Compound 41

Chapter 6

There was an attack last night. Peter said to Dante through the werewolf mind-link. Werewolves of the same pack were able to communicate through their minds with each other. Even from miles apart, they were able to speak to and listen to each other. It was part of the pack bond that developed between all members of a pack.

What are the details? Dante asked of Peter.

It seems to be random, the local police have identified the man as being part of a group of homeless people that hang out on the edge of town. No real family that anyone can determine, just known by other acquaintances in the homeless camp. Peter replied with a tone of sadness.

How are the authorities handling it? Dante asked.

Their official position is that it was a wild animal attack. I'm supposed to help check the neighboring woods with a search party, do see if we can find any other evidence of a rabid wild animal or something. But, what they aren't saying is that they believe there's something else going on, they just aren't making that public.

Peter had moved to town and gotten a job with the local forest rangers. It was the perfect cover for him to be able to be part of the town, but also to help with finding out what was actually going on with attacks and as well as being something he was genuinely good at. Peter was a kind and caring individual, and was much well suited to caring for animals and nature. Stepping into a position as a forest ranger was perfect for him, undercover or not.

And what are you thinking? Dante asked. Is it a werewolf, a rogue maybe?

It's really hard to say, Sir Peter replied with hesitation. Everything about it seems like a werewolf attack. The markings, the scene where the attack occurred, it all says werewolf. But there's definitely no scent of rogue. If these are werewolf attacks, the wolf isn't disconnected from a pack.

Rogues were pack-less wolves, but more than that, they were often a bit deranged. When a wolf leaves their pack, or is banished and no longer has an Alpha to follow, it can have devastating effects on the well-being and mental stability of the wolf. Wolves were born with the innate need for leadership and a designed hierarchy. As part of their DNA, wolves thrive within a pack, and without it, they can quickly become psychologically unstable, often leading to random attacks on humans and other animals. Furthermore, their scent changes as a result of the disconnection, and rogues develop an identifiable scent that other wolves can readily identify.

That's not good, came Dante's reply. Rogues could be dealt with. Sometimes captured and treated to an extent, or brought into a new pack, and occasionally terminated if they were too far gone. But a wolf who was connected to a pack, would be protected by their Alpha and their pack. So if there was a werewolf killing for fun, it wouldn't just be a matter of stopping that wolf, but likely it would involve a confrontation with the entire pack. Something that Dante didn't want to have to deal with.

Dante was the Alpha of the Black Shadows Pack. He was intent on leading them well and truly wanted to maintain peace with the other packs in the region. Because he cared, he had taken on additional responsibility within the werewolf world to report to the Werewolf Council and perform as one of their arms of justice. He had been assigned to investigate these attacks, and he wanted to ensure the safety of his pack as well as the humans, but he didn't want that to lead to war with another pack. Even if he had the backing of the Council. He cared about every member of his pack, and wanted to avoid putting any of them into danger if he could.

Sir, there's more Peter spoke up again.

What is it? Dante asked.

I can't identify the werewolf scent. Even though we found out where the attack happened, the blood alone was an indication. It's definitely werewolf, I don't think I could be convinced otherwise. But the scent is missing, or cloaked, or cleaned or something. Peter struggled with describing what he smelled, or rather what it was he wasn't able to smell.

How would that even be possible? A werewolf can't mask their scent in werewolf form. Dante replied with confusion as he tried to think of an explanation. There are some powerful werewolves who have been able to mask their scent while in human form, or through the use of magic they are able to hide it to an extent. But I've never heard of a werewolf being able to hide their scent in werewolf form.

I don't know how else to explain it, Sir. Peter responded with confusion and discouragement. All evidence points to a werewolf attack, but the scent was almost like it had been washed or something. Like someone had poured cleaning supplies and scrubbed the entire scene after the attack, but obviously no visible signs of that having occurred.

Keep your eyes open, and let me know if there are any more developments or any more attacks. Dante instructed Peter. I'll inform the Council of what you've discovered so far. But, I have a feeling this is going to be resolved or figured out quickly. There is definitely something going on, and we need all the information we can get before we make any moves.

Understood, Peter responded before ending the mind-link conversation and returning to his investigation.

Peter spent a few years in his role as a forest ranger, and pursuing information about the random attacks that seemed to be plaguing the town. They were just infrequent enough to not garner international attention. All the attacks were clearly the work of an animal, and occasionally there was a seemingly rabid bear or natural wolf that would be accused of the crimes and put down by authorities or zealous hunters.

In the meantime, Peter met his mate. She had been away at college when he moved to Garnet, but after she graduated and moved back to town they met right away. Her family was part of a pack several states away, but her father had a job that had moved them to Garnet where she had grown up.

Most packs were fine with allowing their members to leave as they saw fit. In generations past, it was frowned upon and discouraged, sometimes even met with banishment if werewolves wanted to leave their packs. But in the modern era, with travel and modern society being a natural part of human existence, the werewolf communities had to adapt. Many wolves moved away from their origination packs. Sometimes they would join a new pack in places they moved to, but if they moved to a neutral city where there wasn't already an established pack, there was no need to disconnect from their origination pack.

Soon after meeting, Peter and his mate Olivia made wedding plans. They intended to remain in Garnet for the time being, as Peter's investigation into the mysterious werewolf attacks continued. They had eventual plans of returning back to pack lands, but for now they would remain and continue to seek out the truth about the werewolf attacks by the unscented werewolf.