Page 68 of Wolf's Mark

It just added to the strange moment. Next, the lights would be flickering.

The agent had a file that she was keeping under one hand. She glanced out the window and remained quiet.

I couldn’t stand the thought of coffee and pushed it away. Even the scent was disgusting so late in the night.

Or early in the morning.

I hadn’t checked in well over an hour.

“Tell me what you know about wolves.” Her statement seemed out of the blue.

“Wolves?” I asked, immediately envisioning the images on the video. “Canis Lupus?”

“Yes.”

“Typically, they range in size from forty to one hundred seventy pounds and are usually gray in color. They have a wide diet, but are carnivores.” I was purposely being as cautious with my choice of words as she was being. I wasn’t certain what she expected from me.

Agent Drummand nodded a couple of times. “Have you seen other, larger species in the wild?”

Her question almost prompted me to laugh. “There are anomalies as with any species.”

She remained quiet. What the hell was going on here and why had I bothered to accompany her to a tiny location off site?

“What else?” she asked as if this was a casual conversation and nothing more.

“They hunt in packs. They usually have mates. Look, I’m not certain what you want from me. If you’re asking if what I witnessed inside my examination room on video is remotely possible, I have no idea. I’m not an expert in the occult or the paranormal. I don’t like watching horror movies, although I’ve been roped into doing so from time to time. My experience with big game has nothing to do with the creature I witnessed inside my examination room or anything I worked on when I was in Africa.” With that I started to stand, only to have the agent snap her hand around my wrist.

“Lower your voice and sit down.” Her eyes flashed both anger and fear.

I debated her order but did as she wanted, even throwing a look over my shoulder to see if an employee was paying any attention.

They weren’t.

“Talk to me,” I told her.

She hesitated for a few additional seconds before pushing the file across the table. Her hand remained on the surface and she leaned forward. “What I’m about to share with you could get me fired. I was told to contact you and I did my job.What I witnessed on that tape wasn’t anything like what I was told initially. In fact, I was almost shoved off the case until I mentioned your credentials. I think you might be able to provide some answers that haven’t been by our experts.”

I had no clue why she’d made that assumption other than large game veterinarian work was often misunderstood. Did she believe I had some innate knowledge of unknown beasts? It was irrational as hell. One thing was clear to me. She was close to becoming a nervous wreck.

She let go of the file and I took a deep breath before opening it.

I was a scientist. I based my findings in facts.

Often, they were easy. If a bullet entered the brain or the heart, usually the victim died instantly. There was no question about it. If they drowned, I could easily tell if they’d been dead prior to the drowning or if the water was the reason.

But seeing the photographs of at least a dozen victims, all with similar but varying claw marks and bites, I was floored. Maybe it was the number or maybe it was more about the accompanying text issued along with them.

“The existence of werewolves has been a lore, a myth running throughout human history. However, there is scientific proof that there are various forms of the creature known as the wolf. They include those able to shift from human form at any time, known to live amongst humans given their strong control of their abilities. They are not considered aggressive or dangerous given their extremely high level of intelligence and humanity. There is the commonly known wolf, a beast unable to change from its animal form yet proven to have a high IQ, capable of understanding human behavior.”

I glanced at the agent’s ashen face before continuing.

“There is a third species that appears to be increasing in numbers. They are a direct derivative of the shifter form, only preferring to be in a much larger and more aggressive wolf-like body. They are also bloodthirsty, fueled by violence. They can grow upwards of seven to eight feet with canines five to seven inches long.”

I’d had just about enough at this point. I closed the file without saying a word at first, leaning over so I could make certain I wasn’t overheard. “So you’re trying to tell me than man-eating, blood-lusting huge beasts exist and have suddenly decided to target Cartersville?”

“I know it seems implausible, but you witnessed the man waking from the dead yourself. They have been seen and have killed in three dozen other areas, some major cities. They are growing in numbers.”

“A calculated growth?”

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