Ranger Brock was there, along with his wife, Phyllis. They’d come over as soon as they’d heard, bringing as many extra hats, coats, and pairs of boots as they could find for anyone who might need them. Noble eagerly grabbed a heavy, full-length coat, hoping to rid himself of the chill that had his joints aching. His stomach was churning and his head was spinning, but as much as he wanted to throw up again, he was determined to help in the search to find Angelina Abruzzo. With Argus and Harlan gone, it was important for the rest of the pack to be part of the humans’ search for the little girl.

“Noble and Tora,” Ranger Brock called, fresh from his meeting with Sergeant Martin.

“Yes, sir,” said Noble.

“You two will be searching with me…along with Phyllis and a few of your classmates.”

Noble nodded. He was eager to get started, but he was beginning to worry about what might have happened to Argus and Harlan.

“Form a line, and we’ll head out in that direction.” The ranger pointed into the woods beside the trail.

Noble positioned himself at the end of the line at the edge of the forest and waited for the others to form up. And that was when he heard it…a low growl coming from somewhere just inside the forest. “Harlan?” he said.

Just then, Harlan and Argus appeared from between the trees, one of them buttoning his shirt, the other slipping into his coat.

“Did you find her?” Noble wanted to know.

Argus shook his head.

“She’s not out there,” said Harlan.

“What do you mean she’s not out there?”

“There were wolves here,” Harlan explained. “And Angelina Abruzzo did walk along the path—”

“But not at the same time,” Argus cut in.

Noble thought about it. “So where did she go?”

“You mean they,” said Harlan.

“She was with someone?”

Harlan and Argus both nodded.

Noble sighed. “A man?”

Harlan shook his head. “No. The tracks are too small and the scent isn’t right…from what I can smell of it.”

“Then who?”

Harlan was going to answer when—

“Angelina!”

They all turned in the direction of the school to see the girl—Angelina Abruzzo—standing all by herself in the snow, a soda can in her hand and a look on her face that wondered what in the world was going on here.

The crowd of searchers quickly closed in on the girl.

“Where were you?” Maria Abruzzo was the first to ask.

“I went to Narinder Datta’s house.”

“Who’s Narinder Datta?”

“A boy in my class.”

“Why did you go there?” The relief in Maria’s voice was slowly turning into anger.

“The library was boring.” She shrugged. “When we went outside, he asked me if I wanted to play video games.”

“And you just left with him!” Maria was furious now.

“Yes.”