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ball as Hunter loped toward his pile of clothes in the snow, circled them, and
shifted back.
He snatched up his boots and clothes, breathing hard as he stood in the
clearing in front of his grandfather's log cabin.
"If you ever fucking call her sloppy anything, I promise you I'll rip out your
throat!" Hunter was still pacing, naked, face burning, eyes wild. "You want a
challenge to the death over who holds this pack? Any day, any night, Fox
Shadow. But until then, if she gets anything less than VIP treatment, it's
your ass!"
He took the porch steps in two bounds and slammed the door behind him. The
doctor looked at his old shaman friend as Fox Shadow slowly stood and loped
off with Rabbit Shadow not far behind.
"I think that settles the question of your Sasha's safety," Silver Hawk
replied in a deadpan tone. "Yes?"
Too stunned to reply verbally, the doctor simply nodded.
Sasha was pacing on the porch when Hunter returned. He needed to get her back
to his grandfather's but was glad she didn't have a full handle on the nuances
of shadow culture. He had the hopeful thought that she'd miss the slights.
"How'd it go?" she asked, following him into the cabin as he gathered their
weapons and supplies into the backpack.
"Everything went well. C'mon." His nerves were wire-taut. He knew she'd be
able to smell the lie.
She hesitated. "Something's wrong."
"The doctor is there. He was in a sweat with my grandfather when you were
calling before. There's things he needs to tell you& Please, we need to
hurry." she began running, but this time she didn't require that he hold her
hand. Doc was up here, of all places. Had something important to tell her. Her
lopes were outpacing Hunter's and the only reason she slowed down was because
she wasn't wholly sure of the way. But as they got closer, the scent of wolf
blood and Doc made her practically strip a gear as she rushed forward and
landed on her hands and knees on a cabin porch.
"Safe," Hunter said, slightly panting.
Sasha stood quickly and walked in a circle, trying to calm down.
Hunter clasped her hand and opened the door. Two elderly men stood. Sasha
barreled into the doctor's arms.
"I'm all right, it's all right," Doc said, rubbing her back as she pressed her
face to his neck. "There's so much I have to tell you. Oh, Sasha& "
"I have to tell you about Rod," she said, swallowing hard. She held him away
from her. "It was too late."
Holland nodded and briefly shut his eyes.
"What about the others?" Her gaze searched the weary, aged eyes before her.
"Woods, Fisher& they left with a whole squad."
"Crow Shadow and Bear Shadow have been sent to collect them," a voice she
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didn't know said.
Sasha's gaze jumped to the elderly man with white hair plaited in long braids
that hung down his chest. "I'm sorry, I "
"My grandfather, Silver Hawk, once Silver Shadow," Hunter said. "Just as to
the pack I am Wolf Shadow."
"No apologies needed," the older man said, coming to
Sasha. "We all understand the heart is full, the losses deep."
Dr. Holland nodded. "He is a dear friend& Sasha, there's so much that's
happened, but now more than ever before, you have to trust me. The general
doesn't understand what he's doing& the project went haywire, none of this was
ever supposed to occur. The only ones left from the pack are you, Woods, and
Fisher."
Confusion tore at her; she could feel things pulling at her that didn't make
sense. Hunter's gaze held hers for a moment and slid away, and then he left
the room.
"What's happened?" She watched in fear as the old man named Silver Hawk placed
a supportive hand on Doc's shoulder and also left. "Doc?"
"Sasha& the others "
"What happened to all those men?" she whispered, covering her mouth and
closing her eyes. Her hand fell away, but she didn't open her eyes. "Did they&
hurt anyone?"
"No," Doc said carefully, so carefully that it made her open her eyes.
"They're dead."
Holland nodded. She turned away.
"Rod Turned on the team& the evac helicopter was given orders to eliminate all
contagion, if there appeared to be a clear and present threat of the virus
spreading. Only Woods and Fisher escaped. They're now on the run and in
hiding."
"Oh, God& " Tears filled her eyes and she let them fall. "Those men should at
least have been given the chance for medical treatment." She whirled on the
doctor, his image blurry through her tears. She wiped them away and shook her
head. "Were Woods and Fisher bitten? Where are they?"
Dr. Holland crossed the room slowly. "I want you to listen to me very
carefully, Sasha, hear every word I say. It is imperative, if at no other time
in your life, that you hear me."
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