Chapter 32: James

I run through the night, arriving half frozen at the transport depot just as the sun breaches the snow line. I don’t want to stop, but it’s faster to go through the mountain than over it. The wolves at the gate scramble to let me in.

“Beta,” one of them stammers, “has Cold Bay fallen? What are you doing here?” I try to get a handle on the rage still burning inside me and struggle to retake my human form, accepting the clothes offered to me. “The Bay stands. I need transport through the mountain now,” I say pushing past the men toward the train log. I angrily flip through the schedule, looking for the next transport.

“The bucket won’t be back for at least a few hours. It’s on a supply run,” one of the warriors tells me, setting his hand on my shoulder. “Why don’t you come on into the guard station? We’ll get you something to eat, you can fill us all in.”

I jerk away from him, slamming the log down on the table. “I need to go now. Get me the radio.” He starts to question me, but wisel