Hitchhikers (Wolf Point #1)

-67-

I should be able to smell them, even in human form. It took me forever to find the road they were talking about, Wells Road, it wasn't on any map but the guy at the gas station knew where it was, and here I am, out where some lady got attacked by wild dogs just last night, and I'm not smelling anything. It hasn't snowed since last night, hasn't snowed for a week, no chance for the elements to wash away the scent. Looks like it's finally warming up into March. The dirt road is long and I'm tired and on edge and staring at the half-frozen puddles watching for a paw print or scuffle mark or anything to indicate their presence, because I can't smell a damned thing.

I should be able to smell them. I pass two houses buried deep in the trees and then the dirt road trails off into nothing, and I yell, kick a tree, then sit in the snow to nurse my foot. Where are they? How are they hiding?

My head bumps time against the tree trunk. Why can't it be easy? Why can't I find them? Everyone's gone. Kayla, Zeke, my mom. Maybe they're dead. And if they weren't, what could I do to save them?

Bump, bump, bump.

The forest is still, no birds chirping. Water dripping from the trees and soft clumps of snow falling. I think I can sit here forever, my ass growing numb, I can melt into the forest and become it. I close my eyes.

(Daniel)

It's a whisper. I imagine I can smell Kayla, her lilac-wild scent, her hair falling over her bare shoulder.

(I'm here)

I sit up straight, eyes scanning between the trees. In a few moments I close my eyes and listen hard. Take deep breaths, filtering through everything I smell for that one hint of lilac.

(where are you I can't find you)

Softly the answer comes, almost too quiet.

(I'm here)

I stand up and begin taking off my clothes. I drop them unceremoniously into the snow. The change trembles in me, or maybe that's the cold. Before it comes, I kick my stuff behind a tree. Then I'm a wolf.

It's like putting on a pair of glasses. Suddenly every sound and scent is ten times clearer.

Of course, it's a bit too late.

The black wolf emerges from only twenty feet away. I stare him, feeling my lips curl back to reveal my fangs, angry that he was hiding so close, angry that he has some way to hide from me, angry that Kayla is around and I'm sure it's this one, the black wolf, who has taken her and harmed her.

He snarls back at me.

Two more wolves walk out from behind bushes and trees where I was so certain, only seconds ago, that nothing and no one could possibly be there. From behind me my senses snap with the sound of more wolves crunching over the snow, exhaling meaty breaths into the cold air. Three – no, five – make that seven wolves behind me. All walking toward me. Tightening the noose.

I'm surrounded.

I could try to fight them, and my wolf wants that. I could rip them to shreds. Surrounded like I am, I won't get too far fighting them all at once. This isn't like the attack outside Zeke's barn, where only a couple could come at me at once. This isn't even like when I killed my father and uncles – there were only three of them. Ten against one. I might fight better than most of them, but it will be hard to fight with so many wolves on my back. And I can't assume I can fight better than most of them. They know something I don't, this invisibility stuff.

There's only one other option.

I hesitate, not knowing which way to run. I want to run back the way they came, however they got here, but without a scent to go by, it's impossible to know.