to town to get more food for her friends. When she got to the store on the other side of town, she could feel the buzz of gossip going around.

"May I help ... Oh, it's you, Linda. I didn't expect to see you back so soon," said Sam from behind the counter.

"Well, you know how it is. I got to thinking about it and kicked myself for not getting more of those stew bones and..."

"That's a load of horse shit if I ever heard it," Sam said with a smile, "I know you too well. Well, I used to, but I don't think you would have changed much. You most likely have that silly wolf pack out there eating out of the palm of your hands, though I would be careful if I were you."

"Oh? What have you heard?" Linda asked hoping to get an idea of the truth. Though she knew Sam had never lied to her before.

"Old man Simms lost another cow last night. That makes two in a week. But by the time he got out there he found something strange. There were three dead wolves and from the tracks they were killed by a larger pack and the rest of the smaller pack was driven off."

"Really? That's not ... well, wait ... Were the others, the smaller pack, new to the area?" Linda asked to keep up appearances.

"We don't know. Fish and Game got here this morning and are looking into it. Could the pack from your forest have been involved?" Sam asked.

Sam looked straight at his childhood friend, and wondered just how much she really knew. Though Sam wasn't brave enough to ask, as he knew Linda was very touchy about the wolves.

"I don't know. Yes, I did toss out a lot of the bones near the edge of the clearing and a good number came out to get them. I had to break some of the bigger ones so everyone had a piece but I didn't see them this morning."

"Old lady Harper is screaming that you had your wolves do it. She also claims that the wolves attacked her, and some of the others, when they went over to welcome you back to the area."

Sam couldn't help it. He had a silly smile on his face about what he'd heard.

"And do you believe a word that woman says?" Linda smirked back.

"Her sons were telling some stuff too. I just thought you should know. Later, when you have time, you could come over and let me know what really happened. Now what can I get for you?"

Linda laughed, and then gave Sam the list of what she wanted and he quickly cut and packed her order so that she was out the door quickly. As she drove back she could see the Fish and Game truck at the sheriff's office.

The two men, Kert Rice and Larry Jones, from the Fish and Game department were bugging the sheriff asking the same question over and over again about what he knew of the lady now living at the Mason house.

"Look, gentlemen, the lady in question is Linda Mason. The land is hers from what I've heard. She and her family used to keep the forest and the state lands on the other side clear of traps, and turn poachers over to us. Clearly Linda intends to continue that. I gave you a copy of the report. What more do you want?" asked Sheriff Tanner.

"Clearly something is going on with the wolves around here and we're trying to figure out what it is, and what we can do about it short of killing them," replied Larry Jones.

"The wolves are territorial, you said it yourself. The smaller pack was pushed out of their range. It most likely only now came to our wolves' attention, and they did what wolves do. They drove those others back out.

"I've heard it happens a lot, what with the free space being taken away by people."

"We still want to speak to this woman. We've heard a few disturbing things. And with you not telling us what we want to know..."

"Are you insinuating I'm lying to you? If you are, I would be very careful."

Leo was getting more and more pissed off by the second.

The smaller man put a hand on his partner's shoulder, to keep him under control.

"Sheriff, you and I could talk about this all day but it won't solve anything. Why don't you take us out to the Mason place, and we'll just talk to her."

Leo sighed and told the men to follow him. He walked out of his office to his car.

Linda had everything put away and was thinking of doing a trap finding circuit, when the howl of a wolf warned her that she was about to have company.

"Trap, please stay out of sight until we know who it is."

"I will be near if you need me. Some of the others are returning but it will take time."

"I think we can handle this, but just stay hidden unless things look ugly or I call you, please."

"I will be good, my mate. It is those that come that will need to be careful." Trap said with an edge to his voice.

Linda laughed and walked out of the house just as the sheriff's car and the Fish and Game truck Linda had seen at the sheriff's office came to a stop in her front yard.

While Linda waited for the three men to get out of their rigs, she couldn't help but notice the sheriff looking around quickly.

"Gentlemen, what can I do for you?"

"I'm Kert Rice. This is my partner Larry Jones. We're with the state Fish and Game department. We would like to ask you a few questions."

"Go ahead, it's a free country ... almost," Linda answered.

Leo barked a laugh before he could stop himself, then looked sheepishly at the three people in front of him.

"Lady, this is no laughing matter," said Larry, "We have received reports that you have captured a wolf and are keeping it as a pet. We demand..." he said in a huff.

"You demand! This is my land. You don't demand anything!"

"Larry, just calm down, will ya," said Kert.

"I'm tired of getting the runaround! I want answers!"

"Larry, just shut up and let me handle this," hissed Kert.

He turned back, the lady was still standing on her porch. He couldn't help but notice how she stood, as if ready for a fight.

"I'm sorry about that. My partner drove most of last night, and hasn't eaten enough today, and hasn't had enough coffee. However, I would like to know if you have noticed if the wolves or other animals have been acting strange of late?"

Linda was pissed at how the taller of the men was acting and was all but ready to rip him apart. Then she looked at the smaller man and saw that his face told how he felt. He didn't like how his partner was acting any more than she did.

"I've not been here that long. So you have to be more specific about what you want to know," Linda replied.

It was again Larry, the taller of the two men that responded and walked in front of his partner.

"Lady, if you don't tell us what we want to know right this fucking minute..."

Larry was unable to finish as he found the woman had her hand around his throat.

Kert and Leo only saw a blur as Linda came off the porch.

Linda stood toe to toe with the man she held and growled.

"You are a fool! Your friend was trying to save your life. Now get in your truck and stay there, or I'll take you into the woods and let my pack teach you some manners!" Linda said then growled again.

Leo woke from being stunned and moved cautiously up to Linda.

"Linda, let him go. He didn't do anything, yet. I'll make sure he leaves."

Linda slowly released the man and stepped back.

Larry stumbled back, and rubbed his neck, not believing the strength he felt. Then his anger grew again.

"Why You Bitch! I want..."

Larry froze as he watch a wolf come stalking out of the front of the woman's house.

"HOLY SHIT!!" yelled Kert and Leo at the same time.

"Don't move, Kert!" Leo hissed, "Linda, please, ask your friend not to attack this fool. He's not worth losing him, or the pack, over."

Linda stepped back another step and looked at Trap.

"Trap, the sheriff is right. If you attack, others will come and just try to kill you. Come stand by me."

Trap was shaking with rage at how his mate was being treated. He didn't hear the words the sheriff spoke and only some of what his mate said out loud. It was what she said with her mind that let the rage drain away.

"My love, please, I couldn't bear to lose you. Please come and let me feel you next to me."

Trap moved over and stood there but never took his eyes off the taller of the two men.

Kert was shocked. He had never heard of anything or any one talking a wolf out of a rage.

"My God, how did you do that?"

Linda looked at the man, "I don't think you or the other one have the right to ask any more questions. The wolves here are special. Their pack has been here for many, many years. My family has watched and helped them over the years by removing traps left by poachers and others. This one was caught in a snare set by the Harper brothers. I caught them tormenting him. I made them stop, then confiscated their weapons and chased them off my land.

"This one came to thank me and stayed. He is free to come and go, as he likes. When the Harpers came to make me drop the charges against the boys, they found the pack thought otherwise.

"The pack went hunting and as the herds have shifted for some reason, I suspect it's taking more time to catch their prey.

"Now you know the story and I'm tired of talking. I have work to get to and traps to clear off of my land. So please leave!"

Kert had no words for what he had been told. His mind though screamed that he needed to learn all of the little details and document everything.

In Kert's time with the Fish and Game department, he had learned of about four packs that acted a bit differently, but none could get close enough to study them, other than one pair up in the Alaskan/Canadian tundra.

"Please, I know this is very hard for you and your friend at the moment. What you have told us is amazing. Please I would like..."

"Mr. Rice," Leo interrupted, "I think it would be better if you waited and let things calm down a bit. Your partner needs to leave, as you can see," Leo paused and looked at the man that was already looking like he was going to start some more shit, "he's about to get stupid again. And this time I won't stop Linda or her friend from ripping his throat out."