PRINCE OF WOLVES By Susan Krinard

“It’s my land,” he said at her shoulder. Startled, she froze for an instant and then resumed her tactile exploration She knew it shouldn’t surprise her that he could move so silently. Not any longer.

“What kind of animal is this?” she asked at last, her tone deliberately light in spite of his disconcerting nearness. “I’ve never been that comfortable with the idea of hunting, but I imagine up here that it’s one of the necessities of life.”

“It is necessary, at some times and for some reasons,” he said, answering so quickly that his words caught the end of hers. “That belonged to a good friend of mine. I took it from him when he no longer needed it.”

Joey dropped her hand and turned to face him. “A friend?” The meaning of his words penetrated, and she might have laughed had his expression not been so serious. “Like our friend the wolf?”

“Yes. Very much like him.” The utter sobriety in his eyes and voice made her falter. He reached up to run long fingers through the dark fur where hers had passed. “I keep it as a reminder.” For a long moment he seemed lost in his own thoughts. Joey’s eyes shifted up to the antlers above their heads.

“What about those? Were those friends, too?”

“Not friends, but respected adversaries. In nature, predators seldom hunt for any reason but necessity. There is never any certainty about the outcome.” He spread his hand through the pelt and gripped it tightly. “Sometimes the predator loses. It’s only human beings who cheat on the rules of nature.”

Looking at Luke, Joey knew there was far more behind his tightly deliberate words than she could guess. “But you never cheat on the rules?” she asked softly.

“Not if I can help it.” His words were equally soft as his eyes met hers.

Joey could easily have found herself lost in them again, but she chose not to give herself the opportunity. Moving away with unhurried casualness, she stopped at one of the tables where one of the lamps cast its light, almost superfluous in the glow of the fire.

“These are beautiful, too.” She touched one of the several wooden sculptures on the table: a bear rearing up on its hind legs, front paws displayed in aggressive threat. Even at this small size the power of the animal was evident in the lines of carved wood.

“Thank you.” Luke had come up silently behind her, but this time she expected it. Even so, his words surprised her.

“You did this?” She picked up the sculpture carefully, turning it in her hands to examine the exquisite detail. Each tiny claw had been carved to a delicate point, and even the teeth looked sharp enough to bite.

“Yes.” There was a long silence. Joey set down the bear and picked up a second carving that she guessed to be a cougar, graceful and sleek. “The winters are long here, and it’s useful to have something to do.” She heard him shift behind her, a restless whisper of bare feet on wood paneling.

“I’ve never seen carving like this.” Joey picked up the third sculpture; like those on the table against the far wall, this was a wolf. Its head was flung back in a howl, ears laid flat and bushy tail straight. She could keenly remember the mournful cries she’d heard at the lodge. “They’re wonderful. Did you ever consider selling them? You’d probably get an excellent price.”

His chuckle was little more than a bark, but for once there was no grimness in it. “I don’t need the money.” He moved to stand beside her, his shoulder almost touching hers. “I do it because the winters are long and cold, and I have all the supplies I need. But if you like it… ” He paused, and his hand brushed hers over the carving. “It’s yours.”

His touch was brief and fleeting, but it struck Joey with the force of a blow. Her fingers tightened on the carving until the sharp edges bit into her palm. “Thank you.” She swallowed back a sudden painful constriction in her throat. “I’ll treasure it.”

He said nothing more, and she looked up to see him stalk away, circling in front of the fire. His muscles were taut, and the usual grace of his movements was lost as he paced, looking everywhere but at her.

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