Chapter 5

• Asher pulled up the collar of his jacket to prevent the snow from blowing down it as the chopper sent a cloud of it toward them. When he’d called to ask about Shaelan’s number, he hadn’t expected a helicopter to show up forty-five minutes later. How did they do that? Did they have one parked all over the country so they could fly out immediately? He shook his head. Those kinds of problems weren’t his to worry about. He left organizing to Zain and just went where he was told.
• “I guess you’re following her.” Alvin shook the snow off his hat and then put it back on.
• Asher looked at him, and he pointed to the ground. Looking down, he saw the wolf pup laying at his feet, resting his chin on his paws. He hadn’t even thought about the creature. “I don’t know where I’m going.” The pup whined a sad, lost sound.
• Alvin smirked, “I can’t hang onto him until she comes back for him.” He motioned around them, “The kids with a wolf aren’t a good mix in the confines of winter.”
• Asher blew out a breath, “I’ll call Jesse and see where she’s headed and if I have time to drop him off.”
• Alvin nodded and then held out his hand, “I want to thank you for what you do, Asher. The clan is proud you’re one of ours.” Asher took his hand and shook it. “Your folks would be as well.”
• He nodded. There were no words he could say to that. He could have turned out differently if it weren’t for what happened to his family. Then again, there was no version of him that would just sit here when there were families and children in need of freeing.
• Alvin pulled his phone out and looked at it, “it’s going to be another long day. Jag’s trying to fix some pipes that didn’t survive the storm.”
• Asher grinned, “I’ll let you deal with that. I’m about as handy as a car with no wheels.”
• “You have other strengths, son.” He gave him an abrupt nod and then walked away.
• The pup whined again. Asher sighed and pulled out his phone. “I’m working on it.” Bringing up Zain’s number, he hit send.
• “Did they get her okay?” That was how he answered.
• “Yeah. She has a wolf pup, and now I’m wondering what I’m supposed to do.”
• “A wild one?”
• Asher smirked, “No, a stuffed one.”
• “Wow, that’s awesome. Although I’m picturing a cheetah and a wolf pup running through the woods now.”
• “Zain.”
• “Right. You are to go to Ed’s, or Blair’s, to their area and pick up some of the team members, and then you’ll be heading to where they sent—” There was a pause, “what was her name?”
• Asher shook his head, usually Zain was more together than he was today. “Journee.”
• “That’s an unusual name. But you’re heading to the same place she is being taken.”
• “Which is where?”
• “Can’t say. Illias will send you the coordinates once you’re at Blair’s.”
• It wasn’t like Zain to be cryptic, but he didn’t blame him for not saying things over the phone with everything happening lately. “Teams going out?” He couldn’t wait to get back to work.
• “Can’t say.” He cleared his throat, “Working where I do with the things discovered recently, I am limited on topics I can and can not discuss.”
• Asher blew out a breath. “Yeah, it’s bad.”
• “Mmhmm. Can I have anything sent to you? How are your supplies?”
• Asher wondered if there was someone in the room that Zain wasn’t sure about trusting.
• “I’m good. Been stuck here for a few days, so I didn’t use much, but if we’re going back out, I’ll need more.”
• “Okay perfect. Thank you for checking in, and I will talk to you later.” He hung up.
• Asher looked at his phone. That was weird. He never thought he’d miss their chat group, but now he was. Before, the team would keep in touch that way, and he knew what was happening. The Co-ord team was his only link to what was happening out there. Without being in touch with them, he was in a never-ending tunnel in his mind. Glancing down at the pup, he turned to go say goodbye to his grandmother. “Come on, pup, we have a destination.”
• ~
• Asher closed the door and leaned back against the van while the pup ran up over the snowbank and then in circles. Who knew that a little creature needed to stop this often? He glanced in and looked at the time on the dash. They were still making decent time. He planned to keep going until close to dawn, and then he’d stop for a run, snack, and nap. He watched the pup run and plow snow with his nose. Hopefully, the furball allowed for a nap. For most of the drive so far, he’d been on his lap, watching where they were going. He could only guess that Journee didn’t go on many car rides, and after he settled him down, the pup had decided the enclosed travel wasn’t all bad.
• Opening the door, he grabbed his phone so he could text Illias. He’d be crossing back into Ontario in about an hour, and he wanted to know if one of their friends would be there. Explaining a wolf pup to the crossing guard was not something he was into.
• As he typed, the pup started growling. Asher paused and went around the van to see what he was having an attitude with. A large bird sat in a tree, looking down at the pup. “Unless you can jump really high, you’re not going to get it.” He grinned when the pup ran around the base of the tree a few times and then started back in his direction. At least he had some sense.
• His phone rang, startling him. He missed the call display but knew it would be one of the teams or Alliance calling now. “Hello.”
• “Asher? It’s Shaelan.”
• “Oh. Hi.” His cat tensed. Why would she be calling him?
• “I just wanted to let you know that we’ve assessed Journee’s injury, and we’re going to reset it as soon as we deal with the swelling.”
• A feeling of relief went through him. It caught him off guard. Then again, he wouldn’t wish any shifter to be stuck in one form. “That’s good.” The pup came over and sat on his feet. He leaned down and scooped up by his wet belly. “I’m on the way to pick up some others, and then I’m heading to where you are.”
• “Yes. Calum may be one of those you’re picking up. His car has been parked until winter goes away.” She sounded amused.
• “Oh, okay.” He turned around, “it’s quite a jaunt, but I’ll probably be there by dinner tomorrow.” The pup started licking his face. Using his knee, he opened the door further and dropped him on the seat.
• “Just make sure you stop and rest. I don’t know how you guys do those long drives. Twenty minutes in, if I don’t have something to read, I fall asleep.”
• He grinned, “Considering you’re on the move non-stop from one medical emergency to the next, that’s not surprising. I just transport people,” he shrugged, “easy.”
• “I couldn’t do it.”
• “So, are you at the campgrounds?”
• “Can’t say, but you’ll find out.”
• He quirked one eyebrow and noticed the pup was still sitting in the driver’s seat. Going over, he nudged him off of it. “Okay then. I’ll see you when we get there.”
• “I’ll take good care of her.”
• “I’m sure you will.” When she hung up, he looked at the phone and shook his head. Still not sure why he’d been called. The pup barked. “You’re probably the reason.” Getting in, he looked back at him, “Ready to hit the road again?” Another bark was his answer. “At least we agree on that.” Closing the door, he put his phone back in the holder and put the van in gear. Before he could pull entirely back onto the road, the pup had his front paws on his leg. “You know if I get stopped, explaining you behind the wheel is going to get me in trouble.” He moved his arm so the cold-pawed creature could sit in his lap. One good thing with his new traveling companion was when he started talking to stay alert, it wouldn’t seem like he’d lost his marbles and was talking to himself.