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R ose didn’t usually read them, but after Christmas, the reviews for the film and books were fantastic.

The film was dedicated to David. He would have been proud.

She was proud. Sue’s editors had done a brilliant job.

There was nothing to suggest anything but a joyous glimpse into the world of a Danish wolf-pack.

The cause of David’s death was largely forgotten, last year’s news.

For anyone who did remember, it was put down to one of those things, some lost person who had been roaming in the wilderness far from civilisation for so long and everyone was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Just the same as the random stranger who had turned up in Kirkglen, shot at Simon and killed a wolf which had escaped from the forest. Wrong place.

Wrong time. Weird, but just one of those things.

The weirder thing had been that the strangers body was stolen from the morgue and a dead crow left in its place.

Rose’s assertion that Emmeline had signalled to the man to start shooting had carried no weight at all. All the same, Iseult had taken over the Guild and promised a clean sweep.

‘Going to join now?’ asked Sam, standing in the hallway.

‘You’ve got to be kidding, She was in as deep as any of them. It’s just that it would be like trying to nail jelly to a wall getting any charges to stick to Iseult.’

‘Nothing as common as jelly, darling,’ said Sam. ‘Fois gras maybe.’

‘I’m going to miss you,’ said Rose.

‘I’m not leaving the bloody country,’ argued Sam, ‘just going back to civilisation. I’m looking forward to the job at Andrew’s facility. And anyway, the city has other attractions.’

Simon came into the room and put his last case down and circled his shoulder.

‘Twice, in the same spot. How can anyone get shot twice in the same place?’

‘How are you feeling? ’

‘Good. Yeah good. Bit behind with the next project but I’ll get there. It’s just going to take longer than it used to, but at least the treatment seems to be working.’

‘Moving near to Andrew’s facility makes sense,’ said Rose. ‘It’s better than dragging him out here every few weeks, and you can take Sam out when she’s not slaving away getting his records in some sort of order.’

‘Shame you talked me into selling the family home, Posie.’

‘No it’s not. We both needed it gone.’

‘Meh. Can’t believe you’re staying in Kirkglen. I thought you were unhappy.’

‘I was simply unhappy. I thought it was the place. But it wasn’t. Anyway, I like to look at the mountain and wonder if the wolves are near.’

Simon was silent. Walking away from Sam, he opened the patio door and they stepped out together. Their feet crunched on snow and their breath crystallised in the air. He put his arm round her and howled. An answering howl came back from the trees.

‘She would have been miserable, wouldn’t she?’ he said.

‘Yes. I think, if she’d had the chance, she’d have explained she wanted to stay a wolf and never shift again. I think she would have come back one more time to say goodbye.’

‘Her brother…’

‘I thought he was dead,’ said Rose. ‘But now I realise she’d never said so. She just said he was lost having gone after their mother. For whatever reason, he stayed with humans.’

‘You never would have guessed. He looked so much older.’

‘Maybe that’s what happens when you’re in the wrong world.’

Simon shivered and they went back inside. ‘I wanted to tell her that I knew it wouldn’t work. That it was all right to love someone but let them go. Is that a song? It sounds like a song.’

‘You’re getting soppy in your old age.’

‘Yeah sorry. Do something annoying so I can insult you.’

Back inside, Sam hugged her again. ‘Seriously, are you sure you’ll be all right on your own out here?’

‘Yes, of course. I’ll get the redecoration underway in a week or so, starting with the bathroom, I think.’

‘Leave the soapy pigs.’

‘Maybe. Anyway, you’d best be going before it snows again. And gets dark.’

‘Seriously,’ Sam said, ‘I still don’t trust the Guild.’

‘No, nor me. But it wasn’t me they were after. I’ll be fine.’

She kissed them both and ushered them out of the door and crossing her arms, watched them get into the car. A kestrel hovered above the field behind Rob’s bungalow, then dropped out of sight.

Sam powered down the window. ‘I can’t imagine what you’ll do for company once we’ve gone,’ she said, nodding her head backwards towards Rob’s bungalow and smirking.

‘Right now, I’m going back inside on my own to play the cello,’ said Rose. ‘I’m working on a new piece.’

She waved as they pulled off and closed the door.

In the quiet sitting room, she opened the case and rested her cheek against the scroll for a moment, before starting to tune up.

The bow drew across the strings in a soft, wordless song and a tear ran down her face. She wiped it away and smiled.

‘Farewell, Sky,’ she whispered. ‘This is for you.’