Page 37 of Fated to the Feral Wolf

“Who delivered this? We were expecting a significant wait, given how reclusive the Kodiaks are.”

Julius shrugged. “Nobody saw, Alpha. One of the patrol shift found it stuck to your office door between one round and the next. He brought it to me, and I opened it, given the strangeness of the situation and your absence.”

“I’m glad you did. This says they want us to come as soon as we can, as early as today. I don’t know how Inuksuk contacted them, but apparently, he conveyed the urgency of the situation.” He swept us all with his gaze, settling on Bri. “What do you think, my love? Do you need a few days, or?—”

“Hell no. Let’s go find out what they know. We’re already packed, right?” She smiled, but it was forced, not reaching her eyes.

“We are. We’ll need to top up on fuel, but we could be flying again in half an hour.”

Leigh stifled a groan as Gael jogged over to the pilot, letting him know of the change of plans. “So much for space.”

I looked down at Dirge. “You better go hunt before we leave. Stay close?” I asked, and he nodded, darting off into the woods.

“Alpha, we’ve got an issue.”

Never reassuring when the pilot says that.I reached down and tightened my seat belt, nerves ratcheting up ten degrees. I spared a glance at Leigh, her face pressed against the small window. She was queasy and pale, but so far had managed not to puke.

Kane removed his seat belt, then made his way carefully up the small aisle to where the pilot sat. “What is it?”

“The weather is rapidly deteriorating. I can request permission to set us down at the nearest airstrip, and we can wait for it to blow over. Or we can fly through it. We’re going to fly slower, though, and burn through more fuel than I’d like.”

“How much more?” Kane asked.

“We’ll be below ten percent reserve. Closer to five.”

Kane grimaced, looking back at all of us. “Whose territory are we over if we set down? I’ll need to contact their alpha and let them know why we’re in the area, which I’d rather not do.”

The copilot answered. “We’re over Lake Clark National Park. The current Alpha is Caesar, of Pack Effelin.”

“Pack Effelin? What’s their affiliation?” Kane asked Gael.

Gael thought for a moment, and the plane began to shudder as raindrops splattered against the windshield. I was stiff as a board in my seat, back pressed into the soft leather like that would be enough to cushion a fall from this height. “Neutral, as far as we know. They shouldn’t mind a visit, given the circumstances. They’re mostly fishermen by trade and stay out of most interpack drama.”

Kane nodded. “Take us in if the air traffic controller allows. We’ll phone the Alpha as soon as we’re wheels down and ask for shelter and pay for a fresh tank of fuel.”

The plane took another terrifying dip before the pilot got it back under control.

“Yes, Alpha,” the pilot said in a strained tone, then raised his voice so we could all hear. “Please fasten your seat belts, if you haven’t already. It’s going to be rocky for a bit.”

Kane took his seat once more as the shuddering intensified. I drummed on the armrest of my seat, nervous energy making me want to shift, even though Dirge was already taking up two rows’ worth of the aisle. He whined low in his throat, then licked my fingers. He didn’t like it when I got anxious, could probably smell it on me.

“I’m fine,” I whispered. A second glance at Leigh, though, showed that she wasn’t. She sat with her hand over her mouth, looking horribly nauseated. I passed her an extra sick bag.

“I’m so sorry,” she said quickly before gagging, the airsickness finally getting to her. She retched off and on through the storm until the pilot finally took us back down, all of us bumping and jolting hard in our seat belts when the wheels finally touched. As soon as we landed, I jumped up and guided her out of the seat.

“Come on, you’ll feel better once we’re on the ground with some fresh air.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, turning sideways so she could lean on me as we walked down the aisle. Dirge dogged our steps, nose bumping occasionally against the back of my leg.

“Thanks, Shay, you’re a lifesaver,” she murmured, voice rough from the strain. She was clammy under my fingertips by the time we made it down the stairs. The rain pounded down now, soaking us to the skin as soon as we were on the ground, but Leigh didn’t care. She turned her face up to it, letting it wash away the ick. The smell of wet earth wassoothing and the grassy ground beneath my feet comforting to my wolf.

Dirge braved the rain right along with us, pressed against the front of our legs in a protective stance. I noticed that he seemed to have adopted Leigh too, and it just made me love him all the more for caring about my bestie.

“Come on, there’s a shelter right over there,” Brielle shouted over the rain, pointing as she joined us. There was no fancy hangar at this airstrip, but what amounted to a little bus-stop shelter. It was better than nothing, though, and we half jogged through the grass to get under it.

“This sucks. Can I just say that this really sucks?” Leigh sounded exhausted as she let herself drop to the bench, leaning against my side for support.

“You can, and I’m so sorry. It wouldn’t be so bad if we could take the pack’s bigger jet, but on these little planes, you feel every bump.” Brielle was all mother hen, feeling her forehead and then taking Leigh’s pulse at her wrist. “Hmm, your heart rate is a bit elevated. We need to get some fluids in you, and let me have those, there’s a trash can.” She fished the sick bags out of Leigh’s sweaty grip and disposed of them without even a nose wrinkle.

Doctors. Nothing fazed them.

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