Chapter 19~Here goes nothing
Falcon’s POV
We had five trucks packed within two hours. Anna had even packed fresh sandwiches..drinks, and candy for the pups. She’d found three large canvas tents in one of the sheds…determined to make things easier. I love this woman! She puts everyone first!
Taking off for the rogue camp, I told her “Most rogues are scum…so I don’t want you to get your hopes up. They may refuse our help altogether… I don’t want your heart to hurt, corazon’ mio!” She just smiles “I’m not worried. My daddy and mama used to do this when rogues would ask permission to cross our territory. Daddy always said ‘feral rogues just take…they wouldn’t ask permission’ so, that’s what I’m hoping for…that none are feral!”
She teaches us something every day! Almost an hour later, we rolled up to the loo camp…and several men walked close to the trucks. And before I could stop her, Anna hopped from the truck and had her outstretched hand ready to shake the oldest man’s hand “Hi! I’m Anna Rivera! Luna to Amber Mountain. We brought some things we are hoping will improve your living conditions a little better. Please say you’ll accept them” He shook her hand “Alvin Becker…we don’t want no charity” she scoffs “It isn’t charity…I am hoping to barter the items for information. I would never expect you to accept something for nothing!”
Well shit! She’s clever! Alvin smiles “I don’t know if I have any information valuable enough to trade for goods..but I reckon I can let you decide!” She grins..ear to ear and shouts “Y’all wanna come help us unload these trucks?” And thirty people haul ass over grabbing boxes.
“Alvin…come meet my mate…Falcon, this is Alvin Becker!” I stuck my hand out “We’ve met..when we spoke several months back about your group setting up camp… Is there someplace we can sit and have a chat?” He nodded and led the way to a firepit with stumps as seats. We all sat…as I looked around the pups were eating and men were setting tents..laughing and talking.
Alvin tells us “ I can’t thank you enough. The tents will keep out of the weather with those!” I laugh “ This is all my Luna’s doing. It never crossed my mind…to my shame!” He nods “what can I help you with?” Anna looks at us “I’m playing with the pups..this is mantalk” we laughed….”When have you ever not wanted to be at the center of the conversation?” She laughed “since Pups, Falcon! Since Pups!”
I look over at Alvin and ask “what can you tell me about hunters? I have reason to think I may be having issue with some soon” He watches me for a long silent moment. “Hunters..dirtbags…they hunt weres for sport…for fun. They killed my mate…and my son. Four years ago we were a happy family of five.. living in a small town out of Cheyenne.. We are registered as lone wolves with the council….my mate and oldest child had gone hunting for elk.. and hunters spotted them leaving town. Followed them out into the forest…shot my mate first, that’s pain I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.. when my son tried to protect her…they filled him with silver buckshot. When I reported the murders to the council, I was told they couldn’t and wouldn’t do anything. That by applying for lone wolf status absolves them of any responsibility for us.”
I’m shocked…I knew council didn’t feel responsible for rogues…but lone wolves are registered with them! And they don’t protect them? That’s bullshit! “Have you ever heard of a man named Cyrus Culver?” He jumped up and growled “That son of a bitch created the shotgun shells with silver shot.. for Hunters Glen…a militant group…they have arrows with silver heads.. all courtesy of that bastard. He hunts with them…because he can scent us! Is that who you’re having a problem with? Because I will gladly fight alongside of you!”
I tell him I know he’s involved…possibly two of his sons! He growls again and then looks up and says “Snow? It’s July? The fuck!?” And I laugh as I look over at my mate…lying on a blanket of snow…surrounded by ten pups…making snow angels! I holler “Baby…did you make it snow?” She giggled and jumped up..making snowballs and throwing one at me! The pups were making little snowmen and rolling around with her. Alvin laughs “she’s a big kid, ain’t she?!” And I just nod!
“Sorry about that. She distracts me.. How many men do you have with you? I’m going to step up border patrol out here…so don’t be alarmed.. If they ever tell you there’s trouble..would you take your group to the nearest bunker? I can protect you. And, if you’d like..you can petition our pack for sanctuary and we could move your camp onto our land. It’s something to think about…and everyone would need to be vetted..but the offer is there!” He sat there quietly…with a look of shock on his face…then a tear rolled down his cheek. He asked “Can I get back to you in a day or so? I want to run it past the group….Good Goddess! To be pack again! That’d really be something! To know my twin girls would be protected! Yeah! That’d be something!”
I hear Anna singing…Do you wanna build a snowman? Come on! Let’s go and play. I never see you anymore…It’s like you’ve gone away…. and she was skipping in a circle around a tiny foot tall snowman, holding the pups hands. They were giggling and her face was so happy. Then, I realized…she never got to do any of that. Not play in the snow…or with other pups… and I run over and scoop her up spinning her in a circle…faster and faster..and she laughed so hard! I said “Time to go home.. we have to check on some things” We said our goodbyes and I told Alvin to come talk when he was ready!
On our way home, I told Anna what Alvin and I have talked about and he was talking to his group about sanctuary! She squealed and hugged me…kissing me all over my face!
We walked into the office..Anna immediately going to research the hunter’s group Alvin told us about. My phone rang and I immediately had it on speaker.