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The dog stood stoically, his body rigid and his eyes staring at the same ridge I’d been looking at. He was one of the best tracking dogs I’d ever seen, his natural instincts making my job much easier. He was also protective, which could cost him his life at some point. I refused to allow that to happen. He was my rock, his companionship coming along at a time when I’d reached the end of my rope.
I’d almost pulled the trigger. Not at a suspect. Not at a wild animal. I’d pointed the barrel of my Glock at my temple, ready to end the pain. To this day, I had no idea why I hadn’t been able to follow through. Two days later, Sam had come into my life.
Now I had the company of a beautiful, haunted woman who refused to allow whatever horrible past she’d endured to break her spirit.
But the ordeal was weighing on her.
Maybe one day she’d learn to trust me.
As I yanked my gear bag from the Cherokee, slinging it over my shoulder, I snorted under my breath. Why should she trust me? I couldn’t save a girl who’d counted on me all those years ago. Shit. There I went again, feeling sorry for myself. What a crock of shit. I’d fought wars, killing enemies without hesitation. I’d been tortured and shot, stabbed, and beaten to within an inch of my life but I’d come out swinging in the end. Why did I have the terrible feeling that protecting Lily was in a whole different league?
I pressed the stinky clothes Bruno had worn under Sam’s nose for the fifth time since we’d left, allowing him to take a nice, deep whiff. Then he barked once, leading us both away from what I called the safe zone. The climb could be treacherous, but I’d rely on my instincts and his keen nose.
I trudged through the snow, heading deeper into the forest. I’d combed at least forty miles in the last thirty hours with zero sign of Bruno. No footprints. No torn clothing. At least there hadn’t been any sign of violence, but the bad feeling that had grabbed me at Gage’s office remained furrowing in my stomach.
Sam and I would find the bastard. One way or another.
As we moved in symphony together, his training with me and vice versa making us a dominating force, I continued to think about Lily. I’d seen more fear in her eyes than I ever had with anyone who’d almost perished on these mountains. It had driven a stake through my heart and a wedge in the back of my mind.
I’d find no issue in killing the bastard who’d put her through hell.
However, she was a strong girl, obviously used to taking care of herself. Something had derailed her. I had to stop thinking with my dick or I’d lose all sense of time as well as direction.
Locating someone was tricky, especially in varying weather conditions. The recent snow had given away to warmer weather, which meant melt. That also meant climbing was dangerous as fuck. If rocks gave away, I could plummet to my death. At least I knew the lay of the land like the back of my hand. I only hoped it’d be helpful.
With little else to go on other than a rancid scent and a sense of why Bruno had arrived in Montana, it had narrowed the search grid. But whatever the marshals hadn’t told me was the real reason the asshole was in these mountains. If I had to guess, I’d say it was all about exacting revenge. Maybe they had their reasons for locking me out of pertinent information, but that didn’t make my job any easier.
That made him even more dangerous, a wildcard. He’d do anything to keep going, killing anyone who got in his way. I pulled out my compass, double-checking my heading. I’d mapped out a few cabins about two miles ahead. Given their location, one of them would be a perfect hideout. Maybe Bruno thought the heat would pass, the marshals looking elsewhere.
I powered through the deepest snow we’d run into yet, Sam never missing a beat. Two hours later, I was forced to admit I wasn’t getting any younger. I leaned against a tree, yanking the travel pet bowl from the bag, pouring my buddy not one but two bowls full before snagging a bottle of water. At this point, I was perspiring from the workout, but my muscles remained tense as they always did when I was on the hunt.
After fetching him some protein-hearty snacks, I remained where I was, allowing my ears to do the work for a little while. As soon as I’d shoved the items back into the bag, I felt the change in Sam’s demeanor before hearing the low rumble of his husky growl.
I immediately grabbed my rifle, scanning the woods. He had different cadences for different situations, one for animals and one for humans. The malevolent sound erupting from deep within his throat indicated danger.
And it was closing in.
As I lowered my arm, my palm parallel to the ground, he dropped to his haunches but remained alert. I slowly lowered the bag, creeping forward as silently as the crunch of snow would allow. There was nothing in my line of sight, but I could feel a presence. Whatever it was I sensed was sizing me up for a late morning snack. Seconds later, my belief was confirmed.
Fresh wolf tracks.
And blood.
I bent down, sliding my fingers through the discolored snow. It was fresh.
Sam whined from behind me, his tail sloshing back and forth in the snow. One thing worse than a psychopath determined to satisfy his need for revenge was an injured animal. I gave my boy a few other hand signals, which he recognized immediately, every sound including what his tail had been making ceasing.
I cocked my head, determining the location of the wind. Then I heard tiny cries that curdled my blood.
Wolf pups.
If I had to venture a guess, I’d say the mother wolf was injured and she would do anything, including attacking a human in order to protect her pups. The trail of blood continued, the mother losing too much blood. As I crept through the snow, constantly scanning the area, a single crack of wood forced me to snap my head to the right.
All I saw was a blur as the wolf leapt through the air, the power of her lunge knocking me to the ground. Her canines were exposed, the poor baby frothing at the mouth. She was already losing the battle for her life.
While seconds seemed longer, Sam couldn’t ignore the cry of his master, pitching himself into the fight. The three of us pitched and rolled, both dogs and man snarling. I finally broke free, jerking to my feet, doing what I could to protect Sam. I didn’t want to kill the wolf, but even from the look in her eyes, I could tell she was losing the battle already.
The two animals fought, Sam just as powerful as the wolf. When they broke apart, I did what I could to herd her away. “Get out. Go, mama. Protect your babies.”
