The Altering (Coywolf Series Book 1)

by Abby Tyson

  Marcia's voice ceased. Savi closed her eyes. When she felt the warm breath of the wolf on her arm, she braced herself for the pain.

  But it didn't come.

  Still wincing, she opened her eyes. The wolf lay with its head on its paws, staring at Savi. Marcia tugged again, but the wolf didn't move.

  "Never seen that before," Top said.

  "Indeed," Marcia said, lost in thought.

  Savi tried to pull her arm out, but Gabe pushed it back in.

  "Let her go," Marcia said. "Mother Moon is refusing this offering."

  Gabe relaxed his hold on her just enough so she could remove her arm and stand, but he didn't let go.

  "Should we bring her back to the stalls?" Baxter asked.

  Savi wasn't sure if she should be glad or terrified at the prospect of being brought back. Would they let her go? Or did they have other ways of dealing with a rejected offering?

  "We'll try one of her children," Marcia decided. "If she's still rejected, then..." Marcia met Savi's gaze but didn't finish her thought.

  Baxter and Gabe pulled Savi up and followed Marcia to another cage. Marcia drew back the blanket to reveal a wolf with brown fur, its eyes yellow. When it saw Marcia, it lay on its back with its legs in the air, then rolled over, pawed at the cage, then lay on its back again.

  Marcia soothed it, cooing and giving it treats from her pocket. Eventually she was able to put the same half-muzzle strap on the wolf, and too soon Savi found herself kneeling again, her arm inside the cage.

  Savi wanted to close her eyes, but couldn't bear to look away. Unsure of whether to pray that this wolf would react the same way the silver one had and spare her the agonizing fate that Colby had met, or bite her, sparing her the ambiguous fate Marcia had alluded to, she simply prayed for escape.

  Marcia jerked on the strap. Without any hesitation, the wolf lunged forward, sinking its teeth into Savi's arm.

  Savi screamed, her body convulsing from the sharp pain. After what felt like an eternity, the wolf released its hold on her arm and the pain subsided. Baxter and Top picked her up and swiftly put her in one of the empty cages. Savi curled into the fetal position and lay still.

  As her body began to ache from her tense, tight posture, she realized that the pain she was feeling was nowhere near the excrutiating agony that Colby had experienced. Her bloody arm definitely hurt, but it wasn't unbearable. Her shoulder still ached, as did her head, and her neck -- her whole body, really -- but it was all tolerable. Was this the painless altering Top had spoken of? Teeth clenched, Savi opened her eyes and held out her own hands.

  What did you expect? Savi thought, berating herself for allowing all this talk of werewolves and the eerie atmosphere to sway her into actually thinking something might happen.

  The blanket they had thrown over her cage obscured her view of the riding ring. She lifted it just enough to see the tack room door close behind one of the Gabes. Savi looked around the rest of the room, but saw none of their captors. They were alone.

  The barking and howling had calmed, but was still more than enough cover for Savi when she yelled, "They're gone!" toward Hettie's cage beside her. "Tell Colby. Let's get out of here!"

  Heart pounding, Savi slid back the two drop latches that locked her cage door and crawled out. She crouched in front of Hettie's cage, waiting for her to emerge, but neither she nor Colby came out.

  "Come on." She glanced at the door, then back to the cage. No response came from within. Savi grabbed the heavy canvas and pulled it back. "Hettie, come on, we've got to --" She jumped back several steps at the sight of what was in the cage.

  A wolf, covered in red and tan streaked fur, was wriggling its body, trying to free itself from the clothes Hettie had been wearing. Instead of Hettie's head sticking through the neck of the sparkly dark green blouse, a wolf's head strained at the collar as it gnawed at the clothes.

  "No," Savi gasped.

  The wolf met her gaze and tried to lunge at her, but the clothes restricted its movements, and it settled for growling.

  She scrambled to Colby's cage and ripped back the tarp, revealing a dark gray wolf in a long white hospital gown. It lay panting on the floor of the cage, with nowhere near the energy the other wolf had.

  The other wolf.

  Hettie.

  Savi pulled the covers off a few other nearby cages, but none of the wolves inside wore clothes. She'd seen them put Hettie and Colby in these cages. That wolf was wearing Hettie's clothes.

  Colby and Hettie are wolves. Werewolves. The thought invaded her mind, her senses. The floor tilted beneath her.

  Savi looked at the bloody wound on her arm.

  But I'm not.

  Something inside Savi switched on, dulling the mystery of why she hadn't changed and reminding her that she had to get out of there. Chased by the howls and yips of over a hundred wolves, she ran toward the door in the corner that she'd noticed before.

  As she passed the silver wolf, the thought of Marley and his brother popped into her mind. She glanced back at the two empty cages remaining. Soon they would be forced to endure the pain that Colby had experienced. Even though she wanted nothing more than to escape this place, she couldn't turn her back on them. She stopped running, staring blankly at the silver wolf, wondering how she could help.

  She dropped to her knees beside the cage of the silver wolf. Hands shaking, she began untying the strap that connected its muzzle to the cage. She met the wolf's stare, and the intelligence in those bright eyes was so startling that when Savi said, "Please don't attack me," she almost believed it could understand her. It started to whine and squirm as its bond was loosened. Keeping her eyes on the door to the tack room, Savi undid one of the two latches to its cage.

  Colby was still lying down, whimpering. When Savi opened his cage door wide, he lifted his head, but was slow to move. Hettie was facing the rear of her cage, still struggling with her clothes, and didn't notice when Savi cautiously unlocked her door. Instead of opening Hettie's door, however, Savi left it hanging closed.

  The silver wolf was sniffing the remaining lock, whimpering and lifting its head up and down. As Savi stooped in front of its cage, she glanced at the tack room door again.

  It was opening!

  She unlocked the wolf's cage, then bolted for the door, screaming "Run!" at the top of her lungs.

  Plowing through the door, Savi didn't see the person standing on the other side until she collided with him.

  Chapter Eleven

  "Run!"

  On almost any other night, the two brothers would have been able to hear Savi's voice easily, even with the raucous sounds of the caged wolves echoing in the large space. But tonight it was lost among the din. The sight of her running out the door, however, was hard to miss -- for them, or their captors.

  "She didn't change?" Top asked. "I thought she was just another easy one."

  Marley and Ren, still dressed in their fatigues, exchanged a wide-eyed look when they saw what else was loose: a silver wolf, bounding after Savi and following her out the door. Silently, Marley questioned his brother, but Ren gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, eyeing the four men around them.

  Marcia whirled around. Any trace of the kindly grandmother who had met them in the tack room was gone.

  "Bring these two back. Get Savannah." Giving Top a withering look, she added, "We need her alive."

  Top returned her stare, and although he didn't nod, Marcia seemed satisfied. "We know the wolf will come back, so no need to worry about that. Gabe, help me get the new saviors back in their cages before they hurt themselves." She pointed over her shoulder. A tan wolf with streaks of red fur was writhing on the floor, fighting against the green blouse that ensnared it, while at the same time trying to defend itself against a dark gray wolf.

  They all ran back into the tack room and closed the door behind them.

  "Bax, Gabe," said Top, handing Baxter the keys. "Take these two back. I'll go after the girl." Marley didn't like t
he way Top said the girl with his eyes narrowed and his gun held at the ready.

  As they were led out, Ren and Marley saw Marcia open a wooden trunk by the door. She pulled out a rifle and some silver cylinders much like those they had been hunting with before getting kidnapped. She loaded the tranquilizer gun and ran back into the large room, followed by one-handed Gabe.

  Walking to the barn, Baxter kept his handgun pressed against Marley's arm. They were just about to enter the same stall they had been in all night, when Ren coughed. In one swift and synchronous motion, the brothers jerked backward, heaving their arms from the grip of their captors. While Ren shoved two-handed Gabe into the stall, Marley dropped to one knee and swung his arms around, knocking Baxter onto his back. Ren rolled the stall door closed, but Gabe stopped it with his boot and fought to get out.

  Throwing himself on Baxter, Marley tried to pry the gun from his hand. Bursts of pain exploded in his back as Baxter wailed on him. He got ahold of the gun and rolled to the floor. Baxter lunged for him. Still on the cement floor, Marley aimed the gun at Baxter's leg and fired. Baxter cried out as he crumpled to the ground.

  Marley had never shot anyone before, and it took a moment for what he had just done to sink in. He looked at the gun in his hand, then at his brother.

  "Keys," Ren said softly.

  His shock faded as Marley remembered why they were trying to escape in the first place. He stood and aimed the gun at Gabe, who was no longer struggling. "Against the back of the stall," he said.

  Gabe kept his beady eyes on Ren as he reluctantly did as Marley commanded. Ren rolled the door open. Keeping the gun trained on Gabe, Marley looked down at Baxter. "Keys."

  Between gasps of pain, Baxter said, "You're making a big mistake. This is a good thing. You'll see tomorrow. We're not gonna hurt you."

  "Drop the keys on the floor," said Ren.

  Baxter slowly pulled the keys out of his pocket, dropping them on the floor with a clink.

  "Get in the stall," Marley said. "In the back, next to him."

  "What, am I gonna run after you?" Baxter said with a pained chuckle.

  "We don't have time for this," Ren said, grabbing Baxter under the arms.

  Baxter hissed in pain as Ren dragged him to the door of the stall. Just before he crossed the threshold, he let go and turned to Gabe. "You take him in the rest of the way."

  "I'm tellin' ya," Baxter said as Ren closed the door. "You're choosing the wrong way here."

  Ignoring Baxter's protests, Marley locked them in, and the brothers ran outside. Marley tossed the keys and the gun in the woods, and followed Ren toward the large barn.

  "In and out," Ren said as Marley came up beside him. "Then we'll head to the woods on the same side as that back door they went through."

  They, Marley thought. The silver wolf. Savi. Could it really be her? The hope that had been kindled earlier that night flared.

  Standing on either side of the door to the tack room, their backs pressed against the wall, Marley and Ren listened. Marley cracked the door open, peered in, then disappeared. Ren followed him to the same trunk Marcia had pulled the tranquilizer gun and darts from. Inside was one of their guns, one dart, and a slim black cone that Ren picked up.

  "Our howler," Marley said, grabbing and loading the gun.

  Halfway back across the room they heard a voice behind them.

  "Hey!" Marcia was stepping through the inner door, with Gabe close behind her.

  The brothers raced outside and around the barn, heading for the treeline. Marley looked over his shoulder. The moon was peeking through the clouds, and he could see two dark figures running for the small barn.

  "They're not chasing us," he said.

  "Even if he did catch us, the one-handed guy wouldn't be able to stop us alone," said Ren.

  Marley grinned, adrenaline and exuberance coursing through him. "We're going to find them," he said. "I can feel it. We'll catch the silver wolf and find Savi." He let out a laugh and cried, "Triumph hastens their steps, victory quickens their pulse!"

  Ren remained silent and stony faced beside him. When they neared the woods he spotted a narrow path and they ran along it for several minutes before stopping to catch their breath. Ren put a hand on Marley's chest and gave him a light shove. "Are you with me?"

  "What are you talking about?" asked Marley, surprised at his brother's anger.

  "Whatever romantic fantasy you've come up with, it's not why we're here. We're here to save Dad. She's gone, the wolf's not, and you're a lousy shot when you're distracted."

  "We can do both," Marley said, although Ren's words had pricked the certainty that swelled within him.

  "Even if we did find Savi in this forest, then what?" Ren's voice was hard, but not unkind. "You're going to ask her out? She wasn't exactly swooning over you in the stalls."

  "She couldn't see me very well," Marley muttered.

  Ren's laughter softened his voice. "Even if she says yes, where can that lead? She's human. She can't know about us."

  Clinging to the last shreds of hope, Marley said, "She could see past it. She could deal with it."

  "It's not about her dealing with it." Ren's voice hardened again as he took a step closer to his brother. "No one can know about us. Tonight -- these Alters -- it's just another reminder of that."

  Marley knew his brother was right. But he wanted to believe that Savi was different, that if she knew the truth she wouldn't shun him, or tell the world.

  "We've got to get moving," Ren said, gazing back in the direction of the barn. "Top is still out here, and who knows how fast they'll get the other Gabe out of the stall and come after us."

  Marley followed his brother's gaze, but his mind was still on Savi. Ren's warm hand on his shoulder brought Marley's thoughts back to his brother.

  "Are you with me?" asked Ren.

  Nodding, Marley said, "For Dad."

  "For Dad," said Ren firmly. He lifted the howler to his lips, releasing the mournful cry of the wolf into the forest. A response came almost instantly. The two brothers nodded to each other, then started jogging toward the sound. After a while Ren stopped and used the howler again. An echo came from close by, but another sound startled the brothers and made them crouch in the thick growth surrounding them.

  Voices.

  The people were between the brothers and the wolf answering their call, so Marley and Ren made their way toward them, hoping to slip past unnoticed. As they neared, Marley could hear a man talking.

  "You have to go," he said. "Just follow the stream. Eventually you'll get to a road."

  Marley didn't recognize the voice, and the trees above cast a dense shadow over the forest floor so he couldn't see the man either. But the voice that replied froze him in his tracks.

  "I can't just leave you here."

  It was Savi.

  "I don't even know where we are," she said. "How am I supposed to bring help back for you?"

  She sounded tired, and scared. Marley took a step toward them, but stopped as a heavy hand fell on his shoulder. Ren shook his head deliberately. Marley looked back toward Savi, but when Ren started moving again, he followed.

  "Just lean on me," said Savi. A second later she yelped in pain.

  "Sorry," said the man. "You said --"

  "That was my fault. I forgot about that. Here, take this arm."

  Moonlight shone through a gap in the canopy, and Marley could see Savi bent over a man sitting against a tree. The man took her offered arm and gasped in pain as he struggled to stand. Once he was upright, he leaned against the tree with one foot lifted off the ground.

  "I'll be fine, Savi, I promise," the man said. "I can't slow you down. Please go."

  Marley yearned to help, to be Savi's rescuer, but his father was counting on them. And Ren was right: there was no future with Savi.

  "Either you come with me, or I'm staying," said Savi, her tone final.

  "You're both staying," another voice said.

  Marley and Ren stilled
.

  "Run, Savi," said the man.

  "I said," Top's icy voice boomed, "you're both staying." As he stepped forward, Top's gun came into view, pointed at Savi and the man.

  Marley's heart was pounding. Should he intervene? If he did, would they lose their best chance at getting the wolf?

  "You've been stupid too many times," said Top. His face was still in shadow, but the smile in his voice was unmistakable.

  At the sound of Top cocking his gun, Marley knew what he had to do. He aimed the tranquilizer gun at Top's neck, and fired.

  "No!" Ren shouted.

  The dart struck Top's shoulder just as he pulled the trigger. The gunshot pierced the otherwise silent forest, causing a fluttering of wings in several trees around them.

  "Savi!" the man cried out.

  Marley started toward them, but Top had plucked the dart from his arm and was aiming in Marley's direction, forcing him to dive back behind a tree next to Ren.

  "Who's out there?" The fast-acting depressants were already deep in Top's bloodstream, causing him to slur his words. Raising his drooping gun, he took a step, then stumbled to the ground. He groaned, and went quiet.

  Jumping out from behind the tree, Marley ran over to where Savi lay on the ground. The man was on his knees beside her.

  "Did he get her?" Marley asked, dread pressing in on him. Had he lost them both? The wolf and Savi?

  The man ran his hands over Savi's body. "I don't feel any blood." He lifted Savi's eyelids, but they closed as soon as he let go. "She may have just fainted from shock." Resting a hand on her forehead, he said, "She's clammy. She needs to warm up." The man began to unbutton his long-sleeve shirt, but before he'd reached the third button, Marley's shirt was off.

  "Help me sit her up," Marley said, grabbing Savi's arm and putting a hand on her back.

  Although he eyed Marley warily, the man grabbed her other arm. As he pulled Savi upright, the man inhaled sharply and winced, falling into a sitting position.

  "What happened to you?" asked Marley, awkwardly pulling his shirt over Savi's head.

  "Just your typical damsel in distress," the man said. He held Savi's arm up for the sleeve. "I tripped when we were running and did a number on my ankle."