4. Jesse

FOUR

JESSE

The late afternoon air was crisp and bright, just a normal, still day if I were just to look at it, but a sense of unease lingered in the air. The disappearances we had been investigating had weighed heavily on our minds, and we knew that something sinister lurked in the shadows. We just didn’t know what, or who.

I couldn’t even figure out who it might be because I didn’t want to point fingers without more information. But still, I feared a member of the Blackpaw Clan or the World Walkers.

As we ventured deeper into the woods, our senses were heightened and our instincts were on high alert. The faint rustling of leaves, the distant hooting of an owl–every sound was scrutinized, every movement analyzed. Lissa and Daniel were tracking well as Big Ed tried to figure out what each paw print in the ground meant. But nothing… We weren’t getting anything just yet, and that was incredibly frustrating.

I just wanted to know what was happening here so I could sort it out.

Then I got exactly what I wanted in the worst way possible. We found something. We stumbled upon something that turned our unease into gut-wrenching dread.

Amidst the trees, lay the mangled remains of a hiker. The guts were on the outside of his body, and he looked as though he had truly been mauled. It was a gruesome sight, one that sent shivers down my spine. The hiker had been torn to pieces. Some of his limbs had even been removed, leaving the ground beneath him soaked with blood. The evidence was clear–this had been the work of a large and savage animal.

The sort of animal that had caused the other deaths around here, too.

I wanted to find out who was doing this. I didn’t want to find another victim. This was not going to make the Patron happy.

I clenched my jaw, my mind racing with thoughts of the hiker’s family, of the innocent life that had been brutally taken. We needed to find out what had done this to protect our community from the threat that lurked in the darkness. To make sure no one else got hurt. Again.

I shifted back into my human form and turned to my pack members, their faces a mix of shock and grim determination. “We need to report this immediately,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. “And then we search for whatever did this. We can’t let it roam free.”

With a heavy heart, we set in motion a series of actions. Reporting the gruesome discovery, securing the area, and preparing for the grim task of tracking down the predator responsible for this horrific act. The night had taken a dark and ominous turn, and our resolve to protect our community had never been stronger.

With the gruesome discovery of the hiker’s remains deep within the woods, there was no doubt that we needed to involve the authorities. The scene was too horrific, and the threat was too real to handle on our own. We needed to call upon the resources available to us, and that meant seeking permission from the mysterious figure who owned the land we called home–the Patron.

I pulled out my phone and dialed the Patron’s number, my fingers shaking with a mixture of dread and determination. The call connected, and I started to explain. I cleared my throat, my mind racing with the grim news I had to deliver. “Patron, we’ve got a situation here. Another hiker has been killed, torn to pieces by what looks like a large animal. It’s gruesome, and we’ve got to call in the sheriff and the coroner to investigate.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and I could almost feel the weight of the Patron’s gaze through the phone. “I see,” he finally responded. “This is indeed a grave matter, Jesse. You have my permission to bring the sheriff and the coroner up onto the mountain to retrieve the body and conduct a thorough investigation.”

Relief flooded through me as I thanked the Patron for his understanding and support. His cooperation was essential, and his willingness to permit the investigation was a crucial step toward seeking justice for the victim and ensuring the safety of our community.

I ended the call and turned to my pack members. “Big Ed, do you want to go and get the sheriff up here? Lissa and Daniel, will you try and track down the killer? See if you can find anything. I will wait here with the body, to see if anyone comes back and to make sure that nothing else happens.”

They nodded in acknowledgment, their expressions reflecting a mix of determination and solemnity. It was clear that we had a grim task ahead, but it was one that needed to be carried out with precision and care.

I stood there in the cool mountain air, a sense of unease gnawing at me as I waited for the sheriff and coroner to arrive. The hiker’s lifeless body lay sprawled on the ground before me, a gruesome sight that continued to make my blood run cold.

I couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired here. The torn flesh and scattered remains indicated a violent encounter, and the distinctive marks left behind were deeply troubling. The creature that had attacked the hiker had talons with five fingers and an opposable dewclaw, exactly like a wolf shifter.

My instincts told me that something was terribly amiss. A murderous rogue wolf in our territory was a grave threat, one that we couldn’t afford to ignore. The safety of our community was at stake, and we needed to find answers.

As I continued to stand there, my gaze fixed on the lifeless body, I couldn’t help but feel a heavy weight of responsibility pressing down on me. We had to get to the bottom of this, and quickly.

Eventually, much to my relief, Big Ed returned quickly with the sheriff and coroner in tow. As they set to work, retrieving the body, and collecting evidence, I couldn’t help but reflect on the fragile balance of our existence. The mountainside, our home and sanctuary, had become a place where darkness lurked in the shadows. It was a harsh reminder that we must always remain vigilant, protect our community, and seek justice for those who had fallen victim to the perils of the wilderness. It wasn’t right, Wolf Mountain wasn’t supposed to be this way. We were a small and safe community, and that was the way I always wanted it to be.

After everything was done, we made our way up the mountainside to the Patron’s stone mansion, a place that had become a hub for debriefing and planning in times of crisis. The journey was quiet, the weight of our discoveries hanging heavily in the air. We passed the sign with the name Elijah Oldman inscribed across it, but I didn’t think that was the Patron’s real name. For some reason, he didn’t want anyone to see him or know anything about him. But I was still truly grateful to him for everything that he did for us. Whoever he was and whatever his plan was, I wanted to keep him on my side, to know that he would always keep us safe. As long as we kept him safe, too.

As we gathered in the opulent room, the mood was somber. The idea of a murderous rogue wolf in the area had cast a pall over us all. We exchanged glances, each member of my pack tense and on guard, ready to protect our community from this threat that seemed to be getting worse by the minute.

“What do we do? This is messed up.” Daniel’s voice cut through the somber atmosphere, his words echoing the unease we all felt. He was right; the situation was undeniably messed up. The presence of a rogue wolf in our territory was an ominous sign that something was seriously wrong.

“We’re going to have to keep doing what we are, to keep patrolling the area to keep it safe,” I replied, my voice firm but tinged with concern. We couldn’t afford to let fear paralyze us. We had a duty to protect our community. “We can’t let every setback derail us, and you know that. We have to keep everyone safe.”

Lissa, standing beside me, nodded in agreement. Her sharp eyes scanned the surrounding woods, as if expecting the culprit to leap out from the shadows at any moment. “We need to find this rogue wolf before it strikes again. And we’ll need the Patron’s cooperation with this one. As much as we can get.”

I nodded slowly. “Right, okay. Well then, I suppose for now we just need to keep planning, don’t we? Make sure there is always someone on patrol, always someone keeping control of everything. I guess we also need to accept that we can’t trust anyone right now. Anyone at all.”

They all knew what I meant, that we were going to have to keep an eye on everyone else, all the other clans. Just in case. We didn’t know what was going to happen.

The weight of the day’s unsettling discoveries hung heavy on my shoulders as I made my way back home. The image of the gruesome scene we had stumbled upon, the possibility of a rogue wolf in the area, and the tense debriefing at the Patron’s mansion had left me emotionally drained. We’d planned, and I was sure we would do everything that we could, but I was still worried. I just hated to think about the war that would come if this was another clan.

If we fought, the Patron might get rid of us all, and that was something I really did not want.

The only relief I found was in the comforting thought of returning to my daughter, Belle, and the presence of Marie. They were my sanctuary, the one place where I could momentarily escape the shadows that loomed over our community. Knowing that Belle was so happy with Marie, so comfortable with her and that they had such a good time together was wonderful. Finally, I could relax and focus. I didn’t need to worry about either of them.

Also, as much as I knew I shouldn’t focus on her beauty and how sweet she was, it was undeniably nice to see her every single day. She was like a little secret, just for me.

As I stepped through the front door of Marie’s home, using the spare key that Mike had given me for emergencies, the warm embrace of familiar surroundings enveloped me. Belle was playing in the living room, her laughter filling the air, and the sound brought a small smile to my lips. She was my beacon of hope, a reminder of the goodness that still existed in our world, and she was helping me to remember what I was fighting for. Because I had no choice but to fight, to keep her safe.

Marie was in the kitchen, preparing a snack for Belle. Her presence was a soothing salve to my troubled soul, and I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for her being a part of our lives. I approached Marie, my heart heavy with the need to protect those I cared about. “Marie,” I began, my voice tinged with concern, “I need to talk to you about something.”

She turned to me, her eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of worry. “What is it, Jesse? Is something wrong?”

I hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words to convey my fears without delving too deeply into the gruesome details of our recent discoveries. “I need you to promise me something,” I said, my voice soft but earnest. “Promise me that you won’t go out into the woods to take photos, especially not at night.”

Marie furrowed her brow, her expression a mix of confusion and concern. “Why, Jesse? What’s going on?”

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. “There have been some… unsettling incidents in the woods lately. It’s not safe out there, and I can’t stand the idea of you being hurt.”

Her eyes widened with realization, and she nodded slowly. “I promise, Jesse. I won’t go into the woods, especially at night. I trust your judgment, and I don’t want to put myself in danger. I kinda knew that there was something going on, but my father wouldn’t tell me anything. I would much rather know the truth.”

Oh, I hoped I hadn’t overstepped any boundaries there. I knew Mike didn’t tell Marie a lot because he wanted to protect her endlessly, but sometimes I had a feeling that keeping things to himself wasn’t going to help anyone. But I didn’t want anyone telling me how to parent Belle, so I would keep my mouth shut.

“I don’t think you need to know everything ,” I jumped in. “But yes, please be careful.”

“I will. I don’t need to worry too much about my photography at the moment since I’m working here with you, anyway. It’s fine.”

Relief washed over me, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of gratitude toward Marie for her understanding and willingness to heed my warning. I moved closer to her, and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her in a tight embrace. The feel of her in my arms, the warmth of her body pressed against mine, sent a jolt of desire coursing through me. It was a forbidden longing, one that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long. I slid my eyes closed and breathed her in deep, noticing that she smelt just as she did in all of my fantasies, in all of my dreams. That kinda made her the perfect woman, but of course, all I could do was keep my distance from her. She was off-limits for sure.

As we pulled away from the hug, our eyes locked in a shared moment of unspoken desire. The tension between us was palpable, the chemistry undeniable.

I cleared my throat, my voice unsteady as I spoke. “Thank you, Marie. I just… I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you.”

She smiled softly, her eyes filled with understanding. “I appreciate your concern, Jesse. And I promise, I’ll stay safe.”

As I watched her return to her cooking, my heart still raced with the memory of our embrace. The desire I felt for her was undeniable, a fire that burned within me, leaving me craving more. But for now, I had to focus on protecting my community and those I loved. The darkness outside may have been unsettling, but the light within our home was a source of comfort and hope.