Abandoned Treasure

Nora Parker (Carol Sampson’s) POV

Southeast of Great Falls, Montana

Saturday, September 8, 2007

I let out a burp, tasting the burger once again. “I love that place,” I said as I looked out the window.

“I know, baby. Wherever we end up, we’ll be close to a Five Guys franchise.”

“In-n-Out burger works too. I had one when I was a kid. ”We’d moved seven times in my first eighteen years. The life of a rogue wasn’t easy. When the Packs started to poke around, we packed up and left. I remember the scary times when Mom and Dad suddenly loaded everything into our trucks, leaving in the middle of the night. We didn’t have much stuff, and my Mom homeschooled us, so we weren’t registered in schools. A day later, and you’d never know we were there.

I looked down at the third of the burger I couldn’t finish. “Do you want the rest of this?”

He glanced down. “You aren’t hungry?”

“I love these things, but your child isn’t giving my stomach any room to operate here.” He shrugged and took it from me, finishing it in two bites. He’d eaten most of the fries as well.

Show-off.

He took a long pull on his Coke, his eyes moving between the dark road ahead and the rear-view mirror. “We’ve got a problem,” he finally said.

“What’s going on?”

“The car back there is following us. Don’t look back, though. Pull down the visor and use the mirror.”

I did what he said and saw the headlights a quarter-mile back. “How do you know?”

“I’ve been changing my speed on the cruise control, and that car is staying the same distance behind us. That doesn’t happen unless they are trying to tail someone.”

I felt him speed up again. Sure enough, the car sped up and stayed in place. “What do we do?”

“We’re about five miles from the turn. Call the Den and let them know what is going on.”

I got out my phone and dialed. “Hello?”

“Stanley, it’s Carol. We’re heading your way, and we’ve picked up a tail.”

“Wolf or cop?”

“It’s not a cop. It’s maintaining the same distance behind us while we change speeds.”

“Did he ever get close to you?”

“No, he’s stayed about a quarter-mile back.”

There was a pause. “That’s not a cop. They’d close to get your license plate and then follow until backup arrives.”

“That’s what my mate thinks. We’re a couple of miles from the 331 turnoff. What do you want us to do?”

“I warned them not to fuck with us. Tell Nathan to floor it as soon as he makes the turn. If the wolf follows, we’ll block him when he gets to our Den.”

“Do you want us to go to Georgina’s place?”

“No. We must assume the wolves are converging on you, so we don’t want your scent around us. That would lead to a war with the Pack.”

“So what should we do?”

“Tell Nick to keep going north on 331 to Highwood. I’ll have Georgina meet you at Elmo’s after I’ve dealt with this guy.”

I felt the car brake hard before we turned left. I could see the tail car accelerate before making the same turn. “The tail is closing fast. I guess he’s not interested in following us anymore,” my mate said.

“I’m getting everyone armed and out to the trucks. We’ll block the road after you pass.”

“Gotta go. Thanks, Stanley.”

“Stay safe, kid.”

I set the phone in the center console and looked in the mirror again. “He’s closing fast.”

“He probably has a big old V-8 in that thing,” Nick replied. “We need more curves because I can’t outrun him on the straightaways.” He was right. We’d only gone a few miles before the bigger SUV was on our ass. “Hold on, baby. I’ve got to keep him from getting next to us, or he’ll take us out.”

Over the next minute, Nick weaved back and forth on the deserted road. He managed to prevent the guy from passing us but couldn’t do it forever. Sooner or later, we’d zig, he’d zag, and he’d be alongside. “Get the gun out of the glove box, baby. I’m going to let him come up your side. When he does, you shoot the hell out of him.”

I opened the glove box and grabbed the Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum revolver. I opened the wheel, checked the six cartridges, and clicked it closed again. I’d been shooting since I was seven, so I knew what to do. I rolled down the window while Nick moved into the oncoming lane.

I heard the engine roar as the SUV accelerated towards us. This time, he didn’t try to pass on the right. Instead, he rammed us from behind. “FUCK!” The impact knocked my arm into the door, and the pistol fell from my hand before I could stop it.

That wasn’t the worst part. The impact knocked the rear loose, and we skidded towards the opposite ditch. Nick saved it but overcorrected as we swerved back to our lane. “HOLD ON,” he said as he tried to gain control.

That didn’t happen. I felt the passenger side wheel dip and catch in the soft ground.

And then we were flying.

The sounds of breaking glass, crunching metal, and a racing engine filled my ears as we crashed and rolled. The airbag shoved my face back, but the car was spinning and couldn’t keep me in place. I got knocked hard on the side of the head as we rolled. When we finally stopped upside-down, I was too dizzy to think.

“Baby? Are you all right?” It sounded like I was underwater while he talked.

“Yeah.”

“Fuck, he’s coming.” I heard a thump, ripping clothes, scraping claws, and a ferocious growl.

Then came two shots and a thump, followed by a whine. “Save… baby.”

“Nick?” No answer. “NICK!!”

He didn’t answer.

Blood was dripping down my face, and my stomach felt like I’d been stabbed in the gut. I fumbled for the seat belt release. When it let go, I dropped hard on my head and shoulder. Stabbing pain in my belly caused me to scream out.

My hand came back full of blood.

“Easy now,” a man’s voice said. His flashlight shined in my face before he looked around. He smelled like a Pack Wolf, at least Warrior rank, and I hated him so much. I wanted to run away but couldn’t think, shift, or move. “Let me get you out of here.”

He grabbed my arms and slid me out the open window onto the prairie grass. He had me handcuffed before I could do anything else. “Nathan….”

“He’s dead, Carol.”

The emotions rolled over me as he helped me stand. I could feel the blood between my thighs as he helped me climb out of the ditch. I glanced back, seeing Nathan/Nick’s wolf lying in the moonlight near the back wheel.

He’d died trying to save me, and he never had a chance because I’d dropped the gun.

The back of the SUV opened. I struggled and tried to get away, but it was useless to resist in my condition. The wolf lifted me inside, laying me in the cargo area on a blanket. With my hands cuffed behind my back, I couldn’t do much. I saw him fold and roll a towel before placing it between my legs. “You’re hemorrhaging,” he said. “Hold that in place. I’ll get you to a hospital.”

“Leave me to die,” I begged. If I could delay long enough, the Bears would come this way to investigate.

“I can’t do that.” The hatch closed, and the wolf went around and got in.

The wet blood continued to flow until I blacked out.