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1 began to get the drift that the phone call hadn’t been on the up-and-up

Crawling out froed back the way I’d coh the center of the junkyard, little e space between the wrecks, when I stopped

Clouds danced past the ht Shadows danced arass at the edge of the clearing

The breeze whispered, caressingwas here I turned in a slow circle andat my hand, I scowled I could still feel the tactile i

A body thu me forward I tripped over an invisible barrier and sla onto my back, I tensed in expectation of an attack None caot to my feet The hair on my arms and at the back of my neck vibrated with awareness I couldn’t run; I couldn’t just stand here and let whatever was stalking me do its worst I had power of my own, but in human form I was as helpless as everyone else

As I tilted my face to the moon, Jessie’s jeans split at the sealy ripe shriek, and I was free

The odd, faint scent of wolf distracted , but all I saisps and shadows

Nothing concrete If I hadn’t smelled wolves, heard theuish just what it was that wavered here and there like ghosts

A slight h me I was cold, then hot I heard the whisper of a voice I couldn’t understand, caught a gli I couldn’t quite place

As I turned sloith a stiff-legged gait, wavering entities surrounded me I darted at one, but it danced out of my way Another levitated, then flew off into the trees A third let e cold spot, the whisper, I yelped and backpedaled with all ht

"Who’s out there?"

I froze at the strange voice and ducked behind a rusted pickup truck A graying, grizzled old ht watchman or maybe the owner, he carried a rifle; however, that wasn’t what made the ruff on the back of ht A distinct io warning, which the rowl increased in volume and was joined by several others

Shadows flickered, circled, converged

Torn, I perched near the left truck tire, hoping whatever stalked the junkyard would go away A pained whine erupted fro in my direction Me, he could hear

I ducked low and hid behind the burowls escalated to snarls I had no choice

Though the ghostly wolves ht hurt him I couldn’t let an innocent civilian be bitten or killed by Lord knohat

Bursting froht at the first shadow incold spot; nevertheless when I thundered through it I lostat half a dozen other cold spots

I reachedand felt even less Were they gone?

Panting, I paced TooKill it and now

I caught a faint scent and followed it to the trees Diving in, I sensed them all around me My lip curled I showed them my teeth

Come on! I wanted to shout I can take you I can take all of you

The foliage shivered The odd smell faded They had run because they were afraid, and I loved it

Tingling, I shook my fur as if I’d just stepped out of an icy river Unable to contain myself, I tilted my nose to the moon and howled

As the sound of my exultation faded, the hispered, and this time I understood the words

Give in to the power Embrace what you are and discover the secret you seek

I conte of hter, the trees taller, and the grass softer, lory, the ot about the watchainst wet earth made me remember By then it was too late

He shot me