The Saving Grace

by lunerone

A story of finding family.

Chapter one

I stood in the doorway for a moment, taking in the beauty of the cold northern morning. The sun was starting its gargantuan task of trying to bring a little warmth to the frozen ground. It was cold and spring still seemed like a long way off, but if you had lived here for long enough you could pick up on the subtle change in the air. You could sense the plants preparing to kick into action. The tiny change in the way the animals behave. Even the air itself started to have a certain smell to it.

I laughed to myself as I closed the door against the chilly morning air. My mother said I was the only person she knew who could sniff the air and accurately tell when a plane would land. Somewhat of a strange talent granted, but she wasn't wrong. There was something about the jet fuel that preceded the plane that my nose could detect.

I poured a cup of coffee and sat at the table, looking out the window as I mentally prepared my day. There were the trap lines to check and it since I didn't smell any storms in the air today might be a good day to start clearing snow from the garden. Mother Nature had a way of overriding even those who had learned to read the land and live within its rules, or in my case smell the land I suppose, and there was always the possibility of another storm appearing without warning. But I felt it was a good day. Anyone who lived in this frozen wasteland learned to rely on their instinct. You had to or you wouldn't find yourself here for very long.

"Okay mom" I said out loud "Let's hope we got at least two or three nice fat rabbits. That should hold us for a week or so. With any luck we'll get a good harvest this year too. I want to try that new canning trick that Sarah told me about" I babbled on about canning for a few minutes as I prepared to go out, grabbing my rifle and snowshoes last, I whistled for the dog and headed out.

My mother died three years ago. She got the flu early on in the winter and just couldn't seem to shake it. By the time we realized it was pneumonia it was too late to do anything about it. It was a particularly bad winter that year and we were snowed in for most of it. And if we couldn't get out, there was no way a doctor could get in. All we could do was hope she could hold on until a break in the weather. She couldn't. With the thaw that spring came people from town. And so many casseroles my freezer was full. It actually kept me in food for a full two years.

After the funeral I had so much to do with preparing for winter that I didn't have time to think about it much. There was the garden to tend to and the trap lines took twice as long with only one person doing it. Staying alive kept me busy most of the time. It was the nights that I couldn't handle. At first I kept myself so busy during the day with physical activity that I fell into bed exhausted and slept immediately. But that didn't last very long and with all the food I had from the townspeople I didn't need to hunt to survive the winter.

Everyone grieves differently, I just pretended she was still there. I talked to her like she was in the next room. Hell, I even pretended she answered me. It would have definitely seemed like I'd lost my mind if anyone had been around to see it. I'm not crazy, or stupid. I have accepted that she's gone, but I still talk to her.

I stepped out onto the porched and sniffed the air. There was a car coming. I couldn't see or hear it yet but I could smell it. I sat down and waited, testing the strength of the strings on my snowshoes. A few minutes later I detected the soft hum of an SUV, and a few seconds after that I saw the sheriff's truck slowing making its way down my driveway.

"Morning Phil" I said as he emerged from the vehicle.

"Morning Grace. How'd you fare the winter?" he said with a shy smile.

Phil had been born here, just like me. He's been sheriff for nineteen years now. Twenty six is very young to be appointed sheriff but it's hard to find someone right for the job that's willing to stay until retirement. Sheriff Connolly had done just that and Phil had been his deputy since graduating high school, it seemed only natural that he take over as the new sheriff. I suppose he had to take a test or something, I'm not sure I care. I don't live in town for a reason, I'm better suited to solitude.

"Fine" I say. The word feels strange in my mouth. I haven't spoken to anyone but the memory of my mother in over six months.

"Anything I can bring you from town?" He asks, his gaze travels the property. Looking for anything out of the ordinary. I'm not offended, it's his job. There's a lot of people here who come here because they need to disappear. Usually it's something personal. For whatever reason they felt the need to start over, somewhere new.

But there's also some that come here because they are on the run. Criminals who think that hiding in the wilderness will give them freedom. Most of them freeze to death but once in a while they will find an isolated place away from town, like mine.

But if you're willing to risk your life in -60 degree weather it's unlikely your only crime was robbing a convenience store. And if you've already taken a life it's not a hard jump to convince yourself one more won't make a difference.

At the first break in weather the sheriff goes to the places off the grid. Places where people sometimes die over the winter. He always hits my place first though, because I'm alone and if there was someone looking to survive, I would seem like an easy target.

"You're not a delivery boy Phil" I reply with a smile.

Phil has been married for 20 some odd years and has three grown children, but he's had a crush on me since grade school and no matter how much he loves his wife, and he does, he can't seem to stop the blush from rising when I smile at him. Gina's cool, that's his wife. She seems to know it's harmless and she's never been anything but nice to me when I see her in town. She runs the women's shelter.

Yes, that shit happens even up here. More than you would think too. When you're this isolated boredom can drive you mad. Alcohol seems to be the preferred way to pass the time for a fair number of people. Add to that the fact that a lot of them seem to just be born an asshole, then you've got trouble on your hands.

People suck. That's why I live away from them.

"Okay then" Phil said. "I'll be around again in a week or so, weather permitting"

"You might want to head to the Jensen's place" I said as he opened the door of his truck. "She was due a couple of months ago. I've got some pelts for trade if her chickens have done alright" I like the Jensen's and I stop for a visit from time to time in the summer months for a cup of tea and to trade for some fresh eggs. A rare treat for most of us.

"Will do" he said as he climbed into the vehicle. He made a U-turn and headed down the road, honking once as he rumbled out of sight.

I put my snowshoes on and headed out into the woods to check my traps. But when I got close to the first string of them, I let out a curse that would have put a lumberjack to shame. It was ruined, the rabbit long since stolen. I looked around at the tracks on the ground.

Wolves.

Wolf actually, since I saw only one set of tracks. The snow was scuffled and here and there it was died pink from drops of blood. From the size of the prints it was a young wolf, just coming into his adulthood. More than likely a loner that had yet to find a mate.

Chapter two

Wolves, just like people take time to learn finesse. I've had wolves steal from my traps before but they usually leave much more of a mess than this. This was a young wolf who somehow managed to take the animal without much struggle. It was odd enough behaviour to make me uncomfortable and I took the safety off the rifle before starting to the next trap.

But it too had been compromised. As were the next four on that trap line. Something was definitely not right. I left it and started the hike to the next line, keeping a wary eye out for anything unusual.

The next set were untouched and I managed to get three fat rabbits. I reset the traps and made my way back home. Pondering the unusual behaviour of the wolf as I headed across the fresh snow. I had about a half hour's travel left when I smelled them. People. I stopped and listened hard. Running across another trapper was rare but it does happen. It's never more than two people at the most, and I was hearing at least four separate distinct voices. Too far away to make out actual words but the tone sounded as if they were laughing. They certainly weren't trying to conceal their presence, which meant they weren't hunters since they just succeeded in driving off any game within a mile radius.

That meant they were tourists. I let out a heavy sigh as I weighed my options. Should I let them know I was here? The problem with that is they might find my house. I'm not much of a social person, tea with Alana Jensen is about the extent of it for me. But my mother raised me with manners and if someone showed up on my doorstep I would feel compelled to invite them in, but I wouldn't like it.

I had just decided to head home without letting them know I was there when I caught it. The smell of snow. It was on the way despite the clear skies. Well, that decided it. If there were people up here at this time of year they more than likely knew how to rough it, but quite often that term just meant travelling to the woods in a fully loaded camper to city folk. Leaving without warning them of the storm could mean their deaths and that's something I just couldn't do.

I headed towards the sound of the voices and within a few minutes I'd spotted them. I'd only heard four voices but there were six of them. There were two sitting together off to the side just smiling and watching the other four. Clearly a family and just as clearly having a whopping good time.

They were in the middle of a snowball fight, the blond man and woman against the teenage boy and girl. I stood for a moment and watched bemused as the boy sneaked around behind the man while the girl attempted to distract him. It wasn't going to work, I could tell just by the way his muscles tensed under his shirt that he knew exactly where the boy was. And right on cue, the boy took a flying leap at the man but he stood up and turned at the last second, causing the boy to fly head first into the snowbank. It was like a choreographed scene from a movie. I laughed out loud and they all turned and looked at me.

The woman smiled. Warm and friendly that smile said but the man changed immediately. One second he was a happy, laughing father and the next, he was like a bear protecting its cub. He snarled and stepped protectively in front of his children. This must be something he did a lot because every one of them turned and gave him an exasperated look, including the children. I was on a slight rise from where they were and the blonde started heading in my direction. She wasn't wearing snowshoes and I hurried down the hill to save her the trouble of struggling through the deep snow.

"You must be renting from the Young's" I shouted as I headed down.

"Hi, yes we are" she said as we got close enough to talk without yelling. "I'm Elena" She smiled and raised her arm to shake my hand. I grabbed it and pumped it once before letting go. I don't much like talking to people so touching them is practically torture. She didn't seem to notice and continued smiling.

"Those are my kids, Logan and Kate. Over on the log there is Jeremy and Jaime. I glanced over and saw the two sitting. He barely twitched his mouth in what I assume was a smile but she smiled for the both of them. A big toothy grin and a wave. She was quite beautiful and seemed slightly out of place here in the bush.

"And that" she said pointing to the big good looking blonde man "Is my husband Clay"

I nodded in his direction and continued to glower at me. I glanced at the sky to the north and noticed a dark smudge forming on the horizon. The storm was coming faster than I thought. I got right to business.

"I'm Grace. I'm about a half K up that way if you have an emergency. I'd be the closest person to you around here"

I hated to let them know where I lived but who knows how they will fare in bad weather? They seem to know how to take care of themselves though and as friendly as the woman was, I doubted they were the kind to just drop by for no reason.

"There's some bad weather coming. I would head back to shelter soon if I were you. Also there's always wolves around here but there's at least one acting strange. Have a care to your children, if you brought any pets with you I'd keep them inside" I said

"What do you mean acting strange?" She asked me. Her question was unhurried, casual. But I could detect the slightest edge in her voice. Concern for her children probably.

"Went after my trap line but took the kills cleaner than I've ever seen a wolf do before." I said. I expected most of it to go over their heads but instead both of them immediately turned and looked at the boy.

"Hey I didn't…" he started to protest but his father cut him off with a grunt and a scowl.

I watched this unfold with a raised eyebrow. City folk, I just didn't understand them. The blonde woman, Elena, turned back to me, smiling again.

"Thank you for the warning. We'll be sure to be careful" she said.

"Right then" I said, turning and heading back towards my cabin. I made it just before the storm hit. And I wasn't wrong, it was a big one. For three solid days it came down hard, the howling wind driving the snow into huge drifts against the walls of my house and practically buried my shed altogether. I'd have to do some digging to get the snowmobile out.

It took most of the morning to get enough snow cleared to open the shed. The snowmobile started up right away, thank goodness. I've had it for about ten years and it's a bit temperamental. I stopped to look at the sky before heading out. It was a brilliant, beautiful blue, the kind of sky that only happens after a big storm. It was so clear and the sun was shining so brightly that someone from a warm place would be in shock at the temperature. But anyone who lived in the north knew. Winter skies are the most beautiful.

Chapter three

When I arrived at the cabin only the two men and the teenaged boy were there. The girls had taken the SUV and gone into town for supplies. I sincerely hoped one of them was a very good driver. I took them up on the offer of coming inside but only because I wanted to take a look around. Just because they said they were renting from the Young's doesn't mean it's true and a bit of breaking and entering was more common than it should be up here.

But as I entered the cabin and took a look around all I could see were signs of a family on vacation. They had a nice fire going and it was warm enough. Lots of wood stacked and ready to be tossed on the flames. Blankets and books were haphazardly thrown in a corner and from the kitchen came the unmistakable aroma of sausages and possibly pancakes….and maple syrup, there was definitely some maple syrup involved. My stomach rumbled but not loud thankfully. I hadn't had a breakfast like that since mom died, usually I stick to oatmeal or cereal if I have milk. Not much incentive to make a full meal when you're alone.

The boy, Logan, was very polite and seemed to be the only talkative one in the room. His father sat near him and pointedly looked at the door, while the older one went to attend to the meal. After several minutes of Logan attempting to draw his father into a conversation, he gave up and just concentrated on asking me about myself.

The other man, Jeremy I think it was, came back into the room as I was answering Logan's questions. Yes, I had lived here all my life…no, I had no desire to live in a city or even visit one. Yes I trapped small animals for food and pelts, and yes I sold them occasionally. Money isn't something that's really needed a lot when you live off the grid but there is really no way you can get by in this world without having to use it. Milk, for instance. I don't have the means to keep a cow alive through the winter so milk is something I have to buy.

When he asked about my family I didn't have much to say. It was just me and mom up until three years ago, now it's just me.

"But what about your father?" Logan said

"I don't have one" I replied. This of course earned me a puzzled look.

"But…you have to!" Logan exclaimed

"Well I do, I suppose" I said "I've just never met him. I have no idea who or where he is" Harsh words that I softened with a smile. A smile that Logan returned and surprisingly so did Jeremy. Other than a soft greeting and asking me to come inside, Jeremy hadn't said a word. Neither had Clay but he was simply giving off the 'you're invading my turf' vibe. I supposed I was breaking some social protocol or something.

Logan started asking me if I had any other family, he seemed a little perplexed that not only was I alone, but that I seemed to be okay with it. As we talked I noticed Jeremy seemed to be lost in thought, and he was tracing little patterns on his leg with his finger. Didn't even seem to be aware he was doing it.

I stood to go, Clay leaped to his feet and rushed to open the door, as if he couldn't wait for me to leave. I smiled. I would have done the same thing. I understood he was fiercely protecting his family, and I don't much like people invading my territory either.

"Thank you for checking on us. Please come back for a visit when you like. I know Jaime will be sorry she missed you" Jeremy said as he walked me to the door. The look on Clay's face when he said that to me went from relief that I was leaving to shock. As they shut the door I could hear Logan say 'are you feeling okay grandpa?'

I thought about that as I went to check my traps again. Jeremy certainly didn't look old enough to be the grandfather of teenage children, but then I didn't look my age either, or so I've been told. But I will admit that at forty-five I had virtually no grey hair, save for the streak of white coming in just over my right eye. And thanks to the genetic pool I was born into, my face remained unlined except for the odd crinkle around my eyes when I laughed. But the family dynamic had changed drastically over the years. Jeremy and Clay looked nothing alike and yet they were clearly father and son, you could tell by their actions.

I shook my head to rid it of the thoughts of other people and concentrated on the task at hand. None of the traps had been disturbed and I hoped the lone wolf had been scared off by the noises of visitors. I headed back to my place and did some more work. As I was clearing the snow from the small garden at the back I noticed the fence had been damaged. Recent too. I went over to inspect it and froze. Wolf tracks. This time there was more than one.

Chapter four

From what I could see there had been a bit of a scuffle right at the fence line. The snow was disturbed and there were tiny tufts of hair but no blood. So it wasn't anything serious, more than likely a couple of young ones at play. But to act like that this so close to the smell of a human was very odd.

So now I had at least two wolves hanging around that defied normal wolf behaviour. I picked up a tuft of hair and looked at it closely. The color was nothing I've ever seen on a wolf before. It was a pale blonde. Well, that could explain why they seemed to be alone. They would be hard pressed to find a pack that would accept them, they would stand out too much.

I began to wonder if the wolves maybe belonged to the people in the cabin. They certainly didn't seem to be wary of humans and the color being off that much it's entirely possible they were abandoned as pups. It's illegal to keep a wolf as a pet, but it happens sometimes. It would explain a lot about them though. Why Clay wanted me out so bad and why the girls weren't there after a big storm. Maybe they were trying to find a place to hide them.

"And maybe I should write stories for a living" I said out loud. "I'd be so good at it, wouldn't I mom?" I laughed, quite sure she was laughing with me. I went to school but only until grade nine. It wasn't for me and I had no desire to leave here. I got along without having a degree just fine but my writing skills were laughable. Half the time when mom went shopping with a grocery list I had made out, she came back with either nothing at all or something completely different from what I wanted. Yeah, it was that bad. Usually even I couldn't read it.

I sighed and went to the shed to get some supplies to fix the fence. It wasn't too badly damaged and didn't take much time. After I went in to make some tea and warm up a bit but I simply could not stop thinking about that family. It was strange for me to worry so much about anyone, let alone people I didn't know. But I just couldn't get them out of my head. Especially Jeremy. I didn't know why but every time I tried to concentrate on something else my mind would go back to him sitting quietly, not saying a word. Tracing patterns without knowing he was doing it. I wondered too about his girl. I hadn't actually met her and I wondered where she was from and how they had met.

"What the actual fuck?" I said out loud as I caught myself thinking these thoughts. I could practically feel my mother's hand cuffing me on the back of the head. She hated it when I cursed. It had been a long winter with no one to talk to, maybe I just needed a little human contact. With humans I knew, not strangers. I decided to head over and see Alana's new baby tomorrow. See how they fared, and take the blanket I had knitted for her. Talk about the winter, her chickens….anything but the people that had invaded my thoughts.

But just about the time I was banking the fire for the night, I heard an engine. I looked out the window and saw the headlights, coming too fast. I realized what was going to happen about ten seconds before is happened. The SUV went into a skid, doing a complete circle before crashing hard into a snowbank. I cursed again and grabbed my jacket. Shoving my feet into my boots I hurried outside.

As I approached the vehicle I could see red hair. I hurried over and opened the drivers' door. Other than being dazed she seemed unhurt. I helped her out of the truck and into my house. She never said a word as I sat her in front of the fireplace and placed a blanket around her shoulders. I went to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate and brought it out to her.

"That was quite the introduction" I said

"I'm so embarrassed, and I'm so, so sorry" she said.

"Why? The only thing damaged is your vehicle….and you" I said as I noticed her eye beginning to swell and change color. "You must have hit your head on the steering wheel, let me get you something for that eye"

I headed back into the kitchen to wet a towel with cold water. As I was doing that I heard her mumbling in the other room. Didn't really think too much of it, I talk to myself all the time. Well, in my head I'm talking to my mom but anyone else would only see a person talking to themselves.

I went back into the living room and gave her the towel to hold on her eye. She took it and gave me a tiny smile. I had just begun to wonder if I had to offer her the couch to sleep on when she spoke up.

"I'm…I'm just…I really don't know where to begin" she said.

"Maybe we should start with the reason you drove here like a bat out of hell. Is anyone hurt?" A jumping off point to get the conversation started. I knew no one was hurt, she would have said so by now.

"No" she said quickly. "Just my pride I'm afraid. I came here because I wanted to get a good look at you"

"Hmm. Not sure if I should be flattered or scared. Nobody had ever wanted a look at me so bad they almost kill themselves before. May I ask why you are so interested in my looks?

"Not just the way you look…..listen, I was jealous." She said, looking anywhere but at me.

"Sorry?" I asked, confused.

"Jeremy hasn't stopped talking about you since your little visit yesterday. He seems quite taken with you and….you'd have to know Jeremy to understand how unusual that is" she said

Suddenly she looked up at a spot just over my right shoulder. She appeared to be listening for a few seconds and then a frown appeared as she mumbled 'It's not funny' under her breath.

"What's not funny?" I asked politely. Okay maybe she wasn't exactly sane. I was sure hoping she wasn't dangerous since I'd let her into my house. I was trying to figure out a way to get my rifle without seeming suspicious. She caught my tone though, and smiled.

"I'm not crazy I swear" she said. "Look, I've been with Jeremy for a while and in all the time I've known him he hasn't even looked at another woman. What's more is when women look at him he's completely oblivious. He's not someone I ever worried about being unfaithful, so when we came back yesterday and he started talking about you I knew there had to be some kind of connection."

She took a big drink of her hot chocolate before continuing.

"I got jealous. I thought maybe he had met a woman….well, let's just say more suited to his lifestyle. So when they all decided to go for a run I thought it would be a good time to get a better look at you. Only I'm really not the best driver and I didn't anticipate how difficult it would be to drive through all this snow. I'm afraid I panicked."

"They went for a run?" I asked. "In the snow? At night?" Were they crazy?

"I…I mean they went for a hike, with the snowshoes and stuff. They went for a hike. They're very outdoorsy people"

"Well they're going to get themselves killed!" I exclaimed as I stood to get my coat again. "I'm going to have to try and look for them, you stay here"

"Oh there's no need really, they can take care of themselves I promise" she said

She genuinely seemed unconcerned about their welfare. I shrugged and sat back down. She would know them better than I would. But I still mentally prepared myself to look for bodies in the morning. And I would be tired as hell too. This one hit her head so I would basically be up all night making sure she didn't slip into a coma if she had a concussion.

"Well, have you decided yet that you have no competition? Certainly not from me" I knew I wasn't too hard to look at but compared to the beauty of the woman sitting on my couch I might as well have been living under a bridge trying to eat anyone who crosses.

"No actually, I haven't" she said. I raised an eyebrow at that. "It might not be a romantic one, but there is a connection between you two nonetheless. I just haven't figured it out yet" She looked over my shoulder again. "But I will. In any case, now that I know he isn't going to leave me for you I should see if I can get that truck going again before he comes back and finds me gone"

No sooner had the words left her lips when we heard a howl. Wolf. We heard more howls as the pack responded. Well, at least it wasn't the loners but this pack was close. Too close. We were safe inside the house, It's not like they could open doors after all, but for someone who was clearly used to city living, Jaime seemed surprisingly calm. And when someone knocked on the door a few minutes later she simply smiled and rose to her feet. I opened the door to find Jeremy, looking quite disheveled and somewhat panicked.

"Are you alright? Is everyone alright?" I asked as he pushed past me without waiting for an invitation.

"Jaime!" He yelled as she came around the corner. He rushed to her and picked her up, holding her tight as he said over and over 'I thought I'd lost you'. Well if that didn't show her she had nothing to worry about, I didn't know what would. As I stood awkwardly watching them embrace, he kissed her. A kiss like I've never seen before. A kiss so passionate and so full of love that for the first time in my life I felt….longing? A wish for someone to feel that way about me.

I had always been fine with knowing I would spend my life alone. Being responsible for someone else just seemed like too much work. But seeing what these two shared was shattering my hard work of convincing myself all I needed was me. I don't think I'd ever seen anyone this much in love before.

After a few moments he seemed to realize there was someone else in the room and he broke away from the kiss and grabbed her hands like he was never going to let her go. He turned to me with a shy smile.

"Thank you for taking care of her" he said.

I simply nodded and turned to the door as I heard another vehicle coming up the driveway. Obviously a better driver than Jaime, they still pulled up at top speed. Thankfully coming to a stop before they plowed into the other car stuck in the snowbank. Elena and Clay leapt out and ran to the door, calling for Jaime and Jeremy. I let them in and went into the living room to give them some privacy.

After a hushed conversation Elena came into the room and sat down. She smiled at me.

"I'm so sorry we intruded on you like this. I promise this is not how we usually are." She said.

"Well it's definitely more excitement than I'm used to" I responded. "You taking her back now?" That was probably rude, but I was a little beyond caring. All I wanted right now was for them to leave so I could sleep in peace.

"Yes but I'm not sure what to do about the other truck" she said, glancing out the window.

"Not much we can do right now" I said "I'll get it dug out in the morning. Nothing is leaking so maybe we can get it started." I really wanted them to leave. Something about them was different. I couldn't put my finger on it and it was making me edgy. Elena smiled as she rose from the couch.

"I really wish we had made a better impression, I quite like it here. I hope we can somehow make it up to you. I'll get them back home and we'll be back to help dig out the truck in the morning"

All was silent as I watched them pile into the truck. Jeremy turned back to glance at me. He almost looked puzzled. I turned and went back inside.

It wasn't until much, much later that I realized Jeremy had somehow gotten here without a jacket…or a vehicle of any kind.

Chapter five

The next morning I woke later than usual. After the events of the day before I was in sore need of normal day. I looked out the window and was surprised to see the truck was gone. I went to the door and found a note from Elena saying they had come early and dug it out. I sighed with relief and after having yet another bowl of oatmeal for breakfast I decided it was a good day to head into town and get some supplies. I was craving a big stack of pancakes.

Once I had gotten my supplies I stopped at the pub for a drink before heading home. Not something I did often but after everything that had happened I was in sore need of one. It was early afternoon and the place wasn't exactly jumping, but there were the regular hard-core drinkers along with one or two people like me who don't get to town that often. They all seemed to be talking about one thing. Jaime Vegas.

Obviously it was the same Jaime who had been in my house, but from the buzz going on in town she must be some kind of celebrity.

"Who is Jaime Vegas?" I asked Joe, the bartender, when he brought my drink.

"She's some celebrity psychic or something" he said. Joe is a man of few words. I like him.

"She is not a psychic, she is a spirit talker" Marlene said as she appeared from the back room. Marlene is Joe's wife and her family has been here far longer than any of the rest of us. Legends run deep around here and those of us who choose to live in this harsh environment learn early on to take them as truth.

"Truly?" I asked. Marlene would never bullshit me on this subject. She took it very seriously.

"She came in yesterday with the other two that smelled like wolf" she said as she filled the cooler with beer. So they were keeping wolves. I'd have to get a better look at that.

"They asked about you" Marlene said.

"Me? What did they want to know?" I asked

"Wanted to know about your family. How long you've been here, that kind of stuff"

"Did they?" I said trying to sound uninterested. But inside I was burning with curiosity. I began to wonder if they were really here by coincidence. I finished my drink and left for home. The eggs would have to wait until tomorrow, right now I had too much to think about.

When I got back to my place I took a good look at where the truck had been. There were definite signs of human hands at work and my shovel was leaning up against the shed, but I went a little farther out and that's when I saw the wolf tracks. I knew it, they were keeping them as pets.

Well they certainly didn't seem like the kind of people who would think it was cute to have a wolf for a pet, and I saw no way for them to live anywhere near civilization without someone noticing. I could only assume they found them as pups and took them in to save them. Maybe they were here trying to integrate them back into the wild.

As commendable as that is, it would never work. Lone wolves can survive but their chances are much better as part of a pack. And no pack would take them in for the simple fact that their color was off. Sounds a bit like bad human behaviour doesn't it? But in the wild it's a matter of survival. A color so different from the rest of the pack would scare off prey and be like a beacon to predators.

Still, this explanation didn't really sit right. First of all I'm really good at reading people and I just didn't get the full on 'city' vibe from them. They obviously knew how to take care of themselves without all the luxuries. No heat, no electricity, no TV, no phones….all the things teenagers (and their parents usually) simply cannot live without. This way of life was not new to them which means they probably know a damn site more about wildlife than most city dwellers.

This was starting to drive me a bit nuts. Something was odd about these people and it was going to interfere with my life until they left or I figured it out. That too was starting to bother me. Why did I care so much? And why did I find Jeremy so fascinating?

Enough of this! I told myself. Sitting here speculating wasn't going to get me any answers. There was only one way to do that. I headed to the shed to get the snowmobile. When I arrived at the cabin I was happy to see smoke coming from the chimney. Somebody was there. I knocked on the door and Elena answered. She smiled and invited me inside. I didn't realize the time until I saw the table set and so much food on it, it was a wonder it didn't collapse under the weight.

An enormous ham, pork roast, sausages, steaming bowls of various vegetables. It was a feast like I've never seen before.

"Are you having a party?" I exclaimed when I saw all the food.

"No, we're just a family with big appetites" Elena said, steering me away from the dining table. The smells of the meal made my mouth water.

"I'm sorry I didn't think about the time" I said "Not really used to socializing, I guess"

"It's absolutely no problem, would you like to join us for dinner?" she said.

The thought of trying to make conversation with this many people for more than a few minutes made my heart race.

"No" I said a little too quickly. "I wouldn't dream of intruding and I'm really not hungry anyway….I should go" I headed to the door and she followed me out.

"Grace, please wait a moment" she said as I made a break for it.

I turned and looked at her, unsure of what to say. But while my brain was trying to decide, my mouth took over.

"I'm not going to say anything" I said, surprising both Elena and myself.

"What are you talking about?" she said as her eyes narrowed. She seemed a little suspicious, which just confirmed my theory.

"I mean, I would never think badly of someone who saved an animal, even if they weren't really suppose to" I said with more confidence, quite sure I was right.

But the look on her face! If her eyebrows went up any higher they'd have been lost in her hairline. She was in total shock, her mouth was even hanging open.

"What?!" she said.

"The wolves. The two young ones, they're yours aren't they?" I asked. "I'm guessing you found them, took them in?" She just stared at me. Maybe I was wrong. But it explained so much.

"I won't tell. It wouldn't matter anyway, the sheriff would feel the same way. I'd sure love to get a look at them though, I've never seen wolves that color before."

She was at a complete loss for words. She kept opening her mouth to say something but no words came out. Seemed like a good time to leave so I got on my sled and left her standing there, speechless.

Chapter six

I got home and started fixing myself something to eat. It took about twenty minutes of slamming cupboard doors and cursing under my breath to realize I was angry! My whole routine had been turned upside down by tourists of all things and it was pissing me off. A simple gesture of kindness had snowballed into a storm inside my head, and I couldn't shut it off.

I decided enough was enough. Tomorrow I would check my traps, head to the Jensen's to trade for some eggs and if I had time I would check the rest of the fence line around the garden. And if I saw any golden tufts of hair I would ignore them. I almost managed to pull it off, too.

After check the (empty) traps I went straight over to Alana's. Spent a couple of hours cooing over the new baby and chatting over tea before leaving with a dozen fresh eggs. I had decided that going into town and having a drink was a good idea, although it would be enough to start some gossip if I did. I hardly ever went to town and I could count on one hand how many times I've stopped for a drink. Twice in two days would set the rumor mill buzzing.

Still, the thought of sitting home alone, which was usually all I wanted out of life, was depressing tonight so I headed home to drop off the eggs and change my shirt. But when I pulled up, there was someone waiting for me on the front step. Someone with red hair.

I took a good long look at her as I got out of the truck and headed towards the door. I'd seen her up close but everything that night happened so fast I didn't have time to think. Her hair was the perfect shade of red, the kind you paid a lot of money for in a salon. Her nails were done, her make-up was done. Even her clothes, which were appropriately warm enough, obviously came from an expensive store. She might as well have had a neon sign above her head flashing "big city". She stood up and smiled as I approached.

"Hello again" she said

"Hello Ms. Vegas" I said back.

Her eyes widened slightly and her smile became more fixed on her face. I guess she didn't see that coming.

"You know who I am" she said.

"I went into town yesterday, you're the hot topic. Never had a celebrity at my house before, I could offer you a drink but I only have grain alcohol. I doubt you'd like it."

I went inside and she followed me and accepted my offer of coffee. As I was making it I could hear her in the living room, talking as softly as she could. I came back and set her coffee in front of her. She smiled as if she was on camera. It was probably how she was used to dealing with people when she was recognized, but to me it just looked fake. I did not return the smile and said nothing. Awkward silence ensued for a while until I couldn't take it anymore.

"Were you talking to my mom?" I asked abruptly.

"So you do believe in what I can do?" she said

"That celebrity crap, no. I think that's mostly just for show, but Marlene says you're a spirit talker and Marlene is never wrong about that sort of thing"

"Spirit talker? I've never heard it put like that before. I like it" she said with a smile. "It's much better than what it's usually called."

"Psychic?"

"No, that's what the rest of the world wants to see" as she spoke her façade fell away. I sensed I was talking to the real Jaime now. I visibly relaxed as she continued.

"So what do you call yourself then?"

"We are known as necromancers. And I really can talk to the dead, but it's not like I can just invite them in for coffee. If a spirit wants to talk it's easy, too easy actually. They can get downright annoying. But to call a specific spirit is much harder. There are rituals to observe and talismans are required."

"And your friends? Are they necromancers too?" I asked.

"No they aren't necromancers, but they are special" she said carefully.

"I know about the wolves, if that's what you're dancing around"

"Do you?" she said. She was being very careful now. I sensed I was on dangerous ground.

"They're keeping them as pets, aren't they?" I said as casually as I could. "Like I told Elena, I'm not going to say anything. I only hope it was done to save the life of the pups and not just because they wanted a unique pet"

Suddenly I got a very bad feeling. There was a tingling at the base of my skull and the hair on my arms stood straight up. Something was very, very wrong. Jaime too had gone silent as she stared at the wall behind me.

"Someone's here" she whispered, still not looking at me. She sounded scared.

I went and got my shotgun and ammo. As I loaded the gun I heard the boards creak on the front porch. I carefully looked out the window and saw a man. A very large man with scars on his face. There was nothing about him that didn't scream 'danger'. Remember when I said sometimes bad people come here to hide? I seems one of them found me after all.

I quietly told Jaime to hide in the bedroom. She immediately did as she was told and I never heard a peep out of her. Thank goodness she knew how to keep her head in a crisis. I peeked out the window again but he had moved out of sight. I listened hard and then I heard his footsteps moving toward the back of the house. Probably looking for a back way in. There wasn't one.

This was my chance, maybe my only chance. I went out the door and very quietly and very carefully followed him. He was doing exactly what I thought when I spotted him. Looking for a back way in. I raised my gun and took aim. Not quietly enough however. He must have seen the movement and with a mighty roar he came at me. I misjudged how fast he could move. It didn't seem like someone of that size could be so quick. But before I could pull the trigger he was on me, ripping the gun from my hands.

He threw the gun out of reach and then knocked me to the ground. I tried to crawl away but he wasn't having any of that. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked be backwards, tearing out a good chunk of it in the process. Then he hit me, hard across the mouth. My lip split open and blood began to gush.

As I lay there, dazed, he sat on me and held my arms down. A horrible look came across his face as he stared at me.

"Say, you're prettier than I thought. Maybe you and me can have a little fun, what do you say? What will you do to live a little longer?"

I was too terrified to move. This was it, this was how I was going to die. I closed my eyes and hoped Jaime had the sense to leave while she had the chance. He sat up when I quit resisting and began to unbutton my shirt. I tried to make my brain work, to think of something…anything…but it had shut down. All that I could think about strangely enough was the quilt my mom had made for me. The one on the bed. The one she put all her love into and this bastard was going to use it, sleep on it and put it on his filthy body. That thought made me so mad I let out a mighty scream. I screamed louder than I ever have in my life.

That earned me another backhand across the face. He pinned my wrists to the ground again and leaned down, his face inches from mine. I could smell his horrible breath as he licked the blood from my cheek.

"Now, you're going to be a good girl and stay right there. I don't need you to be conscious for this but it's more fun if you are"

I'm not really too sure of what happened next. It all happened so fast and I was still dazed from being hit. I heard a growl and then there was teeth and hair and the man was torn from me. I heard him screaming and I tried to turn my head to watch. There was a wolf, a huge wolf with dark fur. The man was strong but the wolf was stronger. There was a struggle and the man got in a solid hit to the wolf's head. With a low growl the wolf sank its mighty jaws into the man's neck. His scream cut off with a horrible gurgling sound. The ground became soaked with his blood as the life left his body. I wondered if I was next. Wolves don't attack humans unless they are being threatened.

And then I heard Jaime as she came racing to the yard. She was calling Jeremy's name and I tried to tell her to go back, it was dangerous, but my voice didn't seem to want to work. Then I tried to stand up, which was definitely a bad idea and I fainted.

When I came to, I was lying on my couch. Jeremy was taking my pulse and Jaime was sitting close, stroking my hair. I groaned and tried to sit up but Jeremy pushed me back down.

"No, just lie there for a bit until I can make sure you're okay. Clay why don't you make us some tea" he said to someone out of sight. And then Elena was there, looming over me.

"You took that punch like a pro" she said.

"Punch?" I said stupidly, reaching up to feel my face. I winced as my fingers found the cut on my lip and my eye felt like it was going to explode. Gradually remembering as my mind woke up.

"The man, is he dead? Is Jaime alright?" she smiled at me.

"I'm fine, in fact more than fine. I wouldn't be if you hadn't have gone out there, you saved me from something horrible" Jaime said.

And then it all came rushing back and I sat up.

"What about the wolf? You didn't have to hurt the wolf did you?" I must have sounded hysterical from the looks I got

"He saved me" I said simply. It was then that I saw the bruise forming on Jeremy's cheek. In the exact same spot that I saw the man hit the wolf.

Then Jaime sat next to me. Elena mumbled something about Clay not being able to boil water and went to help him. Jeremy sat on the chair opposite the couch and was silent.

"We owe you an explanation. This might not be the best time for it but here goes. You already know I can speak to the dead, right?" she said. I nodded.

"Ever since we came here, Jeremy has felt a connection to you. One we couldn't figure out. I got jealous, but he later proved to me that I had no reason" she smiled a sly little smile as she thought back. I could imagine how he proved it.

"While you were unconscious I had a little chat with your mother" she continued. "Turns out she remembers your father very well, even though she's only seen him twice."

"Twice?" I said. "She said it was a one night stand and she could barely remember what he looked like"

"Well she wasn't wrong. He wasn't about change his ways and believe me, he's not the kind of father you want in your life. But he did come back once, just after you were born. He had to. He had to make sure you weren't a boy"

Another cryptic conversation. Maybe that's the connection I have with Jeremy. Neither of us felt the need to fill up the space with words.

"Your father's name is Malcolm. Jeremy is your brother" she said it fast, like ripping off a bandage.

Silence. I stared at Jeremy and he stared back at me. Both of us in shock.

"What?" I finally said.

"Well, half-brother technically. Obviously you have different mothers, but the connection is there" Jaime said.

"There's something else you should know" Jeremy said. Clay and Elena had come back from the kitchen just then and I heard them both gasp.

"Knowing my father it's quite possible that I have any number of sisters out there" he said "but you are someone I believe we can trust. Because of this place where you were raised" He stopped and thought for a moment.

"Perhaps it would be easier to show you" He said, then looked at Elena "where are Logan and Kate?" he asked her.

"They're….around" she said evasively. Her eyes darted to the tree line.

"I'll be right back" Jeremy said, heading to the door. He stopped and turned to me. "Try and keep an open mind" He said, then disappeared outside. I looked out the window and saw him sprint into the trees.

"Is he crazy?" I asked, alarmed. "That wolf could still be out there! We should get the sheriff"

"It's going to be alright, Jeremy can take care of himself" Jaime said. I looked over at Elena and Clay but they avoided my gaze and busied themselves with the tea. Were they completely crazy? And what did she mean the kids were "around"? Surely she wouldn't have left her kids alone in the woods.

As I sat there trying desperately to make sense of all of this, Jaime suddenly stood up.

"I need you to come outside with me" she said. Well, what did I have to lose? I was sure things couldn't possibly get and weirder so I shrugged and went outside with her. We stood on the porch for a few seconds looking at the spot where Jeremy had disappeared. Within moments the wolf emerged. It was the same one who had saved me from the man. He stood for a moment looking at us, then slowly walked towards us. I was frozen to the spot. He was huge and obviously knew the taste of man. This could get ugly and I had no idea where my rifle was. I gasped but Jaime was unafraid. She stood there smiling as the beautiful animal came right up to her and nuzzled her hand! I staggered back in shock and then he turned and looked right at me. If I hadn't already backed up against the wall I would have fallen over. His eyes….his eyes were human. Those were Jeremy's eyes looking at me.

"Shape shifter" I whispered. I had been hearing legends of shape shifters since I was a child, but I assumed they were stories to tell children around the campfire. I never thought they were real.

Elena came out, smiling at the wolf and at me. I was still leaning against the wall when she called out "Logan….Kate….time to come in". I looked over to where she was directing her voice, and I saw them. The two golden wolves I mistook for pets. They stood side by side at the tree line, the most beautiful wolves I'd ever seen.

"Let's go inside and have some tea. We'll explain everything" Elena said.

"Can't talk like that Jer" she said over her shoulder to the wolf. He chuffed once and padded back towards where the other two had once again disappeared into the trees. I followed them back into my house. Yes, tea sounded good.

The End