Chapter Two

W HEN I WOKE UP, I panicked. Jumping on all fours and getting ready to attack, I looked around the train car. As memories of the past day and my run to save my life broke through the haze, I relaxed enough to figure out all my muscles were shaking. I forced myself to pad to the door and try to figure out where we were. Like all animals, I could find my way with ease, especially in wolf form. Today it wasn’t happening. I was too tired, the train was moving, and without any sun as it had set already, I was at a loss.

I growled and returned to the warmer spot I’d created for myself and curled as far as my aching muscles allowed. I could jump off the train around the first station we hit and find out where I was. The problem was finding shelter. It was too cold to sleep outside, and I was having trouble standing up as it was.

With heavy lids and a muddled brain, I gave in to the call of sleep. It could wait. I’d sleep some more, and decide after I awoke. There was no one to catch my scent on the train. But once I hit a village or town, chances of werewolf patrols increased. More so if I was in fact going in the right direction.

I had no food to speak of, so rest was the only thing I could use to recover enough to survive this. All my troubles would still be here the next day.

***

I woke up to shouts and banging. Too dizzy to figure out where I was and what was happening, I growled low and tried to snuggle under the cardboard boxes, to keep myself warm. The sound of closed fists banging against the cars kept me from falling asleep again. Drowsy voices muffled by the metal the cars were built from almost yanked another growl out of me.

Awareness hit me and I remembered where I was. In a train, now stopped. And judging by the loud sounds and voices, this was the final stop. Or a longer one. People were milling about, which meant they’d soon start checking on each car and either unload or add more merchandise to them. I didn’t imagine personnel running into a sleepy wolf that looked unnaturally big would go down that great. I stood up and shook my fur, then padded to the door. They seemed to be far enough away now. Probably starting from the other end of the train.

I looked around through the tiny opening in the doors. It looked like a larger village or a small town. Enough tracks for plenty of trains to stop or go through, so it was probably an important destination. Or maybe a node of some kind.

If I had to guess, I’d say it was late afternoon. Given it was winter, it was probably no later than 4 p.m. It would be dark soon, but I couldn’t afford to stick around until then. The men checking the cars would get here and I couldn’t just sit tight and hope they wouldn’t see me.

I pawed one of the doors until the opening widened and looked for a place to hide. There were some trees on the edge of the farthermost track and if I made it there, the bushes around them and the thick snow might keep me hidden. I jumped off and ran as fast as I could, stopping only after I’d jumped over some bushes and landed into the snow. There were no leaves to conceal me, but the snow was almost as tall as I was, so if I made myself as small as I could, no one could spot me.

I surveyed the station and the men going in and out of the cars of the train I’d been on. No one seemed to have noticed my mad dash to safety. I huffed and lay down in the snow. It was thick and not too fluffy. Not frozen either. It provided some protection from the biting wind, but I’d still freeze over if I stayed here too long. Maybe not as fast as a human, and it wouldn’t kill me, but it wouldn’t be pleasant either.

An hour later, daylight had dimmed and it had started to snow again. The men had finished their inspection of the train and they’d unloaded two of the cars. They’d stuck some dirty crates in the newly made space, then jumped onboard the train. It hadn’t moved yet, but it didn’t look like this was their final destination. Good, if anyone was following the train, they wouldn’t know where to look for me. Enough stops along the way to slow them down a bit.

I was fairly sure my trackers hadn’t seen me getting on the train. But if they weren’t as dumb as a pile of shit, they might think to check the trains. I didn’t imagine there were that many going through the station where I’d started this railway journey.

Once it was pitch black outside, I stretched my limbs and paced around. I was still sore and numb from the cold. At least there wasn’t any real light around here. There were a few feeble light bulbs around the station’s main building but that was it. I could make my way across the tracks and around the station. Once I got into this small town or whatever it was, things would get complicated. There were still plenty of places in Russia with poor infrastructure, lacking street lighting, and having other deficiencies that would take decades to fix if anyone put any real effort into it. Considering my luck of late, I probably was in the one place where bright, shiny new lights had just been installed.

It wasn’t late, maybe 6 or 7 p.m., but I couldn’t smell or hear anyone close by, other than the couple of people working inside the station. With this bone-chilling wind and the snow coming down, it wasn’t surprising. I still had to be vigilant and make sure I didn’t run into someone who was still wandering the streets. A large wolf walking around would scare them but it would also trigger alarms I needed to stay silent.

The street lighting was functional here and there, but not enough to cast away all the shadows. If I chose my path carefully, I could stay hidden. Some dogs barked as I passed, but a low growl and my threatening predator scent was enough to keep them quiet or to send them running. Most of them feared us more than they would any other wild animal. Maybe they sensed the humanity in us which made us smarter and more devious. Maybe they feared the power buzzing around us and knew not to engage. Either way, they avoided us like the plague. The only dog that ran with werewolves that I knew of belonged to the Dacian alpha, Vicks. That was an anomaly, not the norm. It had also taken her a lot of effort to stop scaring the crap out of her dog. Plus, I was convinced that dog wasn’t right in the head. He had issues with the simple concept of staying away from imminent danger.

I walked around enough to figure out how big this place was. I was convinced it was a small town, not just a village, judging by the grim-looking apartment buildings replacing houses once I got closer to the heart of it. They were built too close together, filled with little cubes that acted as apartments. Probably a hundred people or more living in the five-story ones. Double that and more in the eleven-story ones.

There had been some modern buildings added, probably expensive and not that great in quality. Some of the old shops, tiny and dark, dotted the streets around the city center. A lot more bars than shops and pharmacies, it seemed. Those weren’t quiet. There were people inside, drinking, talking, and laughing. They’d get around to the fighting part as the night progressed.

After a long prowl and careful inspection of the shops, I found one on a side alley that beaconed me closer. They had winter clothing, boots and other hiking apparel. I tried to spot a camera or an alarm system, but the heavy lock on the doors was the only sign of some security. They might have an alarm system either way, or have some cameras inside, so I needed to be careful and move fast.

I took a few steps back, then ran at full speed and jumped through the large window. The glass shattered and I tumbled in, knocking over the two mannequins adorning the window.

Pushing myself up, I shook off the pieces of glass and checked my paws. Only minor cuts that would heal fast, especially if I shifted to my human form and took care of them. I searched for an alarm system or cameras but saw nothing. There were no ear-splitting sounds, so if I’d triggered anything, it had to be a silent alarm. Or I might have woken up one of the neighbors who would call the police.

I picked everything I needed—boots, hiking socks, a hoodie and undershirt, a large jacket that seemed warm enough, some thick trousers, an ushanka hat, a large scarf and some gloves. I dragged them all to a corner of the shop where I imagined no camera would see me and shifted. The cuts looked okay, nothing major or bleeding profusely. As I hadn’t managed to find any first aid kit on my first inspection, my socks and gloves would do for now. I made quick work of getting dressed, paying attention to wrapping most of my face in the large scarf. I knew I needed to keep my face hidden as best as I could.

Dressed and warmer than I’d been in long days, I busted the till open and took the money I found there. It wasn’t much, but enough to buy me easier transportation to Ukraine and maybe some food.

In the back of the store, I found a small safe that I opened with sheer force. More money, that would help. I found the papers of the store and used them to get their address. I’d make sure they got payment for the destruction I’d caused. I also found some canned meat, half of a bread, and some jam. My stomach growled at the sight of the food, but I couldn’t stay much longer. I needed to know where I was and plan my way to safety. Getting something into my stomach could wait until I was far away from the city.

One of the desk drawers in the back had a battered map in it. I pulled it out and was rewarded with an overview of the region. The owner of the map had been kind enough to circle around the town I was currently in. I wasn’t that far off, I could make a straight line west to Ukraine. I wasn’t too far south, but I was farther from the border than I’d been when I’d jumped on the train. It didn’t matter. I was clothed and had money. I could find transportation.

A siren broke the dead silence outside. It was still far away and it might not have been a police car responding to a burglary in this shop, but the chances this wasn’t about the ruckus I’d caused were slim. Time to make a run for it.

I grabbed a backpack from inside the store and stuffed it with the money I’d stolen, the food, and the map. I slung it on my right shoulder and exited through the back office and the door leading to a parallel side street to the one I’d entered through. I didn’t run, it would have looked more suspicious, but I walked as fast as I could without looking like a thief and made my way through the maze of backstreet and alleys in the area.

I kept tabs on the siren blaring in the night. It did arrive at the store I’d raided. Not good. They wouldn’t catch me, but the police getting involved so fast meant a report. And if I were the one tracking a runaway wolf, I’d keep an eye on burglary reports. The only plus side was that the Russian police was far from being properly centralized. My pursuers would have to check police reports in all towns along the railway. It would take them plenty of time.

I stumbled across a bus stop and looked around. These weren’t internal routes, they were connections to other nearby towns. I checked the map I had against the destination listed and chose one that took me close enough to Ukraine. There wasn’t any border crossing nearby, but it didn’t matter. I’d shift and cross over in my wolf form. Wild animals weren’t asked for passports, and wasn’t that the biggest blessing ever?

My Russian was awful in lengthier conversations, but with the scarf over my face, the biting cold, and the bored and sleepy saleswomen, I got a ticket to my destination in only five words. The bus, however, didn’t leave until 5 a.m., so I had a long wait before me.

There was a makeshift waiting room which smelled like alcohol-induced vomit, urine, and people who’d never washed properly in their entire life. I thought there was also a distinct touch of dirty feet. It was warmer than outside, but not by much. The small blessing was the far corner of the god-awful room. It was home to a vending machine with sweet and savory snacks and a coffee machine right next to it. I didn’t expect the snacks would be particularly fresh or the coffee any good. Yet I’d get something hot in my system and get some food for now. I could keep my store loot for later, when I’d be crossing the border on foot.

The coffee was worse than I’d imagined and all the sugar in the world couldn’t save it. Still, it was hot and it helped warm me further. I tried the tea and hot chocolate as well, but they weren’t much better than the coffee. The snacks weren’t half-bad. I got everything still left in the vending machine, two bags of chips, some salty biscuits, a couple of chocolate bars and some peanuts. The drunk guy sleeping it off in the corner didn’t move at all and I was thankful for it. I didn’t want any questions—who I was, where I was going, why I ate my weight in snacks.

As I gulped down everything, downing two more cups of coffee and the lone sparkling water bottle I’d found in the vending machine, I felt my body relax. The soreness went away as I healed myself and I was sure the cuts were gone by now. At times like this, it paid off to be a werewolf.

The disadvantage of having warmed up and eaten was the exhaustion that came with it. It was normal, needing some sleep after an ordeal like mine. I was too afraid to close my eyes. What if I didn’t see or hear them coming? What if I missed the bus? I couldn’t take any unnecessary risks. I’d passed out on the train, but that had been different. It couldn’t be helped and the car was moving, with nothing but humans milling about. Now… I just needed more coffee. Coffee and walks outside to wake me up.

By the time I could board my bus, I was having real trouble keeping my eyes open. I chose one of the back seats and hugged my backpack, taking a good look at everyone who got on. About a dozen passengers, all human. I could at least sleep during the bus ride. They seemed harmless. If I used the backpack as a pillow, propping it against the window, no one could try to steal it and manage to do so without waking me up.

The bus was heated and the driver wasn’t the type to ration warmth. By the time we pulled out of the stop, I was half asleep already. A few minutes of driving and I was lulled to sleep.

***

I woke up less than an hour before we reached the final stop. There were more people on the bus now, so I supposed we’d picked more on the way. I’d been only half-aware of the stops the driver had made, and failed to wake up enough to see who got off and who got on. There were about fifteen passengers now and I only recognized four of them.

The village I’d chosen was only twenty kilometers from Ukraine. It was small and dirty, but a somewhat popular destination because of some hot springs and the health and spa facilities built around it. They’d been popular in USSR times and they still brought in a bit of a crowd these days. Enough that there was a bi-weekly bus to here from my original destination.

After considering it briefly, I decided against a sit-down meal at the village’s restaurant. I went into what looked like a convenience store and got everything I could find. Some dry sausages, some cheese, bread, snacks, water and some fruit. I discarded the bread I’d carried from the store I’d broken into and stashed everything else inside my backpack. I munched on the sandwiches I’d picked up for now and went in search of a coffee machine. I needed all the boosters I could find for the trek ahead of me. Even with my supernatural strength and superior eyesight, I couldn’t walk the fifty kilometers in winter conditions in less than ten hours. Factoring in stops, the time needed to shift back and forth, it would take at least another twelve hours to get to Ukraine. Seeing how it was late morning already, I’d have to walk most of the distance in the dark. Fuck!

I wished I could call someone to help. I couldn’t though. Not with the Russian pack wanting me dead and my being in their territories. Ukraine was safer, true, but some packs still had a lot of influence there. No, I had to wait until I made it to Moldova to reveal my position. It was the safest bet for me.

As I dragged my boots through the snow, making steady progress to my destination, my mind turned to my assassination attempt. Now that the trackers weren’t at my heels, snapping and growling, anger replaced the initial feelings of fear and my survival instinct. The bastards had not only treated me like garbage at the meeting, they’d also tried to kill me.

Why? Why were my views so offensive to them? Just because I didn’t want to see our tribe die out? Pregnancies were few and far between and most of the werewolf mothers couldn’t carry to term. Low birthrates were a given for wolf tribes everywhere, but ours was abysmal for a territory so large. We never allowed other wolves to cross our borders, so the inbreeding was rampant. It didn’t matter we weren’t related, we’d been doing it for millennia. At this point, we were scraping the barrel of our gene pool. Even the Japanese packs, with their dislike of foreigners and the country’s huge problem with birth rates were doing better than us. Werewolf culture was different from mainstream Japanese culture, I knew that. It was because all wolves adapted or died out.

I sighed and used the back of my glove to soak the sweat beading on my forehead. Idiots, the lot of them. It was idiotic to reject something because the Mongolian pack had proposed it. Because I had proposed it. They disliked me because I’d saved Shiki’s life when he’d come to our territory to seek his death. It had been a strategic move at first. His connections with the Japanese, Dacian, and Sons of Ulric tribes through his family, especially his brother, meant they’d all band against us. Shiki was important. Our antiquated rules wouldn’t have mattered if we’d killed him.

Later, I couldn’t imagine not having saved Shiki. He’d become one of my closest friends. Who was I kidding? My only close friend, my best friend. I was sociable enough, I was on friendly terms with all members of my pack. But I still kept everyone at arm’s length. After having lost my mate as a teen, there hadn’t seemed to be much left for me to offer to other people. Then I’d met Shiki and while I’d helped him regain his footing, I’d healed myself in the process.

I knew the animosity between the Russian and Mongolian packs went deeper than differing views on tribe rules. The Dragons of the Fang were similar to us in that regard. A relatively smaller nation—Japan and Mongolia—ruled over much larger countries—China and Russia. The Russians had laid off the pressure put on Mongolian leaders post-Communist Russia. They had bigger issues to deal with, especially since their territory kept getting split into smaller pieces. Now that things had somewhat stabilized… well, they’d tried to kill me to stake their claim on the Siberian Killers. They’d failed. And if I knew my father at all, there would be retaliation. It didn’t even matter than he didn’t wholeheartedly support my ideas for the future of our tribe. I was his son, a guest in Russian territory, and my hosts had tried to murder me in my sleep. There would be hell to pay for that one.

As night fell, the walk got more difficult. The snow was frozen and harder to navigate and the wind picked up speed. I had no problem finding my way, because werewolf eyesight was well adjusted to darkness, but I’d been hiking for hours and keeping warm ate up my energy as much as my walking did.

I considered stopping and building a fire. I was far enough from civilization no human would spot me. Werewolves on the hunt could find me though. Too risky. I’d force myself to keep going, then find some faster transportation to the Moldavian border after crossing into Ukraine. Once I reached Moldova, I’d risk it and phone someone. I didn’t know who I’d call first, but I definitely needed some help.

By midnight, I’d started to make plans about what I’d do once I got somewhere safe. I was already on the Ukrainian side, but I still had a while to go until I made it to a village or town. The map I had showed a bit of Ukraine around the border, so I had a slight idea of where I was going. I was still exhausted and all I could dream of was being somewhere safe enough to sleep for a few days.