5. Abigale

The pains runningup and down my body don't even come close to the brutal feelings going through my heart as I fight to keep the female wolf and her pups alive. I've lost two of the five pups already. This is the shit I can't handle. It tears me in two. If I was able to treat these animals out in the open with the proper tools and drugs, maybe things would turn out differently. The only good thing right now is the male wolf is doing okay, though I'm considering him guarded as far as his status. He doesn't seem to be afraid of humans, which is surprising, but thank God. That allowed my mom to clean him up then glue the two large cuts shut, not deep enough to stitch or staple, again thank God. When she brought in some raw chicken, he ate like he was starving, poor boy. Mom put together a bowl of lunch meat, cheese, and vegetables for him. In about thirty minutes she'll put it out for him to chow down on, by then the antibiotics we gave him will be in his system. Hopefully, between the chicken and the bowl of food it will help with the nausea from the medication.

I finally tell Mom to go to bed. She's just about to fall asleep standing up. With my siblings still working through the end of the school year, she has to be up shortly to get them off to school. I have a gun and taser with me and the doors are closed and locked, with the alarm armed. I'm in the tiny office, trying to go through the funding requests I've sent out. Probably not going to get anything from the State of Montana, since they are selling wolf tags so ranchers can hunt down these beautiful animals. It disgusts me, but I'm only one person. Thank God the U.S. Defenders are spending not only money but time to educate ranchers in finding alternative ways of dealing with the rare wolf attacks. From what I've seen, the Defenders are working with the ranchers to develop and try to implement non-lethal deterrents and tools to help the conflicts between wolves and ranchers. Trying to get the farmers and ranchers to think of different husbandry practices to prevent the need they feel to hunt down wolves.

Hearing a noise, I jump up and literally run back to the open space that's off from where I have my foster wolves. I come to an immediate stop when I see the male wolf out of the run he was put in and clawing at the area I have the female and three pups in. When he turns his huge head my way, I immediately hold my breath. His golden yellow eyes lock on me and I don't know what to do. He's huge and I left the gun and taser in the office, dumbass me. The way he is standing doesn't seem threatening and something in my gut tells me what he wants. So very slowly and cautiously I walk toward the enclosure. The female has lifted her head, but that's it. The pups are dead to the world with full bellies and being warm and dry. When I'm within a few feet, the male actually backs up so I lean in and release the latch. He immediately trots past me and goes right up to the female. He gives her head a lick then lies next to her, carefully making sure the pups aren't in his way. Once he's down, the female lays her head down and lets a sigh out. I'm beyond shocked but still have the sense to latch then lock the enclosure. The male's head comes up then goes back down. Thank God, I didn't engage the lock as I wouldn't have been able to open it so easily.

Turning, I decide it's time for me to get some sleep. I check everything, turning out lights on the way. Before I open the door, I arm the alarm then turn to walk out. The entire building has automatic nightlights for all the animals resting or sleeping at the moment. With my mind on everything but what I should be paying attention to as soon as the door is closed, I start to walk toward the house, the taser in my pocket, gun in the back of my jeans. I smell them before I see the group of men. They stink to kingdom come. One grabs me from behind, his big bear arms squeezing me so tight I can barely breathe. The rest form a circle around me as one skinny jerk walks toward me.

"Why you gotta mess with us? We work our asses off for the land and we can't afford to let those vermin attack our herds. Bleeding heart bitch is what ya are."

His breath smells worse than a bucket of shit. My God, who are these people and why are they up in my face?

"What do you want? I don't know any of you and you're on private property. Please, just go, I won't tell anyone about this visit. I don't want any trouble."

"Good, 'cause neither do we. Open that door and go to the house, we'll take care of the rest. Ridding the world of those beasts is the right thing to do. Otherwise, you might not like where this goes, missy."

Before I can get a word out, I hear a gun's hammer click, right before I hear my mom's voice.

"Get your filthy hands off my daughter right now, and back the fuck away."

If I wasn't so scared, hearing my mom use the F word would have me laughing hysterically, but there isn't anything funny about this situation. The one holding me squeezes me even tighter, and I feel pain along my rib cage. One of them to the left of me pulls a handgun out of his pants, pointing it at my head. Oh dear God, I'm going to die because I wanted to save animals from being extinct. I can't believe this or these ignorant bullies. Before that thought penetrates, I hear a gunfire and the guy with the gun at my head swears as he drops the gun, cradling his arm. Yeah, that's my mom, she can shoot an apple off someone's head. When the men go to rush the house, I scream but hear other guns hammers clicking from inside. Mom got the kids up and they are the ones holding down the fort. My younger half siblings are now involved while I'm being held by a degenerate. Sick of being taken advantage of and bullied, I plow my elbow into his soft middle and when he leans forward, I use the same elbow to knock him in the nose. He immediately lets me go and I push the one holding his arm and take off toward Mom, who is holding the gun like she'd use it again if need be.

"Well, ya stupid bitches, that wasn't too smart. Remember, there is only two of you and all of us. When you least expect it and have let your guard down, we'll be back and then finish what we started. Keep your traps shut if you know what's good for you."

He turns, saying something I can't make out, and they all leisurely walk to the trucks parked at the edge of the apron to the garage. Never even heard them come up the driveway. I need to get some motion lights at least. I can feel the shakes start just as I reach Mom. I turn to watch the trucks leaving when Mom surprises the crap out of me. She shoots the back window out of two of the trucks before we lose sight of them. Mom puts the rifle against the house then pulls me in close, just as I hear a muffled sound escape my lips. I hear the front door open and feel small arms circling me from both sides. I take in all the love before my temper starts to fire up. Once I have myself under control, I tell everyone to get inside. I reach for my phone, dialing nine-one-one and wait.

"Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?"

"Hi, this is Abigale Styeeks and I need to report, I don't even know what it was. There were men on our property who put hands on me and threatened my family. Can you send someone out here, please?"

"Yeah, of course, the sheriff is on his way home so I'll radio him, giving directions to your place."

As we say goodbye, I notice Mom getting the kids back to bed. I don't want this for them, they've been through way too much already. I pull a chair out and literally collapse on it. Why can't I find a place to call home and be able to do what I want as long as I'm not hurting anyone. That will never happen, for some reason, I feel like there's a curse on me. Yeah, having a pity party for one, Abigale. It could always be worse, like I could be on the ground a bullet between my eyes.

I place my elbows on the table while resting my head in my hands. I take a few deep breaths then try to relax, which I already know isn't going to happen. I've got to get ahold of the phone train and find some new homes for the wolves I have here. Don't want anything to happen to them, so it's better to move them than give those belligerent idiot assholes a chance to hurt, or worse, torture and kill them. Feeling hands on my shoulders, I almost scream, that is until I realize it's Mom. Damn, thank God she was here because if not, I don't want to even think about what could have happened. She always says things happen for a reason and, damn, am I glad this time it worked out.

"Abigale, you okay, sweetie? Who were those assholes? No, don't go getting on me about swearing, the kids are in bed and they probably swear worse than you and me together. Any idea or should I just guess that they are probably the ones who hurt those poor animals? Why are humans so cruel when animals seem to have more empathy than our fellow man."

As we talk. my mind is running in all different directions. Takes about twenty-three minutes until I first see the blue-and-red lights flashing down the driveway as the sheriff is rushing, making his way to the house. Mom moves to the door, rifle back in her hand. I reach behind me and grab my handgun. Never again will anyone take me by surprise. I remember one of my friends' dad would always say, "Rather be judged by twelve than carried by six." Didn't get it as a kid but surely get it now. I make my way over to Mom and we both stand off to the side of the door, armed, just in case. I see the sheriff get out of his vehicle, looking around, also holding on to, if I'm not mistaken, an automatic rifle. Well, yeah, I get his hesitation with all that's been going on lately. Sheriff George is a good and fair leader. His deputies are also honest, which we are very lucky to have in Timber-Ghost.

I open the door before he can knock. His eyes take in both of us with our guns and gives us a chin lift, then walks out, taking his time going around each and every building before coming back to us.

"Abigale, mind if I give a call to a friend? Think you know him, Ollie, he runs the Blue Sky Sanctuary. I'm guessing this has to do with the wolves in the pole barn. Yeah, I know but since you aren't breaking the law, nothing for me to do. Now we have an issue and need to get some assistance and backup."

Before I can tell him it's okay, he's already on the phone and I'm praying to God it's just Ollie, as I don't need anything or anyone else to make my headache worse than it already is. Especially a tall drink of a man named Grey.