Page 57 of Alpha Hunt
It’s been days since we learned of this place. But it must have been months since they were brought here. God only knows what might have happened to them since then. And there’s no telling what we’ll find. How many. Their condition…
Fuck. Have we taken too long?
Has our caution compromised their safety, dooming them to an unknown fate? Each passing moment feels like an eternity, the weight of their lives hanging in the balance. My pulse surges as I consider the consequences.
Please, let it not be too late…
As I approach the outskirts of the sanctuary, I pass an entrance gate bearing a swinging sign with the words “Whispering Pines” printed on it. The facility comes into view, nestled in the foothills of the mountains. The main buildings are rustic and designed to blend seamlessly into the wooded environment, but I can sense something sinister lurking beneath the peaceful facade.
I skirt the perimeter, staying out of sight as I take in the layout of Whispering Pines. The large visitor’s center looms ahead, its log cabin facade blending into the surrounding pine forest. Smaller outbuildings and animal enclosures are scattered across the property, connected by winding gravel paths that disappear into the trees.
I scan the enclosures, searching for any sign of wolf activity, afraid of what I might find. There’s more to this place than meets the eye; I feel it.
I pad silently through the underbrush in the trees surrounding the fenceline, my paws making no sound on the soft forest floor. I sniff the air, my sensitive nose picking up the overwhelming scent of wild wolf, musky and primal. And beyond that, something else – a hint of wrongness that sets my hackles on edge. I can’t quite place it, but it fills me with a sense of unease.
I press forward cautiously, every sense on high alert as I move deeper into the sanctuary’s wooded grounds. As I move, I pick up Barrett’s scent. He’s been here before, no doubt traced these same paths. He’ll be coming in from the opposite side now. We’re not planning any kind of attack – that would be madness – so it made sense to split up and scout the boundaries to find weak areas and possible access points.
I have another reason for wanting to be here alone. I want to focus on the thoughts of those within this place, to stretch out with my mind and sense what lies hidden beneath the sanctuary’s tranquil surface. There are secrets here, I can feel it in my bones. If I concentrate, letting my psychic abilities unfurl, perhaps I can catch a glimpse of the truth that’s being hidden here.
At the sound of voices nearby, I slink into the shadows, watching as a pair of khaki-clad rangers walk by.
“Quiet day today, huh?” one of them says.
“To be honest, I prefer it that day,” his companion says. “That last bus tour of kids nearly did my head in.”
“Yeah,” the other one laughs. “I thought the boss was gonna lose his marbles when they started throwing candy into the breeding enclosure.”
“I don’t know why he insists on selling that shit at the gift shop. There’s always trouble when you give kids sugar. I already told management it would make more sense if they bagged animal feed and let visitors buy it to dish out. Kill two birds with one stone – make a bit of extra cash, and get the beasts fed at the same time.”
As the pair moves away, I move wraith-like through the shadows, still listening.
“Oh, sure…let a bunch of sixth-graders toss snacks to a pack of wolves. You want some kid to get eaten?”
“Might be better than having our animals stuck in the vet bay dealing with chocolate poisoning.”
The other one snorts. “Right. When last did any of them get admitted to the vet bay? Nobody ever goes into that place.”
“Well, it’s supposed to be state-of-the-art. Why would they install all that equipment if they’re never gonna use it? There’s enough space for an entire pack in there.”
“How do you know that?”
“Took a peek a while back.” The guy pauses, and I see the flare of a match and then the glow of a cigarette.
“Are you insane? You can’t fucking smoke here!” his companion squawks.
“Screw it. Who’s gonna stop me?”
“Night duty, that’s who.” There’s an exasperated huff. “They’re clocking in as we speak. And those guys are bad news.”
“True,” the smoker acknowledges. “I can’t figure out how they fit in here. Don’t look like any kind of rangers I’ve ever seen.”
There’s a snort from the other. “None of my business. As long as I get my check at the end of the month, I’ll keep my nose clean.”
Their voices trail off into the distance as they make their way toward the main exit. I stay where I am, processing what I’ve heard. This is as Barrett had said – the day team is totally different from the night team. And it seems that one lot knows nothing about the dealings of the other bunch.
Makes sense. Whoever is running the place would want to keep an air of authenticity about the place, so they’d have real rangers on board. But those guys would have to make way for the brawn behind the operation later.
That’s who I really want to catch sight of.