The Caboose, a person sized time capsule. Not that it looked like a caboose anymore, more like a bush cultivated into a caboose shape. Amari stepped high over the overgrown vines and ferns. Reaching in, her hand wrapped around the smooth metal release.

  Camping lanterns hung around and bathed the interior with soft light. Shadows danced with their light sway. The history of their little group etched on the walls. Dreams, crushes, and even their list of last names they debated taking.

  Amari trailed her fingers over the list. Luna, Mond, Lupo, or Lobo variations of moon or wolf. Then the list of names that hid them in plain sight, Smith, Jones, Thompson had her chuckling.

  Back then, none seemed to fit. One day, she had been playing with their last initials. Rearranging them on a sheet of paper until Spesy jumped out at her. She had turned it to them and the surprised excitement said everything. Their history mashed together into something new.

  The rolling scrape of metal broke her reverie. A tall uniformed man popped his head in. “Maxy! It has been a long time!”

  “Too long, you weirdo.” Max wrapped her in a soul hug. His voice dropped. “The grapevine is saying I have a niece now?”

  “I hope so. She hasn’t really told me if she is okay with that.”

  “Oh well. We will just have to convince her we are the best family in either realm.”

  “Thanks bud.” Amari smiled. Max could lighten any mood with his earnest jovial heart. “Where is your duo?”

  If Max was blue skies, Elias was the storm cloud. They balanced each other perfectly. A year age gap and the youngest pair, they were always causing some sort of trouble.

  “I could ask you the same thing.” He laughed.

  “Mine is right…” Amari paused. “There.”

  Rema shoved open the door then bent to offer her hands. Diana huffed as she stepped into them and was lifted into the caboose.

  “Where are the other boys?” Rema asked as she lifted herself fluidly into the caboose.

  The crashing through the woods answered before anyone could utter a word. Orion, in a quick leap, landed in the caboose just as Elias tagged the side.

  “Next time pup.” Orion smiled satisfyingly.

  “You raced him again? When are you going to learn?” Max leaned down offering his hand.

  “One day. I will beat him.”

  Arm around Elias’ shoulders, Max pat his chest. “He’s the Alpha. No you won’t.”

  Elias shrugged him off. They all good heartedly laugh.

  “Alright. Check in time. Where’s everyone at? Be honest.” Orion scanned down the line.

  Rema, Diana, and Max flashed a thumbs up. Emotions and stress opened wolves up to the moon's influence. The call to be reckless and wild. Plenty of wolves lost control at one time or another and chaos reigned.

  Each Alpha had safeguards in place within their territories to handle moon drunk wolves. Pack wolves were rarely the problem. It was the packless wolves that were more likely to be the issue. Individuals that chose to turn but refused a pack and by extension its rules.

  “I have been restless but not twitchy,” Elias admitted.

  “Okay.” Orion shifted his gaze.

  “Yeah. Same.” Amari sighed. She prided herself on being in control and loathed admitting she was anything less.

  “We have all been there. That's why we keep an eye on each other.” Rema

  “Diana and I will take the patrol tonight.”

  “But.” Amari stopped. Orion's stern, unwavering look left no room for debate. She nodded.

  Orion jumped out. Diana hugged Amari whispering in her ear. “You are not a burden. This is what we do, cover each other.”

  Amari turned as Diana landed with a soft thud next to a mountain of mottled brown. Shifting into her own solid, deep brown Diana yipped trotting after Orion into the woods.

  “Hey don't do that.” Rema guided Amari back into the caboose.

  “I came back to help take some of the pressure off you guys.” Disappointment clear in her voice, Amari accepted the soda from Rema.

  “And you will once we figure out the Nova situation. None of us knew what your new responsibilities as liaison would look like. And starting tomorrow you may have even more on your plate than Nova.”

  Amari sighed. Her feelings were not listening to the logic.

  “I can’t wait to tell Nova all about you in high school and beyond.” Max’s eyes sparkled, trying to keep his mouth straight.

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  “Don’t you dare.” Amari leaned over to swat him as he danced away.

  “I think she will want to know what kind of family she is getting into. Besides, you had some epic moments.”

  “We’ll keep it PG promise.” Elias called from his seat in the corner. “At least until she is in her mid-twenties.”

  “Oh what do you want to teach her first?” Max plopped down next to his partner in crime.

  “Hmmm.” Elias sat in quiet thought. “I think it prudent that we teach her first how to deal with boys that cross boundaries. I would rather not go to jail.”

  “What?” Amari choked on her soda.

  “What?” Elias’ neutral face screamed he meant every word. Like his statement was common knowledge.

  “Defend herself yes, but do not do anything that could end you up in jail.”

  Elias’ lips pulled down, brows furrowed.

  “I promise to keep him out of trouble.” Max held up three fingers together.

  “That is not encouraging.” Amari freaked out.

  ****

  “Do you think we will find Nova passed out on the couch? Or do you think she made it to her bed last night?” Diana climbed the stairs to her back deck.

  “I am not sure, let’s keep it down just in case she is in the living room.” Amari called back to the boys playfully shoving each other as they came out of the woods.

  “Party pooper. How is she ever gonna learn what it's like to have siblings if we can’t mess with her.” Max cleared the steps in one leap.

  “You aren’t her siblings. You will be her uncles. Remember you both are nearly thirty.” Amari poked his chest.

  “Ouch. I am twenty-eight, I still have a couple years until I am old like you.”

  “Oh you little, sh-.” Amari chased after him as he ducked around Elias and Orion.

  “Knock it off both of you.” Orion’s command stopped everyone in their tracks. “Max, Elias.”

  Max jumped over the railing curling around the house to the left, while Elias split to the right. Diana breathed deeply, hand frozen on the door. Amari’s heart sunk at the fear she saw creep into the grim features.

  “Rema on me. Diana?” Orion’s face asked Diana if she was ready to manage Amari. At her nod, she pulled the door the rest of the way open.

  Orion and Rema moved fluidly through the kitchen. Spreading out, Orion moved through to the living room and Rema passed through to the dining room. Diana stood in the doorway, braced against the shoving as Amari tried to push her way into the house.

  “Where is Nova?” Tense whispers escaped as Amari paced. She hated being handled, though some part of her understood.

  “Let them check it out.” Diana turned and grabbed her wrists. Droplets of red squeezed from her fists. “Amari she will be fine.”

  “You don’t know that. Would we have been fine?” Amari craned to look behind her.

  “If she was alone, I would be worried. But she has all of us and our gifts.” Diana lifted on her toes into her line of sight.

  “Clear.” Orion’s baritone called from the living room.

  Diana barely stepped aside before Amari rushed through. She stopped cold in the doorway to the living room. Cushions lay in shreds around the floor. Long claw marks crisscross the couch. ‘Are you still watching?’ displayed prominently on the screen. Popcorn and candy spread like thrown confetti. A deep brown puddle spilled down the leg of the table spreading out in all directions.

  “Door’s been busted open from the outside.” Max called from the stairs. Beyond him Elias leaned down, investigating the doorframe.

  Amari felt the rush spill into her system, spreading down her arms and legs. The itch of fur pressing out. A snarl ripped out of her throat. “Where is she?”

  Arms closed around her from behind. Her toes brushed against the floor, stealing any leverage she could to break free. She fought to ignore the familiar feeling pressing out from her forest.

  “Little one, Orion called for me.” Ruac spoke gently.

  “Nova is missing.” Amari whimpered, pulling at the arms binding her.

  “I know. We will find her.” Ruac confidently comforted.

  “How?” Amari surrendered.

  “Trust me.”

  Amari closed her mind off. Forcing herself to take deep even breaths, she pulled her wolf back. Slowly the arms lowered her and partially released.

  “You calmed enough that we can start investigating?” Rema asked in her firm but sympathetic voice. At Amari’s nod. Rema released her the rest of the way.

  Orion snapped a photo of the room from every corner. While Diana logged into her surveillance camera app on the TV. A few clicks and the TV filled with an image of them surrounded by destruction.

  “You have cameras in here?” Vehemence dripped from every word that slipped between Amari’s tight lips. “Nova is going to think we don’t trust her?”

  “Yes. I live alone in the woods. This is why I suggested my place and not Rema’s. If all these new Mutares are part of a larger plan, Nova would be in danger. It is only on the first floor.” Diana spoke as the video flashed images in reverse. Her eyes glued to the screen as she searched for anything.

  “Oh.” Amari sank, falling the last bit onto the couch with absence of cushions. Head in her hands, her heart followed suit into her stomach. Fear kept her eyes from the screen, not sure she could bear seeing something happen to Nova. The hope she held onto was the absence of blood. “Thank you.”

  A hand rested on her shoulder, the warmth steading her more.

  “Okay. It seems like Nova was enjoying everything my snack cupboard has to offer. Then nine seventeen.”

  “No. She was on Wolfsbane.” Amari shot up.

  The screen was filled with a silent, night vision grey movie. Slow jerking movement, Nova rolled off the couch. Popcorn bowl catapulted kernels. Claws dug into plush as she struggled to stand before the next wave sprouted fur. Ear perking up, Nova threw her head back in a muted howl. A large, scared wolf jumped as her frame knocked into the table. The next moment, her head whipped up. She jumped away, her claws digging into the couch as she circled the room as an even larger dark wolf chased her out.

  “Who was that?” A growl ripped from Amari’s throat.

  “That was nearly the size of an Alpha.” Max looked at Orion.

  “Switch to the entryway, maybe we can get a better look.” Orion asked Diana.

  With a few quick clicks, the screen filled with the door busting open as the dark wolf nearly knocked it off the hinges. Less than a minute later, Nova’s lighter wolf disappeared into the darkness with the other nipping at her heels.

  “What is going on?”

  “We have a lot of questions but first Diana you are our best tracker. They have nearly an eight hour head start. Max go see if anyone called in a wolf sighting.” Orion’s words barely left his mouth and they were already out the door. “Rema visit the other territories, see if anyone recognizes this wolf, take Elias.”

  Rema grabbed Diana’s keys and headed towards the drive.

  “What about me?” Amari felt her claws press into her palms.

  “We are going to all the places Nova knows in this area. Starting with your house.” Orion smiled at her confusion. “You may not realize it, perhaps she doesn’t either, but Nova knows you love her. People run to where they have felt safe and loved.”

  Amari nodded her head, blinking back her tears.