"Good afternoon," the young ranger said extending a map of the park to Alice.
"I won't need that," Alice said shaking her head.
"Okay, well, when was the last time you came to this park?" the human asked. Alice's eyebrows rose in curiosity.
"Why does that matter?"
"It's a standard question to ensure people don't try to come more than once a year. Some new law in place to regulate the national parks." The girl appeared dumbfounded at Alice's question, but kept the smile on her face.
"It's been longer than a year."
"Well then, welcome. The park fee is $15 per vehicle. We would ask that you refrain from feeding the wildlife and if you intend on camping in the park, you will need to go the ranger's station for a permit."
"Even in the back country?" Alice asked pulling money from her wallet and handing it over to the girl.
"Oh, especially in the back country. Here at Yellowstone we want to make sure that everyone is safe. That’s why we try to keep track of where our visitors are going. Then if there are any emergencies we will be able to locate you faster."
Alice's eyes widened. Hope filled her heart as she stared at the young girl. "Everyone has to check in with the ranger, then if they are camping in the woods?"
"Oh yes, everyone."
"Has anyone got lost in the last couple of days? I have a friend who came through here and called me for help. She said she is in trouble and needs help."
The girl pressed her lips into a tight line and glanced over her shoulder to her computer screen. Alice's eyes shifted from the girl to the little desk inside the hut and waited. The girl turned her attention back to Alice and shook her head.
"Sorry, no one has put up any alerts on missing persons, within the park. But they don't always send notices here to the welcome station. It would be best for you to go to the park ranger's office."
"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," Alice mumbled. The girl glanced at her and cocked her head. She had hoped it would be an easy rescue, in and out with no issues. But if the ranger's didn't know where Danielle was at, then it would take longer than she expected. All hopes of bypassing Derek's pack flew out the window.
"Excuse me?"
Alice smiled and cleared her throat.
"Where is that exactly?" Alice asked reaching for the map.
"Oh, well, here," the girl handed Alice the map again and leaned into Alice's open window to point out the ranger's station within the park. Behind her, she could hear the grumbling of the people behind her as they grew impatient. The girl pointed to the map moving her focus from Alice to the line piling up behind the Honda. Alice nodded and smiled.
"Thanks," Alice said as she threw her car into drive. The girl stepped back into her box and waved as Alice drove on.
"Nothing is ever simple anymore," Alice said trying to read the small squiggles representing the road from trails.
"But it would be wise to stop off at the ranger's station to let them know I am here," Alice argued with herself as she followed the signs on the side of the road until she pulled up into the small parking lot.
Alice put her car into park and stared at the log cabin with the words "Ranger's Station" painted on the awning. She killed the engine and got out. With one wary foot in front of the other, she walked towards the double doors and pushed through them. Her senses sparked as she sniffed the air. The hair on the back of her neck rose at the familiar scent of another wolf nearby.
"Great, just what I need," Alice grumbled, stalling at the entrance. "Well, you knew you were going to have to run into his crew, eventually. Might as well get it over with."
Alice twisted her head to take in fresh air before stepping further inside the station. The cool air-conditioned breeze swept around her hitting her with lavender and pine. The sickly sweet aroma knocked her back as if she had been hit with a brick to the head. She wobbled a few steps to the counter and clung to it for dear life. Through blurry burning eyes, she tried to find someone to help her. In the corner of the room, behind a faux desk, a strong young man sat with the paper in front of him and his feet propped up.
"Excuse me," Alice cleared her throat trying to shift through the different smells locked in the small room.
"Yeah?" the man huffed flipping through the pages of the newspaper. "What can I do for you?"
"I was told you could help me. I am looking for a missing person here in the park. Is this the right place?"
"Yep," he mumbled undisturbed by Alice's questions.
"Well can you tell me if anyone has been reported missing?"
"Nope." He said bluntly without dropping the paper.
"No, you can't tell me? Or no one has been reported missing?" Alice's face grew hotter with frustration. It was bad enough she could barely see through the fragrances assaulting her sinuses. But to have the ranger deliberately being stubborn was downright irritating her.
"No one is missing, and no one has been reported missing," he answered.
"Okay. Well, can I file a report on a missing person?"
"Go to the police."
Alice's face burned at the quick dismissal. Clearly she wouldn't be getting any help from the ranger. Her eyes narrowed before it hit her. The overwhelming scents in the office, the burning eyes all signs pointed to one thing; he was a wolf, and was probably ordered by the alpha to be a pain to anyone looking anyone else. Alice's balled her hands into tiny little fists as she tried not to let him irritate her.
"Look, my friend came out here four days ago. She registered here with you or someone in your office. I got a call from her yesterday saying she is in trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" the ranger asked with his face still buried behind the paper.
Alice's eyes narrowed on the paper trying to burn holes into it. She sucked in a deep breath and slammed her fists on the counter. "Wolves," she spit.
The ranger laughed keeping the paper steadily in his hands. "Wolves don't hunt people."
"You know damned well what kind of wolves I am talking about." Alice snapped. She stormed around the desk and ripped the paper from the park ranger's hands forcing him to pay attention to her.
"Hey," he grumbled as Alice crumbled the paper into a tiny little ball and tossed it into the waste bin.
"I understand you have orders to be a dick to me. So you might as well call Derek and tell him I’m here."
"Derek?" The ranger sat up straight and stared at Alice. His gaze was filled with awe and wonder. Alice stepped back taking in his confusion and understanding. She noticed his nose twitching as her scent drifted around him. His eyes grew wider as he rose from his chair.
"How do you know Derek?"
"Don't be coy. You have your orders. Now either tell me where I can find him, or tell me if a girl named Danielle Johnstone came in here and got a permit to camp in the back country." Alice demanded.
The man shook his head while keeping his eyes locked on Alice. She stepped back keeping a few inches of space between them in case he attacked. She watched every muscle in his body expecting it to twitch or shimmer giving her the sign he was about to shift and rip into her.
"I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot here," the ranger said putting his hands up into the air and moving slowly towards the main desk. Alice moved back around the counter refusing to take her eyes off him.
"My name is Bash Allen, and I am a park ranger here at Yellowstone," he extended his hand towards Alice who simply glared at it and shook her head. He dropped his hand and adjusted his attention to the small laptop on the counter.
"So, if your friend got a permit, I can find it in our data base. But, you have to understand that not everyone stays within their permit ranges. A lot of hikers say they will be one place and then they wander into other parts of the park."
"All I need is a starting point. I can track her from there."
"With all due respect, Miss, this park is huge. I could help you."
"No thanks. I am sure you will notify Derek a
s soon as I leave this building."
"To be honest, I don't know this Derek person. I have heard his name thrown around a bit, but never met the guy."
"Sure," Alice huffed as she trained her eyes on the computer, as the names of everyone with permits for camping scrolled down the screen.
"I'm serious."
"I'm sure you are, but with all due respect Ranger, I don't trust any wolves in this area. Either you work for him and your job is to throw me off the trail, or you don't and you’ll end up slowing me down. Either way—point me in the direction of my friend and I will find her myself."
Bash stared at Alice and opened his mouth, but the glare in her eyes changed his mind and he turned his attention back to the computer screen.
"Here," Bash said pointing to Danielle's name in the list. "You can start in the northeast territory of the park."
Alice stared at the map for a moment and nodded as she burned the image into her memory.
"Thanks," Alice said glancing at Bash. He smiled and stepped back from the computer. Alice moved towards the door and hesitated. She glanced over her shoulder and stared at Bash for a moment.
"I don't know if what you said about Derek is true or not. But if you do happen to call him to warn him I am here, give him a message for me."
Bash opened his mouth and shook his head, but Alice cut him off before he could say another word. "Tell him, I won't go down without a fight."
“Who should I say you are?” Bash asked keeping his eyes on Alice. She turned and glared at him.
“Alice Bane,” she answered, yanking the door open and stepped out into the fresh air. The overpowering aroma of lavender, basil and pine drifted away from her as the door closed behind her. She sucked in a deep breath clearing her senses.
"Hold on Danielle," Alice whispered looking into the trees. Alice walked to her car, pulled open the door and climbed in. As she started the engine, she glanced towards the ranger's building.
In the window, she spied Bash standing with the curtain pulled back staring at her. The look in his eyes was soft and tender—reminding her of the look James had given her when she had left him. Alice turned her head and glanced over her shoulder as she pulled out of the parking stall and drove off.
The trees towered over her car and sunlight danced through the canopy. The soft gentle hues of the green and gold leaves stabbed at her heart. For a brief moment she actually missed this place. Yellowstone was the only place she had ever known that allowed her the freedom to shift and run wild. But the further she drove into the park; the more other more haunting memories flooded her mind.
There was a reason she had left, despite the beauty around her. The only reason she had returned was for Danielle. Alice sucked in a deep breath and her eyes drifted to the small parking lot on the right-hand side of the road. She slammed on her brakes and turned the wheel. Danielle's car stood there, in the last parking bay. Alice pulled into the space next to it and cut her engine.
She climbed out and scanned the area. A long trail wound up a slope and disappeared into the woods. Alice closed her eyes and pulled in a long deep breath allowing Danielle's scent to overwhelm her. A gentle breeze flowed around her and tickled the loose strands of her hair. Her eyes snapped open and she turned towards the trail.
"Please be okay," Alice whispered as she stared at the trail before her.
Chapter 3
Alice trekked over the rocky path stealing a few moments to appreciate the surrounding scenery. She couldn't help but let her mind wander to the past, letting childhood memories drift past her eyes. A faint smile crept over her lips when she thought of the times she had raced through these trees and fields with her family. Her heart swelled with each passing mile she crossed. The birds chirped and sang while she hiked along the beaten path. The warm summer breeze played with her hair while memories of a peaceful time played in her mind.
When she reached the clearing she paused. In the center of the open field, majestic elk took pause to study at her. She couldn't help but smile at the three heavy set creatures nibbling on the tall grass. At one point in her life, she would have stalked them and killed them, together with her father. But now, Alice just stared at them with wonder and awe.
"Hello," Alice said walking towards them with her hand stretched out as the thoughts of her father raced through her mind.
The moment the wind shifted, the elk took notice and jolted up from their grazing. They stared at her with caution, ready to sprint. Alice stretched her fingers out to them, but the instant they caught the whiff of the animal in her, they took off. Alice remained still, studying them as they bolted into the safety of the forest.
"They know what we are."
She turned her head with her mouth open. Beside her stood her father in his old hunting jeans and tee-shirt. Alice gasped at the sight of him. Tears rose in her eyes. She closed her eyes and rubbed them but when she opened them again, she didn't just see her father standing in the field, but also a younger version of herself. Side by side the two walked through the field. Alice reached out for the ghostly images, but no matter how hard she tried to touch them, they were always out of reach.
"Like all creatures, they know what we are," her father said to her younger self. "It is in their nature to run from us. We are predators to them," her father explained with a smile. Alice kept her eyes locked on her younger self as the girl shimmered, ready to shift into her wolf form. Her father stretched out his hand and clasped the young girl's shoulder.
"Leave them child, they are not what we are hunting today."
"But Daddy," the girl said and stared up at the man. He shook his head and nodded to the furthest edge of the clearing.
"I am pleased you want to shift and hunt. But when you let the wolf out, the human fades into the back of your mind and we are not yet far enough away from prying eyes. Be patient. I promised you a chance to play, but not so close to humans. They might see and you know what happens if they do. We can't risk exposing ourselves to them. Do you know what would happen if we were to shift in front of humans?" Alice's father dropped his head to glance at the child with love and understanding. The girl dropped her head and nodded.
"We would have to kill them," Alice answered. Her father lifted his hand up and placed it on the young girl.
"We must be careful and cautious."
"I understand, Father." The younger Alice glanced up at her father. Alice reached out her hand towards them but her father and younger self disappeared like fog.
Alice shook her head trying to force the memory out of her mind. A single tear ran down her cheek.
"I miss you Daddy," Alice sighed holding on to the memory as long as she could. The wind drifted around her kissing her skin as she stood hoping the memory would return. She closed her eyes letting her heart break for a moment more before she continued her journey through the field.
At the edge of the field, Alice paused and sucked in a deep breath. The scent of pine, honeysuckle, and jasmine filled her nose. She remained still letting the wind shift and sway about her. When she was absolute certain no other scents were lingering on the wind, she opened her eyes.
"This looks like a good spot," she told herself kicking out of her shoes and tucking them into the roots of the old tree beside the path.
Her wolf nose would be able to pick up Danielle's scent better than what she could in human form. With her eyes darting to and fro, Alice began stripping off her clothes. First, her socks, and then her shirt. As panic and fear bubbled in her stomach, she yanked off her pants and stood bare letting the warm summer sun kiss every inch of her body.
She walked over to a fallen tree with her belongings and tucked her clothes into the gap between the forest floor and the tree trunk. She took in a deep breath hoping to settle her nerves and she let herself relax. Her toes tingled as she dug them into the cool moist dirt and she concentrated.
"Come Alice, you have done this before," she told herself. She took in a deep breath and concentrated. Tiny p
rickings in her toes pushed up into her ankles before reaching her legs. She shook her arms and wiggled her body. Each moment that ticked by caused her more aggravation.
"Come on!"
She panted forcing herself to concentrate harder. Although three years had passed since the last time she let the wolf out, she couldn't let that stop her. She had never expected or anticipated shifting would be so difficult now. After all, her wolf had been clawing and begging to be released, when she was on the phone with Derek, so why was shifting taking so long now?
Alice gritted her teeth. Her body trembled while the tingling grew into jolts of electricity. Each heart beat felt like lightening zapping her insides. She closed her eyes and forced herself to take every bit of energy. But still, her body remained in human form. Alice opened her eyes and heaved in and out.
Every muscle in her body ached. She dropped down to catch her breath. Her head pounded while her lungs pulled in the fresh air around her. She stood straight and tried again. Every fiber in her body sparked and jolted her causing her extremities to twitch.
"What the hell?" she grumbled looking up to the sky. "I don't have time for this."
She shook her body trying to release the jitters before standing still again. "Don't think about it," she told herself. "Shift. You've done it before. It's like riding a bike."
Alice pulled in air from her nose and closed her eyes. In the back of her mind she heard Derek's voice mocking her.
"What's a matter? Big bad wolf can't come out to play?"
The very thought of Derek sparked the fire Alice needed. Before she could stop herself, her body split, releasing the wolf trapped within her. Alice's front legs dropped to the soft moist dirt of the forest. She glanced down to find her massive gray paws under her. A deep rough laugh pulled up from her chest as she realized what she had done.
"Like riding a bike," she thought. Alice paused and lifted her head up towards the trees. New scents filled her nose. The subtle hint of roses filtered through the pine and aspen trees. Alice cocked her head to the left and paused trying to pinpoint the exact direction of the scent.
Wolf Pack Chronicles Box Set Page 33