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for the past ninety-six years. He was going to spend whatever years were left to him empty and alone.
    Sipping from the rapidly cooling coffee, he watched as the sun began to rise in the east. The sky bled from midnight blue to shades of purple and pink before finally settling into a clear, soft blue. The air remained chilly, though, even with the sun shining bright and clear.
    Fall came hard and early to Montana. Although it was only early October, they’d already seen their first snow. He wasn’t aware of the cold, though, until he felt a fuzzy warm weight settle around his bare feet. Looking down, he met a pair of warm, misty blue eyes that stared up at him with concern. He forced a smile as he reached down and rubbed the mongrel’s head, scratching behind his ears.
    He had found Wendigo a few years back, when he was just a puppy, shivering and near freezing. Part wolf, part husky, Wendigo and his littermates had been dumped by their owner on the roadside. Three of the pups had frozen before Vax had found them. The other two, he had found homes for. He’d planned on finding a home for Wendigo as well, but each time he did, the determined little thing escaped and found his way back to Vax.
    After it happened the third time, Vax accepted the inevitable. He’d been adopted, whether he liked it or not. Vax would deny it if he was asked, but the mutt had worked his way into his heart. Kind of ironic. After a hundred years of making sure nothing got close to him, it was a big-eared, big-footed stray that found a way inside.
    â€œHow you doin’, boy?” Vax crouched down in front of Wendigo. The dog took advantage of the moment to lean into his master, resting his head on Vax’s shoulder and making soft whining noises in his throat.
    â€œDon’t worry about me.” This time Vax’s smile was a little more sincere. “I’m not going to disappear and forget to feed you.” At least it wasn’t very likely.
    Rising, he headed inside, and Wendigo fell in step behind him. As Vax reached under the sink and pulled out the heavy plastic tub where he stored the dog’s food, Wendigo started dancing around, rearing up on his hind legs and poking his cold nose against Vax’s side.
    â€œI swear, you’d think it had been months since you ate. I know I fed you last night.” The evidence of said meal was still in crumbs around the dog’s food dish. Vax dumped some kibble into the bowl and scooted it to the side so that Wendigo could eat while Vax cleaned up the dog’s mess from last night.
    He tossed the paper towels into the garbage can and put the food container away before he dropped down onto the floor next to Wendigo and rubbed the dog’s back as he ate. Wendigo took a split-second break to look at his master, making that odd whining noise.
    Vax smiled and tried once more to reassure the dog. “Don’t worry, boy. I’m not going anywhere.”
    But not even a minute passed before he realized he just might be wrong. He was in the middle of pulling some eggs from the fridge when he felt it, that odd low-key burn in his spine. A call he hadn’t felt for years, and a call he never wanted to feel again. It was there, though, strong and certain. It wasn’t a fluke like the mess in Utah, either. This was a flat-out call and it was directed at him.
    â€œI’m not in the game anymore,” he said out loud. Not that there was anybody to hear him. Maybe he was just hoping he could convince himself to ignore it. Wasn’t going to happen, though. It took him a whole day before he admitted he was wasting his time.
    Somebody out there was in danger, and apparently it had been decided that Vax needed to play Hunter again.
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    Y OU need to go home ….
    Jess ignored the little voice in the back of her head as she shifted on the bar stool.
    There was nothing to go home to. Randi was gone; her room sat empty. Jess couldn’t even lose