“I wonder,” Tora said, “if I were hurt, would you wait for me like that?”

Michael didn’t hesitate. “Of course. I’d visit you in the hospital every chance I got. Not only for you, but for your brothers too.”

Tora smiled. Michael had been a great friend of the pack, helping them out even before he knew their secret. “That’s nice to know,” she said.

Michael shrugged. “You guys are the best friends I have.”

Tora turned to him. “We’re the only friends you have,” she said, punching him playfully in the arm.

* * *

Ranger Brock and Phyllis returned from Redstone about twenty minutes after Michael Martin had gone home, but less than an hour after they’d left the house.

“How was the party?” Noble asked.

“The party was fine,” Phyllis said, “but the ranger wanted to leave early.”

“Why?” asked Tora.

“Everyone there wanted to know about the wolf,” said the ranger. “I couldn’t take three steps without someone asking me why I didn’t let the wolf die, or telling me what I should have done instead.”

Phyllis put a hand on his shoulder. “It wasn’t much fun for him.”

“So I said good-bye to Janice and left.”

“It’s probably just as well,” Noble said. “I think it’s time for you to let the wolf go.”

“Why? What’s happening?”

“You should see for yourself.”

They all left the house, taking the long way around the garage and crouching low behind the woodpile so as not to startle the wolf and the werewolf.

The wolf was circling the inside of the pen. Each time she passed the werewolf, she would brush up against the fence and make a low whiny growl, the kind a dog might make when tied to a fence post waiting for its master.

The wolf wanted out.

The werewolf wanted her out too. It was picking at the fence with its talons, stretching the fencing and some of the holes, but not doing any real damage. There was no doubt the werewolf could tear a hole in the fence big enough for the wolf to escape, but it was holding off on that…for now.

“I’ll call Doctor Katz,” said the ranger.

He was gone for five minutes and when he came back, he had the key to the pen in his hand. “Doctor Katz says if the wolf’s walking around, we should let her go. Her pack will take care of her the rest of the way.”

“So this is it, then?” asked Phyllis.

The ranger nodded.

Phyllis put both hands against her cheeks. “This is so exciting…and romantic.”

“I’d be happy if it were just easy,” said the ranger. He walked toward the pen’s gate.

The werewolf moved away from the fence to the edge of the backyard, where it sat down and waited.

“What are you going to do?” Phyllis wanted to know.