“Poor devils. Some of the old wolf haters will never give up until every last wolf is dead.”
Alex resisted the urge to bury her face against Granddad’s ribs. “That’s what the man said.”
“You saw him, Alex?”
“He left when I came. But—”
Father took a stiff step toward them. “We don’t have time to stand here and chat. The plane is waiting.”
“Damn waste,” Granddad muttered. He glanced at his ‘ daughter. “Don’t you worry, Evie. I’ll let the authorities know about this.”
“All right. Dad.” Mother knelt and touched Alex’s cheek. “I know this has been terrible for you, honey.”
“The wolves were my friends,” Alex said. “They didn’t deserve to die.”
“No. Of course they didn’t.” Mother stroked back Alex’s hair over and over again. “Sometimes bad things happen, and we can’t understand why. We can only try not to forget the good things.”
“Eve!”
Mother stiffened a little at Father’s tone. “We’ll talk more about this on the plane. If you’re okay, honey, we’d better go.”
Alex planted her feet. “No. There’s something else.” She looked at Granddad. “I met a boy, a stranger. After the hunter left, he came to the wolves. Something was wrong with him. He was crying…”
She trailed off, pinned under Father’s stare and Granddad’s puzzled frown.
“A boy, Alex? You didn’t know him?” Granddad glanced at Mother. “Could have been with the poacher—”
“No.” Alex tried very hard not to cry. Not yet. “It wasn’t like that. He was in some kind of trouble, I know it. He was upset because the wolves had been killed, and he ran away when you came. I promised to help him!”
Father’s mouth set in a thin line. “That’s enough, Alexandra.”
Alex pulled free of her mother’s loose hold and faced her father defiantly. “But we have to find him. I promised.”
“Honey, it’s better if we let Granddad take care of it.”
“Your mother’s right,” Granddad said. “I’ll look around for this boy tomorrow. Maybe he came from the reservation. If I find him, I’ll make sure he’s all right.”
They didn’t really believe her, Alex knew it, caught the way her mother looked at Granddad. But they had to believe, and she had to keep her promise…
“Come on, honey,” Mother said, tugging her away from the scene of death. “You need rest. When we’re home, this will all seem like a bad dream.”
A bad dream. It was much worse than that, because it was real. The boy needed help, Shadow was being hunted by a terrible man, and the sense of dread that had been hanging over Alex all day had only grown worse.
“I can’t go. Mother—”
“This is your doing,” Father hissed to Granddad “You put these crazy ideas in her head and let her wander out here alone. Eve went through hell today because of it.” He breathed out heavily. “I think Alexandra has gotten toe old to be coming up here every year.”
Alex looked up in horror.
“Now, William…” There was real concern in Granddad’s voice. Even Mother looked as if she agreed with Father. Father could make sure Alex never came back here again—to her grandparents, to these woods, to Shadow and the boy who needed her help…
“Please,” Alex begged. “I won’t cause any more trouble.” She felt tears slide down her cheeks. “Mother, please let me come back.”
Mother only pulled her close to her side and kept walking. Father and Granddad dropped behind, arguing in harsh whispers.
I have to come back, Alex thought fiercely, scrubbing at her face. She had to find Shadow again, make sure he’d escaped. And now there was another reason as well. Even if Granddad kept his promise and looked for the boy, Alex wouldn’t be here to help as she’d promised, or find out who he was, or why he had called to her with the sorrow in his eyes.
Until she saw them both, Shadow and the boy, it wouldn’t be right again. That certainty hung in Alex’s mind like a terrible prophecy.
She moved a little ahead of her mother, taking the first step away from what she must leave behind. She didn’t even look back at the wolves. There was nothing she could do about them now. But as she walked she made a silent prayer.