Chapter 134 Search and rescue
“Earlier today Serena’s children Olivia and Oliver went missing,” Logan said into the microphone. All additional chatter died immediately. “We are going to organize a search and rescue operation so that each quadrant of the territory is thoroughly searched.”
Logan motioned to the map on the whiteboard. Everyone was listening intently. It was important for them all to listen closely so they understood the plan. Carson and Santino were working on the sign-in sheet, splitting the pack into groups and laying out their search patterns. “As you all know, recovering children is the pack’s highest priority,” Logan continued. “Carson and Santino will split you all into groups, give you your lead assignment and the search route you’ll take in whatever quadrant you are assigned. Does anyone have any questions?” A few hands went up. Logan pointed to a male wolf. “Are you sure they weren’t taken by rogues?” he asked. “Positive,” Logan said. “The rogues have been taken care of and there was no sign of children at their camps, or that children had ever been there.” He pointed to a female with a question. “When did they disappear?” she asked. “Sometime this morning between eleven and eleven-thirty,” Logan said. “Remember, it is getting colder at nights now, so we need to find them as soon as possible. All group leaders will have a radio, blankets, food, and water. Each group will be assigned a tracker who will search in wolf-form. Thank you.” The pack members began to stand up and line up at the table where Carson and Santino began giving them their assignments. Logan had brought mini print outs of the territory map. Each wolf was given a copy of the map, which Carson had marked with their quadrant and search route, and told what group they were assigned to. The leaders of each group collected their search and rescue gear, which also included a flashlight to alert the twins to their presence so they didn’t get scared and run off and a rudimentary first aid kit.
“Remember, if they are hurt or stuck somewhere, they may not be able to come running out to where the search groups are,” Logan said as the groups all gathered together. “When you call out to them,
pause long enough to listen for their voices so you don’t drown them out if they call for help.” Logan, Carson, and Santino were paired up in a group together. He wasn’t leaving anything up to chance. Carson was his tracker, because he was the one that was out in the woods in wolf form more commonly. The other groups broke off on their assignments and Logan, Santino, and Carson 5:20
headed back to Serena’s house.
“I couldn’t find anything about where they might have gone from the yard, but Carson, I’m hoping you can find something more tangible. You aren’t as used to their scent,” Logan said.
They stood in the yard and Carson shifted into his wolf form. He sniffed the air, then he sniffed the ground. Logan tensed as Carson walked in a circle, which usually meant that there was no clear trail to follow. He looked at Santino.
“Give it a moment,” Santino said.
Suddenly, Carson raised his head and gave a low howl. He began trotting off in a specific direction. Logan and Santino hurried after him. Back into the woods the three of them headed! Carson was hot on the trail. The sun had just started setting and it wasn’t too dark yet, but Logan turned on the flashlight as soon as they were in the woods. He didn’t want the twins to get scared of sounds in the trees. It might cause them to run or hide even deeper in the woods. “Olivia, Oliver!” Santino cried out. His voice echoed through the trees. There was no response. Every few paces, Carson stopped and sniffed around again. As needed, he adjusted his direction. It seemed like he had a good, solid lead, though. He wasn’t slowing down, whining, walking in circles, or pawing at the ground. Whatever trail Carson was on, it was a good one. “Olivia, Oliver!” Logan called into the woods after enough time had past for them to listen and hear nothing. .
In the distance, Logan could hear the calls of other search groups in various directions. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time child werewolves had gotten lost in the woods. Most of the time, they just wandered off or thought they knew where they were going and then got lost. It wasn’t uncommon for young wolves to want to play out in the woods and test their abilities. The twins were so young, though! They couldn’t even shift yet. He had no idea what they were thinking. “Olivia, Oliver!” Santino called.
It was getting darker. The temperature in the air was dropping. Even though Logan wasn’t cold, it sent a shiver down his spine. It concerned him to know the twins were out there somewhere. Carson howled again, a good sign that he had picked up more of the trail. He picked up his pace. Logan and Santino practically had to run to keep up. “Olivia! Oliver!” Logan shouted, waving his flashlight through the darkening forest. He could hear something up ahead. It wasn’t the sound of voices. Olivia and Oliver waren’t shouting back or calling for help. He smelled something…it smelled like
smoke!
“We need to hurry,” he said, starting to sprint. Carson, on four legs, was still moving faster than them. He held the lead, ensuring that Logan and Santino were going in the right direction. Logan waved his flashlight and looked for any sign that the kids were up ahead. If there was fire, that meant the whole woods was in danger! Forest fires weren’t common in pack territory, but every now and then they happened! Carson’s trail practically led them right in the direction of where Logan could smell the smoke. “Is that smoke?” Santino asked, panting as he sprinted to keep up. “I think so,” Logan admitted. “That can’t be good,” Santino said. Logan nodded in agreement, breathing deep in his belly to keep his human stamina up. “Olivia! Oliver!” Santino shouted again. Logan waved the flashlight back and forth more vigorously. “If you can hear us, let us know!” Logan shouted. In the distance, he heard muffled voices. It was them, it was definitely them! “Hurry,” Logan said. Carson sprinted ahead, leaving Logan and Santino behind. They were close enough now that they didn’t need Carson as a tracker. He was faster than them and if he could get to the kids and protect them until Logan and Santino got there, that
was what he needed to do. Logan and Santino understood that. Logan wished he could shift into a wolf and run to them. He’d curl up around them and keep them warm in the freezing temperatures that were quickly descending. As it was, Carson would be the one to keep them warm and alive until he could get there with the first aid kit and the blankets. “Daddy?” Logan heard Olivia’s voice call into the woods. “Olivia! We are coming for you, don’t move. Stay right where you are!” he shouted back “Okay,” Olivia said. She didn’t sound scared or hurt or anything. Logan sighed at hearing her voice. He hadn’t heard anything from Oliver though, and that was concerning.
Carson vanished into the darkness. Logan turned the flashlight out. He could see better without it, and now that the kids knew they were coming, he didn’t need to use it so they weren’t scared.
When Logan and Santino caught up to Carson, they nearly ran into him! He was
standing in his wolf form at the edge of a clearing his head tilted to the side Innan
had to angle around him so he didn’t trip over his Beta-wolf!
“What the…” Santino trailed off, panting. He doubled over, putting his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. Logan looked around the clearing, Olivia and Oliver
sitting together completely unharmed and unphased.
None of them had been prepared for what they had come across. Logan was expecting one or both of them to be hurt or scared. He was expecting some raging, out of control fire. Instead, the twins were comfortably sitting around a small camp fire. They were huddled close to each other
There was a spit over the fire with some kind of woodland creature roasting on it and a shelter behind them that they’d made out of pine branches, logs, moss, and leaves. They even had little tin cups and a
bucket of water. The twins had made a fully functioning camp sight. “What are you two doing?” Logan asked. The twins smiled at him with smug satisfaction.
“Camping,” Olivia said. “Isn’t this great!?” She waved her arms around the campsite. Santino burst out laughing and even Carson made an amused sound in his throat. Logan sighed, rolling his eyes. This was not what he was expecting to find!