Page 10 of Collar Me Crazy (Hollow Oak Mates #8)
RYKER
T he emergency call came through just as the first snowflakes started falling. Ryker was in the middle of checking on the dryad's healing grove when his phone buzzed with Miriam's number.
"We've got a problem," she said without preamble. "Group of college hikers went off-trail this morning near your area. They were supposed to check in an hour ago, and with this weather moving in..."
Ryker looked up at the darkening sky, where heavy clouds promised more than just a light dusting. November in the mountains could turn deadly fast, especially for inexperienced hikers who didn't understand how quickly conditions could change.
"How many?"
"Four kids, early twenties. They told their professor they were exploring the old mining trails past Moonmirror Lake." Miriam's tone carried the worry of someone who'd seen too many rescue operations over the years. "Search and rescue's mobilizing, but you're closest to that area."
"I'm on it." Ryker was already heading for his truck, grabbing his emergency pack from the porch. "Send me their last known coordinates."
"Already did. And Ryker? Be careful out there. This storm's looking worse than the weather service predicted."
He was loading gear into his truck when another vehicle pulled up the drive.
His wolf perked up instantly, recognizing the scent before his eyes confirmed what he already knew.
Sonya climbed out of her car, dressed in hiking boots and a heavy jacket that suggested she'd come prepared for the weather.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, not bothering with pleasantries.
"Miriam told me you were heading out for a search and rescue. She thought my seer abilities might help if you lose the trail." Sonya approached with the determined stride of someone who'd already made up her mind. "I also have wilderness training and search experience."
"I work alone. Go back to town."
"Four people are missing in deteriorating conditions." She pulled a pack from her car, checking the contents with practiced efficiency. "This isn't the time for stubbornness."
"It's not stubbornness. You don't belong out here." Ryker turned away, focusing on loading his gear. "Go back to the inn where it's safe."
"I'm not made of glass, and I'm not some helpless human who'll slow you down." Her tone carried steel underneath the politeness. "Miriam wouldn't have sent me if she didn't think I could help."
Ryker wanted to argue more, to physically put her back in her car and send her away, but snow was falling steadier now. Every minute they delayed decreased the hikers' chances. His wolf whined at the thought of Sonya facing danger, but his practical side recognized they were wasting precious time.
"Fine. But you do exactly what I say, when I say it. No arguments."
"Understood."
They drove in tense silence toward the trailhead, the truck's heater working overtime against the dropping temperature. Snow was accumulating faster than Ryker had expected, already coating the windshield between swipes of the wipers.
"Tell me about the terrain," Sonya said, studying the topographic map on her phone.
"Rocky, uneven, lots of places to take a wrong turn if you don't know what you're looking for." Ryker took a sharp curve more carefully than usual. "The old mining trails aren't maintained, and some of the bridges are questionable at best."
"Water crossings?"
"Three that I know of. All of them dangerous if the creeks are running high from snowmelt."
They reached the trailhead as the snow shifted from gentle flakes to a more serious storm. Ryker shouldered his pack and checked his GPS while Sonya did the same with her equipment.
"We'll split the difference," he said, pointing toward two diverging paths. "You take the southern trail, I'll take the northern. We meet at the junction in two hours whether we find them or not."
"Actually, let's stay together." Sonya zipped up her jacket against the wind. "Two sets of eyes are better than one, and if we do find them injured, you'll need help."
His wolf approved of this plan, but Ryker kept his expression neutral. "Your call. But we do this my way."
"Agreed."
They set off up the northern trail, and within minutes, Ryker found himself grudgingly impressed. Sonya kept pace without complaint, her movements economical and sure. She read the terrain like someone who'd spent real time in wilderness conditions, not just weekend hiking trips.
"There," she said, pointing to a broken branch twenty feet off the main trail. "Someone went that way recently."
Ryker examined the sign, noting the fresh break and the faint footprint in the soft earth. "Good eye. That's definitely human passage."
They followed the trail of broken vegetation and disturbed ground, calling out periodically for the missing hikers. The snow was falling harder now, muffling sound and reducing visibility to maybe thirty feet in any direction.
"Ryker!" Sonya's voice carried sharp urgency. "Over here!"
He found her crouched beside a steep ravine, peering down into the shadows below. Four figures huddled together at the bottom, their bright college sweatshirts standing out against the dark rocks.
"Hey!" Ryker called down. "Can you hear me?"
A weak voice drifted up. "Help! We can't get out!"
"Anyone injured?"
"Sarah's ankle is messed up, and we're all freezing!"
Ryker assessed the situation quickly. The ravine wasn't too deep, but the sides were steep and slippery with snow. Getting four hypothermic people out would require careful planning.
"There's an emergency cache about fifty yards east," he told Sonya, pulling out his phone. "Thermal blankets and hot packs. Can you get them while I figure out how to get down there?"
"On it." She headed off without question, and Ryker was grudgingly grateful for her efficiency.
While she was gone, he made a decision that went against every instinct he'd developed over the years.
He stripped quickly, folding his clothes and hiding them behind a boulder before shifting to his wolf form.
The transformation flowed through him, auburn fur rippling over muscle as his frame expanded.
He made his way carefully down into the ravine, approaching the huddled students. They shrank back initially, eyes wide with fear and confusion.
"Easy, boy," one of them whispered. "Where did you come from?"
Ryker lay down beside them, sharing his body heat while being careful to act like a well-trained but ordinary wolf. He whined softly, nudging them closer together, his higher body temperature beginning to warm them.
"He's so warm," Sarah murmured, the girl with the injured ankle. "Good boy. Did someone send you to find us?"
Above, he heard Sonya return and call down. "I've got the supplies! How are they doing?"
"There's a wolf down here," one of the students called back. "Friendly one. He's keeping us warm."
"A wolf?" Sonya's voice carried surprise. "Is he bothering you?"
"No, he's helping. Acts like he's trained or something."
Ryker helped guide the students as Sonya lowered the rope system, using his wolf form to provide stability without being too obvious about his intelligence. When the last student reached the top, he bounded up the ravine slope and disappeared behind the boulder where he'd left his clothes.
The shift back left him slightly winded, but he dressed quickly and emerged as if he'd been securing equipment.
"Where did the wolf go?" one of the kids asked, scanning the area.
"Probably headed back toward town," Ryker said, shouldering his pack. "Wild animals don't usually stick around humans longer than necessary."
But he caught Sonya looking at him, like she knew what he was, what he had done, but wasn’t sure enough to be confident about it.
The trip back to the trailhead was treacherous, snow falling heavy enough now to make the path slippery and visibility poor. Twice Ryker had to steady students who slipped on hidden rocks, and before they reached the parking area, all of them were exhausted and cold and almost hypothermic again.
Ryker looked at Sonya, who was shivering despite her heavy jacket.
"There's a ranger cabin not even a quarter mile to the right," he said reluctantly. "Basic shelter, wood stove. We can wait out the storm there."
"That sounds good." Sonya's teeth were chattering now, adrenaline from the rescue wearing off and leaving her body to deal with the cold.
They fought against wind that cut through their clothes like ice. The cabin, when they reached it, was small but solid, with a stone fireplace and basic supplies.
"Get out of those wet clothes if you can," Ryker said to the kids, including Sonya, already building a fire in the stove. "There are emergency blankets in the supply closet. You kids warm by the fireplace. I’ll try to radio in our location from the back room.”
He focused on the fire to warm the cabin, trying not to think about the fact that him and Sonya were now about to be trapped together in a space barely larger than a single room, with others or not.
The storm howled outside, and he realized this night was going to test every bit of his self-control.
His wolf was already stirring with interest, and something told him this was going to be a very long few hours.