Heart of the Wolf

Chapter 3 - Being Human

In a way, Owen was glad they were leaving. He was worried though, what evidence had they found? Had they found something on the mountain? Every time they had radioed the others, they had said they didn't find anything.

" Owen!" Christian's voice called after Owen, and he turned towards him. Christian then lowered his voice before he spoke in rushed voice.

" I don't like this. When the captain sent me here, he told me to find her no matter what or how long it took me." Christian said as he started pacing in front of Owen. Something about this mission truly bothered him and on more than a professional level, Owen had to assume from his behavior.

" All the sudden, he calls me and now he's ordering us both back." Christian stopped pacing and turned to Owen with a frantic look on his face.

" I know you are hiding stuff from me, but I don't care." Christian said, and Owen felt his eyes widen a little in surprise. He knew and didn't push Owen. That had to take a lot of patience and self-control to not lose it and demand answers of him.

" If you know where she is, keep her safe. I am going back for now, but I have a lot of vacation time I have been sitting on for a long time. I am cashing it in and coming back. I hope you will help me find her when I do." Before Owen could answer, Christian jogged off.

Considering his words, Owen knew he had not seen the last of him. Owen just wished he knew what side Christian was going on with him. Was all his enthusiasm to please his boss or was there something more to it.

Christian wasn't going to let this go, was he? Owen thought to himself as Christian faded from view as he went into the parking lot. Christian had to have a personal involvement in this case. Owen once again entertained the thought as he considered. Maybe Christian had known her parents or something, Owen wondered.

" Come on girl." Owen repeated and led Cana to his truck.

He had left it here when he had taken a park vehicle up to find the dead wolves. So much had happened since then. It didn't feel like he was even in the same world as before. His entire perspective of everything had been altered in such a short amount of time.

She jumped inside when he opened the door, then sat in the passenger's seat. She sat still and watched the road the whole time he drove back to his place. Was she studying the area, trying to figure out where they were? His home was just outside the park, and she likely recognized at least the parks border nearby.

When they got to the house, she jumped out without a problem and followed him inside. His scent coated the house like a snow fall did a forest while it was freshly fallen. She inhaled the scent, and it completely relaxed her wolf, much to her relief.

" I know what happened to you a long time ago." Owen said as he shut the door behind them, and a rumbling growl started from deep inside her in response to his words.

" I just want you to know." He continued, unphased. She needed to face what had happened. She had likely run away and had not turned back. Hell, if he could shift and was in the same position she was, he would likely do the same. He understood that, but also understood that if she didn't face it, it would haunt her forever.

"You can talk about it, or anything else you want." Owen said, then headed towards what Cana concluded smelled like the kitchen.

When she could no longer see him, she stopped growling. She didn't want to talk about it or think about anything she had seen that night. She heard him moving stuff around in the kitchen and decided to look around his place. Perhaps she could learn more about who he was by his various pictures and possessions.

The cabin was filled with different pictured scenes of nature. Many of them even had wolves in them. Owen loved nature and all its beauty, that much was clear by how he decorated his apartment. She guessed that's why he became a ranger. That and judging by the degree on his wall, he was just as interested in saving it.