“Why do you call him, Amarok? What does that mean?” Caleb asks quietly.
True surprise shows on her face as she looks back at Archer. “They do not know why you have come?”
At Archer’s nod, she sighs and begins to speak in a deep gravelly voice. “For four thousand years our people have lived with the legend of the Arctic Moon. She is more than a moon, she is the protector of the animals and especially the Arctic wolves. For years she watched as humans began to destroy her beautiful creatures. The methods have changed. Once they were hunted for meat or warmth, now they are hunted for sport. The land they call home has become polluted, and stripped of the trees for treasurers the earth holds deep underground.” She pauses when Kari brings hot tea and menus.
“Unable to stand it any longer she chose a protector from the endangered pack to lead them to safety.” She says sipping her tea.
“However, this time it is different, Grandmother.” Archer tells her. “This time the guardian must protect someone else as well.” With that he looks at Makenna across the room.
Caleb feels his stomach drop. “What are you saying?” he demands.
“The hunter who destroys my pack, will do whatever it takes to get to me, including use a human.” Archer replies softly.
Makenna sits where she can keep an eye on Archer. She knows Caleb will look after him. “So who is this Archer and how did you meet him?” she hears her dad ask.
“Oh, I met him at the game reserve. He works with the wolves. Dad I need your help, Archer told me that a hunter has been trapping and killing wolves! He says we need to move the pack and get them to safety before it’s too late.”
Her dad listens, sipping on his coffee and wondering who this boy is. “Archer should let the authorities handle this. I can promise you, we are doing everything to keep the wolves safe.”
Frustrated she reaches across the table and takes her Dad’s hand, “Dad, you know I am not the kind of person to jump to conclusions. We believe Sam is hurting the wolves.”
“Okay, tell me what proof you have of that?” he asks just as his cell phone rings. Makenna looks back and sees the three of them talking. “Yes, I am three miles from there. I will meet you.” Her father stands up tossing a couple dollars on the table and looks at her, “You are coming with me. I will drop you back off here, to take the snowmobile home.”
“Who was that?” she asks jumping up to follow him. Archer and Caleb rise to meet them at the door. “I need to go with my Dad, I will meet you back at Grandpa’s later, okay?” Makenna tells Caleb and Archer.
Caleb stills Archer with a hand to his arm, “No problem.”
“I must keep her safe, Caleb. How will I do that now?” he demands after she leaves.
“She can take care of herself. Tell me about this wolf pack and how we can get them to safety?” Caleb says returning to his table. “Can you tell me the rest of the story now?” he asks Sakari’s Grandmother.
“In the past Mother Moon has chosen a protector and gifts them with certain abilities. In the case of Archer, wolf becomes man to protect the pack.”
“Move them if you can Archer, hide them if you can’t, but protect them from the hunters. Archer your pack is the last of the Arctic wolves. If your pack is destroyed or captured, they will be gone forever.”
“I am trying to understand, the moon changed you into a human?” Caleb asks eating his eggs and bacon. Archer sniffs the meat and copies Caleb. He closes his eyes in pleasure at the first taste.
“Our history shows, that the moon changes the wolf and a bite from his mate, changes him back.” Archer stops chewing and looks at her. “My pack has never accepted me, they killed my mother and left me to die. Makenna protected me and I will do the same for her. I will trust Mother Moon to tell me the rest when she is ready. For now, the pack must be moved and my girl, protected.” He says as his eyes flash a silver blue.
Chapter
13
“Who was on the phone?” Makenna asks once she buckles up.
“They found a dead wolf, I need to get to the clinic and I want you with me.”
“What! Where did they find it?” she demands looking back at him. He sighs and rubs his neck.
“This isn’t the first wolf we’ve found dead. Someone is hunting them, electrocuting them. We aren’t sure why, but it isn’t safe for you to be running around the woods right now with strange boys. I want you to stay close to home or grandpas. I trust your judgment, Makenna but whoever is doing this is sick. Promise me!” he demands.
“Okay, Dad but Archer isn’t involved in this. His family protects wolves. Dad, he’s been around them all of his life.” She explains carefully.
He glances at his daughter and smiles. “You like him? Anything else you want to tell me about him? Like why he keeps touching you?”
“Dad! I…Yes, I like him.” She says laughing at the look on his face. “We are friends and he is very protective. I think it is an Inuit thing.”
“No that is a male, thing.” He says pulling into the clinic parking lot and switching off the engine. “Be careful, baby girl. I don’t want you to get your heart broken.”
His words echo in her mind later as she stands looking at the dead wolf. She was supposed to wait in her dad’s office, but she was curious.
“Electrocution? What kind of sick human being would do this to an animal and why?” she heard her dad
