New Age Werewolf Series Book 1: Taming A She Wolf

Part 40: Long Way to Wisdom

Dar looked uneasy.

"You okay?" I asked him. I donned the baseball cap as he asked at breakfast, and even put on a holster with an automatic weapon in it. I set the gun next to me, seeing no purpose.

"Yeah, Ian, I'm okay," Dar nodded as we got into the SUV. "I just got a bad feeling."

"Why?" I watched Dar start the car.

"Because," he thought before speaking. "I was thinking, we're not the only ones who know about the Wolf's Stone." When I didn't have a reply he went on. "Jiro was the one who bought Zuri from the vampires, and he tried to mate with her, and remember what he said?"

I shifted uneasily. "But he doesn't have--"

"He may have been trying to find a way to get the Wolf's Stone for himself," Dar said. "Great equalizer being that he isn't an alpha, don't you think?"

It was then I noticed two SUVs pull out.

"What is this?"

"We're splitting up," Dar said. "It's a drive to the airport, which is what they're expecting. We would be the middle car, but instead we're bringing up the rear."

"Why are you so cautious?"

"Because...because Zuri told me to," Dar admitted.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously," Dar frowned. "She senses a lot, and even if it's not clear, I'd rather err to the side of caution. Humor me?"

I went along. This was crazy.

We were driving across the desert when the  first SUV spun out of control. It looked like the front tire was hit.

"Damn it," Dar muttered.

"What?"

"We're under attack," Dar growled.  He radioed ahead. "What?"

"Front tire blew out," one of the security detail replied.

"Blew?"

"Shot."

We looked at each other. Dar started looking around. "Shot came from that way." He growled again. "I hate it when I'm right sometimes." he said to me before radioing back. "Meet us in the middle."

I was a little puzzled at that point. "What's going on?"

"What they'd never think of, whoever they are," Dar said, coming out. "We're staying with the car."

"What?"

"We...are...going to wait...for assistance," Dar bit out slowly. We got out of the car, and then I saw security get out of the middle car. I followed him and stopped at the back seat of the middle car. There were two guys in there, who kind of looked like us. "Okay, you know the deal, right?"

"Yes, sir, straight to the airport, board the family plane and get to Wisdom," one of them said.

"See you there," Dar nodded, going back to our car to grab a high powered rifle and a backpack. He moved to the damaged car. "Grab your gun, for Goddess's sake. You'll blow our cover."

I grabbed the automatic weapon and holstered it, then my backpack. "We've got decoys?" I couldn't believe this.

"Yes, we do," Dar said. "You've been in the ivory tower too long. When packs are in dispute, no one is above attack or ambush. I've never lost a man, and plans like these work perfectly. I had to protect Jiro at times--"

"You ran this plan with him?"

"No, Jiro liked the pomp and circumstance, the convoy," Dar said. "He never wanted to be covert, so I'd put him an armored car or something that was like a mini tank on wheels, but I've always had a playbook. Ya hear me? Always have a playbook." He cocked the rifle, and headed to the damaged car. "Just relax."

We sat on the side of the car that the shot out tire wasn't on, and the two SUVs went on. Within a couple of hours, we were picked up by Terra Prima security and driven back to the shelter of forest trees in the outskirts.

"We're not going home?"

"No, Ian, we're not," Dar nodded to a van. "We'll be a day late arriving at Wisdome, but hopefully everyone will be following the decoys." He opened the door to let me look inside and then closed it.

"I don't believe this."

I turned to see Zuri and Amber standing there.

"You really shouldn't have come," Dar shook his head.

"I want details before you leave," Amber said. "Even as alpha I'd want that. The first car was shot out?"

"Yes," I nodded, but then looked at Zuri. "Just the tire."

"Narrowing down opposition," I said, thinking aloud. "Can you send another car out, have it going at top speed?" I earned a look of approval from Dar, who handed over his cap and jacket. I did the same.

"Good idea," Amber said, kissing me. "Be careful."

Zuri kissed Dar. "Come home safe."

"We'll be fine," I told them. "They don't realize it, but we've got the headstart." We got into the van and drove off in a different direction, heading for the wilderness.

Dar drove. He was quiet, looking as if his mind was going a mile a minute as the van drove by campgrounds. "Now, it begins."