“Yes!”Winona dismounted and scratched Buckwheat’s withers. “Yes, I’ll help. I need to get to my clinic. I’ll need to tranq the mother, and I’ll have to get Shota’s kennel out of my garage and onto a truck. Tell them not to go near the female. A mama wolf with pups will be very protective.”
Jack conveyed that information to Sheriff Pella, who would relay it via radio to Deputy Marcs. He ended the call. “Let’s get Buckwheat back in his stall, and I’ll drive you to Scarlet. The poacher took off on his four-wheeler and is now in the wind. Deputy Marcs was ordered not to pursue until backup arrived. Every on-duty law officer in the county is en route.”
The poacher took off. He’s in the wind.
Winona pushed aside her fear. The Wests and Sheriff Pella needed her help. That wolf mama and her pups needed her help. Besides, Jack would be with her. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
While Jack made arrangements for some of his men to keep a close watch on the house, Winona changed into warmer clothes and put on her hiking boots, a million thoughts running through her head at once.
Where had this poacher acquired two wolves? Had he been poaching steers to feed them? Were they healthy? Was the female wild, or had he hand-reared her as he’d obviously done with the male? How big were the pups?
Not sure whether it would be convenient for them to return to the ranch, she packed her bags and Jason’s, loaded them into Jack’s truck, and sent him a text message to let him know she had his stuff. Then she made a quick call to Wind River Wolf Sanctuary. Heather, the woman who ran the shelter, had taken Shota. Maybe she could take these wolves as well. “Hey, Heather, it’s Winona Belcourt.”
Winona explained the situation, including the fact that these wolves had been in the possession of a criminal. “I don’t know what kind of shape they’re in. If they need care, I can treat them at the clinic, but I can’t keep six wolves.”
“Of course, I’ll take them. I’ll get a pen ready for mama and babies. If they find the male, I’ll put him next door.”
Winona shared the news with Jack. “This is the same sanctuary that took Shota. Once we have them, they’ll send a truck.”
“They sound like good people.”
It took the better part of an hour to reach Scarlet. Winona entered the clinic through the back, leaving her bag and Jason’s duffel in the hallway. She enlisted Jack’s help gathering everything she’d need—protective gloves; drugs; her tranquilizer gun and darts; bolt cutters in case the kennel was locked; and several hoods and pairs of restraints. Then she went to her garage to get Shota’s old crate, the sight of it bittersweet.
Jack helped her lift the large steel crate into the back of his pickup. “You travel light. How the hell are we going to get this up to the camp?”
That was a good question. That old mining road was steep and snowy.
“We can’t. We need the Team.” She called dispatch, explained the situation, and asked them to tone out Megs and the crew.
Jack glanced over at her, gave her an approving nod. “Good idea.”
Then they were back on the highway.
By the time they reached the parking area, Winona had it all figured out in her mind, and Nate and Jason were waiting for them with Jack’s UTV, several sheriff’s and Forest Service ranger vehicles parked nearby.
Winona couldn’t help the way her pulse skipped when she saw Jason walking toward them. Last night, he’d been naked in her arms.
She opened her door, hopped out. “Hey.”
Then she saw the blood and lacerations on his cheek and forehead.
“What happened?”
He touched his fingertips to one of the lacerations. “Tree bark.”
She moved his hand away. “Those are deep. I should treat them.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m the doctor here. I’ll worry if I want to.” She grabbed her medical kit from the back of Jack’s cab, then walked to the rear of the pickup and lowered the tailgate. “Sit.”
Jack chuckled. “It sounds like you’ve been given an order, son.”
“Right.” Jason sat.
While she tended Jason’s wounds, cleaning away the blood and disinfecting them, she went over her plan. “We leave the crate here and head up with my gear and the tranq gun. I tranq the mama wolf and put her in restraints. Then we get her onto a gurney, and the Team trails her out to this parking lot. We load her and the pups and drive them to my clinic. I can do a health assessment on them, and Heather from the wolf sanctuary can pick them up there.”
“What about the pups?” Nate asked. “I’d say they’re about thirty pounds each.”