Page 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1

With a snowstor, Tom Silver examined the tracks of the second wolf reported this week by a disgruntled farmer The tracks circled the sheep pen and then loped off toward the woods The farm was in the Silver Toolf territory--not that the human farray olves

Wearing an old jacket, hip-high rubber boots, and dungarees, farmer Bill Todd scowled at Tom "Your brother said he’d take care of these wolves Three weeks of threats to our sheep, and nothin’s been done about it"

"We’re looking for theht

"Sheep and calves are being threatened at different farht patrolling for wolves all the time--and your brother said ouldn’t have to I swear, if I see a wolf, I’ets tothis," Tom reassured him They had to before a farmer or rancher shot an innocent olf or a wolf that was all wolf He glanced at the tracks the wolves had left

"The three of the out here with lowing green eyes When I set the lantern down and aimed the rifle, they raced off I took a shot, but the damned weapon jammed"

"We’ll take care of them Do you mind if I leave my pickup truck here for a while?" Toh the snow, tracking the wolves

Bill called after him, "Hey, a snowstorm’s headed this way You can’t hunt them now"

To He appreciated the farh Tom’s oldest brother, Darien Silver, took responsibility for their losses as the owner of the land the farmers leased The pack couldn’t afford to have hu olves or harmless wolves Some pack members were too newly turned to have a lot of control over their shifting, particularly with the fullin another week

Tom followed the trail, which seemed to indicate only one wolf had run this way To what looked like one set of tracks to disguise how many were in the "pack" The trail the lead wolf left would also make it easier for the others to follow

Flurries whipped into a thicker curtain of snow Tom wanted desperately to shift and run the wolves down But his brother had ordered that none of the pack shift within five miles of farms and ranches until they resolved the ed to cover a led He didn’t have to look at the ID to know Darien was calling him and would order him home "Yeah, Darien?" Tom continued to watch the trees as he followed the wolf tracks

"Bill Todd calledfor wolf tracks--unar down hard, so there’s barely any visibility He said, and I quote, ‘No daood man’"

Amused that Bill would say that, as much as he loved his sheep and wanted the wolves dead, To any open space between them The snow quickly filled up each of the paw prints left behind

Breathing heavily, Toet the down hard enough that you’ll lose track of the"