Read Online Alpha Pack 4 - Hunters Heart by J.D. Tyler - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J.D. Tyler
Ads: Link
“Every living thing in the forest
went still and silent. My job entails working in nature,
being alone and isolated for weeks at a time as I study the
wolf packs and check their progress. I don’t scare easily,
and I wouldn’t exaggerate something like that.”
He held up a hand. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you
would. I just can’t come up with anything that would make
a noise like that.”
“Whatever it is, the creature isn’t any type that belongs
in this area, I can assure you.”
After a moment, he nodded. “And then?”
“I hurried out of there, but as the morning went on I
managed to convince myself it was nothing. Until I found
the body.” The memory threatened to make her ill. “I can’t
remember what got my attention first, the sight of clothing
on the ground, or the smell. I went over to investigate, see
if the person was alive, and the body was mutilated. I’ve
never seen anything so gruesome. Ever.”
“Me, neither,” he agreed grimly. “We discovered the
corpse just before we found you, and we’re pretty sure it
was a woman, from parts of her clothing.”
She shuddered. “I didn’t look that closely. I got sick and
then fetched my radio, started to call the rangers. That’s
when the wolf showed up.”
At that, Ryon tensed. “What did it look like?”
“That’s one of the strange things—it was snow white.
Very rare in the wild for an albino of any species to
survive.”
“White? Was it a male?” he asked, his expression
serious.
“Female, sort of small. But she appeared large enough
when she bared her teeth at me and started chasing me
away from the scene of the body. I ran, and came to the
edge of the ravine. When I turned to face her, she lunged
and pushed me over the edge.”
He looked stunned. “Jesus. Maybe the woman was her
kill and she didn’t want you near it?”
“Could be, but I have my doubts. Have you ever seen a
wolf do that to a human?”
“Not a real one,” he muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing. Anyway, we’ll know more soon, when the
medical examiner finishes with the body.” He fell silent
for a moment, studying her. “I saw you a couple of nights
ago, when I was attacked by some . . . subjects my team
and I were chasing.”
“I’d wondered if you knew I was there, or
remembered,” she said quietly. “I’m not sure what drew
me to you, to be honest. I fell asleep that night and had a
vision of you in the alley with your friends, fighting some
humanlike creatures that looked like vampires. Crazy, I
know.”
A faint smile curved his lips, but he said nothing. The
smile wasn’t mocking, and his eyes were devoid of humor.
“I have real-time visions sometimes when I sleep. I’m
projected into the scene whether I want to be there or not.”
“Wouldn’t that be Dreamwalking, in that case?”
“No. Dreamwalking requires the person, or both parties
if there’s more than one, to be dreaming, and the scene
isn’t necessarily real, or happening at all. It’s often a
fantasy that disappears when the person wakes. It didn’t
actually happen, but the memory can be shared if there’s
more than one Dreamwalker involved. A meeting of the
minds, if you will, rather than reality.”
“I see. So you really were there, in the alley with me.”
“Yes. Even in my sleep, I projected a form of myself to
the actual scene that was taking place.”
“Okay.” So simple, his acceptance.
“Just okay ? Where is your attitude, the sarcasm? What
did you mean when you said nobody around here would be
surprised by my gift?”
“Because nobody will.” He sighed and braced his
elbows on his knees. “You asked me where you are. Right
now you’re a guest of the Institute of Parapsychology,
housed in a secret location in the Shoshone National
Forest.”
“The Institute of Parapsychology,” she repeated, turning
over the term in her mind. Gradually, it dawned on her.
“The study of the
went still and silent. My job entails working in nature,
being alone and isolated for weeks at a time as I study the
wolf packs and check their progress. I don’t scare easily,
and I wouldn’t exaggerate something like that.”
He held up a hand. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you
would. I just can’t come up with anything that would make
a noise like that.”
“Whatever it is, the creature isn’t any type that belongs
in this area, I can assure you.”
After a moment, he nodded. “And then?”
“I hurried out of there, but as the morning went on I
managed to convince myself it was nothing. Until I found
the body.” The memory threatened to make her ill. “I can’t
remember what got my attention first, the sight of clothing
on the ground, or the smell. I went over to investigate, see
if the person was alive, and the body was mutilated. I’ve
never seen anything so gruesome. Ever.”
“Me, neither,” he agreed grimly. “We discovered the
corpse just before we found you, and we’re pretty sure it
was a woman, from parts of her clothing.”
She shuddered. “I didn’t look that closely. I got sick and
then fetched my radio, started to call the rangers. That’s
when the wolf showed up.”
At that, Ryon tensed. “What did it look like?”
“That’s one of the strange things—it was snow white.
Very rare in the wild for an albino of any species to
survive.”
“White? Was it a male?” he asked, his expression
serious.
“Female, sort of small. But she appeared large enough
when she bared her teeth at me and started chasing me
away from the scene of the body. I ran, and came to the
edge of the ravine. When I turned to face her, she lunged
and pushed me over the edge.”
He looked stunned. “Jesus. Maybe the woman was her
kill and she didn’t want you near it?”
“Could be, but I have my doubts. Have you ever seen a
wolf do that to a human?”
“Not a real one,” he muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing. Anyway, we’ll know more soon, when the
medical examiner finishes with the body.” He fell silent
for a moment, studying her. “I saw you a couple of nights
ago, when I was attacked by some . . . subjects my team
and I were chasing.”
“I’d wondered if you knew I was there, or
remembered,” she said quietly. “I’m not sure what drew
me to you, to be honest. I fell asleep that night and had a
vision of you in the alley with your friends, fighting some
humanlike creatures that looked like vampires. Crazy, I
know.”
A faint smile curved his lips, but he said nothing. The
smile wasn’t mocking, and his eyes were devoid of humor.
“I have real-time visions sometimes when I sleep. I’m
projected into the scene whether I want to be there or not.”
“Wouldn’t that be Dreamwalking, in that case?”
“No. Dreamwalking requires the person, or both parties
if there’s more than one, to be dreaming, and the scene
isn’t necessarily real, or happening at all. It’s often a
fantasy that disappears when the person wakes. It didn’t
actually happen, but the memory can be shared if there’s
more than one Dreamwalker involved. A meeting of the
minds, if you will, rather than reality.”
“I see. So you really were there, in the alley with me.”
“Yes. Even in my sleep, I projected a form of myself to
the actual scene that was taking place.”
“Okay.” So simple, his acceptance.
“Just okay ? Where is your attitude, the sarcasm? What
did you mean when you said nobody around here would be
surprised by my gift?”
“Because nobody will.” He sighed and braced his
elbows on his knees. “You asked me where you are. Right
now you’re a guest of the Institute of Parapsychology,
housed in a secret location in the Shoshone National
Forest.”
“The Institute of Parapsychology,” she repeated, turning
over the term in her mind. Gradually, it dawned on her.
“The study of the
Similar Books
