Red Wolf

  ****

  By the time lunch as over, Delilah was completely healed and ready to continue the mission. But with Walters being armed and possibly with more than one weapon, it proved to be perplexing. How would they pull this off and ensure no one got hurt? It was still at least five hours before darkness fell, but could they wait that long?

  Sitting in the parking lot of the local diner, “Concentrate,” Delilah scolded. “You have the powers of your forefathers. They will help you if you ask.”

  “I know nothing about my wolf ancestors,” Boone scowled.

  “I am talking about your tribal powers. Your grandmother was the daughter of a very powerful shaman. Her blood courses through your veins too. Use it to your advantage.” She paused. “Or we call for backup and let the locals apprehend Walters.”

  “How do you know so much about me?” Boone should have been suspicious, but his tone indicated mostly curiosity. There was no anger or fear, only confusion, and wonderment.

  “I will explain it all later, everything. But for now, you need to focus. Look to the future. What do you see? How do we do this?”

  Boone closed his eyes and thought of his grandmother. His mind took him to a photo of her father; his great-grandfather. He stared at the picture in his mind; a faded sepia colored photo in a simple dark wood frame. He tried to hear the words of his ancestors.

  “Relax,” Delilah said soothingly. “Let it come to you.”

  Boone took another deep cleansing breath. He did not know why but he trusted Delilah. Boone sensed she was there to help him. He tried to relax and focus, but only three words would come to him. Use your powers. Then he heard three more words. Follow the wolf.

  Not only was Boone born a wolf but he was born under the Native American sign of the wolf. He remembered his grandmother’s words about the wolf sign; loving and passionate but with a fierce need for independence. It explained his need to be a lone wolf and remain rogue. He also remembered how she told him while staying secluded from the world; he could also become unrealistic, obstinate, compulsive, and malicious. But how would this help him now? He was raised to be giving, loving, and gentle; not to exploit his powers.

  But being a wolf did give him powers humans did not have. He could heal. He could sometimes read minds. He could erase memories. And he had strength and speed unimaginable by humans. Use your powers.

  “Follow the Wolf,” Boone barely whispered. “I have to use the power of the wolf. Let’s go back. I need to get close enough to listen to Walters. I need to know what he is thinking. Then I can do this. We can do this.”

  Delilah smiled. The feeling of contentment overcame her. They were starting to trust one another. Now it all made sense. Now she knew why she was there. Now she knew why her father had sent her to Cheyenne.

  “We can do this,” Delilah repeated and took Boone’s hand into hers. “We make a great team Boone. Thank you.”

  Boone looked at Delilah’s smile which reached all the way to her ice-blue eyes. For a moment, Boone thought he was able to peer into Delilah’s soul. Boone felt the hard icy exterior of his shielded heart start to crack and fall away. It left him with a feeling he had never experienced before. It was foreign. It was warm; no longer cold, gloomy and lost. It was a sense of finding his way home. It was a feeling so intimate, it could not be described. For the first time in his life, he had hope. He felt as if he had a purpose and a reason to live; really live.